What a start to the Rotary year! I have loved visiting clubs across Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi, hearing your stories, seeing your projects, and being reminded again and again that District 6840 is full of people who show up and get things done.

We are only a month and a half into the year, so naturally, we are already talking about succession planning. Very Rotary of us. I am incredibly grateful to serve alongside our District Governor-Elect John and District Governor-Nominee Tami as part of the District 6840 G-Line. This photo of our G-Line represents something important: leadership is not one person, one title, or one year. We build on what came before us, give everything we can while it is our turn, and prepare the next leaders to carry the work forward.

Right now, that work includes our district-wide Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build on September 19 in Biloxi. We are bringing Rotarians from across the District together to build beds for children who do not have one. We need volunteers, donations, and clubs ready to show up in a big way.

I am deeply grateful to serve this District, ridiculously excited about what is ahead, and very glad I do not have to do any of it alone.

Keep the Rhythm. Create Lasting Impact.

Emily Leitzinger
District Governor 2026-2027
Rotary International District 6840

The Beat of District 6840

Moss Point Extra Table Packing Party
In June, the Rotary Club of Moss Point hosted an Extra Table Packing Party to put together 2,500 packs (10,000 meals) of red beans and rice. The packs were then distributed to local food pantries and churches. We’re excited to begin planning another Extra Table Packing Party for Tuesday, April 13, 2027, and we would love for your club to join us in making this a larger, collaborative Rotary service project.
 
Extra Table was started by Chef Robert St. John. The packs of red beans and rice are fortified to include additional vitamins and minerals that those who are food insecure often lack. Each pack provides 4 meals.
 
Our last Packing Party was a wonderful example of what can happen when people come together for a common purpose. As we look toward next year, we know that the need for food assistance in our communities continues to grow. Local churches, food pantries, and other organizations are working hard to meet that need, and we believe Rotary has an opportunity to make a meaningful difference.
 
Our goal is to bring together the Rotary clubs of Moss Point, Lucedale, Pascagoula, Gautier, and Ocean Springs to pack meals that can be distributed to organizations serving families throughout our area. The packs would be distributed among the different communities.
 
The cost to provide 2,500 food packs is $6,841.60. However, for an additional $5,500, we can double our impact and provide 5,000 packs (20,000 meals), bringing the total project cost to $12,341.60. Because transportation and labor costs are already included, those additional funds go directly toward producing more food packs.
 
We are reaching out to community partners and potential sponsors to help with the financial cost of the project, but we also want this to be a true Rotary partnership. We are asking each club to consider participating in whatever way works best for its members, whether through volunteers for the Packing Party, a financial contribution toward the project, assistance securing sponsors, or a combination of these efforts.
 
Most importantly, we hope to have Rotarians from across our area working side by side on the day of the event. A project of this size gives us an opportunity not only to address food insecurity, but also to demonstrate the impact Rotary can have when our clubs work together.
 
We would be honored to have your club join us. If all five clubs come together, along with our community and corporate partners, we believe we can make the 2027 Extra Table Packing Party our largest and most impactful one yet.
 
Please let us know if your club would be interested in participating. We would be happy to discuss the project at an upcoming meeting and work together on the details as planning moves forward.
 
Thank you for all that your club does in service to our community. We hope you’ll join us next April as we put Service Above Self into action together.
 
Yours in Rotary,
Donna Stewart
President
Rotary Club of Moss Point

In Our World October

World Polio Day: The Story Behind the Promise

October is a special month for Rotary. On October 24, we recognize World Polio Day and the promise generations of Rotarians have worked to keep.

For me, that promise became personal through Giorgio and Irma Beltram.

Two Italian-born Peruvians, now U.S. citizens and former Rotarians, both were raised in families with a deep Rotary legacy.

Giorgio had polio. Irma watched a dear friend suffer from it.

They made polio real for me.

I recently sat down with Giorgio and Irma for a much longer conversation about their experiences. The brief clip I’m sharing captures just two of the questions I asked.

It doesn’t tell their whole story.

But you’ll see the emotion.

All these years later, polio still matters to them.

Last year, they even spoke to our club, the Rotary Club of Slidell, during our World Polio Day observance and our Purple4Polio initiative, which I had the privilege of leading as Public Image Chair. That moment brought their story full circle for our members in a powerful way.

As we recognize World Polio Day, I hope their words inspire you to look within your own community. Find someone with a connection to polio. Ask the questions. Listen.

