Stories

Announcements | June 3rd Meeting

Posted by Destiny Mojica-Taylor

June 3rd, 2025 Committee Updates:

GUESTS:

Tiffany Hollis (College of William & Mary)
May Bates Christian
Hillary Beightel (Senior VP of Strategic Elements PR Firm) & Brady Dye
Jaiden Howard ( Savannah State Intern)
Tiffany Hollis
Grace O' Leary
Robert Grant VP of Savannah Tech
Ashley Allen CEO of Gateway Community Service Board
Jen Steele with Tharros Place
Mary Beth Kennedy Junior League of Savannah
Cynthia Cradduck of Savannah Tech

SERVICE:

See Events Calendar for all service opportunities and sign up online

CLUB:

Send Kristen Crawley nominations for Rotarian of the Year and Service Above Self.

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE:

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
Send your member news and BFW/announcements to Katie and Kristin

Featured Guest Speaker | June 3rd

COLONEL (RETIRED) TODD FREESEMANN announced as new District Governor of Rotary District 6920 | Non-Profit Organizations | savannahbusinessjournal.com

Featured Guest Speaker: Robin B Williams "A History of Savannah in Sports"

Presentation Recap:

Discovering Savannah’s Sporting Past with Dr. Robin B. Williams

At our latest gathering, we were treated to a fascinating journey through Savannah’s rich, unexpected sports history, led by Dr. Robin B. Williams, professor and chair of Architectural History at SCAD. A native of Toronto, Dr. Williams earned his Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania and has been a leading scholar in Savannah’s urban and architectural evolution since joining SCAD in 1993.

Dr. Williams shared insights from his ongoing research that intertwines sport, culture, and the built environment. Kicking things off with a surprise to many, he showed images of cricket being played in Savannah’s squares as early as 1743. Just 50 years later, the Savannah Golf Club was established on the East Common in 1794—one of several clubs claiming to be the oldest in the U.S.

He took us through the legacy of the Ten Broeck Race Track, opened in 1859, which not only housed a Jockey Club but also was the site of "The Weeping Time," the largest slave auction in Georgia history. He noted how the layout of Thunderbolt was shaped by these historical developments.

The audience was captivated by long-forgotten sports such as six-day pedestrian races (held in small arenas like the one at Jefferson & Broughton Streets), parlor roller skating in the 1880s Masonic Temple, and the short-lived velocipede craze of 1868–69, which saw Savannah open three rinks dedicated to cycling. The city would later build the first cement velodrome track in the U.S. at Skidaway & Victory in 1893.

Savannah’s auto racing history also stood out, with the city hosting the U.S.'s first Grand Prix under international rules in 1908, attracting drivers and manufacturers from across the globe. Equally impressive was the city's rich baseball legacy—13 professional teams have called Savannah home since the 1800s. Notables like Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth all played here, and Savannah’s team was the first to have an African American manager.

Dr. Williams touched on the growth of Savannah’s sports scene today—from the Savannah Ghost Pirates hockey franchise (which hosted the 2024 ECHL All-Star Game) to the Savannah Clovers FC and the upcoming Savannah Women’s Basketball team launching in 2026.

For those wanting to dive deeper into Savannah’s hidden urban and sporting history, Dr. Williams invites you to subscribe to his YouTube channel, Urban Traces:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLTTckADSovP0HkfdLtAYg

Featured Speaker | March 4th

Nick Palumbo, Executive Director of the Creative Coast

Nick Palumbo is Executive Director of The Creative Coast - Savannah's flagship startup nonprofit. He also serves as Alderman representing Savannah’s 4th District since 2020, where he spearheaded several innovative programs including the nation's first sustainable to-go cup program, Savannah's 311 mobile APP, and 100% Savannah - propelling the City of Savannah to become the largest municipal solar provider in Georgia. Nick is also a nationally recognized mobility advocate and helped secure over $10 million for Savannah’s multi-use path network Tide to Town. Palumbo brings a collaborative approach to catalyzing an innovation economy in Coastal Georgia and *loves* hearing big ideas from the community.

Nick opened by thanking us for being invited back to speak for a second time with Metro and announced that as of MARCH 20th, they will be going live with their new branding.

Their new focus is on these three main questions:

Where are you?

What do you do?

Who do you serve?

Nick shared the background story of the organization and their support of small, startup businesses and how to help them grow into a community of makers & doers. He shared incredible success stories that warranted applause and goosebumps.

They are on a mission to connect, support, and develop entrepreneurs and innovators to positively impact the economy in our community. They are simply here to help- no strings attached, no expectations. They have 30 different resource partners. Their impact relies on educating, collaboration and innovation. They have a very high incubator attendance rate (91%) and the first month on the job in April 2024, he jumped right in with teaching pricing strategies (in a fun way!)

Innovation community investments provide the largest ROI on our local economy. Engaged innovative entrepreneurs are Coastal Georgia’s force multiplier. Nick shared a video promoting Launch Savannah which featured interviews with participants and their successes. Last year, they received 120 applications in their first year (when they were hoping for 10!) To build on that, they launched Spark Savannah in March 2025, with shared meeting space via SCAD (and access to their resources!) Nick encouraged us to share this information with anyone who might be up for an intensive 12 week course. Also, if you are interested in speaking at any of the courses, reach out to Nick.

How to engage:

Geekend to GRIT (Jessie’s first speaking event outside of the Bananas!) started with the Creative Coast.

Fast Pitch (free one on one consulting for all innovators to transform today’s dreams into tomorrow’s truth. Connects investors with

Launch Savannah

Tech Tuesday at Hop-a-Tompica

C Spot- every second Thursday

Featured Guest Speaker | March 4th

Featured Guest Speaker: Nick Palumbo, Executive Director of the Creative Coast and Alderman in the City of Savannah

Nick opened by thanking us for being invited back to speak for a second time with Metro and announced that as of MARCH 20th, they will be going live with their new branding.

Their new focus is on these three main questions:

Where are you?

What do you do?

Who do you serve?

Their new value proposition started with the world and asking what makes Savannah special. They found that the answer is found in a small square of space: ideas, innovation, community, and celebration of public spaces. They are, therefore, becoming “Startup Savannah” to share with entrepreneurs all over the world what can happen in Savannah on all levels and across all industries.

How to engage with Startup Savannah

Geekend to GRIT (Jessie’s first speaking event outside of the Bananas!) started with the Creative Coast.

Fast Pitch (free one on one consulting for all innovators to transform today’s dreams into tomorrow’s truth. Connects investors with

Launch Savannah

Tech Tuesday at Hop-a-Tompica

C Spot- every second Thursday

TOP TEN REASONS TO SUPPORT STARTUP SAVANNAH:

Powerful Job Creation Engine

Economic Diversification Champion

Innovation Catalyst

Local Wealth Generation

Talent Development & Retention

Inclusive Economic Opportunity

Hyundai Megaplant Ecosystem Development

Entrepreneurial Resource Hub

Investment Magnet

Building a Future-Ready Economy

Brags, Finds, and Whines | March 4th

Posted by Destiny Mojica-Taylor

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Leigh Acevedo bragged on the referral to Preston Swan from Jason Sommers & Kristin King
Aaron Miller announced that they have been looking for a surrogate and they are expecting a son in July!

George Seaborough announced Citizen Advocacy’s Annual Covered Dish is May the 8th at the Civil Rights Museum

Sapphire Wilder (guest) bragged on Nick Palumbo & Kristin King for being ridiculously awesome and welcoming pre-meeting.

Kristin King plugged She Hustle’s on April 1st at the Clyde : Tickets

Kristen Crawley bragged that Alfred McGuire was named Principal of the Year! and get your TedX tickets for May 16th. 3 of our Metro members will be speaking! She also bragged about Ro Patrick’s new ad campaign.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | February 4

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Erika Morrow bragged on Cari Phelps for her success in selling the retail portion of her business Salacia Salts. Erika invited us to their ForSight Eye Care & Eyewear event on Feb. 13th featuring a frame maker event, chair massages, etc. Link: Love That Frame - A Sweet Theo Frame Show Erika also added that the Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision's "Dining in the Dark" on Jan. 30 was their lowest-attended event, but they raised great funds!
Leigh Acevedo spoke on behalf of Green Truck Pub: they have 2 servers on leave and Whitney is matching the GoFundMe funds and donating a portion of revenue to their funds. Link to Feb. 4 event
Julie Wade gave a shout out to Patton Dugas for recommending a financial advisor for Tharros Place.
Mia Mance also seconded the love for Cari Phelps. She invited us to the next Savannah Downtown Business Association meeting on Feb. 12th, 11:30am-1:00pm; St. Patty’s Day To Go Cups are ready for sale. Link to register for meeting
Molly Knutson bragged on how many Metro members showed up at Emmaus House and all that was accomplished that morning!
Cari Phelps announced she is focusing on production and workshops for Salacia Salts. She can accommodate up to 40 people. She needs folks on March 5th from 1:00-3:30 to help with her workshop. Please reach out to her directly if you are interested.
Suzanne Kirk bragged on George Seaborough and they had a great time at the Citizen Advocacy Oysters on the Bluff annual oyster roast. Also, one month from today is the United Way's Women Who Rule event on March 4. Suzanne is the chair of the event this year. Even if you don’t attend you can still contribute to Fuel the Fund HERE.

Announcements | February 4 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Happy Valentine's Day | Rotary Club of Traverse City

February 4, 2024 Committee Updates:

GUESTS:

Jaimie Falzarano - Falzarano & Associates, Leadership Development (new member program)
Chelsea Dye - sponsored by Whitney Shephard and Jeanine Roach (new member program)
Mia Mance - Executive Director of SDBA; recently retired from media/radio (guest of Julie Wade)
Dan Silva - Financial Advisor as Corebridge Financial (guest of Aaron Miller)
Rachel Tilghman - Marketing Technology and former Rotarian in New Zealand (guest of Kristen Crawley)
Sonali Mahagamage, GRSP student

SERVICE: See Events Calendar for all service opportunities and sign up online

GRSP: Tag Sonali on GroupMe if you’re doing anything fun around town! She’s down for anything!

LEGACY PROJECT UPDATE: Fundraising event coming soon. Contact Kristen Crawley or Jordan Chase if you’re interested in helping.

DISTRICT GRANT: Cari Phelps shared our disaster relief grant efforts were supported by 2,683 households for Over the Moon diaper bank and Second Harvest. We are also assisting with a grant for JEA equipment enhancements, and she is also working on applying for a $25,000 “Debbie Recovery” grant! If you have a homeowner in mind that could use major support please reach out to Cari. (Note: Specifically pertains to hurricane Debby)

MEMBERSHIP MOMENT:

Jason Somers is one of the Metro OG founders (13 years ago) and he shared that when he first joined, he knew nothing about Rotary. When he reflects on who was in the room back then, he knew it was full of good people and it was a group he wanted to be a part of. His memories of our initial service projects really inspired him to continue supporting and give to the community. Even the smallest donation goes a long way by channeling funds through Rotary. He used to be a huge runner, including competing in Ultra Marathons!

FAMILY ROTARY:

Rotary Youth Exchange: still looking for host families starting late July 2025-2026. Open to different school options as well, but ideally the host would have a current HS student already in the home.

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE:

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
Send your member news and BFW/announcements to Jamie and Kristin

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side for the most current updates

PROGRAM: 7 Areas of Focus

The club broke out into to small groups to answer personal questions around Rotary’s areas of focus:

Peace Building & Conflict Prevention
Disease Prevention & Treatment
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Maternal & Child Health
Basic Education & Literacy
Community Economic Development
Environment

The Rotary Foundation Areas of Focus - Rotary District 5630

Prospective Member Profiles - February 2025

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Julia Barrett has called Savannah home for most of her life. She is happily married to Andrew and they have two boys, Brooks and Mac. She loves spending time with her family, boating, and enjoying the coastal lifestyle. Professionally, she is the Director of Business & Brand Development for Emily McCarthy, a thriving women’s clothing brand. Julia is passionate about the business and community. She enjoys focusing on empowering women and fostering connections.

Having spent most of her life in Savannah, she deeply values being part of its vibrant community. She's passionate about giving back and sees joining Rotary as an opportunity to expand her service to Savannah and beyond. It’s also important to her to instill in her children the significance of community involvement and the impact it can have on their future, which has been a key motivator in her interest in becoming part of Rotary.

Several organizations she has devoted time and fundraising efforts to in our community include P.A.C.K, Union Mission's Parker's House (Emily McCarthy donated clothing to them and hosted a "shopping and styling night" with them), AMBUCS (helped raise money for their Bowl-A-Palooza), volunteer and support PTF (Parent Teacher Fellowship) and events for Savannah Christian, and volunteering at their church, Independent Presbyterian Church.

"My ability to juggle the chaos of running a business, raising two boys, and still finding time to enjoy life—and doing it all with a coffee in one hand and a smile on my face—makes me ridiculously awesome!"

Sponsors: Emily Doherty and Will Gruver

***

Jaimie Falzarano is new to Savannah and to Georgia. She was born and raised in a small town near Buffalo, NY. She is President of Falzarano & Associates, in which she is an executive coach and leadership development facilitator. She worked in various roles at the University at Buffalo School of Management for 23 years. Prior to her work with UB she worked at the Walt Disney World Company, The Orlando Magic, University of Central Florida and Canisius College. All her roles have been people centered.

She works with her clients to help build greater self-awareness and develop a broader skillset to lead themselves and others. Working with a variety of tools including assessments, 360s, and behavioral interviews, she guides her clients through their development. Jaimie facilitates workshops on a variety of topics in the leadership development space. Some of the topics include reflection, growth mindset, intentional listening, feedback, conflict strategy and more. She uses her training in CQ-cultural intelligence to help organizations assess, create and deliver programs to improve diversity and inclusion within teams and organizations. As a Strengths Finder Certificated coach, she is also able to administer the assessment and facilitate team building experiences through Strengths.

Jaimie believes continuous growth is a key to joy in life. She is a lifelong learner with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from SUNY Cortland, a Master’s Degree from Canisius College in Organization Communication and Development. A variety of certifications including but not limited to, Hogan Assessment, Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and Cultural Intelligence CQ-Certified Facilitator.

Jaimie and her husband Heath (owner of Naturals2Go) have two wonderful children, Luke and Taylor, and they challenge her each day to keep growing and developing. “What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenges, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers.” Matina Horner

Sponsors: Florence Slatinsky and Jamie Arkins

Dr. Danielle Pilgrim is a passionate advocate for justice, dedicated to advancing social equity through education, advocacy, and influencing public policy. She earned a Ph.D. in Community Engagement with an emphasis on Public Policy from Point Park University and currently serves as the Executive Director and Lead Community Organizer for Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST), a grassroots social justice nonprofit committed to promoting justice and equity in Savannah-Chatham County.

Outside of her professional work, Danielle enjoys engaging in community service, exploring museums, spending time outdoors, and singing karaoke.

Sponsors: George Seaborough & Kristen Crawley

Featured Guest Speaker | January 21

Featured Speaker: Bret Bell – Tybee Island City Manager

Jordan Chase introduced Bret with a Top 10 List of things we might not know about him

Bret does not like wearing new clothes.👕
He loses his phone at least once a day. 📱
Bret makes a mean mojito. 🍹
He’s one of the best skiers she knows. ⛷
Bret used to be a reporter for Savannah Morning News. He’s a big fan of police reports.🗞
He hails from Gloucester, Massachusetts - pronounced "glostah" - rhymes with "lobstah".🦞
Bret is married to Adrienne and has a 14 year old son Hal. 👪
He was our club president and managed to run most meetings with a top ten list.🔔
Bret can break-dance! 🕺
She believes he has a special aura where things just always seem to work out for him, due to his positive attitude, attention and care for those around him, and he holds all parties' best interest in mind. 😇

Metro's own Bret Bell was appointed City Manager of Tybee Island in September 2024. For the previous 18 years, he served in various positions for the City of Savannah, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Information Officer, Assistant to the City Manager, and Public Information Director. He’s a charter member of Metro Rotary.

Bret blames Jordan for recruiting him into our club, and Cecilia for instigating the Top 10 list. (It’s basically impossible to say no to both of those ladies!)

He’s been on the new job for only four months and he’s ready to share the Top 5 questions he gets thus far:

Q: Do you wear shorts to work?

A: Heck yeah, I do! (well, once)

Q: What’s going on with the beach?

A: The beaches have been going through a lot! Two named storms and weekly un-named storms as well, which ate away a lot at the beach. They started calling him “Bad Luck Bret” since ⅓ of the beach has eroded away since he started the job. They are trying to smooth out the ledges to make it safer, but some areas needed to be shut down. Like all barrier islands, Tybee is in a constant state of erosion. Sea level rise also contributes to this challenge. Today’s solutions are focused on Green Infrastructure and Beach Re-nourishment (the last one was in 2019 and the next one will be in Fall ‘26). This is a 20 million dollar project – not included in this is the north end erosion. There’s a big study in progress with the goal to put a permanent solution in place during the next harbor deepening project, including raising the height of the jetty. This is a long term project costing over a 100 million dollars. Another challenge are the homes close to the shore. Tybee Island is in it on their own and are working on a plan.

The 2017 Hurricane Irma aftermath led Tybee to work with the Army Corp of Engineers to start a half mile of dune construction project. Natural vegetation is doing quite well and it’s considered a national model for green infrastructure. They have partnered with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography to fly drones and measure different impacts of their work. He discussed the difference between gray and green infrastructure.

Q: What’s going on with the flooding?

A: The south end of the island is the lowest part of the island, which is why it floods more often. One of the biggest concerns is in the case of a medical emergency, they are limited. Tybee has the fastest rate of sea level rise in America (yikes!) Between 2010 & 2023 the average level rose 7.3 inches. The previous 3 decades it only rose 3.7 inches. Six of the top 10 highest water level records have happened since 2015. They experience 7-9 coastal flooding days per year and expect 70-75 days in the next 30 years.

A2: Why? Warming oceans: Gulf stream, melting ice in the polar caps, sinking land due to over-pumping of aquifers. One of their solutions is a “living shoreline” which provides native habitat for sea creatures.

Q: What’s happening with short-term rentals?

A: Tybee started tackling this about 5 years ago. During COVID, Tybee became a very attractive destination for regional people. Visitor numbers sky-rocketed and peaked in 2022. Along with that came a huge growth in vacation rentals. 1400 dwellings are currently permitted as vacation rentals. The City Council adopted new ordinances and they are try to phase out vacation rentals in the long run. Anyone with a rental prior to 2022 can keep the rental as long as they are still the owners. If they sell it, the permit cannot be transferred. They cannot gift it to their family and if it’s under an LLC, if any of the parties on the LLC change, the permit is void. This has created a division on the island. They are facing a number of lawsuits and there have been attempts to take away the local government’s ability to regulate the industry.

Q: What’s the deal with Orange Crush?

A: Orange Crush has been around for a long time. It started as Spring Break for Savannah State University students. It wasn’t a big deal because it was primarily local kids. It then turned into a different event because of competing promoters with the goal to get as many eyeballs on their sponsors and logos that they are hired to promote. They started charging for beach access as well as access to various clubs to promote their client’s products. To this date, nobody has completed a full permit application. Bret has been meeting with these promoters for the past few months. He says it’s really tough and it’s why his predecessor is no longer the city manager. This year's proposed Orange Crush weekend is over Easter weekend. (In 2023, there were over 50,000 in attendance. It was rough, people were shot, officers were assaulted, and there was a lot of property damage.) In 2024, they basically shut the entire thing down with checkpoints and blocked all parking. Bret says that didn’t feel great though either, since all of the local businesses lost money on what would have been a lucrative weekend. For 2025, Bret wants to find a hybrid solution and work with all parties to come up with something everyone agrees on. This will still include heightened security, but also shared responsibility for sanitation and emergency vehicle aid.

Announcements | January 21 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

January 21, 2024 Committee Updates:

GUESTS: Jaimie Falzarano - Falzarano & Associates, Leadership Development (new member program)

SERVICE: See Events Calendar for all service opportunities and sign up online

PRESIDENT-ELECT:

George Seaborough will be going to the President Elect Training Seminar (PETS) in a couple of weeks. He announced that the nominee for the 2026-2027 Metro President is...drum roll please...Ro Patrick!

MEMBERSHIP MOMENT:

Reshma Shah Johnson first joined Rotary in August of 2019. She is Founding Principal of Shah Architecture & Interiors. One of her Rotary Moments was being asked to be a leading part of our legacy project this year! She never could have imagined she’d have the opportunity to give back in this way, and it’s amazing! She also said that at our last meeting, she realized what a drastic difference the feel of the room was compared to 5 years ago. She feels like she’s home at meetings now. As a Michigander, she shared that she unfortunately rooted for the Buckeyes earlier this week for the first time ever!

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE:

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
Send your member news and BFW/announcements to Jamie and Kristin

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side for the most current updates

Prospective Member Profiles - January 2025

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Sponsors: Emily Doherty and Will Gruver

***

Sponsors: Florence Slatinsky and Jamie Arkins

Brags, Finds, and Whines | January 21

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Kristin King bragged on Denise Grabowski’s daughter Julia for taking such good care of her seemingly incontinent dog.
Sarah Smith announced that on Dec 28th her dogs had 4 Pyrenees puppies and they will be for sale in a few weeks. Contact Sarah for more info!
Kelley Waldron thanked the club for their support at the St. Andrews Empty Bowl dinner/fundraiser and appreciate the grocery store gift cards as well. In a few weeks will be her one year anniversary on completing chemotherapy. To challenge herself and also raise ovarian cancer awareness, she is raising funds for Ovarian Cancer Research alongside training to run the Critz 10K on February 1st on Tybee. Read the story of her journey and support her fundraising efforts HERE. Even small gifts help her make progress towards her goal! Thank you for your support and continued prayers for continued health and recovery.
Cecilia Arango thanked everyone for their support at her Front Porch Improv on Jan. 10! She also plugged the Savannah Book Festival, Feb 6-9th. The Festival (Saturday the 8th) is free for all in the afternoon.
Cari Phelps is proud to say she has sold her retail business, Salacia Salts, and is focusing on growing new products! Shop will be kept “as is” moving forward with the new owners.
Whitney Shephard shared that one of their Green Truck Pub servers was just diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer. She needs help with medical care and living expenses while she undergoes treatment. Please consider supporting Ariel's cancer recovery HERE.
Zerik Samples had the opportunity to attend the Leadership Southeast Georgia anniversary event. She gave a shout out to Suzanne Kirk for all of her amazing work training new leaders in our community!
Florence Slatinsky bragged about Kristen Crawley’s amazing dancing at the SEDA Annual Meeting 💃

Announcements | January 7 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

January 7, 2024 Committee Updates:

GUESTS: Danielle Pilgrim with Justice Unite Savannah Together, Interfaith Organization (Guest of Kristen Crawley & George Seaborough)

SERVICE: See Events Calendar for all service opportunities - sign up online - three opportunities in January!

LEGACY PROJECT UPDATE: Herb Traub Gathering Space in Forsyth Park

Bret, Jordan, and Reshma presented on our legacy project in partnership with the Rotary Club of Savannah and the City of Savannah. Herb Traub was the owner of The Pirates' House and was responsible for lighting up all of our city’s monuments and fountains. The location of the gathering space will be in Forsyth Park near the cafe and will replace the old playground. Reshma brings incredible architectural and design expertise to this committee as well!

Goals for the space:

-A place to sit, eat, and gather with others

-A big central table symbolizing community togetherness

-Removal of unsafe playground equipment

-Part of the Forsyth Park master plan

-Taking visual and organic cues from Savannah’s oak trees, etc.

-Lots of flow between the quadrants - potential for hosting events at this space

-Concrete “twig” shaped benches and “pebble” seating (ADA compliant)

-Having a large central table made from Georgia granite with quotes engraved about Herb Traub (the most important factor for the Rotary Club of Savannah)

Estimated Cost: $305,000. Metro already has $70K allocated for this project. Rotary Club of Savannah has $120K and they are meeting this Friday., January 10 to discuss next steps with fundraising.

***

PAUL HARRIS FELLOWS:

Reshma Shah
Aaron Miller (+1)
Patton Dugas (+1)
Kelley Boyd (+3)
Jeff Brady (+6)
Darron Alvord (+8)

CLASSIFICATION TALK/INDUCTION:

Deanna Whitt classifies her life as sacrifice and purpose through service and adding value. She’s lived a very full life. Growing up in Pittsburg in a blue collar family, her father worked in the steel industry, and she started working at the age of 12. Deanna joined the U.S. Navy active duty in 1997 for 9.5 years. While stationed in Italy, she met her husband how was in the Army. She eventually went into recruiting for the Navy. She then went on to work in marketing for Fortune 500 clients including USAA, Tiffany & Co., Citizens Bank, etc. Deanna currently works for EY as a Business Consultant managing and supporting the US Army’s global audit readiness efforts. She moved to Savannah in 2008 and had her son in 2018.

She’s passionate about helping people improve their lives and does so with ACP Mentorship and Ripples initiatives. and now Rotary. She claims she’s a problem solver (not a troubleshooter like her husband claims!)

Deanna shared these thoughts as well: Through two continuous threads of sacrifice and service, I have had the opportunity to either experience or see from a close proximity the gaps in our society in areas of child welfare, social services, access to opportunity and empathy — no matter where and what I came up from or went through there was always someone I could help or who helped me. While I am grateful to provide a much better life full of opportunity for my son, I also strive to teach him to always give back and lift up. Joining Metro Savannah is extremely important for me because its local and the pillars that it stands on create a ridiculously awesome spring board to take action, make an impact, become a living example for my son and become better educated of the needs, strengths, and networks across Savannah.

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE:

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
Send your member news and BFW/announcements to Jamie and Kristin

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side for the most current updates

Featured Guest Speaker | January 7

Featured Speaker: Mary Dugas, Founder & Executive Director, Savannah Music Collective

Mary Dugas is a seasoned music industry executive with a distinguished career in artist management that began in 1993 in Athens, Georgia. 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 (SMC) 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."

Her drive and vision behind SMC was the need to connect all the various events, promoters, artists, organizations, talent buyers, etc. under one hub. It’s a comprehensive live music calendar as well, everything from small church concerts to large productions. The QR code on the flyers sends you directly to the live music calendar. She wants our community to realize that we truly are a “music city” with so much to offer.

There’s also an artist database as a resource and anyone can be listed here. She realized that a lot of artists are in need of support in terms of communication, EPKs (electronic press kits), social media presence, etc. Mary is assisting those artists in need of professional development as well! She’s also working directly with the Savannah Film Commission to connect production with local artists - the database also includes sound engineers, production crews, etc.

She thanked Victory North's Mohamed Eldibany (owner) and Brian Goldman (talent buyer) for their incredible support. They gave her an office at the venue and have offered the space whenever it’s available to use for the collective’s needs (mostly on Monday evenings when other programming isn't happening). She’s helping local musicians with logistics issues around parking services with permits to avoid artists getting parking tickets while loading in/out of venues. She also thanked Michael Owens (Tourism Leadership Council) for his assistance getting the information out to hotels and Savannah visitors, and WRHQ for making SMC the official music calendar of the radio station. She also connects new artists to have their music played on the Q's Second Sunday show and announced they will be hosting Sunday nights at B. Matthews (in partnership with the Gaslight Group) with a true listening room experience.

Mary has filed and is still waiting on Savannah Music Collective's 501(c)3 status. She wrapped up her talk with the charge to support local live music!

Brags, Finds, and Whines | January 7

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Jamie Arkins bragged on Clint Murphy going back to work after a six-month leave of absence.
Julie Wade has three announcements:
- January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Several events planned for Tharros Place. Plan to attend Cocktails for Courage on Jan. 24!
- She is running the Boston Marathon and needs to raise $10,000 for Dana Farber Institute. Donate to her fundraiser here! This year marks the 10-year anniversary of her recovery from cancer.
- Julie serves as the board chair for the SDBA, and they have hired Mia Mance as their Executive Director. Follow DBA on social media!
George Seaborough announced that Citizen Advocacy’s annual Oysters on the Bluff oyster roast will be held on Sunday, Feb 2^nd. Get your tickets here!
Cecilia Arango ran her 32^nd state marathon this past weekend (New Mexico) and she is doing improv with Front Porch on Friday. Get your tickets here!
Leigh Acevedo said that her daughter is participating in the children’s improv class and is thrilled they are back at school. She’s also asked for support in her role with Rotary now that she has many other jobs in the community.
Cindy Mulally announced that her husband Matt Toole (along with Ryan Madson) is hosting an artist talk for their installation Apocalypse at Green Truck on Wednesday, January 8^th, 6:00-8:00.
Denise Grabowski announced the 16^th Annual Student Success Expo this Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm at the Civic Center.
Jordan Chase bragged on Bret Bell for bringing her sons home safely from NOLA. She also shared that Danny has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is in treatment.
Kristin King promoted the upcoming Georgia on my Mind concert benefiting Emmaus House on Friday, January 17^th at Victory North. Tickets and more info here!
Jasmine Mills bragged on the 1-year anniversary of their daughter’s adoption and thanked the club for their support during the whole process.
Whitney Shephard shared that one of Green Truck’s servers was just diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer. She needs help with medical care and living expenses while she undergoes treatment. Support here via GoFundMe here.

Announcements | December 17 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Happy Holidays | Rotary Club of St. Albert - Saint City

December 17, 2024 Committee Updates:

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

See Events Calendar for all service opportunities: Dec. 28 Second Harvest
Interact Club service: January 16th Inspiring Hope/Empty Bowl fundraiser - Publix and Kroger $25 gift cards & volunteers needed! Register here.

GRSP (college-aged/specific to Georgia) and Rotary Youth Exchange (high school aged/worldwide program): Brad Patrick

Our GRSP student Sonali is running the Disney Princess 10K & Half Marathon Feb. 22nd & 23rd for American Cancer Society! Donate to support her here: https://d6920.online/run-sonali-run
Metro will be sponsoring a Rotary Youth Exchange outbound student which means we need to find a school and host families for the inbound high school student. If you are interested in learning more about being a host family, we are hosting an information session on Tuesday, January 14 (location and time TBA).
- Metro has committed to sending abroad (outbound) one student for 10 months. Which means we need to connect with schools to find a home for an incoming (inbound) student.
- Host Families (3 needed, 3-4 months each) and finding the High School needs to be settled by January 31.

MEMBERSHIP MOMENT:

Ben Senger: A 7,215-Mile Journey to Rarified Airtime - CH2

Ben Senger: Joined Rotary in 2016 with Clint Murphy as his sponsor. He’s known about Rotary since high school and was a scholarship recipient and attended leadership camp. Since he’s in the news business, he gets tons of story ideas from our club. He loves that this is an encouraging group of people and a bunch of do-ers (not just observers.)

Something people might not know about him is that all four members of his family were born in different states. He also unintentionally dissed Taylor Swift back before she was as famous as she is now to her face (via the Sea Ray’s Yacht as part of a flotilla in Knoxville) by denying taking a selfie with her...!

St. Andrew's Head of School Dr. Kelley Waldron - St. Andrew's School

Dr. Kelley Waldron: Joined Rotary several years ago with Denise Grabowski as her sponsor. Dr. Waldron is the head of school at St. Andrews School. Her Rotary Moment is the opportunity to work with the Interact Clubs and helping the youth connect with their community. She took piano from the age of 5 to 22, but she has major performance anxiety so we will likely never hear her play.

Featured Guest Speaker | December 17

Featured Speaker: Karla Jennings, Senior Lecturer for Communication, Armstrong Campus / Georgia Southern University, TEDx Savannah 2018 Speaker and Speaker Coach

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, for Unison Industries (an aircraft ignition systems manufacturer), and for the Coastal Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

In 2017, one of her students was selected as the opening speaker and in 2018, Professor Jennings was the opening speaker for TEDxSavannah, with a talk about the 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.”

Four of our club members have been TEDxSavannah speakers, including Suzanne Kirk, Denise Grabowski, Kelley Waldron, Julie Wade; Cecilia Arango (emcee), Kelley Boyd, and Suzanne Kirk are serve on the Board of Directors.

The fact that they were founded in 2009 as TEDxCreativeCoast shows how well the program has done with staying power, eventually becoming TEDxSavannah in 2015. The events are local, self-organized events that bring people together with the model of TEDx. The x = independently organized TED events that are community focused. TED stands for Technology Entertainment Design. It’s designed to be a fully immersive, carefully curated experience. Selected speakers spend months working with a coaching team to refine talks.

Post COVID they re-branded but they are going back to providing a lunch next year, as well as providing more time for people to mingle and discuss ideas. Their mission is present ideas with the potential to transform our community. They are seeking local thought leaders who can provide their take on this theme on a variety of topics.

Here’s how you can get involved:

The call for speakers is now open! Application Link
The 2025 theme is Curiosity Unleashed. Suzanne spoke about this theme and they are really excited to see what type of journey each speaker will take us on for their 8-12 minute talk.
Save the Date: Friday May 16th 9am-2pm (doors open at 8am) Fine Arts Auditorium, GA Southern Armstrong Campus.
They are looking for good ideas for Entertainment options as well as Break Sponsors.
Early Bird Ticket Sales Available NOW through Feb 28th:
Discounted pricing for educators, students, nonprofits, first responders & active military. Groups of 6 or more get a 10% discount as well and avoid Eventbrite fees. (email Clinton Edminster @ tedxsav@gmail.com)
VIP/Friends of TEDxSavannah tickets available as well.
Volunteers needed for day-of: Email Jessica McBride at tedxsav@gmail.com
General Sponsors & Donations: email Ravi Gondaliya at tedxsav@gmail.com Sponsorship Packet here.
Follow them on Social Media: Facebook, Instagram and X

Brags, Finds, and Whines | Dec. 17

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Leigh Acevedo bragged that she helped start TEDxSavannah (formerly TEDxCreativeCoast) and she’s very excited about how far it’s come!
Kristen Crawley bragged that her husband Jake is 40 today (Dec. 17) and his high school is playing in the football state championship (Toombs County)
Suzanne Kirk bragged on Cari Phelps for hosting shopping days at Salacia Salts to benefit Emmaus House. Visit her shop for last-minute holiday shopping! She also is excited to have her second child home from college!
Jamie Arkins bragged on T&H colleagues for finding caterers for their event at the 11th hour.
Ruth Hutson bragged on her family and found out their son is the only bass player who will audition for all state band.
Kristin King had a find learning that Jason Somers’ son Hayden works with her boyfriend. She loved getting to know club members better at the holiday party.
Florence Slatinsky bragged on her and David celebrating their 25th anniversary. Also, PSA to get your skin checked every year for cancer. You're never to young!
Chelsea Sawyer bragged on Suzanne Kirk being named the chair of United Way's Women Who Rule. She crushed the first committee meeting with Canadian holiday treats!

Guests: December 17, 2024

GUESTS:

Danielle Pilgrim, PhD - Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST) Interfaith Organization (guest of Kristen Crawley & George Seaborough)
Jaimie Falzarano - Falzarano & Associates, Leadership Development (guest of Florence Slatinsky)
Julia Barrett - Director of Brand and Business Development at Emily McCarthy + Co. (guest of Emily Doherty)
Chelsea Dye - new member program - sponsored by Whitney Shephard and Jeanine Roach
Emily Ostendorf - intern with TEDxSavannah - currently working on her Masters in Professional Communication Leadership with a focus in Public Speaking

Announcements | December 3 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

December 3, 2024 Committee Updates:

UPCOMING EVENTS: Holiday events coming up! See the calendar listings on the side for the most current updates.

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

See Events Calendar for all service opportunities: Dec. 9 Emmaus House & Dec. 28 Second Harvest (join the entire Kirk family on this one!)
Interact Club service: January 16th Inspiring Hope/Empty Bowl fundraiser - Publix and Kroger $25 gift cards & volunteers needed! Register here.

GRSP (college-aged/specific to Georgia) and Rotary Youth Exchange (high school aged/worldwide program): Aaron Miller

Our GRSP student Sonali is running the Disney Princess 10K & Half Marathon Feb. 22nd & 23rd for American Cancer Society! Donate to support her here: https://d6920.online/run-sonali-run
Metro will be sponsoring a Rotary Youth Exchange outbound student which means we need to find a school and host families for the inbound high school student. If you are interested in learning more about being a host family, Aaron is hosting a meeting today, Wednesday, Dec 4th at 5:15 at Wexford Pub (upstairs).
- Metro has committed to sending abroad (outbound) one student for 10 months. Which means we need to connect with schools to find a home for an incoming (inbound) student.
- Host Families (3 needed, 3-4 months each) and finding the High School needs to be settled by January 31.

GLOBAL GRANT:

Jasmine Mills presented (on behalf of Cari Phelps) a summary of their trip to India in 2018, including the inadequate government schools: a lack of staff, supplies, education, and sanitation, which leads to disease, deformity, infertility, and other health issues. Their efforts increased attendance exponentially and it was encouraging to see Rotary’s support in process.
Near the end of their tour, one of the girls showed Cari the girl’s bathroom. It was disgraceful to see the difference between the girls and boys bathrooms. There was no privacy, no sanitation for menstruation, and many girls experienced dehydration because they didn’t want to drink water during the day so they didn't have to use the so-called bathroom.
As of September of 2024, 9 happy schools have been completed by our club’s funds, and the support of Rotary International.
What’s Next: “United for Life”, spearheaded by Dr. Miriam Rittmeyer (Rotary East), is a maternal & child health national initiative, spanning 2024-2028. Includes travel opportunities to Panama, as well as donating and assembling birth kits for distribution to expectant mothers. Supported by our overage from our club's excellent fiscal management!

