Rotary announces Doug Smith, District 5870 Governor 2024-2025
With distinct honor and privilege, the Rotary Club of Marlin welcomed Doug Smith of the Rotary Club of Temple-South, now officially District 5870 Governor Nominee-Designee who will serve as Governor for Rotary Year 2024-2025, the 110th District Governor. Assistant Governor Rod Henry was also made welcome with commendation of his long Rotary history, including District Retention Chair and Area Governor of Rotary Club of Temple.
Upcoming Governor Doug Smith addressed the Rotary Club of Marlin at its weekly Wednesday meeting on February 14, 2024, at The Chicken Place.
Rotary International is the world’s first international service organization. Where Rotary has an enduring legacy of positive change, Upcoming Governor Doug Smith expounded on why and how to increase Rotary’s impact, expand its reach, enhance participant engagement, and continue to increase Rotary’s ability to adapt.
“Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves” (Rotary.org)
Rotary clubs are where Rotary’s humanitarian work begins. Here, members not only catch up on what’s happening in the community, they also exchange ideas for creating positive change. All the while, Rotarians adhere to their principal motto, “Service Above Self”, encapsulating the philosophy of unselfishly giving back to one’s community. Rotary’s second motto is “One Profits Most Who Serves Best”; this ideal is an attitude of being a thoughtful and helpful person in all of one’s endeavors. Rotary’s official mottoes can be traced back to the early days of the organization.
Each year, the President of Rotary International adds a theme. Gordon R. McInally’s theme for the 2023-24 Rotary year continues to “Create Hope in the World”. “The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves,” affirms President of Rotary International Gordon McInally.
The world today is not the same as it was when Rotary began on February 23, 1905. Demographics have shifted, the pace of change has accelerated, and technology has created new opportunities for connection and service. What hasn’t changed is a need for the values that define Rotary: fellowship, integrity, diversity, service, and leadership.
Members of the Rotary Club of Marlin are Jesse Bustamante, Susan Byrd, Jay Elliott, Darryl Henson, Rhonda Milton, Hermetta Paul, Kurt Rutz, Bettye Tarver, and Sam Wright.
Club President Letitia Estep works with Club Executives, namely, President-Elect David Reid, Treasurer Justin Hay, Foundation Chair Roger Nutt, Membership Chair Rockney Terry, Service Projects Chair Mark Pedersen, and Public Image Chair Brad Tarver.
Scholarship Chair Jimi Lynn and Education Chair Maggie Majors serve to develop and enhance our scholarships, thereby helping young leaders build leadership skills, expand education, and learn the value of service.
All Rotarians are important and famous in their own way, but there are some whose names are recognized worldwide. Here are some famous people who have worn the Rotary pin: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Pope Francis, Walt Disney, Margaret Thatcher, Neil Armstrong, Bill Gates, Sam Walton (For the millennials – He was the founder of Walmart), England’s King Charles, J. C. Penney, Angela Merkel (German Chancellor), Sir Winston Churchill, and Colonel Sanders.
“Rotarians are doers,” says Club President Estep. She adds, “…are a diverse group of professionals who share a personal drive to give back. Every Wednesday, we come together for inspiration, education, and fun.”
With clubs in nearly every country, Rotary’s positive impact on communities around the world has never been greater. Today, there are over 46,000 member clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.4 million individuals, known as Rotary members.
Membership in a Rotary Club is by invitation. As a club member, individuals are asked to pay club dues, attend meetings and events, and use their professional skills and talents to make a difference.
Rotarians facilitate hundreds of educational, health, and humanitarian activities, a great number of which are conducted locally in order to ensure that Rotarians meet the needs of the communities they serve.
To someone with a passion for creating lasting change, contact Rockney Terry at (254) 883-7214 to learn how to join Rotary International, one of the largest volunteer groups in the world.