Special Message from your Dist. Newsletter Editor -

THIS issue is chock FULL of great stories and information! If you will

follow the “links” to the stories and photos - you’ll find a ‘magazine’ amount of information from across our District! ENJOY!!

To Print or Read this Newsletter in PDF, Click HERE

If you are reading this other than by email - look for it in your e-mail inbox to enjoy all the links to stories, tools and MORE!

ROTARY DISTRICT 6920

Central, South Central, Southeast, & Coastal Georgia

THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR’S

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

December is: Disease Prevention & Treatment Month

Focusing on Saving Lives With Medicine

Click HERE to see DG Hamsa’s Message

HEADS UP: Elections & Reporting of 2018-19 Club Officers

Reminding All clubs: December 31 is the deadline for election of officers, and 1 February 2018 is the deadline for reporting the officers to Rotary International. Current club officers can submit this information via the Club Administration section of My Rotary, (DACdb, ClubRunner, etc.), or by sending the information to data@rotary.org

In This Newsletter: Your Table of Contents

In the Banner: MEET YOUR NEW DGND - Steve Barnes: DG 2020-21

Sec. A. Top Priority: District News & Upcoming Events

1. Spotlight on Veteran’s Day Celebrations.

2. RI Foundation Rep to visit 6920 - will lead Polio Fireside Chats

3. Gil Tharp Global Grant Scholar Announced!

4. The Latest News from the GSE Team

5. DG Hamsa’s November Club Visits: Highlights & Photos

6. PRIP Frank Devlyn offers ‘Frank Talk’ regarding YOUNG members in Rotary

Sec. B. DISTRICT PROJECTS: Initiatives & Plans

1. Entrepreneurship Partnerships

- Sandersville Launching Spring Project

- Dublin STEAM Update

- Valdosta Young Entrepreneurs Academy

2. HS Speech Contest - will be here SOON - Spring 2018

3. Saving Lives With Medicine

- DG Hamsa and Steve Stirling Discuss Possibilities…

- Hinesville Diversity Health Center may join SLWM Initiative

Sec. C. CLUBS & MEMBERS: Club News & Events

1. Club Updates: Hinesville, Ocilla (Irwin County), Augusta South, Valdosta, Eastman,

Jefferson County, Golden Isles, Milledgeville

2. Save The Date - Literacy in Augusta !

Sec. D. YOUTH: GRSP, RYLA, Rotaract, Interact

1. New Generations Conference Recap

2. ACE Academy Interact helps pack Thanksgiving Meals

3. Tattnal County Interact raises $4,800 for Polio Vaccines

4. Valdosta Interact helps provide Thanksgiving meals to Hundreds

5. RYLA Dates announced — THINK ABOUT THIS NOW!

Sec. E. TOOLS: Citations, Resources, Contact Us, Calendar

1. Resources

2. Facebook

3. Citation Brochures

4. DG Hamsa’s December Schedule of Official Club Visits

5. Rotary International News (links)

6. Contact US - Our District Contact Info -

7. Social Media Links

A. Top Priority: District News/Events

Clubs and Rotarians across District 6920 Marked Veterans Day with special activities and recognitions in their communities. As one person said: “Theirs was the ultimate Service Above Self.” Click Here to see some of the Club Highlights.

HOWEVER - One Club in our District Stands Out.

The Perry Club hosted their annual Veterans Day Luncheon - inviting ALL Veterans in the community to join them for the occassion. Photos are in the ‘Highlights’ article above - and you can read the article in the Houston Home Journal - CLICK HERE

(Editor’s personal opinion: Bravo Perry! ALL Clubs should consider doing this!!!)

District 6920 & Clubs to Welcome RI Foundation Rep

for RI Foundation Programs & Polio FIRESIDE CHATS

During February and March - DG Hamsa, and DGE Margaret Jacobs will welcome

Deborah Lowe to District 6920 for a series of Club Programs & Fireside Chats.Deborah is the Rotary Foundation Regional Major Gift

Giving Resource person for Zone 34 (which

includes Rotary Districts across the SE States - and the Caribbean)

Ms. Lowe will focus her discussions with us on the topic of Polio - and Rotary International’s nearing Goal of ENDING Polio FOREVER.

