Events

Do you like breakfast?  

I'm sure you do!  Do you like breakfast with your favorite Rotarians though?  I bet you'll jump for this opportunity!  

Meet on Thursday, August 15 at 8:00 AM at Goose Feathers on 39 Barnard Street in Savannah!  

Join us, bring a friend, have a cup of coffee, or stay for breakfast!

Please register so I'll know how many seats to reserve!

Thanks,

Clint Murphy 

Darrell Naylor-Johnson (Vice President for SCAD Savannah), Michelle Gavin (Executive Director of Communications) and Katie Holderness (Executive Director, Friends of SCAD) will present to the club about SCAD’s economic impact on Savannah.

Darrell Naylor-Johnson joined SCAD in 1992 as a Professor of Foundation Studies. In 2000, after several years of leading community art and mural collaborations throughout Savannah, Naylor-Johnson was appointed Dean of the School of Fine Arts. Since then, he has impacted the SCAD community as a leader in numerous roles including Academic Programs Manager, Senior Director of Library Services, Assistant Vice President for Academic Services, Vice President for SCAD eLearning, and Interim Associate Vice President for SCAD Atlanta. Naylor-Johnson currently serves as Vice President for SCAD Savannah. In his capacity as Vice President for SCAD Savannah, Naylor-Johnson is responsible for the leadership of the university’s location in Savannah. As an active contributor to the Savannah community, Naylor-Johnson has served on numerous organization and agency boards, including the West Broad Street YMCA, Beach Institute African American Cultural Center, and the Georgia Department of Children and Youth Services. He currently serves on the Board of Visit Savannah, the Mayor’s REAL Taskforce, the Advisory Board of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, and the vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. 

Michelle Gavin is the executive director of communications for SCAD's PR and marketing department. She works with local and national media to produce features on SCAD student and alumni success, amazing events like the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, and university initiatives such as SCAD SERVE and SCADpro.  Prior to joining the SCAD family in 2018, Michelle was the head of communications for the city of Savannah and was a news reporter for WTOC and WJCL TV.

With a degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia, Katie Holderness brings a wealth of design experience to her role as Executive Director of Friends of SCAD. Over the years she has honed her professional skills working in garden, floral, and event design in London and New York City. Returning to Georgia in 2017, Holderness joined SCAD and today, she leverages her expertise in a new role leading the Friends of SCAD team members in Savannah and Atlanta. Katie fosters creativity, community, and collaboration in all of her endeavors to achieve the collective goals and mission of SCAD.

Join us at the Wexford Pub, the newest addition to City Market for our August Social on 8/27! We will gather at the upstairs bar.  

***THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN CANCELLED***

We just heard from Second Harvest that they had a group come in yesterday and they were very efficient and packed it all up. The SH team is very appreciative of us jumping in, but they no longer need our help. Thanks for everyone who signed up!

This is a last minute service project for this Friday afternoon!

The Second Harvest team is ready for us to pack up the donations they received for flood relief during the past few weeks.  Volunteers 12+ are welcome.  Kids 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult.  Please wear closed-toe shoes. 

Metro will be at Tharros Place on Saturday 9/7, helping to spruce things up inside and out, including:

• Mowing
• Pulling weeds & tidying small yard
• Painting
• Organizing
• Other small tasks (installing towel bars, putting sticky "privacy" screening on windows, etc.

Volunteers must be 18 or older.

Please note: To maintain privacy of all Tharros Place residents, all volunteers must complete an NDA (form attached) prior to the event in order to receive the address/location. 

If you already have the address, that means you've previously signed the NDA and that it is still valid - you are all set. 

If you NEED the address, then you should sign a new one. We will not release the address without a signed NDA. Please send completed NDA to Ruth and she will release address.

Join us for Metro Monday at Emmaus House!

Our recurring monthly service project to assist with the soup kitchen at Emmaus House every 2nd Monday of each month.  This service project is for adult volunteers. Minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Volunteer guidelines: https://unitedministriessavannah.org/volunteer-guidelines 

Join us for our September bonus service project with Loop it Up!

We will be joining the students at Butler Elementary School at their open house event to help with garden clean up. We will be cleaning out garden beds and replacing with new ones. Lots of work with dirt-- so bring gloves and shovels if you can, and wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. 

This is a family friendly event, and kids are welcome to join.

Join us for a field trip to ARTS Southeast!  PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE! 

Mission: To make Savannah a destination for art and culture in the Southeast by supporting established and emerging artists, engaging a diverse community with creative programming, and developing awareness and appreciation of the arts.

About: ARTS Southeast is an artist-driven 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Savannah, GA. We support artists through programming that provides space, support and inspiration to emerging and established local, regional and international artists. Our organization fosters a flourishing artistic community in Savannah, celebrating artists of the Southeast by offering support and opportunities to artists at all stages of their careers. We offer 27 below-market rate studios to emerging and established artists, host two galleries, the international ON::View Artist Residency, the locally-focused Incubator Artist Initiative, and we produce IMPACT Art + Culture Magazine. To further engage with our community, we organize a variety of events, such as Sulfur Street Fairs, public art projects that reimagine public space, like the Drive Thru Art Box at Green Truck Pub, Artist Talks, and hands-on artist-led workshops. By offering affordable space, opportunities, and free public access to our programming since our inception in 2014, ARTS Southeast is fulfilling its goal of making art accessible to all. 

Join us for our September social at Starland Yard from 5:30-7:30pm this Tuesday! 

If any Metrotarians want to show off their knowledge, Starland Yard is hosting Trivia from 6:30-8pm. 

Join us for our September Munch at The Smoking Egg located on Ogeechee Road. This will be a great way to engage with Metro Legends and Change Agents Members from our club. Register today!

