Rotarians from 115 clubs converge on San Marcos from May 2-4 for a bi-district conference titled “A Celebration of Districts.” District 5870 serves Central Texas from Austin to Hillsboro and Corsicana. District 5840, which includes San Marcos Rotary, serves South Central Texas from Del Rio to Kyle and west to Junction. The Embassy Suites Conference Center in San Marcos hosts the event.
This is the first time the two Rotary districts are meeting together for an annual membership conference. The goal of the joint meeting is to share a wider range of experiences and ideas about what Rotary is doing now, and new possibilities for the future. Kristen Salazar, San Antonio, is the Governor of District 5840. She said, “This special gathering is a time to celebrate our shared achievements, deepen our fellowship, and ignite inspiration for the journey ahead.”
The business part of the conference begins with a welcoming message from San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson. On May 3, Rotarians are partnering with San Marcos School Fuel to pack bags of weekend food for San Marcos school children. It is a tradition of Rotary to do a service project at each annual conference.
Peter Baen and other San Marcos Rotarians identified a variety of activities and excursion options for visitors during free time periods. They include visiting San Marcos Springs, the Outlet Malls, the Heritage Home Tour, LBJ Museum, Commemorative Air Force Museum, Texas State University, and local craft breweries. Also, on Saturday night, the conference features a Casino Night with a 1920s speakeasy theme. Doug Smith, Governor of District 5870, said the evening gala “will be an exhilarating celebration of our shared commitment to service and fellowship.” He also encouraged Rotarians to “explore the enchanting city of San Marcos.”
Rotary International is 120 years old. It began in Chicago in 1905. Rotary came to Texas in 1912 when clubs formed in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The San Marcos club began in 1921 and celebrated its 100th anniversary three years ago. There are 1.4 million Rotarians in 45,000 clubs in 200 countries around the world. Rotary is nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious. It is a service organization who motto is, “Service Above Self.” SMTXrotary.com
