MESSAGE FROM OUR DISTRICT GOVERNOR
Posted by Jacquie Gibson
on Mar 07, 2014
Message from District Governor - Jeremy Hurst
Dear fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors and Family of Rotary,
Michelle and I have just returned from and excellent District Team Training Seminar in Kingston, Jamaica, hosted by DGE Paul and Kay and ably delivered by District Trainer PDG Rupert and his team. Once again, this “Rotary High” made us realise what a tremendous District we all have the honour and pleasure to be part of. The current and future District leadership team came together in full force representing literally the balance that ensures we continue to go from strength to strength as a District and remain the most relevant and effective Service organisation the world has ever seen: we have a relatively unique ability to renew and refresh our leaders each year, strengthening ourselves with new blood in the process and yet, ensuring continuity, building our future with vision as we move forward.
Dear fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors and Family of Rotary,
Michelle and I have just returned from and excellent District Team Training Seminar in Kingston, Jamaica, hosted by DGE Paul and Kay and ably delivered by District Trainer PDG Rupert and his team. Once again, this “Rotary High” made us realise what a tremendous District we all have the honour and pleasure to be part of. The current and future District leadership team came together in full force representing literally the balance that ensures we continue to go from strength to strength as a District and remain the most relevant and effective Service organisation the world has ever seen: we have a relatively unique ability to renew and refresh our leaders each year, strengthening ourselves with new blood in the process and yet, ensuring continuity, building our future with vision as we move forward.
It struck me, as I watched our new leaders in action, that we are so lucky to have so many talented, educated and vibrant professionals at our disposal. These leaders clearly have all had the benefit of a strong education and are literate in all senses of the word. However, I couldn’t help think that not everyone in our communities are as fortunate. Travelling the Caribbean in every one of District 7020’s countries, we are facing serious problems of crime and peace and conflict issues, such as violence in schools and our communities as well as areas related to economic development. There is a clear link between these problems and the basic education and this is why Rotary International has adopted Literacy as one of its Six Areas of Focus.
In District 7020 we are facing these challenges head-on with effective and extensive Literacy programmes, such as the donation of Dictionaries – we give literally thousands each year across our District – literacy intervention schemes, such as the one in Anguilla, Smartboards in classrooms including the USVI, Bahamas and Cayman, the many, many schools built with DAF’s after the earthquakes in Haiti and the support of Basic and Primary Schools in places like Jamaica. Further, our own Youth Programmes such as Earlyact, Interact and Rotaract all promote environments that foster education and learning. Speaking of Rotaract, let’s also embrace our Rotaractors this month to help them celebrate World Rotaract Week, commemorating the founding of the first club on March 13th 1968!
Hopefully our club’s Literacy programmes will make a difference to children and youth throughout D7020 this year and beyond. Maybe one of our beneficiaries will stand in front of a future District Governor at District Training in 30 years time, impressing, just as our new leaders did me. Remember what we do, really does make a difference, so let’s continue to promote Literacy Programmes throughout our District as we, Engage Rotary – Change Lives!
Jeremy Hurst
Governor
District 7020
In District 7020 we are facing these challenges head-on with effective and extensive Literacy programmes, such as the donation of Dictionaries – we give literally thousands each year across our District – literacy intervention schemes, such as the one in Anguilla, Smartboards in classrooms including the USVI, Bahamas and Cayman, the many, many schools built with DAF’s after the earthquakes in Haiti and the support of Basic and Primary Schools in places like Jamaica. Further, our own Youth Programmes such as Earlyact, Interact and Rotaract all promote environments that foster education and learning. Speaking of Rotaract, let’s also embrace our Rotaractors this month to help them celebrate World Rotaract Week, commemorating the founding of the first club on March 13th 1968!
Hopefully our club’s Literacy programmes will make a difference to children and youth throughout D7020 this year and beyond. Maybe one of our beneficiaries will stand in front of a future District Governor at District Training in 30 years time, impressing, just as our new leaders did me. Remember what we do, really does make a difference, so let’s continue to promote Literacy Programmes throughout our District as we, Engage Rotary – Change Lives!
Jeremy Hurst
Governor
District 7020
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