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Anne Robertson |
 Governor District 6710 - 1995-1996 |
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 From
the day I was selected to be District Governor of Rotary District 6710
in the year 1995-96, life became an exciting Rotary venture. Every
aspect of my life, and that of my household, changed in a dramatic way.Now I know that the purpose of writing this is to tell the story of the first eight women Governors of Rotary International, but my own story is not mine alone. My first Rotary experiences began in 1972 when my husband, Bill, became a Rotarian. As he accepted one office after another up to District Governor in 1981-82, I was a part of that Rotary experience. Therefore, when I became a Rotarian, I brought to my club, and to Rotary, an understanding of the organization that many members seldom experience. As the first woman District Governor in District 6710, many roles were reversed, including mine, my PDG husband's and the many, many long-time Rotary friends we had made throughout the world during the years in which we participated as PDG and wife. What do you call a woman Governor? What do you call her PDG husband? How do you, a woman Governor, respond when a well-meaning Rotarian in essence asks the male PDG if his DG wife can or will. do something? At every level we were all breaking new ground and reinventing the wheel. My district encompasses the Western half of the state of Kentucky. With one exception, my club is the western-most club with the majority of the clubs being located at great distances from my home. After the first week or so of Club visits within my immediate area, it was necessary for me to leave home on Sunday afternoon, or early Monday morning, to return on Friday. This added to the urgency of tending to correspondence, laundry, (yes, DGs occasionally do that also), and other work before leaving once again for the "club visit” circuit. On each trip I would carry my Toshiba notebook so that I could diligently do my reports nightly. Upon my return home, after confronting the accumulated mail and phone calls, it was time to put the disk in and print those reports and thank-you letters. Eventually, both Bill and I had to admit that there really wasn't going to be any other life until the end of the Rotary year. As I made Club visits to the sixty-one clubs of District 6710, I was welcomed in many unique ways. Sometimes I would enter to meet with the President and Secretary and realize that there was total apprehension on their part as to what to expect. In other instances, I would be greeted with delight that a woman was finally in position to contribute to Rotary International at that level. With rare exceptions, the Rotarians and Clubs of this district were gracious, friendly, and most hospitable in their acceptance of their first woman DG. The week-long training at Anaheim served as a transition from what I had known and experienced AS a spouse and Rotarian in the past to the present. I felt that I was bringing a wealth of knowledge and experiences, along with an outstanding support group at home in District 6710, to Anaheim. Yet, I was eager to be fully aware of the current and future plans and personnel of Rotary international. The Anaheim experience, in my opinion, was a definite asset to me as incoming Governor. At Anaheim, I was asked how I intended to handle all the PDG's of my District. Fortunately, I was able to reassure those in my group session that, for the most part, they have been, and still are, very protective of me and of my Rotary activities. As I reflect on the planning phase of my year and the actual year of office, I am still amazed at the talents available to me and to the District from longtime Rotary friends and from those who are now active. For that encouragement and support, I will always be grateful. There were many high points that I could mention. The most rewarding experiences, though, came from the support and friendships that were there for me at every level of Rotary. As a long-time participant in Rotary activities at Zone and other levels, this support was a reaffirmation of the high calibre of those we call Rotarians. I especially recall one very dear Rotary friend, the late Past Rotary International President Roy Hickman, who encouraged me every time I was in his presence to speak up and be a Rotarian in every sense of the word. I shall never forget the impact that Roy and Dorothy had in formulating my Rotary goals and those of my PDG husband, Bill. In my opinion, Rotary International, and its leadership, is recognizing that women, when placed in leadership roles, usually do a very thorough job. They tend to give more attention to detail. And, as we eight women have commented to one another, we apparently must prove ourselves everyday. It has been my observation that every District Governor who has served in District 6710 has appealed to different segments of our membership. I feel the same is true as women have now served as Governors. In my own experience, positive responses far outweighed any possible negative comments or situations. All was not smooth sailing, however. On a very hot summer day, I came to a small