Without connection, there is no story to tell.

And then turn that connection into commitment.

Join the PolioPlus Society. A commitment of at least $100 each year to PolioPlus says that we intend to see this promise through.

Purple gets attention. Stories create connection. Commitment gets us closer.

Generations of Rotarians brought us here.

We can be the generation that ends polio.

Imagine that.

Us.

To watch the video:  Giorgio and Irma Beltram.MOV

In Ourselves-August

By David McLaughlin, Rotary Club of Slidell Northshore, as interviewed by Assistant Governor Linda Larkin, Lake East Territory: 

Rotary is something I was introduced to by Linda Larkin years ago when an impromptu "Lunch?" text from me turned into an invitation to attend a Rotary Club meeting. At the time, I did not know much about Rotary, but I sort of had it in my head that I should join a civic organization where I could become more involved in the community. When I learned that Rotary International's motto is "Service Above Self," I leaned in a little more. It still took some time and a few gentle reminders from Linda to finally open that email about Rotary, but eventually I joined the club.

At a recent Rotary meeting, I arrived just as it was starting which is, well, typical for me. Unless I wanted to sit alone, the only open seat was at a table with three other members who work in the same industry I do. A fourth joined us moments later. Picture it: Slidell, 2026, five competitors from the real estate world sitting at the same table. "So much for networking," I thought.

In Our Community - August

Create Lasting Impact: Making a Difference, One Bed at a Time

A Message from Walt Perez, District Family Fun & Service Day Chair

This September, Rotarians across District 6840 will have the opportunity to Create Lasting Impact in the lives of local children through a special partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), an organization dedicated to ensuring that no child sleeps on the floor.

A bed is more than a piece of furniture. It provides comfort, security, dignity, and a place for a child to rest, dream, and grow. Together, we can help provide that essential foundation by building and delivering handmade beds to children in need throughout our communities.

To make this project a success, we have planned two important workdays:

Pre-Build Day | September 12

Twenty volunteers will gather to precut lumber and train as station leaders, ensuring the district-wide build operates efficiently and safely.

District Build Day | September 19

More than 120 volunteers from across District 6840 will come together to sand, drill, assemble, and stain wood, transforming raw materials into sturdy, welcoming beds for children who need them most.

In Our Clubs-August

 

AN EXCITING NEW CLUB IN OUR DISTRICT!

A brand-new Rotary Cub – the District 6840 E-Club – has formed with the intentions of growing Rotary by meeting the needs of non-traditional Rotarians who may travel a lot, live in a community that has no resident club, and especially to bring people formerly involved in Rotary back to the organization.

“We hope the E-Club will be regarded as as bridge, entry point, or exit membership option for people not able to participate in the traditional formats," said District Governor Emily Leitzinger.  "I am especially excited about bringing people back to Rotary.". 
 
If you know someone who was a participant Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Exchange, Group Study Exchanges, Ambassadorial Scholarships, Peace-building Centers and others, but who have not joined a Rotary Club due to any number of impediments, please let them know about this exciting opportunity and that they can email Jamie Haeuser at jamiehaeuser@gmail.com.

The District 6840 E-Club will meet twice monthly via Zoom, with one business meeting and one educational or speaker-focused meeting.  Dues will be $200 annually.

Educational meetings will be designed to provide members with valuable skill-building for life, work and service, provided by experts in leadership, interpersonal skills, negotiation, mentoring and others.  These sessions will be open to any Rotarian at no cost.

Because the E-Club will meet remotely, service opportunities can be individual or done in conjunction with other service organization.

An informational meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 11 at 7:30 PM -Click HERE to register.

Others are to be announced.  The first organizational club meeting will be on Tuesday, August 18 at 7:30 PM.  We hope you can join us!

 

 

 

McComb Rotary Feeds Camp Sunshine
The Rotary Club of McComb served dinner to 180 campers and staff at Camp Sunshine on Thursday night.
 
The camp is a week-long retreat for special needs adults and children held at Percy Quin State Park.
 
The program is just one of the events McComb Rotary Club members do to put Service Above Self! 
Poplarville Blueberry Festival 2026
The Rotary Club of Poplarville hosted the 42nd Annual Blueberry Jubilee 5K and 1-mile Fun Run on June 13th.  The event helped over 200 runners have a healthy run through downtown Poplarville, which is known as the Blueberry Capitol of Mississippi.  Money raised from the event funded Rotary projects such as Brothers Keepers Food Pantry, Backpack Buddies of Poplarville, and Pearl River Community College scholarships.  Runners can mark their calendars for Saturday, June 12th, for the 2027 race.
 

