By Ron P. Coderre
A Woodstock man, 20-year-old Carl Underwood, has been selected to represent the U.S. in international competition this year in the Czech Republic.  Underwood has been named to the U.S. Junior World Orienteering Championship (JWOC) team.  The JWOC is the equivalent of the Olympics in Orienteering.
Underwood, who attends UConn, where he’s studying Exercise Science in the Kinesiology Department, spent the past spring studying in Cape Town, South Africa.  He’s currently living and working in Europe.
This will be the third JWOC for Underwood, who previously represented the U.S. in Denmark in 2010 and Poland in 2011.  He was unable to participate in 2012 due to conflicts with is academic courses, although he was eligible.  In 2012 he enjoyed a banner individually, winning the North American Orienteering Championship in the M-20 in the sprint course.  The M-20 features competition for men under 20 years old.  He was also a third-place finisher at the same meet in the long course.
Orienteering is a navigation sport, where the competitors use a map and compass to navigate through the deserts, forests, mountains and some urban parks to locate and check in at electronic controls that are placed in advance in the terrain.  Competition winners are based on the fastest individual to locate all the controls in the correct order.  Orienteering, which started in Sweden, was introduced in the U.S. in 1971.  Orienteering clubs are located throughout the country with a number in the New England region.
Underwood has been orienteering since he was a toddler.  He and his family have been orienteering throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.  His other interests include camping, canoeing, backpacking, biking, hiking and mountain climbing.

Club Visit
The Rotary Group Study Exchange members from Turkey visited the U.S. recently, spending some time with the Putnam Rotary Club. Those visiting included Omer Oguz, Altug Erbil, Ozge Aytas, Onur Tenel and Dr. G. Basak Kilic. Also pictured are Putnam Rotary Club President Paul Pikora (3rd from left), Cynthia Dunne (4th from left) and Deborah Hoft (far right), co-chairs of the GSE visit to Putnam. Linda Lemmon photo.

SENE Champs
The Marianapolis baseball team coached by David Austin celebrates after winning the SENE championship.  This is the second consecutive year the Golden Knights have captured the title. Photo courtesy of Jane Hanrahan.