Ruth Merkle first became interested in cultural exchange when her family moved to Wiesbaden, Germany, where her father was stationed in the Air Force. When she returned to the US as a teenager, her family then hosted exchange students. Ms. Merkle first got involved with Cary Sister Cities as a host for a youth delegation from Le Touquet, France. She then rejoined the organization post-retirement to assist with the onboarding of a new city, Wiesbaden. She is honored to have served as Secretary and Board Member. Ms. Merkle will be joining the delegation to Wiesbaden this August to meet with city officials.