David C. Forward, of Medford, has assumed the volunteer post of Rotary International district governor for 2015–16. As governor, Forward coordinates the community and international service projects of the 40 Rotary clubs in Southern New Jersey’s District 7500 area. Forward was unanimously selected from the roughly 1,200 Rotarians in District 7500.
Forward is one of 535 Rotarians worldwide serving as a district governor this year. A member of the Rotary club of Medford Sunrise and a Rotarian for 37 years, David will also be responsible for organizing new Rotary clubs and strengthening existing ones.
During an installation ceremony aboard the battleship New Jersey, he said his main goals for the coming year are to improve membership in each local Rotary club as well as to encourage Rotarians to make PolioPlus a major goal. “When we began the global campaign to eradicate polio in 1985, we had 350,000 children a year catching polio in 224 countries,” Forward said. “Today, we are down to two countries and will probably finish this year with fewer than 100 new cases of polio.” He launched “150,000 Kids Week” in October, with the goal of raising enough to immunize 150,000 children — simply by having each Rotarian skip one meal that week.
But Forward also encouraged Rotarians to continue their community and youth service outreach. “As local leaders and volunteers, Rotarians can help find community solutions to local needs,” he said.
Area Rotary clubs are involved in many local and international service activities. The Rotary Club of Medford Sunrise, for example, has led polio immunization volunteer teams to India while also serving the local community with the Dickens Festival and Medford Community Calendar. The Medford-Vincentown Rotary organizes the Halloween Parade and numerous other local projects, as do nearby Rotary clubs in Marlton, Mt. Laurel, and across the state.
A commissioned lay pastor and Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Medford, David has been a passionate volunteer in many humanitarian service endeavors. He has delivered relief supplies to war victims in Lebanon, started an orphanage in Romania, and was a national winner of the Good Neighbor Award by the 1.2-million member National Association of Realtors. He is a prolific writer and his 12th book will be released in January.