FOUNDATION: Bret Bell

EREY Club (Every Rotarian Every Year):
- $100 per year per person / $50 is paid from your dues
- Had the option this year to tie that money into your dues payment, but request that if you didn’t do that to please contribute a minimum of $50 to the Rotary Foundation by March.
- Donate to the Annual Fund here
Some of the ways your Foundation donations are distributed:
- District Grants and how the funds come back to us in three years
- International Grants - Happy Schools
- Annual Service Partnerships

PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS:

Emily shared that the New Member Program has been streamlined and documents were shared to outline the process.
Chelsea Dye (sponsored by Whitney Shepard & Jeanine Roach)

CLASSIFICATION TALKS/MEMBER INDUCTIONS:

Molly Knutson gave her Classification Talk on Dec. 3 and thanked everyone in the club for being so welcoming, especially her sponsors, Aaron Miller and Kristin King. She shared stories about serving others while growing up in a large family in Arizona. Anything from helping elderly neighbors or feeding an entire church community. She met her husband Jeff in New York City 12 years ago and immediately fell for his love of service. Jeff attended the Military Academy at West Point, which led them to frequent travel and relocation up and down the east coast. Molly’s background in Urban Planning fit perfectly as they analyzed the good and bad of each city they lived in, but eventually they started to feel the itch of settling down. They had dreamed of one day living in Savannah after having visited here for a wedding in 2017/ When they tried to make it happen with a 1% chance of getting a relocation, they beat the odds and they knew they were here to stay.

During COVID they organized their own donation drive for The Old Savannah City Mission. They were moved by the community's participation and this led to Molly volunteering at the Mission on a regular basis. Aaron reached out to let Molly know she’d be a great fit for our Club, and she looks forward to sharing her passion for service with her son.

Fun facts: Molly runs several fantasy football leagues and is a very fair commissioner. She recently quit her job with Ferguson to help run her family's pallet business based out of Arizona. She’s played and coached volleyball. She loves making her own salsa, loves walking, biking, and wants to be voluntarily carless within the next year. Her mantra is to “show up and do!”

Deanna Whitt was inducted as a new member under our recently revamped New Member Program. We will hear her Classification Talk in the near future!

Sponsored by Emily Doherty & Suzanne Kirk

Featured Guest Speaker | December 3

Featured Speaker: C iarra McClinton, Community Engagement Fellow, Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex

Ciarra McClinton is the Community Engagement Fellow at the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex. She’s been in the low country and with the organization for only six months. Ciarra is originally from Dallas, TX and a recent graduate of Baylor University as a double major in Environmental Science and International Relations. She interacts with the community, participates in outreach events, environmental education and more. This young woman is an excellent speaker and passionate about her work!

Ciarra focused on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. She also explained the Savannah Coastal Refuge Complex: what they do, their management, habitat, and threatened and endangered species. They are part of the National Wildlife Refuge System that includes 571 refuges across the US and includes 7 complexes in the region, including Tybee, Pinckney, Wassaw, Blackbeard Island, Wolf Island and Harris Neck, but the most well-known and visited is the Savannah location (across the bridge into Hardeeville.)

Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex | Facebook

The Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex help with threatened and endangered species such as Loggerhead sea turtles, Piping Plover, the Wood Stork (recently delisted from endangered to threatened largely because of their work they have done for protection), and Flatwood Salamanders. They do this by way of having access to a variety of environments: salt marshes, flatlands, woodlands, coastal habitats, etc. They have many resources available to them, including maintenance, wilderness, habitat and law enforcement, as well as controlled burnings, water levels, and equipment work.

For visitors, they offer fishing, hunting, environmental education, photography, trails, interpretation, and wildlife observation. The Savannah Coastal Refugees app provides self-guided tours you can take as well! Link for the iOS/Apple app

One example of community engagement are their raised garden boxes. They’ve given over 100 to the community using Ipe wood from Brazil which was confiscated at the border. They are able to teach the schools and students about gardening. The refuge complex has plenty of volunteer, interns and youth opportunities as well; great for young people who are interested in learning more about conservation and paths to government work.

Recent Management/Activity:

Spraying of trees that are wildly invasive
Microplastics for alligators
Post Helene damage
Re-opening of wildlife drive from Irma damage (salt water flowing in/damage to their systems)
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) survey plots
Manatee tagging
Visitation surveys
Daufuskie Ferry
Hog eradication (by one single man on Blackbeard Island!)
Caretta Sea Turtle project

Brags, Finds, and Whines | Dec. 3

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Julie Wade’s youngest daughter Etta turned 16 and she got a flat tire today. Bragged on Elizabeth Summerell and the Junior League for their generous gift card donations. Also, Julie is the President-Elect of the Downtown Business Association (SDBA) and the Savannah Bingo cards are distributed. Win prizes and support local business!
Ben Senger has been installed on the parent council of Savannah Arts Academy. He also plugged WSAV's Remarkable Women link for nominations. Nominate away!
Molly Knutson bragged her son is 100% potty-trained and she feels amazing! Also, her neighbor is a Vietnam veteran and is need of people to help clean up his back yard. He wants to pay, but won’t let Molly do it. Needs: pickup truck and willing to go to the dump.
Zerik Samples bragged that he and Lee Beckmann are part of Leadership Georgia, and the Habitat for Humanity Gala this Friday is sold out!
Kelley Boyd announced this Thursday, Dec. 5 is the Ordinary Magic Holiday Open House 5:00-8:00pm and they are officially part of the Savannah Downtown Design District. Come shop at Ordinary Magic!
Kristin King bragged on the JEA's Rita for providing pictures of her car flooding on Abercorn to help with her insurance claim and asked for any service opportunities in Dec. for a group of twenty 3rd graders at Habersham School.

Guests: December 3, 2024

GUESTS:

Danielle Pilgrim, PhD - Justice Unites Savannah Together (JUST) Interfaith Organization (guest of Kristen Crawley & George Seaborough)
Jaimie Falzarano - Falzarano & Associates, Leadership Development (guest of Florence Slatinsky)

Announcements | November 19 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

November 19, 2024 Committee Updates:

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

See Calendar for all service opportunities (Dec. 9 Emmaus House & Dec. 28 Second Harvest)

UPCOMING EVENTS: Holiday events coming up! See the calendar listings on the side for the most current updates.

GRSP and Rotary Youth Exchange: Aaron Miller

Our GRSP student Sonali is running the Disney Princess 10K & Half Marathon Feb. 22nd & 23rd for American Cancer Society! Donate to support her here: https://d6920.online/run-sonali-run
Metro will be sponsoring a Rotary Youth Exchange outbound student which means we need to find a school and host families for the inbound high school student.
Interact Club: January 16th Inspiring Hope/Empty Bowl fundraiser - Publix and Kroger $25 gift cards & volunteers needed! Register here.

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

100% response rate on dues - great work Jasmine!

FOUNDATION: Bret Bell

EREY (Every Rotarian Every Year): Bret shared the steps on how to give to the Annual Fund. Donate here: https://my.rotary.org/en/donate
Paul Harris Fellows 5+: Robert McCorkle, Whitney Shephard, Darron Alvord, Josh Yates, Jeff Brady

CLASSIFICATION TALKS/MEMBER INDUCTIONS:

Jay Gallagher thanked our club for making his transition here so wonderful. His work at EnMarket Arena (Oak View Group) includes premium seating, boxes, and suites. He grew up in Boston- sports were a huge part of his life with his brothers. He shared that his gap year was the best decision he has ever made, and he went on to play college hockey and golf. After school he fell in love with the sports entertainment and management industry. Two years later he ended up with the Oak View Group and is loving the southern hospitality experience!

Kyle Reese has served in Baptist congregations for 30 years. He became the ED of an interfaith organization in Florida, which took him to St. Simons and then to Savannah at First Baptist. He was surprised (and grateful!) to be asked to stay permanently as the Senior Minister. His wife Carla is a clinical psychologist with a practice in Jacksonville but has started assisting with patients at Gateway. They have five children in their blended family. He’s been a Rotarian since 2008 and loves the service focus. His favorite conversation about Metro happened in Macon the other day, where he ran into a mutual friend of Zerik Samples! Random small world fact: Ruth Hutson’s parents were his teachers in high school in Texas!

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE: Jamie Arkins

Follow us on Facebook: @MetropolitanSavannahRotary
Follow us on Instagram: @metrorotaryrotary
Follow us on LinkedIn: Metro LinkedIn page (Jamie will approve you to join)
Join our GroupMe page by first downloading the app on your phone and then click here and Jamie will approve you: Metro GroupMe page
Get our texts by following these instructions here to opt in: Text METRO to 833-460-0774 and add this number in your phone as "Metro Rotary Texts" as a contact.

Featured Guest Speaker | November 19

Featured Speaker: Mickie McNamara, Assistant Director, Savannah Book Festival

Seeking opportunities to network with other book lovers, Mickie volunteered as part of the SBF Volunteer Logistics team in 2018. A chance meeting with Festival Saturday presenting author Douglas Preston, one of her favorite authors, kept SBF on her radar. She spent the next four years attending SBF virtual and in-person events. Originally from New York City, Mickie spent ten years working on Wall Street before she served as a Department of Defense civilian employee for U.S. Army Africa in Vicenza, Italy. After seven years living in northern Italy, Mickie is delighted to call Savannah home. She has an M.A. from St. John’s University, Rome Campus, and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.

This will be the 18th year of the Savannah Book Festival, covering all adult genres of books. Mark your calendars for Feb. 6th-9th. There are three ticketed events each year: the Opening, Keynote, and Closing talk. Headliners will be Anna Quindlen, Sebastian Junger, & TBD. All events will be at Savannah Theatre. Tickets are $30 per talk and will go on sale in January. Everything else is free to the public and SBF considers it a gift to our city.

Festival Saturday will feature 30+ authors presenting their most recent titles. This is by invitation only and is a very popular and enjoyable choice for authors to participate in. They get to connect with the audience and personalize their interaction, unlike the panel format at most other festivals.

SBF@Schools brings authors into Middle & High School programs, which has sparked incredible interest amongst students and learning more about writing as a career path. Many students claim this as a highlight of their year.

As a non-profit, they are always looking for sponsorship support. Volunteers, hosts, escorts from program to book signing, etc. Please connect with Mickie McNamara (via email) and the SBF at www.savannahbookfestival.org.

Follow SBF:

IG: @savbookfestival
FB: Savannah Book Festival

Guests: November 19, 2024

GUESTS:

Julia Barrett - Director of Brand and Business Development at Emily McCarthy + Co. (guest of Emily Doherty)
Holly Whitfield, PhD - Executive Director of Deep Center (guest of Whitney Shephard)
Jaimie Falzarano - Falzarano & Associates, Leadership Development (guest of Florence Slatinsky)
Seth DaSilva - Comcast Business Development (guest of George Seaborough)

Prospective Member Profiles - November 2024

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Chelsea Dye is an entrepreneur, educator, and wellness strategist and coach. She is a passionate wellness strategist, educator, and mindset coach with over 15 years of experience in the wellness industry. As the founder of Blend + Press Wellness Bar and co-founder of the Purpose & Plants Lifestyle Project, Chelsea is committed to empowering individuals, families and organizations through plant-forward living, mindfulness, and movement. Her approach is grounded in neuroscience, emphasizing the importance of both body and mind in achieving lasting wellness.

In addition to her wellness work, Chelsea is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong background in business development, branding, and marketing. She has successfully built and managed multiple businesses, creating impactful wellness experiences and products that inspire healthier lifestyles. Her dedication extends to mentoring youth in mindfulness and athletics, as well as supporting female entrepreneurs in growing their own ventures.

With expertise in art, design, business and fitness, Chelsea brings a creative and holistic perspective to all her endeavors. Her mission is to inspire, educate, and guide others toward becoming the best versions of themselves. She and her daughter, Brady (7th grader at Blessed Sacrament School), live in Ardsley Park with their two dogs. One of Chelsea's primary driving factors in joining Metro Rotary is because of her desire to re-engage with service.

Sponsors: Whitney Shephard and Jeanine Roach

Molly Knutson is an Arizona native proudly calling Savannah home for the foreseeable future. She is a pallet manufacturing professional specializing in digital customer acquisition, sourcing, human resources and process design (you do it all at a family business!). She has been married to her soulmate, Jeff, since 2017. She is a working mother to a curious 3-year-old (James) and 9-year-old rescued hound mutt (Rebby). Molly believes in community engagement, supporting local businesses and acts of service to others.

In 2018, the Army moved Molly and Jeff to Savannah. When Jeff separated from service in 2019, they decided they loved Savannah too much to move back to either of their hometowns of Phoenix and Milwaukee. Jeff's transportation career carried over well into the civilian world and he currently works as a supply chain manager for HMTX Industries. Molly and Jeff prioritize service to others, community involvement and supporting local businesses whenever possible. They support the United Way and Old Savannah City Mission through monetary and material donations whenever they hold drives (coat drives, food donation drives, etc.).

Molly believes in community, showing up for people, and she loves finding ways to connect people together. As a military family, she was surrounded by people who always wished for some semblance of roots. She strived to provide that for their military community in the form of regular coffee outings, dinners for friends whose spouses were deployed or caring for other's children so they could have some much-needed rest. She began to feel inherent joy through the act of just 'showing up.' In 2018, everything changed for Molly. Her eldest sister Patty died tragically on St. Patrick's Day. It was the worst day of Molly's life. Over the course of the next year, she finally learned how it felt when other people showed up for her. When their son was born, she and Jeff agreed early in their parenthood journey that they want to instill in him the sense of community, helping others and simply 'being there' when people need it.

Molly enjoys gardening and planting wildflowers. They have over 70 house plants! She is both a huge Green Bay Packers fan (and shareholder) as well as a self-proclaimed Mega Swiftie. She loves learning about urban planning, specifically walkable cities, and she loves teaching James age-appropriate athletics. She has been told she has the best peach salsa recipe in all of Georgia.

Sponsors: Kristin King and Aaron Miller

Deanna Whitt was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She loves to read and write (poetry, fantasy and non-fiction) and despite her artistic aspirations, she's quite pragmatic, analytic and logical. Her passions revolve around career advocacy, training, problem-solving, strategy and storytelling. She is a current Mentor for American Corporate Partners (ACP) assisting Military Spouses and Veterans.

Over the last 20 years, Deanna's commitment to understanding the brand, client and the customer coupled with her extensive management and consulting experience has served her clients and teams alike in driving high value, strategic transformations. She leads large and complex business initiatives collaborating across multiple organization stakeholders to include marketing, analytics, creative, technology, operations, finance, risk and compliance. As a Senior Director in Client Services at Merkle, she worked to exponentially grow and digitally transform some of the most nationally recognizable brands such as Mercedes Benz, USAA, Tiffany & Co. and Citizens Financial Group, to name a few. Deanna is currently building a better working world with EY (Ernst & Young) delivering business consulting services within the Government Public Sector.

Deanna is a proud Navy Veteran having served 1997-2006. She warmly calls Savannah home with her husband, Chad, and their kind, energetic, inquisitive, and intelligent son, Carson (age 6). They are members of St. James Catholic Church.

Sponsors: Emily Doherty and Suzanne Kirk

Brags, Finds, and Whines | Nov. 19

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Sarah Smith MESS (Coastal Montessori Schools) is throwing a holiday party on Dec 7th. They are looking for raffle items.
Jamie Arkins whined that she had COVID last week.
Leigh Acevedo announced that Sips at the Station to support Emmaus House is on Nov. 19
Jason Nielubowicz bragged he received the only birthday card in snail mail from Clint Murphy.
Patton Dugas bragged on the Billie Eilish show.
Kristen Crawley bragged she finally got her clicker for slides.
Ben Senger encouraged us to nominate remarkable women for WSAV’s annual award: https://www.wsav.com/contests/remarkable-women-2025/#//

Announcements | October 15 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Quarterly 5 Way Test check-in from your President:

Hello, I wanted to take a moment and share "the truth.” I think it’s “fair to all concerned” to say that our meetings have looked different this year with two on Zoom, one at a field trip, and another canceled because of a hurricane. Despite these differences, I’ve seen "goodwill built" in our club and community with everyone’s flexibility and readiness to serve. You aren’t just ready to serve, you are serving with your time, energy, and generosity. Increased attendance, communication, and opportunities to serve and socialize, I’m witnessing our members "building better friendships."

As far as I’m concerned, you all have made the club "beneficial to all concerned."

Most importantly, today and for the rest of time, and with your effort, we can keep our club "Ridiculously Awesome!"

All the best, and proud to serve, Kristen

October 15, 2024 Committee Updates:

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

Hurricane Relief Donations:
- United Way has set up a direct rapid response disaster fund. The dollars collected will go directly to those affected by Tropical Storm Debby. For each $25 donation, you will receive 1 service credit. This is the easiest and most efficient way to help. Send receipts to Ro Patrick for service credit.
Ongoing 2nd Mondays at Emmaus House Soup Kitchen, 7:30am-9:30am: next one is Nov. 11 - sign up here
See Events Calendar for all service opportunities
Send any volunteer ideas to Ro. Since we don’t have an ASP this year, she’s looking for service opportunities for our club.

GRSP: Aaron Miller

Aaron Miller thanked everyone for the incredible weekend in Savannah Oct. 18-20! 32 students came and this was the 18th year that Savannah has participated in this event. (GRSP has been around for 79 years!) Special thanks to Julie Wade and Kristen Crawley for hosting students!
Rotary Youth Exchange in the works: reach out to Aaron Miller or Brad Patrick if you are interested. They especially need a female MetRotarian to be a part of this.

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

Reminder to pay your dues! The club has paid their Rotary Council Dues.

PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS:

Jay Gallagher & Kyle Reese will be inducted at the next in-person meeting on Nov. 19th!

COMMUNICATION/PUBLIC IMAGE:

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side bar in Repeats or on the website for the most current updates

HOLIDAY EVENTS:

Halloween: 10/29 pumpkin carving event tomorrow (Tuesday) night at Hull Park - BYOP and RSVP here!
Thanksgiving: 11/26 social at Perch rooftop bar at 5:30pm and 11/26 Bonus Service, 11am-12pm: Blessings in a Book Bag's 14th Annual Turkey and Fixings Giveaway, corner of MLK & Gwinnett
Christmas/December holidays:
- 12/12: Metro Holiday party on December 12th at Bow Tie BBQ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. As always with our Rotary hosted parties, you are welcome to bring a guest. We'll have an assortment of bites, and the first round (or two) are on us! Help us with catering plans by registering for the event here. More details to come.
- 12/19: Bonus/Munch for the month: Join your fellow MetRotarians in some holiday cheer aboard the Old Town Trolley, Holiday Sights Tour on December 19, 5:45 pm- 8:00 pm! The Trolley can accommodate up to 38 guests. Please register here by November 27th. After that, any remaining seats will be opened to the public. Family and guests are welcome! Adults (13y/o+): $33.17 | Children (4-12y/o): $19.26 (More details in the registration link)
  For the long-time-MetRotarians, this is back by popular demand. Thank you Lexi, Erika, and Suzanne for making these amazing socials happen!

Guests: October 15, 2024

GUESTS:

Chelsea Dye - in New Member Process (sponsored by Whitney Shephard & Jeanine Roach)
Tara Conway - attorney & artist (guest of John Rodman)

Brags, Finds, and Whines | Oct. 15

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Kristen Crawley:
- Bragged on our entire club for stepping it up for our community, both locally and regionally. Everything from Hurricanes Debby to Helene, Over the Moon Diaper Bank, and Emmaus House Soup Kitchen.
- She also wanted to extend the invitation that you are cordially invited to Georgia Southern University’s Parker MBA Networking Social on Nov. 12^th, 6:30-8pm at the Junior Achievement Discovery Center on the Armstrong Campus. RSVP here. Email: mba@georgiasouthern.edu
Leigh Acevedo bragged that she’s bartending some at Green Truck and whined that a little old lady stole her nice ForSight glasses off the bar.
Jamie Arkins bragged on Chelsea Sawyer for being and incredible Disaster Response Chair and the work she does with CEMA. This was an intense hurricane season!
Suzanne Kirk announced the Nov. 3rd Empty Bowl Fundraiser for Emmaus House. Looking for sponsors! Tickets are available here. Jordan might have even fired and made the bowl you purchase!
Clint Murphy reminded us that early voting starts today (Oct. 15) and continues through Nov. 1.
Denise Grabowski promoted literacy week with Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools taking place Oct. 14-19.
Will Gruver bragged on his glasses (also from Dr. Erika Morrow at ForSight!)

Featured Guest Speaker | Oct. 15

Featured Speakers: Briana Paxton and Emma Covello - click here view the slides from their presentation: Rotary Presentation.pdf

Briana Paxton is a historic preservation professional, small-scale developer, and single-mom to a 5-year-old daughter. She resides in the Baldwin Park. One of her recent accomplishments was that she the redeveloped a historic commercial building on Waters Avenue into a space for three new businesses. Briana volunteers with the Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF), and was named their 2022 Volunteer of the Year for her efforts to launch HSF's affordable housing initiatives. On the national scale, she brings the preservation voice to Congress as Chairwoman of Preservation Action, a grassroots lobby for preservation. In her free time, Briana enjoys playing ultimate frisbee at Forsyth Park.

Emma Covello is a dedicated affordable housing professional with over eight years of experience in the housing industry. Holding a Masters Degree in Design for Sustainability, she brings a holistic, systems-based approach to her problem solving abilities. A current employee of the Housing Authority of Savannah, Emma is well-versed in fair housing policies, HUD programs, and multi-family and tax credit properties. With a passion for promoting social equity, Emma is committed to developing sustainable solutions that serve all of Savannah's diverse communities.

Briana started the presentation with sharing an abbreviated timeline showing how housing discrimination has developed throughout history and the hierarchy that was established prior to the Civil War. Sherman negotiated land ownership and the Special Order 15 came out of that transaction. The Jim Crow Era (“separate but equal”) also led to residual impacts. In 1915, the first zoning commission was established in New York. Zoning changed to be based on public welfare (“use of property”), not based on race. One example is that industrial zoning adjacent to residential zoning is not ideal. This led to many other discriminatory practices. The New Deal Era didn’t help much. Briana shared example of redlining maps, which assessed residential security risks and determined where loans would be granted.

In Savannah, one tell-tale sign is the presence of sidewalks, which were built in favorable neighborhoods. Legal until 1968, owners could include a clause saying they would only sell to non-negro individuals. In 1945 a new Yamacraw Village was built. Unfortunately this was in the name of public interest, but in reality the government destroyed a small community and replaced it with slums.

Discrimination can be seen in all layers of communities: Supreme Court Rulings, Federal Policy, Local Zoning Ordinances, and the Private Sector.

Emma then came to the podium with a big question: What is Housing?

An Asset
An Investment
A Necessity
A Liability
A Health Risk
A Human Right

The Problem: Why we need more housing and who needs more affordable housing. $56,823 is the median income in Savannah. You can view the “Affordability Gap” analysis along with demographic break-downs in the slide link here.

Rentals are also a major issue. A cost-burdened home is a home where the household spends more than 30% of its income on housing costs, including rent, mortgage payments, and utilities. A large number of individuals are living spending 50% or more of their income. Other factors hurt the labor workforce, under-employed people, individuals living with disabilities, and seniors. An affordable rent for people making the median income is $1,270.00 or less monthly. There are many people who need housing to keep Savannah running. They offer income-based units and market-rate units: for example teachers, service industry, front-line workers, construction workers.

Call to Action:

Share this knowledge with others, speak up at public hearings.
Donate to Savannah Affordable Housing Trust Fund and sign up for the Housing Savannah newsletter HERE
Become a landlord or developer

Notes from post-presentation questions:

*East Savannah United (Wheaton Street) is a large-scale non-profit housing/community development which is in the works.

*Unfair tax zoning for residential versus business.

*Housing Trust Fund is governed by the Housing Authority of Savannah. The board administers the funds.

Membership Moment: Tony Uhrich

headshot Tony Uhrich joined the club in 2017 and he was sponsored by Patton Dugas. He shared that his gateway to getting involved was the Yachty by Nature fundraiser for Ogeechee Riverkeeper. Tony recently served as Club Treasurer for several years and handed over the checkbook to Jasmine Mills in June. Tony is a Principal, Vice President, and Chief Financial Office for Hussey Gay Bell.

Fun fact: Something people don’t know about him is that he got to dance on stage with MC Hammer.

Announcements | September 3 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

September 3, 2024 COMMITTEE UPDATES:

DISASTER RESPONSE: Chelsea Sawyer

Long Term Recovery Process explained in depth. Email Chelsea Sawyer if you would like additional information and to request to see the charts she shared.

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

Ways to help with Hurricane Debby Flood Relief:
- United Way has set up a direct rapid response disaster fund. The dollars collected will go directly to those affected by Tropical Storm Debby. For each $25 donation, you will receive 1 service credit. This is the easiest and most efficient way to help.
- Inspiritus Disaster Response – Daily supported needed through September and beyond: Sign up directly with UW
Ongoing 2nd Mondays at Emmaus House Soup Kitchen, 7:30am-9:30am: sign up for Oct. 14th here
See Events Calendar for all service opportunities
Send any volunteer ideas to Ro. Since we don’t have an ASP this year, she’s looking for service opportunities for our club.

GRSP: Aaron Miller

View document requesting host family needs: 20240812_Saturday- October 12th.pdf (Let Aaron Miler know if you are interested)
Formal introduction of Sonali Mahagamage from Sri Lanka (the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.”) She is 18 years old majoring in Economics at GA Southern Armstrong Campus. Sponsored by RH, Savannah South & East and Metro. She shared pictured from Conclave that was held last weekend in Columbus GA. She expressed a huge thank you to our club for hosting her this year!! Feel free to reach out to her in any of the following ways:
- Email: sonalimahagamage@gmail.com
- What’s App: +1 943 241 6456
- IG: sonali_m93
- FB: Sonali Mahagamage

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

Reminder to pay your dues! The club has paid their Rotary Council Dues.

FAMILY OF ROTARY: Sarah Smith

Phil the Park on Saturday, October 5. More details to come.

PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS:

Jay Gallagher & Kyle Reese will be inducted Sept. 17th!

COMMUNICATION:

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
September is Retro Metro Mondays month - be on the lookout for throwback photos and stories!

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side bar in Repeats or on the website for the most current updates

Featured Guest Speaker | September 3

Featured Speaker: Katie Balthrop - Founder and Owner, Savannah Sport and Wellness | Adventures and Lessons: A Balthrop Family Sabbatical (with Three Teenagers) Halfway Around the World

View recording of her talk here • Link to photos & presentation: The Balthrops’ (partial) World Tour 2024

Featured Guest Speaker | September 3 Repeats

Featured Speaker: Katie Balthrop - Founder and Owner, Savannah Sport and Wellness | Adventures and Lessons: A Balthrop Family Sabbatical (with Three Teenagers) Halfway Around the World

View recording of her talk here • Link to photos & presentation: The Balthrops’ (partial) World Tour 2024

Metro Rotarian and owner of Savannah Sport and Wellness, Katie Balthrop is excited to share discoveries, highlights, and lesson learned when she, her husband Paul, and their three teens took a two-month sabbatical to southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand this summer. A major discovery is the wonders of Vietnamese cuisine, a highlight of sea turtles at the Great Barrier Reef, and lessons learned (7 days of skiing is one too many). What began as a gap year plan for their graduating senior shifted to thoughts of a family sabbatical when he opted to go straight to college. The pipe dream was coaxed and negotiated into reality (Paul and Katie still needed jobs waiting when they returned home) and became an epic summer of travel, adventure, and re-engaging with each other in ways they never expected. From the hot and bustling streets of Hanoi to the peace and quiet of the southernmost tip of New Zealand in a dark sky sanctuary, see how two months abroad reshaped a family's perspective on life, culture and ever-growing appreciation of our planet and its people.

Their recent trip involved 57 days, 14 flights, 5 countries, 15 different beds, and a once in a lifetime family adventure. It was inspired by their son expressing frustration with high school when it was online and they started planning for a gap year for him. Although he went on to college, Katie and Paul had hung onto the idea of traveling so they used the savings for the gap year to fund this adventure.

Destinations were chosen based on locations: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand & Australia.

Lessons Learned: Be satisfied doing nothing. Be okay to be alone. Put your phone away. It’s okay to be different. Sometimes you just have to wait and sometimes you get stuck in the mud...laugh it off and get a drink! Dance more... Wherever your life takes you, remember that these are the people who will always be there for you.

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Clint Murphy announced Pickle Ball on Sept. 4th, 11th & 18th at Daffin Park 6:00-8:00pm. In addition, we are all invited to join him Jessica Pedigo and him on Sunday, Sept. 8 for brunch at Kayak Cafe Midtown at 11am.
Julie Wade thanked everyone for selecting her as Metro Rotary Member of the Year! She announced that Tharros Place has their stakeholders meeting coming up on September 18th 8:30am-10:00am. Meeting is free. Flyer with more details: Stakeholder -- fall 2024.jpg
Elizabeth Summerell bragged that she has been promoted to Assurance Director at Marcum LLP!
Zerik Samples: Habitat For Humanity announced their Third Annual Home for the Holidays Gala on Dec, 6th, and...on Monday, Sept. 9 he will be singing background for John Legend in Atlanta!!

Guests: September 3, 2024

GUESTS:

Jill Cardenas, Executive Director at the Mediation Center - please share Peace in the Park details! Link: https://mediationsavannah.com/peaceinthepark/
Dana Schuller Smith (guest of Katie Balthrop) - professional volunteer who recently concluded her 8th year of service at the Matthew Reardon Center.
Lisa & Chip Birch from Savannah South Rotary Club
Lee Ann Morse - Nosh Catering - new caterer to town who Cari Phelps introduced to us - the delicious Asian salads she served received rave reviews!

Guests: August 20, 2024

GUESTS:

John Staley, guest of Cecilia Arango - CEO of Presenting U, (executive skill training)
Chase Cowart, guest of Erika Morrow - Business Consultant with UGA SBDC
Meg Graham, guest of Florence Slatinsky (her neice) - Associate Director of SCAD Admissions - Latin American recruitment
Sabrina Chandler, guest of Ruth Hutson via NAWIC - outside sales for ABC Waste
Jaimie Falzarano, guest of Florence Slatinsky - New to Savannah from Buffalo, she does professional coaching and leadership development - her husband owns Naturals2Go
Deanna Whitt, guest of Emily Doherty - Business consultant with Ernst & Young
Jack McCahill - Assistant Director, Friends of SCAD

Announcements | August 20 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

August 20, 2024 COMMITTEE UPDATES:

DISASTER RESPONSE: Chelsea Sawyer

Updated FEMA assessments for Chatham County floods:
- 17 Destroyed homes
- 53 major damage (excess of 18”)
- 38 minor damage
Bryan County is experiencing several challenges, and the total damage has not been reported yet. Members are encouraged to provide support through the supply drive for Second Harvest and financial aid to United Way's Rapid Response fund.

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

Metro's Response to Debby

Donate to $25 United Way for 1 service credit here:https://give.uwce.org/p/debby-relief
Text/Email Ro Patrick if you donate to get service credit (limit 3 total credits)
Cleaning Supply Drive with Second Harvest. Drop off locations at (cut off 8/27):
- South University
- Great Oaks Bank
House Cleanout with Inspiritus - sign up directly at uwce.org/volunteer - Events start Sept 7th
See Calendar for September service opportunities

GRSP: Aaron Miller

View document requesting host family needs for GRSP weekend Oct. 11-13: 20240812_Saturday- October 12th.pdf

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

Reminder to pay your dues- the club has paid their Rotary Council Dues

FAMILY ROTARY: Sarah Smith

SAVE THE DATE: Oct. 5 outing: Phil the Park - Details to come

COMMUNICATION: Jamie Arkins

Follow us on IG: @metrosavannahrotary (tag us in your posts!)
August is Membership Month: send to Emily, Jamie, Kristin, or Katie why you love Rotary and what inspired you to join.
September will start a series of "RetroMetro" - send old photos and videos to Jamie and Katie to have them featured

Prospective Member Profiles

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Kyle Reese is the Senior Minister of the First Baptist Church of Savannah. Before coming to Savannah, Kyle served as Executive Director of the OneJax Institute at the University of North Florida and pastor of Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Kyle serves on the Baptist Health System Board and is a consultant for the Center for Healthy Churches. Active in Baptist life, Kyle is the past moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, having served as preacher at the 2011 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Tampa, Florida. Kyle also served on the board of Baptist News Global for nine years, six of those years as chairperson.

A native of Texas, Dr. Reese earned degrees from Wayland Baptist University, George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, and Northern Seminary. Kyle is a charter member of the Rotary Club of San Marco in Jacksonville, having served as club president and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Kyle is married to Dr. Karla Repper, a clinical psychologist who works with children and adolescents. Kyle is the parent of three adult children and Karla is the parent of two teenage sons.

Sponsors: Sarah Smith and Jasmine Mills

***

Jay Gallagher is an Account Executive, Premium Sales and Services with Oak View Group | EnMarket Arena. He comes to Savannah after working in Sponsorship Activation at 3Step Sports in Boston, Massachusetts. Before his time at 3Step Sports, Jay pursued an undergraduate degree at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA, where he studied business and international relations, while competing on the Ice Hockey and Golf teams.

Outside of his professional and academic career, Jay cherishes spending time with his family and friends, preferably outdoors, and playing golf. Jay is excited to get involved with the Savannah community and to help showcase all this vibrant city has to offer, at the same time providing people and businesses alike with unparalleled experience when taking in events at the arena!

Sponsors: Zerik Samples and Jasmine Mills

Featured Guest Speaker | August 20 Repeats

SCAD's Economic Impact on Savannah • Featured Speakers:

Darrell Naylor-Johnson, Vice President for SCAD Savannah
Michelle Gavin, Executive Director of Communication
Katie Holderness, Executive Director, Friends of SCAD, presented 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.

Darrell started out asking the room if anyone had ever been his student: Emily & Cari both stood up!

He then asked if anyone worked at SCAD, went to SCAD, has family members who did either and a number of people stood up as well. He wants to highlight that SCAD isn’t just a bunch of buildings, it's an organization made up of many, many wonderful people. ONE SCAD = inclusion with Savannah, Atlanta, Lacoste, SCADnow (online) creates one institution for all of their students.

Darrell has been a part of SCAD for 40 years (SCAD is celebrating 45 years). His entire class fit into the social hall of IPC. Now there are more than 17,500 from all over the world: students from all 50 states and 120 countries. 99% alumni employment rate (40+ majors and 75+ minors) and their employment rate speaks volumes for SCAD staff. One fiscal year economic impact study in 2023 was $1B in the Savannah region alone. They bounced back from COVID and have advanced in capital investments, operating and visiting.

Employs more than 2,300 people
Impacts 12,256 jobs in GA
Alumni: 17,940 - many still living and working in GA (i.e. Cari’s business- employees, who have families, who rent or pay taxes on properties…great pull to stay or return to Savannah)
Visitor Spending: $127.8M from tours, Film Festival, Summer Seminars, Rising Star (HS students) etc. Plus family and friends visiting and falling in love with Savannah.
SCAD invested $10M dollars in 2023 in safety and security, thus making Savannah and Atlanta safer areas to live. Includes camera access and shot spotter technology.

As SCAD grows, they spend more funds locally. Capital projects, both new and ongoing maintenance of current properties, and using local contractors for work pumps our local economy.

SCAD Serve which launched Spring 2023, is all about providing innovative solutions to solve problems their neighbors have; including Tharros Place, Emmaus House, Habitat for Humanity, etc. Applications are 2-tiers (second round currently taking place now) and the final recipient will be announced in January 2025 focusing on innovation and lasting impact with a focus on capital (not overhead). If you want to apply now, you would be in the running for the 2026 award.

SCAD is also the largest provider of fresh products to America’s Second Harvest - their farm is across the bridge in SC.

Another project includes resurfacing parks and playgrounds with art: beautification project that allows the SCAD students to work with the students at the school they are serving.

Michelle Gavin came to the podium to discuss SCADpro, their in-house design studio where they partner with mega brand name companies to reimagine new ideas.

Southern Cross Hospitality's Doki Doki is one of their clients. They worked on design ideas with direction from the client, and within 24 hours they had a design concept which was implemented. They also took on a 24-hour design challenge that Perry Lane implemented at their re-design in Feb. 2024. In 2011, Chick-Fil-A came to SCAD to ask for their ideas to improve their drive through customer service. SCAD students were the ones who came up with the concept to have people in the aisle with iPads to personalize and expedite the process. Another big-name collaboration was with David Yurman (jewelry designer) who used SCAD facilities and students to create their recent advertising campaign.

SCAD has also worked hard to create “hubs” within the vastness of SCAD to minimize transportation/parking needs and allow the students more time to be engaged with classmates and studies.

SCAD Film Studio backlot continues to grow on Louisville Rd. Take a tour and see just how much SCAD has been doing!! They love hosting visitors and welcome us all to tour! Cecilia gave a testimonial encouraging us to take a tour and have your mind blown.

During Q&A, one of our members asked what would it take for SCAD to sit down with the city to discuss pilot agreements? Darrell pointed out that the economic impact SCAD has is the first step, then consideration for SCAD paying taxes on their properties.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | August 20

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Clint Murphy bragged on Tom Thompson for his excellent services in cleaning his auto headlights
Kelley Waldron bragged on Suzanne Kirk for her work at St. Andrews
Erika Morrow bragged on Cari Phelps for hosting “Après Debby” (since Après SCAD was canceled) and announced it’s Foresight’s 5th Anniversary!
Patton Dugas bragged that our fellow club member Bret Bell is now the "King of Tybee" (in reference to his latest appointment as Tybee's City Manager)
Whitney Shephard announced that Green Truck was donating a portion of proceeds from Aug 20th sales to The Haven at Islands Counseling
Kristin King bragged on Metro for the very thoughtful card and thanked everyone who left a note of encouragement!

August is Rotary Membership Month

Why Being a Member of Metro Savannah Rotary is Ridiculously Awesome

Emily Doherty and Florence Slatinsky, Membership Co-Chairs

As we celebrate Rotary membership Month, it’s worth reflecting on what makes our membership so impactful—and enjoyable! Here’s a quick reminder of why being part of this incredible group is a truly rewarding experience:

1. Friendships That Last a Lifetime
Our club is filled with like-minded individuals who are not only passionate about giving back but also about building strong, supportive relationships. Whether we’re working on service projects or simply catching up at meetings, the friendships we form here are genuine and lasting.

2. Networking with a Purpose
While we naturally expand our business contacts through Rotary, what really sets our networking apart is the shared commitment to making a difference. The professional connections we build here are founded on trust, collaboration, and a collective desire to do good in our community and beyond.

