Category: District Governor

Hello and welcome to a new year that brings new leaders to the fore with their own unique vision on how they want to lead Rotary, at the club, district and at Rotary International. Rotary International president Gordon McInally is using his theme, “Create Hope in the World,” to make an impact in the many areas he has traveled where people have lost hope in warring countries, areas devastated by natural disaster, and diseases that affected entire countries. As Gordon says: “The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves.”

February is Rotary’s Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month. As Rotarians, let us all try to create an environment of peace and harmony in our communities and around the world. By supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, we can address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, education and mental health issues.

As we start this New Year, I hope all Rotarians had a wonderful holiday season filled with quality family time, peace, joy, warmth, and good cheer! The District Leadership Team wishes all in our communities a happy, safe, and successful New Year! Rotary takes January to focus on Vocation Service, as every Rotarian can make a difference by using our unique skills and expertise to address community needs. Imagine Rotary and imagine how you and your club can use your knowledge to make our communities and world a better place to live, work, and play!

December is Rotary’s Disease Prevention & Treatment month! Obviously, everyone is aware of our long-term commitment to eradicating polio and the fact that we are so close to reaching our goal. But Rotary clubs around the globe are also addressing many other health initiatives. Rotary believes that everyone has a right to good health care. Rotary is educating and equipping communities around the world to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases. Rotary is addressing malaria, HIV, maternal health, infant mortality, cancer screenings and many other areas!

November is The Rotary Foundation month. The Foundation’s Sustaining Member level is simply a $100 donation every Rotary year. This level has not been adjusted for inflation in at least the last 20 years. One of my goals was to get more Rotarians to commit to donating more than this level each year, so we created the District 6080 Foundation Promoter for those that can give $300 per year. The District 6080 Foundation Champion is for anyone committing to $600 per year. We have special lapel pins for those making this commitment level. If you can give more, a $1,000 per year commitment will put you in the Paul Harris Society.