Good Day, Rotarians!
 
Today is our daughter’s birthday which grounds me in the fact that it’s early May. Other grounding realities are the pride evoked in memories from TriCon2022, the awareness that fewer than two months remain in this Rotary year, and that Rotary Youth Exchange is back. May is Youth Services month.
 
TriCon2022
 
District Governors are officers of Rotary International. One of RI’s charges to the governors is to hold a district conference. Over the years and across districts, conferences take many shapes and forms. A few years ago, District 6250 voted to participate in TriCons every year. Next year the three Wisconsin (plus our slice of Minnesota, plus 6220’s Michigan’s UP) Districts will gather in La Crosse in late April for Governor Ben’s conference. Save the date.
 
We three District Governors were enormously proud and humbly grateful for the hours and hours of generous, big-hearted service that produced TriCon2022. Rotarians enjoyed intelligent and engaging keynotes (including the brilliant Rick Kyte – Rotary Club of La Crosse and Karen Kenrick-Hands – Rotary Club of Madison), wide-ranging and smart breakout sessions, and enthusiastic fellowship. It was good to be together live at The Osthoff.
 
On the Thursday evening preceding TriCon’s Friday kick-off, we celebrated 6250’s newest Arch Klumph Society members, Karen Kendrick-Hands and Larry Hands. Larry reflected on the compelling nature of Rotary giving and investment. While Rotary has an endowed fund, Karen and Larry opted to put their generous gift to work immediately, knowing projects done to Sustain the Environment will themselves be an endowment - to life itself.
 
During our District Annual Meeting, I thanked the following Rotarians for their District service. Please accept my thanks to all of you reading – district leaders rise out of club leadership and cannot serve well without your fellowship support and your service sacrifices.
 
In alphabetical order: Bob Allen – Assistant Governor, Edwin Bos – PDG and Vice Governor, Mike Dillis – Hybrid Meeting Task Force Chair, Sherry Hillesheim – Assistant Governor, John Locke – District Membership Chair, Marth Klatt – District Trainer, Mike Kloss – Assistant Governor (Mike will be serving an extra year), Dick Spencer – District Treasurer, Marie Whisenant – At Large Director.
 
The Rotary Year
 
Is there something left undone, unexpressed, unplanned? Give yourself a big lift, right-size a plan for action, and act. Don’t waste another minute inside wishful thinking or discouragement. Act and be energized. Let’s finish happy and strong.
 
Our Future International Leaders
 
During the Fall, 2019 Rotary Summits held around the district, participants were encouraged to tell stories of meaningful Rotary service. Over and over the stories revolved around Rotary Youth Exchange. Hundreds of service fires were stoked remembering moments of international understanding, goodwill, and peace (mostly peace!) grown in youth exchange. It was a pleasure seeing a few gaggles of outbound students in their navy blazers at TriCon2022. There is so much hope in youth and youth exchange!
 
And there is hope in youth leadership too. Later this month at the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA), students sponsored by our clubs will gather to learn about leadership embraced and stimulated by Rotary culture. May our RYLA leaders and participants be encouraged, wise, and have a ton of fun. We are building our future.
 
Long Live Rotary and Rotary ideals.
 
 District Governor Karen