In January 2020, I submitted an article for the District Newsletter thanking the Rotary Club of Thomasville for hosting a wonderful RLI event. I talked about all of the upcoming RLI opportunities around the RLI Sunshine Division. In District 6900 we were planning to host RLI in Columbus in May 2020. Then came COVID. The Sunshine Division voted not to hold any in-person RLI events through the end of 2020. The Sunshine Division, thanks in large part to PDG Margie Kersey, began rolling out online RLI, which has been very successful. If you are interested in RLI, but cannot attend an in-person event, online RLI is for you. Parts 1, 2 and 3 are available in one to two hour Zoom meetings. It is a great opportunity to virtually meet Rotarians from all over Georgia, Florida, and the Caribbean. I love being an online Discussion Leader – I learn so much from the participants. Online RLI courses are offered at various times, with each session being offered once or twice each month.

As successful as RLI has been via Zoom, I have truly missed our in person events. District 6900 was the first in the Sunshine Division to host an in-person event. In June 2021 the Rotary Club of Peachtree City hosted a stand alone Graduate Course. It was great getting back to the in-person meeting. Being face to face and interacting with other District 6900 Rotarians again was awesome.

We currently have two in-person RLI events scheduled in District 6900. On December 4, 2021, the Rotary Club of Barnesville will host RLI at Gordon State College. We are planning to hold Parts 1, 2 and 3, and hope to also hold Graduate Membership and Graduate Facilitation Techniques. If you’ve attended RLI online you can still come to an in-person event. If you have finished Part One online, you are eligible to move on to Part Two. If you have finished Parts One and Two online, you are eligible to attend Part Three. And if you’ve graduated from RLI online, we would welcome you in one our Graduate courses.

The Rotary Club of Thomasville will once again host RLI on January 15, 2022. I began this letter talking about Thomasville. To be back there after two years is going to be amazing. Registration is open for Barnesville and Thomasville, as well as dozens of online opportunities.

I hope to see you online, or even better in lovely Barnesville, Georgia on December 4. Head over to www.rlitraining.org and register for RLI. Don’t miss these awesome opportunities to grow as a Rotarian and a leader.

Yours in Rotary Service,

Stephanie Windham RLI Director

Rotary District 6900