Reconnecting...
Ross and Lynton were two young, white South Africans off on an adventure. They applied late for work and wanted to work in a camp kitchen. We must have needed help because we accepted them at Winnebago for a summer in the early 90s. I read their applications and, while they seemed a bit overqualified, so did a lot of Eastern Europeans whom we had engaged who were law students, medical students and the like, all using this as an opportunity to get to the U.S.

When they arrived, they charmed everyone and were excellent, caring workers as well. They bought a junker car and left it at the end of the trans-continental, end of summer tour of the U.S. at some major airport, probably JFK or LAX.

On my first exploratory trip to South Africa in 2003, I had lunch with Ross. He drove me around, filled me in on the culture, and was a wonderful host. He managed a mushroom farm that sold to supermarkets and restaurants in Johannesburg and was quite a big business.

We fell out of touch until this year when he contacted me and wanted to have lunch with him and Lynton and to meet his fiancee. We had a lovely time reminiscing and discussing what we were each doing. Lynton represents Embraer and is its corporate jet representative in Africa. Ross has expanded the mushroom business. Both are interested in finding a way for South African businesses to be more socially responsible and to support our use of camp to change children's lives.

We'll see if something will work, but it is a wonderful feeling to reconnect with people from a past connection in a foreign country.
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Last Updated on Monday, 05 October 2009 11:01