Posted by Terrence Dalton
The Rotary Club of Akron had the privilege of hearing our District 6630 Governor speak at our Tuesday, January 4, 2022, Club meeting. 
 
View the presentation by clicking here or copy and paste the link into your browser https://youtu.be/KAG7CgPjztg
 
2021-2022 District 6630 Governor Larry Lohman began his presentation with a little history of his introduction to Rotary from his father and his involvement with Rotary service project from a little boy forward.  As he stated during his presentation, Lohman has grown up in the service of Rotary and his community. He helped his father’s Rotary Club (Cambridge, Ohio) with service projects and fundraisers. The Cambridge Club has had three generations of Larry's family as members, including his great-grandfather, a founding member of the club. Larry also served with The Boy Scouts of America where he earned his Eagle Scout Award, his Church Youth Group, and as a volunteer with the American Cancer Society.
 
He has been a member of The Rotary Club of Kent since 2007 and has served as International Services Chair, Program Director, President-Elect and President. He led the charge to identify ways to better inform the community about Rotary. During his presidency he developed a new club legacy award to honor members for their years of service. This award was first presented to Past District Governor Gordon Keller, and thereafter in his memory.
 
Larry has been very active with Rotary District 6630 for several years, so it should be no surprise that he is now our District Governor. He has been very involved with his Kent club in providing clean water systems to villages in El Salvador for over 20 years. Larry explained that his involvement with the water project came about after attending a Rotary delegation trip to El Salvador.  He came to fully understand the importance of water and the global grants that make it possible. In 2019 Larry headed a water project in El Rodeo, El Salvador that brought clean water to a village of 65 families. The villagers never had clean running water and had been walking about one mile to obtain polluted water.
 
During his term as District Governor, Larry would like to focus on two specific areas.  Those areas are Youth, and Publicity/social media awareness activities. 
 
YOUTH
Through his service with the Rotary Club of Kent, Larry brought a focus of Youth Services to his club which sponsored a new Interact Club and has begun participating in Rotary Youth Exchange. Larry headed up the revitalization of the Kent State University Rotaract Club.
 
He envisions creating a mentorship program between the Club, and local young professionals’ organizations.    He would like to form an Alumni Association for individuals that are former members of Interact and Rotaract. 
 
SOCIAL MEDIA/GETTING ROTARY’S NAME OUT THERE:
Larry believes that Rotary, and what Rotary is all about, isn’t communicated as effectively as it could be.  Larry is proposing that the District Publicity Committee members be available to local Clubs to assist with social media events, including service projects by providing media assistance.
 
DG Lohman reminded Club Rotarians that the District Conference will be held at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls on April 22 and 23.  He is encouraging the Club to conduct our weekly meeting at the Sheraton during the District Conference.
 
The District’s Membership committee is holding a Membership Roundtable Zoom meeting on 1/15/2022 at 10:00 a.m.  The purpose of the meeting is to share ideas for membership recruitment, retention, etc.  Individuals interested in attending can email Peter Tuttle at ptuttle@ptcdi.com to get a Zoom invite.
 
DG Lohman entertained questions from Club members after his presentation.
 
Yours in Rotary Service,
Terry Dalton
Club Secretary & Scholarship Chair
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