Featured Speaker: Zerik Samples

Zerik is the Chief Executive Officer of the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity. He hails from Brunswick and has 9 years in non-profit under his belt. District Governer Mike Muldowney told Zerik to visit the Metro club and he's never looked back since!
 
Habitat for Humanity prides itself on bringing people together and hopes for a world where everyone deserves a decent place to live. With Habitat's focus on shelter, for more than 40 years Habitat has done just this: "Build Homes, Communities and Hope". Habitat wants to be part of a larger solution to help our county and region. In fact, Habitat partnered with Local Farmbag to help building a refrigerated container to store produce longer to keep them from rotting too quickly. 
 
Habitat is comprised of three major services: Contractors, Homeowner Services, and the ReStore. General Contractors and sight supervisors to teach you how to use the nail gun and do other building tasks. Homeowner services is homeowner education which contributes to building families by offering financial planning, first time homebuyer classes, and owners are required to put in 350 sweat equity hours. The ReStore is a conduit of resources from local furniture stores in which items are too expensive to ship back. 
 
Since COVID, Habitat has built 5 new homes. They are currently 8 partner families in the homeowner services program, and 5 mortgages were burned. Habitat hosted one CEO build and one women's build. There are developments in process on Darling St., Spivey St., and they received a two-acre donation of land in Garden City. Habitat is always look for volunteers! Mark your calendars for the following upcoming Habitat events and fundraiser: Sept. 27 - Hops for Habitat at Moodright's; Oct. 18 - Sips at the Station benefiting Habitat at Ardsley Station; Dec. 7 - Annual Home for the Holidays Gala 
 
 

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver opened the meeting by informing us that September is Rotary International's Basic Education and Literacy month and reminded us to 1) bring a guest, 2) participate in Service with Brightside, and 3) sign up and attend RLI! Rotary Leadership Institute registration for the September 10th session at GA Tech Savannah Campus. Click here to register: http://rlitraining.org
 
 
Our Annual Service Partner Brightside's newest Bright House on Wheaton St. is close to being ready to receive people in need of service. Our next service day is September 17th, 9:00am-12:00pm. Please contact Kristen Crawley and Chelsea Sawyer to help plan the ASP Fundraiser!
 
Sarah Smith announced that St. Andrew's School will be chartering a new Interact Club for middle school students! Member Kelly Waldron, Headmaster is spearheading this project with Metro's help.  
 
GRSP student Beatriz will be speaking to our club soon - her classes get out at 12:15pm. Oct. 14-16 will be GRSP Weekend here in Savannah.
 
Mark your calendars: Metro Holiday Party on Tuesday, November 30! 5th Tuesday celebration. Location and time to be announced. 
 
Guests
  • Emily Doherty, Marketing Director with Great Oaks Banks - guest of Cecilia Arango
  • Jason Usry, Marketing Director with WJCL and podcaster - guest of Sarah Smith
  • Bill Kelso, VP of Mission Advancement with Goodwill Southeast Georgia - guest of Cecilia Arango
  • Jason Marshall, COO with Goodwill Southeast Georgia - guest of Cecilia

Rotary Anniversaries

Derek Goldfarb celebrates one year in Metro in September!