From Delinquents To Dream Team With Less Moose Hats NEPELS PT2

We meet four first-time district governors stepping into leadership across the Northeast and hear what they want clubs to feel when the year is done. Then we check back in with the outgoing “delinquents” to learn what their big swing for change actually looked like after twelve exhausting months. 

• introducing the incoming district governors and what they represent for 2026-2027 
• what “doing it right” means as a district governor and why availability matters 
• how to follow a high-energy leadership year without copying it 
• making Rotary fun in a way that feels inclusive to non-Rotarians 
• peacebuilding and conflict resolution as a district focus including a global grant 
• youth programs that teach peace skills and create real cross-cultural contact 
• leadership development and succession planning to widen the bench 
• belonging and membership as the foundation for lasting community impact 
• what the delinquents learned about authenticity, resistance, and showing up 
• why strong team culture becomes the real safety net during hard weeks 
• smile moments from the year including PolioPlus energy and large-scale service 

If you're interested in having the show come to your block, your event, your club, your district conference, your assembly, or even your convention, let me know. Rotarianpod at gmail.com. 
Check out the fabulous footage of this drop in the same day as this podcast, our YouTube channel has the Action to Impact Videocast on it. 

Transcript

Welcome To Voices From PELS

SPEAKER_13 0:01

Hi there everyone, I'm Gwen Jones and welcome once again to the Action the Impact Podcast, part two of Voices from this year's 2026-2027 Northeast Pell. That's right, take two. This time it's all about the leadership. The leadership that's coming in. The leadership that's going out. Wait a second, Gwen. Didn't last week we talk about all these new leaders? Yes, we did. But now we're going up a slight level. In other words, I'm not introducing you this week to past presidents or future presidents. This week I'm introducing you to your new district governors. Unfortunately, not all of the new ones. Only four out of the seven. I got to wrangle them all in on the very last day, and they literally only had 15 minutes to give me. It was at the end of Pell's, and their busy lives had just gotten extraordinarily busier. At least in that moment it was. But like I said, I wrangled them together and I got them in so you guys can find out what these new district governors are bringing to the table. And then I had a chance to wrangle all, each and every one of the amazing delinquents. Now the delinquents were a group of Rotarians that decided to mix things up, throw it up in the air, and see where all the glitter landed. And they had a wonderful, frustrating, terrifying, enjoyable, and memorable year. And they're gonna share that with you. Remember the delinquents were gonna come in there and kick ass and take names. And they did, but to not everyone, well, did they? Did they kick ass? Did they take names? Did they leave a mark? And hey, what mark is this new set of Rotarians, this new set of leadership and district governors? What marks are they gonna make? New ones, exciting ones? Sit back and enjoy the ride for part two from Voices from Pels this week on the Action to Impact Podcast. I think we're in good hands. And hey, this is one of many Pels all over the world over this next couple of months. So this is just a little glimpse of what's going on around here and the amazing district governor's coming. I wonder what the district governor is gonna be like around where you live, all over the world. Wow, here we go. Thanks as always for joining us for the conversation.

Meet The New District Governors

SPEAKER_15 3:00

Alright, I know we're gonna do tradition and we're gonna have the delinquents at the end. But the delinquents are out of here very soon. Boom! They're gone. As of June 30th, Pasta La Vista. Except for Nicole, and we'll talk about that in a minute. These guys get stuck with Nicole one more time. Okay? But this is the dream team. The team of your dream. Alright? They're coming in. They're gonna like out go the delinquents, in come the dream team, and they have some amazing ideas for themselves. So, starting with the short guy here at the end, please tell us your name and where you're from. Because this one we already know. We already came on the show.

SPEAKER_07 3:53

I'm Eugene Eepsey and I'm from the Stafford Connecticut Club in the quiet corner of Connecticut.

SPEAKER_15 3:58

Wow, he sounds like Yeah. Were you ever in the military?

SPEAKER_07 4:02

No.

SPEAKER_15 4:03

No. Well not that we we love our military. I'm just saying you are Connecticut. Okay, and I believe we know you, but please reintroduce yourself.

SPEAKER_10 4:13

Ariel Mondlac from Waterbury, Vermont. Okay, with a great dog. I do.

SPEAKER_04 4:21

And next, Michelle Voice Gilbody from Freeport, Maine. And my district is Maine and New Hampshire.

SPEAKER_15 4:27

Maine and New Hampshire.

SPEAKER_11 4:28

And last but not least, Penny Hamill from District 7910, which is Central Massachusetts, and the Rotary Club of Westboard. So your central is that Boston? Do you have Metropolitan Boston? I do not have Boston. I have Metro West. Metro West. Out to Sturbridge and Upsturb.

SPEAKER_15 4:47

Wow. Okay. So raise your hand if you've been a district governor before. So you are all newbies. All Origins. That's another show where there would be an E on this one. I thought the other guys would have to put the E on it, but this guy's like so first timers. How many of you have been in Rotary for at least five years? Oh yeah. Okay, ten years. Fifteen years. Oh. Twenty years. Twenty-five? Thirty? Thirty-five. Wow. Were they even allowing women when you joined? Forty? Okay. Thirty-seven. Thirty-seven. Well, from the bottom of my heart, you don't look old enough. Did you start an interact and just have just gone straight through?

SPEAKER_11 5:43

Nope.

SPEAKER_15 5:44

I joined as a Rotarian when I was 26.

unknown 5:46

Wow.

SPEAKER_15 5:47

So you're one of the Pixie Dust, as we call them here, the unicorns and pixie dust Rotarians that are in their 20s. Yes, I was. But it took you till now to be district governor. How come? Work. Work. Work and children.

unknown 6:02

Oh.

SPEAKER_11 6:03

I wanted to make sure I. Yeah, yeah. Wanted to make sure I had the time to do it right.

What Doing It Right Means

SPEAKER_15 6:09

The time to do it right. Okay, so so let's start right off the bat to that. What encapsulates, in your opinion, quote, doing it right as a DJ?

