District Newsletter

From Our District Governor

You Still Have Time

By André Marria

We have three months to go and we're almost there! Make Club Membership top Priority!  I need your help! let's make it happen with action, attitude, and a little extra effort!

When I was in Middle School, I received the prefect poem which helped me in developing a positive mindset.  As we draw closer to our finish line, I am sharing it with you in hopes that you never stop believing you can achieve anything.

The Man Who Thinks He Can ... by Walter D.  Wintl

If you think you are beaten, you are
If you think you dare not, you don’t,
If you like to win, but you think you can’t
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
[more]

DG Andre with Amy Benton, Nancy Prochaska, Matt Jarrard, Lisa Gelber and the President of the Americus Club, sponsor of the Sheffield Awards

Congrulations Sheffield and Club of the Year Award Recipients!

By Jackie Cuthbert

Congratulations to these individuals and clubs for having the best year you could imagine:

Sheffield Award Recipients

• Category 1: Lisa Gelber (North Fulton)
• Category 2: Matt Jarrard (Vinings Cumberland)
• Category 3: Nancy Prochaska (North Cobb)
• Category 4: Amy Benton (Peachtree City)

Club of the Year Awards

• Category 1: Best - North Fulton; Runner-Up - Meriwether County (Warm Springs)
• Category 2: Best – Vinings Cumberland, Runner-Up – Atlanta West End
• Category 3: Best - North Cobb, Runner-Up - Marietta
• Category 4: Best – Peachtree City, Runner-Up - Alpharetta
[more]

District Awards

Teri White, Rotarian of the Year

By Jackie Cuthbert

Congratulations to Teri White of the Rotary Club of Thomasville, who was selected by this year's District Governor to be Rotarian of the Year. Teri is our District Treasurer, serves on the GRSP Foundation Board, and has worked on numerous assignments in support of Rotary and the District. She became a Frank Bentley Fellow in GRSP this year, with accumulated contributions of $25,000, and was the successful bidder on a special Rotary tie at District Conference, with proceeds going to End Polio Now. 
[more]

DGND Cynthia Edwards, Follow Me award winner Buck Buchanan and DG Andre Marria

District Awards

Assistant Governors Honored for Their Work

By Jackie Cuthbert

Carlton “Buck” Buchanan (RC of Marietta Metro) was honored with the Follow Me Award. Presented by the RC of Stone Mountain, this award is presented to the best assistant governor of the year, in honor of PDG Al Lipphardt. Buck has served in that role for the RC of Marietta, North Cobb, Paulding County, Polk County and South Cobb.

DG Andre Marria also honored these Assistant Governors who are completing their service in that role: Rene Smith (RC of Americus), Ryan Swertfager (RC of Carollton Dawnbreakers), Tyler Townsend (RC of Columbus), Wynita Cannon (RC of Dougherty County), Susan Ferguson (RC of LaGrange), and Steve Ivory (RC of Peachtree City). [more]

GRSP News

GRSP Recognizes Students and Supporters

By Katheryne Fields

Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) honored multiple recipients at the District 6900 Conference. Will Pridgeon of the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Americus, received the Will Watt Award presented by the Rotary Club of Thomasville and selected by the Rotary Club of Pelham as emulating the ideals of GRSP, while Rotary Club of Roswell named Peace Cyebukayire of Rwanda as the Donald and Barbara Thomas Peace Award recipient for exhibiting the spirit of the GRSP.

The Rotary Club of Sandy Springs presented a District Level Award in honor of Frank E. Bentley, Sr. GRSP Leadership Award to Debbie Goodman of the Rotary Club of Thomasville for her leadership in promoting GRSP. And the Rotary Club of Griffin honored the clubs with the highest cumulative contributions to the GRSP Foundation in categories 1 to 4. The honor is named in memory of GRSP Fellow Jake Cheatham, a former member of the Rotary Club of Griffin who faithfully served GRSP in leadership as secretary and treasurer for more than 30 years. Winners included Category 1 (1-30 Members) Muscogee-Columbus, Category 2 (31-59 Members) Camilla, Category 3 (60-99 Members) Carrollton and Category 4 (100+ Members) Thomasville.
[more]

From District Conference

I See You Awards

By André Marria

DG André created the "I See You" award to provide special recognition for individuals who had worked hard to amplify Rotary over the course of this year. They included:

Rotary Means Business

Join Rotary Means Business April 23

By Carter Stout

Rotary Means Business District 6900 will hold its monthly networking meeting on April 23, 2024 from 6-8PM at the new Politan Row at Ashford Lane in the Perimeter Center area. This month's sponsor is the Rotary Club of Roswell.  Everyone that registers no later than April 22, 2024 (6PM) will get a free beer or wine. 

To register, go to https://lnkd.in/eCPVyJd5.  The pre-registration will also enable up to distribute a list of attendees at the event. [more]

Laws of Life

Celebrating Success: Georgia Laws of Life School Winners Shine Bright!

By Linda Hatten

We are thrilled to announce and celebrate the exceptional achievements of the students named as Georgia Laws of Life School Winners! Their dedication and eloquence in expressing their personal narratives through the Laws of Life essay have left us inspired and deeply moved. Check out the announcement video on our GLL YouTubechannel.

Each of these remarkable students has demonstrated incredible courage in sharing their invaluable lessons from the past and their aspirations for the future. Their essays serve as testament to their resilience, wisdom, and unwavering spirit. [more]

Our Rotary Foundation

A Reminder about the Difference Our Giving Can Make

By André Marria

As we reminded you last month, we stand on the brink of achieving our Rotary Foundation fundraising goals. 

