Our Stories
COLONEL (RETIRED) TODD FREESEMANN announced as new District Governor of  Rotary District 6920 | Non-Profit Organizations |  savannahbusinessjournal.comGuest SpeakerDavid Jones, Site Administrator, Pin Point Heritage Museum

Preserving the Story of Pin Point

Since joining Pin Point Heritage Museum in August 2018, site administrator David Jones has been dedicated to educating the public about one of Savannah’s most important cultural treasures. Beginning his work as a resource educator, Jones has spent years engaging visitors and sharing the rich history of the Gullah/Geechee community that has called Pin Point home for generations.

Nestled along the banks of the Moon River, Pin Point is a historic Gullah/Geechee community established in the late 1800s. The museum is housed in the former A.S. Varn & Son Oyster and Crab Factory—once a central workplace for many community members—and tells the story of Pin Point through immersive exhibits that highlight language, foodways, traditions, and daily life. As part of the Coastal Heritage Society, the museum offers a rare opportunity to learn about this close-knit African American fishing community and its enduring legacy.

The Gullah/Geechee people are descendants of West Africans known for their expertise in rice cultivation. Enslaved along the coastal islands of the Lowcountry, they were able to preserve much of their cultural heritage due to geographic isolation. After General Sherman’s arrival, formerly enslaved people were briefly granted land ownership through the promise of “40 acres and a mule”—a promise later reversed under President Andrew Johnson. Despite this setback, Gullah/Geechee communities continued to sustain their culture and traditions.

In the late 1890s, a devastating series of hurricanes reshaped the coastal islands, forcing many families to relocate. While much land was sold, Pin Point’s lack of road access limited development, allowing the community to remain intact. The area eventually became a self-sustaining village, supported by thriving seafood operations that provided stable employment and strengthened community life.

Plan Your Visit
📍 Open Thursday–Saturday | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Save the Date
🎨🦪 March 25Art & Oysters Fundraiser at Pin Point Heritage Museum
Click here to learn more and support this vital cultural landmark.

    image
     
    GUESTS:​​
    •  
    • Sarah Porter- Director of Grey’s Reef-National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (guest of Julie Wade)

    • Kristen Berger- Business Development Officer Mag Mutual (Guest of Florence Slatinsky)

    • Torlef Borsting- Savannah Voice Festival Executive Director (Rotary club of Deland)

    • Julio Alberto-Morales-Alvarez (current GRSP) 

    • Patrick Longstreth- filmmaker (Guest of Jamie Arkins)

    • Carrie Friend Regional Philanthropy Officer with Red Cross (Guest of Emily Doherty)

     

    SERVICE: 

    • See Events Calendar for all service opportunities and sign up online
    • Subscribe to Metro’s Calendar: Click Here. Click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

     

    GRSP/GYESE:

    • Host families needed! Click Here

     

    ASP:

    • Application for our next ASP is live- share with anyone who fills the following services:
    • Peace Building & Conflict Prevention
    • Disease Prevention and Treatment
    • Child & Mental Health

    Application Link: Click Here

     

    SAVE THE DATE: Vote on presenters May 5th

     

    PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS:

    • Paul Harris: Alfred McGuire, Emily Salzer
    • Paul Harris + 1: Chris Corey, Aaron Miller, Florence Slatinsky
    • Paull Harris + 2: Suzannae Kirk, Jason Somers
    • Paul Harris + 7 : Jeff Brady
     
    NEW MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM:
    • Rachel Tilghman
    • Laura Brock
    • Kat Erickson
    • Chelsea Simpson
     

    PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS:

