Today, lets give a Union City Rotary warm welcome to our new District Governor, Gary Benmark and his lovely wife, Leslie.

Gary is a member of the Springfield Rotary Club, and at one time was believed to be the youngest member in District 676 (as of 1991, District 6760), when he joined the Trenton, TN Rotary Club. He is also a charter member of Dist. 6760 Paul Harris Society and is a Rotary Foundation Major Donor.

Gary and his wife participated in the Rotary Friendship Exchange program, visiting Western Australia ins 2006 and hosted the Australian Rotarians when the visited District 6760 in 2007. They have also been active in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, thus far hosting young men from Germany, Argentina and Brazil.

Gary holds the B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Public Policy Administration from Vanderbilt University. He has served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army and holds the rank of retired Colonel He is also retired from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville/Davidson County where he was Director of Criminal Justice Planning and Administrative Director of the Juvenile Court.

Our District Governor will speak to us today about the seven Rotary International and District 6760 priorities for the 2009-10 Rotary year, particularly eradicating polio worldwide. He also will discuss the 2009-10 goals for individual Rotary clubs, including the qualifications for the Presidential Citation (RI President John Kenny’s recognition of Rotary Clubs).

Gary is truly an outstanding example of the Rotary Motto, "Service Above Self".

Next week, the Air Force will be on hand, as the Division Chief of Air Mobility Command, Operational Plans, Colonel Baxter Swift visits Union City Rotary.

Colonel Swift is a command pilot with over 4,300 flying hours. He has over 445 combat hours and 372 combat sorties. Col. Swift’s first C-130 assignment was to the 61st Airlift Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Little Rock Arkansas. While stationed at Little Rock Colonel Swift participate in Operations DESERT CALM, SOUTHERN WATCH, PROVIDE COMFORT PROVIDE PROMISE. Following another operational assignment to Yokota AB, Japan, the Swifts moved to Scott AFB, Texas and in May 2003 he deployed to Ganci AB, Kyrgyzstan where he commanded the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron flying missions into Afghanistan. He later commanded the 34th Combat Training Squadron at Little Rock AFB, and then spent over two years on the US Transportation Command Staff as the Global Force Management Branch Chief and Deputy Chief of the Joint Operations Division. He has accumulated several awards over his career.

Last week, we had four excited young ladies on hand, using a picture presentation explaining their enthusiasm over the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, in which they are participating.

Heather Nichole Simpson and Chelsea Boyd, our two participants, brought along with them, Stephennie Groen of Wolvega the Netherlands and Mariana Noguera from Sao Joao da Boa Vista, Brazil, who are being hosted by the local ladies.

Ms. Simpson began the program by displaying pictures from her recent visit to Brazil, her main focus during her opening remarks concerned the security in the villages she visited, saying that all houses had a fairly large wall surrounding it.

Her tour took her to places like Rio De Janeiro, and other places of interest in the country. She spoke again of the security of the area, saying that a person never travels alone after dark in these areas, however she was never in a hostile situation herself.

Mariana joined her at this point and pointed out some of her experiences since being in America, and exclaimed that she was enjoying herself very much in this country and was not ready to go back to her home country yet.

The floor was then turned over to Chelsea Boyd and her guest from the Netherlands. Chelsea spent four weeks in the Netherlands, and her guest, Stephennie had been in the US for two weeks. She also is enjoying some experiences of a lifetime while here. She said she had visited places such as Graceland, the Mississippi River, and she had had a tour of Nashville and the Music Industry there. Chelsea said while in Holland she had some great experiences, taking in the scenery of the country side, she spoke of the windmills, and how most all of the residences there had orange roofs. She said she was graciously accepted at a Rotary Club meeting while in Holland.

Aug. 21 - Air Force Col. Glen Baxter Swift.

Aug. 28 - Congressman John Tanner

Aug. 15 - James D. Kendall

Aug. 17 - Steve Goodrich

Aug. 20 - Terry Hailey

Anniversaries

Aug. 16 - Barry and Janet Keathley

Aug. 17 - Art and Tammy Sparks

Aug. 20 - Bob and Joyce Stephens