From Our District Governor

What is Your Why?

By Kirk Driskell

The Why is the purpose, casque or belief that drives us all. My personal “Why” statement in life is to give away daily what has been given to me because that is the only way I will be able to keep what I have. This statement guides me in all the areas of my life. We all have a deep rooted passion that drives what we spend our days doing, keeps us up at night, wakes us up, stresses us out or is the favorite topic of conversation. What is your Why? If you do not have one I hope that you will search for your own personal Why statement. Here are a couple of questions that can help ...
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Learning Opportunities

Continuing to Adapt – District Training Assembly is Virtual and Free!

By Mary Ligon

Every year, District Assembly offers a great opportunity to interact with other District 6900 Rotarians, get new ideas and prepare for a great Rotary year. We have a variety of topics available for club presidents, officers, directors, committee chairs, and members to learn more about their role or areas of interest at district training.

RYLA Update

RYLA 2021 is Off

By Jaclyn Donovan

So we've been working up the courage to say this out loud... RYLA 2021 is off. With Rotary restricting travel and in-person meetings at the district level and beyond, we felt it was best if we follow the same guidelines. We are devastated, heartbroken, crushed, and totally bummed out - among many other low-down, rotten emotions - that we will miss another year. We are discussing possible virtual options, but feel it would not do our program justice if we could only do it halfway... So we may have to wait until 2022 to be awesome again. But rest assured we will be ready when it gets here.
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Our Rotary Foundation at Work

Global Grant to Harvest Rainwater

By Ron Swofford

The city of Chennai in India, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located along the coast of the Bay of Bengal and with a population of about eleven million, Chennai is a major cultural, political, and educational center. One of several Rotary clubs in Chennai, The Rotary Club of Madras South, has established an important relationship with the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey/Clayton County through District 6900 Assistant Governor (and Lake Spivey/Clayton County Rotarian) Paddy Sharma, who is a former resident of Chennai. Because of Paddy's leadership and the efforts of other Lake Spivey/Clayton County Rotarians with close ties to India, the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey/Clayton County and The Rotary Club of Madras South are partnering in a Global Grant. [more]

GRSP

Thanks to New Ronnie Waller Fellows

By Jackie Cuthbert

Rotary Student Program and the experiences it provides to the international students we select, the Rotary Clubs of Georgia and our GRSP host families are all available thanks to the generosity of Rotarians. In the last month, two District 6900 Rotarians have been recognized as Ronnie Waller Fellows - for their donations of $10,000 to The Rotary Foundation. One is Past District Governor Bob Hagan of the Rotary Club of Roswell. The other is Lorri Christopher, GRSP Secretary and Past President of the Rotary Club of Dunwoody. While Lorri received her award during a Dunwoody meeting that featured GRSP, she also attended the Roswell meeting where PDG Bob was recognized. Pictured here are GRSP Vice Chair Mike Swiegart, GRSP Marketing and Development Director Katheryne A. Fields, Lorri Christopher, Bob Hagan and Roswell President Lynne Lindsay.
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GRSP Alumni Update

From TV Producer to Educator

By Ian Bond

Many Clubs throughout the District have been catching up with their Georgia Rotary Student Program alumni with Zoom programs. A few months ago, my Club, (the Rotary Club of Columbus) invited three alumni to present an “update” program at one of our weekly meetings. For Julie and me it was especially exciting to see and hear from our Club’s student from the Class of 2006-2007, Rachel Eadie (Scotland), because we were her host family. Like most host families throughout D6900, we still consider Rachel as part of our family and our Club.
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RI Membership Moment

What's a Lead Anyway?

By Jaclyn Donovan

Did you know that Rotary has a system in place to funnel prospective members directly to you and your club? They are called Leads, and District 6900 gets assigned several each day that we are able to pass on.

