Happy New Rotary Year, District 5830! July 1 marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities to serve, connect, and make a difference. Together, we will continue building on the incredible work of those who came before us as we focus on creating lasting impact in our communities and around the world. Congratulations to our new Club Presidents, Club Officers and the District Leadership Team. Thank you for saying “yes” to serving and helping us lead our clubs and district to growth and impact. Thank you to our now Immediate Past Club Presidents and Immediate Past District Damon Donnell for a year of service and leadership!
July’s Rotary theme of Maternal and Child Health. Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year from largely preventable causes. During Maternal and Child Health Month, I encourage every District 5830 club to identify one way to support mothers and children in your community. Whether it's collecting diapers, supporting a children's nonprofit, partnering with a local hospital, or exploring a future Global Grant, together we can create lasting impact, one family at a time.
At the June 27 th Celebration of 26-27 District & Club Leaders, my remarks focused on an unlikely subject; the penny. I highlighted how every penny, just like every member, has value to our club. More importantly, I spoke about how it takes “pennies to make change”. I encouraged each member to not only accept change, to not only foster change, but to “Be the Change Agent You Want to See in Rotary”. Our organization has a long history steeped in traditions that have served us well. But our communities have changed, the way people connect has changed, the way people work has changed. Our Rotary clubs need to adapt and evolve.
During 2026-2027, my hope is to strengthen clubs through connection and support. I plan to showcase Rotary’s international reach beyond the club level. I want to encourage and foster our clubs to enhance member engagement. We will continue our support of the Rotary Foundation and the fight against Polio. Most importantly, we will create lasting impact!
The start of a Rotary year is much like opening a new journal. Every meeting, every service project, every Foundation gift, every new member, and every act of kindness becomes a part of our story. Together, let's fill these pages with service, friendship, impact, and most importantly, hope.