town in southern Kentucky. As prescribed, I had sent the appropriate paper work and made the necessary phone calls to insure the success of this visit. There was no response to my letters and my attempts to call the Club President produced a recorded blessing from his answering machine. Now there was no doubt that I could use a few blessings at that stage, but I was really seeking a confirmation of my scheduled visit. I arrived at the appointed location to be greeted by several local ladies, preparing the meal, who assured me that the President had, indeed, "almost up an' died with a heart attack." Well, that certainly told me why there had been no return calls. Ultimately, I met with a Temporary President. A very nervous Temporary President, I might add. As we met to establish some order, the Club Secretary, a man "Older Than the Hills", joined us. His opening comment to me was "Girlie" (it was at this point that I gained a whole new insight concerning "Temporary President's" nervousness) I haven't let a District Governor tell me what to do for 51 years and I'm not about to start now!" As "Nervous Temporary President" was making a valiant attempt not to faint in the corner of his office, I looked "Older Than the Hills" in the eye and said "Well, aren't you fortunate? I didn't come to do that either." He became my ally. Knowing that he was Club Secretary when my PDG Bill was in office, I rushed home to find out whether he had told him what to do or not. To date I have yet to receive a definite answer to that question. |
Little did he
know that at this stage, "Girlie" isn't all that offensive. He was
worried about his Club and was prepared to do whatever
he had to do to keep it going until his President returned or was
replaced. His heart was in the right place. District 6710 added no new clubs to its existing sixty-one clubs during 1995-96. We did increase our membership to a final number of 3,704. We saw many new and many younger members coming into Rotary. With tremendous gratification, I observed our local, District, Zone, and International involvements as they proceeded in a very satisfying manner. We had a first time experience of two Group Study Exchanges in the same year. District Conference, according to many, was an outstanding success. I certainly felt that we had one that will long be remembered. As we tried to have something for everyone, we featured President Herb Brown's excellent representative PDG Stan Black, and Marge, from Colorado. Past RI Director and Past Trustee James Lacy was there for a meaningful presentation. John Osterlund traveled from Evanston to share his vision of The Rotary Foundation with our Conference. Foundation Trustee Rick King, California, enthralled our audience on Saturday evening as he followed an introduction by PRID Tom Duncan Reed, known to many as "Foster Brooks." Our host club of Paducah, joined me and others in making all our guests know what a true Kentucky welcome is all about. I want to thank those, such as THE ROTARIAN in Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia, as well as others, for acknowledging the historical significance of the first eight women Governors in the world with coverage just before we came into office. I want to thank Rotary International for the opportunity to reflect on that historical year. It was indeed a "ground-breaking event" when we became a part of the progression from record keepers at the local level to decision makers and leaders at the District level and is certainly one that should be recorded. The committee assignments continue for both PDG Bill and for me. We are also continuing our struggle to distinguish just whose mail is on whose desk. We are continuing to enjoy the involvement and satisfaction that comes from our individual and combined commitment to Rotary International. All was not smooth sailing, however. On a very hot summer day, I came to a small town in southern Kentucky. As prescribed, I had sent the appropriate paper work and made the necessary phone calls to insure the success of this visit. There was no response to my letters and my attempts to call the Club President produced a recorded blessing from his answering machine. Now there was no doubt that I could use a few blessings at that stage, but I was really seeking a confirmation of my scheduled visit. I arrived at the appointed location to be greeted by several local ladies, preparing the meal, who assured me that the President had, indeed, "almost up an' died with a heart attack." Well, that certainly told me why there had been no return calls. Ultimately, I met with a Temporary President. A very nervous Temporary President, I might add. As we met to establish some order, the Club Secretary, a man "Older Than the Hills", joined us. His opening comment to me was "Girlie" (it was at this point that I gained a whole new insight concerning "Temporary President's" nervousness) I haven't let a District Governor tell me what to do for 51 years and I'm not about to start now!" As "Nervous Temporary President" was making a valiant attempt not to faint in the corner of his office, I looked "Older Than the Hills" in the eye and said "Well, aren't you fortunate? I didn't come to do