Calling All Singers in Rotary District 6910

The Rotary World Choir is Calling All Singers!

In 2010 in District 6900 then District Governor Roy Strickland created a district choir to sing at the "District Super Conference" as he called it. I remember it well because I had the pleasure of singing with them. The choir was a large group of enthusiastic singers from throughout our district. You can listen to a patriotic medley sung by the choir on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQDfj1YHyQo

The International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians (IFRM) forms the Rotary World Choir each year to sing during the Interfaith Service on the opening day of the Rotary International Convention. This coming year in Atlanta to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation, IFRM is determined to have at least 100 voices in the choir. The choir is open to all Rotarians from around the world. This year in Seoul we had singers from Japan, Australia, India, Korea, England and the USA. As a member of IFRM I invite you to join the Rotary World Choir and sing during the Convention in Atlanta. This is a great way to participate in the convention and meet people from around the world. You will get a new perspective on the international aspect of Rotary. And of course you know you like to sing! With the experience we have in Georgia with creating a choir, I am optimistic that with your help we can make this happen.

Register here to be a part of the choir and visit The International Fellow of Rotarian Musicians for more information.

If you want any more information please contact me, Barry Oxford, via e-mail at barry@turbodata.net. I’d love to hear from you if you register.

PDG District 6540 and Rotary World Choir Director Judy Walker with Barry Oxford of Rotary Club of Carrollton - Dawnbreakers on the Circular Quay in Sydney Australia where the Rotary World Choir sang during the convention in 2014

-Submitted by Barry Oxford - Rotary Club of Carrollton-Dawnbreakers

Rotary District 6910 Governor Message - Nov 2016

In November, we not only focus on The Rotary Foundation as a theme, we focus on gratitude. We have so much for which to be thankful. I am thankful to have the opportunity to serve as your District Governor in this year in which we celebrate our Rotary Foundation's Centennial and its accomplishments all year long. 

I hope that your club is celebrating the Centennial and that you have had a special program on The Rotary Foundation in November. If your club hasn't decided on how best to celebrate the Centennial, here are some ideas. Many of you have heard me talk about this video, A Century of Doing Good.  A brief summary of all our Rotary Foundation has done over the past 100 years, I think it's one of Rotary's best. 

If you haven't yet registered for the Rotary International Convention to be held 10-14 June 2017, please register today. If you register by 15 December, you'll still receive the special early registration discount of $340. There are many convention events that you will not want to miss. And we have the opportunity to show the world our southern hospitality as volunteers.

In honor of The Rotary Foundation's Centennial, we are working toward raising $300 million this Rotary year. Many in Rotary District 6910 have made special gifts, in honor of and commemorating our Centennial. Not only did we recently receive our first Arch Klumph Society gift (story here), we have received a number of other special gifts and bequests to The Rotary Foundation. Please consider a special gift to The Rotary Foundation in your year-end planning. Your gift not only helps us achieve this goal, it helps to ensure another century of doing good in the world. If you'd like to be a part of our Million Dollar Dinner with President John Germ as the keynote speaker, an outright or bequest gift of at least $10,000 will secure you an invitation. I thank you for your ongoing support of our Rotary Foundation and for your consideration in future giving.

For a look at one example of a project recently funded by our Rotary Foundation, take a look at this video. Second language education was the focus of a Rotary Vocational Training Team Exchange between our Rotary District 6910 and District 1820 in Germany. A visit to Rotary Showcase will let you see the good work Rotary clubs are doing locally and globally. Thank you to Rotary 6910 clubs who have taken the time to ensure their good work is featured here on Rotary Showcase for the world to see. You can search by 'District' to see the good work that clubs in our district are doing. 

Congratulations to the newest clubs who have achieved 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club. Here's the latest list of clubs who have achieved this outstanding recognition. If your club would like help as to how to achieve this level of recognition, please contact me or Bill St. Clair, our District Foundation Chair. The three districts in Georgia are all working to achieve 100% Paul Harris Fellow clubs in Georgia prior to the world coming to Atlanta in celebration of The Foundation's Centennial. 

At the bottom of this message, you'll find the approved verbiage for updates in our District 6910 Policy Manual that received recent preliminary approval by our District 6910 board. If no objections are filed by December 23, 2016, these changes will be brought again before the board for board enactment and approval at next board meeting.

I wish for you and your family a Happy and safe Thanksgiving.  Thank you for all you do.

