PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS
President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4-way test and reminded us the following:
- Goal for every member to be on a committee. Get plugged in!
- Lunch purchase policy:
- If absent but already paid, members can buy lunches and pay via Venmo/cash to Treasurer at $10 discounted price.
- Absentees need to alert Leigh beforehand @ leigh.acevedo@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIP MINUTE:
“Left Right Center” Game played with candy. Super fun learning unique stories from members!
- Chelsea Dye, strategic wellness consulting - guest of Jeanine Roach
- Robert Douberly - new administrator at Citizen’s Advocacy - guest of George Seaborough
- Ruth Hutson - soon to be a new member!
- Emerson Ingram - in new member program
RECOGNITION/AWARDS:
- Paul Harris Fellow +2 awarded to Will Gruver!
- Suzanne Kirk celebrated her 11th year serving Leadership Southeast GA
- Denise Grabowski is running for second term on the SCCPSS school board! Join her at two upcoming events:
- Campaign Kick-Off at 5 Spot Midtown - Tues., March 19, 5:30pm
- Fundraiser at Julie Wade's home, 134 E 51st St. - Thurs., March 28, 5:30pm - please donate here
- If you would be interested in speaking to the club or being on a panel, let Jasmine know.
- March Birthdays & Anniversaries:
- Birthdays: Sara Holton (5th), Kelley Boyd (11th), Bret Bell - Nifty 50! (18th), Katie Joyner (19th), Ellen Harris (24th), Patton Dugas (28th), Sam Carroll (30th)
- Wedding anniversaries: Cecilia & Michael Arango (25 years!), Katie & Paul Balthrop (19), Sam & Robyn Carroll (13)
- Club anniversaries: John Bennett (12), Clint Murphy (12), Ellen Harris (12), Kathleen Anderson (12), Leigh Acevedo (12), Lee Perry (8), Cecilia Arango (8)
- Budget update
- Looking good! 😃👏
- FY23 operating overage:
- Waiting for confirmation from Tony, but we get to decide this as a club.
- Options: new shirts, Shelter Box (3/31), Legacy project
UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):
- 12th Annual Spring Fundraiser: Roastary was a huge success! We netted $6471- thank you to all who attended and supported the event!
- March
- 3/19: GRSP Double Feature - Katheryne Fields, GRSP Exec. Dir. & Maria Juliana de Viveros, our GRSP student from Colombia
- 3/26: Club Social @ Sobremesa
- April
- 4/2: Bruce Clemens, People’s Consultants, Rotary Club of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala (Kristen presiding)
- 4/16: Michael Schwartz, Safety Valve Project
SERVICE:
- 3/23: Re:Purpose service and check presentation - 9:30am-11:30am
- 4/8: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30 am, 2nd Monday of each month
- Legacy Project will take the place of ASP- chair John Bennett
- Meals on Wheels Kitchen – discontinued for now (we are sticking to only 1 recurring monthly events for now)
- Register for District Conference in Jekyll Island - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26th-28th, 2024.
- Register online HERE
- Deadline for hotel discount is March 26.
- 3 Credits per full day of attendance at district conference
- Oslo Summer 2024 GRSP Scholarship Opens for Georgia college students
- Spend summer attending school & exchanging cultural customs in Norway, 6/24 - 8/2/2024
- Application is now open & closes Jan. 5, 2024.
- Applicants must have completed sophomore year of college by Spring 2024 & have the recommendation of a Georgia Rotarian.
MEMBERSHIP:
- Check your attendance in ClubRunner. Is it accurate? Email if not: metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com
- Membership Committee - reaching out if not meeting 50% attendance to discuss options
- Visit the “Members Only” area of the website for more info
- If you are interested in being on the Board, please reach out to Kristen Crawley
- “Fireside Chat”: First step for a new member. Thu, 3/28, 5:30 PM @ Habitat for Humanity Restore on 701 MLK. If you are interested in sponsoring a member, check out the “Members Only” area of the website for more info!
- Sponsor Challenge: Anyone who sponsors a new member this rotary year will be entered into a drawing to be held on 6/18 (last meeting of the Rotary Year!)
NEW MEMBER PROGRAM:
- Fitz Haile: Data and Analytics Consultant, United Way. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jordan Chase
- Ruth Hutson: Outside sales rep for SESCO Lighting. Sponsors: Laura Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski
- Emerson Ingram: Systems Engineer Contractor & Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton. Sponsors: Jeff Brady & Will Gruver
YOUTH SERVICES:
- GRSP: Sonali, a young woman from Sri Lanka, arrives in August! (Her brother was a former GRSP student.) Committee is seeking a host.
- Sponsor clubs: Metro, Savannah South, Richmond Hill, & Savannah East
- Interact Clubs participated for a week of service for St. Andrew’s Interact Clubs
- Tue, 2/20: Middle School joined Kindergarteners for annual beach clean up as part of their Sea Turtles study & picnic.
- Thu, 2/22: Upper School joined PreK and 2nd grades for their weekly book buddies session to read with the students.
LEGACY PROJECT:
- Metro's 15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
- Currently have 8 nominated projects
- Project nominees are acquiring more information from “owners” - top 2-3 will be presented to club
- Contact John Bennett to submit ideas or for more information