I hope that all of our club President-Elects are feeling as invigorated and excited as District Governor John Tabor and his leadership team are, after delivering a greatly successful President-Elect Training Seminar (PETS) this weekend in Orlando.
This year, the leadership tried a new format at PETS and asked President-Elect Jennifer Logue from the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach to open the Seminar. As a thank you, PETS Chair, Tom Wagner presented Jennifer with a theme banner signed by RI President-Elect Gordon McInally.
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Last year, as part of Pre-PETS, the PEs had a Zoom call with Dr. Sylvia Whitlock—the first woman in Rotary. President Matt Dyal was watching the video when his daughter Tymbryl asked “Daddy, what are you watching on your computer?” After Matt explained about Dr. Whitlock’s groundbreaking role in paving the way for women to enter Rotary, Timbryl responded without missing a beat, “She sounds a lot like Rosa Parks, we are reading about her in school.” Past District Governor Rich Cooper and I finally got to meet the famous Timbryl on Saturday, how cool!
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Although your PEs worked pretty hard over two days, they did have some fun. Make sure you ask them about the experience when they return to your club this week.
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Have you talked to members of your club about attending the District Training Assembly and Conference? We are open and want you to sign up. We promise that this will be an exciting weekend of fun, fellowship, amazing speakers and stories of doing Good in the World. We can IMAGINE Rotary.
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Jacob Atem, Ph.D., MPH is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. He is also a public health practitioner and an advocate for refugees. Jacob is a member of the Rotary Club of Gainesville. One morning in 1991, Jacob was caring for the animals when he heard gunfire and screaming. When he ran to see what happened, he saw his village on fire. The rebel forces from Northern Sudan had invaded, and he knew that his family members had either been killed or taken into slavery. He was 6 years old and, along with other young boys whose villages were destroyed, he started walking. Come to the District Conference on May 13 to be truly inspired by Jacob’s story.
Pictures of the Week
On Tuesday, the Rotary Club of Jacksonville Oceanside President Wendy Ranson recognized the 10 Beaches teachers of the year.
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Maureen and I had the chance to attend the Rotary Wild Game Feast in Gainesville. What a great collaboration amongst the Gainesville clubs to invite 1500 people to learn more about Rotary and support doing good in the Gainesville community. Thanks President Greg Young from the Rotary Club of Gainesville for inviting us to share this special evening.
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Your President-Elects not only had the chance to learn and experience great fellowship, but they came up with many new ideas for collaborative opportunities.
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