Kim Walden, President-Elect, RC of Thomasville

Missy Kendrick, Past President, Polk County RC

All year, DG Court has been strong in his opinion that if you "Have Fun They Will Come!" That's exactly what we're planning for the 2019 District Conference so plan to come to Sandestin, Florida from April 25-28 for the 2019 District 6900 Conference. Even Smokey and the Bandit will be there!

REGISTER NOW!

Conference registration and conference room reservation sites are now active and linked to the District website. All you have to do is go to www.rotary6900.org/v2/ and click on the Smokey and the Bandit REGISTER button and you are off to the races.The " MORE INFO" button leads to the 2019 Conference home page with information about the speakers, events, and the opportunity to Register and Get your Hotel room.

The site is easy to use and has been thoroughly tested. Please pay attention to the room registrations as we are requesting that everyone reserve rooms within the block we have reserved at SanDestin. All of the rooms are within the hotel complex and most of the events are either in the Conference Center or on the Grand Lawn. With a hotel room in our block, you get some AWESOME amenities - such as two complimentary four-hour bicycle rentals each day of your stay, one hour free kayak rentals, one hour of boogie boards, one hour of free tennis time per unit, and free access to the fitness center, the tram rides around the resort, and preferred parking at the beach.

Don’t forget, there are early registration raffle prizes and these are outlined on the website. There are also significant “Green prizes” MONEY/CASH that will be won by lucky Rotarians attending the general sessions.

WHY ATTEND? ASK YOUR FELLOW ROTARIANS …

President Elect Kim Walden, RC of Thomasville: District conference has been one of my favorite Rotary events because I always experience a life changing moment. It may come from one of the amazing speakers they always have or from having time to truly fellowship with so many Rotarians. Or it may happen during the service project, but there always is that awe inspiring moment where you feel our Service Above Self and are so glad to be part of it. And, that all happens at a beautiful venue with so much to explore which always makes for a great trip. I encourage you to attend - and promise you - you really will be so glad you did! See you there!!!

Past President Missy Kendrick of the Polk County RC: "Last year was my first year attending ... and I can’t believe all that I have been missing over the years! The Rotary District Conference is an opportunity to celebrate the successes of our local club and district. It is hard to describe how welcomed you feel from the beginning to the end. It is truly a gathering of leaders passionate about how they are serving in their communities! The events are fun and I came away more excited than ever about being a part of this great organization. he District Conference is just what the doctor ordered to reenergize the club near the end of the year!”

A PREVIEW OF THE FUN WE HAVE PLANNED

• Thursday night … Our “ROTARY GRAND PRIX” - including individuals and clubs competing in Big Wheels races on the Grand Lawn and food that the original Smokey and the Bandit enjoyed during their movie travels. Adult beverages will be served and the specialty drinks of the evening will be included in your registration fee. You can learn more and sign up when you register for the conference!
• Hospitality Suites and the Pit Crew Lounge … The Hospitality suites of the clubs will be open for all to enjoy throughout the conference.The PIT CREW LOUNGE (House of Friendship) will be open for you to view and learn about all the great projects that the other clubs are doing in the world of Rotary. There are no costs to you and NO judging of these displays. There will also be an opportunity to use the new Virtual Reality review of polio. This is being done at no additional cost to the attendees and is a must see for everyone.
• Friday morning fishing, golf and tennis opportunities … or an opportunity to walk on the beach or enjoy many of the other activities SanDestin offers.
• Friday evening's traditional costume parade - and the DG reception and dinner. with the evening session being started with our traditional costume parade. We'll follow immediately with our first session - “Rotary Salutes America” - where you can be proud of what you see and hear from the presentation of the flags to the final salute to some very special veterans. It's Rotary saying thank you to our veterans, our special Rotarians and Guests and to all of the Rotarians of District 6900. It will be a big event and one you will not want to miss.
• Saturday morning features a continental breakfast and our second general session - this time dedicated to our Rotarian projects and special Rotary interests . Our speaker will be Bjay Pak., U.S. Attorney who will be giving a very special presentation on the Opioid Crisis here in Georgia and across the country. Bjay and his team have been responsible for major drug busts both locally and nationally.
• Saturday afternoon - think lunch at the beach coupled with a great air show by the US Acrobatic team … performed over the ocean. We are also providing transportation to the beach if you want to use it.
• Saturday night will celebrate your new leadership team - with both the DGE and DGN participating in the ceremonies … and we'll make some presentations (awards). We'll also have a great keynote speaker! However, rest assured that this session will end early, to allow you to enjoy the fun and fellowship with your Rotarian friends - and maybe make some new friends too!
• Sunday closes our celebration with a non-denominational service, a full breakfast, and our recognition of Rotarians that have passed. We will celebrate your hard work with e Best clubs and runner up awards and have you on the road home between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

We will continue to provide you with more details as we finalize the schedules. But I promise you, the motto of “HAVE FUN AND THEY WILL COME” has been our goal. The team has worked hard and we believe this will be a district conference you will remember!!!!