By District Governor Jeffrey Borek
Last month, I attended the RI Zone 26 & 27 Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico with about a dozen other Rotarians from District 5030. I was proud to not only get a chance to meet with the new incoming President of Rotary International, Olayinka “Yinka” Babalola, but to be given the opportunity to introduce his keynote speech during the opening session Thursday night. You can learn more about Yinka and his Rotary experience which began in Nigeria via this RI blog post here: https://www.rotary.org/en/olayinka-hakeem-babalola-selected-to-be-2026-27-rotary-international-president
You should also be proud that our district provided some financial support for three Emerging Rotary Leaders (i.e., ERLs) from District 5030 to experience a major RI conference for the first time; Stacie Thorlakson, Stephen Morse, and Julie Kang. It’s a great way that we leverage the RI conferences to bring fresh perspectives from around the world to our local Rotary experience. There were over 500 attendees in total who all brought their unique abilities to share, but they all had a common desire: to make life better for someone they might only briefly meet.
That’s the beauty of Rotary. Wherever we are, we share the same DNA of service, friendship, and integrity. Our local projects ripple outward, joining others around the globe in a continuous circle of hope.
As we move into the next quarter, I invite each of you to take a moment to look beyond your weekly meetings. Reach out to a Rotarian across the country—or across the world. Share your story, listen to theirs, and remember: when one club acts, the whole world feels it. You can find some additional great examples here: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-projects-around-globe-november-2025
Together, we are Rotary—and that makes all the difference. UNITE FOR GOOD
Yours in Rotary service,
