Governor's Message

September 2010

District 7600 District Conference October 9-11, 2009.  Have you registered? It is being held at the OMNI Hotel in downtown Richmond, Virginia.  The OMNI Hotel is looking forward to hosting us and has agreed to extend their special rates for all that register by the 23rd of September.  I hope you take advantage of the very comfortable rooms that have been set aside for us to claim. 

I wish to thank and congratulate the winners of the first drawing for free rooms at the OMNI.  These Rotarians registered by the 31^st of August, thus qualifying for the drawing:  Barry Almond, Charles (Chuck) Arnason, Lawrence (Larry) Gooss, III, Lisa Hollier, Celeste Janson, Leland Nicholson, Genevieve Owens, and Wendell Smith.

There will be one more drawing which will take place on the 23^rd of September for all who have registered for the conference by the 14^th of September.  Four more Rotarians will emerge as winners.

This year’s theme for the conference is “Rotary Magic Is No Sleight of Hand.” The District Conference Committee has put together a very fun and informative conference.  Saturday afternoon is yours to spend however you wish.  Some of the planned activities are the three scheduled Tours of the Capitol (of primary interest is the underground facility - just recently opened to the public) and the Stop Hunger Now project that will be held in the hotel.  The Richmond Folk Festival will be in full swing with its nerve center just a few blocks from the OMNI.

This past month I’ve continued meeting with clubs and eating a lot of chicken.  Steak and crab cakes found their way onto my plate a few times, however, and I gladly spent a happy buck or two for such culinary pleasures.  My last scheduled visit will be on the 25^th of September when I’m scheduled to be in Franklin after a dinner meeting with the Hampton club the night before.  Wow!  What a trip!!!!!  I’m not going to say that it all has been easy – for it hasn’t been. The clock has been a consistent challenge for me, especially whenever I found myself in bumper to bumper Tidewater traffic (and it wasn’t even rush hour). It’s FUN, though, when you beat the odds and make the destination. 

But through it all I’ve had a very good experience in sharing my message with all clubs in the District.  No New Projects Until Polio Has Been Eradicated; ongoing projects to address Water, Health, Hunger, and Literacy;  and The Core Values of Rotary whose foundation stemmed from the Four-Way Test.  All of these items serve as a great basis for introducing leaders of any community to Rotary.  And how do we do that?  By asking those leaders to breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

Remember: you were asked.  Have you asked that person who values Ethics, Honesty, and Integrity as much as you do?   Don’t you think it’s time?  “The Future of Rotary Is In Your Hands.”  Take charge. I’m here to support you!