Jere Jantunen: I want to thank all Rotarians and clubs in our district

Dear Rotarians of District 1420,

The Rotary year is nearing its end, and that is a good thing. It has been a long and at times demanding three years in the governor track. DGN, DGE and DG.

I want to thank all Rotarians and clubs in our district. You are the ones who make this such a wonderful endeavor.

Every club is different and has its own wishes and events, but all clubs place great importance on service projects.

I encourage all clubs to update their action plans together with their members. It helps in creating the club’s annual program, and at the same time highlights the service projects and how they can be shaped to reflect the club’s own identity.

It is great that the Rotary wheel is turning again. DGE Heldur Allese is in Taipei receiving the final guidance to make his DG year the best possible. DGN Anne Kuusio is already fully planning her upcoming DGE and DG years 2027–2028.

I myself am considering how I can best be of help during my IPDG year. As PDG Sakari Karjalainen said: “take a breath” – certainly at first. I will head to the sea and complete the annual report and documentation for the autumn meeting with honor.

We have a wonderful District Council, with tremendous expertise and cooperation across borders. Finland–Estonia Rotarians work and plan common matters together – after all, we are District 1420 Finland and Estonia.

There are still a few club visits to Tallinn ahead, as well as visits to Päikeselager and Pärnu’s accessible beach. They are a fine example of how Rotary clubs can do meaningful things for people in their area through service projects – it emphasizes community and brings positive visibility to Rotarians.

All our committees have handled their responsibilities excellently and advanced our shared goals, thank you for that. A good example is the district conference, where members from all committees participated in planning and carrying out a major project.

Summer has begun beautifully and soon it will be Midsummer. Let us enjoy the summer, not forget the good ideals of Rotary, and keep the spirit of Rotary strong. In August we begin a new season with renewed enthusiasm.

Thank you for the trust you placed in me to serve as District Governor and for the opportunity to work with Rotarians in Finland and Estonia.

We also successfully completed the SVRP association’s district division, and we will hear more about that from Heldur Allese.