Dear Rotarians of District 6920,

With less than 24 hours left to serve as the 2016-17 District Governor I wanted to make sure to say THANK YOU!  Thank you for the opportunity to serve you this year as your District Governor.  WOW!  What a year.  It is exciting to watch clubs prepare for next year, but it is as exciting to see clubs celebrate the accomplishments from this year!  We have accomplished quite a bit this year as a district, especially with it being the 100th Anniversary of the Rotary Foundation.  

We kicked off with our District Assembly in Dublin with record attendance and PACKED the semi with items from clubs around the district for Broken Shackle Ranch. What a HUGE impact clubs had on an organization that is making a difference in the lives of young men from around our state and right here in our district.  Thank you for having David Cobb as your speaker to your clubs and donating to such an amazing organization that is living the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.  Thank you for all the clubs and Rotarians that helped fulfill this years theme by showing them we really are Rotary Serving Humanity.  http://bsr.education/videos/  Thank you to Past District Governor Lloyd Horadan for making all of this happen!!

We started off the year with the Georgia Rotary Student Program Conclave in Augusta.  District 6920 welcomed Rotarians from around our state and students from around the world in Augusta.  Thank you to all the Augusta area clubs for hosting students in their homes, helping with transportation and being available for 3 days as we kicked off a program unlike any other Rotary has to offer. 

In October we celebrated World Polio Day with the live broadcast from Atlanta at the CDC.  What a great opportunity to showcase another asset we have right here in our state to the WORLD.

We worked throughout the year to hold FireSide chats about the Rotary Foundation to inform our members of the GREAT work we do because of the Foundation; #3 in the world according to Charity Navigator doing what we say we are doing by helping people around the globe.  Because of many in our district wanting to make a difference we raised $1,575,000 for the Million Dollar Dinner!  WOW! Thank you for making the Rotary Foundation as part of your Legacy.  There is time to make your gift this year!!

We gathered  in Jekyll Island to celebrate our accomplishments for the year at our District Conference. We had over 300 in attendance and we kicked off our conference at lunch with celebrating 30 years of women in Rotary with Past District Governor Sylvia Whitlock.  Sylvia served as the first female club president after the Supreme Court decision was made to allow women in Rotary.  And we didn't stop there with the programs.  We had Scott and Pepper talk to us about membership; William Nordmark share his story as a Polio survivor; Alicia Michaels shared the work about the Rotary Family Days in Ghana and India; Nishan Wijesinge showed us more about social media; President Represenation John Matthews shared about what really goes on at the headquarters of Rotary International; Vice President of the Chick Fil-A Foundation Rodney Bullard shared the impact ONE person can have on the lives they touch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfFDb2DlKuI ; Nick Mancus from Africa joined us to share the work of the Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group and we honored him with a Will Watt Fellow for his support of the Georgia Rotary Student Program and sharing Ben with us; Hamsa and his team kicked off the planning of 2017-18 with planning session and grant training; monies were raised for Broken Shackle Ranch, CART (Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust); The Rotary Foundation Annual Program and Polio.  Don't forget we had a little fun with some dancing and shark riding.  Thank you for such a memorable district conference! Thank you Bill Phillips, conference chair, for the countless hours you gave to make sure the t's were crossed and the i's were dotted!  

We awarded Past District Governor Bill Kemp with the Service Above Self award from Rotary International.  Only 150 in the world are selected.  Congratulations to Bill and all the work he has done for Rotary.  He will always be known as the Father of Rotaract to me.  And we are fortunate to have him right here in our district.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3dGXdYa7-o&t=71s   Last week I had the honor to present Charolette Thompson, wife of Past District Governor/Foundation Chair Ted Thompson from Sandersville,  with the Spouse Service Award from Rotary International.  Only 50 of these are selected by Rotary International.  Thank Ted and Charolette for the example you have set for all of us.  

But we weren't finished yet!  Usually after district conference we have some down time as District Governors to finish paperwork and transition to the next year, but we still had to get ready to host over 40,000 Rotarians from around the world that would be arriving in Atlanta June 10-14. We carried the torch the last 6 miles to the World Congress Center as we prepare to welcome Rotarians.   And that is exactly what we did!  We had over 260 registered to spend some time in Atlanta!  And all I can say is if you didn't go you MISSED out on the connections, the programs, the dynamic speakers and the friendships that were made!  You can see some of the photos and videos from the 2017 International Convention hosted right here in Georgia too!  http://www.riconvention.org/en/atlanta  And we presented President John Germ with check from all three Districts for $3.6 Million Dollars for the Rotary Foundation!  WOW!!  

The three Georgia District Governors bringing the
End Polio torch to the World Congress Center.
The torch started in Tennessee (President John Germ's home club)
and came all the way to the World Congress Center with
Rotarians carrying it over 99 miles!

Georgia Aquarium - Million Dollar Dinner

At the Braves game 95 soldiers reenlisted in the Army
with our very own Rotarian and Lt. Col. Indira Donegan
from Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Georgia!
Thank you for your service!

Concert in the partk with my classmates,

Banners that will be distributed.

Arch Klumph's grandson

Getting ready to open the House of Friendship...in the parade line

Shown on the big screen during opening session of the
International Convention.

So what have we done this year as a district a BUNCH!  We have awarded 549 NEW Paul Harris Fellows, raised over $334,000 for the Annual Program, $59,000 for Polio (which will turn into $177,000 with the Gates Foundation match), 26 new Benefactors, 25 new Bequest Society Members and 8 new Major Donors!  There is still time in this year to make the 100th year of the Foundation part of your Legacy!  Will you be #550 to become a Paul Harris Fellow?  We have new 100% Paul Harris Fellow clubs too.  Congratulations to the Rotary Clubs of Byron, Downtown Macon, Hinesville, Macon North, Millen, Ocilla, Reidsville, Savannah West, Tifton, and Waynesboro!  

RYLA was held in Douglas, Georgia.  What an amazing experience for these students to be part of something bigger.  They make some long lasting relationships and I even found out that many of them come back to work as leaders.  These are the things we need to help make our district stronger and to get these future leaders plugged in to Rotary.  

Thank you to all the Rotarians in District 6920 for being part of such a historic year for us as Rotarians!  Thank you for all that you do for Rotary in your communities and around the globe!  Thank you for being a Rotarian and NOT just in Rotary!  It is the impact you have in one life that will continue to make a difference in the lives of others.  It has been my honor to serve our district in this capacity and I look forward to working with you in 2017-18! Although our district page has already been updated as we prepare for next year, you still have time log online at www.rotary.org and make one last contribution to the Rotary Foundation during the 100th Anniversary of doing good around the world! It will still count for this year if you log in to make your contribution.

Thank you to the All Star Team this year!  Thank you to each of the Assistant Governors that put in time to travel and work with your clubs!  Thank you to the Presidents this year for leading  your clubs during such a BUSY year in our district!  You are truly all ALLSTARS in my book!!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiPzU75P9FA

Thank you again for everything you do! Have a Happy July 4th!  Let's finish this year with a BANG! What is your Rotary Legacy?
Pam
2016-17 District Governor