Rotarians,

 

This is my first note to you as the District Governor. I am honored to be serving you as the governor and look forward to all the interactions we will have this year. I am so impressed with all that our Rotarians and Rotary clubs are doing in South-central Pennsylvania, and I look forward to learning more about your good works.

 

I have been thinking about the journey that has gotten me to the point of district leadership in Rotary. Each of us has our own story of how we came to Rotary, what experiences we have had, and what Rotary has come to mean for us. I am enjoying reflecting on my 11 years in Rotary and thinking about what the next decade of service might look like for me. Maybe you are thinking about some similar reflections. As you do, I am open to hearing your stories and ideas as we consider the future of Rotary in our club and district.  

 

There are two upcoming opportunities for furthering your Rotary journey that I will highlight here. I plan to attend both and ask your attendance with me if you are able. Our district will host a session of the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) here in our local area on Saturday, September 16^th, at the Central Penn College. RLI is a three-part learning experience that I found was great at opening my eyes to the scope and power of Rotary. I know even the most seasoned Rotarian will learn something in the sessions. If you have completed the RLI course, please consider joining the graduate course, which changes topic each year, to continue your Rotary learning. This year’s topic is succession planning, something all of us need to consider in our Rotary clubs and the other organizations many of us also serve. Click here to register. There is a course fee that includes breakfast and lunch meals. Some of our clubs pay all or part of the RLI fee, so ask your club leadership.  If you cannot make this RLI session, there are other RLI opportunities in other locations. See the Northeast America RLI web site at RLI NEA | Where people come to learn Rotary!

 

The other opportunity is the Rotary International convention in Singapore in late May 2024. I have been to two RI conventions and found them to be inspiring, educational, and entertaining. I know Singapore is a long journey to make, but having been to the country in 2016, I am looking forward to going back. It was an incredible place. So far there are seven District 7390 Rotarians registered to attend. If this opportunity intrigues you, please check out the Convention (rotary.org).  If this year’s convention is not a possibility for you, the 2025 convention will be in late June in Calgary Canada and will be an equally appealing event.

 

Thank you for allowing me to walk along your Rotary journey with you. I’ll see you out in the District. Here’s to a great 2023-2024 Rotary year.

 

Yours in Rotary Service,

 

DG Fred.