SPEAKER_11 6:20

Just making sure that I'm available to help my clubs be the best clubs and the Rotarians within the clubs be the best Rotarians that they can be, which means having the time available for them.

SPEAKER_15 6:34

Okay. So it's really just it's a time thing. Yeah. It's a time thing. Okay. Now, Michelle, you are our second oldest, so how many? Not as a person. I know. You could be a baby. I might be the oldest, actually. We don't do ages. My mother topic. You never ask the lady her age. However, I'm about to say I'm gonna be 60 this time. So I'm very good. I'm actually proud of that one. Yeah. So how many years?

SPEAKER_04 7:00

19.

unknown 7:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 7:02

And this is your first time. First time as district governor.

SPEAKER_15 7:05

Similar. You were waiting for the perfect time.

SPEAKER_04 7:07

Yeah, I was. Yeah, I was working. I ran my own business. I have two children. I have seven grandchildren. I had a lot going on. And I decided I needed to feel like I had something to offer. Right. And so time was a big factor for sure. And you know, I've done a lot of other district jobs and I've been able to see what's happening. So you've been around the perfect. I've been around. Okay. Around. And and then finally a good friend finally asked me one more time to step into the role.

SPEAKER_05 7:41

And I said yes.

SPEAKER_15 7:43

So I love how you say one more time because you know 12 months later, by the way. Yeah. So it was good. How many years have you been in Rotary?

SPEAKER_10 7:52

I am actually just over six years. I did get that waiver. Technically, you have to have seven years of service by the time you were district governor. I'm like six months shy. I do blame my club because I started doing things at least a few months before they officially indicted me.

SPEAKER_15 8:09

That's your governorship. Just let me know ahead of time. Then it's your fault.

SPEAKER_10 8:14

No, I love my club. I'm just please. Yeah, I love my club. I'm happy to be here. I did kind of come in, yeah. I'm a little bit newer to Rotary and dove in head first. I was an interactor though, way back when. So I'm not new to the Rotary family overall.

SPEAKER_15 8:28

So does that give you kind of an advantage? I mean, you have you have uh an amazing elder, using that word, you know, but somebody who's been in this for a really long time has known it's good times, it's bad times, has known a lot of change. You know, I think it's fair to say that when you were in Rotary, we had happy fucks, we had fives, you had to, you had, you know, make it where you keep in attendance and makeup, singing, singing. There is a rotary songbook. Just look it up, you guys. It's pretty cool. You you're like past all that.

SPEAKER_10 9:06

Well, interestingly, I actually am in a traditional club. It's a very traditional club. We sing, we sing, we used to sing three songs a meeting. Wow, we've gotten it down to one. That was my presidential change.

SPEAKER_15 9:18

What do you mean you do in your presidency?

SPEAKER_10 9:23

No, but it was nice to kind of like shift things and make the meeting structure, change up the meeting structure a little bit. And I think sometimes they they were a little challenged by my changes, but I made sure to do it in a way where folks felt like they had their voice heard. And I think sometimes that's not so voices heard just not so they weren't very enthusiastic with the singing anyway, always. So yeah, I think there's an advantage to having a different perspective, but I also totally lean on my DGs, my fellow DGEs with more experience and my district members with more experience. I lean on that wisdom, and you know, they challenge me back when I bring out my wacky ideas that they're like, maybe, maybe that's maybe there's a reason we don't do it that way. Right. So maybe it's good.

SPEAKER_15 10:10

Maybe we'll let her do it for 12 months and then we'll figure out. And what about you? You are you've been in, excuse me, how many years?

SPEAKER_07 10:18

Ten and a half.

SPEAKER_15 10:19

Ten and a half. Okay, so you're kind of a sweet spot between everybody here. Okay. And in Connecticut, it's and it seems it's a more rural area, if I'm yes. Okay, all right. So do you approach it differently than somebody, say, in a metropolitan area or you know, a greater Boston area? I mean, your clubs must have a definitely different feeling about them. The main clubs, the we talked to to Luke, you know, about Quebec and those clubs that are way out there. You have a more rural club. If you are you bringing that into your governorship that this is very rural and this is where you're at, you're gonna have that kind of feel to it?

SPEAKER_07 11:01

Yeah, absolutely. So our our district 7890 is northern Connecticut and western Massachusetts. So the vast majority of it, you know, is is rural, you know, nice rolling hills and mountains, forested stonewalls everywhere. But uh, we also have some, you know, really vibrant urban areas that we're we're investing in, and we want to want them to be sold to places for people to come out and experience all our area has to offer.

Following A Big Year Of Change

SPEAKER_15 11:24

So let's get right to it. The invisible elephant in or the visible wheel that's behind you is those delinquents. Okay, you are the group after the delinquent. And the delinquents were this tight group of DGs that were gonna kick ass and take me. And they did that, and they got as many praise as laps in the face, okay? I mean, 12 months later, like if this worked, this did not work. Okay. Are you ready to are you approaching your guys' district governorships as they were an alternative? Or we are a continuation of how do you approach them? Because they were a big splash. They came in and they made a big impact. How do you make your guys' impact? How do you follow that?

SPEAKER_04 12:30

By being me. By being you're authentically, absolutely. I think in in our particular case By not trying to be. But not trying to be them. It's not necessary to be them. Okay. We have we will work together, we continue to work together on those initiatives that are really important.

SPEAKER_08 12:47

Right.

SPEAKER_04 12:47

It's consistency and continuity that's important, really. How you deliver that package is our own, right? We deliver it in our own way. And it should be.

SPEAKER_15 12:57

Absolutely. Absolutely. It should be. So, but they did bring to the table some things. Is there things that they brought to the table? I think their their biggest would be a three-word, three-letter word called fun. They were really about fun. Do we need more fun in Rotary? Yes, yes. Okay, absolutely. So I didn't hear a yes from you.

SPEAKER_11 13:23

You know what? I think every individual club is different. And you know, Riel's club is very tradition traditional, right? Right. They still sing 7 30. And they're what? And their club might think that's fun to sing, right? And you know, I think that a lot of clubs already are fun. It's more a question of getting the message of fun out.

