President's Message

Leland Sanders, President
Rotary Club of Effingham County

For more than 100 years Rotarians around the world have placed “Service Above Self” in the forefront of the things we think, say, and do. The Rotary Club of Effingham County is part of the larger Rotary International that is comprised of 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs around the world.

The Rotary Club of Effingham County serves our local community donating our time, talent, and treasure to programs such as the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, the Treutlen House, and local food pantries to name just a few.

The club serves our region through cooperative efforts with other clubs and organizations providing support for GED scholarships, financial and living accommodation support for visiting Georgia Rotary Student Program participants from abroad, financial support for preschool literacy programs such the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, a subsidiary of the highly successful Dollywood Imagination Library, and many other programs designed to be beneficial to all concerned.

Internationally, the club has supported the Haiti relief effort by providing funding for hundreds of Shelter Boxes for those displaced by the earthquake. We have supported the Medical Equipment Transport Service (METS) to provide used but useful medical equipment to countries struggling to meet the healthcare needs of their citizens, and we support the installations of clean water wells in countries that lack the resources to provide this most important basic human need.

As the 2010-2011 Rotary year progresses there will be numerous opportunities for all of us to give thanks for the blessings that we enjoy and to show our appreciation by giving back a portion of our rewards. Our fall and spring fundraisers will be not only be an opportunity to raise funds for our programs, but will also provide an opportunity for Rotarians to network and socialize and non-Rotarians to learn more about Rotary. Additionally, every year in the early spring we recognize many of our community volunteers regardless of affiliation as our local Volunteers of the Year with the overall Volunteer and two runner-ups receiving a cash donation toward the philanthropic organization that they represent. Each year students participate in a Rotary sponsored speech contest, Student-Teacher Awards Recognition, and are eligible for college scholarships and Georgia Rotary Exchange programs.

Rotarians also abide by the Four Way Test. Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to All Concerned? Will it Build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to All Concerned? As the 2010-2011 Rotary year progresses, a major emphasis will be on getting back to Rotary basics with bi-monthly programs designed to highlight what it is to be a Rotarian and what is expected of Rotarians. Another major emphasis will be to grow our membership by recruiting energetic individuals willing to give thanks for their blessings by being willing to give some of their time, talent, and treasure to make our world a better place. I hope you will consider joining us on our journey to give back to our community, our region, and our world. More importantly, I hope you will consider joining us to learn more about being a Rotarian and how you too can give back a portion of your time, talent, and treasure to advance peace and understanding throughout the world we live in. Building Communities and Bridging Continents is accomplished through our collaborative efforts.

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