The Fireside Chats are designed to be more ‘intimate’ and personal than a typical Club program - - They will offer an opportunity for interested and dedicated Rotarians to gain a personal and

in-depth understanding of the history, progress and final campaign to END Polio directly from the Rotary Foundation. The tentative schedule currently includes visits with:

Feb 26 Savannah Downtown Feb 27. St Simons Island Feb 28. Downtown Macon

March 1. Sandersville March 2. Dublin

If your club would like to take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to welcome Deborah - as representative of the RI Foundation - or to host a Fireside gathering - - please reach out to DGE Margaret, or DG Hamsa - - RIGHT AWAY !!!.

Rotary District 6920 Gil Tharp Global Grant Scholar

Heading to Paris!

James Ferencsik has been awarded a $30,000 Gil Tharp Scholarship following approval by the Rotary Foundation of an application submitted by Rotary District 6920 and the Rotary Club of Paris!

He will be joining a distinguished group of Rotary scholars from District 6920 striving to make a difference in peace and conflict prevention and resolution, as he represents District 6920 Click HERE to Read MORE

GSE "DREAM TEAM" PREPARES TO HEAD TO INDIA !

The 2018 India GSE Team recently held a training retreat on Tybee Island. Activities included team building exercises with PDG Gordon Matthews, working on the team Powerpoint for presentation to clubs in India, and trip planning. Team members include (pictured, L to R): John Neely, Savannah East RC - Team Leader, Brigitte Shanken, Hinesville RC Jasmine Head (non-Rotarian), Joey Darley (seated), Jesup RC, Lisa Grove, Savannah RC, Cari Phelps, Metro Savannah RC and Jose Dacruz, Savannah East RC

Normally a GSE team is composed of five members, but DG Hamsa and our Indian hosts agreed to send six, given how well the team has come together. During the training retreat Jose Dacruz volunteered to be the designated alternate, meaning he will go only if someone drops out for whatever reason.

The D6920 team departs for D3150 in southeast India on January 10, 2018, staying about one month. The purpose of the exchange is to increase international understanding and good will, and to participate in humanitarian projects designed to improve lives. Team members normally stay in Rotarians' homes, visit local Rotary humanitarian projects, tour cultural sites and attend Rotary Club meetings. Our District has sponsored five prior global grants in D3150, so upon return, team members will share with District Rotarians what they have seen and learned.

In April, 2018, a team of Indian Rotarians from D3150 will be visiting clubs in D6920--if your club would like to host the Indian group, please contact GSE Co-Chairs Andy Lohn or Justin Godchaux.
Follow the team's adventures on Facebook, at "Rotary District 6920 GSE Team."

DG Hamsa’s November

Club Visit Highlights!

DG Hamsa NEVER slows down! During his Official Club Visit Schedule in November - he visited 10 Clubs and still had room for Thanksgiving Dinner!

Nov. visits included (by date): Jekyll Island, McRae, Jefferson County, Brunswick, Tennille, Augusta-West, CamdenCounty, Savannah, Skidaway Island, and Savannah Sunrise.

CLICK HERE AND HERE to see all the events, photos & fun on Hamsa’s 2 Facebook Pages. (we’re ‘transitioning' to his official public FB page: "DG Hamsa Thota" this month)

SAVE THE DATE: April 27-29, 2018

All Clubs Conference 2018:

Come Celebrate With Us!

Let’s celebrate Rotary and all the great things all the clubs in District 6920 have done this year by attending “Our” All Clubs Celebration at the beaches of Jekyll Island. The Celebration is designed to engage Rotarians, their guests and families for a weekend of great stories, educational breakouts, great fellowship and family fun at the beach. Enjoy a relaxed time with your fellow club members and Rotarians and their families from all around District 6920.

We encourage all Rotarians to attend. The celebration is not just for the club leadership team, but all Rotarians in the District. Join us and see a spotlight on your club for the accomplishments for the year. Celebrate the Entrepreneurship programs around the District with presentations from some of the youth participants. See theSaving Lives With Medicine program and its impact on our communities. See the results of the visibility focus of all the District clubs. Get up to date on the Polio Plus drive and on CART. Bring your newer members, helping them share in the excitement of Rotary.