3. Making a Difference, Locally and Globally
Every one of us plays a role in the impactful work Metro Savannah Rotary does, from improving our local neighborhoods to tackling global challenges. Our projects make a tangible difference, and being part of this effort is something we can all take pride in.

In short, our membership in Metro Savannah Rotary is about more than just meetings—it’s about friendship, professional growth, and making a real impact. Let’s continue to enjoy and build upon these incredible opportunities together – and continue to be Ridiculously Awesome while we do it!

Featured Guest Speaker | August 6 Repeats

Featured Speaker: Ro Patrick - Senior Vice President, Group Campaign Director for the Ad Council | View the entire meeting here (Ro's presentation comes in at 31:08)

Ro Patrick is a Senior Vice President, Group Campaign Director for the Ad Council, the national nonprofit that mobilizes the energy and talents of the communications industry to make a measurable impact on the most critical social issues of today. She leads the development, implementation and evaluation of national public service campaigns at the Ad Council, particularly on critical efforts to reduce gun violence and address the drug overdose crisis.

With over 20 years of campaign development experience, Ro has a proven ability in evolving campaign models and working with external partners to drive innovation and bold changes on America’s most pressing needs.

Prior to joining the Ad Council, Ro held senior client services roles at advertising agencies FCB and Ogilvy. She has a M.S. from Columbia University and a B.S. from New York University.

A native of Hong Kong and a long-time New Yorker, she currently resides in Savannah, Georgia. Her parents were both teachers and they moved to the US when she was 12. She’s always been a foodie and was able to travel the world with her first job out of college, working with huge firms such as Kodak and Motorola, and living her best life in her early 20s.

She bought her first apartment in NY when she was 27. She was then was accepted to Grad School at Columbia, then she met Brad soon afterwards. She landed her dream job at the Ad Council in 2008. (She had been experiencing some burnout so this was a huge deal!) She’s been working remotely since 2016, but still travels along the East Coast on a regular basis.

The Ad Council is a 501(c)3 national non-profit and was founded in the 1940s right after WWII. They use the power of communications to drive impact on America's most pressing social issues. Currently, their largest areas of focus are mental health, gun violence, the overdose crisis, and combating hate & violence. Their model is creating powerful, one of a kind coalitions, via advertising, media & tech, to impact society in a non-partisan way. They consider themselves "Switzerland" and have worked with every administration since FDR.

Super Powers of Ad Council:

Huge budget of pro bono resources from the ad industry to donate over a billion dollars annually
Through Leadership & Convening

The Ad Council’s Research Institute focuses on suicide prevention, ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Orders), rebuilding trust in elections, and substance abuse treatments.

Their track record for “bending the curve” on the biggest social issues of our time is impressive, dating back to Smokey the Bear (follow Smokey celebrating 80 years on social media: IG @smokeybear)! Other examples of significant campaigns over the decades include the driving safety/crash test dummies, friends don’t let friends drive drunk, and COVID Vaccination that involved everyone from Elmo to the Obamas, the Pope, etc.

4 Priority Issues:

Mental Health
Gun Violence Prevention
Overdose Crisis
Combatting Hate & Bias

The Ad Council is considering adding Climate Change as a fifth priority.

What does the Ad Council do?

Issue Advisors
Academic Researchers
Federal & State Government
Foundations & Philanthropy
Faith-based Community
Schools/Community Organizations
Creative Community
Media & Tech
Sport Leagues
Cultural Influencers/Celebrities
Brands
News Media & PR
Employers

Ro commented that she realized she used her work as her “volunteer hat” as well but it didn’t connect her with her local community. This is one of the biggest reasons she wanted to join Rotary. She’s always down for getting a coffee or a drink. Ro left us with 3 topics she will ALWAYS want to discuss:

Dogs
Travel
Light-hearted “beach reads”

Announcements | August 6 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

ZOOM...AGAIN! Darn it all, Debby...

August 6, 2024 COMMITTEE UPDATES:

LEGACY PROJECT: Jordan Chase

Jordan Chase reported the committee has been working on the design and meeting with Hanson Architects and Savannah Rotary leads. They are open to our suggestions for making it more “metro-fied.” More to come with plans and fundraising.

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

Send any volunteer ideas to Ro. Since we don’t have an ASP, she’s looking for service opportunities for our club.

GLOBAL GRANTS: Cari Phelps

Our club wants to set up a model similar to an ASP that we can travel to and work with for continuous years. More to come from Jasmine.

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

Reminder to pay your dues - the club has paid their Rotary Council Dues

MEMBERSHIP: Florence Slatinsky and Emily Doherty

Membership Moment: Florence shared that she joined Rotary in 2014. Her favorite moment is the story of Jasmine meeting Cari on a service trip to India, which inspired Jasmine to join Rotary. She loves that Rotary allows her to connect with people, serve the community, and build relationships. She loves Pickleball and turned down a job with Google many years ago!

PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS: Fireside Chat #2 is on August 13!

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE: Jamie Arkins

UPCOMING EVENTS: See the calendar listings on the side column in Repeats or on the website for the most current updates

Featured Guest Speaker | August 6

Featured Speaker: Ro Patrick - Senior Vice President, Group Campaign Director for the Ad Council | View the entire meeting here (Ro's presentation comes in at 31:08)

Brags, Finds, and Whines | August 6

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds benefit CART "Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust"

Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Clint Murphy bragged that he was diagnosed with cancer last week, but at 6:30pm the evening he was diagnosed he received a second opinion from a colleague of his doctor and they determined he does NOT have cancer! He also promoted the Aug. 15th breakfast at Goosefeathers.
Kristen Crawley contributed a dollar because Clint doesn’t have cancer...woot!
Florence Slatinsky whined that she had some minor water damage to her property. They might need to replace some floor boards, but it's not too bad!
Jamie Arkins bragged on Katie Rudder Fender for rolling out our IG account, @metrosavannahrotary. Follow us!

A Message from the President

Metro,

The formalities of gavel and cat portraits passing are now over, so we're off and running! I was thrilled at the participation and energy in the room for the round-table discussions. Our board has a healthy list of takeaways to evaluate for implementation for membership, fundraisers, programming, youth programs, and local and international service.

For those of you we missed, don't worry, we're planning bonus opportunities outside of our regular meeting cadence. This month, please join Florence Slatinksy and Lee Beckman on Friday, July 26th 8:00 am at Java Burrito for a casual coffee get-together. Think of it as a morning Munch.

Our GRSP student had travel troubles with the outage on Friday, so we didn't get to greet her at the airport. I assure you, we'll share more opportunities to connect with her in the future.

Let's keep Metro Ridiculously Awesome!

Kristen

Brags, Finds, and Whines | July 16

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Brags, Finds, and Whines for July 16, 2024

Lexi Henigman announced she is pregnant with a girl and due November 15th!
Zerik Samples whined that his Facebook page has been hacked and bragged that he is back from an incredible one month vacation!
Chelsea Sawyer bragged that she just returned from Colorado where her family spread her grandfather's ashes. She saw 4 Rotary parks and highly recommends a visit if you've never been to CO!
Kristen Crawley bragged about the recent episode of the Smartless podcast with Nate Bargatze. Hilarious - check it out!

Featured Guest Speaker | July 2

Featured Speaker: Michael Kaigler, Chatham County Manager | View the entire meeting here

Announcements | July 2 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

July 2, 2024 COMMITTEE UPDATES:

LEGACY PROJECT: Jordan Chase

The Legacy Project will take the place of Annual Service Partner for 2024-2025

Survey results: Forsyth Park Gathering Space with the Rotary Club of Savannah
Jordan, Bret, Kristen, and Reshma met recently to work up ideas on how to add the Metro flair to the project
Jordan will present the project updates at an upcoming meeting
Rotary Club of Savannah project leaders Eddie DeLoach, Ellen Bolch, and Captain Lux Lakshman are showing a strong partnership and readiness to work together
We’re looking for a committee to help organize our annual FUNdraiser

SERVICE: Ro Patrick

July Bonus: Emmaus House clothing closet sorting on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30 AM in July - Sign up directly with Emmaus House; let Ro know you participated for service credit

GRANTS: Cari Phelps
Our district grant is about $1500 this year, and we are going to apply those funds for a project at the JEA. Cari is having an exploratory meeting with the JEA to find out their most pressing needs and how we can best help. Ideally, we will upgrade their meeting space in some fashion. Please contact Cari if you’re familiar with presentation tech or want to be involved.

FINANCE: Jasmine Mills

Invoices for dues are out. Payment was due on July 1st. Please let Jasmine know if you need to add lunch to your invoice or want to pay in installments.

MEMBERSHIP: Florence Slatinsky and Emily Doherty
Members who have been absent regularly can look forward to hearing from Florence soon. No hand slaps, just checking in to find out how we can match your schedule better. Munches are making a comeback!
PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS recently had their first fireside chat and can expect to hear about #2 soon. Until then, we’re counting on sponsors to stay in touch.

COMMUNICATIONS/PUBLIC IMAGE: Jamie Arkins
A big comms update is coming in August, so stay tuned! Contact Jamie Arkins, Kristin King, and Katie Fender if you want in on communicating with our club.

UPCOMING EVENTS: (See the calendar listings on the right side column in Repeats or on the website for the most current updates)

Brags, Finds, and Whines | July 2

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds benefit CART "Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust"

PAYMENT: Venmo: @jasmine-mills-1223

Jamie Arkins gave a shout-out to Erika Morrow for surviving Hurricane Beryl on her vacation in St. Lucia
Sarah Smith bragged on Cecilia Arango for finding her a housesitter
Cecilia Arango whined that somebody flipped Erika’s little green BMW Isetta car
Denise Grabowski gave a shout out to Jamie Arkins for sharing her peaches, benefiting CURE Childhood Cancer
Zerik Samples bragged on Jamie Arkins for looking fabulous at the EOY party!
Chelsea Sawyer
- Announced the first Cat 5 hurricane in June.
- She is traveling to Colorado with her family to celebrate her grandfather’s life and spread his ashes.
Zerik Samples bragged that he just completed trip #3 on his break - Puerto Rico, Daufuskie Island, Tampa, and Destin is next.
Kristin King bragged that she kiteboarded the morning of July 2 in huge waves from the hurricane, and rode a new 7-meter kite.
Elizabeth Summerell is now on the board of Employability (and is closed for business from joining any other boards!)

2023-2024 Mettie Awards, “The Metties”

A collection of awards and special recognition to honor and celebrate those who have contributed to making the Rotary year ridiculously awesome!

The Process

A lot of time and effort went into this!
Board nominated members in April & May.
Consider: Who was outstanding on your committee? Who should get some fun, extra recognition? Who stands out as exemplary in the categories below?
Current president not eligible.
Nominees were presented and voted on anonymously at the board meeting in May.
Special shout-out to Cari who designed our certificates and Florence who designed our awards!

Sponsor raffle from Tuesday - restaurant gift card (Kristen)

⭐ Jeff Brady

The Mettie Awards

Rookie of the Year Award - tumbler, certificate, pin

📝 This award recognizes new members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and involvement in Rotary activities within their first two years of membership. New member = members with 0-2 years of service.

☑️ Ro Patrick, Lexi Henigman, Aaron Miller, Kristin King

⭐ Aaron Miller - Aaron has been present at almost all service projects this year and always willing to lend a hand. Feels like he’s been part of Metro for way longer than just this year. Great addition to Rotary.

Legends Never Die Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 This award honors an OG member who contributed in any meaningful way this year. OG member = members with 10+ years of service.

☑️ Whitney Shephard, Julie Wade, Jessica Pedigo

⭐ Jessica Pedigo - She is our go-to legend when we have any questions or need advice. She is a true leader who does so much behind the scenes work, our club members probably don’t realize how much her dedication has kept us going. From her creative club meetings during her COVID presidency to chairing fundraisers year after year to serving as an Area Governor (new term for Assistant Governor), Jessica lives and breathes Rotary. May her love for Metro never die!

Service Above Self Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 This award is for members who demonstrate their commitment to helping others by volunteering their time and talents. Emphasis is placed on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping others through Rotary.

☑️ Ro Patrick, Erika Morrow, Kristin King

⭐ Ro Patrick - She is absolutely slaying the Service Chair role. She goes above and beyond the call of duty by adding meaningful projects at varying hours and keeping track of our club’s impact. Her work in Rotary is exemplary, and if every member dedicated themselves like Ro does, we might eliminate all of the needs in Savannah.

The Time Traveler Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 Given to the member who is notorious for always being fashionably late to meetings.

☑️ Bret Bell, Zerik Samples

⭐ Zerik Samples - He is trying to find a time machine to fit it all in. He might be late sometimes, but we’re glad Metro Rotary can still fit in his life.

The Brainstormer Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 Recognizing the member with the most creative and innovative ideas for club projects and initiatives.

☑️ Cindy Mullally, Liza Smith, Cecilia Arango

⭐ Cecilia Arango - She is literally the most creative person ever. Do all of the ideas pan out? No, but she is generous with getting the ideas flowing. She is always thinking of ways we can make it better or more engaging.

The Social Butterfly Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 For the member who excels at bringing people together and creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere at club events.

☑️ Jamie Arkins, Suzanne Kirk, Zerik Samples, Jason Nielubowicz

⭐ Jamie Arkins - She’s Jamie and she knows everyone and always makes people feel welcome.

The Comeback Kid Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 For the member who took a break last year (2022-2023), for whatever reason, but who showed UP & showed OUT this year.

☑️ Amelia Harper, Chris Corey

⭐ Amelia Harper - We sure do miss seeing this Legend, but that woman can fundraise! Amelia is doing her absolute best to contribute to our club and fundraising is her life’s calling. While we would love to see her at more events, but we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the behind the scenes hustle she does for us between her family care obligations.

The Silent Server Award - tumbler, certificate

📝 For the member who was behind the scenes making a difference this year but who isn't able to make it to meetings or just keeps their service to themselves.

☑️ Suzy Karpf, Lexi Henigman, Ro Patrick, Michael McLeod, Amelia Harper, Sara Holton

⭐ Michael McCloud - He has silently gotten the grants job done for us, year after year. He is hanging up his grants chair hat this year, but I won’t forget the work he has done to make sure we get and distribute our district grant. When was the last time you heard him give an update at a meeting? When was the last time you questioned if the work was getting done?! Both are far off in the distance because of Michael’s reliability and commitment to our club.

Make Up Artist of the Year - certificate

📝 for the person clocking the most make ups

⭐ Jessica Pedigo

Ridiculously Awesome Attendance Award - certificate

📝 Honoring those who made an effort to really stay engaged this year

⭐ Ro Patrick

The Crisis Manager Award - PE tumbler, certificate, pin

📝 For the member who remains calm under pressure and effectively handles unexpected challenges that arise within the club.

☑️ ⭐ Kristen Crawley

The Energizer Bunny Award - certificate

📝 For the member who never seems to run out of energy and is always on the go, attending events, and volunteering for projects.

☑️ Jamie Arkins, Kristen Crawley, Cari Phelps

⭐ Kristen Crawley - Our president elect is a busy bee and has shown up this year!!

MetRotarian of the Year - tumbler, certificate, pin

📝 This annual award is designated for the one Rotarian in our club who clearly stands out in demonstrating “Service Above Self” and principled commitment to the Four-Way Test. A nominee should be an outstanding club member who has made significant contributions to the mission and operation of our club and to one or more avenues of Community or International Service.

⭐ Julie Wade - What more is there to say about Julie that hasn’t been said. She deserves all the accolades and more. I don’t know how she does it all with such grace and passion. An inspiration. She also won the District’s Vocational Excellence Award!

Featured Guest Speaker | June 18

Featured Speakers: Katie Fitzhugh, Director of Deconstruction & Kate Hilliker, Operations Manager | Re:Purpose Savannah | Check out their Powerpoint presentation here

Announcements | June 18 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test.
She ask for those who have been members for less than a year to please stand to be recognized: Emerson Ingram, Aaron Miller, Katie Fender, Fitz Haile
We received a special thank you message from Dr. Kelley Waldron - shout out to Sarah Smith for the thoughtful gift of Salacia Salts she sent from Family of Rotary!
New Metro T-Shirts and Name Tags available now.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Jay Gallagher - Account Executive, Premium Sales and Services, Oak View Group & EnMarket Arena (guest of Zerik Samples)
Molly Knutson - Director of Digital Development with Moran Pallets & Wood Products (guest of Aaron Miller)
Jenny Parker - Attorney (guest of Jamie Arkins)
Waylan Green - Retired Combat Vet (guest of Emily Salzer)
Missy Tanner - Gifting Sales Rep with Savannah Bee Company (guest of Sarah Smith)

MEMBERSHIP MINUTE: Guest Missy Tanner shared that her first career was as an actress - she was in Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Good Burger. You can find her on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0817668/

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Did you know? You can subscribe to the Metro Rotary Calendar! Go to ClubRunner, Events, click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

Attendance Check-in: Check your attendance in ClubRunner. Is it accurate? If not, email metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com. Membership Committee is reaching out it not meeting 50% attendance to discuss options - go to "Members Only" area of website for info on makeups

Lunch purchase policy: if absent, but already paid - members can buy lunches paid via Venmo/cash to

Treasurer at $10 discounted price. Absentees need to alert Leigh beforehand at leigh.acevedo@gmail.com.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

June
- 6/25: End of Year Celebration Social @ Aqua Vitae
  - registration required for you +1
  - The “Metties”- our new awards & recognition program
  - Raffle Prizes
- 6/29: Re:Purpose Service 9-11am
July:
- 7/2: 11:45am prompt! ZOOM meeting: Chatham County Manager Michael Kaigler. Send Chelsea Sawyer any questions you have prior to the meeting.
- 7/16: Leadership Transition and Club Assembly

SERVICE:

Sponsor Challenge: Jeff Brady won the challenge!

Emmaus House - Clothing closet sorting (BONUS project) - Tuesdays & Wednesdays in June, 9:30-11:30am - This is June's bonus service project; if you sign up for a shift, please let Ro know so you get credit. Sign up directly with Emmaus House

Re:Purpose - Saturday 6/29, 9-11am - We are back at The Yard with our ASP Re:Purpose for the last service project of this Rotary year. Our plan is to have everyone work on creating finished craft goods. Kids 13+ are welcome to participate with their parents. Kids under 12 can take part in a separate workshop. Please let me know if you are planning to bring the younger kiddos and their ages so we can plan ahead. Sign up here

Monday, July 18: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen

Operating Overage: Board - discussing since Jan. 2024
- Total = $41,657.56
- RYLA = ($450)
- Emergency fund addition = ($5k)
- “Opportunity fund” = ($2k)
- Metro shirts = ($1,097.20)
Survey Feedback: Total = $32,450.27 (-15%)
- Global grant = ($3,000)
- ShelterBox = ($1,000)
- Leadership training = ($1,177.54)
- Legacy fund = ($27,582.73)
How much do we have right now?
- $36,441.21 (9/30) + $27,582.73
- Investment opportunities: HYSA, CD, money market
Survey results:
- Forsyth Park Gathering Space with the Rotary Club of Savannah
- Eddie DeLoach & Ellen Bolch are their club chairs

CLUB:

Metro Dues Invoices have been emailed - due July 1!
- Option for this year: you can add your foundation giving to your online payment by changing the amount.
- Let Tony know ASAP if you need different or specific such as as W-9, lunch for the year, etc.
So Much To Celebrate this year!
- Service stats
  - 26 hands-on service projects
  - 3 donations drives
  - 348 volunteer hours with 193 volunteers
- District awards
  - Julie Wade - Horatio "Cabby" Cabasares Award
  - Gold Award
  - Zone 34 Interact Awards
  - Bronze Public Image Award

INTERNATIONAL: 2025 Rotary International Convention

What: Celebration, building goodwill and better friendships
When: June 21-25, 2025
Where: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Why? 3 credits per full day in attendance and it's much closer this year!

Metro's Wall of Pride - Let's get to EREY!

*Give $50 via Rotary Direct* QR code to donate at check-in table

Brags, Finds, and Whines | June 18

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Clint Murphy made a donation in honor of an anonymous “thank you” to someone
Jason Somers announced that he now has 1 college grad and 1 high school grad
Jamie Arkins bragged that they survived the Rolling Stones concert with three generations of her husband's family with a crew ranging from 15 to almost 80 yrs old
Jasmine Mills shared that her 4 1/2 year old asked to go to the “car restaurant” where they have the “best burgers in the world” which turned out to be Green Truck. She also bragged on her wife Brandi (a teacher of 20 years) who is committed to repainting the interior of their home this summer.
Kristin King bragged on Cecilia Arango’s daughter Camille for her new job at Restoration Chiropractic.

Prospective Member Profiles

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Sponsors: Sarah Smith and Jasmine Mills

Announcements | June 4 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

No photo description available.

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test.
She ask for those who have been members for less than a year to please stand to be recognized: Beth Whalen, Aaron Miller, Katie Rudder Fender, Fitz Haile

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Jay Gallagher - Account Executive, Premium Sales and Services, Oak View Group & EnMarket Arena (Guest of Zerik Samples)
Molly Knutson - Director of Digital Development with Moran Pallets & Wood Products (Guest of Aaron Miller)
Marianne Ganem Poppell, Owner of Savannah Master Calendar and member of Rotary East (guest of speaker Dana Williams)

MEMBERSHIP MINUTE: Katie Rudder Fender shared the most fun she ever had was seeing Taylor Swift a year ago today at Soldier Field in Chicago.

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Did you know? You can subscribe to the Metro Rotary Calendar! Go to ClubRunner, Events, click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

Attendance Check-in: Check your attendance in ClubRunner. Is it accurate? If not, email metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com.

Membership Committee is reaching out it not meeting 50% attendance to discuss options - go to "Members Only" area of website for info on makeups

Lunch purchase policy: if absent, but already paid - members can buy lunches paid via Venmo/cash to Treasurer at $10 discounted price. Absentees need to alert Leigh beforehand at leigh.acevedo@gmail.com.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

June
- 6/18: Re:Purpose Savannah (Annual Service Partner)
- 6/25: End of Year Celebration Social @ Aqua Vitae - registration required for you +1

SERVICE:

Service Superlatives given to Lexi Henigman & Zerik Samples
Emmaus House - Clothing closet sorting (BONUS project) - Tuesdays & Wednesdays in June, 9:30-11:30am - This is June's bonus service project; if you sign up for a shift, please let Ro know so you get credit. Sign up directly with Emmaus House

Re:Purpose - Saturday 6/29, 9-11am - We are back at The Yard with our ASP Re:Purpose for the last service project of this Rotary year. Our plan is to have everyone work on creating finished craft goods. Kids 13+ are welcome to participate with their parents. Kids under 12 can take part in a separate workshop. Please let me know if you are planning to bring the younger kiddos and their ages so we can plan ahead. Sign up here

LEGACY PROJECT: Legacy Project will take the place of ASP for 2024-2025, chair John Bennett - click on the title link to watch the video presentations and then VOTE for your favorite here!

Oatland Island Playground presented by Julie Wade. She thanked John Bennett for keeping us focused. This is an open-nature zoo that has been owned by the school system for over 50 years. Over 100,000 visitors per year including general public, schools and visitors. There is a new pre-K school on site as well. Proposal is for a public playground next to the picnic pavilion. This is solely Metro’s project. Various designs would be presented for consideration. Metro would be responsible for design consultation, product selection & fundraising. SCPSS responsible for sitework, installation & ongoing maintenance.
- Budget: $60,000-$100,000 from Metro.
Forsyth Park Gathering Space presented by Bret Bell. Eddie Deloach (president of Downtown Savannah Rotary) approached Bret to partner with Metro on this project to make a big picture statement in our community. The “Master Plan” survey by the city 2 years ago showed that there was a need for a “Gathering Space,” basically a place to sit, eat, and commune. Regardless, the city plans to demolish the “old playground” with no current plans to replace it with anything else. The City Manager has already embraced the plan for a landscaped/hardscaped gathering place, so this will happen even if Metro doesn’t partner on it. Downtown Rotary has already executed a similar project. The proposal: “Herb Traub Gathering Place.” Metro responsibilities: Design, Hardscape, Softscape, Furniture. City’s responsibilities: Playground Demo, Sitework. Perimeter Sidewalk, Irrigation, Lighting, & Bed Materials
- Herb Traub (1917-2008): Longtime Savannah Rotarian, founder/owner of the Pirate’s House, community champion, and spearheaded numerous civic efforts including the Lucas Theater Restoration, Daffin Park Beautification, Lighting of the Talmadge Bridge, Forsyth Park Fountain, several squares, and monuments.
- Other points: As a true Legacy Project, this will be central to the public and serve as a unique opportunity to unite Rotary Clubs and set a new precedent for partnering. The plan is for the project to start this year. Since the city would have ownership, maintenance will not be an issue.
- Budget: $225,000-$250,000 (Downtown can raise it on their own - they are more interested in a partnership - they'll consider it 50/50 if Metro can raise $60,000)
CAST YOUR VOTE HERE!

MEMBERSHIP:

“Fireside Chat”: First step for a new member. Thurs., June 20, 5:30 PM @ Habitat for Humanity Restore @ 701 MLK. If you are interested in sponsoring a member, check out the “Members Only” area of the website for more info! Let Zerik know if you have someone attending so he can plan for snacks.
Sponsor Challenge: Anyone who sponsors a new member this Rotary year will be entered into a drawing to be held on June 18 (last meeting of the Rotary Year!)
New Metro T-shirts available now! Reach out to Jasmine for more info on how to pick yours up.
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

CLUB:

Metro Dues Invoices have been emailed! Option for this year: you can add your foundation giving to your online payment by changing the amount.
Let Tony know ASAP if you need different or specific such as as W-9, lunch for the year, etc.

INTERNATIONAL: 2025 Rotary International Convention

What: Celebration, building goodwill and better friendships
When: June 21-25, 2025
Where: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Why? 3 credits per full day in attendance and it's much closer this year!

YOUTH SERVICES:

9th Annual Empty Bowl fundraiser at St. Andrews School in January 2024

Metro's first joint service project with the two SAS Interact Clubs
Proceeds so far have impacted:
- 100 people gaining access to clean water
- Support for 5 students school fees & meals
- Constructing of 750 yam beds & seeds
- "Nearly all students shared that this made them feel like global citizens with compassion for others."
- Luke, a 7th grader, reflected: "My lasting impression is that spending money in the right places can help at lot of people."
- Savannah shared, "Finding out we were helping to get fresh water really had an impact on me and made feel grateful for what we have."

Brags, Finds, and Whines | June 4

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Cecilia Arrango bragged on Suzanne Kirk for crushing her TEDxSavannah Talk in May! She also mentioned that she went with Kristen Crawley to the aqua sonic experience at The Westin. On Friday, June 14 she will be performing in Niagara (a musical) at Asbury Memorial Church. She celebrated her 23rd anniversary with Thomas & Hutton!
Elizabeth Summerell bragged that she will be leaving on a 2 1/2 week trip to Europe to celebrate her 40th birthday.
Sarah Smith bragged on Davis Produce and is still looking for someone for July 8th-19th for dog/house sitting. She’s also expanding her “Family of Rotary” committee for next year- contact her if you are interested.
Katie Rudder Fender graduated on Friday from grad school!
DJ Spisso will be hosting an event June 5th, and made an announcement about WSP shows.

Featured Guest Speaker | June 4

Featured Speaker: Dana Williams, Mayor of Thunderbolt

Dana Williams is a distinguished leader whose journey intertwines business acumen,
community service, and family values. A native of South Georgia, Dana grew up in Lyons and his path began at Toombs County High School and continued at Georgia Southern University where he studied engineering and psychology. During his college years, Dana ventured into entrepreneurship, successfully owning and operating a restaurant and nightclub, where he met his future wife, Krissy, a banker.

Dana transitioned to the automotive industry by joining Rutland Tire and Wheel, a family
business, while making Thunderbolt his home. His commitment to community service led him to the volunteer fire and rescue service, where he served for four years, earning recognition as Rookie Firefighter of the Year and later becoming Captain.

Dana’s dedication to public service extended to the Town Council, where he served as Alderman for four years before assuming the role of Mayor, a position he has held for two and a half years. Impressive improvements he has made since his time in office include raising minimum wages, providing customer service training, funding and budget changes, productivity coaching, and more. The third phase includes a leadership coach to train Thunderbolt staff and grow all employees. He is passionate about the longevity and development of all persons.

Upcoming Thunderbolt plans include improvements to roads, sewers, beautification and cultivating strategic partnerships. He gave a shout out to Marianne Ganem Poppell for her work in bringing back Blessing of the Fleet! He likes to call Thunderbolt, “Maybury on the Bluff.” Be bold, dream big, and believe in yourself.

Inspired by the principles of servant leadership, compassion, and integrity, Dana prioritizes his roles as a husband and father of two daughters. He is most proud of being “Daddy.” Gabby is starting her freshman year at Savannah Arts Academy in a couple of months. Dana loves hunting, fishing, playing sports, and being part of the church community, and he is also passionate about servant leadership, positive attitude, and mental toughness. A captivating storyteller, Dana enjoys sharing larger-than-life tales over bourbon and cigars. He also showcases his culinary talent, delighting friends and family with gastronomic creations.

He is enrolled in Leadership Savannah with the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and has served as President of the Georgia Tire Dealers Association. As a proud member of the Alee Shriners, Dana’s genuine empathy and ability to connect with others define his approach to life, fostering respect and camaraderie wherever he goes. Whether serving Thunderbolt or cherishing moments with loved ones, Dana’s enduring legacy is his dedication to community, family, and shared joy.

9th Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser Most Successful To Date

Metropolitan Savannah Rotary's Interact Clubs at St. Andrews School celebrate their annual fundraiser's impact as school adjourns for the year. St. Andrew's School's 9th Annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser, held earlier this year, was Metro's first joint service project with the St. Andrew's School's two Interact Clubs. Together several Metro Rotarians and Interact students supported Children Inspiring Hope by working together to prepare and serve dinner, and with general set up for the event.

Children Inspiring Hope's mission is to connect children cross-culturally though arts and education, to engender a deepened social consciousness and to create compassionate citizens of the world. CIH brings the world into the classroom, bridging minds and hearts, via arts and education projects based on our shared humanity, peace building and Earth stewardship with primary and junior high students.

Amy Gaylor Nedriga, Executive Director for Children Inspiring Hope (CIH), shared with Metro Rotary's President Jasmine Mills, "I am reaching out to you to send gratitude for Metro Rotary's support of the 9th Annual Empty Bowl Dinner at St. Andrew’s, which was the most successful to date, thanks to you all supporting with the dinner. We extend our gratitude to all those present who supported and know you all will also be fulfilled with how far an evening of sharing a meal together can go in creating compassionate global citizens and timely tangible impact! Many of the students reflect in their CIH surveys that Empty Bowl event engagement, both the process of making bowls and coming together as a community, is a highlight of their CIH participation this year. Nearly all students shared that this made them feel like global citizens with compassion for others."

Luke, a 7th grader, reflected: 'My lasting impression is that spending money in the right places can help a lot of people.'

Savannah shared, 'Finding out we were helping to get fresh water really had an impact on me and made me feel grateful for what we have.'

Proceeds so far have impacted:

100 people gaining access to clean water through filtrations systems delivered on Easter giving Water to Drink
Support for 5 students school fees, and meals on campus supporting Chance to Learn
Constructing of 750 yam beds, and yam seeds supporting Farm to Feed

There are still funds that will be distributed to support all these service projects, and the tangible impact of the lives of our brothers and sisters in Ghana.

Announcements | May 21 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test.
She ask for those who have been members for fewer than two years to please stand to be recognized: Emily Doherty, Lexi Henigman, Kristin King, Brad and Ro Patrick
Please respond to the Operating Overage Distribution Survey here

MEMBERSHIP MINUTE: Sam Hubbard answered the question the most fun that he ever had was he studied a semester abroad in Spain in college

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Did you know? You can subscribe to the Metro Rotary Calendar! Go to ClubRunner, Events, click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

Attendance Check-in: Check your attendance in ClubRunner. Is it accurate? If not, email metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com.

Membership Committee is reaching out it not meeting 50% attendance to discuss options - go to "Members Only" area of website for info on makeups

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

May
- 5/28: Social @ Coastal Empire Beer Co.
June
- 6/4: Dana Williams, Mayor of Thunderbolt
- 6/18: Re:Purpose Savannah (Annual Service Partner)
- 6/25: End of Year Celebration Social @ Aqua Vitae - registration required for you +1

SERVICE:

6/10: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30am, 2nd Monday of each month - minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
June will be the final service with Re:Purpose - date TBA
Legacy Project will take the place of ASP for 2024-2025 - see below for more details!

LEGACY PROJECT: Legacy Project will take the place of ASP for 2024-2025, chair John Bennett - click on the title link to watch the video presentations and then VOTE for your favorite here!

Oatland Island Playground presented by Julie Wade. She thanked John Bennett for keeping us focused. This is an open-nature zoo that has been owned by the school system for over 50 years. Over 100,000 visitors per year including general public, schools and visitors. There is a new pre-K school on site as well. Proposal is for a public playground next to the picnic pavilion. This is solely Metro’s project. Various designs would be presented for consideration. Metro would be responsible for design consultation, product selection & fundraising. SCPSS responsible for sitework, installation & ongoing maintenance.
- Budget: $60,000-$100,000 from Metro.
Forsyth Park Gathering Space presented by Bret Bell. Eddie Deloach (president of Downtown Savannah Rotary) approached Bret to partner with Metro on this project to make a big picture statement in our community. The “Master Plan” survey by the city 2 years ago showed that there was a need for a “Gathering Space,” basically a place to sit, eat, and commune. Regardless, the city plans to demolish the “old playground” with no current plans to replace it with anything else. The City Manager has already embraced the plan for a landscaped/hardscaped gathering place, so this will happen even if Metro doesn’t partner on it. Downtown Rotary has already executed a similar project. The proposal: “Herb Traub Gathering Place.” Metro responsibilities: Design, Hardscape, Softscape, Furniture. City’s responsibilities: Playground Demo, Sitework. Perimeter Sidewalk, Irrigation, Lighting, & Bed Materials
- Herb Traub (1917-2008): Longtime Savannah Rotarian, founder/owner of the Pirate’s House, community champion, and spearheaded numerous civic efforts including the Lucas Theater Restoration, Daffin Park Beautification, Lighting of the Talmadge Bridge, Forsyth Park Fountain, several squares, and monuments.
- Other points: As a true Legacy Project, this will be central to the public and serve as a unique opportunity to unite Rotary Clubs and set a new precedent for partnering. The plan is for the project to start this year. Since the city would have ownership, maintenance will not be an issue.
- Budget: $225,000-$250,000 (Downtown can raise it on their own - they are more interested in a partnership - they'll consider it 50/50 if Metro can raise $60,000)
CAST YOUR VOTE HERE!

MEMBERSHIP:

“Fireside Chat”: First step for a new member. Thurs., May 23, 5:30 PM @ Habitat for Humanity Restore @ 701 MLK. If you are interested in sponsoring a member, check out the “Members Only” area of the website for more info! Let Zerik know if you have someone attending so he can plan for snacks.
Sponsor Challenge: Anyone who sponsors a new member this Rotary year will be entered into a drawing to be held on June 18 (last meeting of the Rotary Year!)
New Metro T-shirts available now! Reach out to Jasmine for more info on how to pick yours up.
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

Your 2024-2025 Metro Board!

Featured Guest Speaker | May 21

Featured Speakers: Tharros Place - Julie Wade, LaToya D. Scott, and Kate Templeton (view their slide presentation here)

Tharros mean courage in Greek

Julie started by thanking everyone for their continued support since the inception of Tharros Place’s vision! She introduced LaToya Scott as the Residential Director. LaToya moved her family from Brunswick and has been with Tharros Place since the very beginning. She lives in Pooler with her teenage son. Kate Templeton is the Outreach Coordinator who spends most of her time presenting to the community and educating them on Human Trafficking.

Chatham County ranks fourth in Georgia for reported cases of sex trafficking out of 159 counties (a March 2024 story here). Poverty, youth homelessness, tourism, the international port, the I-95/I-16 corridor, and proximity to Atlanta and Florida all contribute to this ranking. Kate stated that there is a general lack of awareness around these issues as well as education of services.

Funding is maintained through grants, individual donors, companies (Gulfstream, Bank of America, IKEA, GA Power, Delta, Costco), angel grants, and investors from government organizations. Outreach to 1,340 individuals thus far.

Upcoming project with the Tourism Leadership Council (TLC): training hotel staff to be “Human Trafficking Awareness Certified” will start this fall.

The Leadership Team, Operations Staff and Board of Directors presented in slides, including Metro’s own Elizabeth Summerell!

The Facility features 12 beds, private toilets & mirrors with shared showers. It also has a living room and two lounges, as well as a kitchen where the girls cook, eat and snack. They have educational space as well.

The Mission, Vision Statement, and DEI can all be found on the homepage here.

Program:

Age 12-17 girls.
Education, Community Events, Individual Therapy, Life Skills, Direct Care Specialist, Extra Curricular Activities, Case Management, & transitions to employment.
“Socially Acceptable” versus “Normal” is the language used.
Shout out to SCAD for their partnership helping design the building and provide art for the facility.
1,818 volunteer hours- life skills, cooking, education, meditation, etc.
Countless local non-profit partners.
Bi-Annual Stakeholder Meetings held in Spring & Fall. Next meeting September 18th at 8:30am.
How to help:
- Invite them to present to other groups
- Volunteer
- Donate time or money
- Social media shares/support
- Events

Speaker bios:

Julie Wade:

Julie Wade, Executive Director of Tharros Place, is a lawyer by training who has served Savannah’s non-profit community since 2017. As Executive Director of Park Place Outreach, a teen homeless shelter, she added new programs and doubled the budget to be able to serve youth more comprehensively. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood Southeast and the UGA Alumni Association.

A Georgia native, Julie attended UGA for undergrad and law school. She clerked for a federal judge and practiced law in Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Savannah. She currently provides legal services for nonprofits to build capacity and ensure compliance. Julie is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Southeast Georgia, and Leadership Savannah and has been recognized as a UGA 40 Under 40 and a Bulldog 100 business. For 10 years, Julie served as an elected member of the Savannah Chatham County Board of Education, representing District One.