Yours in Rotary,

Kim Waters

District Governor

Changes to the District Policy Manual may be made by:

the board may make changes by motion of any board member at any called board meeting,

whether regular or special, provided that notice by publication to the clubs first occurs in the

district newsletter “Rotations” followed by a thirty (30) day grace period for clubs to comment

and/or object, and if no objections are filed with the Board at the end of the thirty (30) day grace

period, said grace period measured from date of publication of the District newsletter, then the

proposed change may then be enacted by the board. All proposed amendments to the District

Policy Manual shall be filed with the Board at least forty-five (45) days prior to a District

Conference or Board Meeting so that publication to the clubs may occur in a timely manner. In

the event that any provision of this Policy Manual is now or hereafter in conflict with any

requirements of Rotary International, the requirement of Rotary International shall prevail, and

this Policy Manual shall be deemed to be amended accordingly.

1. Annual District Assembly (previously referred to as LEADS) is now referred to as District

Assembly.

2. Reference to “Planning Guide for Effective Rotary Clubs” and “Club Failure to Function” is

removed from policy manual due to these goals and club ratings now being tracked at

Rotary Club Central.

3. District Trainer role is modified in Policy Manual to exclude that of any responsibility related

to Rotary Leadership Institute.

4. Rotary Foundation Seminar and Membership Development Seminar are currently referred to

individually. Recommend combining to a seminar that involves training and updates on

membership development, Rotary Foundation and Public Image with purposes of each

remaining same.

5. References and paragraph related to District 6910 PETS are removed from Policy Manual.

District 6910 Presidents-Elect to attend Georgia PETS.

6. Amend policy manual to reflect current Council on Legislation (COL) annual cycles and

amend the process electing the District 6910 COL representative to reflect that of Rotary

International being the Nominating Committee as the that committee responsible for

choosing the COL Representative from those qualified candidates proposed by the clubs.

7. Family of Rotary Committee responsibilities are removed from that of District Chaplain.

8. District Conference should be held at any time during the Rotary year.

9. Theme months in policy manual to be corrected to correspond with current Rotary theme

months.

10. The Rotary Foundation Chair may serve two three year terms, renewing up to a 3 year term

after serving an initial term.

11. District Grants Allocation Committee to be a standing committee, to include District

Governor, District Governor-Elect, District Rotary Foundation Chair, and three committee

members of District Foundation Committee (recommended District Grant Chair, Vice-Chair

and District Grant Coordinator), and top two per capita giving clubs. Final decision as to

allocation to be District Governor’s.

12. Global Grant Allocation Committee to be a standing committee to include District

Governor, District Governor Elect and District Rotary Foundation Chair with final authority

being that of District Governor.

13. Delete references to Group Study Exchange and Ambassadorial Scholarships as those are

no longer Rotary Foundation supported programs.

14. Delete reference to “District Simplified Grants, Individual Grants and Health, Hunger and

Humanity Grants (3H).”

15. District Conference Chair to appoint a District Conference Treasurer to present District

Conference Budget to District Governor at least ninety (90) days preceding conference.

16. District 6910 “Rotarian Sponsor” Pin provisions are removed from Policy Manual

Johns Creek Rotarians Work on Water Project

Our service project to the Dominican Republic’s eastern Third World villages (Bateys) that service the sugar cane fields, inhabited by Haitian immigrants, saw us team up with Johns Creek Baptist Church to complete the construction of a water house. In a few months the water house will house a state-of-art reverse osmosis water purification system that will provide clean water for three villages. Right now none of these villages have access to clean water in their batey/village. Lives will be changed, some may be saved, due to the work of Rotary. Sue Kay, Lynn Carlson, Dr. Allen Bowns and Dr. Richard Meaders did amazing work in pursuit of our project’s goals. 

- Submitted by Pamela Boles - President, Rotary Club of Johns Creek

Rotary Club Sponsors Shoes 4 Kids Event

The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties sponsored their third “Shoes 4 Kids” event which provided back-to-school shoes for 67 Lake Oconee Youth Alliance students. The event provided a unique, and in many incidences, a first time opportunity for the children to experience shopping, selecting and purchasing a pair of shoes, socks, and a backpack.  It was held at The Shoe Carnival in Augusta, who opened the store exclusively for the event and offered additional discounts.This project was aligned with the Youth Alliance core focus of providing enrichment experiences to the underserved youth of Greene and Putnam counties.  

If smiles and exclamations of excitement were a measure of success, the event truly exceeded the Rotary Club’s mission of instilling an “uplifted spirit” for the students as they enter the classroom for the new school year. Comments from parents and guardians reflected sincere appreciation and gratitude, as for some youth, this may have been the only pair of shoes they will have for school.  “The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties has always been a pillar of support for our communities.  Once again, the membership stepped up to provide this great experience for these children” stated Pastor Avis Williams, Pastor of Community Transformation, Lake Oconee Community Church.