Our Rotary Foundation at Work Take advantage of the $2,000 District Community Grant for 2024-2025 By Kay Williamson District 6900 Grant Funds are available for projects that will begin during the 2024-2025 Rotary year. District Grants are $2,000 this year and are intended to support a compelling project that will meet an identified need in a community that falls within Rotary's seven areas of focus  and that will involve the active participation of Rotarians. The District must accept the Community Grant application by May 15, 2024. This grant program is part of The Rotary Foundation (TRF). TRF distributes funds for District Grants to Clubs, and the specific amount each year is based on how much the District clubs contributed to the Rotary Annual Fund three years earlier. Therefore, the dollar amount available for grants varies each year; increased giving to the Annual Fund increases the amount available for Grants. Read on to learn more about Community Grant Criteria. Don't hesitate to contact Kay Williamson, District Community Grants Chair, at 706.302.2614 if you have any questions. [more]

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Women of Impact Rotarians Standing Strong Together Supporting Women's Advancement By Syd Padala In a world where women continue to face multifaceted challenges, celebrating their achievements and contributions is not just a gesture of recognition—it's a crucial step towards empowering change. The Women of Impact Awards Ceremony, coupled with fundraising for NGOs tackling women's issues, stands as a beacon of hope and solidarity for women everywhere. We cordially invite you to join us for this black-tie night where we will honor exceptional women, enjoy opera singing, music, dance, selfie booths, dinner, while also committing to making a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most. The Women of Impact Awards Ceremony takes place Saturday, April 27 at 4:30 pm at the Hotel Marriott, 246 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE, Atlanta 30346.  [more]

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Club News Happy 100th Birthday Newnan! By Nicholas Ramey The Rotary Club of Newnan is celebrating its 100th year of service. On February 29, the club hosted its Century Gala, an evening filled with music, bar, dancing, delicious food and inspiring speeches. The semi-formal event offers the opportunity to mingle with community leaders, fellow Rotarians and special guest speakers. A live auction featured several unique items with all proceeds going towards supporting local initiatives and charitable work. Rotary Club President Kevin Barbee commented, “I am very honored to have been selected as President during the Rotary Club’s Centennial year, The legacy of this club serving the community reaches far and wide. It truly models the Rotary motto of Service Above Self. I am excited that we can share this time with so many who have given their time as Rotarians." [more]

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Club News Happy New Beginnings - Satellite Rotary Club of Georgetown Quitman By Patricia Goodman The Rotary Club of Cuthbert is proud to announce that they are the host club of the Satellite Rotary Club of Georgetown Quitman. It has taken quite some time to complete all of the requirements, but on March 1, 2024, it was finalized. This relationship will strengthen the Cuthbert Rotary Club, while we support and build up the Satellite Club of Georgetown Quitman. We look forward to the opportunities that this relationship will bring to Randolph and Quitman Counties. [more]

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Club News And Happy 100th Birthday to Griffin! By Jackie Cuthbert In March, the Rotary Club of Griffin celebrated its 100th Anniversary in style with Past International President, John Germ and many of our District leaders and Rotary friends and family. Imagine 100 years of service to the community! Past Rotary International President John Germ delivered a most inspiring speech . Many thanks to John and … [more]

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Strike Out Human Trafficking By Dave McCleary Join fellow Rotarians for a fun day out at Truist Park cheering on our Atlanta Braves while supporting our efforts to fight Human Trafficking. Tickets are going fast so be sure to GET YOURS TODAY. We hope to see you at the ballpark! [more]

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Club News March in Roswell: Ear Buds, Athletes and Governor Kemp By Becky Nelson Roswell Rotary Club was busy in March: Service Projects and the Governor! Our AfterHours Club cleaned and sanitized hundreds of earbuds repurposed from the Rotary International Conference in Australia that historically end up in the trash. The brainchild of DGE Gordon Owens who brought bags of them back, they will now be gifted to students who need them through local school systems when a learning device is issued. We also hosted our 27th Roswell Relays Track & Field meet through Roswell High School with 25  teams participating. And the highlight of March has to be that we hosted Governer Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp for our March 14th lunch meeting. [more]

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Club News Interact Delivers Coffee Surprise! By Nancy Prochaska The North Cobb Rotary Club sponsors the Kennesaw Mountain High Interact Club.  This year they chose the offer a Teacher Appreciation Coffee on the morning before Spring Break!  Delicious cold and hot beverages were created by Cash and Carter Coffee and delivered to teachers … [more]

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Club News Dr. Subra Bhat Honored with Clayton County Medical Pillar Award By Claudia Mertl The Atlanta Southern Crescent Rotary Club heartily congratulates Dr. Subra Bhat who was awarded the Prestigious Clayton County Medical Pillar Award by Good Shepherd Clinic for his excellent community and volunteer service. The club is proud to have Dr. Bhat as a member. The Good Shepherd Clinic is the medical facility for those in Clayton County who are not insured.  [more]

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Club News North Fulton Enjoys Family of Rotary By Lisa Gelber Rotary Club of North Fulton held a fun Family of Rotary event in March at the home of Rotarian Thomas Nolfa and his wife, Donna.  Rotarians gathered to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a Chili Cook-Off. The five different chilis were delicious and there was delicious cake to help celebrate a birthday. Our members are grateful for our relationships with each other and this event was a great way to get to know newer members better. [more]

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Club News Douglas County Tours Water Treatment Plant By Nell Boggs With Rotary's focus for March on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, it was fitting for the Rotary Club of Douglas County held its March 11 meeting at the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority's Bear Creek Water Treatment Plant. Members enjoyed a tour of the state-of-the-art facility. We are proud that WSA's Executive Director Gil Shearouse is an active member of the Rotary Club of Douglas County! [more]

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