    • Rachel Tilghman attended Chapman University and works as an Area Vice President at Braze Solutions Consulting, where she leads the North and South America teams, partnering with well-known brands like Wendy’s, Burger King, Grubhub, and Canva to design and deliver customer engagement solutions that scale. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, customer engagement, and technology, Rachel combines strategy, creativity, and technology to help organizations build meaningful connections with their audiences. She is passionate about supporting women in STEM and contributing to Savannah’s growing technology scene. Rachel is also deeply committed to community service. She currently serves as VP of Fundraising for the Junior League of Savannah, is active in the Cuyler-Brownsville Neighborhood Association, participates in her local neighborhood group on W. 36th Street, and hosts an annual toy drive through the Buy Nothing Group of Midtown. Originally from Richmond, VA, Rachel has lived all over—attending college in Southern California, living in Chicago, New Zealand (where she first joined Rotary), and Austin—before putting down roots in Savannah in 2022. Outside of work and volunteerism, she enjoys horseback riding with her horse, Elmo, and walks with her Cavapoo Welly around Forsyth Park.
      • Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Elizabeth Summerell
    • Kat Erickson is the Senior Program Manager for Savannah Tree Foundation and often runs their events. In her free time, she loves partnering with friends at FUN Savannah and Ice Tub Club. She would love to designate time to further involve herself with organizations outside of work. She is ridiculously awesome at connecting people and making good ideas actually happen, by bringing enthusiasm, organization, and a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to service and community work. She moved here in 2023 and married my husband in Forsyth Park; he works at Gulfstream, and they have loved building their lives in Savannah. They share their home with their Springer Spaniel, Konza, who keeps them active and outdoors as they explore the city they now call home.
      • Sponsors: Whitney Shepperd, Leigh Acevedo
    • Laura Brock is a retired award winning art director ( 6 Emmy’s) for television and Film, and most recently, theater - she is most proud of her philanthropic work for No Strings International, https://www.nostrings.org.uk/our-story as well as her work on Johnny and the Sprites for Playhouse (Disney) Her career spans Art Director - Set designer in Children's Television - Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Where in the Time is Carmen San Diego, Sesame Street - 2 home videos, Between the Lions for Pbs, and television props builder for the Dr oz show, art director for ABC'S the Chew, assisted on One life to Live, and All My Children. Movies are New Jack City, A Perfect Murder, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn - Comedy Central.
      • Sponsors: Ruth Hutson and Katie Rudder-Fender

     

    COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE: 
    • Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
    • Send your member news and BFW/announcements to Katie and Kristin
     
    Need a new name tag?

    Just email Emily Doherty your preferred name and classification so we can get it updated for you!
     
    💡 Who to Contact:
    • Membership Questions? → Email Emily & Florence

    • Communications Questions? → Email Katie & Kristin

    • Ideas for Future Meetings? → Email Deanna & Danille

     
     
      Upcoming Events
      From the President
       

       

      A Message from Our President

      Welcome to Metro Savannah Rotary!

      After five years as a proud member of this club, I can confidently say that Savannah is so much more than beautiful trees, historic buildings, and weekend bridal parties downtown—it’s about people. It’s about the people who live here, the people who make it home, and the people who seek out connection, purpose, and service through organizations like Metro Rotary.

      Metro has introduced me to a community of leaders who prove, time and again, that you are never too busy to lend a strong back to a service project, never too proud to pick up trash to keep our city clean, never too important to show up for someone in need, and never too isolated to start a new friendship.

      This Rotary year, we will continue in true Metro fashion:

      • Serving our community with heart and hands,

      • Building meaningful relationships across generations and neighborhoods,

      • Supporting the next generation of leaders, and

      • Being, as always, ridiculously awesome.

      If you’re looking for a place to connect, give back, and grow alongside some of the finest folks in Savannah, Metro Rotary might be the place for you.

      In service and gratitude,
      George Washington Seaborough III
      President, Metro Savannah Rotary Club, 2025–2026

      president@metrosavannahrotary.org

      2025–2026 Board
      Club Leadership & Board Members
      President
      President Elect
      Immediate Past President
      Treasurer
      Secretary
      Service Chair Co-Chair
      Service Chair Co-Chair
      Disaster Response Chair
      Family of Rotary
      Foundation
      Grants Chair
      Interact
      GRSP Liaison
      Membership – Retention
      Membership – Recruitment
      Programming Co Chair
      Programming Co Chair
      Communications Co Chair
      Communications Co Chair
      Communications Co Chair
      Sergeant-at-Arms Co-Chair
      Sergeant-at-Arms Co-Chair
      Club Information
      We meet In Person
      Tuesdays at 11:45 AM
      JEA
      5111 Abercorn Street
      Savannah, GA 31405
      United States of America
      Meetings are every 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 11:45 a.m with the program starting at noon. Additional events are listed in our calendar on the Events tab.