From Our District Governor

Let's Grow Rotary!

By André Marria

As you know, one of our most important priorities is to Grow Rotary! With that in mind, it is with extreme joy and excitement that we welcome the Rotary Club On The Flint, Albany, Georgia to our Rotary Family!!  You can read all about the club's charter night in the article below.

Also help me Congratulate those Clubs who are Breaking the Ceiling in their goal of Increasing Membership! Our Winner's Circle includes:

  • Columbus 20
  • Peachtree City 20
  • Thomasville 17
  • North Cobb 17
  • LaGrange 15
  • Alpharetta 14
  • Sandy Springs 13
  • Carrollton DawnBreakers 13
  • Atlanta 11

Thank you for taking on the challenge to Increase our Impact and Expanding our Reach!!! It's not too late join our Winner's Circle! [more]

Welcome to the Rotary Club On The Flint!

By Brenda Hodges-Tiller

The Rotary Club On The Flint, Albany, Georgia, was chartered December 28, 2023. A Charter Ceremony was held Monday, January 8, 2024.  DG Andrè Marria presented Club President Walter Kelley and President-Elect Brenda Hodges Tiller the Club’s Charter, the Theme Flag and the Governor's Personal gift.
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District Leadership

Cynthia Edwards Selected as District Governor Nominee Designate

By André Marria

The District Nominating Committee met on Saturday, November 18, 2023 and interviewed qualified candidates nominated by their Rotary Clubs. I am pleased to announce that Cynthia Edwards from the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain has been selected by the committee. Read more about Cynthia and join me in congratulating for her selection by the nominating committee to serve as Rotary District 6900 Governor in 2026-2027. [more]

District Conference 2024

Join Us at the Rotary Disco Lounge ... Jekyll Island ... March 21-24, 2024

By Stephanie Windham

It is not too early to start planning for 2024 District Conference House of Friendship which is the Rotary Disco Lounge.  We know all the good work you have been doing in your communities and around the world.  Now is the time to share with other clubs and Rotarians in the district.  The Rotary Disco Lounge will be an excellent place to showcase your club’s accomplishments for the 2023-2024 Rotary year.  We are planning to have music playing all day and a drink station set up with soda, water, coffee and tea throughout the conference.  There will be 25 tables available in the Rotary Disco Lounge with limited electricity.
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District Conference 2024

Help Us Fill Jekyll Island with Song!

By Barry Oxford

Let me tell you, our District Governor André loves music and loves to sing!  If you have had the privilege and pleasure to have her speak at your club’s meetings, then you know what I am telling you is true.

André and I are members of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians. I have had great fun singing with André at a couple of International Conventions. Maybe you sang with us too in 2017 at the Atlanta Convention. Singing together as a group or choir can be so much fun.

André has asked me to help her to Amplify Rotary in song at our District Conference on beautiful Jekyll Island, March 21-24, 2024.  Editor's Note: Remember registration is open from the home page of the District website - and you can link to our hotel blocks from there. Now read on about the choir. [more]

Laws of Life

Recruit Schools for 2024-25 Laws of Life Contest

By Linda Hatten

Did you know that January is the time when schools plan for the next academic year? If you want to partner with your local high school to introduce or renew the Laws of Life Essay Contest for the 2024-25 Rotary year, January would be a great time to contact the school leadership. Together local Rotary Clubs and the Georgia Laws of Life state office offer this character education program, free of charge, to high schools throughout the state.

The GLL state office can provide your Rotary club with prospect letter templates, contest talking points, and info flyers to share with potential partner schools. On our GLL YouTube Channel, look for the Teacher Experiences [link below] playlist for teacher testimonials.

For complete program info, contact the Georgia Laws of Life team at lawsoflife@georgialawsoflife.org. [more]

GRSP Update

GRSP Pairs in Columbus

By Katheryne Fields

Helle Friis, 22, from Denmark and Mia Trabanino Ibanez, 18, of El Salvador are a pair of GRSP scholars who have grown up hearing stories about the opportunities of studying in Georgia. They are both eagerly anticipating spring semester at Columbus State University and upcoming GRSP events.  Read more about their GRSP pasts and their plans for the future.
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Service Opportunity

Join Us for an Historic Trip to Honduras

By Bob Hope

This year’s Wilderness Team trip to Honduras will be historic for our group, the Wilderness Team.  We made our first trip in 1999, 25 years ago.  So, let's celebrate together in a beautiful spot in the valley between the Agalta mountains.  We have a lot of sports reserved for our trip March 2-9 but plenty of room for more.

