The Rotary Club International District Governor came to Quesnel last week, visiting the Rotary Club of Quesnel and touring around the various projects the Quesnel club has supported over the years.
Club president Petrie Neave gave Darcy Long, the District Governor, the tour, showing her the West Fraser Centre (for which the Quesnel club donated $10,000), the Alex Fraser Park Agri-plex, the RV Sani Station, the West Quesnel Outdoor rink, and Baker School (where they run a youth program) among many other spots around town.
Long then gave a speech to the local Rotarians, using photo cards to figure out what inspires them to do what they do. Each year, the Rotary Club International has a theme for District Governors to impart on the clubs they visit and this years’ is “be the inspiration,” says Long.
The club gathered for lunch to listen to Long’s speech on Thursday, Aug. 16. Following the speech, members took turns donating happy bucks — saying what they were thankful for before dropping change into a box. The money collected goes to one of their school programs.
READ MORE: Rotary Club of Quesnel contributes to many community projects and events and supports youth programs
Long and her husband have been members of the Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast - Sechelt since 2005. “It’s been a gift to us,” she says. “It’s enabled us to do so much around the world by being part of the organization. It’s like a vehicle that allows us to do what we could never do with just the two of us.”
A District Governor is responsible for a district of Rotary Clubs, determined by the number of clubs and members rather than geography. Districts can even cross country borders.
Long’s District stretches from the Sunshine Coast and some of Vancouver through the Cariboo and north until Mackenzie, B.C. and Prince Rupert, B.C.
District Governors are elected late in the year as District Governor-designate, and then they spend a year as District Governor-elect, where they travel around to various conferences, including a week-long training conference in San Diego, before taking up the mantle of District Governor on July 1.
Districts are meant to be supports for local clubs, to keep them connected to the Rotary Club International. As District Governor, Long is tasked with visiting every club in her district during her year in office, acting as a liaison between the local clubs and Barry Rassin, the current Rotary Club International president. Quesnel was her 15th stop as District Governor.
heather.norman@quesnelobserver.com
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