Thanks to Steve Parnell, Manager, Augusta Shoe Carnival for opening the store early and providing goody bags to the children.  Bruce Humphries, Manager, Greensboro Publix, also donated snacks and drinks for all. Jodi Hudson, Greensboro McDonalds, provided sausage biscuits. The Rotary Club thanks them all!

- Submitted by Laura Dent-Public Relations Chair, The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties

District 6910 Governor for 2019-20 Selected

Don Martin with Rotary Club of Jasper has been selected by the Rotary District 6910 Nominating Committee to serve as District Governor for the 2019-20 Rotary year.

District Governor Designate Nominee (DGND) Don Martin joined the Rotary Club of Jasper in January of 2007 and after serving as the Administrative Chair from 2009-2011, served as President for the 2011-2012 Rotary Year. Don also served the club as the Audio-Visual Chair from 2012-2015 and the Public Image Chair in 2015-2016.

At the District Level, Don is currently serving as an Assistant Governor for Area 16 and served on the Board of Directors from 2014-2016. Many of you will have seen Don operating the audiovisual equipment at District Conferences and training events as he served as the AV Lead and then Committee Chair from 2012 to 2016.

Don is a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute, The Discussion Leader Course and the Graduate Course in the Foundation; he has served as a Discussion Leader since 2013 and as the District 6910 Faculty Chair since 2014.  In July of 2017 Don will assume the role of RLI District Chair.  

Don was recognized with The Rotary Foundation District Service Award in 2013, and a special District 6910 Service Award in 2014.

As a strong believer of the importance of the Rotary Foundation as a key element of the Rotary experience, Don is a Benefactor, a Paul Harris Fellow +4, and a member of the Paul Harris Society.  Don is also a Will Watt Fellow of the Georgia Rotary Student Program.

Don is a native of Memphis, TN and holds degrees from the University of Memphis, Georgia State and Mercer.  Don is currently an Associate Broker specializing in residential real estate with Torrey Mountain Properties.  Prior to returning to real estate 10 years ago, Don served 28 years of Active & Reserve duty with the United States Army before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1998.  His terminal assignment was as the Chief of the Transportation and Services Division, G-4, Headquarters, United States Army Reserve Command at Fort McPherson.  Following his retirement, Don was a Project Manager for the Anteon Corporation (now part of General Dynamics) until 2006.

Don is married to the former Regina Carol Cates of Vancleave, MS and they have lived in Bent Tree just outside Jasper since their marriage in 1999.  Regina is also an active Rotarian, serving as the Chair of the GRSP Cookbook project for 2014-2017 and will serve as President of the Jasper club in 2017-2018.  Regina is a retired educator, a superior quilter and an outstanding RV parking ground guide.

Both Don and Regina are Elders at the Fellowship Presbyterian Church (where they met in1994).  Don sings in the choir and Regina is Co-Director.  

Don is a longtime member of the National Defense Transportation Association, where he served in various leadership positions including President of the Atlanta Chapter, State Vice President and as the NDTA Southeastern Vice President in 2002.  Don is a life member of the Reserve Officer’s Association and the Military Order of World Wars.

In the Jasper area Don served on the Board of Directors for Pickens County for 3 years and as the Chair of the Business Council for 4 years.  Don has served in several leadership positions, including President, in the Pickens County Board of Realtors and was the Realtor of the Year in 2011.  Don is a Life Member of the Circle of Excellence of the Pickens County Board of Realtors.

For many years Don was an occasional actor and Board Member of the local little theater group in Jasper - somewhat whimsically named The Tater Patch Players.  Don served on the Board of Directors of the Jasper Muse from 2013-2016.  Both organizations are 501-c-3 charities that brought music and theater opportunities to Pickens County and North Georgia.

Don has served on the Board of the Hope House, an emergency children’s shelter founded and supported by the Rotary Club of Jasper.  Don also serves on the Jasper Community Action Team of the FERST Foundation, which is another project brought to Pickens County by Rotary and provides a free book monthly to nearly 1000 children from birth to kindergarten.  

With whatever time is left over, Don enjoys golf, reading and travelling with Regina in their motor home.  And, of course, all things Rotary.

-Submitted by Kim Waters, District Governor

The challenge period ends 12 November 2016.  14.020.8. Challenging Candidates. Any club in the district which has been in existence for at least one year as of the beginning of that year may also propose a challenging candidate for governor-nominee provided this club has previously suggested such candidate to the nominating committee. A club in existence for less than one year as of the beginning of that year may propose a challenging candidate provided such candidate is a member of that club and the challenging candidate must have been duly suggested to the nominating committee. The name of the challenging candidate shall be submitted pursuant to a resolution by the club adopted at a regular meeting. The club must file the resolution with the governor by the date determined by the governor. Such date shall be not more than 14 days after publication of the announcement of the selection for governor-nominee by the governor.