SPEAKER_10 13:48

Ah, I think it's exactly that. It's showing other people that rotary is fun, the non-rotarians. We Rotarians know that we're fun, right? But it's sometimes, you know, people can watch that, and especially when, you know, it is a tight-knit club or a tight-knit group. Sometimes that can feel hard for someone else to come in. And I think that's why if you bring that fun to the forefront and you make sure to have inclusive fun, but I think it's, you know, we want continuity. We want to build on their successes and build on that positive energy and you know, take it with our own spin. I think that's the beauty of Rotary, is every club and every Rotarian is different.

SPEAKER_15 14:22

And well, and one would one would one would say that their fun was almost the same. There's there's there's fun of like you know, dramatic comedy, and then there's fun of Jerry Lewis. Okay. Both are fun. Both can make you laugh. But it it feels to me that you guys really want to show the fun, maybe without the zaniness. My word. Is that true?

SPEAKER_04 14:52

And how do you think that that benefits? Well, again, I think that for people who really respond to that zany, that's wonderful. And for people who who are like, whoa. But zininess is shocking. It is, it can be, it can be, right? And then I think we're opening the door for people who are like they still are engaged and want to have fun, but they don't have to put on the crazy moose hat. Gotcha. Okay, which is totally fair.

Peacebuilding And Youth Programs

SPEAKER_15 15:19

Absolutely, right? Totally fair, right? So, do you think so, but I think I I will say from speaking for myself, it's like it did push it. So then we could still go back, but they did push. Yeah. So, how are you gonna take on to that push? What are some real initiatives that you guys, just you, no delinquents, dream team, are bringing to the table?

SPEAKER_11 15:47

So, but the focus of my year is gonna be peace and conflict revol resolution. No, y'all said I always say revolution too, which would be kind of cool, but yeah. Which, you know, right now I think is you know so important in the world. I'm gonna be doing a global grant based on peace building, uh, and which is very different from any global grant that my district has done as long as I know. Yeah. So I'm going to be putting on a program for high school students from all over the world that'll bring them all together. It's gonna be a year-long program that will, you know, kind of similar to our the Rotary Peace Institutes, but for the high school level. So I'm really gonna focus on what the mission of Rotary is. And, you know, we can have fun, and but the end of the day, what's really important is the mission of Rotary.

SPEAKER_15 16:38

And are you gonna work perhaps with exchange students? Because I know around here we've had Alexander Falk in one of my districts and others that have really tried to work those foreign exchange students. Is it gonna work with any of you?

SPEAKER_11 16:51

So I'm working with a group called Friends Forever, which was started by a Rotarian in New Hampshire. Oh fuck, that sounds like a good show. Yeah, yes. Yeah, yeah. I can introduce you to the guy that runs it. There you go. And they have a campus in Northern Ireland. They started by doing a peace exchange with kids from high school kids from Northern Ireland where they bring seven Catholic and seven Protestant kids to the US or Hostility. So they actually have a campus now in Northern Ireland, and now they bring students from all over the world. So you could have a student from the US, one from Ubekistan, one from Israel, one from Lebanon. They bring them all together. They have, and it's a year-long program, so they have all this pre-work before they go, they're there for a couple of weeks, and then they go home and there's more work. So that's what we're we're working with them to put on a program.

SPEAKER_15 17:41

And it yeah, I mean, I I feel in our seven areas of focus, if we can have an umbrella of peace, I I think the other peace solves areas. Peace solves a lot of problems.

Leadership Development And Succession

SPEAKER_04 17:52

Solves a lot of problems. Michelle, what are you bringing? I'm bringing uh it's been a concern of mine for a long time to look at the secession plans for clubs and even in our district. So I'm really focusing on development, leader development, leadership development, and kind of broadening the base or widening our bench so that we don't have these long slogs of trying to get people to step into leadership positions. And so I I feel like everybody will feel a bit of a more of a relief if they know they have a solid secession plan behind them and they can work together in our district. Our district leadership track is we are locked arms and we work together. That's awesome. The minute that the new person comes on, everybody has a job and we continue.

SPEAKER_15 18:44

Well, I was amazed last night at dinner. You had the district governors that were leading, then you had you guys, then you had the district governor's nominee, then you had another set. Yeah. So this area is like hooked up to like almost the 3,000. It's like, I mean, you guys are like 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030. I came from district 50-50. I love you guys, but I'm about to diss you. I know that there's districts around here that are like, well, we got Bob, and then we got Sue, and we have no frickin' idea who's after Sue. Right. Okay. So what's the secret sauce in this zone, in this Pells? Because you're set up for the next three years. You're you're till 2029, you're till 2029. You're till 2022. So all you guys can help the people that come after you all the way to 2029. How is that possible? Because I know there's some districts out there that are just like, what?

SPEAKER_11 19:46

Well, I think part of the you know reason why we're successful in going out that far is the people coming after us know that they have our support.

Belonging Membership And Lasting Impact

SPEAKER_15 19:54

So they know they're not doing it alone. So next year at this time, you guys aren't counting down the days, and then you're out of here. Not at all. You're like, you call me, just like the other group that came in here, you call me, I'm here. I know, you know, I'll celebrate with you, but I'll also be here. Yeah. Here when you hate everybody and where they came from. Yes. Which everybody has that day. Okay. So this is your last question, because I know I didn't get to all of you as much as I had. They're busy. They're still on duty. We're still on duty. You're still on duty. So, and I and I did send this to question to you, Ariel, but I'm gonna make you repeat it anyhow. We're gonna go in the future, and it's this time next year, all right. What are people gonna remember about your district governorship? What are they talking about for your governorship? Go.

SPEAKER_07 20:47

I wanted to make that rotary accessible to our entire district. So we want to share it with every everyone. Our our focus is gonna be on belonging and membership. So we can't be, you know, reflexive to our community's needs if we're not reflective of it in our organization itself. Awesome. So we want to make great lasting impact in our in our district. And of course, you know, I think in it at the club level, we've become the fun club. I want to become the fun district.

SPEAKER_15 21:13

Fun district.