If you want to learn more about what we do in Honduras, go to www.havefoundation.org and buy tickets to attend our annual Honduras Hope fund and friend-raising event on January 25th at Atlanta City Hall.  Have a great dinner, learn a lot and be well entertained.
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Our Rotary Foundation at Work

North Atlanta Rotary Committed to Preventing Spina Bifida

By Jon Yaeger

The Rotary Club of North Atlanta (RCNA) is partnering with Rotary clubs in Texas, North Carolina, and Addis Ababa on a Global Grant project in Ethiopia (Global Grant GG2240039). The project focuses upon women who have already had one child with spina bifida or anencephaly (serious birth defects known collectively as neural tube defects or NTDs), because these women have a 10X higher risk of having another child with an NTD. The chief cause of these defects is a dietary lack of inexpensive folic acid (also called vitamin B9).  Providing these women with supplemental folic acid pills before they become pregnant should greatly reduce their chances of having another baby with an NTD.
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Club News

Brookhaven Busy Making a Diffence

By Jackie Cuthbert

The Brookhaven Rotary Club is working hard in the community. Since July, the club has taken on 13 projects and has many more on the calendar for 2024.

This summer, club members participated in the Ferst Readers Program by providing books to students at Woodward Elementary. The club also sponsored a high school for the Georgia Rotary Laws of Life Essay Contest and took part in the Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) volunteer day. Members helped to clean out the FODAC warehouse, wrapped pallets of service equipment to be shipped to the Ukraine, and helped in the thrift store.
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Club News

Peachtree City Rotary Plays Santa for Seniors

By Mandy Timmons

What a great way to start out December!  The Rotary Club of Peachtree City partnered with Fayette Senior Services to purchase gifts for some of our fantastic shut-in seniors here in Peachtree City.  Gifts ranged from simple items like bags of Almond Joy and Socks to book club memberships … [more]

Club News

Atlanta Southern Crescent Sponsors the Giving Side of Christmas

By Claudia Mertl

Something wonderful happened at the Charlie Griswell Center Senior Center on December 19th and District Governor Andre' and Walter, and Assistant Governor Tyler were right in the middle of it!!!! The Rotary Club of Atlanta Southern Crescent sponsored “The Giving Side of Christmas," once again partnering with Kinship Care - a Clayton County program for grandparents taking care of grandchildren.

For the 16th year, the children will have an opportunity to GIVE presents at Christmas. As the children arrive at the center, the grandparents turn them over to a “personal shopper” who helps them create a shopping list for the presents they would like to “buy." For each one on the list, the child receives one "Rotary Buck." Our "Rotary buck" has a picture of the current President on it. [more]

Club News

Who Says Ugly Sweaters Can't Sell Rotary?

By Jackie Cuthbert

The Rotary Club of Thomasville turned The Business Exchange of Thomasville into a festive, holiday “Wine or Whine" social event in December. Rotarians embraced the theme of "ugly holiday attire" with an amazing display of fun and quirky holiday outfits. The refreshments were a delightful mix of creativity and the holiday spirit filled the room while we mingled, laughed, and talked about Rotary.
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Club News

Harris County Supports Annual Pine Mountain Toy Drive

By Pat Keating

The heartwarming tradition of ensuring local children experience the magic of Christmas continues in Pine Mountain as business owners and dedicated volunteers unite for the Annual Community Christmas Toy Drive. What began as a humble initiative by two local shop owners, Bruce Thompson, and Dr. Phil Rogers, has blossomed into a cherished event which now takes place at a generous local warehouse facilitated by Pine Mountain residents, John Willis and his wife.

The Rotary Club of Harris County plays a pivotal role, offering significant financial support and a committed cadre of volunteers. Spearheaded by Past-President Julia Keating, the coordination involves meticulous tasks - hand-addressing more than 300 invitations, orchestrating catering arrangements, and managing numerous guest inquiries—all contributing to the success of the event. [more]

Club News

Peachtree City Rotary Helps Fund Food Giveaway

By Mandy Timmons

With food insecurities growing in our local communities, the Rotary Club of Peachtree City offered a $2500 grant to our local United Way chapter to help purchase food and supplies for the United Way Fayette Food Giveaway in November.  There were non-perishables, bananas and eggplants along with chicken donated to over 100 families in need.  What a great way to be #PeopleofAction to help our community!
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