The North Cobb Rotary Club has been busy on many fronts during the last month with several projects benefiting the local community and one for the women and children of Nigeria. 

• Pad A Girl Project | Creating a Sustainable Future for Young Girls: Club International Service Chair Lao hosted a tea party to help fund the Pad-a-Girl project, which provides women and girls in Nigeria with the tools to make reusable feminine hygiene products. You can support the effort as well by purchasing a raffle ticket for a chance to win $1,000 off a cruise.
• Forever Fed: During this time of uncertainty and rising food insecurity, North Cobb Rotarians joined with prospective members and a local church group to package food for local families in need. As cars drove around the Depot in Kennesaw, they were greeted by friendly Rotarians who loaded a box of food into each vehicle to help offset monthly grocery expenses. The service project supported more than 70 families.
• AED for the City of Kennesaw | Our Grant Dollars At Work: The club used its community grant funding to purchase and stock a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to be stored on the City of Kennesaw’s event vehicle. Although we hope it never has to be used, this AED has the potential to save the lives of community members who may experience an emergency while attending a city event. NCRC is committed to making our communities safer through everyday actions such as this.
• Foster Friendly - Georgia Kids Belong | Supporting the Case for Foster Families: The club sponsored and attended the Foster Friendly event at the Acworth Community Center to learn more about foster families, this underserved community, and ways to get engaged.
• Honoring Our Service Heroes: What a great morning to celebrate our North Cobb Rotary veterans. From left to right: Dan Kirk, U.S. Marines; Bob Hovey, U.S. Army; Brian Moore, U.S. Army; Rick Shumpert, U.S. Navy; Bob Johnson, U.S. Army; Kevin Mitchell, U.S. Navy; and Lee Pence, U.S. Army. Not pictured: Glenn Reese, U.S. Air Force; Jon Allen, U.S. Air Force; Charles Evans, U.S. Navy; and Bruce Goddard, U.S. Navy. NCRC hosted a roundtable discussion with our veterans to thank them for their service and to hear their stories, which they graciously shared with the club.
• Men's Extension Dinner | Serving Thanksgiving Dinner with our Community: Continuing our monthly service project with The Extension, North Cobb Rotary Club members cook, serve, and share a meal with program participants. Members sit alongside participants to listen, learn, and connect. Breaking bread together creates space for deeper understanding and fosters meaningful relationships. This service project not only allows members to share their talents by preparing delicious meals, but also gives them the opportunity to connect with individuals who are working hard to transform their lives.
• Kennesaw Veterans Day Luncheon: Club members joined the City of Kennesaw Parks and Recreation Department to serve food to veterans in the community. Participants heard from Dr. Brian Moore about the importance of mental health advocacy and learned about the resources available through Kennesaw State University.

In addition to all its service projects in November, the club took time to welcome new members and a special guest from across the pond:

• New Member Orientation:  To equip new members with the best tools, resources, and guidance for service, the North Cobb Rotary Club leadership team joined their newest members for a New Member Orientation. Long-term members shared their Rotary journeys and what has kept them involved for so many years. New members also used the time to ask questions and gain a better understanding of how to engage with the club. As always, the event was graciously hosted by Dave and Jenny in their beautiful home.
• Building Bridges Across the Pond: We had a special Rotarian, Uzo Analunam, join the club for a meeting all the way from the Rotary Club of Elstree-Borehamwood in the UK. Uzo has been friends with Past President Ada Wikina for more than 40 years. She has served her community through her work in social services, sharing programs, services, and resources with those in need. An example of Rotarians serving others around the world. Uzo brought her club banner to exchange with Club President Jose Gonzalez.