LaToya D. Scott:

LaToya Scott, Residential Director of Tharros Place, is fiercely passionate about serving those in need through empowerment and education. LaToya has devoted her career to supporting vulnerable populations to enhance their overall well-being. LaToya started her Bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Social Work at Albany State University before completing a program in Liberal Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice at Armstrong Atlantic’s State University. Following graduation LaToya began her social service career in her hometown of Brunswick, GA with the Glynn County Division of Family and Children Services. LaToya has been in the human services and social work field for 12 years. She has served in non-profit residential servicing for the last 7 years. With her substantial experience, LaToya has developed shelter operations, enhanced policies and procedures, participated in accreditation processes, and implemented staff trainings regarding safety and person-centered care. While working for non-profit organizations such as Safe Harbor Children's Center and Morningstar Family and Children Services, LaToya developed a passion for working with abused and neglected youth who have developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses, and other significant traumatic experiences. Additionally, LaToya is an active member of Empowerment City Church where she serves as an Executive Administrator and Praise and Worship Leader. She is an active member of Eta Upsilon Sigma Chapter, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. where she serves as Vice President. LaToya enjoys singing, writing music, shopping, and spending time with family. She has one son and spends most of her free time attending his extracurricular sporting events.

Kate Templeton:

Kate Templeton, Operations Coordinator for Tharros Place, is a 2022 graduate of The University of Georgia where she obtained her Master of Public Health degree. Her undergraduate degree, also from The University of Georgia, was a B.S. in Health Promotion and Behavior with minors in Spanish and Music (Voice). Kate is a Savannah native and is excited to be working with Tharros Place.

In the past, Kate has interned with multiple organizations in the Athens, Georgia area such as Unified Healthcare for the Rural Underserved and Live Forward (formerly AIDS Athens). Kate has a passion for health education and loves working with children.

Outside of work, Kate serves as a Community Investments Volunteer on the Youth Development Panel for United Way, is involved in The Savannah Children's Theatre, is a Certified Professional Coach through the International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches and is a mentor for students in the UGA Mentor Program.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | May 21

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Sarah Smith is looking for a college student to pet sit overnight at her house July 8-19.
Ro Patrick bragged on Sam Carroll & Brad Patrick for placing first and second respectively in the 40+ division in the 200 Club's Savannah Mile on May 18.
Leigh Acevedo attended her daughter's the Kindergarten celebration. She's one very proud mama!
Cari Phelps bragged on her new glasses thanks to Dr. Erika Morrow. ForSight will have Krewe hosting a frame show at their shop on Thursday, May 23, 10am-3pm
Kelly Waldron thanked us all for her support and announced she is 100% in remission. She also announced they raised over $3000 for their Empty Bowl fundraiser. Her Interact students packed snack packs for RMHC, hosted a beach cleanup, and additional service projects.
Kristen Crawley shared that her friend’s mom was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she’s inspired by the research that continues to happen.
Jasmine Mills bragged that Metro received a new Bronze citation for Public Image.
Bret Bell bragged that we should all vote for Denise Grabowski today, May 21!

Brags, Finds, and Whines | May 7

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Cecilia Arango has three brags (hope she paid up!):
- Cecilia's Brightside Advocacy-Savanah CASA Dancing With Savannah Stars campaign raise over $41,000 smashing event records in which she won top fundraiser at the May 3 grand finale event!
- Join Cecilia Arango (emcee), Erika Morrow (one of the featured speakers), Suzanne Kirk (board member), Julia Grabowski (Denise's daughter/board member), and George Seaborough (Executive Director) at the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy Covered Dish Supper on Tuesday, May 14. Not a fundraiser, but everyone breaks bread together and enjoys each others' company. More details can be found HERE!
- Join Cecilia (emcee) and Suzanne Kirk (featured speaker) at TEDxSavannah on Thursday, May 16! Reach out to Cecilia or Emily Doherty for ticket info.
Aaron Miller announced that the West Point Society of Savannah is hosting their 3rd Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, May 20 at Savannah Country Club. Registration info and more details can be found here or contact Aaron directly at 404-313-1773 (talk/text) to get the skinny.
Denise Grabowski reminded everyone that Tuesday, May 21 is primary election day! She asked for our votes for SCCPSS School Board District 1 (click to see map). She thanked Jessica Pedigo for putting out a gazillion signs, Sarah Smith for hosting the ice cream social on April 25, and Julie Wade for hosting a fundraiser party on March 28. She hates asking for money, but could use your support between now and May 21 by donating here!
Suzanne Kirk bragged on her daughter Valerie (18) for finishing the Toronto Marathon in 4 hours 18 minutes (and husband Adam for finishing )
Chelsea Sawyer announced that this week, May 5-11, is Hurricane Preparedness Week. Check her out on YouTube here and on WJCL here. In true Chelsea style, she says if you're prepared, great; if not, DO BETTER!
Florence Slatinsky bragged that her son is home after his first year college for the summer and she's happy to have him home, but whined that he dumped all his stuff in the foyer and stuff is everywhere...!
Danietté Thomas bragged that she moved into her first new home in Pooler, but whined that MOVING SUCKS!

Announcements | May 7 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test. She encouraged everyone to be on a committee!

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Danietté Thomas - Fashion Designer and Consultant (guest of Zerik Samples)
Melanie Farrant - Marketing professional/SCAD alumna - moved back to Savannah from the UK (guest of Suzanne Kirk)
Kyle Reese - Rotarian from Jacksonville and Senior Minister, First Baptist Church of Savannah (guest of Sarah Smith)

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Need a Rotary nametag? We got you! If you do not already have a name tag or your current one is incorrect due to a classification or name change, please share your name & classification here by Friday, May 10.

Did you know? You can subscribe to the Metro Rotary Calendar! Go to ClubRunner, Events, click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

Attendance Check-in: Check your attendance in ClubRunner. Is it accurate? If not, email metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com.

Membership Committee is reaching out it not meeting 50% attendance to discuss options - go to "Members Only" area of website for info on makeups

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

May
- 5/11: District Assembly - Dublin
- 5/21: Julie Wade, Tharros Place & Legacy Project Updates
  - Oatland Island (Julie) and Forsyth Park (Bret)
  - Recorded - online voting
  - Site visits: Oatland at 4pm and Forsyth Park at 5pm, followed by happy hour at the American Legion on Bull St.
- 5/28: Social @ Coastal Empire Beer Co.
June
- 6/4: Dana Williams, Mayor of Thunderbolt
- 6/18: Mae Bowley, Re:Purpose Savannah
- 6/25: End of Year Celebration Social @ Aqua Vitae - registration required for you +1

SERVICE:

5/13: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30am, 2nd Monday of each month - minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian
June will be the final service with Re:Purpose - date TBA
Legacy Project will take the place of ASP (chair John Bennett) - committee met on April 25 and will have announcements for the club soon!

DISTRICT EVENTS:

District Assembly - Board/Leadership training this Sat., May 11, 8:30am-3pm, Dublin (DuBose Porter Business & Industry Training Center) - $45 pp *3 credits for attending the full day*

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL:

50 fellowships for master’s degree programs at six universities in U.S., Asia, Australia, & Europe
80 fellowships to earn postgraduate diplomas at Makerere University in Uganda and Bahçeşehir University in Turkey.
Applications due May 15

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. Thurs., May 23, 5:30 PM @ Habitat for Humanity Restore @ 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 June 18 (last meeting of the Rotary Year!)

CLASSIFICATION TALKS/NEW MEMBER INDUCTIONS:

Fitz Haile: Data and Analytics Consultant, United Way - Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jordan Chase

Please watch Fitz's classification talk HERE!

YOUTH SERVICES:

Preston Johnson Speech Contest winners from Woodville Tompkins presented today! Please watch their speeches linked below:

1st Place: Serani Hassan

2nd Place: Sanlos Celestin

3rd Place: Maleik Clausell

LEGACY PROJECT:

Metro's 15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Legacy Project Updates on Tuesday, May 21 at 12noon program meeting:
- Oatland Island (Julie) and Forsyth Park (Bret)
- Recorded - online voting
- Site visits: Oatland Island at 4pm and Forsyth Park at 5pm, followed by happy hour at the American Legion on Bull St.

Featured Guest Speaker | May 7

Featured Speaker: Cecilia Arango, Marketing Manager at Thomas & Hutton (and so much more!)

“Bridging Worlds Through Slanted Eyes: A Vietnamese-American Odyssey"

A first-generation Vietnamese American born in Columbus, GA, Cecilia Arango discusses the essence of rediscovery and heritage through her personal journey. She details her family’s history of fleeing their beloved homeland, the difficulties of conversations about the Vietnam War, and her experience visiting and exploring the country for the very first time.

Take a lunch break, eat at your desk, or take your mind elsewhere for a little while and watch her 25-minute presentation here (please excuse that it was shot amateurly on an iPhone).

Other District 6920 Conference Highlights

Rotarians from all over District 6920 gathered on Jekyll Island last weekend, April 26-28. Some were found on the pickleball court, at the luau, in the House of Friendship socializing and bidding on silent auction items, learning about World Polio Vaccines, and hearing from the GRSP students.

A few keynote speakers were researchers and updated everyone about the latest science around Alzheimer's Research (CART) and Polio Plus efforts. CART funds are making a difference in finding ways to stop the progressions of the disease. Early intervention is showing to be more promising than reversing the disease.

There were only 3 emergency cases of polio last year compared to 6 the years before. We are closer than ever to eradicating wild polio. Rotarians go to great lengths to immunize children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. We saw a video of someone taking a zipline over a rushing river to reach people living in remote areas.

Enjoy these snapshots below.

Julie Wade Awarded Horatio "Cabby" Cabasares Vocational Excellence Award

Our own Julie Wade doesn't need any trophies to know she is a winner in our book! We're lucky she is a founding member of Metropolitan Savannah Rotary and in awe of the numerous things she has done for our community. The Horatio Cabby Cabasares Award is given to a District 6920 Rotarian who has excelled in their vocations and has used their profession to encourage and promote the ideals of Rotary that Cabby exemplified. You can read more about the many reasons Julie was nominated for the Vocational Excellence Award here.

Gold & Interact Awards - District 6920 Conference

Gold Award - Metro received Gold Status! This is the highest of Gold, Silver, and Bronze and is based on a series of criteria categorized as Leadership, Membership, Public Image (Communications), Foundation, International Service, Community Service, Vocational Service, Youth Services, and District Conference/Celebration.

Zone 34 Interact Award - Metro was recognized for sponsoring a new Interact Club at St. Andrews High School, and we received certificates to distribute to all three of our Interact Clubs. These awards are based on criteria such projects to benefit the school or community, fundraisers, club growth, inclusion, participation, collaboration with other clubs, and attending Rotary meetings.

The aim of Interact is to foster the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peach, through a world fellowship of youth, united in the ideal of service.

Interact helps Rotary achieve its Vision Statement:

Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Announcements | April 16 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

Jasmine Mills, President, kicked off the first meeting of the year with the 4 way test

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Danietté Thomas - fashion designer and consultant (guest of Zerik Samples)
Drew Acuff (Guest of Cari Phelps)
Heather Radtke - VP with Speros (Guest of Laura Lee Brocade)
Kris Parks (Guest and mother of Emily Doherty)

MEMBERSHIP MINUTE: Danietté Thomas (guest) shared that most people don’t know that she moved to Savannah when she was 7 months from Arkansas.

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Did you know? You can subscribe to the Metro Rotary Calendar! Go to ClubRunner, Events, click on Subscribe to Calendar at the bottom (Google, Apple, Outlook compatible)

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

April:
- 4/30: 5th Tuesday Social at Hull Park
May
- 5/7: Cecilia Arango, A Personal Odyssey
- 5/21: Julie Wade, Tharros Place
- 5/28: Social @ Coastal Empire Beer Co.
June
- 6/4: Dana Williams, Mayor of Thunderbolt
- 6/18: Mae Bowley, Re:Purpose Savannah
- 6/25: End of Year Celebration Social

SERVICE:

4/27: Tybee Island Maritime Academy, 9am–12noon Landscaping
5/4: Second Harvest, 8am–11am Summer Feeding program
5/13: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30am, 2nd Monday of each month
Legacy Project will take the place of ASP (chair John Bennett) - committee met on April 25 and will have announcements for the club soon!

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Auction items needed for District Conference this weekend in Jekyll Island! April 26^th-28^th, 2024.
Get them to Kristen Crawley before Friday midday or Venmo her for a credit at @Kristen-Crawley21 => $30

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL:

50 fellowships for master’s degree programs at six universities in U.S., Asia, Australia, & Europe
80 fellowships to earn postgraduate diplomas at Makerere University in Uganda and Bahçeşehir University in Turkey.
Applications due May 15

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. Thurs., May 23, 5:30 PM @ Habitat for Humanity Restore @ 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 June 18 (last meeting of the Rotary Year!)

CLASSIFICATION TALK/NEW MEMBER INDUCTIONS:

Ruth Hutson (Outside sales rep for SESCO Lighting. Sponsors: Laura Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski.) She presented on her son Jack including their trip to Maui (which was just prior to the fires.) ALOHA expanded. Son Campbell plays tuba and double bass. Husband Tyler teaches at GA Southern. Her Masters is from University of Texas. She moved to NY in October of 2001. She’s also been prominently involved in music theater & opera productions. She toured with Julie Andrews and is a personal friend! She taught at SCAD for 16 years in lighting design and themed design. She partnered with Disney Imagineering to tour theme park careers. One year after leaving SCAD, she’s found her way to connect with Rotary and Service as well as bringing her skills to the City of Savannah to light up the town for St. Patty’s Day. Her heart also is into greenhouses and aquaponics. She’s the operations manager for Inside Voices United, an incarceration outreach program.
Emerson Ingram (Systems Engineer Contractor & Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton: Sponsors: Jeff Brady, Will Gruver) Grew up in Fort Myers FL, where his father was very active in Rotary there. He attended FL Southern College with a BA in Computer Science. His main focus is cyber-security and he also had a short stint in the ROTC program during college. He met his wife in 2019 via Greek Life and decided to leave FL when their jobs became remote, so they chose Savannah in August of 2023. Considering the remote work situation, he really wanted to dive into the community with service and friendships and is incredibly grateful to meet everyone in our club.

NEW MEMBER PROGRAM:

Fitz Haile: Data and Analytics Consultant, United Way. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jordan Chase

YOUTH SERVICES:

Preston Johnson Speech Contest:
- Top 2, Serani Hassan & Sanlos Celestin, participated in Zone 34 contest April 6 in St. Simons
Will Gruver will schedule participants to present to our club soon

LEGACY PROJECT:

Metro's 15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 6 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

Featured Guest Speaker | April 16

Featured Speaker: Michael Schwartz, Founder, Safety Valve Project

Michael Schwartz is an attorney in Savannah. His practice focuses on defending individuals whose conduct has been misunderstood by people in positions of power. He defends against allegations ranging from possession of controlled substances to murder. He is a veteran of the Georgia Capital Defender and the United States Air Force JAG Corps.

In 2021, recognizing a pattern in his clients’ lives, he began studying the effects of school suspension and expulsion. With a group of friends, he incorporated a nonprofit organization called the Safety Valve Project, Inc., which exists to provide families (who can't afford it) free assistance in defending against suspension or expulsion before school tribunals.

With the goal of slowing the flow of the school-to-prison pipeline, Safety Valve Project pairs students facing tribunals with defense teams trained to identify biopsychosocial and environmental factors that add context to alleged misconduct. Safety Valve Project builds and funds defense teams to investigate allegations, represent students before tribunals and, if necessary, appeal suspensions and expulsions to school boards, the Board of Education, and appellate courts.

Michael started off by sharing that one of the Air Force values is Service Before Self, and his wife is a yoga teacher, so our 4-way test resonated with him. As a criminal defense lawyer, he errs on the side of “if you can’t say something nice, say something clever and devastating.” He’s passionate about talking with people about service...everything from attending a fundraiser and writing a check, to the one-on-one interactions that directly help individuals and families.

Michael was sitting in Judge Karpf’s court (Suzy’s husband) for a murder trial (not his case) but wanted to learn more from the experience. Seeing the jurors show up, the Public Defenders, etc., he was overwhelmed with the sense of how everyone is trying to operate in these public systems. He’s fully aware that not all of our systems work well for all people. Half of his career specifically was focused on death penalty cases. Since 1973, only 2%-4% of death row inmates have been exonerated. This process is implemented by the highest quality of professionals, and yet we are still getting it wrong up to 4% of the time.

***PSA: challenge your parking ticket once/year and you’ll win every time***

Appeals become incredibly frustrating to all parties. He made an example about “exclusionary discipline” and how that impact has terrible effects not only on the individuals but also on the institution and the families. A young person who is removed from school for more than 10 days is 3 times more likely to have an interaction with law enforcement within the next year. He found a common theme after reviewing a number of cases and found a common thread started with the client being removed from school and ending in his office facing the death penalty. The job became understanding the backstory to what caused the behavior problems in the first place. Michael became tired of being at the end of the line and decided he wanted to be involved at the start of this process. The social science behind all of this demonstrates the pipeline that the youth are run through as a result.

Building the Safety Valve Project started with Michael taking on a case with a 4th grader at Savannah Classical Academy (a school with “Zero Tolerance” at the time, which is against the law in GA.) There are additional flaws with that logic as well. Michael met with the CEO (Principal) of Savannah Classical and was told there was no way to work this out. He wasn’t okay with taking no for an answer, so he called the 4th grader’s family as well as speaking with the other student who was involved in the fight. They employed the services of the Mediation Center and ended up planning a trip to the arcade and had a blast with the boys. Michael had photos from this trip, and presented the trial lawyers with an image of the two boys with their arms around each other! The point being, there are alternative ways to solve problems with a little bit of creativity. In Chatham County, we have a single person hearing officer, so when a student is facing a hearing, they are entitled to counseling. (He noted that our Public Defender office in Chatham is actually staffed with wonderful attorneys.) In the school system, you have a right to counsel, but it’s not funded. Which means that only 2% of these kids show up with a lawyer. This does not bode well for the student and their family.

The goal is to help the under-resourced teacher, but removing the child from the classroom isn’t the best option. There’s a choice to work with the attorneys to identify the “why” behind the behavior and work towards rehabilitation. The social science behind this “third justice system” in GA (the schools) is real and Michael wants us to spread the word about the Safety Valve Project with anyone that you might know who would be a resource.

Service | May 2024

Hello Metro,

Is there a best month of the year?! There MAY be! Here's a look ahead at this coming month's service projects, including a timely diaper donations drive for Over the Moon!

MAY SERVICE PROJECTS

Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia - Saturday May 4 Sign up here

Metro + Junior League + Jaycees will be at Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia's new location on Chatham Parkway to pack food for their Summer Feeding program. Hooray for a community effort!

Please note that we currently only have 3 people signed up for this service project. If we don't get to at least 15 volunteers by end of this week, we may need to reschedule that day, so please sign up if you are able to join on the 4th so we can get a headcount and make some decisions. Thank you!

***

Over the Moon Diapers Donations Drive - now thru May 7

Our friends at Over the Moon Diaper Bank are in need of diapers, pull ups and baby wipes, so we're going to help them out with a donations drive. You can donate by:

Ordering directly from their Target or Amazon wishlist, and items will ship directly to OTM. Please include a gift message and say you're with Metro Rotary so they know who it's from.
Bringing items to the JEA at our next meeting on May 7 (or earlier) and drop off at their donation barrels in the lobby.

This is a great way to get those make-up attendance credits! For every $25 donated, you'll get one make-up credit. Max 3 credits. Please send your proof of purchase to me and I will compile for Sara.

***

Emmaus House - Monday May 13 Sign up here

The 2nd Monday of each month is now "Metro Monday"! We will assist with the soup kitchen from 7:30-9:30am. This service project is for adult volunteers. Minors 13 and up can volunteer accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

***

Hope to see you there, and as always--

Thanks for being ridiculously awesome!
Ro

Brags, Finds, and Whines | April 16

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Zerik Samples is thrilled with his position as program manager with Leadership Southeast GA. It's a very fulfilling project and encouraged anyone interested to get involved!
Bret Bell bragged that Suzanne Kirk is amazing. He is utilizing her with the City and a Non-Profit and he recommends her for any of your HR needs.
Sarah Smith bragged on Denise Grabowski for running for re-election. Sarah is hosting an ice cream social on Thursday, April 25, 3-4pm at McCauley Park. Make a donation, get a yard sign.
Cari Phelps learned how to play pickleball this weekend and thanked Sarah Smith for getting her on the court.
Leigh Acevedo bragged on herself for being part of the team that hired Suzanne Kirk!

Announcements | April 2 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President-Elect Kristen Crawley presided and kicked off the meeting with the 4-way test:

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Danietté Thomas - fashion designer and consultant (guest of Zerik Samples)

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

TODAY (April 15) is the last day to order a Metro shirt! If you do not already have a black Metro t-shirt or your current one doesn't fit, please share your name & size here by EOD today!

April Birthdays & Anniversaries:

Birthdays: Cindy Mullally (4), Jamie Arkins (8), Kristin King (17), Sarah Smith (21), Tony Uhrich (21), Robert McCorkle (25), Suzanne Kirk (26), Kelley Waldron (26)
Club anniversaries: Michael McLeod (11 y), Lee Beckmann (10 y)
Wedding anniversaries: Beth & Michael Whalen (19 y), Cody & Nicki Tharpe (18 y)

MEMBERSHIP MINUTE:

Kristen asked Zerik and Leigh what the benefits are of giving to Rotary Foundation.
- Leigh loves the matching gift aspect of our club
- Zerik loves the growth process aspect of our giving and that we get to determine where our additional funds go.

Something you don't know about Leigh: she was a debutante. The riskiest thing she's ever done was watch the sunrise on Mount Haleakala and their brakes failed on the drive down. The most fun she’s ever had was also camping and hiking on the mountain.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS:

This year’s Preston Johnson Speech Contest was a huge success: 3 places/awards were given!
Service day at Re-Purpose and check presentation. 17 members attended, and press releases in WTOC and Savannah Business Journal.
Superfluous award to Whitney Shephard

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

April:
- 4/16: Program: Michael Schwartz, Safety Valve Project
- 4/23: Club Social: Culinary Institute tour & drinks
  - Join Patrick Phelps at 5:30 PM for a hard hat tour of the building - PS Tavern afterwards
  - Please wear closed-toed shoes and pants for safety in the construction space.
- 4/30: 5th Tuesday Family of Rotary Park Night @ Hull Park
May:
- 5/7: Program: Cecilia Arango, A Personal Odyssey

SERVICE:

4/27: Tybee Island Maritime Academy, 9am–12noon Landscaping
5/4: Second Harvest, 8am–11am Summer Feeding program

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Register for District Conference in Jekyll Island - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 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 June 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:

Clubs with at least 40 points qualify.
- Points for activities like meeting regularly, completing meaningful service projects, growing membership, and engaging with sponsoring club.
ALL 3 OF OUR CLUBS GOT 50+ POINTS!

LEGACY PROJECT:

Metro's 15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 6 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

Service | April 27 & May 4

phrase of hello may 6618156 Vector Art at Vecteezy

Hey Metro,

Don't be a fool, stay cool this April and May the 4th be with you! Here's a look at the coolest service projects coming up in late April and early May:

APRIL SERVICE PROJECT

Tybee Island Maritime Academy - Saturday, April 27 Sign up here

Join us at Tybee Island Maritime Academy (TIMA) on Saturday April 27th from 9am to noon as we help the school mulch and spruce up their backyard. Head to the beach afterwards!

***

MAY SERVICE PROJECT

Second Harvest - Summer Feeding program - Saturday, May 4 Sign up here

Join us at Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia's new location (it's beautiful!) on Chatham Parkway to pack food for their Summer Feeding program.

***

Hope to see you there, and as always--

Thanks for being ridiculously awesome!
Ro

Brags, Finds, and Whines | April 2

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Katie Joyner bragged that her husband will be going with Leigh Acevedo’s brother on a boys outing, so Katie will be taking her son Sam on his Scout’s outing.
Kristin King bragged on Denise Grabowski and Julie Wade hosting a fundraising event for Denise's school board campaign.
Chelsea Sawyer whined about the weather - high chance for tornadoes in the Midwest, but keep your eyes on the CEMA alerts for Wed., April 3.
Jamie Arkins whined about that her birthday is on the day of the eclipse. Take pictures/videos if you are able to see it. But she is turning 48 on 4/8!
Kristen Crawley on behalf of Lee Beckman announced the Saturday, April 20^th Fundraiser at the Savannah Theatre for Employability $75/tickets honoring Stratton Leopold. Link: https://employabilityga.org/celebrating-stratton

Featured Guest Speaker | April 2

Featured Speakers: B ruce Clemens, PhD, PE – The Peoples' Consultants - Agua del Pueblo & Rotary Club of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Bruce has been a Rotarian for 16 years. He strongly recommends attending an international convention and loves meeting people from all over the world. He thanked us for all the wonderful work our club has done and highlighted our current and past service partners.

There’s poverty all over the world, but in Guatemala there’s no “safety net” for when things fall apart. 26% of the world lacks safe drinking water, and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation. For example, a volcano destroyed a water spring and Fr. Greg brought a firetruck to help bring water to towns. The Panimaquip system has been adopted after the deadly Hurricane Stan in 2005.

Bruce shared pictures of San Lucas Toliman (1972) and a current picture of their Agua del Pueblo office, run entirely by Guatemalans. They were founded during the civil war. 5% were brutally killed during the 25 year war. Two American priests were assassinated during this time.

Guatemala now has the highest GDP in all of Central America. They are rich in commodities, but the distribution of wealth has put them at one of the highest poverty rates in the world. Drastic race differences between the Mayans and ladinos.

WASH is a water and sanitation project that provides clean water to inhabitants all around Lake Atitlan. Improved sanitation will help preserve the lake and prevent the growth of the blue green algae. Water allows locals to invest in livestock and improve their lives. Digging wells by hand is the result of the government attempting to control it’s citizens and keep them in poverty. Walking miles to obtain fresh water, for example, takes hours out of their day. They are in their 4^th phase of the “Save the Lake” project, all which are funded by global grants and support from the Rotary Foundation and clubs all over the world.

A common issue, as recent as 2017, is that girls are not staying in school due to the lack of privacy and bathroom resources.

Bruce presented a schematic of a water treatment system that also produces a fertilizer and water that can be re-used for irrigation.

In addition to public health, there is a level of raising consciousness, developing tax collecting and joint decision-making to improve their community. Road development, electricity, and school planning has resulted after the water projects. One other big shift is allowing indentured employees to live on their land (previously working on the fincas and treated like slaves.) Today, very few families have reliable water - only the wealthy families. Reforestation is also an ongoing issue.

Bruce is asking us to think about anyone who might want to plan a 10-day trip to learn more about the continued development in this town. The next trip will be in Jan. or Feb. 2025 and they need a minimum of 5 participants. If you are interested, reach out to Bruce at 864.423.5559 or bruce@aguadelpueblo.org or bruce.wayne.clemens@gmail.com.

Service | April 2024

Hey Metro,

Don't be a fool, stay cool this April. Here's a look at the coolest service projects coming up this month:

APRIL SERVICE PROJECTS

Emmaus House - Monday April 8 Sign up here

***

Tybee Island Maritime Academy - Saturday April 27 Sign up here

Join us at Tybee Island Maritime Academy (TIMA) on Saturday April 27th from 9am to noon as we help the school mulch and spruce up their backyard.

***

Hope to see you there, and as always--

Thanks for being ridiculously awesome!
Ro

Featured Guest Speaker | March 19

Featured Speakers: Katheryne Fields – Executive Director, Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) and Maria Juliana "MJ" de Vivero Cortes, our current GRSP student from Cartagena, Colombia

Katheryne Fields serves as the Executive Director for Georgia Rotary Student Program, a critical position that was identified by GRSP’s strategic plan. She previously served as the Marketing and Development Director and Program Director for GRSP. Katheryne brings more than 20 years of communications, management and nonprofit experience to her role.

GRSP was founded in 1946 by Will Watt (Thomasville) and Hue Thomas (Savannah, Thomas & Hutton) was the chair for 30 years. Students must be between 18 - 24 years old to apply.

Katheryne works closely with the GRSP Chair, officers, directors, trustees, staff, GRSP Foundation plus Georgia Rotary Clubs and GRSP student. Her role is to promote the cause of world peace through higher education by assisting students, speaking to clubs plus raising funds and awareness for the organization. Katheryne is a member and President for 23-24 for Daybreak Griffin Rotary Club in Griffin, where she and her husband Dale, an avid golfer, reside.

Maria Juliana "MJ" de Vivero Cortes is from Cartagena, Colombia, and she has been attending Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus Savannah this year. At almost 19 years old, MJ shared her adventures and experiences throughout her time at Georgia Southern, her various travels and trips through GRSP, and her passions for her homeland of Colombia. She has participated in Model UN. Some of MJ's activities include softball, dancing, baking, and watching the sunsets.

Rotary has always been a part of MJ's life. Both of her parents are Rotarians and have been active for over 20 years. The club her father is a member of is one of the oldest in Colombia. Mother is an Occupational Therapist, her father is a Gastroenterologist, one brother is a lawyer, and the other one is an ophthalmologist. MJ wants to go to law school and she doesn't have to complete an undergraduate degree to go in Colombia.

Colombia is a beautiful country her city of Cartagena is full of tourists and has a relaxed atmosphere. What puts Colombia on the map are gold, emeralds, coffee, Encanto, carnivals, and art. She said Cartagena is the most beautiful of all cities in Colombia.

MJ has traveled extensively during her time in Georgia. She has gone to a UGA football game, a Clemson game, Columbus, Alpharetta/TopGolf. Her parents visited over Thanksgiving and loved Savannah! Winter break consisted of a trip to New York City, a Ghost Pirates game, and Disneyworld. She attended student leadership weekend in Dunwoody, Daytona 500, an oyster roast, and Pelham (where she rode on a tractor!). For spring break she went to 30A in Florida. She enjoyed her first St. Patrick's Day in Savannah!

MJ would like to thank Suzy Wallace from Metro for being her host. She is grateful to our club and the other area Rotary clubs who have sponsored her and it has been one of the best year's of her life.

Announcements | March 19 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

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

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Kyle Reese, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church - formerly in Rotary in a Jacksonville club
Maria "M.J." Juliana de Vivero Cortes - GRSP student from Colombia

RECOGNITION/AWARDS:

Alfred McGuire was awarded Administrator Of The Year from the Foreign Language Association of Georgia
Denise Grabowski is running for second term on the SCCPSS school board! Join her at a fundraiser at Julie Wade's home, 134 E 51st St. - Thurs., March 28, 5:30pm - please donate here

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS & SOCIALS):

March
- 3/26: Club Social @ Mint To Be Mojito, 12 W State St, 5:30pm-7:30pm
April
- 4/2: Bruce Clemens, People’s Consultants, Rotary Club of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala (Kristen presiding)
- 4/16: Michael Schwartz, Safety Valve Project
- 4/23: Club Social @ TBA

SERVICE:

March 23: 17 Metro members turned out for our Re:Purpose service and check presentation (see above photo) - all agreed that was some serious work!
4/8: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30 am, 2nd Monday of each month
4/27: Tybee Island Maritime Academy - Join us at TIMA on Saturday, April 27th from 9am to noon as we help the school mulch and spruce up their backyard.
Legacy Project will take the place of ASP – chair John Bennett

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Register for District Conference in Jekyll Island - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 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 June 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:

Preston Johnson Speech Contest - March 27, 3:15pm at Woodville Tompkins High School
District 6920 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) June 12-15, College of Coastal Georgia-Metro is supporting a Jenkins HS student selected by Savannah South
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

LEGACY PROJECT:

Metro's 15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 6 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

Brags, Finds, and Whines | March 19

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust)

Sarah Smith announced Denise Grabowski's SCCPSS school board fundraiser at Julie Wade's house, March 28 at 5:30pm
Emily Doherty announced TEDxSavannah on May 16: Support Cecilia Arango as emcee and Suzanne Kirk's debut as a TEDx speaker! TEDx is offering a group discount to attend on Thursday, May 16, 1pm-5pm at the Armstrong Center. We need 6+ to attend - discounted tix are $45. Contact Emily Doherty if you are interested in attending.
Zerik Samples thanked Cecilia Arango for moderated Habitat's Wine Down Wednesday. He also announced he was able to meet the CEO of the national Habitat for Humanity as well as speak at the Habitat for Humanity International Conference!
Denise Grabowski announced her campaign kickoff is March 19 and please attend the March 28 fundraiser.
Katheryne Fields (GRSP Exec. Dir.) thanked everyone in Metro for hosting Maria "M.J." this year for GRSP

Announcements | March 5 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

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!

GUESTS/VISITORS:

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 11^th 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

CLUB UPDATES:

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):

12^th 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)

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Register for District Conference in Jekyll Island - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 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

Announcements | Feb. 20 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

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: Guest Rob Douberly shared that he loves working with plants, growing them, and then giving them away.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Lynne Wolf - HCA Healthcare Contracting & Development Specialist - guest of Katie Joyner
Suzy Karpf brought Maria (MJ), our GRSP student who expressed her gratitude for being here!
Robert Douberly - new administrator at Citizen’s Advocacy - guest of George Seaborough
Suzanne Smith - Public Relations Coordinator with Cecilia Russo Marketing - guest of Zerik Samples
Ruth Hutson - soon to be a new member! (in new membership program)

CLUB UPDATES:

If anyone is interested in serving on the board, please contact Kristen Crawley directly.
If you would be interested in speaking to the club or being on a panel, let Jasmine know.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

Spring Fundraiser: 12th Annual Roastary! Get your tickets here for $55/Adults, $20/Kids 16 or younger.
- Sunday, March 3, 3pm-6pm @ Coach’s Corner
- Oysters, chili, salads, dessert, games, live music by Jason Salzer, KID FRIENDLY
- Contact Jessica Pedigo, Chair, for more info
February
- 2/27: Club Social 5:30pm @ Das Box at 1006 E Broad St
March
- 3/5: Club Assembly: Happy 12th Birthday, Metro!
- 3/19: Katheryne Fields, GRSP

SERVICE:

3/3: Service at Roastary
3/11: Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30am, 2nd Monday of each month
3/23: Re:Purpose service and check presentation
3/25: Meals on Wheels Kitchen - 6-8 am, 4th Monday of each month
Legacy Project will take the place of ASP - chair John Bennett
Savannah Tree Foundation is incredibly grateful for our support.
Brad Patrick presented the Service Superlative award to Will & Mackie McIntosh for being “Tree-Mendous”

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Registration is open for District conference in Jekyll - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024.
- 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? 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
Kamala Harris exclusive event on Feb. 6 was attended my many of our club members, including Whitney Shephard, Bret Bell, Josh Yates, Leigh Acevedo, Julie Wade, & Kelley Boyd. Jamie Arkins and Kristen Crawley went to RLI in Perry on Feb. 10 She also encouraged us all to attend when/if possible.

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
Inducted Katie Rudder Fender: Direcor of Community Outreach, South University. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jamie Arkins

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

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

Featured Guest Speaker | February 20

Featured Speaker: Aaron "Adot" Whitely – 6th District Chatham County Commissioner

As the elected representative for the 6th District of Chatham County, Commissioner Aaron “Adot” Whitely will continue to use his position to ensure that southwest Chatham County thrives and the citizens of District 6 are engaged in the decision-making process.

Adot believes in consistent engagement and partnership with local leaders and activists, community organizations, neighborhoods associations, small and large businesses, houses of worship, schools, and youth; through and with these connections, we will foster the development of the 6th District into a better place to live and work!

Priorities:

- Transparency and Accessibility

- Business Growth and Development
- Collaborate with City of Savannah and Chatham Public Schools
- Youth Engagement
- Expanding Resources and Awareness

He represents the south and southwest area of Chatham County, and titled his presentation “Chatham County: Where are we going? Making a case for Regionalism.” He sees a lot of growth and change happening in our community and sees our status as similar to where Atlanta was in 1987. Currently in Atlanta, their population is at a growth rate of 2.35% annually.

In 1987, Savannah’s population was 100,000 with a 0.52% annual growth rate. Currently we are at 340,000 with a 2.05% annual growth rate. Property values continue to increase. Taxes have increased. Employers are flocking to Georgia to conduct business.

He serves on a task force to help recruit international companies to bring their business in America. He says that Georgia is incredibly attractive for foreign companies. Huge developments with the Hyundai Metaplant and Sports Tourism (Nike, ADIDAS, basketball tournaments, etc.) Collaborative efforts are in full effect, including:

Storm Drainage Basin Study is being conducted
County Fire Department - outsourcing fire support is no longer cost effective. The past has had minimal investment in a fire department.
New Trial Court Building - it costs $78/day to keep someone in jail. This is not about “letting the bad guys out,” but more about how to save the strained judicial system.
EOC: 911 Emergency Housing/Station near the airport (groundbreaking in May 2024). Specifically mentioned that our 911 system is outdated. He can’t imagine being in a panic/emergency state only to get a voicemail when calling 911.
County-Wide Land Use Plan: important to unify zoning across the counties. i.e. Multi-family zoning.

Current Issues:

Growing traffic issues - Hwy 16, Port Wentworth: Regionalism is the way to prepare/fix. TSPLOST helps share the costs of roads with tourists/visitors. TRANSISPLOST - mass transit, CAT/Micro-transit, all to lessen the number of vehicles on the road. He proposes county-wide free bus transit. In 1965 MARTA was passed as a regional project with the only county that didn’t approve it being Cobb.
Infrastructure
Limited Workforce - slated we won’t have enough workforce to fill the jobs here by 2025. Leads to influx and competitive wages. Solutions include training those already living here. Also includes consideration for school systems - creating the workforce needed (i.e. Woodville-Tompkins). State-run training for incarcerated people so they are employable after serving time.
Housing shortage (around 10,000 units) and affordability is also a challenge. Need more developments in neighboring areas of where the work is. More ADU’s and creative monitoring of STVR. Tax abatement options as well. Increase density by growing/building up.
Water Water Water - he shared song lyrics from New World Water by Mos Def. Our source here is from the Floridian Aquifer. We need to start using less water effective Jan 2025. Regional Water Authority would address inequities in the system and fund a de-salinization system.