SPEAKER_07 21:15

Exactly.

SPEAKER_15 21:16

All right, I see if you can top yesterday's question. Question for it's very culturally.

SPEAKER_10 21:21

But I think that belonging idea is really important. I think, you know, because we are all Rotarians and you know, we've stepped up at that level, we know that broader rotary world and we we feel that passion. And I think sometimes at the club level, they get caught up in their own club world, which is fantastic. And we love our clubs, and exposing them to that broader rotary world can be so important. And I want to do work to connect our clubs to expand that world and to just help them feel like they belong to Rotary.

SPEAKER_15 21:48

Belonging. That's two belongings.

SPEAKER_04 21:54

I agree a hundred percent. And I also want people to remember that they're my people. That we are all connected. Yeah. And that anytime we need to be supported, we can reach out to each other. It's the greater, the greater umbrella would be the rotary.

SPEAKER_15 22:08

And madam, you're you're you're our you're our matriarchy with next year.

SPEAKER_11 22:13

I want them all to sit down and say that together we all made or we all created a lasting impact.

SPEAKER_15 22:20

A lasting impact. You gotta check out her dresses. She wears the most awesome rotary dresses. I love them. Ladies and gents, thank you so much. I know you're not the full crowd. They're not running the entire phone. The four of them. We wouldn't do that on anybody. I I look forward to seeing you guys next year. When you're a little bit exhausted, but very happy with your things.

SPEAKER_08 22:45

Yeah. Thank you.

SPEAKER_15 22:47

Thanks so much. All right. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_10 22:49

You too. I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_08 22:54

All right, we gotta do this. All right, we gotta do this.

SPEAKER_15 22:57

Shh. You know, I we're just gonna do it like this because if that's the intro, of course, yeah. Are we taking a picture? All right, take a picture. I never see them though. Yeah, all right.

SPEAKER_06 23:12

We don't either.

SPEAKER_15 23:13

So these guys go without needing introduction, but these people are all unemployed. Yes. Except for Nicole, because she was silly enough to say, let's do this again. But these are the delinquents, and they are almost out of here. And if you guys remember last year when we did the show, they sat here and we're like, we're all about change, we're all about making the world a better place. We are here to expand horizons. Well, this is 12 months later, okay? This is what it looks like 12 months later. These people are tired.

SPEAKER_01 23:51

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

SPEAKER_15 23:52

Okay. So, so so, Miss Stephanie, since you're ready to pop in, hi you guys. Good morning. Miss Stephanie, how was your year? My year was awesome.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

But change, hey folks, we did change. We did change. We all have a change. Change in the way, change in the way as well. And that is what the message is that change works, it happens, and we make life better. We make our clubs better. We make ourselves better. And I know I'm a better person because of all of you. All right. Really, truly, I love you to death. And I don't think I would be as happy and as successful as a governor if it wasn't for each one of you.

SPEAKER_03 24:38

You know, when you asked us last year if we were still gonna be as close and in touch as we were.

SPEAKER_08 24:48

We're in touch.

SPEAKER_03 24:53

We we still show up to each other's events when we can, we support each other. We're still touchy feeling.

SPEAKER_08 25:00

Well, we love it.

SPEAKER_03 25:04

We do, we do. But I I can honestly say we still use our WhatsApp group. We talk all the time with our challenges, we give each other strength if we need it, a lot of laughs. I know I need them right now. So, you know, it it's we really truly are as close as we were.

SPEAKER_06 25:21

We're closer.

SPEAKER_03 25:23

But I'm just saying that didn't diminish, and that was the question. Do you guys still think you will be? And and we have not skipped beats.

SPEAKER_15 25:30

So, first of all, remembering the questions that I said 12 months ago.

unknown 25:33

That's impressive.

SPEAKER_06 25:34

She listened to the episode the other night.

SPEAKER_15 25:36

There you go, this is the episode. But you guys had a lot of changes. I know Stephanie is joining us with her partner that is actually in the hospital right now. So we're gonna go on the record sending her lots of love, warmth, and health. So thank you for joining us. But Emma, you just took off and went, peace out, I'm off to Florida.

unknown 25:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 26:00

She did. She did.

SPEAKER_15 26:02

Yeah, explain that.

SPEAKER_08 26:03

She didn't know that work.

SPEAKER_15 26:05

You're so you're so connected. Did that make a difference that you're off in? Not at all. Not at all.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

I'm very blessed with the district that I that I've served this year. It's been a truly an honor, and I love everybody.

SPEAKER_05 26:17

So please come.

SPEAKER_15 26:21

Yes, I I would I think we should do a podcast from South Florida.

SPEAKER_08 26:27

Delinquents in Florida.

SPEAKER_06 26:30

Delinquents in Blackwomen. So you said we're we're unemployed. We're taking our show on the road.

SPEAKER_15 26:39

Okay, that that actually is funny because I know that you guys have also talked to me that for every person who came up to you and went, This is awesome. I love the energy. This is the way rotary needs to go. You got you hit those, you hit the that I told you you were gonna hit. You had some people that were just like, This is not the way it's done.

SPEAKER_08 27:02

We love that.

SPEAKER_15 27:03

We have to you we love it. Okay, Johnny, explain that because now you're 12 months after.

SPEAKER_06 27:09

So for for me personally, it's I am not your typical suit and tie, stand at a podium type presenter. Litter shoes, that's besides the point.

SPEAKER_08 27:20

I mean, I can dress up as normal.

SPEAKER_06 27:22

But but to bring a realness to a club versus I I get the role of a district governor, a lot of a lot of people looking at it as a very prestigious. And for me, I'm honored to get to serve as governor, but I am just like everybody else at all these clubs. Why do I have to change my attire for this role?

SPEAKER_15 27:44

Wow.

SPEAKER_06 27:45

So for for me, I showed up jeans and a t-shirt. If it was warm, I was in shorts, but I sat down with everybody during my club visits versus standing at a podium.

SPEAKER_08 27:55

You're on that.

