HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- Rotary District Governor Ernie Enchelmayer, of Russellville, visited Hot Springs Village Rotary Club on Aug. 21.
Enchelmayer is the 2014-15 district governor for District 6170, which covers an area from Clarksville in the north, to El Dorado in the south, to the Oklahoma border in the west, and the Mississippi River in the east. There are nearly 1,500 Rotarians in District 6170.
The 36 Rotary clubs in the district include Arkadelphia, Benton-Bauxite, Bryant, Conway, El Dorado, Malvern, Russellville, and Pine Bluff.
The Spa City area is well represented with Hot Springs Village and its "sister clubs" Hot Springs National Park, Hot Springs Sunrise, Hot Springs Oaklawn, and the North Garland County Club, best known as Scenic 7.
Enchelmayer was introduced by Villager Tony Cifelli, the assistant district governor this year. Many HSV Rotary Club members were familiar with Enchelmayer, since they were classmates at the Jeff Farris Leadership Academy. Named for a past district governor, JFLA was established by Rotary District 6170 to assist local clubs in grooming individual Rotarians for future leadership roles within Rotary and the community.
He commended the club for its continuing string of recognitions, including being named 2014 Nonprofit Organization of the Year by the Hot Springs Village Area Chamber of Commerce and Civic Club of the Year in the 2014 Village Readers' Poll.
He also talked about the main service areas of Rotary International, which include peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, and maternal and child care. He showed slides of a Rotary fresh water project in Zimbabwe, and announced that Rotary has made tremendous progress in polio eradication. Countries around the world are polio-free except for Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
He also cited the bravery of individuals in those countries who are trying to provide vaccines while facing death threats for being considered enemies. Enchelmayer closed on a bright note, citing "Light Up Rotary" as this year's theme.
"The Hot Springs Village Rotary Club is a shining example," he said.
Visitors are welcome to attend the Hot Springs Village Rotary Club meetings at 7 a.m. Thursdays in the Fireside Dining Room of Good Sam's, 121 Cortez Road.
Local on 08/29/2014