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Blaine JohnsonDistrict Governor 2018-2019
It may be cliché, but the opportunity to serve as your District Governor in 2018-19 is a heartfelt honor and a privilege. Together with District Governor Elect Rick Bricker, District Governor Nominee Bob McLean, and the countless others that have answered the call to service, our leadership team is poised to heed Rotary International President Barry Rassin’s call to Be the Inspiration!
The year ahead will be filled with many opportunities for Rotarians to Be the Inspiration, and what a better way to start off this year’s theme than with Camp RYLA. Led by outstanding directors Beth Althoff, Nick Kroshus, and Liz Kapella, and assisted by a number of facilitators, Camp RYLA engaged young leaders from across our District with life changing, transformational skills. The proof of the lasting effect that RYLA has is evident by the number of facilitators that return from all over the country each year to pass on the knowledge and experience they themselves received years before as campers. It is a tremendous group of individuals, and we owe them all a huge amount of gratitude. They each exemplify the spirit of Rotary and our motto Service Above Self.
As one of the youngest District Governors in our District’s history, and one of the youngest in the world this year, I pressed the RYLArians to ignore anyone that attempts to tell them they are too young to make a difference. They were each selected for RYLA based upon the leadership skills that they already exemplified. They have the heart and the ambition to inspire those in their communities and to create lasting change themselves. The same is true of our Interactors, Youth Exchange students, and Rotaractors. Age is never a barrier to inspire, engage, and accomplish the great work of Rotary.
I am reminded of the words of Past Rotary International President John Kenney who stressed “Our communities need Rotary—now, more than ever. They need our work in water, health and hunger, and literacy. But they also need our presence, our influence and our example.” Take this opportunity to inspire those in our communities with the power of Rotary and to engage our membership in making our communities, both local and international, better places to live. The responsibility is ours. We are People of Action.