SPEAKER_06 27:55

And the amount of people that said, This is the first time we've had a real governor come and present to us, just to show that correlation that we are the same. It's just we are here to assist you. And I for me, I value that more than anything else getting to see at all the different clubs.

SPEAKER_15 28:16

So I know Pooja, you are in mine, my district. So 9 30, rocking. Um something came up last night. You were so funny because you're like, you're gonna ask me questions and I'm nervous. Don't be nervous. But something was astonishing to me when we were getting ready for dinner last night that you actually said that there was four clubs, was it four, I believe, that never made contact with you.

SPEAKER_08 28:44

First of all, whoever those four clubs are, shame, shame, shame.

SPEAKER_15 28:50

We're gonna say no! But I found that I found that personally quite extraordinary. And we're not gonna name names, even though we'd sort of want to. We'll be cavulated, not for the podcast. But why? Why do you think that happened?

SPEAKER_09 29:12

Yes, a few things. I don't know what's going on with their lifestyle, but for those clubs, the big change that has come to our district, they are not meeting every week. So instead of meeting four times a week, four times a month, they are meeting two times a month. And sometimes they are Tuesdays and Thursdays, most of them. And Tuesdays and Thursdays are you know how it is conflicting with primary primary meetings. I'm traveling sometimes. They are traveling. So we are trying, and I need to talk to them and see what the problem is, what's happening here, because my goal was to connect everyone in our district. And I'm so happy to say that that my people they come to me, they can call me anytime, they can send me the text messages, and over here, too. Some of them they are uncontrol presidents, and uh, some of the president elects they are here. They were telling me, glad you came to the club to speak. Wow. So they are coming forward and they did their patents. But yeah, that's what I like.

SPEAKER_15 30:26

This is the politically correct one. Yes, that's true. Nicole is not a good thing.

SPEAKER_09 30:38

I have Gran and Celia with me.

SPEAKER_15 30:42

So we could have picked all these districts. We went with Pooja.

SPEAKER_06 30:52

But wait, didn't you say 50-50 was your home?

Club Engagement Challenges And Connection

SPEAKER_15 30:59

Always good to throw the host in the bus. Okay, so we've heard from Pooja, we've heard from Nicole, a little bit from Johnny, we've heard from the trader Emma, who saw up to Trump to Trump, to Trump's date.

SPEAKER_08 31:13

Yeah, that was political.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

Oh, you did say that.

SPEAKER_15 31:18

Let's just let's let's let's hear from our from our our cheese loving Frenchman. Yes, yes, yes. From us.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Yes, yes, we how we. We we uh we how was it? So far, it's very interesting because the the all kind of dilemma I had a uh a district that was questioning even being part of my district that I had to address. But the fun part was that I didn't go see them and and we discussed, and but before I went, I talked to them about the history in our district, how major they were, despite the fact that they always been at the extreme part of our district. I sat down with them and and reminded you in the last few years, you had like four district governors, you've been very involved with the district. So, what's new and how can I help you to become involved? For me, the year was a lot to get people from uh my district to participate to activities to get get a sense of belonging as well to the district, not just being what does it mean to you to be a rotarian? Is that just to go for breakfast? Or uh we've been putting up some effort to get do activities for them and they were not showing up. So I've already said, listen, we also have something else to do on our Saturday or during the week. So so they they they got it because we have a very nice representation, better than last year uh for the this NEPAL. So I'm very happy about people getting a sense of belonging and oh yeah, that's important that we do those things. So so it's moving along nicely, so I'm happy.

SPEAKER_15 32:56

So I met the young lady who will be taking your part at the end area, and you had to be very much a bilingual president.

SPEAKER_00 33:06

Yes, right? Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_15 33:07

He speaks, I don't know if you've noticed German. I don't know what it is. It's other language. No, he speaks French, which, you know, as you well know, you can say, you know, I want to take the trash out, it's moldy and nasty, but if you say it in French, it sounds like yeah, so sexy. So it was it was very hard last year. Warming up, warming up. But the the first thing I asked her was, you know, you're going to be in a two-language district, and she's like, Yeah, I know how to say hello and goodbye, and I'm working on the rest. And I'm like, to start. So how was it? Did you speak more French? Did you speak more English? Was there an was there a language barrier?

SPEAKER_00 33:52

No, no, no, no. Mostly mostly spoke English in the district, because I've got 35 club in the States and three soon to be four in in in the district, in my district. So so I mostly spoke uh English uh with a few this friend where they little sexy French. Yeah, yeah, just yeah, yeah, just a few of a few sexy accents.

SPEAKER_15 34:14

Pay your dues in French. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Yeah. Yeah. So the the uh No, I think that was a problem. Ariel is making the thing with Ariel is she's she didn't tell you, but she's bilingual. But she's English and Spanish.

SPEAKER_14 34:28

Spanish.

SPEAKER_00 34:29

And Spanish. So so the she that's why she finds it a little bit more challenging to bring the French, but she's doing great. She's doing great. She makes up she's very conscious of the French part of the district, and uh no, no, she will be great. And and Leon after her is fully bilingual, so it's it's great. It's a great fun to be part of this district.

SPEAKER_15 34:47

Well, 5050 was Vancouver, and they're just English, thank God. I didn't have to do much, but I do know the words to O Canada.

SPEAKER_06 34:58

It's funny, I think we all know the words to O Canada. Yes, we do. All the events we have.

SPEAKER_00 35:03

I know it in French, but they don't mention that.

SPEAKER_15 35:05

Yeah, the French part. The French part in the middle, everybody got really quiet in the room yesterday, I have to say. So April. Yes, Gwen. Okay. Uh you're done. You get to go back to Worcester. No, Westfield's. Oh, you get Worcester.

SPEAKER_12 35:22

I get Springfield.

SPEAKER_15 35:23

You get Springfield. And Hartford. And Hartford. Yes.

SPEAKER_06 35:26

And Wilburham. And Wilbur.

SPEAKER_15 35:29

You get you get all of those, like she gets to Berkshires. Yeah, she gets. Yes, I do get the Berkshires. So you're gonna go vacation in the Berkshires?