The weekend will be filled with family fun. A cookout at the beach is scheduled for Friday evening. Programs for the children will be offered by local Interact and Rotaract clubs. A treasure hunt on the beach is scheduled for Saturday afternoon as a family activity. A service project at MAP International will also be scheduled. The GSE team from India will share their GSE experience along with a review of the District’s Global Grant projects in India over the last several years. Meet the GRSP students in the District and celebrate with Interactors and Rotaractors and Speech Contest Winners. For Info: CLICK HERE

Rotary International PP, Friend, and LEGEND, Frank Devlyn has recorded a Video - his own “Frank Talk” about the important of inviting YOUNG people to join Rotary.

CLICK HERE to Enjoy !!!

B. DISTRICT Projects, Initiatives, & Plans

Entrepreneurship Projects - Partnerships between Clubs in District 6920 and Schools & Orgnaizations around our region - are THRIVING. CLICK HERE to read about projects in Sandersville, Dublin, and Valdosta! Keep up the Great Work!

High School Speech Contest just around the Corner….

Speech Contest Chair Jan Horadan reminds all that the Annual Speech Contest will be coming again this spring - Clubs should begin planning now to hold their club level contest leading up to All Club Celebration on Jekyll at the end of April.

Initiated in 1997 by Dublin Rotarian and Past District Governor Preston Johnson, the Preston Johnson Rotary District 6920 Annual High School Speech Contest is a special project engaging Rotarians, Educators and students in a meaningful and rewarding opportunity for personal development of our nation's future leaders.

The speeches focus on the current RI President's theme or the 4way test. In preparing their speech the students learn about Rotary and the great service Rotary provides.

The first place winner at each of the three Zone contests will receive a $1000.00 scholarship check as well as present their speech at District Conference.

While presenting a generous check from Hinesville Club to Steve Stirling at MAP, DG Hamsa caught up with him on next steps for Saving lives with Medicine pilot test and bringing MAP International and Rotary International together to explore a partnership to provide medical relief. Thanks to Robert Hall for working to arrange a meeting between Steve and RIPE Barry Rassin in Atlanta. Good things are happening!

Diversity Health Center in Hinesville may become 3rd Clinic to Join Saving Lives with Medicine.

CLICK HERE for More

C. CLUB & MEMBERS Top News & Events

Our Clubs Were Busy In November !!

Click HERE

to Enjoy LOTS of Highlights - and GREAT Inspiration.

SAVE THE DATE: March 1, Augusta

The Rotary Club of Augusta South will welcome Chick Fil-A Foundation Vice President, Rodney Bullard (who will introduce his new book) at a special event to raise money for Literacy. With their mission to put books in the hands of children from the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: The Club is selling Christmas Wreaths - Deliverable ANYWHERE in the US! .

CLICK HERE TO SEE AND PRINT THE ORDER FORM

D. YOUTH: GRSP, RYLA, Rotaract, Interact

District 6920 Celebrating outstanding NEW GENERATIONS Conference

for Rotaract, Interact - and already looking forward to next year!

District 6920 recently held its first ever “New Generations Conference”. The conference was hosted by Armstrong States Rotaract Club and held on the campus of Armstrong State University. The conference was a hugh success with District Governor Hamsa Thota, DGE Margaret Jacobs, DGN Mike Muldowney and Chief of Staff Paula Goodnow in attendance. Also, in attendance were representatives from several Rotary Clubs and Rotaract Clubs in the district.

For the Full Recap of the TERRIFIC Inauguarl New Generations Conference, CLICK HERE .

Ace Academy Interactors joined Macon Downtown Rotarians

- to provide over 100 families with a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving feast!

To read and see more about this great effort: CLICK HERE

The Tattnal County High School Interact Club rasied $4,800 for Polio -

enough to provide polio vaccine for over 8000 children throughout the world.

To learn more about how they did it - CLICK HERE.

The Valdosta High School Interact Club, joined with other clubs to work with Second Harvest of South Georgia, Inc on Nov 21 - to help at the Thanksgiving for Thousands event in Valdosta! To See and read more about VHS Interact Club: CLICK HERE