Q&A:

Whitney expressed her gratitude and asked how we all can help. Aaron says to “share the message” and communicate with those around you what the bigger picture is here.
Bret asked if consolidation of the 8 municipalities would work in the future. Aaron says not likely. Unincorporated Chatham County doesn’t want to become part of Savannah and it’s the largest region.

Service | March 2024

Hello Metro! Hope you enjoyed the spectacular weather this past weekend. Let's spring into action with a snapshot of March's service opportunities!

MARCH SERVICE PROJECTS

12th Annual Roastary - Sunday, March 3 ***Sign up here for March 3***

Get service credit while you party! Most of the shifts are full but there is 1 spot left for clean up.

Re:Purpose Service + ASP Check Presentation - Saturday, March 23 ***Sign up here for March 23***

Join us for the check presentation to our ASP Re:Purpose, and to help clean up one of their big storage shed bays with materials from their very first ever decon project, the Anderson Twins. This service project is for ages 13+.

The Anderson Twins, built in 1874, were a pair of Victorian homes that once stood on Anderson street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. Number 414 had fallen victim to Hurricane Irma and 418 had to be removed quickly.

What could be saved was transported to their lumber yard in haste and has been waiting to be processed and made available to the community. The Re:Purpose crew is so excited to tackle this long awaited project with us. These Victorian buildings were incredibly special, an example of a shift in building craftsmanship from timber framed to balloon.

MONTHLY PROJECTS

Emmaus House - Monday, March 11 ***Sign up here for March 11***

Meals on Wheels Kitchen - Monday, March 25 ***Sign up here for March 25***

The 4th Monday of each month we’ll be at the Meals on Wheels kitchen to help prepare meals for delivery from 6-8am. This service project is for 18 years or older.

Reminder: All volunteers must complete a volunteer application and go through a background check to be submitted no later than two weeks before the service date.

Hope to see you at one/some/all of these service projects. Thank you for being ridiculously awesome! ~Ro

Featured Guest Speaker | February 6

Featured Speaker: John Parker – CEO of The First Tee

John Parker was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has always had a passion for making a difference in the world. He began his career as a 3rd Grade Teacher in the Bryan County School System in 2005 and worked in that role for 17 years. Within the past 7 years, he found golf and quickly realized that all of the core values of the game directly relate to the character education being taught in schools everyday. This prompted him to create a golf themed classroom. From there he gained the attention of The First Tee, which introduced him to their school program where he began teaching this model at his school in 2019.

Two years later, The First Tee-Savannah was launched, and John was hired as the Program Director. He worked in this role part-time and continued teaching until 2023 where he transitioned into the chapter's full-time Program Director.

Seeing the remarkable difference that he has made through this role, John was promoted to CEO of The First Tee-Savannah at the start of 2024, where he will oversee all of the chapter's operations and continue to build this organization to reach as many youth as possible.

The First Tee's Mission statement: We enable kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with life skills curriculum, we created learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do. The First Tee Empowers kids and team by instilling life-enhancing values through the game of golf. The program has grown tremendously in the past few years. They currently have 16 coaches, 50 volunteers. 48% of participants are on full scholarship. This started off as a school program at 26 schools, 19 of which are Title One, reaching 14,000 kids. Success stories include Reshma’s two daughters!

Programming and Charity Partners include Park Place Outreach and the LB3 Foundation, promotes ending gun violence and holds an annual golf camp.

How you can help? Spread the word about The First Tee-Savannah to help them gain exposure via word of mouth You can volunteer, donate new golf equipment, and funding for programs. They are building a mentor program. This enables kids to build character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. They integrate the game of golf with life skills curriculum to create learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience. The program also helps kids appreciate diversity and respect others.

They are entering a new phase, that includes an adaptive, girls-only program, and a little “putter’s program.” They are reorganized with a new energy and laser-focused on their mission for inner-city Savannah. 6:1 ratio per class. John is clearly passionate about the relationships formed with the children they work with and they are not numbers to him. They are about changing as many lives as possible and building tomorrow’s leaders!

The Core Values taught include respect, courtesy, honesty, sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility, confidence, judgement, and perseverance. The First Tee only has one full-time intern on staff in addition to John, all others are volunteers. The First Tee relies solely on all of the golf courses that participate in the program as well as their availability, which are all of the courses in the area except Savannah Quarters, Savannah Country Club, and Mary Calder.

Ariel Brown received the First Tee National Teacher of the Year. Her parents run Savannah Legacy Academy.

***

We invite you to attend The First Tee's inaugural Tee Off Party on Sunday, March 3, 6-8pm at the Palmetto Terrace at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club. This event will kick off our Golf Marathon on Monday, March 4. The all-inclusive evening includes a full southern table menu, open bar, and live auction. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased here. Contact John Parker or Dana Whitfield for more info. Facebook invite here. Follow us on Facebook here and on Instagram here. Thank you for supporting The First Tee.

Announcements from Feb. 6 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

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

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Lane McCulley, Legal Administrative Assistant - guest of Elizabeth Summerell
Lynne Wolf, HCA Healthcare Contracting & Development Specialist - guest of Katie Joyner

CLUB UPDATES:

If anyone is interested in serving on the board, please contact Kristen Crawley directly.
February Birthdays: Kathleen Anderson (5th), Patrick Phelps (13th), Florence Slatinsky (24th)
Club anniversaries: Jeanine Roach (10), Jasmine Mills (5)
Paul Harris Fellow awarded to Brad Patrick!

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

Spring Fundraiser: 12th Annual Roastary! Get your tickets here before they go up in price!
- Sunday, March 3, 3pm-6pm @ Coach’s Corner
- Contact Jessica Pedigo, Chair, for more info
February
- 2/20: Aaron Whitely, Dist. 6 Commissioner
- 2/27: Club Social 5:30pm @ Das Box at 1006 E Broad St
March
- 3/5: Club Assembly: Happy 12th Birthday, Metro!
- 3/19: Katheryne Fields, GRSP

SERVICE:

Emmaus House Soup Kitchen - 7:30-9:30 am, 2nd Monday of each month (upcoming 3/11 and 4/8)
ASP - Chairs are Cari Phelps and Chelsea Sawyer
- First meeting = March 6, location TBD
- Want to join? Reach out to Cari @ cari@clarkcreativedesign.com
3/23: Re:Purpose service project & check presentation (TBD- morning time)

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Registration is open for District conference in Jekyll - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024.
- 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.

LOCAL/OTHER CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Saturday Feb 17^th @ 4pm-8pm: Crab Races & Live Auction. Rotary Club of Savannah South is hosting this event benefiting P.A.C.K. RYLA, and other local charities. More info here.

MEMBERSHIP:

"If you are interested in sponsoring a member, reach out to Zerik Samples, Kristen Crawley, or Jasmine!" to "If you are interested in sponsoring a member, check out the “Members Only” area of the website for more info!"

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: Laure Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski
Katie Rudder Fender: Dir of Community Outreach, South University. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jamie Arkins
- Katie Rudder Fender gave her Classification talk on Feb. 6: She is the Director of Community Outreach and Development at South University. She manages their corporate education program and partners with the majority of Savannah’s major employers in providing discounted programing and education. She considers herself the “front door” of the University. She’s also a student at South getting a MPA (Masters of Public Administration.) She has worked as a recruiter, the American Red Cross, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, and the St. Joseph/Candler Foundation. She’s lived in Savannah for 10 years and her husband Robert is a born and raised Savannahian. She graduated from USC and is from Annapolis, Maryland. Katie played basketball in high school. She’s over 6 feet tall! She goes to CYCLEBAR most nights and is a “gas station foodie.” She gave a special thanks to Kristen Crawley and Jamie Arkins for being her sponsors and she’s very excited about joining the group!

RECOGNITION/AWARDS/IN THE NEWS

Kelley Boyd spoke with Becky Sattero at WTOC 11 News morning break about SYC’s new location and YogaFest.
Cecilia Arango spoke about the upcoming TEDxSavannah on Savannah CEO.
Beautiful Savannah Magazine article featured the work of Reshma Johnson and her company SHAH Architecture & Interiors.

YOUTH SERVICES:

Read United on Feb. 2: 60 Schools, 986 Classrooms, 19,650 Books
Interact club of St. Andrew's Upper School officially received its certificate of organization!
Upper School Interact Club is reading to 2nd and PK4 students on Thursday, February 22, as a literacy service project.
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

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

Announcements from Jan. 16 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the first program meeting of 2024 with the 4-way test and reminded us the following:

Goal-Every Member 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

GUESTS/VISITORS:

John Parker, CEO of The First Tee - guest of Reshma Johnson
Chelsea Dye, guest of Whitney Shepard
Emerson Ingram, in new member process - Guest of Jeff Brady
Katie Rudder Fender, in new member process - did her second greeting today
Ruth Hutson, in new member process - did her first greeting today

CLUB UPDATES:

January Birthdays: Amelia Harper, Jeff Brady, Denise McCoy, Emily Doherty
Club Anniversaries: Bret Bell (12), Sam Carroll (12), Jordan Chase (12), Suzanne Kirk (12) Robert McCorkle (12), William McIntosh (12), Jason Nielubowicz (12), Jessica Pedigo (12), Cari Phelps (12), Patrick Phelps (12), Liza Smith (12), Jason Somers (12), Julie Wade (12),Emily Salzer (5), Will Gruver (6), Sara Holton (6), Florence Slatinsky (10)
Special THANK YOU from Kelley Waldron
Wedding Anniversary: D.J. & Melinda Spisso (7)
Metro’s 2025-2026 Presidential Nominee Vote: Kristen Crawley presented George Seaborough. Present membership in full support. If anyone is interested in serving on the board, please contact Kristen directly.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

1/23: Social @ Sobremesa @ 5:30pm
1/26: Tharros Place Cocktails for Courage: https://www.tharrosplace.com/events.html
1/30: 22 Square Meals Family Of Rotary (FOR) Lunch @ Chippewa Square @ 12noon - bring your own lunch!
2/4: Citizen Advocacy Oyster Roast – Tickets here
2/6: Program meeting: John Parker, CEO of First Tee – Savannah
Spring Fundraiser: Roastary
- Jessica Pedigo, Chair
- Save the Date: Either 2/25 or 3/3
- Looking for sponsors

SERVICE:

Service Superlative Award: Ben Barksdale for his service as the “SINK-erater" at the Empty Bowl event at St. Andrew's
Meals on Wheels Kitchen (1/22) - 6am-8 am, 4th Monday of each month
Read United (Feb. 2) - One Day Event - schools are filling up fast, so sign up now!
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Julie Wade told us Chatham County ranks 4^th highest in GA, and these are often girls from Chatham County. Tourism side of Savannah definitely contributes to our risk. Tharros Place has an outreach staff member who can present to groups, so if you are interested, reach out to her. Cocktails for Courage event at Cohen's Retreat on Jan. 26^th. Facility is completely running and taking in more girls.

DISTRICT EVENTS:

District conference in Jekyll: lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024
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:

Classification Talk soon by Fitz Hale, Data and analytics consultant, United Way. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley, Jordan Chase
New Member Program:
- Ruth Hutson, outside sales rep for SESCO Lighting. Sponsors: Laure Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski
- Katie Rudder Fender, Director of Community Outreach for South University. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jamie Arkins
**If you are interested in sponsoring a member, reach out to Zerik Samples, Kristen Crawley, or Jasmine!

RECOGNITION/AWARDS/IN THE NEWS

Julie Wade discussed the Tharros Place opening in The Savannahian.
Metro's 2023-2024 Annual Service Partner, RePurpose Savannah, was featured on CBS Saturday Morning.
Will Gruver, General Manager of Operations of JAN-PRO, discussed continued expansion in the region and the services they provide in Savannah CEO.

LEGACY PROJECT:

15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 8 nominated projects
Project nominees are acquiring more information from “owners”, Dec. 15 deadline, top 2-3 will be presented to club
Next meeting: Thursday, January 18 at 10am via Teams

FEATURED SPEAKER: Jesse Dillon, COO of Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA)

As Chief Operating Officer, Jesse develops, implements, and manages SEDA’s Business Development strategic plan for developing product, attracting new business, and supporting established businesses grow in Chatham County. Jesse is a graduate of Leadership Savannah. She proudly serves as a board member for the Greater Savannah Regional Alliance, the Savannah Technical College Foundation, Housing Savannah Inc., the Creative Coast, and the Advisory Board for Junior Achievement.

She is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in International Relations. In 2014, Jesse and her husband, Jack, relocated to Savannah and have since put down roots, which include two spirited young children.

Jesse provided an update to us about the Hyundai metaplant and the I-16 Corridor Joint Development Authority. The corridor was formed in 2014. On May 25, 2021 Govenor Brian Kemp announced the purchase of the Bryan County Mega Site. The Volvo project that never happened gave SEDA and the I-16 corridor teams the training and practice to ultimately achieve this purchase.

The RFI was received in Jan 2021. This process happened fairly quickly, but this was due to years and years of planning and being ready to strike when appropriate. Their job is to bring capital investment and jobs to the county. This also has to be done discretely due to the nature of client’s exposure and the fallout effect of rumors, etc… to avoid disrupting existing operations.

They also needed to be able to deliver on speed, especially in the electric motor industry. The market is moving towards electric motors and they want to capture the new entries into that market. Thus, the need for speed. They partnered with the State of Georgia in purchasing the site, with no specific project in mind.

Clarification: The Pooler mega site was purchased for Daimler-Chrysler Sprinter vans in 2003. It was a “black eye” to the community, so the state held that property to make sure they could redeem that promise. However, it eventually aged out of being a mega-site. In 2020 they purchased the land that was reserved for Volvo. The state was able to do so in part by selling the other site to Amazon, along with the 1000 jobs that they promised.

On May 20, 2022, they announced this $5.545 Billion project. Hyundai is anticipating rolling out 300,000 units per year, and up to 500,000 is possible. An additional battery cell manufacturing facility will be a joint venture with LG Energy Solutions. This brought with it another $2 billion in investment and 400 more jobs.

The next factor is suppliers. Supply chain proximity is key. Sequence specific as well - not completed in “just in time” mode. 14 new suppliers announced creating 6,506 jobs. $9.966 Billion Capital Investment and 15,006 new jobs. Anticipating cars out the door by January 2025, for domestic distribution. Lofty goals!

Brags, Finds, and Whines | January 16

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Funds support Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART)
***Challenge by anonymous club member to match funds up to $150 today only, January 16!***
Whitney Shephard - Farmsgiving on SUNDAY! Gamesgiving. Featuring homemade paloma cocktails.
Ruth Hutson - traveled to ATL to do music theater with 7000 kids ages 7-17
Chelsea Sawyer - her second child turns one this week! She also whined that her friend cannot seek the medical care she needs in the State of Georgia, post Roe v Wade. Her friend is struggling for her life.
Suzanne Kirk - bragged on being one more vote in the US as a new American Citizen! Also whined that she’s been without a car since Thanksgiving.
Jasmine - bragged that she and her wife adopted their daughter on January 2^nd from foster care!!
Sarah Smith - presented a gift to Jasmine - a little pink Rotary tee shirt for her new daughter!
George Seaborough - bragged on the new hire with the help of Suzanne - now a team of 3 at Citizen Advocacy. Annual oyster roast on Feb. 4^th- get your tickets now. www.citizenadvocacy.org
Julie Wade - announced that Elizabeth Summerell is Tharros Place's newest board member
Kristin King - bragged on Sarah Smith for the thoughtful cards for our club members
Ro Patrick - bragged on George and Aaron who stepped up for Thursday’s service project - Jasmine reminded us that this is a great example of the power in this club. BOOM.
Reshma Johnson - bragged that her daughter is in New Zealand for six weeks, then she's headed Australia, and she’s received great support from her community. They are going to visit for her spring break.
Kristen Crawley - announced that Read United has 150 spots left. Registration closes on 1/30/24.

Announcements from Dec. 19 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4-way test and reminded us the following:

Goal- Every Member 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

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Kim Thornton - Sales Specialist with Seimitsu (guest of featured speaker Scott Scheidt)
Leia Dedic - Chief Impact Officer at United Way (guest of Kristen Crawley)

CLUB UPDATES:

Re-Purpose Rendezvous raised over $17,000 for our ASP and other Rotary-related charitable endeavors this year!
Club Social/World Polio Day FUNdraiser brought in $1,275 in just a couple of hours. Our club members and guests showed up and showed out!
GRSP: The selection process for next year has begun! Kristen Crawley, our PE, is reviewing the hundreds of applications. She would appreciate any of your input/support. Reach out to her directly if you want to be on the committee. We are sharing a student with 2 other clubs, Richmond Hill & Savannah East.
Keep an eye on our FB page where you can see what our club has been up to lately! Jamie Arkins keeps this updated so if you have anything to share, please send them to Jamie.
Jessica Pedigo has agreed to chair Roastary, anyone interested in joining the committee please reach out directly to Jessica.

DISTRICT EVENTS:

District conference in Jekyll: lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024
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:

Classification Talk soon by Fitz Hale, Data and analytics consultant, United Way. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley, Jordan Chase
New Member Program:
- Ruth Hutson, outside sales rep for SESCO Lighting. Sponsors: Laure Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski
- Katie Rudder Fender, Director of Community Outreach for South University. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jamie Arkins
**If you are interested in sponsoring a member, reach out to Zerik Samples, Kristen Crawley, or Jasmine!

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

January 2024:
- 1/2: ***No meeting*** Happy New Year!
- 1/9: Taco Tuesday Lunch Munch @ Java Burrito (in the basement), 11:45am-1pm - drop in or stay the whole time!
- 1/16: Club Meeting @ JEA
- 1/23: Social - location TBA
- 1/30: 22 Square Meal (FOR)- Family friendly, bring a dish, BYOB
(Note: service projects and dates listed in separate section below)

SERVICE:

Ro Patrick reported that reading at Juliette Gordon Low Elementary was a big success and they were very appreciative of the mugs and hot cocoa. She honored Jasmine with the Superlative Service Award for being a Triple Duty Reader!

Joint service project with the Interact Clubs @ St. Andrew’s School:
- Thursday, January 18, 4pm-7pm
- Empty Bowl Fundraiser for “Children Inspiring Hope”
- Needs: setup, help prepare & serve dinner, 10 x $20 gift cards to Publix or Kroger

Re-Occurring Service Projects:
- Emmaus House Soup Kitchen (Jan. 8) - 7:30-9:30 am, 2nd Monday of each month
- Meals on Wheels Kitchen Prep (Jan. 22) - 6-8 am, 4th Monday of each month
Read United (Feb. 2) - One Day Event - schools are filling up fast, so sign up now!

LEGACY PROJECT:

15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 8 nominated projects
Project nominees are acquiring more information from “owners”, Dec. 15 deadline, top 2-3 will be presented to club
Next meeting: Thursday, January 18 at 10am via Teams

FEATURED SPEAKER: Scott Scheidt, Chief Security Officer at Seimitsu (click here to view Scott's presentation from the meeting)

Scott has presented to six Rotary chapters in our area recently and and has really enjoyed learning about what everyone is doing in the community. He didn’t anticipate being so inspired and excited to learn about all our Rotary programs. He is a member of the Lions Club.

“Protecting Your Business Through a Strong Cybersecurity Posture” is designed to help business owners:

• discern if their information is on the dark web.
• understand the cost of a cyber breach.
• discover different ways the organization may be at risk.
• learn the measures to take to better protect their organizations for clients as well as in-house and remote workforce members.

“Cyber-attacks occur every 39 seconds and as a small business you need to protect yourself, your staff and your clients,” said Scheidt. “Business owners work endlessly to build the trust of their clients and employees and if there is a security breach of private information, there is nothing more grounding than having to send out a mass email to all of your clients and employees that there was a breach of security on your client’s private information.”

Scheidt of Seimitsu says the ‘clean-up’ of a cyber-attack can be as or more costly than the ransom requested as well.

The FTC broadened their definition of a “Financial Institution” and extended compliance to June of 2023 (this has been in the works for 23 years “Bank Holdings Act of 1956”)

There are nine things that are required by these entities revolving around risk management and securities. This will put a financial burden on these businesses, especially small businesses. Fines associated with lack of compliance to these activities will be comparable to HIPPA fines.

Steps to Business Compliance include Designating a Qualified Individual, Conduct a Risk Assessment, Have a Written Incident Response Plan, Provide Security Awareness Training and Security Policy Compliance (documented, Trackable by Employee, Managed Update)

Implement Safeguards to Reduce Risk, Monitor & Test Effectiveness of the Security Program, Manage & Maintain Infrastructure, Monitor 3^rd Party Systems & Service Providers, Annual Reports to your Board of Directors or Senior Management.

Announcements from Dec. 5 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test and reminded us the following:

If you have purchased a meal and cannot attend the meeting, let Leigh know so she can re-sell it!
Goal: every member needs to be on a committee. Get plugged in!

CLUB UPDATES:

December Birthdays: D.J. Spisso, Laura Lee Bocade, Alfred McGuire, George Seaborough, Jessica Pedigo, Jasmine Mills, Liza Smith
Club Anniversaries: Amelia Harper (10), Elizabeth Summerell (4), Patton Dugas (11), Whitney Shephard (11)
Re-Purpose Rendezvous raised over $17,000 for our ASP and other Rotary-related charitable endeavors this year!
GRSP: The selection process for next year has begun! Kristen Crawley, our PE, is reviewing the hundreds of applications. She would appreciate any of your input/support. Reach out to her directly if you want to be on the committee.
Keep an eye on our Metro Facebook page where you can see what our club has been up to lately! Jamie Arkins keeps this updated so if you have anything to share, please send them to Jamie.
Jessica Pedigo has agreed to chair the Roastary! anyone interested in joining the committee please reach out directly to Jessica.

DISTRICT EVENTS:

District conference in Jekyll Island - lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024

MEMBERSHIP:

Classification talks coming up by Fitz Hale, Data and analytics consultant, United Way. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley, Jordan Chase
New Member Program:
- Ruth Hutson, outside sales rep for SESCO Lighting. Sponsors: Laure Lee Bocade & Denise Grabowski
- Katie Rudder Fender, Director of Community Outreach for South University. Sponsors: Kristen Crawley & Jamie Arkins

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

12/9: Bonus Social/Service: Jaycee's Reindeer Games
- 10am-12noon Jaycee Park Tybee
- $20 to participate in corn hole tournament
- Lunch at Huc-a-poos after tournament
- Bring pet toys - $30 + for service credit
12/13: Holiday Social: The Bar Bar on Wilmington Island - Register yourself and guests
12/16: Everyone is invited to Aaron Miller’s party- 2:00-5:00 Bar Julian. Text him at 404.313.1773 if you can make it!
12/19: Scott Scheidt, Chief Security Officer, Seimitsu

LEGACY PROJECT:

15th anniversary in 2027, currently saving $ for this
Currently have 8 nominated projects
Project nominees are acquiring more information from “owners”, 12/15 deadline, top 2-3 will present to club
Next meeting: 1/18 at 10 AM via Teams

Metro’s FY24 Rotary Foundation Wall of Pride:

Leigh Acevedo
Darron Alvord
Cecilia Arango
Jamie Arkins
Kelley Boyd
Jeff Brady
Sam Carroll
Jordan Chase
Chris Corey
Kristen Crawley
Patton Dugas
Denise Grabowski
Will Gruver
Reshma Johnson
Katie Joyner
Suzanne Kirk
Robert McCorkle
Denise McCoy
Jasmine Mills
Clint Murphy
Brad Patrick
Ro Patrick
Jessica Pedigo
Cari Phelps
Patrick Phelps
Whitney Shephard
Sarah Smith
Elizabeth Summerell
Josh Yates

FEATURED SPEAKER: Felix Smith, Rotary District #6920 Governor 2023-2024

Dr. Felix Smith holds a BS in Animal Science and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia. He owned and operated his own clinic and practiced in Perry, for 40 years before retiring in 2021. Felix has been a dedicated member of the Perry Rotary Club since joining in 2002. He has served as the chair for club membership, programs, and club president in 2009-2010. He was awarded The Rotarian of the Year by his club in 2014 and is a Rotary Foundation PHF +8 and Major Donor. Felix is a Paul Harris Society and a Polio Plus Member. Felix is also a member of the CART fund’s Roger Ackerman Circle and was selected for the CART fund Changemaker Award in 2023. Felix served in district leadership as an Assistant Governor from 2018-2021 and has been a host family for the Georgia Rotary Student Program. Felix has served as President for both the South Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and the Middle Georgia Veterinary Medical Association. He has served on the Board of the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce and is currently serving on the City of Perry Public Facility Authority. Felix is an exercise enthusiast and spends much of his free time cycling, swimming, and running. He has travelled all over the world participating in biking events, triathlons, and competitive endurance events. For relaxation, he plays pickleball and likes to garden.

46,000 clubs worldwide. 1.4 million members across the world. Our district spreads far and wide...58 clubs and we're soon adding a 59^th club in Ludowici with 35 founding members. Dr. Smith is very excited by this and honored to be a part of it. It’s tradition of the Gov to travel and visit clubs, often via his camper and staying in state parks. He wants to engage us in reciprocal help with projects, highlighting the worldwide projects that Rotarians do.

Dr. Felix’s biggest local passion is literacy. The average reading proficiency of 3^rd graders in GA is 37% (2021) and mentioned it’s not our teacher’s faults, board of education, etc. Family dynamics have changed drastically since he grew up. Between electronics, gadgets, drug addictions, children raised by grandparents, etc. there are

many factors affecting this. For example, Butler is at 9%. 3^rd grad is so important because by 4^th grade, a child needs to LEARN. Without reading, it’s going to be hard to learn. This data can be used to predict the number of prison beds that will be needed in the future.

Resources:

publicschoolreview.com
getgeorgiareading.org
Georgia Dept. of Education GaDOE.org

Felix wants to encourage us to participate in Read United, a 1 hour per week commitment. He shared personal stories of reading in Perry to two boys, both named Kadin (sp?), who changed his life. 84% of the students they tutored were reading at the 3^rd grade level by the end of the program.

Closed with the thought that children are NOT the ones responsible for our literacy problem. Not just via United Way, but lots of other programs out there (i.e. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, etc.)

Felix asked Denise Grabowski to respond to his comments. She claimed the current numbers are not based on 2021criteria. Denise will provide new number and claims that data doesn’t lie, but it doesn’t tell the whole truth. New Superintendent, Denise Watts, is calling literacy our North Star with big investments in teachers. Retraining teachers in how to teach reading. It is a skill to teach reading.

Felix switched topics to Polio Eradication. In 1985 over 100 countries still had Polio with 350,000 kids dying or disabled every year. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matches donations, giving Rotary International $2 for every $1 raised. Continued vaccination is needed but we are down to 2 counties with only 10 cases so far this year in Afghanistan & Pakistan. Successful negotiations with the Taliban to have access to remote villages. The experts think we only have 2 more years to go, so the Polio Plus club asks for $100/year until Polio is eradicated. A Polio Free World is Rotary's gift to our planet.

Next he addressed Alzheimer’s. He’s very encouraged by our CART blue buckets! The CART Fund website hosts two Zoom meetings each month to attend - the a la carte meetings are at 12:00 once per month (link on website) and you can learn about various research by experts.

Rotary International also focuses on malaria, diarrhea diseases, etc. in 4 Sub-Saharan Countries. There’s a new vaccination coming out to help with this. Keep an eye out!

The final area is the environment. He’s ordered white oak saplings for us to plant. They will deliver in early January. We need to be thinking about where to plant these trees.

District Conference in Jekyll. Lots of fun activities and dynamic speakers: April 26^th-28^th, 2024

Dr. Felix closed with encouraging news that Metro has given $140,000 to the Foundation and he’s so proud of us! “Together we see a world, where people unite and take action.” (exact mission statement)

Brags, Finds, and Whines | December 5

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Florence Slatinsky celebrated her 24^th wedding anniversary at Elizabeth’s on 37^th
Emily Salzer announced First Presbyterian's A Gracious Christmas event on Thursday, December 7 at 8:30am. Tickets available on Facebook.
Cari Phelps seconded that she will be attending A Gracious Christmas and a huge kudos to Zerik and his team for 320 in attendance at Home for the Holidays for Habitat for Humanity!
Zerik Samples thanked all those who attended and those who donated auction items. $160,000 raised!!
Sarah Smith bragged on all the business owners in our club and how generous everyone has been this season.
Katie Balthrop is on her 2^nd day of re-locating her business Savannah Sport & Wellness to her new space in Sandfly.
Kristen Crawley boosted Katie’s comment about the quality of the gym.
Leigh Acevedo bragged on her and her husband for keeping their child alive for almost 6 years and she is celebrating her birthday this month!
Jamie Arkins bragged on the entire committee for putting on Re:Purpose Rendezvous.
Julie Wade gave $40 to the bucket and announced that today is the first day that Tharros place is welcoming their first residents!

Re:Purpose Rendezvous Sponsors

Thank you to these incredible Savannah area businesses and individuals for sponsoring our Re:Purpose Rendezvous benefitting RePurpose Savannah on November 29! We are in awe of your support and are an integral part in our event being a huge success!

•ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear - Dr. Morrow and Dr. Keller

•Thomas & Hutton

•Green Truck Pub

•Allstate Insurance Agent: Jeffrey Brady /Rountree Brady Insurance Agency

•JDR Construction and Design

•Moffatt & Nichol

•Carroll Construction

•Hansen Architects, P.C.

•The Law Offices of Joseph J. Steffen Jr.

•New Arts Ensembles

•Wade Law & Consulting

•LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD.

•McCorkle , Johnson & McCoy, LLP

•Toole Sculpture Works

•Lynch Associates Architects, PC

•Cox, Rodman, & Middleton, LLC

•Wells & Kathleen Anderson

•Savannah Perio & Implants - Darron Alvord, DDS

•Greenline Architecture

•Colliers International /Danny & Jordan Chase

•JAN-PRO

•McKeever & Spisso, LLC

Announcements from Nov. 21 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test and reminded us the following:

If you have purchased a meal and cannot attend the meeting, let Leigh know so she can re-sell it!
Goal- Every Member on a committee. Get plugged in!
November birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated.

MEMBERSHIP:

NMP: Classification Talk & Induction

Aaron Miller- sponsored by Clint Murphy and Jamie Arkins. Growing up in Catskill Mountains, Aaron participated in Rotary Exchange in HS. He considers their exchange students as brothers and is very passionate about the program! After HS, Arron joined the army. He applied to West Point and played the tuba in their band, as well as singing in the glee cub. After West Point, Aaron was stationed in Savannah. He was deployed to Bosnia for a year and eventually deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. Post-army, he went to Business School in NY. He joined a sailing team and met his wife. Their work prevented them to start a family, but they finally did and have a young son. Aaron is an avid runner and owns around 170 investment properties.

CLUB:

Paul Harris Fellow- Jeff Brady +4.
Fall Fundraise: Font Porch Improv, Wednesday 11/29 6:00-9:30. “Re-Purpose Rendezvous” https://metrosavannahrotary.org/donate/re-purpose-rendezvous/
PURCHSAE TICKETS NOW PLEASE! ($60/$75 at the Door)
Theme is “Secret Confessions”
You can purchase tickets for someone else even if you can’t attend.
Booze raffle contributions are being collected by Cindy Mullally- $40 will give you an attendance credit.
Amelia Harper has done a great job getting sponsors- check out FB to see who!

VISITORS:

Ruth Hudson visitor of Laura Lee Bocade)
Emerson Ingram (guest of Jeff Brady)

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

Loop it Up Holiday Service: Mugs & Coco- donations (drop off at ForeSight or Ro’s Home by Dec. 3rd) & Polar Express Story Time program- Background check needed to be completed this week.
11/28: (No Social b/c fundraiser is the following day)
11/29: Re:Purpose Rendezvous at Front Porch Improv!
12/5: Dr. Felix Smith, District Governor
12/9" Bonus Social/Service: Jaycee's Reindeer Games
- 10am-noon- Jaycee Park Tybee
- $20 to participate in corn hole tournament
- Lunch at huckapoo's after tournament
- Bring pet toys- $30 + for service credit
12/13: Holiday Social: The Bar Bar on Wilmington Island- Register yourself and guests
12/16: Everyone is invited to Aaron Miller’s party- 2:00-5:00 Bar Julian. Text him at 404.313.1773 if you can make it!
12/19" Scott Scheidt, Chief Security Officer, Seimitsu

FEATURED SPEAKER: Foundation Giving Impact Panel

Dr. Darron Alvord kicked off our panel via video, then Jeff Brady spoke about all the different ways to give back- time/money balance and the importance knowing what your donations go towards. He also works hard to make sure his kids foster the spirit of giving as well as staying grounded in awareness for what they have.

Julie Wade mentioned that she focuses her giving locally and appreciates that she doesn’t need to worry about doing due diligence to give to Rotary because she knows Rotary is solid. She also spoke about the way the foundation gives back to our local programing.

Whitney Shepherd shared that she and Josh are each Paul Harris Fellows, and also support the chapter via Green Truck Pub. She shared a few personal stories from PETs (President Elect) about how society has a lot of work to do in the world- unifying private and public sectors, countries, leaders, etc… to promote peace and equality and be part of a worldwide impact. Also mentioned a story about the local clubs getting some money back from the district conference. This lead to a large discussion and sharing of Tiny Homes Resources for Vets, which has developed in other towns, funded completely by rotary chapters.

Clint Murphy does not have kids- he has made Rotary his beneficiary for his assets because of how effective they are with their funding/resources. Each dollar plugged into the Foundation is multiplied.

Will Gruver tells us “to much is given, much will be expected.” He had a near death experience in 2005, and he’s grateful he had the resources to deal with mental health issues at the time. Therefore he’s incredibly passionate about Mental Health. $85/month will get you to the Paul Harris level.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | November 7

Posted by Kristin King

Cindy Mullally promoted Re-Purpose Rendezvous and Dairy Daze- at the Dairy-area (11/18) at Robert’s Dairy.
Whitney Shephard announced Farmsgiving is back- hosting it at their home. Chili, drinks, etc.. Sunday 3:30-8:00 ($50)
Suzanne Kirk updated us on her citizenship- she passed the test and interview. Next Thursday will be her swearing in ceremony!
Zerik Samples announced Habitat Humanity- Dec 1 Home for the Holiday’s Gala at the DeSoto. Open bar. www.Habitatsavannah.org
Leigh Acevedo congratulated Jordan Chase & Suzanne Kirk for their event at Emmaus House- Empty Bowl blew their goal out of the water.
Florence Slatinsky bragged on Shelter from the Rain and their successful graduation, and Habit's partnership with the persons they support.
Erika Morrow announced the end of year event for Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision.
Lee Perry mentioned the visit by Shannon Sharpe featured at SSU- former football player.
Kristin King bragged on Whitney Shephard for running a fabulous Housing Coalition meeting and on Sam Carroll, Leigh Acevedo, Liza Smith, Lexi Henigman & George Seaborough for jumping in to volunteer for the GOTR 5K on Nov. 11^th.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | October 3

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Cecilia Arango announced an upcoming concert she is performing in: TRAVELING WILBURYS - SAVANNAH SALUTES PETTY, HARRISON, ORBISON, LYNNE & DYLAN at Victory North on Wednesday, November 22nd at 7:30pm (the night before Thanksgiving). Get your tickets here!
Elizabeth Summerall announced the last ever Junior League of Savannah Thrift Sale will be on Sat., Nov. 4th celebrating JLS's 75th Anniversary
Cari Phelps reminded us we can opt in/out for Rotary communications. Also, it’s hers and Patrick's 14^th wedding anniversary...Congratulations Cari & Patrick!
Kristin King bragged on Denise Grabowski’s son for CC championship and also mentioned the John Prine Tribute Concert at Tybee Post Theater, for those not going to Phil the Park (only 3 seats left!).
Leigh Acevedo bragged that we had more food than ordered.

Re:Purpose Rendezvous - Annual Service Partner Fundraiser

Metropolitan Savannah Rotary presents...

Re:Purpose Rendezvous fall fundraiser benefiting Re:Purpose Savannah on Wednesday, November 29 at Front Porch Improv!

Get your tickets today! The early bird ticket window has already passed. Tickets are $60 on and will be $75 at the door (if any remain). Tickets include: 2 drink tickets, small bites and games by Front Porch Improv. We will also be raffling off amazing prizes.

Limited seating is available! Tickets can purchased here!

(Club Members can register via link in ClubRunner invitation.)

Sponsored by YOU! Find out more about opportunities here.

Announcements from Oct. 3 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

We are close to having 100% paid dues - only one or two members remain who have not paid
Reminder to provide any and all feedback in real-time (don’t wait until the end of the year)
Let Jasmine and Jamie know if you spot club members in the news, any recognition/awards/announcements on social media - let's spread the good MetRotarians news!

SERVICE:

Read United Buddies - October launch at Otis Brock & Windsor forest. Looking for volunteers to reach with 2^nd grade students 30 minutes twice/week. Reach out to Jasmine with you are interested.
10/20-10/21: Bonus service project: Pride Festival
11/15 Senior Citizens Inc. kitchen meal prep:
- Background check must be completed by 10/17 - print and complete the application here - send completed form AND a copy of your Driver's License to Julie Wade
- Ro is setting up a monthly recurring senior pet food delivery through Senior Citizens - more info coming
December TBA: Emmaus House breakfast, Loop It up

DISTRICT EVENTS:

We need your help, Metro! 21 Host families are needed for GRSP weekend, Oct. 13-15. Pick-Up/Drop-Off requirements. Contact Jim Drake ASAP at jdrake@drakefirmpc.com 912.655.9882
Savannah Sunrise Rotary is hosting the 1^st annual Sam Eskew Memorial Golf Tournament. 11/10, 8:30am tee, Savannah Country Club. Benefits Operation Patriots FOB. Register or donate via Venmo to Tony Uhrich as part of Metro Support.

MEMBERSHIP:

Zerik is still challenging us to each ring a guest, and especially the longer standing members to get plugged in at the next level.