SPEAKER_12 35:36

I always vacation in the Berkshires. We have a home up in the Berkshires, so yeah. Well now? Hold on, we're finding this out now. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. So how was your year? It was amazing. It was amazing. I'm so blessed to have such a supportive and caring district. I don't know if it's all the cows out in Western Mass or not, but you know, maybe it's the farmer aspect. I'm not sure. But no, seriously, it's been great. I, you know, I I was at the district level for quite some time before taking on the DG role. And so it a lot of it was coming home and just seeing people I already knew and just hanging out and having fun and you know, seeing if we can do things differently with that emphasis on having fun, you know, and really making Rotary a place people yearn to go, you know, on their down days, you know. So that's what I've been focusing on is just trying to have fun, do things that make sense, and you know, move the needle along. And I have great folks coming after me, EJ and Art and Angela. So, you know, it's yeah, it's just gonna be great.

Would You Do District Governor Again

SPEAKER_15 36:42

So taking Nicole out of this question, do you understand why? Would you guys be DGs again? And you'll understand the why with Nicole in a second. Would you guys do it again? Oh my god, that is the answer. Okay, that's being requesting. Well, no, no, no. I mean, not to there's other things passions we have.

SPEAKER_01 37:05

I don't think that we got good people coming after us.

SPEAKER_15 37:08

No, but let's say let's say ten years from now. Let's say ten years from now, would you ever consider being a district governor again?

SPEAKER_06 37:15

I would do that. I would if in the event there was not someone wanting to step forward, if I would because I know that the experiences that we went through, I would love to do again.

SPEAKER_15 37:27

Right. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 37:28

But I also don't want to step forward because I want someone else to get to experience what we've experienced.

SPEAKER_15 37:35

So because of the experiences you went through, you would do it again. And because of the experiences that you went through, I don't want to do it again immediately.

SPEAKER_06 37:43

Correct. Well, I want other people to get to experience what we did. But at the same time, a lot of districts do run into the issue is they don't get people to step up into the leadership role.

SPEAKER_14 37:54

Right.

SPEAKER_06 37:55

If it were to come to that point, then I would consider putting, you know, my name in again. But I would rather somebody that has not done it before step up and do it. And if you look at the seven of our DG lines, there are at least two to three past district governors that are in turn becoming governors within the next couple years.

SPEAKER_12 38:18

But and you know, my always say the great thing about being a district governor is you get to meet people from all over the world. And so if you have a passion and rotary, you're making connections. And after you're district governor, you get to go out and do all the things that you're passionate about. You know, you all know I'm passionate about polio.

unknown 38:34

Right.

SPEAKER_12 38:35

And so I have met, you know, everyone in RI basically that works with polio plus and and polio. And I get to do that now, right? You know, if I choose to. So would I I would I love being district governor, you know, I do it again in case of emergency, breaking glass, probably. But the great thing now is that I get to go and do those fun, you know, those things that I really have a passion for.

Nicole Steps Into A Second Year

SPEAKER_15 39:00

So which brings us to Ms. Nicole, because some good things don't have to end. You had a a situation in your district where the district governor elect, God, I gotta get all those right. Um, after after 10 plus years in rotary, I still don't get me even starting on the accrament. Oh, it's like forgotten. There is. There should be. You stepped in to do it again. So you're a repeat offender.

SPEAKER_03 39:29

I didn't do it right. So obviously I gotta do it again.

SPEAKER_08 39:34

That's a wee bit earlier.

SPEAKER_15 39:36

What are you gonna do different?

SPEAKER_03 39:38

Keep my sanity.

SPEAKER_15 39:39

Keep your sanity, okay.

SPEAKER_03 39:42

You know, the only reason these guys are a lot. That's true. That's you know, one of the things about being a district governor that you're and I learned that this year, is that when you're coming in, you build a relationship. We're blessed to have a multi-district house. So you build these relationships, yeah, and they they're they're literally your lifeline. And so I am grateful for them. And they knew when this happened, I reached out and said, This is something, and I have a feeling it's gonna be put on me to serve to serve again because of what the options were. Right. And I willingly said yes because I have a very supportive husband. I know I have all of them.

SPEAKER_15 40:26

Johnny's great. And you keep him with the wine, he's you're bringing it up.

SPEAKER_03 40:30

Yes, wine beer, and but you know, I but I have them, and then I have a very, and I don't like to say I have, our district is blessed with a very strong, strong team. And it's our committees, our our track, our college of governors, and there's been a great momentum this year, like getting rid of a lot of the barriers that were in place for so long. And I think that is why I am fortunate enough to be embraced the way that I am being embraced, because there was hesitancy of like, okay, we made we've gotten this far. And then what's coming behind you? Right. Are we gonna lose some of that? And that was a really big scare for our district. So they're grateful, and there's nothing wrong with that person. Life happens, right? Happens to all of us. We make a five. If you didn't know this, it's a five-year commitment. We make a five-year commitment, but during a long even for an assistant governor, it's mostly districts, it's a three-year commitment. You don't realize, you say yes, and then halfway through, or and all of a sudden yes, you're excited, and then 24 hours later, it's like, oh, yeah, that's not it.

SPEAKER_15 41:39

Wait a minute.

SPEAKER_03 41:39

I thought I'm sort of for a yeah, we need what so life happens, and that's when you give space and grace, right? And we we take those spaces and we appreciate the grace, and for a team, and you realize this year, our district, we've created a strong team culture, and that was because we created that amongst ourselves. You have Pells here, and you can have classes that come in and they're not connected. You can have other classes come in, and it's like they move as one. And we have moved as one and we continue to move as one. And I'm very blessed for this, for this experience. If I didn't have them, I don't think I would have embraced this role like I do. Again, and again, and again, and again. Because I know, like, if something happens, I know who I can go to. Because sometimes, even for our presidents, even for our assistant governors, sometimes you have a question and you don't want to go to that leader. And it has nothing to do with personality, you just need an outside perspective. There's no influence, and and I rely on these guys a lot. A lot.

