District Newsletter

DG Jim and his grandsons at District Conference last April in SanDestin

From Our District Governor

Thanks for Your Commitment and Your Energy

By Jim Squire

To say that this year in Rotary has been unique would be an understatement, and I cannot believe we are in the last month of the Rotary year. As we wind down the year, Donna and I sincerely want you to know how profoundly grateful we are for the opportunity to serve as your District Governor and First Lady.

When we started the year last July, who would have expected that the Rotary theme for the year, Rotary Connects the World, would mean be connecting the world and our District through Zoom meetings from mid-March through mid-June. It’s certainly been a challenging time recently. We have lost some good people and watched and prayed for other struggling with COVID-19, and many of us have faced new financial challenges or the difficulties of confinement. But not even the pandemic has dampened our determination to make this world and our communities a better place. [more]

District 6900 Celebration - June 20, 2020

Celebrate a Unique Year in Rotary

By Bill Woulfin

The Rotary year is rapidly coming to an end and District Governor Jim has planned a District Celebration as a culmination of the efforts and accomplishments for the past Rotary year. The purpose of the celebration is to recognize the Rotary clubs of District 6900 and their leadership for all the Humanitarian projects that they have undertaken. It is a celebration of Rotary; it is a celebration of the good things we do to help the less fortunate people in the world.

I know that there is a lot of concern in getting together because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but I assure you, that everything is being done for this event with the safety of all of our Rotarians taken into consideration. We are operating within the constraints of the latest rules set down by Governor Kemp. We are adhering to these guidelines as the minimum. [more]

From Our District Chaplain

One Lone, Solitary Flag

By Mark Barbour

The picture says it all; one lone, solitary flag. Usually 18,000 flags are placed prior to commemorating Memorial Day honoring the men and women laid to rest in the Marietta National Cemetery who have given their lives serving our Nation’s Armed Forces. But, not this year.

Not this year.

No. Not this year. So much has changed and perhaps rightly so. As my wife and I ventured up the hillside to the Memorial Dais on Memorial Day in the cemetery, there were only a few folks reverently, respectfully pacing the rows of the fallen. I recognized a mother of a soldier, a fine son, whose funeral service I had officiated a few years ago at the Georgia National Military Cemetery in Canton. [more]

Remembering a Past RI President

By Robert Hall

Past Rotary International President Frank Devlyn passed away last week after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Frank was the founder of Ópticas Devlyn and an internationally recognized humanitarian who worked endlessly to help the underprivileged, provide free glasses to those in need and to sponsor vaccination drives throughout the world. … [more]

The Rotary Foundation

Serving Our Local Front Line Super Heroes ... and Making a Huge Difference

By Anne Glenn

District 6900 has a long history of serving the world through our Global Grants. Our financial contributions support other parts of our country, the Caribbean and the world when disaster strikes. This time around Southwest Georgia hard hit by COVID-19. And District 6900 received a $25,000 COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant from The Rotary Foundation. Money from the Foundation's recently created Disaster Relief Fund made it possible for this grant to (in the words of Americus Rotarian Reda Rowell) "provide us an amazing opportunity to bring relief to strained, or impossible, budgets. The supplies not only represent care and concern, they most likely saved lives in this region that has been hit so hard by the often deadly coronavirus."

District Governor Nominee Mary Ligon led the collaborative effort to get this grant and has coordinated with local businesses and our Rotary clubs - including Albany, Americus, Bainbridge, Cordele, Cuthbert, Moultrie, Pelham and Thomasville - to distribute hand sanitizer and face shields that would make a huge difference. "We appreciate the leadership of Mary Ligon in spearheading the grant application process and the efforts of local Rotary clubs across the region to help those in need.”

Check out the photos above and below then click "more" to read the rest of the story. [more]

Serving During the Pandemic

Stone Mountain Creates Signs to Thank Community Essential Workers

By Lizbeth Dison

The Rotary Club of Stone Mountain is showing appreciation for community medical and other essential workers in the month of May. The club created yard signs recognizing these essential workers for their commitment and sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The signs were sold in May for $30 apiece, with a percentage of the proceeds benefiting the Stone Mountain Cooperative Ecumenical Ministry, which provides food, clothing, and personal care items to those in need. [more]

Alpharetta Virtual Donation Derby Party Supports Community in Big Way

By Clark Savage

Saturday, May 2, the Rotary Club of Alpharetta had its first virtual Donation Derby and Party. The idea was to have 20 Alpharetta Rotarian Jockeys race in a virtual Kentucky Derby. Each jockey represented one of 20 different local organizations to raise money. The jockeys used their networks, and the club relied heavily upon social media to get the word out. We used Classy.org as the vehicle to collect the donations and Zoom and Facebook Live to do the virtual race party. Our goal was to raise $75,000. [more]

District 6900 Cookbook

Last Call for Recipes - June 5!

