I have an exceptional opportunity for you, and all the members in our District, to join the fight against COVID-19. What if there was a way to help, from the safety of our homes, and make a real difference?

In the last three weeks, a Rotary-related non-profit, The Global Impact Group, has initiated a new volunteer opportunity called Volunteer Surge. TGIG was co-founded by Past President of the Alpharetta Club Scott Dull and Alpharetta Rotarian David Cochran, along with Jim Marggraff and Jane Louie in District 5160 in California. The program was announced via a press release yesterday (CNN, NYT, and other major coverage), and will be adopted by Rotary Clubs across the nation in the next few days.

The background is this: Two weeks ago, Rotarians in local Clubs on the east and west coasts engaged Rotary International to recruit 1 million volunteers in two weeks to sign up with Volunteer Surge, the TGIG program that allows training online, for free, to become a Telehealth Worker, or a Community Health Worker. These volunteers will provide basic assistance, and will reduce suffering and save lives, locally and across the nation. How? By helping our health care providers to focus more of their attention where it is most needed.

TIME IS CRITICAL. Please click www.tgig.org to learn more and decide how you, your friends, and family can participate. And share this link with others on Facebook, email, and other social media. Your Club Presidents have been brought up to speed earlier today on this initiative, and I encourage your Club to have this opportunity on your agenda for your next virtual Club meeting. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Scott Doll b.scottd001@gmail.com, or David Cochran dscochran1@gmail, or mailto:info@theglobalimpactgroup.org.

We, as Rotarians, are People of Action, and we are now truly defined by our actions in this crisis. Connect With Rotary is our District theme this year, and this is Connection with Compassionate Consequence. The rest of the country is watching, and we hold the success of this program in our hands.

Stay safe and stay well.