SPEAKER_00 42:45

I was gonna say, I was gonna say that. We like to tease Nicole about a new role. I know we don't know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, let's say that I'll I'll like to tease Nicole, but we we all to actually I do tip my hat to her to taking right away a second year. I think that's that's amazing. And and and she she knows that she can count on us, uh, even if she has a do team as well now. But I mean still your team.

SPEAKER_01 43:16

She's still our team.

SPEAKER_00 43:17

Trust me.

SPEAKER_03 43:18

But you know what? I one of the things that we all can agree is that you really don't get into your crew till early the spring, right? A lot of clubs, summertime, you're still getting your planning. Then you got three solid months, and then you have that break of the holidays. Then you get right back into it mid-January, then you're at Pellos, so the new team is you know, new leadership is coming in. So now you're scammering going, Oh god, the year's almost done, just get the conference done. I don't have to do this. You know, our presidents feel that way too. Like when the spring comes, you get it to your groove, you move on. And and so this, I mean, I can say there is, and I and it's not a negative thing, it's not a positive thing, but there has been some jealousy in my district. And ingest by wow, like I wish I could have done a second year because I was finally figuring it out. And then Pellet comes, there's a new message or a new theme, and then I'm out the door.

SPEAKER_08 44:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:12

And so is it a blessing? Is it a curse? And that's the thing. And I'm and I just look at it as I am just every day. I smile, I take it in and move on. But I know where my safety nets are. Like I know where they are.

SPEAKER_15 44:27

That's awesome. Okay, I got one last question because I know your day is not over, and you guys gotta get out the door. So, first of all, it has been an honor to not only have you guys all come into my life and embrace both my partner and I. We traveled a very long way. So we consider you our Northeast family. So thank you so much for the bottom of your part. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_12 44:52

We love you guys.

unknown 44:53

Do you have a delinquent? Yes.

Smile Moments PolioPlus And Service

SPEAKER_03 44:55

Yes. She's an extension of the delinquent family. Yes. I only do this for the perks, you know. Wait a minute. Last year you gave us the pin and now you have a pen.

SPEAKER_15 45:08

Okay. So I'm going to go right around the corner, starting with Pooja, because Pooja hates to go first, which is why. I love it. Go, go, go, go.

SPEAKER_01 45:16

I love it.

SPEAKER_15 45:17

All right, really quickly, what is one moment that you're just going to remember? And when this podcast first started, we used to call it your smile moment. What is your smile moment? What is that moment that you can think of? See, because that's what you can see it. She's already smiling. What is that one moment you're gonna just like every once in a while go? Yeah, you know, there was a lot of crap, but remember when it still makes you smile. What's your smile moment?

SPEAKER_09 45:41

My smile moment is my delinquents, to be honest. Okay. And then uh my smile moments is when my presidents come to me and say, We want our delinquents back.

SPEAKER_15 45:51

Wow. That's lovely.

SPEAKER_09 45:53

Yesterday at the breakout, you know, when I was coming out, people came to me, gave me a hug, said we want our delinquence back.

SPEAKER_15 46:01

Wow.

SPEAKER_09 46:03

So that was my I was still having my oosebumps.

SPEAKER_15 46:08

Miss Stephanie.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

I have a lot of smile moments, but I remember there was a point early on in this journey that I was not sure if I was gonna stick with it. I was struggling, you know, why I was here and whether or not it was the best for me. And it was this crew who held me, literally, and gave me the strength, the purpose, the reason. And really the reason that I'm having such a great year this year. And I found my own voice. And today and other days when I visit and I other clubs, even this this today, I met folks from your other clubs, and they were so excited about us. And I knew them. That was what was so important. There are folks who still look at us as part of that energy and that we change.

SPEAKER_15 47:10

Love it.

SPEAKER_01 47:11

You left a mark.

SPEAKER_15 47:12

They heard us, they heard you. What's your cry this year?

SPEAKER_03 47:22

I kept saying there's a four-way test, but I've added five. Is it fun?

SPEAKER_08 47:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:29

And everybody that has come up to me from our district said, Nicole, you have done things that allowed us to see rotaries more. It is not just sitting at a table. We've always are laughing at having fun. And that to me is the best thing because this is it's not supposed to feel like work. It's supposed to feel like we feel it. Yeah, we pay for this. And so and so for me, even hearing Marty say that this morning, I was like, it is something that it gets so lost, and I see this past year. We did that. The seven of us did that, and that is something that I will forever be so grateful because it supported the one thing, I mean, what we really set out to do, and we freaking did it, you know, to hear those things. And when I'm having days that I'm crying or sad, I think of Emma's video and it makes me love. So now we're not that sure.

SPEAKER_08 48:38

So we're way over, yes.

SPEAKER_05 48:40

So, but that's my that's the bonus real. If you'd like to sponsor it, we'll get it teams when it's a good one.

SPEAKER_03 48:46

Anyway, that's that's my moment. That's we love you, you know that.

SPEAKER_15 48:52

But we did that. I'm excited to do this next year with you in round two. Hopefully, you don't have a tick or anything.

SPEAKER_06 48:58

I she'll go for a tri uh trifector at that moment.

SPEAKER_14 49:02

No, no, Carl's is always. I don't think John's gonna make it. No, no, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_12 49:06

All right, Missy, what's your well I mean, besides these guys who I will just ten seconds, my best friends in the world, honest to God, and I am not gonna cry, but I want to. I'm not gonna cry. But on the hard days, yeah, they make my life, yeah, sunshine. So thank you. And I love you guys. And you know, I just you know, they've embraced my passion. Look at they're all wearing polio shirts. I know. That wasn't my idea or anything, but thank you guys for embracing my passion.

SPEAKER_15 49:39

I know this is not a polio shirt, but if you're red, it looks like you don't know what's underneath you.

SPEAKER_12 49:46

You know, not only them, but my district has embraced it and really gotten behind me. And I talk at every club meeting, obviously, about you know, the need to keep going with polio. And I had a member come up to me recently and say, you know, thank you for your energy. I haven't given to polio, and I'm going to because I just didn't realize, you know, and so you've inspired me, and hopefully I've inspired a few people to help us cross the finish line, and that always makes me smile. So yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_15 50:19

All right, Miss Emma.

