In two weeks, more than 200 Rotarians from across the state will make their way to Suffolk for the 2009 District Assembly.

The assembly is an annual event that serves as a training ground for the club’s future leaders.

“We get together and review what we’ve done this year, and then the main purpose is to prepare our incoming club presidents and officers for next year,” said Bill Pollard, the district governor for Rotary District 7600.

This year’s assembly will take place April 25 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Each year, the incoming district governor puts together the assembly.

Pollard’s term, as well as those of Rotary officers from across the state, ends June 30. But after Pollard used the SCCA for last year’s assembly, many wanted to return.

“We had it there last year, and we had so many great compliments on the facility that we decided to come back for a second year,” Pollard said.

Pollard will speak at the assembly,along with incoming District Governor Karlis Graubics. Additionally, there will be breakout sessions for various officer training and informational sessions on Rotary programming.

The first Rotary club was founded back in 1905 in Chicago by Paul Harris. In the century since the club was founded, the organization has expanded to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in close to 200 countries. Suffolk has two clubs: the Suffolk club and North Suffolk club.

For more information on Rotary, visit www.rotary.org.