To aid in the success of the program, club leaders need to update the status of those prospective new Rotarians by signing on to the … [more]

Club News

Roswell Takes Plunge for Special Olympics

By Trummie Patrick

A balmy 38-degree lake was no match for Roswell Rotary and the Roswell Police Department. Saturday, Feb. 20, members took the plunge at Acworth Beach to support 26,260 Georgia Special Olympics athletes. The team raised $7,606 enough to send 70 athletes to the games and exceeding the fundraising goal of $5,000. Together $173,000 was raised to support children with special needs.
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Club News

Moultrie Shows Rotary Has Heart

By Jaclyn Donovan

The Rotary Club of Moultrie substituted a “working lunch” for a speaker at one of its meetings in order to do a little club service. Members created an assembly line to fill Valentine goody bags for senior citizens in local assisted living facilities. The bags included lots of candy, but also featured a hand sanitizing wipe to keep with the COVID theme of 2021. Almost 300 bags were delivered to seven separate facilities in the Moultrie area.
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Club News

Americus Distributes Food

By Angela Smith

After a last-minute rescheduling due to heavy rain forecasted for Americus, the Americus Rotary Club in partnership with Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, held another large USDA food box distribution event in February. The event drew another large line of cars pulling through the back parking lot of First Baptist Church in Americus, the venue used for the monthly drive-through events which provide food to needy families in Sumter County.
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Club News

Rotary Club of Tucker Celebrates Tucker Restaurant Week

By Lizbeth Dison

The City of Tucker and Discover DeKalb sponsored the first Tucker Restaurant Week in February, celebrating the diversity of cuisine available in the city. The Rotary Club of Tucker participated in the event by providing swag bags to the 18 participating restaurants, each containing a box of protective masks and a variety of promotional items donated by the club and other local businesses. In the attached photo, Club Social Director Jim Rodeghiero delivers a swag bag to Eric Green, owner of Blue Ribbon Grill.
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Club News

Marietta Delivers Chick-fil-A Dinner, Valentines and Chocolates to Assisted Living Facilities

By Marlys Williams

In the week leading up to Valentine's Day, the Rotary Club of Marietta treated 300 residents of The Retreat at Dorsey Manor and Walton Renaissance Assisted Living Facility on Henderson Street in Marietta were treated to a dinner from Chick-fil-A and Valentine cards and chocolate treats. This enterprise was a collaboration of the Rotary Club of Marietta, the Chick-fil-A at Macland Crossing, and the Marietta Housing Authority. Packet assembly was facilitated by Club President Mary Ansley Southerland as a component of the regular Wednesday luncheon meeting. [more]

Club News

Thomasville and Its 20-Year Rotary Driver Safety Awareness Initiative

By Michael Bixler

Selfless service. Giving back. Promoting peace. Fighting dread diseases. All of these are hallmark qualities of Rotary. In local communities all around the world, Rotarians are leaders who use their combined talents and influence to solve problems and improve the lives of their friends and neighbors. Rotarians are men and women who not only see unmet needs, but have the resources and will to satisfy them.

Such was the case in 1995 when the teenage daughter of a Thomasville Rotary Club member lost control of her car on a sharp curve on a county road outside of town. The young girl was lucky to have survived the wreck and fortunately there were no other cars or passengers involved. And it led to a program called SafeDrive.
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Club News

Roswell Packs Blessings in a Backpack

By Trummie Patrick

Blessings In A Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. $100 feeds one child on the weekends for one 38-week school year through the Blessings in a Backpack program. Roswell Rotary donated $2,500 to the cause. And, in January, a team of Roswell Rotarians and family members packed 100 backpacks filled with nutritional food that was delivered to North Fulton students the following Friday.
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A Closing Thought From Our District Chaplain

As We Head About Our Lives ...

By Gregory Adams

As we live, it is clear that time and chance happens to us all. Ao while time is on our side and the chance to do good for others is available, let us do so because all eyes are on us to see what we who are Rotarians are going to do. And I'm reminded that a good name is better than many riches.