Rotary District 6780 Gov. Cindy Gammons hails from an itty-bitty Tennessee hamlet up near the Kentucky border, Lafayette, population around 4,500. But in the world of Rotary, those district governor shoes she’s wearing are pretty big.
A lifetime educator and past president of the Rotary Club of Lafayette, Gammons spoke to the Rotary Club of Farragut yesterday at Fox Den Country Club. She leads a sprawling East Tennessee Rotary district of 64 clubs and approximately 2,790 members. Six of those clubs are in Knoxville.
“Covid did not shut down our district and we keep moving ahead with our projects and priorities,” she said. “Service is in our blood and we’re always there for others. We’re change makers.”
Rotary International’s 2021-22 membership goal is to increase the worldwide number of Rotarians from 1.2 million to 1.3 million.
Gammons has three primary goals for district clubs:
- Membership: “I call it ‘Each one bring one’.” Translation: every club member sponsors a new member this year. “My goal is that 40% of members in a club do this and we have a 5% increase in club membership.”
- Rotary Days of Service: Plan an event by two or more Rotary, Rotaract or Interact clubs and align event with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus.
- Empowering Girls: Work to ensure their access to education, resources, services and opportunities so that future generations of women leaders will have the tools they need to succeed. Plan a club level service project to include girls 12 and up.
“My message is if we grow more, then you can do more in your local community,” she added. “And focusing on diversity can only help.”
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Sarah Meghabghab
Farragut Rotary at its last meeting in July awarded a $1,250 college scholarship to Hardin Valley Academy graduate Sarah Meghabghab. She graduated in the Top 10 of her class. Sarah has been a member and club officer of the Interact Club since the club began at HVA. She has been consistent in working at Free Flu Shot Saturday, the Covid Saturdays we worked at Summit Health’s vaccination events and other projects. Sarah is planning to attend the University of Tennessee to earn a degree in medical laboratory science and then attend medical school.
To explore membership in the Rotary Club of Farragut, call 865-659-3562. Farragut Rotary meets each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at Fox Den Country Club. Tom King, a past president of Farragut Rotary, has served at newspapers in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and California and has been the editor of two newspapers.