Topic: The brand new Savannah Music Collective 

Mary Dugas is a seasoned music industry executive with a distinguished career in artist management that began in 1993 in Athens, GA. She has worked in artist management for notable Georgia artists Widespread Panic and Gregg Allman. Currently, she continues to work on music legacy projects with the Gregg Allman Estate and provides management and marketing consulting for various music and community initiatives.

Savannah Music Collective represents a shift in non-profit leadership experience for Mary from governance to management. Since 2018, Mary has been on the Board of Directors for the Savannah Music Festival, where she currently serves as Board Chair. Her prior board experience includes serving on the board of the March of Dimes from 2014 to 2020, where she held the position of Executive Board Chair for Southeast Georgia. She also served as Committee Chair in Marketing and PR for The Savannah Scottish Games from 2010 to 2019.

Mary has a deep-seated passion for music and her hometown of Savannah. She believes in the power of collaboration within the music community. "The concept of uniting the entire Savannah music community for collaboration, professional development, and artist support is fantastic. I’m excited to create an environment where everyone is welcome and we can unlock the full potential of local talent and create a thriving, music scene for all of Savannah to enjoy."

Planning on attending Phil the Park?  Come hang out with fellow Metrotarians! Have a drink and a snack, and enjoy the Savannah Philharmonic.  Set up your own picnic near the Metro Savannah Rotary tables, or just swing by for a spell. Fun for the whole family.

Our tables will be set up on the lawn in front of the band shell, parallel to the Civil War memorial monument. Free parking available at Seacrest Partners, at the corner of Park and Whitaker (thanks, Jessica Pedigo)!

If you plan on coming, we could use some help with set up and clean up. Those wanting to set up, meet Erika Morrow by the Civil War memorial monument at 4:30 p.m.

If you only plan to attend, please register with the "members" button under Online Registration. If you can volunteer, select the volunteer link as well.

Join us for Metro Monday at Emmaus House!

Our recurring monthly service project to assist with the soup kitchen at Emmaus House every 2nd Monday of each month.  This service project is for adult volunteers. Minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Volunteer guidelines: https://unitedministriessavannah.org/volunteer-guidelines 

On Friday Oct 18 and Saturday Oct 19, from 4-9pm, Metro will team up with Oatland Island Wildlife Center and provide support for their Halloween Hike, which is a non-scary event and targets younger children.  

Adults and teens are welcome to volunteer. Here are the types of on-site help that they need:

• **Parking (super important) – walkie talkies, vests, etc. will be provided
• **Crossing Guard (super important) - hand held stop signs, lights, vests, etc. will be provided
• **Concessions
• Costumed animal character – furry mascot type costumes will be provided
• Human companions – talk to the children, pass out treats (e.g. gardener, Little Red Riding Hood, camper, farmer, etc.).  Once you have signed up for a companion slot you can wear your own items that relate to the character (overall, hat, whatever) but they also have costumes.
• Crafts
• Games
• **Fossil hunt

The stared items (**) are areas where they really like to have adults present (as opposed to teenagers). They would like volunteers to arrive between 4:00 & 4:30 to avoid the crowds and you can expect to be leaving around 9pm. They will provide pizza and tea. This is a double-shift service project, and you will receive two credits. 

RSVP Required. Since space is limited to 12 guests, we are initially opening this up to Club Members only. 

Join us for this very special bonus social hosted by HunterMaclean (Adam Kirk, spouse of Suzanne Kirk). 

They have generously opened up their Ghost Pirates box to 12 lucky Metrotarians! Come cheer on the Ghost Pirates in style with your fellow club members. 

Join us for this spooktacular family friendly event to get us all into the Halloween spirit! We will be carving pumpkins at the Hull Park pavilion. Please BYOP (Bring your own pumpkin and carving tools) and a snack to share if you're so inclined. We will have halloween tunes and a lot of festive fun.  

Note: Please register if you know you are coming! It will help us make sure we have enough seating. Guests and family of course welcome! 

Space Limited to 25 People, Registration Required. NOTE: Tour begins promptly at 11:30am.  

Join Metro on a field trip of the Port! This event will begin promptly at 11:30am. There is limited parking on-site. For a timely departure please consider carpooling and make sure to bring your ID. This is a windshield tour on 2 GPA buses. PLEASE ARRIVE IN TIME FOR ID CHECK FOR 11:30 DEPARTURE.

Join us for Metro Monday at Emmaus House!

Our recurring monthly service project to assist with the soup kitchen at Emmaus House every 2nd Monday of each month.  This service project is for adult volunteers. Minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Volunteer guidelines: https://unitedministriessavannah.org/volunteer-guidelines 

Details coming soon! 

Join us for Metro Monday at Emmaus House!

Our recurring monthly service project to assist with the soup kitchen at Emmaus House every 2nd Monday of each month.  This service project is for adult volunteers. Minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Volunteer guidelines: https://unitedministriessavannah.org/volunteer-guidelines 

TEDxSavannah's New Theme and Speaker Call

Karla Jennings is a senior lecturer and one of two full-time professors for the communication studies major at the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University. In the more than 18 years she has been teaching at both Armstrong and the College of Coastal Georgia, she has taught public speaking to thousands of students and has listened to (and graded!) hundreds and hundreds of speeches.

 She studied communication and public relations as an undergraduate at Florida State University and then went to rival University of Florida for her master’s degree. She has worked in public relations and marketing for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Unison Industries – an aircraft ignition systems manufacturer, and for the Coastal Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

 In 2018, Professor Jennings was the opening speaker for TEDxSavannah, with a talk about fear of public speaking. She has been a board member of TEDxSavannah since 2022, and has served as a speaker coach for TEDxSavannah since 2017. She is passionate about “ideas worth spreading” through TED Talks and truly believes that “ideas change everything.”