Dear Rotarians:

It is a happy coincidence that each Rotary year starts for us at the beginning of a holiday week! It provides a short interval for many new Club leaders to take a deep breath before rolling out their ambitious plans and agendas for the year just begun. The same is certainly true at the District level, though I woke up early yesterday to a beautiful sunny morning, ready to get to work in a smooth transition from a fantastic year under the leadership of Governor Orrin. Last year will be hard to top in so many ways, but the boundless energy and enthusiasm of your 2018-19 Club Presidents gives me great assurance that, together, we will achieve new heights in the work of Rotary.

Our Rotary International President Barry Rassin commands all District Governors to “Be the Inspiration”, to inspire their Club Presidents to want to grow, to want to do more, to want to reach the potential in each of us. I have, in turn, asked all of your Club Presidents to do the same thing, to inspire that same desire in each Rotarian.

President Barry quoted from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who said “If you want to build a boat, don’t begin by collecting wood, cutting boards, or assigning tasks. Begin by awakening in the souls of your workers a longing for the vast and boundless sea.” I dearly hope that each of you will join me in satisfying our longing that the world is better next June 30th than it was today.

Our year ahead will have new opportunities for learning, leadership training, fellowship and celebration, including our Zone Membership Seminar (August 25th), the Avenues of Service Event (October 4th), the Celebration dinner for our own Richard D. King’s 50th Anniversary in Rotary (November 2nd), the Rotary International President’s Dinner (January 3rd), the District Training Assembly (April 6th), our 2019 District Conference at the USS Hornet Museum (May 17-19th), and the Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany (June 1-5th). Details on all of these will follow, and, of course, many other events and opportunities will occur throughout the year. I am tremendously excited about the opportunity to visit each of our 54 outstanding Rotary Clubs, and meeting each of you personally. Let’s all do our best to “Be the Inspiration” for each other, and to spread that enthusiasm throughout our communities.

Very best wishes,

Tim Lundell,

District Governor 2018-2019

GLOBAL REACH-July 1, 2017