Snyder Prepares To Assume Rotary District Governor Role

For some, when you ask them the meaning of the word rotary, they may refer to a traffic design in a roadway. For others, depending upon their age, they may refer to what they used to dial to make a phone call, or the knob on an old television set (again depending upon your age). For a mechanic it may even denote the style of an engine.

For Neil Snyder of Marco Island, it denotes something much larger. He shares those same feelings with another 1.4 million members of the 46,000 member clubs of Rotary International around the world. Snyder will be handed the gavel as District Governor for District 6960 from Andy Lyman, who is the present Governor, in July for the 2022-2023 Rotary Year.

District 6960 encompasses the entire area of Southwest Florida from Manatee and Hardee County on the northern end and easterly to Hardee County and southerly to Collier County. 

It is ironic that the Webster definition of “rotary” speaks to the “revolving around a center or axis.” Hence the Rotary symbol represents a wheel which was originally designed by Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to show motion. According to Rotary it was to illustrate “Civilization and Movement.”  It has since been fine-tuned, but still represents the membership's dedication to taking on the great humanitarian challenges of the times.

The mission of the organization remains in providing service to others, promoting integrity and advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace through our fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.

Snyder represents those ideals perfectly and has become invested within both the Marco community and within Rotary since joining the Sunrise Rotary Club of Marco Island in 2011. He would graduate from the University of Baltimore with both his law degree as well as his MBA and would subsequently move to Collier County and work within the Collier County Prosecutor's Office as a criminal prosecutor.

He would meet his wife Rebecca in court, who was working as a defense attorney in 2004, and the two would eventually marry and open their practice together here on the island.

He would go on to become very involved with the club and many of the projects they have adopted. One of his favorites has and will always be the annual Meals of Hope efforts that has become a favorite of the community that has come out in force to support the efforts of the three local service clubs. The three clubs were first organized by the late Wayne Purvis who was a Sunrise Rotarian, and groomed Snyder to take over the role as “Captain Hope,” a position he held for several years, before handing it over to Bill Morris.

“Meals of Hope probably is one of the closest projects to my heart due to the wonderful effect it has on so many of those that need a helping hand here in our area. The good it does is just invaluable to the community which is sometimes most in need within this area,” said Snyder.

Giving back has been a big part of Snyder and his wife’s life as they have found a place in their hearts for foster children and their role as foster parents over the last couple of years. “Although these children may not have your blood, they quickly find a place in your hearts. You quickly find that first smile pays you back ten-fold for your efforts,” said Snyder.

Snyder’s wife, Rebecca, has also embraced her husband’s love for Rotary, having joined herself and quickly volunteered for a number of responsibilities, including that of the role of Secretary for the club. She is now the designated President Elect for the Sunrise Rotary Club and will assume her office during the 2024-2025 Rotary Year.

Needless to say, the Snyder’s are very excited about the year to come as Neil prepares for his new challenges as the District Governor for District 6960 as July approaches and he is handed the gavel.