December 2024 brought LOTS of RAIN to D5830, but no snow flakes! Thankfully, we didn’t have the flooding and storm damage that we suffered last year - - - December was probably the BUSIEST month in 2024 - - - at least for me as DG - - - after a busy Thanksgiving, we pushed through all the planning, buying, decorating and experiences of the Christmas season - - - has everyone “packed up” the decorations yet? ? WE haven’t at our house, but will add those tasks to the growing year end 2024 stuff to complete.
In December, I visited Troup, Henderson, Mt Vernon, Winnsboro, Bullard, Quitman, Tyler Sunrise and Tyler Rotary Clubs. The comradery, energy, openness and
Rotarian Spirit of our District 5830 Rotary Clubs continues to amaze me - - - as I’ve said each month, we are so blessed by the Rotarians in District 5830! All D5830 clubs have worked hard to elect club officers, establish 2024-2025 goals, plan fund raising projects, and welcome me with wide open arms! Many thanks to all the visited clubs - - - -with December ending, we have completed the planned visits to all 41 clubs in our District.
Rotarian Spirit of our District 5830 Rotary Clubs continues to amaze me - - - as I’ve said each month, we are so blessed by the Rotarians in District 5830! All D5830 clubs have worked hard to elect club officers, establish 2024-2025 goals, plan fund raising projects, and welcome me with wide open arms! Many thanks to all the visited clubs - - - -with December ending, we have completed the planned visits to all 41 clubs in our District.
I continue to end each club visit with a personal challenge:
1. Expand Rotary locally and internationally
2. Increase your Service to Others
3. Leave a Lasting Legacy
1. Expand Rotary locally and internationally
2. Increase your Service to Others
3. Leave a Lasting Legacy
Start where you are!
Use what you have!
Do what you can!
During the 2024-2025 visits, I have witnessed how our clubs strongly support Our Vision of expanding Rotary Club Membership. Rotary International President
Stephanie Urchick, has challenged ALL ROTARY DISTRICTS to add at least FOUR NEW CLUBS and 100 NEW ROTARIANS in 2024-2025. A number of our clubs have added new members this year and we have continued to investigate and plan to establish 3 or 4 NEW “focused” Rotary Clubs that will start as “satellite clubs” until we gain membership of 20 or more members. The NEW “focus clubs” will be built around the on-going East Texas Food Bank efforts in the 26 counties of NE Texas. The D5830 “target areas”, which have Food Bank centers, are Tyler, Longview, and Texarkana. Additional review and planning meetings are underway with guidance and strong support from Rotary International. We hope to secure support, establish parameters,
gain approval, and kick off the first “focused” club in early 2025.
Stephanie Urchick, has challenged ALL ROTARY DISTRICTS to add at least FOUR NEW CLUBS and 100 NEW ROTARIANS in 2024-2025. A number of our clubs have added new members this year and we have continued to investigate and plan to establish 3 or 4 NEW “focused” Rotary Clubs that will start as “satellite clubs” until we gain membership of 20 or more members. The NEW “focus clubs” will be built around the on-going East Texas Food Bank efforts in the 26 counties of NE Texas. The D5830 “target areas”, which have Food Bank centers, are Tyler, Longview, and Texarkana. Additional review and planning meetings are underway with guidance and strong support from Rotary International. We hope to secure support, establish parameters,
gain approval, and kick off the first “focused” club in early 2025.
January 2025 has been designated as VOCATIONAL SERVICE month by Rotary International. D5830 clubs have a very diverse mixture of vocational service examples. I challenge each of you to learn more about how your fellow members are currently serving and potentially “step up” to serve in a new area of service.
Our D5830 2024-2025 Foundation Dinner planning team (Rotarians Terri Deike, Brandie Henderson, Pamela Walters, Trudy Williams, District Administrator, Shirley Pinnix-Evans) have been working on the plans for our Foundation Dinner event, which will be held at the Holly Tree Country on February 1, 2025 event. As previously mentioned, our D5830 Assistant Governors are working with their assigned Rotary Clubs to secure “silent auction” items for the dinner. District 5830 Past District Governors will be reaching out to individual, group, and company sponsors.
PDG Ted Huffhines continues to lead the 2025 Rotary District 5830 Legacy Dinner planning committee. During December, a designated group of District 5830 Leaders started meeting with D5830 clubs to explain the “legacy focus efforts” and explain more about the April 26, 2025 event which will be held in Tyler, TX. The Legacy “fireside chats” will continue to share more of the Legacy Dinner Vision and Plans.
Please remember - - - it is never too early to make plans and REGISTER for the 2025 Rotary International Convention which will be in Calgary, Canada June 21-25, 2025. We are ACHIEVED our RI Convention “registration goal” but there is plenty of room to still register. If you’ve never been to a Rotary International Convention, the 2025 Canada event would be a great time to expand your horizon and see how Rotarians from around the world SERVE SERVE SERVE!
Thanks for allowing me to SERVE as your DG for 2024-2025
Jeff W Johnston