By Mary Trapp

District Governor Jim Squire has some of us busy working on the Rotary 6900 Cookbook. His intent is to have it printed in cookbook form and made available to each of us.

Many clubs have already sent some pretty interesting recipes. We have Old Fashion & Mint Julep beverages along with recipes for Shrimp and Grits, Buttermilk Pound Cake, Samosa, Fried Chicken, Amaretto Shrimp to name a few! [more]

Joe Stockman (President Elect) and Shelley Elder (Service Chair) take break from volunteering to distribute food for Forever Fed in Kennesaw, GA to present a check for over $1600 to Betsy Matthews (Development Director at YMCA Of Metro Atlanta)

Serving During the Pandemic

North Cobb Supports YMCA Program for Children of First Responders

By Joseph Stockman

The YMCA is so much more than a gym. Now in the face of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, the Y has quickly adapted programs to meet the most pressing needs of Atlanta’s children, seniors, and families. The needs the Y is serving today are compelling and urgent. The YMCA has activated a childcare program that serves children ages six weeks to 12 to support essential workers: hospital staff, first responders, and frontline workers (law enforcement, firefighters, grocery store workers, etc.) who must continue working. The Childcare Program for children of essential workers is morphing into Summer Camp for the children of essential workers. It is serving the same function of providing childcare so essential workers can go to work but it is in a fun, camp, environment. [more]

Pam Milling, Auxiliary Services Liaison for Piedmont Henry, Torrie Sunstrom and Wells Wheeler with the Rotary Club of Henry County

Serving During the Pandemic

Henry County Provides Lunches for Healthcare Workers at Piedmont Henry

By Torrie Sunstrom

On April 24, The Rotary Club of Henry County teamed up with a local McDonough restaurant - P.J.’s Café located on the McDonough Square - to provide 100 hot lunches to the healthcare workers at Piedmont Henry Hospital.

As Rotarians, we proudly call ourselves "people of action." We serve our community year-round, and especially during times of crisis. We wanted to help motivate them and let them know they’re not forgotten and much they are appreciated for what they are doing. [more]

Serving During the Pandemic

Operation Chick-Mar

By Christopher Bethel

It’s a great day to be a ROTARIAN, especially from The Rotary Club of Marietta!”, exclaimed President, Christopher Bethel. On this day, Tuesday May 12, and the day before, under the code name “Operation Chick-Mar," the Rotary Club of Marietta served Chick-fil-A lunches to the two Section 8 Senior Housing facilities (Walton Renaissance on Henderson and The Tower at Dorsey Manor) in the City of Marietta. The project was joint effort of Chick-fil-A, the Rotary Club and the Marietta Housing Authority.

During the pandemic, The Rotary Club of Marietta has served children, college students, not-for-profits and now Senior Citizens.
[more]

Serving During the Pandemic

Lake Spivey/Clayton County Delivers Needed Healthcare Supplies

By Ron Swofford

During the last several weeks, Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey/Clayton County have reacted to the Coronavirus as people of action, responding to the current needs at several hospitals, rehabilitation, and nursing facilities in the community by providing critical supplies of sanitizer, gloves, and masks. One of the recipients has been Piedmont Henry Hospital.

The first photo shows Hospital Community Engagement Specialist Pam Milling, Hospital Rehab Director Brenda Chupp, and Hospital Director of Community Relations Donna Braddy near a wagon filled with supplies. The second includes Rotarians Manohar Nallathambi, Tom Mertl, and Paddy Sharma, Hospital Director of Community Relations Donna Braddy, and Rotarians Claudia Mertl and Lata Chinnan are holding baskets and a banner near the Hospital door. [more]

Who are these masked souls? Connie and Bess McGhin of Touch of Grace Catering and Tamara Ison, President of Wellstar Spalding Regional, with staff members who received and then distributed the meals.

Serving During the Pandemic

Griffin Club Caterer Serving Wellstar Spalding Regional

By CHARLES PENNY Penny

Showing their support of all our families, neighbors and community, the Rotary Club of Griffin has extended their personal practice of social distancing through virtual club board meetings and the clubs weekly lunch meetings. This was unusual, but most are enjoying the short-term change. However, several members of the club noted … [more]

Serving During the Pandemic

Peachtree City Busy on All Fronts

By Mandy Timmons

When times get tough in our local community, the Peachtree City Rotary and Rotaract Clubs are here to respond! Over the last eight weeks of quarantine, these organizations have come together to support multiple groups in the community.

• Our HEROES at Fayette Piedmont – PTC Rotary wanted to ‘Feed our MEDs’ and put out a call to action on a Friday afternoon. The plan was to be able to feed one or two departments at the hospital. With the response from the club members, other local individuals and Webb & Taylor, LLC, with financial donations and the support of Rotarian, Ant Murphy (Georgia Shrimp), they were able to feed all 300 members on staff at the hospital.
[more]

RI Convention 2020

Join Rotary International's Virtual Convention June 20-26

By Jackie Cuthbert

As most of us know, the Rotary International Convention scheduled for Honolulu, Hawaii this June was cancelled due to the Coronavirus. Rotary International recently announced that it would be welcoming the world of Rotary to a virtual convention - from June 20-26.

