Thank You to Karen Hebert for your service as our District Governor in 2021-2022. There’s no doubt that your service has changed lives and you’ll continue to do so for years to come! Keep reading for some beautiful reflections from Karen’s year.
 
Road Trip
 
Pandemic restrictions were lifting one year ago as I assumed the District Governor role. Never before had governors been prevented from visiting clubs in the traditional way. I didn’t want to take “the road” for granted and I wanted to relax on it. For fun, and in appreciation for the opportunity to be back together, I tagged my posts #DGKarensRoadTrip.
 
En route to visit the Rotary Club of Wisconsin Rapids on the last Monday of my last week as District Governor, I took time to reflect on the various “roads” traveled. My reflections follow. I hope you will enjoy them and that they will serve as a support to your own reflections on the year behind us in order to draw energy to Imagine Rotary.
 
The Road: Time
It's week 52 of this beautiful Rotary year in which we were invited to contemplate the suggestion that we Serve To Change Lives. The image associated with the invitation is our diverse world held in a compassionate hand.
 
The thing about service: The first life it changes is our own - if we are open to the lessons. Thanks, District 6250 Rotarians, for joining in Rotary mission, vision, values - for participating in the virtuous cycle of being, doing, and becoming - over these full and fleeting weeks.
 
 
 
The Road: Communications
It's a lot: The emails, the meetings, the emails, the texts, the emails, the remarks, the emails, the Dispatches, the emails, the posts, the emails, the website, the emails. A lot of my "regular life" had to be set aside to make room for it.
 
In this context, serving as best I could, what changed in a lasting way?
 
This. Within all sorts of circumstances, I learned that communication skills have very little to do with understanding, and that what you and I need (very, very much) is understanding. At the "end of my rope" is opportunity. I am learning a deeper trust that I am already perfectly Understood. From there, in service to the dear humans around me (I myself am one), I can practice freely giving and receiving understanding - often without a single word.
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Road: Rivers
Our gorgeous Wisconsin rivers gave me so much inspiration in this role. They flow between and through - just like district service. Our service doesn't shrink or change because people are too busy to notice. Our service flows from a deeper source - the honorable, joyful, and meaningful mission to strengthen and support clubs.
 
District 6250 leadership is grateful for each and every club. We are thankful for who you are in Rotary fellowship and service and that you accomplish, in big and small ways, our shared mission.
 
 
 
The Road: What's Real
I grabbed a lot of images as I traveled through this year and many of them conveyed what's real. This one's my favorite.
 
The setting is the awarding of a Paul Harris fellow recognition to a member of Rotary Club of Columbus/Fall River. The plan was to move through the moment. These moments are always special.
 
What happened was that moment moved us. It moved us in kindness, togetherness, meaning, and the wonderful overwhelm of being a very small part of a very big thing.
 
Thanks for a great year and for this opportunity. Thanks for all who served alongside. Cheers to our 2022-2023 DG Ben, our district leaders, AGs, Presidents, Club leaders and every one of the 1.4 million Rotarians around the world who are connected in what's real. Lucky us.
 
PDG Karen