Sporting their Dominican shirts, Benzie Central sophomores Thea Gray, Abby Bretzke and Bella Huddleston report on their recent trip to the Dominican Republic, a Rotary International Mission sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Gaylord, Manistee and Benzie Sunrise. 
 
The primary focus of the mission trip was building homes for Dominicans who did not have the financial means to build their own homes. The local girls were part of a group that consisted of 8 adults (5 Rotarians) and 20+ high school students from Benzie Central, Manistee, Manistee Catholic, Gaylord Public and Gaylord St. Mary’s.
 
Working side-by-side with Dominicans who would be occupying the home, the students poured concrete, set rebar and performed "the hardest work I've ever done," as one girl put it. But they found the mission most rewarding and, as reflected in their video, they had time to take in some of the beauty of the country.