CLUB:

October Birthdays and Anniversaries were celebrated.
Family Rotary event at Phil the Park: 10/7 at 4:30. Theme is “Around the World” celebrating global rhythms of Savannah. Volunteers needed- contact Sarah Smith 912.944.7012. Dress up as Amazing Race contestants. Snacks & drinks provided.
Fall Fundraiser: Cindy Mullally, Chair. Save the Date: Font Porch Improv, Wednesday 11/29 6:00-9:30. “Re-Purpose Rendezous” $50 pp. Looking for sponsors! https://metrosavannahrotary.org/donate/re-purpose-rendezvous/ - Weekly meetings, Wed @5:30 via Zoom
15 Anniversary Legacy Project: 8 ideas submitted so far. Teams meeting 10/5 10:00-11:00am– ask John Bennett if you want to join.
Fun times at Jerry’s social and Service Project Day with Re-Purpose

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

10/17: Program Speaker: Cari Phelps, Global Grant Update
10/24: Sorry Charlie’s Rooftop Social, 5:30-7:30 - World Polio Day Fundraiser (Afghanistan & Pakistan are the only 2 nations where polio is still rampant)
11/7: Program Field Trip - Location TBD
(11/28: No Social b/c fundraiser is the following day)
11/29: Re:Purpose Rendezvous at Front Porch Improv!

RECOGNITION/AWARDS:

Suzanne Kirk joined the board of Chatham Savannah Citizen Advocacy.
Julie Wade spoke about the services offered at Tharros Place and cultivating a culture of courage.
Zerik Samples promoted the upcoming Holiday Gala for Habitat for Humanity.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Kayla Reynolds, CEMA - guest of Chelsea Sawyer
Christian Shellman, Housing Savannah - guest of Bret Bell
Emerson Ingram, Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber Security - guest of Jeff Brady

FEATURED SPEAKER: Our fellow MetRotraian, Chelsea Sawyer, Emergency Preparedness Manager - Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA)

Chelsea Sawyer has worked for the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) since September 2016. Throughout her time with the agency, she has served as an Emergency Management Specialist, Emergency Management Coordinator and is now the Emergency Preparedness Manager.

In this role, Chelsea serves as the lead of the Community Preparedness Division and is responsible for overseeing the agency's community outreach programs as well as managing Emergency Support Function (ESF) 6- Mass Care, ESF 8- Health and Medical, ESF 11- Food and Water, ESF 14- Public-Private Partnerships and ESF 18- Animal Services. In addition, Chelsea manages the agency's social and digital media presence, coordinates the Chatham County Disaster Faith Network, liaises with Chatham County's disaster recovery committee and supervises the Agency's volunteer workforce. Throughout her time with CEMA, Chelsea has gained a wealth of experience in disaster response and recovery communications and operations in both natural and man-made disasters such as tropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and during a military plane crash.

Chelsea is a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager and holds her Master's Degree in Public Administration and Policy from Virginia Tech. One of her many passions is working with government agencies as they craft crisis communication plans and develop standards for emergency messaging. This passion led her to become the Southeast United States representative on the Government Social Media Membership Council.

Chelsea's love for emergency management and response is also evident in her personal life as she has served as the panel chair for the United Way of the Coastal Empire's Crisis Intervention Community Investments process and as the Disaster Response Chair for the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club. When she is not working or volunteering, Chelsea enjoys spending as much time as possible with her husband, Seth, and their two children.

Chelsea commented that she reported to our chapter immediately after Hurricane Matthew and only after 3 weeks on the job.

Hurricane Season Forecast:

Named Storms: 18
Hurricane: 9
Major Hurricanes: 4

So far there have been 17:

Named Storms: 17
Hurricanes: 5
Major Hurricanes: 5

Hurricane Seasons ends Nov. 30^th

TV Meteorologists came up with the idea of naming storms in the 1950’s

Largest threats to Life & Property:

Water- 80% of deaths (drive through floods and drown)
- Deadliest storms are NOT always the primary threat.
Heavy Rainfall & Flooding (weaker storms can produce more rainfall)
- i.e. Hurricane Harvey- up to 60 inches of rain. Overpasses were flooded.
Storm Surge- water pulled and pushed based on the storm’s counterclockwise motion.
- i.e. Hurricane Ian in Tampa Bay- water pulled out of the bay and pushed onto normally dry land.
- MEOW (Maximum Envelopes of Water)- worst case scenarios maps was shown for each category of storm. (size, strength, slow speed, high tide, direct hit/angle of approach- right front quadrant is the “dirty side” of the storm.)

Family Emergency Plan: Booklets available.

What’s your shelter plan? Can we stay at home and feel safe?
CEMA alerts- text CEMA to 77295, news, social media, NOAA Weather Radio, disaster website: ready.chathamcountyga.gov
Evacuation Plan- know your zone & routes, A, B, C
- “Voluntary Evacuation” is NOT used in Chatham County- Evacuation Order is used instead, and a Mandatory is an executive directive- personal discretion is NOT an option. There is no legal obligation for first responders to respond to citizens. Would also void your life insurance policy if you died while staying for the storm.
Household communication, multiple vehicles
Supplies- create your own emergency kit.
Re-Entry Plan, 5 step process:
- Render Safe Task Force-
- Life Safety Workers (requires pass)
- Essential Public and Private Sector (requires pass)
- Local residents, property owners
- Open to public with limited access (i.e. Tybee Island)

Announcements from Nov. 7 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting with the 4 way test and thanked us for showing up for our off-site field trip. What a fabulous view!

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Savannah Sunrise Rotary is hosting the 1^st annual Sam Eskew Memorial Golf Tournament. 11/10, 8:30 tee, Savannah Country Club. Benefits Operations Patriots FOB. Register or donate via Venmo to Tony Uhrich as part of Metro Support.

CLUB:

Fall Fundraiser: Cindy Mullally, Chair. Save the Date: Font Porch Improv, Wednesday 11/29 6:00-9:30. “Re-Purpose Rendezous” $60 pp. Looking for sponsors! https://metrosavannahrotary.org/donate/re-purpose-rendezvous/ - Weekly meetings, Wed @5:30 via Zoo
Cindy reminded us we can purchase tickets for someone else even if you can’t attend.
Booze raffle contributions are being collected by Cindy at the next meeting- $40 will give you an attendance credit.
Amelia has done a great job getting sponsors- you can still sponsor to get an attendance credit.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

11/21: Foundation Giving Impact Panel
11/28: (No Social b/c fundraiser is the following day)
11/29: Re:Purpose Rendezvous at Front Porch Improv!

FEATURED SPEAKER:

Dr. Carol Pride, Marine & Environmental Sciences Department Chair, Savannah State University.

Lee announced that the Marine Science program has been a big success. He introduced Dr. Carol Pride, who joined the faculty of Savannah State University in 2002 and serves as chair of SSU’s Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences. Her background is in marine science and paleoceanography. Before coming to Savannah, she completed a BA in Environmental Science at Wesleyan University, a PhD at the University of South Carolina in Marine Science, a visiting professorship at the College of Charleston, and postdoctoral research at the University of California Santa Barbara. She currently mentors SSU undergraduate and graduate students in research on our local estuaries, with emphasis on the impacts of humans and climate change on these systems.

Learning about nature in nature, while developing career-based skills. The program has existed since the 1980’s in an effort to integrate SSU with Armstrong. Students participate in boat, beach, and saltmarsh fieldwork, lab and analytical development, research and community outreach.

Programs offered:

M.S. & B.S. and Minor in Marines Sciences, as well as a 4 + 0.5 partnership with Auburn University.
Minor in Environmental Science
Analytical laboratory funded by the Department of Energy
Outdoor learning center, aquaponics and GeoAg research, community garden.

Nationally, black graduates earn only <2% of all marine science degrees. SSU is number one in the nation in this field. Diverse student body with more BS and MS in the field per year than UGA. (SSU has 7 faculty, UGA has 25!!)

There’s a on-campus building for classes and recently a research center off campus was added to provide a home for the grad students to operate. This allows them more access to water without having to worry as much about tides. They have deep water access and wet labs to pump in water from the creek for research.

Funding:

>$10 Million in Grants
Every Faculty member has a great that funds student training and research.
Funders include NSF, NOAA, DoEd, DOE, DOD/ONR, GA Sea Grant, Thoreau Foundation, and U.S. Geology Survey

All of their research is relevant to coastal GA, including impact of sea level rising, impact on Ogeechee business, and drainage projects, light pollution on Tybee effects on sea turtles, water quality work while warehouses are being developed, dolphin science lab, bio-coustics.

Outreach is very important.

Coast Camp (grades 2^nd- HS) free to low-cost summer camp
School Science Night Events
Community Festivals
Visits to Campus
Service on Boards for Non-Profits focused on the Environment and Education.

She gave over 10 careers that students go to after their degree, as well as graduate schools in the southeast area (and Alaska- the biggest state in the US, right Suzanne :))

Employment record from alumna shows that 71% of their bachelor graduates and 96% of their master's graduates have documented post-graduation STEM employment. This is very impressive considering the national level is at 26%.

2 of their Sea Grant State Fellows attended a conference on Tybee and are now part of Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Shed Dawson, Director of Career Services, spoke with us about his support for the student’s next steps after graduation. Learning is very hands on so that students have made the mistakes in class instead of at their first internship/job. Grant funding has dried up a bit over the years, but Title 3 gives them $7-11 Billion dollars! Leadership development is a huge focus as well. Students are required to put together all 306 events on campus (i.e. Homecoming festivities/entertainment) and this is considered extra-curricular learning, half of their student body participated in this over the past year. There are also 75 campus organizations with positions for the students to be leaders. 1890 Land Grant. Shrimping/fishing industry.

Issue- Brain Drain to try to keep graduates in Savannah.

Email dawsons@savannahstate.org if you have an internship opportunity you need filled. Their “stepping block” program provides context for student body background.

Interim-President Cynthia Alexander was introduced- she reported this is the first time having positive growth in enrollment in the past 7 years. Focus is on recruitment, retain and graduate students. (From New Jersey originally)

Announcements from Sept. 19 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

Reminder to provide any and all feedback in real-time (don’t wait until the end of the year)
Let Jasmine and Jamie know if you spot club members in the news, any recognition/awards/announcements on social media - let's spread the good MetRotarians news!

SERVICE:

Read United Buddies: October launch at Otis Brock & Windsor Forest Elementary Schools. Looking for volunteers to read with 2^nd grade students 30 minutes twice/week. Reach out to Jasmine if you are interested.
Brad Patrick thanked all who participated in the service day this past weekend. The staff at Re-Purpose Savannah are very grateful and happy with how our partnership is going. Michael Grabowski was awarded the exceptional achievement award, received by his mother, Denise - Proud mom!
10/7 volunteers shifts for Fish Gotta Swim Paddle Battle - Wilderness Southeast
11/15 Senior Citizens Inc. kitchen meal prep
- Background check must be completed by 10/17 - print and complete the application here - send completed form AND a copy of your Driver's License to Julie Wade
- Ro is setting up a monthly recurring senior pet food delivery through Senior Citizens - more info coming

DISTRICT EVENTS:

We need your help, Metro! 21 Host families are needed for GRSP weekend, Oct. 13-15. Pick-Up/Drop-Off requirements. Contact Jim Drake ASAP at jdrake@drakefirmpc.com 912.655.9882
Savannah Sunrise Rotary is hosting the 1^st annual Sam Eskew Memorial Golf Tournament. 11/10, 8:30am tee, Savannah Country Club. Benefits Operation Patriots FOB. Register or donate via Venmo to Tony Uhrich as part of Metro Support.

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership goals presented by Zerik - getting more involvement with committees and boards.
September Challenge: “Each One Bring One”

CLUB:

Peace Pole unveiling with Interact at Woodville-Tomkins. Will Gruver was able to get all the materials needed to make this happen for International Day of Peace - Thurs., Sept. 21 at 11:30am.
Family Rotary event at Phil the Park: 10/7 at 4:30. Theme is “Around the World” celebrating global rhythms of Savannah. Volunteers needed- contact Sarah Smith 912.944.7012.
Fall Fundraiser: Cindy Mullally, Chair. Save the Date: Font Porch Improv, Wednesday 11/29 6:00-9:00
- Weekly meetings, Wed @5:30 via Zoom
Legacy Project: 8 ideas submitted so far. Committee meeting 9/28 @ 10am.

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

9/26: Social: Jerry's Lounge 5:30-7pm
10/3: Program Speaker: Chelsea Sawyer, CEMA
10/7 Service: Wilderness Southeast 50^th Anniversary Paddle Battle
10/17: Program Speaker: Cari Phelps, Global Grant Update
10/24 Social: Rooftop bar TBA
11/15: Service: Kitchen meal prep with Senior Citizens Inc.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Hillary Bradbury, Director of Marketing & Communications with Goodwill Southeast Georgia- guest of Zerik Samples
Ruth Hutson, SESCO Lighting - guest of Laura Lee Bocade
Matthew Roach, IT with Thomas & Hutton - guest of Jennine Roach
Emerson Ingram, Booz Allen Hamilton Cyber Security - guest of Jeff Brady
Kristen Sommer, Gym Manager at Savannah Sport & Wellness - guest of Katie Balthrop
Carol Bell, Public Administration - guest of Jamie Arkins
Julian Miller, Alcove Properties real estate management - guest of Jamie Arkins
Anne Robinson, Director of The Front Porch

FEATURED SPEAKER: Shawnessey Cargile - The Front Porch, Family Engagement & Activities Coordinator

The Front Porch – Where Youth and Families Gather, is a community-based risk reduction program. Youth who are referred to The Front Porch are assessed to identify any needs, concerning behaviors or situations that may warrant intervention. The Front Porch staff will then connect youth and families with appropriate services to address those needs.

Unique to Chatham County, this program believes that punitive doesn’t work in any area, restorative is the way to go. The court system, attorneys, mayors, DA officers have all come together to create this restorative program. Carol Bell shared her experiences regarding the 2 1/2 year start-up process of this organization. Impressed by how people decided to collaborate for the best of the children & their family.

The majority of people handling kids in trouble are carrying gun and that doesn’t need to be the case. Julian Miller spoke up and reminded us that The Front Porch received almost 20 referrals before they even opened, two of them were by children who referred themselves.

Shawnessey gave an overview of the process: from a referral to The Front Porch, youth & parent assessment, case manager involvement & referrals to agencies, follow-ups, with plans established and monitored for the next 90 days. Ultimately, families can continue to receive resources after those 90 days. One of the goals is to avoid juvenile court. The Front Porch is the only Youth MARC (Multi-Agency Resource Center) in the state of Georgia.

Multi-Agency approach: Doubling down with staff from agencies – i.e. Tharros Place agent also working with The Front Porch or Shelter from the Rain placed a diaper bank at TFP.

Additional resources for the community and families. Back to School Block Rock, Healing Power of Improv, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, in hour Step Team, Household Budgeting.

Save The Date (STD): Elevator Mixer on Sept. 28^th, 5:30pm at TFP

Anne Robinson, TFP Director, spoke about the return on your investment when it comes to social service agencies. It costs $90K to incarcerate a single person for one year!

Denise Grabowski mentioned that this program is invaluable. The educational outcome of this program and the resources provided is huge. Issues that the school system cannot battle on their own.

What can Rotarians and other community members to do support The Front Porch? We can scan referral QR Code and share with family and youth who might need assistance or exposed to at-risk environments. Trauma, Trouble, Grades, Relationships, Mental Health, etc… TFP aims to serve the full spectrum of situations to fully support our families and youth.

Brags, Finds, and Whines | Sept. 19

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Denise Grabowski has three brags: 1) She bragged on Julian Miller (guest) for his past role with the homeless authority, 2) Ruth Hutson’s (guest) son, Campbell, for being first chair tuba musician, and 3) Kristin King for her performance at Wesley Monumental this past weekend.
Jasmine Mills bragged that her foster daughter has been released for adoption.
Suzanne Kirk has decided to become a US citizen, and her interview/final step will be in October!
Laura Lee Brocade bragged on Facility Planner and on Suzanne for being an incredible resource and her company won the bid for furniture at the Convention Center.
Kristen Crawley bragged on Will Gruver for providing supplies for our Woodville-Tompkins peace pole. Also, United Way Shop and Dine needs participants for United Way for October 6-8.
Katie Joyner had her appendix removed last week and is doing great.
Elizabeth Summerall announced Make-A-Wish Foundation is starting a gingerbread house building competition.

Announcements from Sept. 5 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

PRESIDENT UPDATE & COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

If you have not received a membership pin, let Jasmine know. She has pins. (Possible resurrection of “Flair Day”)
Reminder to provide any and all feedback in real-time (don’t wait until the end of the year)
Let Jasmine and Jamie know if you spot club members in the news, any recognition/awards/announcements on social media - let's spread the good MetRotarians news!

SERVICE:

SCBLV 60^th Anniversary Celebration on Sat., Sept. 28^th, 5:30-8:00pm
Read United Buddies - October launch at Otis Brock & Windsor Forest Elementary Schools. Looking for volunteers to reach with 2^nd grade students 30 minutes twice/week. Reach out to Jasmine with you are interested.
9/16: ASP Re:Purpose Service - slots available
11/15 Kitchen meal prep with Senior Citizens Inc.

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Metro Rotary has purchased a brick for the Golden Isles Veterans Village, 30 tiny homes & center project in Brunswick.
RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute) on Sat., Sept. 16, 7:30am-3:30pm at GA Institute of Technology. Register by 9/6 @rlitraining.org $100.
Polio Plus Society of District 6920 - time to pledge.

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership push in September- led by Zerik. Focus on people that might be a good fit for Metro. Asking everyone to bring a guest to both meetings in September.
Be aware of the 6 things you need to know when sponsoring a member.
- Identify a co-sponsor
- Invite member to all of our meetings, socials, events
- Alert them as to the different committees
- Application
- Headshot
- Inform member if they are approved
Membership moments are coming back.
Munches will be focused on membership.

CLUB:

Fall Fundraiser - Cindy Mullally with Chair- let her know if you’d like to be involved.
Metro Linkedin page is public - share/connect focus on service and sharing member news.
September birthdays & anniversaries celebrated.
GRSP held their conference in Macon - Jasmine attended and met all of the GA students.

RECOGNITION/AWARDS:

Metro logo shirt presented to Will Gruver

UPCOMING DATES (PROGRAMS, SERVICE, SOCIALS):

9/16: Service: ASP Re:Purpose - slots available.
9/19 Program Speaker: Shawnessey Cargile with The Front Porch
9/26: Social: Jerry's Lounge 5:30-7pm
10/3: Program Speaker: Chelsea Sawyer, CEMA
10/7 Service: Wilderness Southeast 50^th Anniversary Paddle Battle
10/17: Program Speaker: Cari Phelps, Global Grant Update
10/24 Social: Rooftop bar TBA
11/15: Service: Kitchen meal prep with Senior Citizens Inc.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Emerson Ingram, cyber securities engineer new to Savannah - guest of Jeff Brady
Katherine Johnson, Marketing Manager with Coleman Company and former Richmond Hill Rotary member - guest of Emily Doherty
Ruth Hutson, SESCO Lighting Outside Sales Rep - guest of Laura Lee Bocade
Bob Doe, former Rotarian in North Carolina - guest of Ro Patrick
Frank Pennington, Assistant US Attorney running for Chatham County Superior Court Judge - guest of Jessica Pedigo
Frank Twum-Barimah from Ghana and currently in Ukraine - guest of Jessica Pedigo
Katie Rudder Fender, Director of Community Outreach and Development at South University - guest of Kristen Crawley
Conni Reynolds, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and member of Rotary Club of Savannah East
Burt Brantley, CEO of Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and member of Rotary Club of Savannah (Downtown)

FEATURED SPEAKER: Bert Brantley, CEO of Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce

Bert Brantley began his tenure as President & CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 1, 2023 after more than two decades of service in various state government leadership positions. Bert and the world-class team at the Chamber and Visit Savannah are dedicated to ensuring economic opportunity spreads through the business community as the Savannah region enters a new era of growth and prosperity.

He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp. As a Senior Advisor, he managed the Communications, External Affairs, Legislative, Policy, and Constituent Services teams. Brantley also held the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, appointed to that role by Governor Nathan Deal in 2017.

With more than 20 years of experience in state government, Brantley has held other roles in the Office of Governor Sonny Perdue, the Department of Driver Services, the State Road & Tollway Authority, and the Department of Transportation.

Bert is married to Tonya Brantley, an elementary physical education teacher. They have two daughters, Kendall and Carson, who are both students at the University of Georgia.

Bert was formerly a speech writer. He covered three points:

Personal (see bio above): Recently moved to Savannah in February from McDonough where he worked in state/government positions. He was burned out on Politics and was looking for a change. He’s excited to follow in Bill Hubbard’s footsteps. He and his family reside on Wilmington Island. His wife is recently retired and she is still figuring out what her role will be in the community. He commented on how great we have it here in Savannah!

Chamber: 7^th oldest chamber in the country. Started focused on the ports and has grown to support almost 2400 members. Businesses outside of Savannah have been joining our chamber because they see what’s going on in our region. Lots of interest in doing business here.

What they are working on:
- Infrastructure and keeping up with growth:
  - Transportation & water/sewer are behind, but this is common for any area that is growing. Also a time consuming process.
  - Fiscally supportive of these efforts and appropriate spending.
  - Focused project list to present to voters at a later time.
  - Spends a lot of time advocating for more support.
- Education/workforce development:
  - Both private & public schools- says there’s unique amount of school options in Savannah. More than larger cities by comparison.
  - Level of business investment into our public schools is very unique. Gulfstream, Ports, Woodville Tompkins career pathways.
  - Savannah State needs to be strengthened.
  - Dual enrolment options for HS students - working on transportation options
  - Savannah Tech is doing great work.
  - Armstrong Campus at GA Southern - Medical campus starting next year. Very exciting for our medical industry!
  - Request in for Dental School funding.
  - Excited about SCAD
- Housing/Homelessness
  - New area for Bert - very important to Chamber members.
  - Infrastructure is in place and we need to build from that. Many services out there but more to come, including a possible “community court” focused on these issues and provide aid with services. They are visiting another model to see if this might be a good fit.
  - Ideally we want our community employees to be able to live where they work, not have to commute for hours.
  - Policy matching with the needs of the community.
  - New housing/renovations needed.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - Sept. 5

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Suzanne Kirk’s niece was engaged this weekend! She's a teacher, but also has a side hustle making amazing cookies: KB Cookies (@_kbcookies_ on IG). Also, Suzanne is looking for a Spanish translator to help translate documents for one of her clients.
Florence just returned from the US Open, and her whine is that she thinks she tore her rotator cuff doing nothing :-(
George bragged on Zerik’s Habitat for Humanity Savannah's 40 year birthday bash event last Saturday. Buddy Carter was in attendance and attendees enjoyed a dunk tank.
Cecilia bragged/whined that she’s running her 28^th marathon in Utah this weekend on minimal training. She also will be singing/dancing at the United Way Campaign Kickoff on Thursday!
Cari bragged on her epic summer vacations (she went to 8 countries!). She has asked for folks to save their plastic bubble wrap for shipping. She also announced that on Sat., Sept 30^th WRUU community radio is hosting a fundraiser, Southern Speakeasy Fashion Show. WRUU needs sponsors and community support. Tickets $19 (general admission).
DJ Spisso thanked Chelsea and Ben for updates on the hurricane intel since he was in Little Rock last week. There will be a huge exercise going on next week at the base Sept. 11-15, the William Tell air-to-air weapons fighter exercise off the coast.
Katie Joyner announced her first day as the Executive Assistant to the VP of Economic Development at Savannah Tech - Crossroads Campus.
Jordan Chase announced Emmaus House Empty Bowl fundraiser on Reynolds Square on Sunday afternoon, 12-2pm on Nov. 5^th. Sponsorships available starting at $300.
Will Gruver shared that his father is a candidate for grant funding with the Alzheimer’s Research Trust - it really means something for him to give to C.A.R.T. when it helps your family.
John Rodman serves on the board of the Kicklighter Resource Center and their annual dinner is on Sat., Oct. 19^th at 6pm at the Knights of Columbus downtown. Tickets on Eventbrite: Soul of Kicklighter $65/person, food, music, live and silent auctions. Sponsorships also available.
Jamie Arkins shared that Grant Tallon is selling 2 general admission tickets to the two-day Sing Out Loud Festival in St. Augustine on Fri., Sept. 22 (Black Keys & Lord Huron) and Sat., Sept. 23 (Mumford & Sons and Maggie Rogers).
Tony Uhrich thanked Will for helping collect dues. Only two people have not paid!

Lunch at Program Meetings

We now have a standing order with Starland Café for our 1st and 3rd Tuesday program meetings. Salads will rotate. We know how much you love the Kitchen Sink salad! Panini sandwich offerings will remain the same. Leigh always orders a few vegetarian options, but she can always order more. In an effort to reduce waste, we encourage you to please bring your own water bottle and fill up at the filtered water fountain just outside of our meeting space at the JEA. We appreciate all of Leigh's efforts in finding a solution to the ongoing saga of lunch.

September is Membership Month

SEPTEMBER IS MEMBERSHIP MONTH - Bring guests to our 9/16 service project, our 9/19 lunch meeting, and our 9/24 social!

Below is a review of our membership process from prospective member to induction:

Prospective Member Process

Guests interested in joining must attend one (1) hands-on service project and two (2) program/lunch meetings and find two (2) Metro Rotarians to serve as sponsors. After attending two lunch meetings and one hands-on service project, Prospective Members will need to submit an application and headshot in order to be listed in Rotary Repeats as a Prospective Member. Once the Prospective Member is listed in Repeats twice, Membership Committee will propose their name and membership to the Board for approval. If approved, Prospect will need to pay the $75 Prospective Member Program Fee to begin the Prospective Member Program. Once the Prospect fulfills the 5-Step Prospective Member Program and pays prorated dues, they will be inducted.

Prospective Member Program

1. Learn about Rotary by reading ABC's of Rotary and Metro Top 10.

2. Prospective member attends Group Meeting #1: Orientation with a Membership Committee Member and Sponsors to provide background on Metro and Rotary International.

3. Prospective Member serves as a greeter at 2 lunch meetings (to be coordinated with Sergeant at Arms)

4. Prospective Member attends Group Meeting #2 with representatives of Membership, Foundation, and a Past President to learn about a)ways to contribute to the Foundation and how the funds are used, b) Annual Service Project and c) Induction.

5. Prospective Member gives a Classification Talk.

Metro Member Sponsor Responsibilities

○ Identify the Prospect’s co-sponsors (each prospective member must have two Metro member sponsors).

○ Invite Prospect to meetings, service events, and socials until they are entered into ClubRunner (you will need to forward emails to them with our event details).

○ Sponsors must be present at meetings and social events with Prospects.

○ Prospects may attend hands-on service projects without a Sponsor being present.

○ Alert Membership Committee Chair that Prospect is interested in membership by sending headshot, application and names of both Metro Sponsors after Prospect has attended the necessary meetings.

○ Communicate Board decision to Prospect and facilitate group meetings with Membership Committee.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - August 15

Posted by Kristin King

Emily Salzer- Thanked Rotary for Anniversary Card, kudos to Sarah Smith for sending out cards
Julie Wade- Sept 20^th- Therros Place stakeholders meeting and speaker Susan Coppedge- register here: (it’s free) https://www.tharrosplace.com/events.html
Ro Patrick bragged on the service committee- great energy and ideas! Whine is that she got a speeding ticket on the way home from the meeting.
Kristen Crawley bragged that she’s looking for people to attend the UW kickoff event; Purchase tickets here.
Cecilia Arango bragged on her daughter starting UGA and she’s an empty nester!
Jeff Braddy- whined that he hasn’t been at Rotary much because he needs staff! Contact him with any leads for his established and growing insurance agency.
Erika Morrow announced that Foresight celebrated 4 years and grateful for our support!
Zerik Samples announced that Habit for Humanity is celebrating 40 years as part of our communities. 10:00-2:00 on Sept 26^th Gwinnett and MLK
Brooke Allison (visitor from Charleston Rotary) announced that her son got engaged this weekend.

Announcements from August 15 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

Membership dues invoices are out and are past due (July 15). Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.
Reminder: Please register and pre-pay for lunch by Saturday before each Tuesday meeting. . You do not need to register for the meeting if you are not buying lunch. Leigh Acevedo is on a mission to decrease financial and food waste. You have the option to pay quarterly or for the whole year (contact treasurer Tony Uhrich with questions).
Reminder to provide any and all feedback in real-time (don’t wait until the end of the year)
Birthdays/Anniversaries
Miles Diede spoke about what Savannah Ghost Pirates has to offer to groups. Ice Deck, VIP seating, The Overlook, Chatham Parkway Toyota Club Lounge, Fan Zam (Zamboni), High Five Tunnel, and group shot on the ice. Potential for our holiday party- BOD is working on options.
Upcoming Speakers - contact Lee Perry for speaker ideas
- September 5: Bert Brantley, CEO - Savannah Chamber of Commerce
Let Jasmine and Jamie know if you spot club members in the news, any recognition/awards/announcements on social media - let's spread the good MetRotarians news!

MEMBERSHIP

Reach out to a committee chair if you have not heard from them yet following the committee "speed dating" and roundtable discussions at our July 18 meeting
Membership push led by Zerik in September - focus on bringing guests who might be a good fit for our Metro.
If you have not received a membership pin yet, let Jasmine know as she has pins. Possible resurrection of "wear your flair" with incentives!

SERVICE

Ro updated us on the very successful service project with the center for the blind this past weekend. They sent Metro a thank you card.
SCBLV 60^th Anniversary Sept. 28^th 5:30-8:00
Metro Service Superlative award presented to Sam Carrol and his family for crushing it at the service project.

SOCIAL

3rd Tuesday, August 29, 4:00-6:00pm, location Tiedeman Park. Let Sarah know if you have a “must taste” dish!

FOUNDATION

When you give to the foundation, a portion of those funds come back to us for our District Designated Funds as a grant to our ASP.
Paul Harris Fellow Awarded to Ro Patrick!

DISTRICT EVENTS:

Golden Isles Veterans Village in Brunswick is raising funds for their 30 tiny homes & center project. If anyone would like to contribute, you can make a contribution via Venmo @tony-Urich (note what it’s for) or cash. Any amount helps us purchase a $180 brick.
RLI-9/16 7:30-am-3:30 at GA Institute of Technology. Register by 9/6 @rlitraining.org $100. Click Here.

GUESTS/VISITORS

Kristen Crawley- Fitz Hale, United Way & Katie Rudder Fender, Dir of Community outreach at South University
Zerik Samples, Susannah (Suz)Smith, Cecelia Russo Marketing and leadership SE GA, and Miles Diede with Dir of Ticket Sales Savannah Ghost Pirates
Anne Kuhlke-Lee supporting featured speaker
Brook Allison (member of Charleston Breakfast Rotary Club, Commercial Flooring)

FEATURED SPEAKER: Bridget Cross, Perinatal Health therapist

Bridget shared that she and her partner had both of their children through IVF, and mentioned her motivation for her current work was based partially on her own experience with postpartum and the day-to-day stories from her clients.

The perinatal term refers to the start of the pregnancy and extends until 2 years postpartum. This includes experiences of pregnancy or infant loss, termination, and infertility. Applies to dads, partners, etc…Maternal/Perinatal mental health refer to the mental and emotional wellbeing of an individual during the perinatal period and includes depression & anxiety.

Georgia Statistics:

#1 complication of childbirth in the U.S.
1 in 5 parents will experience a PMHD (1 in 3 for BIPOC)
1 in 4 parents will experience a traumatic birth
41% or perinatal women report symptoms since the pandemic began\
Highest maternal mortality rate and labeled “the most dangerous state for pregnant women.
Black mothers are dying at the rate of 3-4 times higher than their white counterparts, regardless of location or socioeconomic status.
Rank the lowest in access to mental health care in the US

Georgia Fund for PMH:

Provides fully funded mental health care
All fundraising through third party and crowd funding

Goal: raise $50,000 to provide 10 fully funded therapy session to 50 perinatal mothers and parents. Applications open to anyone who has been effected by any perinatal issues in the past two years. (currently there’s a waitlist of applicants- once funding is secured, recipients are matched with a therapist to begin treatment.

$8,000 was raised in the first 6 months which directly funded 10 full sessions for 8 mothers.

Background:

In November 2022, Bridget Cross launched the Georgia Fund for Perinatal Mental Health, which provides fully funded therapy sessions for moms & parents across Georgia. She has been practicing individual and family psychotherapy since 2007 and earned her Masters in Social Work with Honors from the Hunter College School of Social Work in New York. She also worked in the arts for over 15 years before becoming a therapist, and earned an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College.

Before moving to Savannah in 2015, she worked in New York City with clients from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and spiritual backgrounds – in community mental health clinics, college counseling centers, clinical research programs, and court-based settings.

She received postgraduate training from the NYU Institute for Psychoanalytic Education, and she has trained in perinatal mental health, internal family systems, somatic experiencing, trauma-informed therapy, and motivational interviewing. In 2020, she also completed a yoga teacher training program (200-hour).

She currently serves on the Board of Postpartum Support International (PSI) Georgia Chapter and also volunteers as a PSI State Coordinator for the Savannah area. She is a certified Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) provider through PSI, and in 2019, she helped form the Maternal Mental Health Collective of Savannah.

Announcements from August 1 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

Membership dues invoices are out and are past due (July 15). Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.
Reminder: Please register and pre-pay for lunch by Saturday before each Tuesday meeting. . You do not need to register for the meeting if you are not buying lunch. Leigh Acevedo is on a mission to decrease financial and food waste. You have the option to pay quarterly or for the whole year (contact treasurer Tony Uhrich with questions).
Metro has had a lot of fun over the summer! Jasmine shared photos of our recent social at Cotton & Rye, three Munch lunches, and our first service project with our ASP Re:Purpose Savannah on July 29th.
Upcoming Speakers - contact Lee Perry for speaker ideas
- August 15th: Bridget Cross, Director - Georgia Fund for Perinatal Mental Health
- September 5: Bert Brantley, CEO - Savannah Chamber of Commerce
Let Jasmine and Jamie know if you spot club members in the news, any recognition/awards/announcements on social media - let's spread the good MetRotarians news!

We inducted Jason Usry into Metro on August 1st - welcome Jason!

Stand by for more info on Metro Night at the Savannah Ghost Pirates!

SERVICE

Ro gave a summary of our first project with our ASP Re:Purpose Savannah on Sat., July 29. 21 members attended along with Sarah's two daughters! The next service day will be on a job site - stay tuned for details. First service committee meeting was held on Aug. 4. Contact Ro to join her committee.

MEMBERSHIP

Reach out to a committee chair if you have not heard from them yet following the committee "speed dating" and roundtable discussions at our July 18 meeting
Membership push led by Zerik in September - focus on bringing guests who might be a good fit for our Metro.
If you have not received a membership pin yet, let Jasmine know as she has pins. Possible resurrection of "wear your flair" with incentives!

SERVICE

July 29th is our first service project with our new Annual Service Partner- Re:Purpose Savannah! There are still slots available for the afternoon shift (1:30-3:30) so be sure to sign up in ClubRunner!

SOCIAL

Tuesday, August 22, 5:30-7pm, location TBA

GUESTS/VISITORS

Jody Patterson - Chapter Director, Gray's Reef National Marine Science Sanctuary - guest of Derek Goldfarb & Jamie Arkins
Ruth Huston - Outside Sales Rep, SESCO Lighting - guest of Laura Lee Bocade

FEATURED SPEAKER: Jessica Leigh Lebos, Author, Blogger, & All-Around Delightful Human

Jessica Leigh Lebos is a longtime weekly columnist who writes about interesting people, enchanting places, and the compelling, confounding connections in between. She is the author of two books, Savannah Sideways and the newly released The Camellia Thief & Other Tales, available at your favorite local independent bookstore and online corporate megalodon. You can find her in the bushes stalking what's in bloom by subscribing to her Substack at savannahsideways.com.

Jessica has lived here since the late 90s and “married in” to Savannah via her husband, Mark. They had their children in California and then moved to Savannah. They first connected with the Savannah community at the JEA attending the Senior lunches by listening to incredible elders telling amazing stories. She knew that as a writer, she had landed in a special place.

She first worked at SKIRT! Magazine, and then Connect Savannah as a weekly columnist. Her first book is called Savannah Sideways, a collection of stories from her time at Connect. She went on from there to “do a bunch of her own things” then post-COVID, she found herself confused and wondering what was going on..."farmisht" as she says. Her good friend Rubi encouraged her to start writing again. She learned about Substack, which is similar to a blog, and started writing a column there. She loved hearing other’s perspectives.

This year, post-pandemic, she put together another collection called The Camellia Thief and Other Tales. She shared a passage from her own life and had us laughing at her dreams and banter with her husband. (Especially fun for those of us who know this wonderful couple.) She also incorporated Carl Jung’s teachings regarding dreams into her writing. She references countless Savannah highlights, new and old, and truly transports her reader/listener to each depicted scene. She also comments on Savannah’s growth, sprawling developments, and the dredging of the Savannah River.

She also shared a story about working at a River Street Marketplace kiosk during COVID titled “Respect the River Street Hustle.” If you want to keep laughing in the face of the city deemed "a beautiful woman with a dirty face", follow Jessica Leigh Lebos' writing and you'll have a newfoudn respect for our fair Savannah.

Announcements from July 18 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

*HAPPY NEW ROTARY YEAR*

COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Jasmine Mills

Membership dues invoices are out and due by July 15th. Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.
Please join area Rotarians on Friday, August 4 at approximately 6:15pm to greet Maria Juliana deViveres (GRSP student) at the airport coming in from Colombia! We will communicate any flight change info by text and GroupMe should she be delayed. Attendance counts as a make-up credit.
Reminder: You do not need to register for the meeting if you are not buying lunch. Leigh Acevedo is on a mission to decrease financial and food waste.
Upcoming Speakers:
- August 8th: Jessica Lebos
- August 15th: Georgia Bridget Cross
Jasmine Mills shared her personal Rotary story which started as part of the Friendship Exchange to India in January of 2018 prior to joining Rotary. She participated in World Polio Day and administered vaccines. She then joined Metro Rotary in February 2019 as a worker bee, Secretary-in-training, Secretary and President Elect. She proudly declares Rotary as part of her chosen family.