that either." He became my ally. Knowing that he was Club Secretary when my PDG Bill was in office, I rushed home to find out whether he had told him what to do or not. To date I have yet to receive a definite answer to that question. Little did he know that at this stage, "Girlie" isn't all that offensive. He was worried about his Club and was prepared to do whatever he had to do to keep it going until his President returned or was replaced. His heart was in the right place. District 6710 added no new clubs to its existing sixty-one clubs during 1995-96. We did increase our membership to a final number of 3,704. We saw many new and many younger members coming into Rotary. With tremendous gratification, I observed our local, District, Zone, and International involvements as they proceeded in a very satisfying manner. We had a first time experience of two Group Study Exchanges in the same year. District Conference, according to many, was an outstanding success. I certainly felt that we had one that will long be remembered. As we tried to have something for everyone, we featured President Herb Brown's excellent representative PDG Stan Black, and Marge, from Colorado. Past RI Director and Past Trustee James Lacy was there for a meaningful presentation. John Osterlund traveled from Evanston to share his vision of The Rotary Foundation with our Conference. Foundation Trustee Rick King, California, enthralled our audience on Saturday evening as he followed an introduction by PRID Tom Duncan Reed, known to many as "Foster Brooks." Our host club of Paducah, joined me and others in making all our guests know what a true Kentucky welcome is all about. I want to thank those, such as THE ROTARIAN in Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia, as well as others, for acknowledging the historical significance of the first eight women Governors in the world with coverage just before we came into office. I want to thank Rotary International for the opportunity to reflect on that historical year. It was indeed a "ground-breaking event" when we became a part of the progression from record keepers at the local level to decision makers and leaders at the District level and is certainly one that should be recorded. The committee assignments continue for both PDG Bill and for me. We are also continuing our struggle to distinguish just whose mail is on whose desk. We are continuing to enjoy the involvement and satisfaction that comes from our individual and combined commitment to Rotary International. You asked if I would serve again as a District Governor? Today the answer would be "not right now!" If asked how I would handle the year's experiences differently, I could certainly reply that I would make many changes and change many approaches to the administration of a Rotary District. I do say, however, based on the fact that I have been there on both sides of the table, first as spouse and then as DG, I believe I implemented some practical and positive procedures. I do know, for a fact, that I had the distinct advantage of having my own, on-site, and built-in advisor. |
| Thanks for a great year! I really wouldn't trade it for anything. | |
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1995-96 District Governor Anne Robertson, retired business teacher, is
now an independent beauty consultant, part-time banker and part-time
travel agent who is active in various community activities. Anne became
a member of the Fulton Rotary Club in 1987 and became active right away.
Over the years she has served as chairman of several committees;
secretary-treasurer of PolioPlus; and president of the Fulton Club in
1992-93. Her dedication to membership, attendance, and community service
during her presidency saw the club membership rise from 26 to 38 members
and two scholarship programs established that resulted in over twelve
thousand dollars of scholarships being awarded to twenty-five high
school and college students and a twenty-thousand dollar Dr. Glynn F.
Bushart Memorial Loan Scholarship program being founded Anne has served on the District Rotary international Foundation Awards and Group Study Exchange Subcommittees, and the Rotary District 6710 Literacy Committee. As Area Two District Governor's Representative, she has assisted in the formation of the Rotary Club of Hickman, Kentucky. Since serving as Governor in 1995-96, Anne has served District 6710 as Membership Development Chairperson from 01 July 2000 to 30 June 2001, Membership Development Chairperson from 01 July 2001 to 30 June 2002 and Alumni Subcommittee Chairperson, also from 01 July 2001 to 30 June 2002. As the Rotary spouse of PDG William (Bill) Robertson, Anne has attended Zones Four and Ten meetings for the past ten or more years, serving as an instructor on several occasions. She and Bill have attended many Rotary International Conventions. Rotary has provided Anne and Bill with many rewarding experiences. They especially value the many Rotary friendships that have come about through their Rotary years. Anne and Bill are both Paul Harris Fellows, have three adult children, five grandchildren and make their home in Fulton, Kentucky. |
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