Announcements/Committee Reports
President Will Gruver called the meeting to order. He announced the Board of Directors for 2022-2023. Will highlighted that Paul Harris was Rotary International's founder. Fun fact: the very first service project was installing public toilets outside of the Chicago City Hall a century ago.
Our new GRSP student Beatriz Hashimoto is here after 28 hours of traveling in late July. Meagen Burrows and her husband are hosting and representing Metro of the four clubs hosting Beatriz. She has moved into the dorms at the Armstrong campus of Georgia Southern University.
Our Annual Service Partner Brightside's newest Bright House on Wheaton St. is close to being ready to receive people in need of service. Metro has helped over two service days on July 30 and Aug. 6 to paint and assemble furniture. There will be more projects coming from our Service Committee...stay tuned!
Guests
Emily Doherty is the Marketing Director with Great Oaks Banks and was guest of Cecilia Arango
Featured Speaker: Whitney Shephard
Our own MetRotarian Whitney Shephard serves beyond our club as our Rotary District 6920 Assistant District Governor, serving the Area including Metro, Rotary Club of Savannah (Downtown), Sunrise Rotary, and Skidaway Island Rotary. She embodies the spirit of what being a Rotarian truly means. 6920 is being lead by a dynamic District Governor and great things are happening! Highlights from her remarks:
- This year marks the first time Rotary International is being led by a female president, Jennifer E. Jones of Ontario, Canada.
- Jennifer worked with an Aboriginal artist to create this year's logo to capture the Imagine Rotary theme, with each dot around the circle representing the Seven Areas of Focus.
- District Governor (6920) Heather Kellen is a Physical Therapist from the Rotary Club of Perry. Her theme this year is to "Dream Big, Serve Big" and is challenging the District to raise a total of $1M roughly equivalent to $333 per member! Read more about these goals on the new District website here.
- Kellen encourages D6920 Rotarians to "cast a line and not a net" to grow our membership. Be intentional in inviting guests and sponsoring members. Seek those who want to be Rotarians, not just members of a Rotary club.
- Paul Harris Society, Bequest Society and the RI Foundation can be a part of your legacy as a Rotarian.
- The newest 7th Area of Focus is Supporting the Environment in which Global Grants projects can support - the 2018-2019 RI President Barry Rassin from the Bahamas saw first-hand what hurricanes and climate change were doing to his beloved island country.
- Rotary is proud to support girls from the local, national and international communities such as Girls on the Run (USA and Canada), Girl Scouts of the USA, and Happy Schools (India)
- When disaster happens and Ask yourself:
- What is your purpose and your passion?
- What is your Rotary dream?
- How can we partner with other organizations in our community such as the Lions' Club
- With 1.4 Millions members worldwide, 47 million volunteer hours, and $333 Million awarded in grants, we should be very proud to be Rotarians!
- Mark your calendars for two upcoming important dates:
- Tues., Oct. 4th - District Governor Heather Kellen visiting Metro
- April 27-30, 2023 - District Conference at Callaway Gardens (Metro is hosting the Friday night event)