Rotary Club of Cuthbert with President Clara Hammock, AG Donna Gray and District Service Chair Terry Rouse; this great club helped their neighbors during Hurricane Michael

While the holiday season is in full swing, it is a great time to take a break from the race to celebrate our families, friends and all the good that we able to do as Rotarians.

Just consider the BIG thinking of the Rotary Club of Emory Druid Hills in establishing partnerships to fund grants that are providing a C-Arm to one hospital and a complete nephrology unit to another hospital in India. Or the Rotary Club of Atlanta partnering with CARE USA in a project that’s just getting underway to build sustainable livelihood for Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan. This project could provide with a model for addressing refugee issues around the world.

Or look closer to home, at the projects our District Grants are supporting this year:

• Literacy - from a tutoring project in Albany that focuses on underachieving first and second graders … to backpacks, books, dictionaries, printers, Learn English programs, STEM programs through 4H … to ACE scholarships for adults to get their GEDs, and Little Free Library kiosks
• Environment and clean water – from Scout Troop park clean up in Columbus to building a community recycling shed in Cuthbert
• Prevention of child abuse and trafficking – through awareness training, refurbishing a safe house for girls and young women coming out of trafficking, and supporting Clayton County middle and high school counselors dealing with these issues
• Health – from supporting recovery process for members with addiction … to a health/wellness fair at Douglas County high schools … to training designed to help eliminate suicides in the Armed Forces … to personal hygiene assistance and
• Meal packing – by Milton Rotary in partnership with Rise Against Hunger and many local organizations

This is just a few of the projects we support with our time and our contributions to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). And our focus doesn’t end with our TRF projects. This time of year, it includes ringing bells for the Salvation Army, holiday gatherings, meals and gifts for local families and children, and contributions to provide relief for Hurricane Michael.

Rotary also provides great gifts of friendship – and the joy we get from sharing our stories and ideas, joining together to laugh, to enjoy holiday festivities and to work on projects that will make a lasting difference.

Annette and I are enjoying the gifts of fellowship and fun that each of our clubs is offering. We look forward to spending time with many of you during the holiday season and at District Conference in Sandestin next April.

I hope each and every one of you is blessed with friends and family and the joy of giving this holiday season. Thanks for your generosity and all you do for Rotary.