In Ourselves-July

Interview with Meagan Gear, Rotary Club of Mid-City New Orleans
Current Treasurer
Member since May, 2025

  • What first brought you to Rotary and what keeps you involved today?
Friends talked about the club and I came to check it out.  Members were super nice and super dedicated to the community and I wanted to be a part of it.
 
  • What keeps you involved today?
Seeing the results of what we do in the community with all the other nonprofits and organizations we support. 
 
  • What’s been your favorite Rotary event?
My first Spoker Poker fundraiser. It was a lot of fun, raised a lot of money, everyone came together, and we had an awesome day!
  • Outside of Rotary, what’s something people in the district might be surprised to learn about you?
My creative side, especially all of my Mardi Gras and holiday costuming because of the different Krewes I'm in.  A few of the New Orleans krewes are Krewe of Krampus and Krewe of Themis.

In our Community-July

More Than Meals, Building Community Connections

When Rotarians come together, good things happen. When they bring the entire community with them, the impact is even greater.

The Rotary Club of Moss Point recently partnered with Extra Table to host a community-wide packing party that brought together more than 100 volunteers. Rotarians from Moss Point, Lucedale, Ocean Springs, Gautier, and Pascagoula worked alongside volunteers from Chevron, Mississippi Power, United Way, Jackson County Drug Court, Community Action of South Mississippi, and many other local organizations.

In just one hour, volunteers packed 2,500 red beans and rice meal kits, providing 10,000 meals for neighbors facing food insecurity.

But the event accomplished something even bigger. It created new relationships between people and organizations united by a common purpose.

"This event wasn't just about packing meals. It was about bringing people together. When Rotarians, businesses, nonprofits, and community volunteers work side by side, we strengthen relationships that continue serving our community long after the boxes are packed."

Donna Stewart, President, Rotary Club of Moss Point

Extra Table later shared that this was one of their favorite community packing events because it fulfilled the organization's vision of bringing together every part of the community. Those new connections will continue creating impact long after the final meal is shared.

This is Rotary at its best. We don't just serve our communities. We bring people together to create lasting impact.

 

 

In Our Clubs-July

It's the Little Things That Make a Club Great

Every Rotary club has its traditions. Some are formal. Others are a little more... fashionable.

When the Rotary Club of Slidell North Shore's longtime secretary, Mike Rich, missed a recent meeting, his fellow Rotarians decided they couldn't let his signature style be absent too. Two members arrived wearing bow ties, suspenders, and even light-up bow ties in tribute to the club's resident fashion icon.

It was a lighthearted gesture, but it reflects something important.

Rotary isn't just about projects and meetings. It's about people. The friendships we build, the traditions we create, and the joy we bring to one another are what keep members coming back year after year.

As one club member put it, "We may have survived the meeting without him, but we definitely missed the original bow tie icon himself."

Here's hoping Mike is back in his usual seat soon. Until then, it's good to know the bow tie tradition is in capable hands.

Sometimes, the strongest clubs are the ones that never miss an opportunity to make each other smile.

 

In Our World-July

The Rare Good News Story

It's easy to believe the world is standing still when we hear the daily headlines.

But Rotary reminds us that progress is possible.

When Rotary committed to eradicating polio in 1985, an estimated 350,000 children were paralyzed by the disease every year. It was an audacious goal, and many believed it couldn't be done.

Nearly forty years later, the world is on the verge of accomplishing exactly that. Today, wild poliovirus remains endemic in only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and cases have declined by more than 99.9 percent. At the Rotary International Convention in Taipei, global health leaders shared a message of optimism, calling the fight against polio "the rare good news story" in a world often dominated by bad news. 

‘The rare good news story’ | Rotary International

Think about that for a moment.

Millions of children are walking today because generations of Rotarians refused to give up.

That is what Rotary does. We tackle problems that are bigger than any one person, any one club, or even any one generation. We stay the course. We build partnerships. We invest in solutions that outlast us.

Whether you're mentoring a student in Louisiana, packing meals in Mississippi, building beds in Biloxi, or helping bring clean water to families in Haiti, your service is part of the same story. Lasting impact isn't created by one project or one Rotary year. It's created by ordinary people who continue showing up, year after year, until extraordinary things happen.

The headlines often remind us what's broken.

Rotary reminds us what's possible.

 

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