Foundation Evening

This proved to be a successful event although held under the enforced restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.   A total of 31 attendees were involved with 25 members, our honorary member, Wyn Griffiths, 2 visiting Past Presidents from Aberystwyth, Richard Morgan and Robin Varley, District Governor Alison Sutherland and PDG Steve Jenkins and our special guest from America Lindsey Bergstrom, Past Ambassadorial Scholar.

President Dr.William Williams welcomed everyone to the meeting with special reference to our guests and the Chair of the Foundation Team, Hugh Thomas then introduced Lindsey, giving pertinent dates and appointments held in her impressive CV.

She was born and raised in a small town in the Big Horn Mountains in Northern Wyoming.   She is married to a U.S. Marine and has three beautiful children.   Unfortunately her oldest daughter was diagnosed with a rare bone disease at the age of 8 years.   That comment will become an important fact later in the introduction.

In 2000 she was a photography intern in Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.

Spring of 2002 she attended the school of International Training in Prague in the Czech Republic.

May 2003 granted degree of Bachelor of Arts of Bowdoin College, Brunswick, major in Art History.

2005-6 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Aberystwyth University, gaining her Masters Degree in Fine Art/Photography November 2006.

2006 to the present day Owner of Lindsey Bergstrom Photography in Boulder, providing editorial and commercial design photography services.

2013 to the present day Instructor in Illuminate Classes teaching several hundred students how to set up documentary and portrait photography projects.

2019 to the present day Director of Development of Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO) collaborate.   In 2019, co-authored and was awarded a grant for $450,000 to start patient driven research network and work together with thirty other rare disease groups to form a unique shared knowledge consortium.   This links with her daughter\'s problem.

Lindsey had no prior connections to Wales but does have Welsh ancestry, believed from Glamorganshire, surname Morgan, established Morgantown in West Virginia, where there is a family grave.   Both her daughters and Lindsey have Morgan as Christian names.

Lindsey was welcomed warmly and gave a delightful illustrated address showing her photographic work with passion and drive.   The most interesting talk was followed by a lively question and answer session, chaired by the President.

Finally the vote of thanks was given and warmly supported by all present.  Lindsey was wished every success in all her endeavours.

It had been a pleasure to be part of this successful event in the Rotary Bridgend programme for this year.