Recently, I’ve had the sensation of time moving faster and faster, like in an old movie that depicted passage of time by showing the pages of a calendar flipping forward rapidly.
 
Every day my inbox fills and refills with exciting news from D5495 clubs. As the year-end approaches, Rotarians have been busier than ever. The fruits of club fundraising efforts are increasingly visible in our communities and schools. You have been wrapping up grants projects, providing scholarships to our Youth, planting trees, hosting community events, erecting peace poles and much, much more. Clubs have been recounting their achievements, many in preparation for the Club Achievement Awards.
Ten of our Rotary families have opened their homes to host inbound Rotary Youth Exchange students … and five families have sent their own children off to a year abroad! During this bittersweet time of endings there are beginnings as well, as our RYE leaders have already begun preparing the outbound students who will head out this summer!
 
Our clubs are preparing for the annual leadership transition. Presidents-elect and club leaders are implementing new ideas and using skills sharpened at the recent Club Leadership Academy.
 
TWO new Rotary clubs are busy preparing to officially charter in June! You’ll hear more about their celebratory charter events in the coming weeks.
 
Our District is hosting a “first”—a community conference on May 31. The “Pursuing Peace Conference” will encourage and equip community leaders, educators and business professionals. This is a wonderful opportunity for we Rotarians to invite our colleagues, family members and friends to interact with top-notch professionals in their sectors. (More information on this is available in this newsletter.)
 
Yes, we’ve been incredibly busy Making a Difference—Together!  What a year it’s been! I sincerely hope that you will be with us when we gather for our annual District Conference on June 1-2 at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park. We have much to Celebrate! And, we will.
 
Your Partner in Rotary Service,