LEGACY PROJECT

Submit your ideas for our next Legacy Project by clicking HERE.

ANNUAL MEETING BUSINESS

*Budget has been emailed to membership

Will Gruver swore in the incoming board

Past Presidents passed the gavel to Jasmine Mills after Will Gruver bestowed her with the Rotary Robe

Cat paintings were passed on to Jasmine Mills & Kristen Crawley to “display prominently” in their place of work.

Cecilia Arango and Will Gruver were presented with presidential gavel plaques and honored our Madame Sensei Cecilia Arango with her own custom belt, crafted by the power couple of Kristen & Jake Crowley and his workshop Blue Heron Crafts

MEMBERSHIP

GroupMe- let Jamie Arkins know if you need to be invited to the group thread.
August is Membership Month

SERVICE

July 29th is our first service project with our new Annual Service Partner- Re:Purpose Savannah! There are still slots available for the afternoon shift (1:30-3:30) so be sure to sign up in ClubRunner!

SOCIAL

July 25th at 5:30-Cotton and Rye

RECOGNITION & AWARDS

Will Gruver recognized the outgoing and incoming members:

Lexi Henigman for jumping in and taking over GRSP
Katie Joyner for 2 years as membership chair
Jessica Pedigo for doing ALL THE THINGS and moving into the position of Assistant District Governor
Chelsea Sawyer for her incredible fundraising efforts
Chris Cory for his service to our club as Sargent in Arms for the past 2 years
Cecilia Arango for coaching Will as outgoing president
Whitney Shephard for her 4 years spent as Assistant District Governor

GUESTS/VISITORS

Katie Rudder Fender- South University- guest of Kristen Crawley
Aaron Miller - guest of Clint Murphy and in the new member program

COMMITTEE FAIR

Members had the opportunity to visit with different committee chairs to see where they might be interested in getting plugged in further. If you missed the meeting, reach out to any of the committee chairs to learn more about how you can serve Metro Rotary.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - July 18

Posted by Kristin King

Katie Joyner is healing from her second hand surgery.
Kristen Crawley is heading to Italy and bragging on how strong she feels from working out with Katie Balthrop.
Florence Slatinsky bragged on her entire family surviving a boating vacation.

Announcements from June 20 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

*HAPPY NEW ROTARY YEAR and HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!*

COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Will Gruver

June 20 was Will's final meeting as El Presidente! He thanked everyone for supporting him during a great Rotary year. He said he came in as a member of Rotary, and is ending his presidency as a Rotarian. Will led us in a round of Rotary Jeopardy in place of our regularly scheduled speaker and he paid for everyone's lunch :-)
The Legacy Project currently has four strong suggestions - you have one more chance to nominate a project - 53% of the club chose to donate the excess from our fundraiser to go towards the Legacy Fund
Membership dues invoices are out and due by July 15th. Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.

MEMBERSHIP

Emily Doherty and Beth Whelan were officially inducted as our newest Metro Rotary club members!
Will announced that Ro and Brad Patrick are Metro's Rookies of the Year!
Next Program meeting on Tuesday, July 18^th: Committee “fair” to get all members plugged in.
August is Membership Month

SERVICE

Our new Annual Service Partner for 2023-2024 is Re:Purpose Savannah! Thanks to everyone who voted!
Jasmine Mills will keep us posted on GRSP arrival and will invite us to meet her at the airport, etc. Suzy Karpf has already been in touch with our student as well.

FOUNDATION

Josh Yates pinned Kelley Boyd as a Paul Harris Fellow +2!
Will Gruver is a new Paul Harris Society member! He pledges to give $1,000 or more every year for the rest of his Rotary days.

SOCIAL

July 4: there will be no formal meeting, but small group options that day - Happy Independence Day!

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Luke Boyd - Business Development Officer with Bank South, guest of Julie Wade
Susan Joyner - Retired teacher & Katie Joyner's mom - Ms. Joyner was Will Gruver's 4th grade teacher!
Melany Crees - guest of Leigh Acevedo and in the new member program
Aaron Miller - guest of Clint Murphy and in the new member program

Brags, Finds, and Whines - June 20

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Julie Wade thanked Metro members for all of their help with volunteering at Tharros Place in May - please help Tharros Place with donations from their Amazon Wish List this summer to get the house ready for the fall!
Clint Murphy bragged on himself for being accepted into the Governor's School Leadership Academy - Teacher Leader Support Program through the Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA)
Cecilia Arango had several announcements:
- Her daughter Camille is over gallavanting in Italy with Julie's daughter Margaret
- Leadership Southeast Georgia is now accepting nominations for the class of 2024 - from now until August 15 you can nominate yourself or another inspiring leader in your community
- Contact Cecilia if you'd like to volunteer or be involved in some way with TEDxSavannah for 2024
Kelley Boyd bragged on Cecilia Arango on what an amazing job she did emceeing TEDxSavannah!
Denise Grabowski announced the newly appointed SCCPSS Superintendent of School is Dr. Denise Watts who began her new role on July 1. Denise asked us to please show her love and support from Metro!
George Seaborough bragged on high school student Julia Grabowski (Denise's daughter) joining the board of Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy as one of their youngest board members
Sarah Smith has a new job as the Director of University of Engagement at SCAD - way to go Sarah!
Leigh Acevedo is starting her own consulting business, ELA Consultants, focused on helping area companies make deeper connections across the community - she wishes to thank so many wonderful women in Rotary...Ro, Sarah, Julie, Cecilia, Denise, Kristen, and Whitney and others. "Rotary Rocks!" -Leigh
Katie Balthrop celebrated 7 years of Savannah Sport & Wellness being in business at their open house on June 22. She recently hired Kristen Sommer as a trainer, and her newest employee is Alexis Spisso, DJ's daughter!
Lee Perry announced that as the new Programs Committee chair for Metro he wants YOU to get involved and join his committee, particularly new members in the club. Have fun by helping plan parties, events, meetings, etc.!

Announcements from June 6 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

COMMITTEE REPORTS

President Will Gruver

Saturday, June 17 is District Assembly in Dublin, 9:30am - 3:00pm at Oconee Fall Line Technical College. Register to attend here!
Membership dues invoices are out and due by July 15th. Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.
June 20 - Will's Presidential Address and final club meeting as President- Includes fun games!

MEMBERSHIP

July 18^th: Committee “fair” to get all members plugged in.
August is Membership Month
Inducting 3 new members June 20th

SERVICE

ASP will be Re:Purpose Savannah!!! Thanks to everyone who voted!
Jasmine Mills will keep us posted on GRSP arrival and will invite us to meet her at the airport, etc…Suzy Karpf has already been in touch with our student as well.

FOUNDATION

Will Gruver thanked Josh Yates for challenging members to contribute to the foundation

SOCIAL

Next social is Tuesday, June 27^th: Social at Wormhole 5:30-7:30
Upcoming: July 4: no formal meeting, but small group options that day.

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Suzanne Ainsley- with Camp Sunshine (Guest of DJ Spisso) is promoting a Pickle Ball Tournament July 10^th. Registration deadline is June 30^th, $75/player registration @Savannah Golf Club: Click Here.

FEATURED SPEAKER: Tania June Sammons, Savannah Victorian Society

Tania Sammons Tania is the current president of the Savannah Victorian Society. She has nearly 30 years of experience as a writer, curator, public historian, and museum specialist. She has led and consulted with institutions in the development and implementation of many significant educational, artistic, and historical programming projects via exhibitions, books, lectures, and symposia. Tania began her career in museums at the University of Kentucky Art Museum as an undergraduate student and continued her professional path in Savannah working at several Savannah museums, including 17 years at Telfair Museums, and four years at the Andrew Low House.

Currently writing a book about the history of Citizen Advocacy.

Savannah Chapter of the Victorian Society of America- our chapter is the 2^nd largest in the country with around 100 members, just behind the NY Metro Chapter. Founded in 1966 in response to the train station demo in 1964. Committed to the cultural arts, education (through summer school programs, trips, tours, etc…) but open to anyone who is interested. Most meetings are held at St. John’s church on Madison Square.

Sav society offers partial scholarships for the Newport School (student will be speaking on June 13^th) and focus their programing on lectures, which follow the school year calendar. Coming up in September will be Andrew Nag (SCAD professor) patriot design and Russian art.

National society offers study programs as well 3-4 days, includes behind the scenes tours, lectures, homes, etc… Publications focus on cultural and social history.

SAVE THE DATE: SSU Event: 6:00 Sept 26^th: Dr Tiya Miles- a Harvard Professor and Author to discuss her book “All that she carried: the journey of Ashley’s Sack, A Black Family Keepsake.” Incredible story about the power of objects with an incredible story. Reminder- every lecture they host includes a reception, so there’s a social element.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - June 6

Posted by Kristin King

Denise Grabowski bragged on Jessica Pedigo and her entertaining presentation to CAT about insurance
DJ Spisso had one child graduate from HS, both daughters love babysitting and want jobs this summer!
Erika Morrow bragged on George Seaborough for connecting her with Ginger with Citizen Advocacy. She also bragged on Lexi Henigman or her fabulous cooking, on Patrick Phelps for making anything look good in a house.
Jason Sommers bragged on himself for his first Eagle as well as getting 1 of 4 kids off the payroll.
Jasmine Mills bragged on Cari Phelps for spearheading the ASP process, which is incredibly time consuming.
Zerik Samples also bragged on Cari Phelps about working with Design for Good and partnering with SCAD and Cindy Mullally.
Will Gruver bragged on Lexi Henigman and her street/neighbors for keeping an eye out on his mom during her booze strolls

Announcements from May 16 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Committee Reports

President-Elect, Jasmine Mills

Metro was awarded District 6920's LARGE CLUB OF THE YEAR at District Conference!!!
Metro named GOLD club again this year!
We were awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Brightside Child & Family Advocacy!
We were awarded the Distinguished Fundraising Award for Belly Laughs for Brightside!

***June 20 - Will's Presidential Address and final club meeting as President!***

President Will Gruver

Saturday, June 17 is District Assembly in Dublin, 9:30am - 3:00pm at Oconee Fall Line Technical College. Register to attend here!
Membership dues invoices will be coming out soon from Tony Uhrich. Please make sure your email address is up to date with Tony as he goes by the ones in ClubRunner. You can arrange for a payment plan throughout the year with Tony or Jasmine. You may also pay for all of your lunches up front for the entire year or be billed for them.

SERVICE

May 25 - TEDxSavannah volunteering (bonus service)
The May 13th service at Tharros Place was a HUGE success!

SOCIAL

Next social is Tuesday, May 23rd - Late Air, 2805 Bull St. (SW corner of Victory and Bull)

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Isabel Costa, Marketing Coordinator with Devin Olson Media - guest of Cari Phelps
Dana Schuller Smith, Board Vice-Chair for Matthew Reardon Center for Autism - guest of Jordan Chase
Kristen Sommer, new full-time trainer at Savannah Sport & Wellness and voted Savannah's Best Zumba Instructor - guest of Katie Balthrop

Announcements from April 18 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver

April is Maternal & Child Health Month (Rotary International)
Annual Service Partner: 22 applications to review and then the committee will narrow it down to 6, those 6 will present in person to the committee, then they will narrow it down to 3 for the club members to vote on.
The current ASP, Brightside Child & Family Advocacy/Savannah CASA, was submitted to the District for an award.

President-Elect, Jasmine Mills

Jasmine will announce her 2023-2024 Metro Board in May!
If you have any interest in serving on the Board, we need a more team approach for GRSP. Needs being "house mom" help during the holidays when they can't back to their home country to visit, help with entertaining them, driving them around to special events or club meetings, etc.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE 7 Metro members attending District Conference April 28-30. Raffle and silent auction items still needed - contact Will if you have anything to contribute

SERVICE & INTERACT

April 23 - Forsyth Farmer's Market Farm Picnic - openings for service
April 20 - Brightside Dancing with Savannah Stars service
May 13 - Tharros Place volunteer - Julie Wade, Executive Director
May 25 - TEDxSavannah volunteering (bonus service)

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

The membership committee is wrapping up the current slate of members in April and induction will happen soon.

LEGACY PROJECT - John Bennett will provide an update at the next meeting

FOUNDATION: We are in good shape as a club in giving; please continue to give to RI Foundation!

GUESTS/VISITORS:

Dorothy & Jerry Gustafson - Kristin King's parents visiting from Michigan
Aaron Kelton. SSU Head Football Coach - guest of Lee Perry
Fitz Haile, United Way of the Coastal Empire - guest of Kristen Crawley
Brett Lundy, Broe Real Estate - guest of Emily Salzer

FEATURED SPEAKER: Preston Johnson Speech Contest winners from Woodville-Tompkins

Alfred introduced his two 9th grade students, Serani and Syniah, winners from the Preston Johnson Speech Competition at Woodville Tompkins. He’s honored to continue to work with wonderful students.

Syniah compared narcissistic behavior to the way we treat our world. Questioning why we continue torturing ourselves and the inability to set aside our own agenda for the better of the good. Help more, hurt less. Challenged us to act better - not just with words, but with actions. Everyone’s presence makes a difference. Every day we wake up knowing it’s possible to make or break our world. We perceive a world that deserves our best - so let’s give it to our world.

Serani challenged us to see the bright side when we are inundated with the world’s problems: sexism, hate crimes, safety at school, inflation, etc. We need to find hope in the small things. She asked us what one of our a favorite moments is. Do not give energy to the negative stuff. Priceless moments slip through our hands. She challenged us to apply the 4-way test to all parts of our lives. Take the steps needed to improve our society. Go beyond waiting for a better day. Better personality/family/mindset/community will all better our world. Are you willing to take that step forward?

Will presented both students with framed certificates and checks. Alfred also expressed his gratitude for our members and judges who provided feedback and assisted the students.

Announcements from April 4 Meeting

Posted by Kristin King

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver announced that April is Maternal & Child Health Month (Rotary International); Roastary was a success with the ever-changing Coach's Corner.

President Elect, Jasmine Mills welcomes ideas for the 2023-2024 Metro Rotary year and please get involve.

SERVICE & INTERACT

Cari Phelps announced we are accepting Annual Service Partner applications - get the word out to non-profits and apply - look at groups who would align with one of our 7 Areas of Focus - deadline is April 11!
Forsyth Farmers Market Farm Picnic on Sun., April 23 - sign up via ClubRunner
Preston Johnson Speech Contest: Will went to St. Simons Island to see our Woodville Tompkins students compete; you do not want to miss these two freshmen at our program meeting on April 18!

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE:

The membership committee is wrapping up the current slate of members in April and induction will happen soon.

FOUNDATION: We are in good shape as a club in giving; please continue to give to RI Foundation!

GUESTS

Shraddha Nunziata, Director of Experiential Learning w/ Uncommon Schools (guest of Katie Joyner)
Dr. Melissa Keller, ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear (guest of Erika Morrow
Fitz Haile, United Way of the Coastal Empire (guest of Kristen Crawley
Abigail Smith, 8th Grade at Garrison - Sarah Smith's favorite eldest daughter :-)
Mike Muldowney, former DG, with St. Simons Island club - spoke as the District Chair of the Rotary Youth Exchange

FEATURED SPEAKERS: Aileen Gabbey

Aileen has led organizations for over 25 years including serving as Executive Director of The Maryland SPCA and Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia. Under her leadership in Baltimore, the SPCA became no-kill, conducted a capital campaign to build a new center, and opened businesses for pet wellness, spay/neuter, and adoption. Aileen also formed and chaired an alliance of fellow organizations and served on other local Boards in Maryland before moving to Savannah. In the South, Aileen served as Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for seven years and led the expansion of its programs and services. Aileen has led teams through
transitions including improving complex operations, developing agency partnerships, evolving philosophies, communications challenges, crisis management, building new businesses, conducting major campaigns, expanding programs, and developing team cultures. She volunteers at SCORE and the United Way of the Coastal Empire. She and her husband, a teacher and writer, live in Ardsley Park with their adopted street cat Gus. Aileen challenged us to think "why do I give?" and "what do I receive?" when it comes to service. She specifically focused on serving on boards and what meaningful service looks like.

Announcements from February 21 Meeting

Posted by Jamie Arkins

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver announced that February is Peace and conflict resolution month. What can you do?

Donate to Second Harvest $25/1 service credit up to 3 credits (Jan-March) Email savannahmetrorotary@gmail.com to receive credit Deadline March 15^th (Link to Donate)

Register for District 6920 Conference April 27-30 - reach out to Whitney for more details - DR. BERTICE BERRY is the keynote speaker!

PRESIDENT REPORT

Metro needs a GRSP liaison and host - we would share a student with Richmond Hill Rotary Club - please reach out to Jasmine Mills for more information
Roastary Committee Members needed- reach out to Jessica Pedigo if you are interested.
Annual Service Partner for next year - it's that time again! - Cari Phelps to Chair

SAVE THE DATE/UPCOMING EVENTS:

ROASTARY Annual Oyster Roast on Sunday, March 26, 3:00-6:00 at Coach's Corner - get your tickets here ASAP before they go up in price!

SERVICE & INTERACT

Read United (formerly Rotary Read-In) is coming up on Friday, February 24. Sign up to read here.
Canned Food Drive competition with Lion's Club: Donate up to $75 by March 15 deadline to America's Second Harvest Food Bank here to receive up to 3 service credits. For every $25 donated, you will receive 1 service credit (up to 3 max). You may donate as much as you wish and every dollar will help us win the contest! Email metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com to get service credit for your donations.
Preston Johnson Speech Contest (with Woodville-Tompkins Interact Club) - thank you club members Sarah Smith, Cecilia Arango, Will Gruver, Suzanne Kirk, Zerik Samples and Alfred McGuire (principal of Woodville-Tompkins HS) for judging on February 22! First place winner: Syniah Seabrain will receive $750 - Second Place: Serani Hassan will receive $500

7th and 8th Grade students in the St. Andrews School Interact Club met the Kindergarten class at North Beach to help them do a beach clean up on the afternoon of February 27 as part of their Passport to Knowledge unit on sea turtles. A beautiful day to join together for service and connection!

MEMBERSHIP: Katie Joyner hosting a meeting on March 1^st for new members who have completed all prerequisites for membership. Sponsors and board members are invited also. Our current new member class is: Emily Doherty (Great Oaks Bank), Ashley Harsey (Savannah Ghost Pirates), Jason Usry (WJCL), and Beth Whelan (SCCPSS/Charles Ellis Montessori Academy)

FOUNDATION: Josh Yates presented Lee Beckmann with his first Paul Harris Fellow award. Jeanine Roach received a PHF +1 Award. Thank you for supporting the Rotary Foundation!

LEGACY PROJECT: Please provide your Metro Rotary Legacy Project Suggestions here: Click Here - reach out to John Bennett for more details

PROGRAMS/SOCIAL:

Tuesday, March 7 - TEDxSavannah: The Power of Community - Brian Judson and Clinton Edminster
Tuesday, March 21 - Beach Institute Tour - reach out to George Seaborough for more details
Tuesday, March 28 - Social at Edgar's Proof & Provision

GUESTS

Aaron Miller (guest of Clint Murphy) - Gallery Stays Luxury Vacation Rentals - had been stationed at Fort Stewart 1999-2004

FEATURED SPEAKER: Courtney Rawlins - President & CEO of the Greater Pooler Chamber of Commerce

Courtney Rawlins hit the ground running when she accepted the top position at the Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce. Pooler has been Courtney's home for 17 years. She deemed her presentation to us as "The State of West Chatham Business." The growth there is not stopping anytime soon.

Growth is occurring in all industries, especially hospitality, hotels and restaurants (Crumble Cookie, Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux, etc.), a senior living center, JC Lewis Ford is expanding, Big Shots (similar to Top Golf), and you heard correctly, Dave & Buster's. No sign of Trader Joe's yet. With the Hyundai plants and its subsidiaries coming in 2025, things will grow even more exponentially.

The Pooler Chamber is instituting a forward vision for growth in several key ways: 1. Creating a Member Concierge position to enhance the membership experience, 2. by growing their social media presence and strategy (highlighting events, ribbon cuttings, etc.), 3. through a series of twice monthly digital newsletters (1st week is about chamber business and 3rd week provides resources for member businesses), 4. through fresh marketing campaigns and rebranding that highlight Pooler as a gateway to many surrounding vacation destinations and contribute to the visitor economy (the train is gone!), 5. Travel Guides, and 6. New hotel ad in the Tourism Leadership Council's guide Savannah: A Southern Journey.

Courtney joined the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. She has joined and teamed up with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Sharon Dupont, Director of Visitor Economy, has taken taken her role by storm. The Chamber offers an online membership directory and they provide three core networking events: 1. A.M. Chamber Chats in the mornings (quarterly), 2. BA5's (Business Afterhours) every month for business exposure, connections, and networking, and 3. Knowledge Now Luncheons each month (February - October).

When asked about traffic and water concerns, Courtney advised us to pay close attention to the Pooler Mayoral and City Council campaigns this year. She is also concerned about workforce development and the need for public transportation. One thing is for sure, Courtney will keep her thumb pressed against these issues!

The Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce goes by the motto "While You Are Working In Your business, We Are Working For Your Business." Join today!

Announcements from February 7 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver announced that February is Peace and conflict resolution month. What can you do?

Donate to Second Harvest $25/1 service credit up to 3 credits (Jan-March) Email savannahmetrorotary@gmail.com to receive credit Deadline March 15^th (Link to Donate)

PRESIDENT REPORT

Foundation Goal has been surpassed for the foundation (Goal $10K, we are at $12K) but let's keep going!!
Interact- addition of St. Andrews
Roastary Committee Members needed- reach out to Jessica Pedigo if you are interested.
ASP for next year- Cari Phelps to Chair
Working on Board for next Rotary Year- reach out to Jazmine if you are interested

SAVE THE DATE:

ROASTARY Annual Oyster Roast on March 26, 3:00-6:00 at Coach's Corner- committee members needed.
SAT., FEB. 11, 8:30am-10am - Metro and Family ONLY ice skating session at the Civic Center - reach out to Julie Wade for more details

SERVICE & INTERACT

Read United (formerly Rotary Read-In) is coming up on Friday, February 24. Sign up to read here.
Canned Food Drive competition with Lion's Club: Donate up to $75 by March 15 deadline to America's Second Harvest Food Bank here to receive up to 3 service credits. For every $25 donated, you will receive 1 service credit (up to 3 max). You may donate as much as you wish and every dollar will help us win the contest! Email savannahmetrorotary@gmail.com to get service credit for your donations.
Preston Johnson Speech Contest (with Woodville-Tompkins Interact Club) - Need 4-5 volunteers who would like to judge the Preston Johnson Speech contest in February (date TBA). Contact Sarah Smith (sbockelsmith@gmail.com or 912-944.7012) if you are interested.

MEMBERSHIP: Send any potential applicants and head shots to Katie. March 1^st is slated to be the meeting for new members who have completed all prerequisites for membership.

FOUNDATION: Josh Yates presented Will Groover with a Paul Harris award.

LEGACY PROJECT: John Bennett shared the suggestion form for Metro Rotary Legacy Project Suggestions (Click Here)

PROGRAMS/SOCIAL Next Social-Feb 28^th Midtown Grill 5:30-7:30

GUESTS

Meghan Reed with Henry Plumbing (guest of Kristin King)
Emily Dougherty with Great Oaks Bank
Jason Usry with WJCL22 (guest of Sarah Smith)
Beth Whalen with Charles Ellis Montessori Academy (guest of Sarah Smith)
Rev. Helen White with Christ Church Episcopal (guest of Sarah Smith)
Maureen Pacifici (guest of Laura Lee Bocade)
Sarah Hughes – previous Rotary exchange student (guest of Katie Balthrop/Julie Wade)
Melanie Creese a freelance construction manager (guest of Leigh Acevedo)

FEATURED SPEAKER: Roger Moss- Savannah Chatham County School Board President

Roger Moss became the Savannah Chatham County School Board President on Jan. 1, 2023 and he immediately has focused his attention on putting students first. He opened by bragging on Woodville Tomkin's Culinary training program and highlighted their fried chicken, which blew him away.

Roger then challenged us to embrace and welcome the following:

Be Inspired

Be Motivated

Be Uncomfortable

Roger shared a story about the Savannah Children’s Choir's highly coveted paid internship ($1000/week along with room and board.) During the interview process, he would ask the interns “what have you learned from students?” Over the years, Roger has learned so much from children, especially in his role with the children’s choir.

His motivation for running for School Board is the number of heartfelt, inspiring stories of children overcoming adversity and persevering factors (i.e. poverty) and embracing education to empower our youth. Having people believe in our youth makes a huge difference and it's a key part of achieving his goal of improving our public schools.

Roger shared another story about a welding teacher at Woodville Tomkins who is not only teaching them a technical skill, but he's also teaching them life skills (this man became a teacher after being with larger companies for 30 years). He then mentioned a principal at Savannah High School who's been in that position for 3 years. As a former military member, she has reduced the violence statistics by over 50% and has created a new culture at that school.

Next we saw an impressive video featuring a variety of programs at Woodville Tomkins, including programs in Veterinary Skills, Culinary Arts, Construction, Electrician, a Student run Credit Union, Nail technician lab/Beautician, and a Law enforcement and cyber security lab. We also learned that International Paper is partnering with Woodville Tompkins to hire skilled labor positions in an effort to organically grow their workforce. Roger likes to call this “The Public School Advantage.”

Roger also told us to "get uncomfortable" by letting people that disagree with you help you grow. As a result, Roger says he’s learning how to listen more and understand that a lot of opinions and passions are based on our life experiences. True listening is not listening preparing to answer, but being present and taking it all in. Leaving politics out of it- just a human being.

Challenge: Volunteers are needed as tutors & readers. Click this Link and join the army of “Roger’s Readers”

Roger also mentioned that he's all about affordable housing, but also about jobs that allow people to afford housing. Savannah is attracting companies who want to come to Savannah for business. Leigh Acevedo commented that this leads to overall economic development and it will take all of us engaging in the schools as a whole to improve our community.

Roger closed with an open initiation to attend the SCCPSS March meeting and any of the board meetings (meeting also available on line). He clarified that the board sets policies and priorities which determine budget allocations. He is focused on prioritizing people who work directly with kids- teachers, counselors, police. He loves buildings but cares even more about what goes on inside the building. Send any questions/feedback in advance to your district rep/board member

*** PSA: know who your district rep is!

Brags, Finds, and Whines - February 7

Leigh Acevedo announced the legacy leadership luncheon on April 19^th. $75/ticket
Sarah Smith announced the ice skating event for Tharros Place on behalf of Julie Wade- Saturday Feb. 11th 8:30am at the Civic Center Ice Rink. If you are planning to attend, please let Julie know asap, text 912-332-2455 or email juliemwade@gmail.com
Lee Parry asked us to save the date for the SSU annual gala April 1^st.
Jordan Chase announced the Fresh Air Home has openings for a few members. (50 women who run the summer camp for 8 weeks on Tybee)
Katie Balthrop bragged on starting a tutorial program with SBA with Erica Morrow
Katie Balthrop also wined about her hand injury (the result of a fist fight with a box jump)
Elizabeth Summerell announced Junior League's FREE Fit Kid Fest on Feb 18^th 1:00-4:00 at the Children’s Museum. She also mentioned that community assistance funds are open for applications (their focus this year is on youth development). Deadline for applications is Feb. 24th.
Denise Grabowski announced Urban Hope's signature event, Chefs & Chocolate will be on March 4^th (Ticket Link) and Soup it Up for Loop it up is on March 11th (Ticket Link).
Kristin King announced the 6th annual Pacesetter's Concert for Girls on the Run will be on June 4th (Ticket Link)

Prospective Member Profiles

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROFILES

Emily Doherty is the Director of Marketing for Great Oaks Bank. With six locations in Middle Georgia and Coastal Georgia, Great Oaks Bank is focused on providing excellent customer service at a fair price utilizing the latest technology. Emily is a Marketing and Development professional with 20+ years of experience building strategic marketing, business development, and fundraising programs. She has been in Savannah since the mid-nineties and graduated with a BFA in Photography from SCAD in 1999. Emily is a 2022 Graduate of Leadership Bryan, she serves on the Richmond Hill Historical Society board, and is a founding member of the Savannah Marketing Group. She was a 2017 Generation NEXT recipient presented by Business in Savannah and Savannah Magazine, which awards Savannah's rising stars of business. Emily was extremely instrumental organizing and raising funds for Friends of Statts, who hosted fundraisers and concerts to help with healthcare costs for Emily's good friend, beloved local musician and graphic artist Jason Statts. She also supports the United Way of the Coastal Empire and the Telfair Art Museum. When Emily isn't working or serving the community, she enjoys time with her husband Tim, their 9-year-old son Patrick, and their sweet rescue dog Flower.

Jason Usry is the Creative Services Director at WJCL 22 which is the ABC Network affiliate serving Southeast Georgia and South Carolina’s Low Country. He holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Mass Media Communication from Valdosta State University, as well additional certifications through the television station’s parent company Hearst Television.He is committed to making the community a better place and volunteers his time for several different local non-profits including The United Way of the Coastal Empire, America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, and The Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club.In his free time he maintains his creative edge by writing and producing podcast. He is also an award-winning, produced screenwriter.He and his wife Dru have two small boys, Grayson and Lucas. The family loves calling Savannah and the surrounding community home.

Ashley Harsey is the Director Of Operations at Savannah Ghost Pirates and has over 15 years of experience in marketing, strategic partnerships, advertising, and providing an extraordinary customer experience. She establishes strong community relationships and establishes a competitive advantage by coordinating chaos with effective organization. Ashley works hard to implement creative solutions with relentless determination.
As a new Savannahian, Ashley wants to partner with industry leaders, learn from pioneers, and collaborate with community influencers, and inspire others.

Beth Whalen is an educator and Montessori Coach at Charles Ellis Montessori Academy where she has worked alongside the most dedicated and passionate teachers in the school district. She is also a Board member of Montessori Partnerships of Georgia, shepherding the work of supporting public Montessori teachers across the state. Additionally, she is the 2023 Teacher of the Year for the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. This distinction has allowed her the opportunity to be a vocal advocate for all public school teachers in the district. She has a Bachelor’s in Education, a Master’s in Curriculum Integration Through the Arts and will begin work on Educational Leadership Certification in the Fall.

She believes fully in the power of public education. She believes in its capacity to provide opportunity to all, its ability to create respectful and compassionate communities, and its power to bring about peace and social justice. Beth has two incredible children, one in high school and the other in college, a doting husband of eighteen years and a lazy pup. She is an ardent lover of learning and enjoys reading, using power tools, and any opportunity for outdoor adventures.

Announcements from January 17 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver announced that January is Rotary International's Vocational Service Month, in which vocational service means holding ourselves and our businesses to the highest ethical standards. What can you do?

Donate to the Rotary Foundation to help us continue to be an EREY club
Participate in service projects - Jan. 21 brown bag for the elderly and the canned food drive competition with Lion's Club
Register for District 6920 Conference April 27-30 - reach out to Whitney for more details

PRESIDENT-ELECT News & Notes Jasmine "Jazzy J" Mills announced our President-Elect nominee for 2024-2025 is Kristen Crawley. The club voted unanimously to elect her!

LUNCH will increase in price to $15.50 in advance and $17.00 the day of as of January 2023. Please pre-pay in advance (preferred) for accurate food ordering. Reach out to Chris Corey for more details.

SAVE THE DATE:

ROASTARY Annual Oyster Roast in March - Date TBA - need committee members
SAT., FEB. 11, 8am-10am - Metro and Family ONLY ice skating session at the Civic Center - reach out to Julie Wade for more details

SERVICE & INTERACT

Read United (formerly Rotary Read-In) is coming up on Friday, February 24. Sign up to read here.
Canned Food Drive competition with Lion's Club: Donate up to $75 by March 15 deadline to America's Second Harvest Food Bank here to receive up to 3 service credits. For every $25 donated, you will receive 1 service credit (up to 3 max). You may donate as much as you wish and every dollar will help us win the contest! Email savannahmetrorotary@gmail.com to get service credit for your donations.
Preston Johnson Speech Contest (with Woodville-Tompkins Interact Club) - Need 4-5 volunteers who would like to judge the Preston Johnson Speech contest in February (date TBA). Contact Sarah Smith (sbockelsmith@gmail.com or 912-944.7012) if you are interested.

FOUNDATION Josh mentioned that over half of our club have donation to the Rotary Foundation! 32 members have not donated yet so please do so before Josh has to remind you to. There are 9 members who are not registered on My Rotary - it's very easy to register here.

MEMBERSHIP Katie announced that the membership committee will host an orientation meeting sometime in February with orientation in March - stay tuned for more!

PROGRAMS/SOCIAL Send your programs and social ideas to George Seaborough for 2023!

GUESTS

Joel Goodman, The Fiduciary Group - guest of Michael McLeod
Scott McGhie, The Fiduciary Group - guest of Michael McLeod
Jessica Gilstrap, Supreme Lending - guest of Emily Salzer
Melaney Crees, Co-Axe Studio - guest of Leigh Acevedo
Emily Doherty, Great Oaks Bank - guest of Suzanne Kirk

FEATURED SPEAKER: Derek Mallow - East Savannah United

Jeff Kole, Board Chair of the newly formed East Savannah United and the owner of Kole Management Company, introduced Executive Director Derek Mallow. Derek is no stranger to Metro Rotary and also serves as State Senator District 2. He was born and raised in Savannah and is a proud Jenkins High School Warrior. He is also an Eagle Scout. Derek is a son of East Savannah and thus, he has great passion in this new initiative. East Savannah United started as a Neighborhood Revitalization project for Hitch Village and Blackshear Neighborhoods. The organization is following the model of Purpose Built Communities and focusing on mixed income housing, reducing poverty, and "cradle to college" to promote equity in education for all students. Derek considers himself a "Community Quarterback". East Savannah United is focusing on these three main areas: Housing, Wellness, and Education. This approach can truly transform neighborhoods.

Near the edge of these neighborhoods are great facilities such as Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club, DFCS, Curtis V. Cooper, and the Formey Early Learning Center. East Savannah United approached the Housing Authority and asked for 9 acres of land on Wheaton St. behind Randy's BBQ to create their own Early Learning Center. They engaged the Chamber of Commerce to lobby the city and county to put up funds, half of each from SPLOST. YMCA and Goodwill have agreed to add their own programs to the Early Learning Center and both have launched capital campaigns. East Savannah United needs to raise $8.25 Million to open the Early Learning Center. It will serve 140 kids ages 6 weeks to 3 years old, and will include a children's library. The Economic Development Impact on this new initiative will be quite sizable!

Brags, Finds, and Whines - January 17

Chelsea Sawyer announced that her breech baby boy was being evicted from her womb on Jan. 25th....as of the time of this writing Marshall Bennett Sawyer was born late Thursday night, January 19, with a head full of hair and wonderful set of lungs!!!

DJ Spisso said he was glad to be back!

Whitney Shephard announced that DEEP Center is seeking Writing Fellows as writing mentors to DEEP's Young Author Project participants for an 11-week commitment. More info can be found here and reach out to Whitney if you are interested!

Suzanne Kirk made an announcement on behalf of Julie Wade: January is Human Trafficking Month and Tharros Place is hosting the fundraiser Cocktails for Courage on Jan. 27th at Cohen's Retreat. More info here.

Bret Bell also announced on behalf of Julie Wade: Mark your calendars for Sat., Feb. 11, 8am-10am to enjoy a private ice skating session at the Civic Center for Metro Rotarians and families! Suggested donation to Tharros Place.

Reshma Johnson announced that her daughter Raiyan is the winner of $20,000 First Tee National Scholarship! See the news story here from Augusta 2022. Reshma also expressed relief from rolling off the AIA Board as the former chair and her daughter gave the speech in her absence. Proud Mama!

Announcements from January 3 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Elect Jasmine Mills kicked off the meeting and reminded everyone to send your EREY receipts to Josh Yates- $50 or more paid via the Rotary website-

LUNCH will increase in price to $15.50 in advance and $17.00 the day of (if food is still available) as of January 2023. Please pre-pay in advance (preferred) for accurate food ordering. Reach out to Chris Corey for more details.

SERVICE

Check website for upcoming volunteer slots
Brown Bag for the Elderly with Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia at 8am on January 21^st. Two shifts available: 8:00-9:30, 9:30-11:00. Children welcome.
Lisa Colbert with Downtown Rotary and United Way presented on Rotary Reading and the literacy efforts. Read United is the name of this effort- Friday Feb. 24^th is Read United Way with a goal of reaching thousands of students. Link to sign up to follow.
Send programing or social ideas to George for next year.

PROGRAMS/SOCIAL Send your programs and social ideas to George for 2023.

Guests

David & Marie Crawford from Circleville, OH Rotary Club and they presented us a flag.
Cheri Dean (Savannah West) and Judge Lisa Colbert (Savannah Rotary.)

Featured Speaker: Lisa Goodman- Wilderness Southeast

Lisa Goodman is the Donor Relations Manager for Wilderness Southeast (WiSE), a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing an awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the natural world. Their mission is to Explore, Discover, and Understand the world around us. Founded in 1973 by Joyce & Dick Murlelss & John Crawford. One of the first organizations to offer ego-tourism starting with 3-7 day long expeditions to Central and South America. Now they offer programs throughout South Georgia led by educators, including Wassaw, Black Water Paddle (Ebenezer Creek), Salt Marsh Adventures (Butter Bean Beach), Alligators & Friends (re-opening soon!) and Costal Birding. Their signature program is “Fish Gotta Swim” which is an immersive program for Title One schools consisting of 8 sessions (5 in class & 3 trips) and is funded by their other programing. They serve around 900 students each year. Stay tuned for their 50th Anniversary Event!

Brags, Finds, and Whines - January 3

Jasmine Mills gave a shout out to Josh for easily explaining the Rotary website for donations.

Erika Morrow announced that Habitat for Humanity raised $112,000 at their first gala!