RI has issued a list of dates and times for Virtual Convention programming. As you can see, the convention does not run the entire day, but instead will be broadcast at a few set times each day. Additionally, if you miss the live broadcasts, they will be readily available on the convention website, providing some flexibility for you and your event attendees to participate at your own convenience. The Virtual Convention is free to all attendees, however, there will be a sign in process in order to access the programming. Detailed Instructions for this process will be provided before the event. [more]

Serving During the Pandemic

Rotary Club of Americus Salutes High School Heroes

By Angela Smith

The Rotary Club of Americus is proud to recognize local high school seniors who have chosen to enlist in the United States Armed Forces following graduation. Recognizing that over 70% or our nation’s youth are not eligible for recruitment into the armed forces, Americus Rotary sought to recognize those high school heroes from Sumter County who made the decision to enlist in military service.

In early May, six local seniors were recognized by Rotary and presented duffle bags for their send off. In the pocket was a Four Way Test Coin - included with the hope that each question emblazoned on the coin serves as a guidepost for the six high school heroes: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? [more]

Midtown Atlanta's President Meredith Regains was recently featured in a "City Lifestyle of Atlanta" article entitled "Meet 5 Midtown Atlanta Women Who Influence Our Community. You can read the article about this Executive Director of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts by clicking the link at the end of this Midtown Atlanta story

Club News

What Midtown Atlanta Learned While Sheltering at Home

By Rocky Ford

Editor's Note: Sounds like the title of a paper a teacher might ask a student to write on return from summer vacation. Here's Midtown Atlanta's perspective on the silver lining of our shelter at home.

Like every other club on the planet, Midtown Atlanta Rotary Club has had to make some adjustments to their meetings during the Covid crisis. ZOOM has been a resource to many, and we are no exception. Rather than wait, we started hosting our meetings on that platform in late March. The club has about 77 members and we have been averaging about 62% attendance which is about the same as we were getting at Ansley Golf Club!

Our meetings start with a prayer, and then 20-25 minutes of check-in as members talk about how they are doing. Club President Meredith Regains may call on a few but others chime in and we learn a lot about their lives during the pandemic. We have had remarkably interesting programs, have continued with our membership recruiting with the result of two new member inductions and two classification talks, and we have approved for membership a prospective member who has only attended these ZOOM meetings! He will be inducted in June. We have a robust list of prospective members. [more]

GRSP Update

Sad News for Students and Rotarians

By Lynn Clarke

For the first time in nearly 75 years, we will miss smiling faces like these, as there will be no students coming from all over the world to participate in a program unlike any in Rotary. The executive committee of the Georgia Rotary Student Program made the unhappy decision to defer the program until next year - Fall 2021 - to make a small attempt to keep students, Rotarians and Rotarian families a little safer and to allow students to make alternate plans for their academic year. [more]

From a GRSP Alumnus ...

Yes Peace Is Possible!

By Lynn Clarke

I remember vividly the day I got accepted into the GRSP program, I screamed and woke my family up in the middle of the night, I could not contain my joy. Coming to America for the first time in my life I would say was a bit scary because I did not know what to expect and how I would be treated but so far my experience has been nothing short of amazing. I arrived here and the people who welcomed me were as warm as ever, and that was when I knew that this would be the best year of my life.

One of my greatest joy in being part of GRSP was meeting my host families and clubs and honestly they felt like being home, I never felt different with any of them and was treated like 1 was part of the family. We had breakfast together, cooked and baked together and whenever I spoke to my family back home, they were always excited to know that I was being well taken care of and believe me I was truly happy. [more]

Membership

​Flexibility in Membership

By Jaclyn Donovan

Maintaining flexibility as a club may prove to be valuable strategy to attract and retain members as we look forward to resuming a more “normal” meeting schedule sometime soon. Having the ability to engage members while still practicing social distancing as needed may become the new rule rather than the exception, so it’s never too soon to start gathering ideas on how you and your club might make things work. [more]

Sorry for the Error

District Family of Rotary

By Jackie Cuthbert

Apologies to Lisa Carlisle of the Roswell Rotary Club - our District Family of Rotary Chair - for not presenting her name correctly in the Memorial Day Edition of the District Newsletter. And thanks for the challenges she's provided to each of us during the Stay at Home ... to learn more about each other and honor those serving our community and country. Take a moment as you read this to think about someone you appreciate for keeping Rotary going during the Stay at Home and/or to reach out to someone from your club who you haven't talked to for awhile. It's all in the spirit of our Family of Rotary. Thanks Lisa for inspiring us! [more]