Rotary Year 1998 — 1999

Ann B. Henderson was the first female District Governor of a Georgia District and one of only 20 out of 527 worldwide for 1998-1999. She carried RI President James Lacy’s theme of “Follow Your Rotary Dream” to the 67 clubs in D6900.

Helping children was a major emphasis, particularly in the areas of Character Education, AIDS Awareness & Prevention and Literacy. All three programs were signifi- cantly successful under the able chairs of George Stewart, Marion Bunch and Vivian Smith respectively. Note: As a result of 6900’s effort which reached 70+ schools & over 28,000 children Character Education was embraced by 6910, 6920 and other districts in our zone and caught the interest of 1999-2000 RI President Ravizza.

Two new Rotary Clubs filed for organization and began meeting: Harris County - LaGrange and Fulton County - Alpharetta. Three new YouthAct Clubs were chartered: Perimeter/DeKalb, Dunwoody and Vinings. Three new Interact Clubs were chartered: Peachtree City, Fayetteville and South Fulton. One new Rotaract Club was chartered: Buckhead - 41 members. The first ever Inner Wheel Club for 6900 filed for organization and began meeting - Sandy Springs.

Total contributions to Rotary Foundations topped $432,168.

More than 25 World Community Service project applications were submitted by clubs in D6900 involving approximately $400,000. Of that amount, approximately 15 were approved involving approximately $260,000 (includes Club, District Share Fund and RI matching).

Six special Children’s Opportunity Grants were awarded for a total of $32,800. Three outbound scholars - Dubin, South Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa and Mexico. Six inbound scholars - 4 to ELS Language Center, Atlanta and 2 to Emory University. One University Teacher Grant to serve developing countries - Dr. Nancy Mims, teaching at Bombay Teacher’s College in Bombay, India. First nominee to receive grant in D6900. Two Group Study Exchanges - Portugal, District 1970 (Leader Dr. Richard Dangle, Carrollton) and Brazil, District 4640 (Leader Scott Cuthbert, Roswell East). Inbound leaders Jose De Sousa Da Veiga Torres and Pedro Celso dos Santos, respec- tively.

Added: 195 PHF, 175 Sustaining Members, 88 Benefactors, 3 Major Donors.

RYLA held at State University of West Georgia with 58 students representing 28 clubs.

A record 1226 attended Jekyll Island Conference - theme “Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Most of the 87 GRSP students participated in 2 evenings of entertainment including an audience pleaser of the “Wizard of Oz,” a screenplay written by Mike Rodgers (Scotland - 6900 GRSP student) and directed by Kay and Maynard Knestrick. PDG Fred Culbreth, a former 6900 Governor was RI President Lacy’s representative. John Kelleher, Muscogee was the conference chair. Dr. Leila Denmark (100 year young pediatrician) was the recipient of the coveted Jean Harris Award. Best All Around Club honors: Category I - North DeKalb, Category II - Sandy Springs, Category III - Dunwoody. Best All Around Runner-Up: Category I - Stone Mountain, Category II - Muscogee, Category III - Thomasville. PDG Barry Smith was awarded RI Service Above Self Award. 64 Presidential Citations, 60 Governor’s Citations and 20 Special Awards-Benefactor Program.

Thanks to the clubs in D6900, world-class wheelchair tennis athletes who competed at the 1999 Roosevelt International Cup played their patches on six new courts at the Roosevelt Institute in Warm Springs. Costas Soulakos of the Peachtree City Rotary became involved after the 1998 wheelchair tennis athletes were transported to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain to compete. He brought the need for accessible courts at the institute to the attention of Ann Henderson who made the construction a major project for the year with a $ 130,000 commitment. Peachtree City and Dunwoody were the major donors to this project. *

* Deceased