SPEAKER_02 50:21

So, well, there's obviously so many. I mean, this being a district governor is is truly a privilege. When I traveled, it was just amazing to be a district governor in other countries. But here at home, I think I love seeing the when I meet people, they're like, oh, we get your emails on Monday. We love them, so much energy. But one one moment that kind of jumped out just recently is I went to an event for a club that did their 25th fishing derby, and the guy and the president said I was the first president in 25 years that ever went to this project of their fundraiser of her. And she was in tears sharing this with me. And I was honored that I made her day, but I just think it's just it was just an incredible event for her. So it made her day. But to top it off, it's these guys here in the room because yes, if it wasn't for these guys, it would have been a truly a different year.

SPEAKER_15 51:15

So we are exactly and like you said, we have a place in Florida. Absolutely. Yes, yes. Mr.

SPEAKER_00 51:22

Luke, what's yours? Yeah, I cannot bypass the fact that it's working with these guys that makes that big difference in my life, either personally, professionally, and and as a district governor. Uh the big smile is is uh yeah, I do use the little French phrase every now and then to wake up my audience with a black car if they're dozing off. So a few and they get no, no, no, but they've been very well received, most mostly very well received, and people acknowledge that in our district there's a Quebec people from Quebec, French speaking, coming in. And a lot of the uh PDGs come to me and say, Oh, we would we're so happy we don't want to lose although we're a small number of clubs in Quebec. So so that that's that's the the the the pleasure of of being able to answer back and getting them to participate. For me, that's a great joy too, too. It was joy, pride, and and sense of belonging. And they gave me great uh pride and joy to see them here this uh this weekend and uh make sure so but yes, I think I think we need to we'll be we'll we are linked forever and uh and uh it's a it's a great honor to be part. Latecomer, but great honor to be linked with you. Not late bloomers, at least.

SPEAKER_14 52:38

We know you're not late bloomers. I'm staying out of that one. Better on last but not least, Mr. Johnny.

SPEAKER_06 52:47

I will echo the six of them. Okay um one before I answer your question, I do want to say some people have asked us, how do you guys feel that this is the last time we're all together? And I was like, it's not. It's the last time that we are rotary required to be here together. But I was like, I know we are we're family, so we're gonna be planning our retreat after we're gonna be there. So we might end up going to have the double podcast.

SPEAKER_08 53:15

Now we're just going to be here.

SPEAKER_06 53:18

But I would say as many have said, there's multiple smile moans throughout this past year, but most recently, so my club turned 100 this year. Wow. And my big focus during the 25-6 year was service, getting people together. And we still see it after COVID. A lot of clubs still aren't getting back into service. They and I know we're several years past the pandemic, but you're still getting these clubs that are not doing service. So my goal was to get multiple clubs together to do a field meal packing event. Right. I expected to have 70 volunteers to pack a hundred thousand meals for our hundred years. Oh my god. So we actually just did this last week. We did it in two locations, 50,000 part. We had over 308 volunteers. And I was shocked. So for me, that that I've had a smile on my face all week long about that. So it's getting people back to doing servers.

SPEAKER_14 54:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 54:22

It is service above self.

SPEAKER_12 54:23

It is not chicken. No. All right.

SPEAKER_14 54:30

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_15 54:31

That's it. It's a real wrap. You guys are done as of July 1st. No.

SPEAKER_06 54:38

June 30th. Well, for us, June 30th. For some people. Some people know. She's halfway enough.

SPEAKER_15 54:45

June 30th, uh the champagne corks will pop, and then you'll be giving it to Nicole.

SPEAKER_12 54:53

We're gonna just hit her with them. There you go.

SPEAKER_15 54:56

So, and I did say this last year. So, not only thank you guys for for stirring up things in this district, but giving this podcast a chance to go on the road.

SPEAKER_08 55:05

This was the first on the road to go.

SPEAKER_15 55:10

So, it's good to be on the road. And now that we're gonna be on the road a lot, maybe you guys can all come. You're a tech current. Oh, last thing. Oh, because you want to say something. Hold on.

SPEAKER_09 55:24

I want to say thank you to all of my people here. My peeps. And then I'd like to say thank you to the club people, even if you don't even if you didn't need to, but they are still some of them have to be. You're thinking. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 55:41

I want to say thank you for letting us do this last year. Yeah, and this year for letting people get to know the side of us in our bubble. We have allowed you to come into the bubble and letting our bubble go out so I know. Circle of delinquents.

SPEAKER_09 55:55

Thank you. Thank you, guys. Wave it to him.

Closing Thanks Booking The Show

SPEAKER_13 56:04

Wow, I am a proud member of the circle of delinquents, and I am a proud member of Rotary, and I am a proud member of this entire zone and district. We have some new amazing leadership coming in, and we have some leadership that's going out that left its mark. That's what we want. And then we kind of have the cold who's in the middle, who has the exquisite opportunity to play on both sides. As we know, she was a delinquent. She came through the door and shook things up. And now she has the opportunity to take that skill step to a new generation of leaders in this area. What are they gonna do? What are they gonna bring to the table? Well, we had a few of those questions answered today. Well, that's it. That's part two of Northeast Voices from Pebbles. I hope all the presidents all over this big, beautiful Rotary International world have a great 2026, 2027 presidential year. All those district governors, wow, go out there and make a difference. Work with your clubs, work with your chapters, work with each other, and make rotary stronger. I'm on the road again soon, where I'll keep you posted. But um, the whole show gets put in a suitcase and away I go. And if you're interested in having the show come to your block, your event, your club, your district conference, your assembly, or even your convention, let me know. Rotarianpod at gmail.com. And of course, just like I say at the end of every show, take care of yourself and the world around you, and we'll hear you next time on the Action to Impact Podcast. Oh, and Videocast. Check out the fabulous footage of this drop in the same day as this podcast, our YouTube channel has the Action to Impact Videocast on it. It's a lot of fun to do that one too. Until next week, everybody, we'll talk to you soon. Bye bye.