What a difference a month made!
 
Exactly one month ago, many of us were at Lone Star P.E.T.S. at the DFW Hyatt Regency, visiting and enjoying preparing for our Rotary 2020-2021 year. The District Training Assembly and its speakers were all scheduled for April 4th at the First Christian Church in Tyler, and all was moving smoothly as expected.
 
Flash forward 30 days, and due to a virus that first surfaced on the other side of the world, we have moved all foreseeable District events and many club events to online meetings. But the incredible part is that all is still moving smoothly, as expected. We are, after all, still Rotarians. Our ability to adapt and to continue to serve may be our strongest trait.
I encourage each of you to continue to explore that adaptability we have rediscovered, and to push our boundaries, even beyond our current situation. 

Lone Star P.E.T.S. was a resounding success! District 5830 had in attendance Operating Chair, John Jetter; 28 PEs; 6 PNs; 3 Rangers; and 8 Facilitators including 4 PDGs - Carroll Greenwaldt, Lee Montgomery, Ted Huffhines, Judy Guthrie; DG Jim Finstrom; DGE Jack Welge; DGN Mike Groom; DGND Carolyn Franks; and DA Shirley Pinnix-Evans.
 
Sadly, according to our records, the following District 5830 Rotary Clubs did not send anyone to Lone Star PETS: Antlers, Big Sandy, Gladewater, Hawkins-Holly Lake, Hugo, Malakoff, Mt. Vernon, Overton, Paris, Quitman, Troup, Tyler Sunrise and Winnsboro. I am working on a plan to train those new club officers not previously having served as President. 
 
District 5830 Training Assembly, scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2020 has changed in format due to COVID-19. Rather than an all-day, in-person seminar, we will have five messaging kernels delivered via Zoom and online learning. Currently, we have 69 registrants. Of those, the clubs still not represented are: Antlers, Big Sandy, Gladewater, Hawkins-Holly Lake, Hugo, Malakoff, Overton, Paris, Troup and Winnsboro.
 
Our first segment of the District Training Assembly will be presented by Allyson Barnes, a member of Rotary and Rotaract from The Mid-Town Rotary Club of New Orleans. A panel discussion with Amanda Folmar, Past President - South Tyler Rotary, and Karen Maines, President Longview-Greggton Rotary will follow.
 
Our first segment will end with a short District budget discussion and vote led by PDG John Jetter.
 
Thereafter, we will have five more 1 hour sessions from our District Training Assembly format, discussing The Rotary Foundation, Membership and Visioning, Rotary Youth Exchange and RYLA, Club Finances, and My Rotary, Rotary Club Central and Citation requirements.
 
All of you are certainly welcome to participate in any and all of the segments from our District Training Assembly, and I hope to involve all of you in our thriving District 5830 in the year ahead.
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Jack Welge
District Governor Elect (2019-20)
Rotary International District 5830