As we head into another recruitment period for the next class of LEADERSHIP 6630 I would like to take a minute to celebrate the success of this committee. I have been a Rotarian in the RC of Burton-Middlefield and a member of District 6630 for over 30 years. I am constantly amazed at how this district and its leadership step up to solve problems and accomplish tasks that seem too big to overcome. Our incredibly successful Centennial Celebration, our unique A. Z. Baker Award, our Foundation fund raising drive during the Centennial Celebration, Rotary International officers that have come from this district and other accomplishments and achievements too numerous to mention give our district 6630 a distinct level of importance.
Since 2014 we have also had a very successful training program called LEADERSHIP 6630. This is a yearly (calendar year) group of Rotarians who have shown an interest in becoming more involved in Rotary above their club level and positioning themselves to step into a program or committee that excites them at the district level. It is not a classroom training as such but concentrates on exposure to all aspects of Rotary and provides speakers from various committees that speak at the LEADERSHIP 6630 meetings while encouraging the class members to reach out on their own to attend various committee meetings, fund raisers and simply visiting other clubs to expand their Rotary horizons. Members are not expected to move into a district position immediately but to do so at their own pace and schedule. The success has been amazing! In the six years the program has existed they have had 49 graduates. These include 2 District Governors, 2 AG Coordinators, 11 AGs, one membership chair, 2 Interact/Rotaract chairs, one Youth Exchange leader, one RYLA chair, 8 Grant Committee members, 10 District Conference Committee members, 2 Rotary Peace Fellowship Committee Members, one 4-WAY Speech Contest Chair and numerous club presidents. This certainly does not represent all of the dedicated Rotarians who have stepped up and accepted a district level assignment. But it has made a District Governor’s job of staffing their committees much easier and has identified a great deal of talent that may not have been recognized otherwise.
Rick Pollak, 2019/2020 president of the RC of Cuyahoga Falls is to be commended for leading the LEADERSHIP 6630 group since its inception and making the necessary adjustments over the years to make it more productive and successful. As we head towards the next new LEADERSHIP 6630 class that begins 1/1/2020 please contact Rick if you or someone you know exhibits the ambition that makes these class members stand out and show the promise of helping lead District 6630 into the future.
Robert “Bob” Johnson
Past District Governor
Past Foundation Chair
Member- The Centennial Celebration Comm.
Arch Klumph Circle Advisor