Rotary District 6820

It is with a great deal of honor and pride that I serve as your District Governor in Rotary year 2011-12.   Because of you, Rotary District 6820 will continue to make a difference in the lives of those in our communities and the world. 

The Rotary Emblem exemplifies the motto. “Service Above Self” and is proudly worn by members throughout the world who believe in helping those less fortunate.  Rotarians target health, hunger, water, and literacy issues as the key to a peaceful world and mutual understanding among the different cultures.

My Goals for our District will be focused on the areas of Membership, Foundation, Service Projects, and Public Relations.

I urge every Rotarian to make a pledge to introduce a new member in 2011-12.  Each club has the responsibility to designate a Club Membership Committee chair that is involved in the recruiting, orientation, and retention of new members.

Every Rotary club will give to the Rotary Foundation.  Every Rotarian is asked to give some amount to the Rotary Foundation.  The Rotary Foundation is our charity.  It is the cornerstone of Rotary International, we must support it.

In our own backyard there is so much in the area of Community Service that we can do.  Every club in 6820 should have a literacy service project such as “Between the Lions”, or a reading program at a local library, or a book drive, or a dictionary project, etc.  Rotary should be the leader in the fight against illiteracy that plagues this state.  I expect each club to complete a project in the area of Literacy.

We must promote the public image of Rotary.  Each club will have a Public Relations Chair with the responsibility of keeping their local news media informed of club activities.  Clubs are encouraged to use social media such as Facebook and club websites to communicate their Rotary news.

There are approximately 2350 members of 44 Rotary clubs in our District here in central Mississippi.  If we all unite behind Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee’s Theme, “Reach Within and Embrace Humanity” our Service to others will make our communities and the world a better place.

Serving others…having fun.

Bob Graves
District Governor 2011-12
Rotary International - 6820