Dear Fellow Rotarians of District 6880,

At District Governor Training in San Diego, California in January 2009, Rotary International President John Kenny told us of his intention to return to the grass roots of Rotary.

He said he believes "the club is the most important part of Rotary. Everything we do, and everything we achieve begins in our clubs." With this in mind the theme for 2009-10 will be The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands. He said that Rotary will keep the service emphasis of recent years; water, health and hunger, and literacy.

President Kenny said that he does not intend to introduce any new programs or set any new aggressive goals in the area of membership for the coming year. He will simply "rely on the responsible Rotarians to see to it that we have more members at the end of the year than we had at the beginning."

We need to continue to look with in our communities for individuals who are willing to give of themselves to help others in the community and those abroad. Continue to involve the family in Rotary, with activities for the Rotarians and their family members. Gatherings and projects that can involve the family promotes Rotarians to become active within their clubs. As history has shown, new Rotarians come from the family members of Rotarians.

With the 2009-10 theme being The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands I will ask each club and each Rotarian in the district to concentrate on involving our youth in club projects and activities. Those clubs who sponsor Interact and Rotaract clubs need to be involved with them, and plan projects and activities that the members of these clubs and fellow Rotarians can jointly work together on. If your club does not sponsor an Interact or Rotaract club, I encourage you to start a new club at your local high school or college this year. Make use of those students that have attended RYLA to start your Interact clubs. These students are often excited and anxious to start an Interact club.

Kenny would usually conclude his remarks by sharing a favorite saying from his homeland which is Scotland: "We must look beyond our own parish pump."

"It means that we must look beyond our own home and our own community," Kenny said. "We must look beyond our own needs, and we must be aware that ours is only one community, of one country, of the many communities and countries in this world."

To whom much is given, much is expected. There is so much that we as Rotarians can do for others, let's make this a wonderful year for District 6880 and I look forward to meeting you of you in the near future.  Remember: The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands!

Carol Franks

District Governor 2009 - 2010

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