Jamie Arkins announced her new job as a Recruiter for Thomas & Hutton and bragged on Cecilia Arango for the lightening speed in which she generated a text message opt-in for our Club

Announcements from December 20 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver reminded announced that December is Rotary International's Disease Prevention & Treatment Month. Take care of your health and others. Here are some things you can do during the holiday season:

Spend time with family
Ponder ideas for the second half of the Rotary year (Jan. 1-June 30)
Donate to the Rotary International Foundation
Register for the District Conference in Callaway Gardens April 27-30

FOOD DRIVE Joseph Marshall of the Lion's Club of Savannah spoke about the food drive that Rotary and Lion's Clubs are partnering in friendly competition on. Food costs have gone up 13% in homes. Hundreds of thousands of people are “food insecure” and we will be collecting food for the next year. Sarah Smith is our point of contact for this challenge.

SERVICE Kathleen Anderson announced that our club will participate in the America's Second Harvest Brown Bag for the Elderly at 8am on January 21st. Two shifts available: 8:00-9:30, 9:30-11:00. Children welcome.

INTERACT Speaking opportunities to address the St. Andrews Middle School program. Contact Kelly Waldron or Sarah Smith.

PROGRAMS/SOCIAL Send your programs and social ideas to George for 2023.

Guests

Beth Whalen (guest of Sarah Smith) - SCCPSS Teacher of the Year, Charles Ellis Montessori Academy
Kels Bonham (guest of Ro Patrick) - co-owner of Transform Savannah Athletic Club/personal training
David Slatinsky (guest of Florence Slatinsky) - member of downtown Rotary Club/Alliant Insurance Services
Joseph Marshall (guest of Jamie Arkins) - Secretary of the Lion's Club of Savannah/McIntosh Realty Team realtor - he spoke about the food drive competition between Rotary Clubs of District 6920 and Lion's Clubs in their district

Featured Speaker: Michael Sarhatt, Director - Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team

Michael is the Director of the Chatham County Counter Narcotics Team. He started by stating we are in the middle of an opioid epidemic. We are not at critical mass status yet in Chatham County and Mike’s here to ensure we do not get there.

What is Fentanyl? Natural (heroine) vs. synthetic (oxy, Fentanyl). Methamphetamines physically alter your brain to the point that you can’t say no. This epidemic is a disease. Certain people are more susceptible...despite many of us having been prescribed in the past, we didn’t become addicted. Sadly, some people get addicted after one pill. Even after 14 months without using, the brain is not healed. That's why so many people relapse. Here are some of the cold, hard facts:

A fatal dose of fentanyl is miniscule.
Heroine went from 3-5% to 25% pure; hence, the need for stronger drugs.
Big pharma started “pill mills” which got people addicted quicker, but restricted access to meds on the weekends, hence turning to the streets. Heroine is cheaper than pills so they go that route. At this point it still wasn’t an epidemic until Fentanyl came on the scene.
Incarceration, rehab, and re-integration back into the community often leads to the person dying.
Stamps and dyes are bought from China and they are re-creating the pill with a Pill Press.
#1 cause of death between 19-45 years. Nation wide: 78,000 OD Deaths in 2020, 107,000 in 2021. 72 call-outs in 2022 in Chatham, and we only have 2 detectives. 85% are fentanyl.

Quick treatments if you come in contact with fentanyl? NARCAN is a nasal spray available at all pharmacies.

Michael is currently working with the DA’s office on 5 felony murder cases. He runs the Healing Hearts Family Support Group at the Circle of Recovery Peer Center at 2423 Abercorn St For Families that have lost a loved one to an Opioid Death. Contact 912-652-3930 for more information.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - December 20

Kristen Crawley bragged on Suzanne Kirk on collecting the gift wrap and supplies and Ro Patrick on her coordination efforts Dec. 15-17 for Brightside/CASA. The kids surely must have had a great Christmas with all of the donated gifts and receiving them beautifully wrapped on Christmas morning!

Erika Morrow announced her ForSight annual New Year's party and fundraiser for the Savannah Center for Blind & Low Vision on Thursday, December 29, 4-7pm featuring live music, a magician, incredible raffles items and beer and wine and munchies. Please plan to join the party again the last week of December 2023!

Brad Patrick bragged on his wife Ro on her incredible PSA campaign work on the dangers of fentanyl. Below are links to the campaigns directly to youth and to their parents. Ro said she would be glad to answer any questions she can on fentanyl as she has lived and breathed the issue for the past two years.

Real Deal on Fentanyl This is our campaign directly to youth 13-24, educating them on the dangers and prevalence of fentanyl: PSA https://youtu.be/34uweSBm_XI Website https://realdealonfentanyl.com/

Drop the F*Bomb This is our campaign for parents of youth 13-24, educating them on the dangers and prevalence of fentanyl, and how to start a life-saving conversation with their kids:

PSA https://youtu.be/v-K7VwXAHss Website https://dropthefbomb.com/

Julie Wade is hosting an event coming up for Tharros Place: Cocktails for Courage will take place on Jan. 27th at Cohen's Retreat, in conjunction with the SIDC's 8th Annual Traffick Jam at SSU. Click here for event information/tickets/sponsorships.

Brags, Finds, and Whines - December 6

Will Gruver announced that he will be dancing in the 2023 Dancing with the Savannah Stars for Brightside Advocacy (formerly CASA).

Leigh Acevedo announced that she recently left her employment with SEDA after 15 years and will soon be back on the job market.

Kelley Waldron recommended a "find" of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.

Liza Smith thanked everyone for a great turnout and success at our Brightside ASP fundraiser, Belly Laughs for Brighside in November at Front Porch Improv!

Lee Perry announced the Savannah State University Basketball Classic coming up in February or March. You can check out the schedule here.

Julie Wade has an event coming up for Tharros Place: "Cocktails for Courage" will take place on Jan. 27th at Cohen's Retreat, in conjunction with Traffick Jam at SSU. Click here for event information/tickets/sponsorships.

Announcements from December 6 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver reminded us of the importance of The CART Fund buckets on our tables collecting "Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust." Loose change goes a long way for research.

Paul Harris Fellows:
- Ben Senger - first-time PHF
- Jeff Brady - PHF +3
- Whitney Shephard - PHF +7
District Conference update:
- April 27-30, 2023 in Callaway Gardens
- Friday night 4/28 party being hosted by Metro!
Social:
- Post-Holiday Social: December 27th at Miracle Bar at Thompson Hotel (2nd Floor)

Guests

Ian Lewis (guest of Jeff Brady) - Southern Oak Advisory/Capstone Benefits Consulting

Featured Speaker: Gene Dobbs-Bradford, Savannah Music Festival

We enjoyed hearing from Gene who is the new Executive Director of Savannah Music Festival. Mark your calendars for the festival coming up March 23 - April 8, 2023. Joining him were three beloved SMF staff, Ryan McMaken (Artistic Director), Larissa Thut Davidson (Marketing Director), and Kat Clark (Development Manager).

Gene was formerly with Jazz St. Louis for 23 years. He is an Eastman School of Music graduate and his former college roommate Marc Chesanow is a busy professional upright and electric bass player here in Savannah. When Gene was on the NEA Grants Panel in 2011 he noticed that SMF was doing great things and offered unique programming. He thought to himself he'd love to have a job leading the Savannah Music Festival and 10 years later the top job opened up and he applied for it. The board and staff welcomed him with open arms in 2021. Savannah is fortunate to have him here!

Savannah Music Festival is Georgia's largest musical arts event and one of the largest cross-genre music festivals in the country. The economic impact on the city is tremendous, with last year boasting $12M spent by festival-goers.

2023 will showcase 90 performances by 70 different acts! Six things Gene highlighted include:

1. Four nights at Trustees Garden outdoor stage! Tedeschi Trucks Band, Buddy Guy (two nights), and Galactic/Cory Wong/Nate Smith

2. Excellent Classical programming with Phillip Dukes taking the reigns as Associate Artistic Director

3. Exciting Co-Bills - getting two shows for the price of one

4. Strongest Jazz Programming ever - featuring octogenarians and Terence Blanchard, who co-wrote the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack

5. Return of International Artists following the COVID-19 pandemic

6. Explorer Pass - any student can attend any general admission concert accompanied by a chaperone. This is a new program being funded through SMF Education/Musical Explorers.

As a 501(c)3 nonprofit music organization, SMF relies on the support of generous donors and sponsors, without whom the festival and their education programs would not be possible. Wish to support the festival further? Go here for more details. Peruse the lineup and purchase tickets for the spring festival here.

Be sure to follow Savannah Music Festival on Instagram, Facebook, or via their website!

Announcements from November 15 Meeting

Committee Reports

Jasmine Mills started the meeting reminding us that November is Rotary Foundation month and encouraged us to make our $50 donation to the Rotary Foundation (click here) to meet our EREY goal!

ASP Fundraiser: Only 4 tickets left for Nov. 17th, 6:00-9:30 http://https://metrosavannahrotary.org/event/belly-laughs-for-brightside--save-the-date/
- Doors open at 6:00, Show starts at 7:15
- Additional parking at Gurry Lumber
- Front Porch Improve: 210 W Victory Dr
Service Update:
- Earn up to 2 attendance credits when you purchase $30 or $60 worth of holiday wrapping paper (deliver to Suzanne Kirk or have your order shipped directly to "Suzanne Kirk C/O Metro" 522 E 45th St, Savannah, GA 31405
- Wrappers & Runners: Dec 15th & 16th (to wrap and deliver gifts to 400 children!)
- Food Drive is punted to start in January
Social
- Metro Holiday Party: November 30th at Aqua Vita Lounge. Please RSVP Click Here.

Guests

Ashley Harsey (Guest of Suzanne Kirk) with the Savannah Ghost Pirates
Joshua Web- Rotarian who recently relocated to Savannah from West Virginia

Featured Speaker: Brianne (Bri) Halverson, Front Porch Improv

We enjoyed learning and laughing about all the ways Front Porch Improv partners with a number of community organizations and businesses. This community theater consists of 20 primetime players as well as a couple hundred students. Bri told us that the core principal to any improv is saying "yes!!" They hold weekly shows every Friday and Saturday at 8pm, in addition to 12 fundraisers a year, private events in homes or place of work, as well as team building workshops.

One of Bri's brilliant programs (her brain child) is "Trauma Drama" for middle and high school aged youth. This 14 week program helps children address everything from abuse to struggles with abandonment and neglect, which she says is the biggest issue.

Another featured program from FPI is "Savannah for Morons" which is basically a trolley tour roast of Savannah's history. Oh, and if you are in need for a host or two to Emcee your event with a light hearted and fun approach, look no further- FPI has got you covered!

Want to support FPI further? Consider the following membership levels:

$6/month: supporter
$25/month: unlimited tickets to all shows
$45/month- unlimited tickets to shows and classes

Contact Bri directly on Instagram, Facebook, or via their website: https://www.frontporchimprov.com/

Brags, Finds, and Whines- November 15

Whitney Shephard announced that Green Truck celebrated their 12 year anniversary and partnered with the Savannah Tree Foundation to plant 12 trees!

Brad Patrick thanked everyone for their support of him running the NY Marathon (sub 4:00 on a very hot day!!) and came in as the top fundraiser for Teddy's Team!

Erika Morrow was awarded Young Optometrist of the Year!

Florence Slatinsky announced that her son was accepted to Auburn!

Brags, Finds, and Whines- October 18

Brett Bell bragged on Suzanne Kirk for her facilitation of Savannah Leadership Training.

Chelsea Sawyer slated to speak at GA Southern Armstrong campus

Brad Patrick announced he will be running the NY Marathon and raising funds for Teddy's Team @bradpatrick00: Direct Link to donate now: Click Here!

John Rodman mentioned that the Kicklighter Research Center will be adding a landscaping arm to their business model.

Announcements from October 18 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver started the meeting reminding us once again that October is Economic & Community Development month and encouraged us to bring a guest to our meetings and directly donating to the Rotary Foundation (click here).

District Governors Shellie Smith (Lion's Club District 18N) & Heather Kellen (Rotary District 6920) are holding a “friendly competition” to see which service organization can donate the most items non-perishable items for the rest of the year.
ASP Fundraiser: Don't forget to get your tickets for Nov. 17th, 6:00-9:30 http://https://metrosavannahrotary.org/event/belly-laughs-for-brightside--save-the-date/
Jessica Pedigo announced that Munch assignments have gone out- Get a date on the schedule and meet up!
ASP: Kristen Crawley announced that the ribbon cutting at the Bighteside House was a huge success! All parties involved shared their appreciation for Metro Rotary's support, saying this project would not have been possible without us.
Membership: Katie Joyner reported that we will be moving to quarterly membership inductions and also adding responsibilities to each sponsor.

Guests

Fritz Hale (Guest of Jordan Chase) a non-profit consultant with United Way

Featured Speaker: Dr. Alan Meglin, Advanced Regenerative Therapy

Dr. Meglin had our chapter thoroughly engaged during his presentation on cellular therapy and how he and his team work to make people "Hyper Healers." In fact, they specialize in anything that has to do with healing at their main office in Savannah. He briefly explained various therapies, including dissolving oxygen into ones blood using hyperbaric chambers, stem cell growth, differentiation, and injections, post-trauma brain regeneration, and the "bio hacks" that aid in reversing one's biological age.

We learned that since 1980, the number of Nobel Peace Prizes awarded in the field of regeneration is significant.

Dr Meglin states "For some patients, regenerative medicine sits at the intersection of hope, despair, desperation and false promises. This places an added burden to provide the most ethical care possible. Patient's often come to us when conventional treatments have failed. Advanced Regenerative Therapies believe that patients must be informed and it is recommended that our patients read the articles [provided by other sources] before coming to us."

For more information about treatment options, click here: https://www.advancedregenerativetherapies.com/savannah-ga

Brags, Finds, and Whines- October 4

Suzanne Kirk announced the annual Empty Bowl fundraiser benefiting Emmaus House on Nov. 6th. They are still looking for sponsors and invite everyone to buy tickets! https://unitedministriessavannah.org/emptybowl

Elizabeth Summerall announced the Junior League Thrift Sale on Nov. 5th. They are accepting donations.

Florence Slatinsky bragged about a wonderful vacation through AM Fund Trip, which they purchased at a Hospice fundraiser. She also encouraged us to check out the Fat Bear Week- click here to set up your bracket!! https://explore.org/fat-bear-week

Zerik Samples enjoyed time with his father cleaning his garage and assembling a gazebo this weekend! He also announced that Habitat for Humanity will have their Gala on Wednesday Dec. 7th.

Jessica Pedigo bragged on Ben Senger and the team at WSAV. Her niece and nephew had a blast playing "Newscaster For A Day" and is hoping they will donate that experience again for the ASP fundraiser!

Announcements from October 4 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver kicked off the meeting reminding us that October is Economic & Community Development month and encouraged us to bring a guest to our meetings and directly donating to the Rotary Foundation (click here).

District Governors Shellie Smith (Lion's Club District 18N) & Heather Kellen (Rotary District 6920) are holding a “friendly competition” to see which service organization can donate the most items non-perishable items for the rest of the year.
Will also mentioned that they are still looking for a host family for the weekend of Oct. 14th. Message Will for contact information.

District 6960 is raising funds to support those effected by Hurricane Ian. Click here for more information.

Our Annual Service Partner Brightside's newest Bright House on Wheaton St. will have the official ribbon cutting on Oct. 7th at 1:30 PM.

Save the Date: Nov. 17th Front Porch Improv Theater: ASP Fundraiser!!

Jessica Pedigo announced that Munch assignments will be going out soon...don't be shy! Get a date on the schedule and meet up!

Guests

Claire Holton daughter of Sara Holton
Helen White of Christ Church, guest of Sarah Smith
Todd Freesemann District Governor for 2024-2025

Featured Speaker: Heather Keller, District Governor

Heather opened her address to the club by speaking of her early years as a Rotarian. She identified as a "back bencher" and states that it wasn't until she got truly involved with her chapter on a local level that she started to realize the power behind this organization. This led her to attend Rotary Leadership Institute which led to attending international conferences. She encouraged us to engage "Service Above Self" and the 4 Way Test in all areas of our lives, and asked us to imagine a world where everyone embraced the Rotary Values. Heather specifically sited 3 international programs that all started at chapter levels. Polio Plus, End Human Trafficking, and the 4 Way Test coloring books.

Heather also focused on the 2 big goals she has for our district this year:

1 million dollars in giving to the foundation. This averages around $333/member, and she is requesting that $100 of that be earmarked for Polio efforts.
Increase membership, especially amongst females. The goal is to have over 30% female members.

Let's all follow Heather's lead and imagine feeling like we can make a difference every day! Imagine bigger things- like her example of a school renovation leading to shipping containers of desks and chairs for a school in India- all of which was facilitated amongst Rotary Clubs and Governors.

Announcements from Aug 20 Meeting

Committee Reports

President Will Groover kicked off the meeting reminding us that September is Basic Education & Literacy Month as well as encouraging us to engage in our chapter by bringing a guest, directly donating to the Rotary Foundation (click here), or joining the ASP Fundraiser Committee! We welcome District 6920 Governor Heather Kellen as our next speaker, who, along with Lions District 18-N Governor Shellie Smith, are working together to collect food to fill food banks, feed first responders, and serve their communities' food insecurity needs. The two governors are holding a “friendly competition” to see which service organization can donate the most items. Will also mentioned that they are still looking for host families for the weekend of Oct. 14th.

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 final service day at the home is Oct. 1st, 9:00am-12:00pm, with the official ribbon cutting on Oct. 7th at 1:30 PM.

Guests

Sondra Tackett a Registered Dietician, was guest of Katie Belthrop
Fitz Hale of United Way, guest of Kristen Crawley
Brooke Phillips Executive Director of Savannah Downtown Business Association, guest of Julie Wade
Wanda Jackson FSA Paralegal, guest of George Seaborough

Featured Speaker: Cristina Gibson, MPH

Cristina has been in public health for 19 years, in the divisions of epidemiology, youth development, and has finally found her passion in health promotion. She is the Chronic Disease Prevention Director for the Coastal Health District, serving all the counties along the coast of Georgia and her branch’s motto is “Make the healthy choice the easy choice.” Her current work involves increasing community assets in the way of opportunities for physical activity, access points to healthy foods, and smoke-free environments. Cristina shared statistics showing the impact of the smoke-free work place and Breatheasy Campaign on Chatham County over the past 22 years, specifically the decline in the death rate.

Unfortunately, vaping is still on the rise, especially among the youth especially with flavors marketed to appeal to younger persons. One in10 middle schoolers are smoking e-cigarettes, and one in four high school students are. Sadly, 63% of JUUL users aged 15-24 do not know that JUUL contains nicotine, and the FDA only began evaluating the chemical makeup ta few months ago (Summer of 2022).

On a hopeful note, Cristina reported that "Tobacco 21" has been implemented, meaning you must be 21 years or older to purchase any tobacco products now. She also shared the following resources:

Georgia Tobacco Cessation line: 1.877.270.STOP
"This Is Quitting" text VAPEFREEGA to 88709
Healthy Savannah: https://healthysavannah.org

Announcements from September 6 meeting

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!

Announcements from Aug. 16 meeting

Committee Reports

President Elect Jasmine Mills filled in as the pinch hitter for Will and called the meeting to order. She focused on membership and new club development month. Let's all follow her lead and go to bat bringing a guest to our next meeting! 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.

Guests

Emily Doherty, Marketing Director with Great Oaks Banks, was guest of Cecilia Arango
Paul Stevens, guest of George Seaborough

Featured Speaker: Bob Ohrablo

Bob is the president of the Savannah Ghost Pirates Hockey Team and is beyond excited about their presence in Savannah. He is a fellow Rotarian in Jacksonville, FL and is starting his 38th hockey season this fall. The ECHL has 28 teams and the newly formed Savannah team is affiliated with the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Henderson, NV Silver Knights. Opening Day for the Ghost Pirates is November 5th, 2022 and Girls on the Run of Coastal GA will the charity partner for that night. (GOTR was our Annual Service Partner last year.) Bob commended the Enmarket Arena as having the best ice and spoke about the expectation that the players will be engaged in our community on many levels. The mascot was named just after our meeting, after over 4000 naming entries, we official have ourselves Davy (Jones)! When asked about regional and national recruitment, we were told that they are tapping into non-traditional markets and pulling young men from regions that would not be expected, but showing lots of passion and talent (and a propensity for fighting at times...which is completely allowed in the sport of hockey.) At the end of the day, Bob says it's all about having the "hockey mind" which, he says, cannot be taught. It's instinct and a mindset that must be intrinsic to the athlete.

If you go, visit http://ghostpirateshockey.com:

Weekday games: 7:00pm
Friday/Saturday games: 7:30pm
Sunday games: 3:00pm

Announcements from Aug. 2 meeting

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)

Brags, Finds, and Whines, Aug. 2

Kelley Boyd said she is still searching for a new location for Savannah Yoga Center. Please contact her if you have leads.

Cari Phelps said the Salacia Salts studio has moved from Hall Street to a new location. The retail location on Abercorn Street remains on Abercorn Street.

John Rodman, chair of the Kicklighter Resource Center board of directors, said the center has a new playground set and needs volunteers to help assemble and install it on May 21 at 8 a.m. He said the center is also looking for new board members. Anyone who is interested should contact him.

Sarah Smith encouraged club members to attend the Shelter From the Rain Motors for Mom Car Show fundraiser. in Richmond Hill on May 21.

Jordan Chase said the Fresh Air Home is in need of buses to transport approximately 45 children to six to eight field trips over the summer. They have a transportation budget, but are having trouble finding buses and drivers. Please contact her if you have ideas.

Will Gruver said he met a fellow Rotarian and was invited to a meeting while in France, proving that Rotary is truly an international movement.

Announcements July 19

Committee Reports

President Will Gruver called the meeting to order. This was his first meeting as president (Immediate Past President Cecilia Arango covered on July 5 when Will's flight was delayed). He showed the "not a walking stick" he received from the district governor at the Presidents Elect Training Seminar to do the "digging" and to do the work of Rotary.

Campion Usry was inducted into the club. He is is vice president of Coastal Medical Billing and previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantryman and martial arts instructor. He earned a bachelor of science degree in finance from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Charleston Southern University. He moved to Savannah 18 months ago and is married with two children. He was a charter board member and secretary of the Summerville Evening Rotary Club.

Guests

Mary Francis Kidd with Klarna (Swedish company) was the guest of Erika Morrow.
Jason Usry with WJCL (and a screenwriter) was the guest of Sarah Smith.
Jake Wood of the Rotary Club of Columbus, Ga, attended the meeting. He is in town aiding in implementing a new chapter of House of Heroes in Savannah (a non-profit founded in Columbus).

Rotary Anniversaries

Highlights: Jamie Arkins, Kristen Crawley, and Jeff Brady have been members for 10 years.

Featured Speaker: Joe Marchese

Joe Marchese is the owner of Marchese Construction and co-founder of the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS). Highlights from his remarks:

He's an advocate for inclusion — he wears two different socks every day.
11 homeless vets will move into 35 tiny houses at 75 Dundee St. (Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless)
Daughter Ella Marchese (16 years old) is an orange belt in karate and has down syndrome. She's now in a special needs cheerleading group.
Dr. Ben Spitalnick encouraged Joe to start LDSS along with the Husseys, the Bogardis, and the Fields.
He advocates for one person at a time
LDSS Camp Buddy - directed by Molly Marchese at St. Andrews School this year
LDSS Buddy Walk (founded by Marjorie Young, another strong Rotarian in our community) - usually every October
LDSS Night of Champions - every May - to award differently abled individuals and their employers who employ them - very inspiration evening and no family can be turned away if they cannot afford to attend - save the day May 12, 2023 at Savannah Convention Center
Our area needs a transportation company solely devoted to getting these devoted employees to their jobs every day
He shared wonderful stories of Jason Thompson, who drives a sweeper scrubber, and Mikey Holton, who is a "para pro" at South Effingham Elementary School, and the difference they make at their jobs and in their co-workers 'and students' lives.

Announcements June 21

Committee Reports

In her final meeting as president, Cecilia Arango presented the following 2021-2022 Metro Rotary Awards:

Rookie of the Year: Chelsea Sawyer
Service Above Self Award: Elizabeth Summerell
Metro’s Winging It WingWoman: Jessica Pedigo
Rotarian of the Year: Florence Slatinsky

She encouraged club members to look into the Rotary Leadership Institute as an avenue for learning how to be a better Rotarian through three sessions: The Rotarian, The Rotary Club, and the Rotary Journey.

In the Metrotarians in the Spotlight segment, Cecilia noted coverage of TEDx Savannah, for which she served as emcee. Zerik Samples received Georgia Southern University's George & Lucy Armstrong Award. Kristin Crawley completed the Leadership Southeast Georgia program.

Ro Patrick and Lexi Henigman were inducted into the club and Whitney Shephard was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow + 6.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough announced the next social will be July 26 at Vic’s on the River.

Classification Talk: Kristin King

After Kristin moved to Savannah from Michigan in 2004, she co-founded New Arts Ensembles with Ricardo Ochoa. The firm coordinates live music for more than 200 events throughout the year, including weddings, corporate functions, private parties, and more. She is also the marketing director for Sago Property Management, which specializes in long-term residential properties.

She is president of the Girls on the Run of Coastal Georgia and Lowcountry board and previously served on the board of America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.

Guests

Emily Doherty was the guest of Cecilia Arango.

Kim Campbell was the guest of Ellen Harris

Sarah Smith’s guest was her daughter Nora.

Prospective Member Profile: Campion Usry

Campion Usry is vice president of Coastal Medical Billing and previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantryman and martial arts instructor. He earned a bachelor of science degree in finance from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Charleston Southern University. He moved to Savannah 18 months ago and is married with two children. He was a charter board member and secretary of the Summerville Evening Rotary Club.

Featured Speaker: Conni Reynolds, Savannah Chamber of Commerce

Conni Reynolds is small business and events manager for the Savannah Area Chamber and is a Savannah native. She emphasized that Chamber is primarily composed of small businesses and has 2,200 members in total. She said her work focuses on connecting small businesses with the resources they need to succeed.

She organizes networking opportunities, ribbon-cuttings, and large events and helps members connect through service on councils and committees within the Chamber.

Announcements June 7

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango reminded club members that June is Rotary Fellowships month. Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world and explore shared hobbies, professions, and interests. She also announced July 1 is the deadline to pay dues for the coming Rotary year.

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley reminded members they can still volunteer for Bike Walk Savannah bicyclist and pedestrian counts.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough said details on the June social will be announced soon.

Annual Service Partner Committee Co-Charis Cari Phelps and Chelsea Sawyer announced that Brightside Child and Family Advocacy has been selected as this year’s service partner. Stay tuned for details on service opportunities.

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner announced Lexi Henigman and Campion Usry are moving through the projective member program.

Guests

Connor Buchanan was the guest of Cecilia Arango.

Charles Pace was the guest of Zerik Samples.

Lexi Henigman (Prospective Members Program) was the guest of Chelsea Sawyer.

Brendan West was the guest of Katie Joyner.

Aileen Gabbey was the guest of Sarah Smith.

Kelley Waldron’s guest was her son, Charlie.

Opollo Johnson was the guest of Kristen Crawley.

Featured Speaker: Dr. Amy Williams, Savannah Philharmonic

Executive Director Dr. Amy Williams described the changes the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus has undertaken to overcome barriers to participation so that all members of the community can attend concerts, including adjusting pricing, relaxing concert dress codes, and finding additional concert locations. She explained how programs such as Phil the Neighborhood, Phil the Park, Phil the Squares, the On the Road Series, and the Subscription series are aimed at making performances more accessible to communities in our region. Williams also talked about the education initiatives the Philharmonic has launched to build programming which provides all students at every school with equitable access to high-quality music education.

Brags, Finds, and Whines, July 19

Leigh Acevedo needs a babysitter for her daughter on July 27 OR Aug. 1

Julie Wade and her husband Drew celebrated 25 years of marriage on July 19.

Sarah Smith thanked Metro Rotary for the opportunities to do service projects this summer with her daughter. Girl Scouts QuestFest was particularly fun on July 16.

Jamie Arkins invited Rotarians to join her at the Savannah Bananas game and party deck on July 22 with the Mutual of America group.

Will Gruver reminded everyone to give their loose change to the CART buckets to support Alzheimer's disease research.

Brags, Finds, and Whines, May 17

Kelley Boyd said she is still searching for a new location for Savannah Yoga Center. Please contact her if you have leads.

Cari Phelps said the Salacia Salts studio has moved from Hall Street to a new location. The retail location on Abercorn Street remains on Abercorn Street.

Sarah Smith encouraged club members to attend the Shelter From the Rain Motors for Mom Car Show fundraiser. in Richmond Hill on May 21.

Will Gruver said he met a fellow Rotarian and was invited to a meeting while in France, proving that Rotary is truly an international movement.

Announcements May 17

Committee Reports

President-Elect Will Gruver reminded club members that May is Youth Services Month and talked about Rotary’s areas of focus. He also discussed preparing for the new Rotary year, which begins in July. He asked members to be on the lookout for the Club Member Satisfaction Survey that is used to plan for the new year at the board retreat. He encouraged everyone to consider joining a committee, and attend the District Assembly on June 18. He also noted that recruiting for the fall fundraiser chair and committee is already underway. Will announced that the Hue Thomas Jr. Georgia Rotary Student Program is returning to Savannah, Oct. 14-16.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough announced the May Social will be held May 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Pinky’s and the Fifth Tuesday social on May 31 in Greene Square

Service credits are also available through purchasing books for the Loop it Up Drive and through participation in the Rotary East beach clean-up on May 21.

Guests

Kendall Walker

Kate Blair

Annual Service Partner Presentations

Annual Service Partner Committee Co-Chairs Carri Clark and Chelsea Sawyer reported they received a total of 20 qualified applications. Five of these sere invited to present to the Service Committee, which selected the two finalists: Brightside Child & Family Advocacy and Elevate Savannah. Kate Blair of Brightside and Kendall Walker of Elevate each made presentations to the club. Each club member has received a link to vote on the Annual Service Partner via email.

Announcements May 3

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango announced that May is Youth Service Month. She reported that she, Will Gruver, Jessica Pedigo, and Meagen Burrows attended the District 6920 Conference in Augusta. Rotarians raised $20,250 for Ukraine relief and Metro was once again designated as a Gold Club. The Woodville Tompkins Interact Club also received a Zone 34 Citation. In the Metrotarians in the News segment, she directed members’ attention to a Savannah Morning News story on Josh Yates and Ghost City Pinball.

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner inducted Kristin King and Brad Patrick into the club.

On behalf of Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley, Jordan Chase thanked everyone who volunteered at the April service opportunities with Forsyth Farmers Market Picnic and Over the Moon Diaper Drive. Upcoming service projects include the May 19 Citizen Advocacy Picnic and the May 21 Beach Clean-Up with Rotary Club of Savannah East. Rotarians may also purchase books through the Loop it Up Savannah Book Drive to receive service credit.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough announced upcoming events including the May 17 Club Meeting, where Annual Service Partner finalists will present, the fifth Tuesday social on May 31 in Greene Square, and a social with a date and location to be announced soon.

Mackie McIntosh spoke to the club about her experiences as a Chatham County poll worker for the last three years. She emphasized that election processes and equipment and secure and that election officials have developed contingency plans for every possibility. She said working at the polls has been a great experience and she is impressed with the training poll workers receive, the machines, and the expertise of the technicians who maintain the machines.

Guests

Anna-Maria Perez and Tommy Rushing were the guests of Jeff Brady.

Featured Speaker: Brad Raffensperger

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger talked about his work investigating reports of irregularities following the 2020 election. He talked about the Election Integrity act of 2022, including the photo ID requirements for absentee ballots. He described how he became involved in public service and his path to running for secretary of state. He also discussed his office’s role in professional licensing and emphasized a new law that expedites the issuance of licenses for military spouses who are new to the state.

Brags, Finds, and Whines, April 5

Suzanne Kirk announced that her kitchen renovation is finished. She thanked Reshma Johnson for her work and recommended Lamon Luther custom tables.

Lee Perry said he is once again doing the 2,000 Burpee Challenge to stop soldier suicides.

Laura Lee Bocade announced that TEDxSavannah is returning on June 24.

Kristin King thanked everyone who volunteered with Girls on the Run at the Publix Savannah Women's Half Marathon & 5K.

Whitney Shephard encouraged everyone to attend Forsyth Farmers Market Fam Picnic on April 24.

Katie Balthrop announced she has hired two new employees at Savannah Sport and Wellness, a trainer and a dietician.

Leigh Acevedo announced that her dog had passed away, but was comforted by Pets at Peace by Fox & Weeks.

Jasmine Mills said she and her wife, Brandi, have been foster parents for one year in March. She and Brandi are both going back to school this year. Jasmine started a year-long journey to become a national board-certified health coach and Brandi will be working on her education specialist degree in coaching pedagogy.

Announcements March 15

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango reminded members that March is water and sanitation month. She recommended club members look into the WASH in Schools Target Challenge.

She also noted, now through June 30, designated Rotary Districts that border Ukraine and the Rotary District in Ukraine may apply for grants up to $50,000 each from the Disaster Response Fund used to provide relief to refugees or other victims including water, food, shelter, medicine, and clothing. Contributions can be made here.

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner reported that Kristin King, Ro Patrick, and Brad Patrick are all making their way through the new member process.

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley reminded members of the bonus service project with The GOTR Pink Up the Pace Party on March 31.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough reminded members of upcoming lunch speakers: Savannah City Manager Jay Melder on April 5 and GSRP student Sofie Bohl on April 15. The Fifth Tuesday Social will be held March 29 in Oglethorpe Square.

The deadline to submit Annual Service Partner applications is April 1. Please spread the word to local nonprofits that would benefit from financial and volunteer support from Metro.

Guests

Annette Ogletree-McDougal was the guest of Zerik Samples.

Anne Allen Westbrook was the guest of Julie Wade.

Shannon McClure and Ashley Womack were the guests of Jamie Smith Arkins.

Diane Parker and Campion Usry were the guests of Katie Joyner.

Prospective Member Profiles

Kristin King is marketing director for Sago Property Management, a boutique firm specializing in long-term residential rentals. She’s also worked in hospitality, banking, public works, and at the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women & Children Job Resources Department. She was raised in Farmington Hills, MI and attended Loyola University of Chicago for her undergraduate degree as a concert harpist, majoring in music with minors in business and psychology. She moved to Savannah in 2004 to start New Arts Ensembles, a live music booking agency, which she co-owns with violinist Ricardo Ochoa. She remains an active/working concert harpist.

Rowena (Ro) Patrick works at the Ad Council, where she leads a cross-functional team, is part of the organization’s senior leadership team, and stewards more than $10 million annually in resources and budgets, while leading all facets of campaign development. As a college undergrad during the tech boom of the late 1990s, her dream was to move to Silicon Valley and work at a startup. Ro was born in Hong Kong and has lived in many different cities throughout her life, but she calls New York City her hometown. That’s where she’s lived the longest, found herself, and met her husband, Brad.

Brad Patrick is the deputy chief of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he supervises other assistant U.S. attorneys, paralegals, investigators, and support staff. He grew up “on a dirt road 30 miles northwest of Charleston where everyone in my community knew each other, and most were somehow related to me.” After completing undergrad at the University of South Carolina and law school at Tulane University Law School, he moved to New York City to take a job as a lawyer for the City and met his wife, Ro.

Lexi Henigman is a California native, but lived in New York City for 15 years before coming to Savannah. She earned a B.F.A in Film and Television from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and works as a video editor and director. Lexi is currently working as an editor on Right Over the Edge, a feature documentary about the extremely endangered North Paciﬁc Right Whale. In New York, she was involved with Hour Children, a Queens-based non-proﬁt that helps women and their families during and after incarceration and equips them with tools to build their futures. She lives in Savannah with her husband, Steve.

Featured Speakers: Kayla Lathan, Katerina Lee, and Taisha Johnson

The three Preston Johnston Speech Contest winners, all students at Woodville-Tompkins High School, read their essays to the club. Lathan's speech centered on the life-changing act of serving others and emphasized that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Lee reminded everyone to recognize when people need help, even if they do not ask, so they do not suffer in silence. Johnson talked about the struggles she faced as a child and urged the audience to help young people who are in situations like hers.

Roastary Sponsorship Opportunities and Tickets!

$1000 Roastary Sponsorship

$750 Roastary Sponsorship

$500 Roastary Sponsorship

$250 Roastary Sponsorship

To Purchase tickets, click here!

10th Annual Roastary Oyster Roast!

Brags, Finds, and Whines March 15

Zerik Samples reported how happy he was with the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity’s CEO Build and Women Build events. Alfred McGuire said Zerik did a great job with the events.

Kristen Crawley thanked Chris Corey and everyone who worked to make the Roastary a success.

Kelly Boyd announced that she had recently hired two new staff members at Savannah Yoga Center. In less positive news, she said a jiu-jitsu academy is now located above the yoga studio.

Announcements Feb. 15

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango reminded members that February is Rotary Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Month. She recommended the article, Education on the Front Lines by Frank Bures, from the Rotarian. Cecilia discussed our roles in promoting peace by explaining that Rotary and its members can serve as practitioners, educators, mediators, and advocates.

She announced that Metro President Elect and General Manager of Operations for JAN-PRO South Carolina & Georgia Coast Will Gruver was featured in Savannah CEO in a segment covering, “continuing cleaning practices coming out of the pandemic.”

Cecelia urged members to download the GroupMe app for a more robust method of receiving texts and other information from Metro.

She reminded everyone to purchase their Roastary tickets. The event will be held at Coach's Corner on March 13, which is also Metro’s birthday. Past President Jessica Pedigo reminded members that ticket prices will increase on March 1.

Interact Liaison Sarah Smith said five students will compete in the Preston Johnson essay contest and will present their essays at an upcoming meeting.

Disaster Response Chair Chelsea Sawyer talked with the club about the differences between weather watches and warnings, using cupcakes as an example. She also asked members to take the Chatham County Hurricane Questionnaire.

Guests

Pitch Powers

Helen White

Lexi Henigman

Jennifer Graham

Membership Minute

Ellen Harris is owner of Ethos Preservation, a firm that offers a wide range of preservation planning services with a focus on project consulting in historic districts. She has three children, a five-year-old and two 15-month-old twins. Interesting facts about Ellen: She earned an undergraduate degree in medieval history and had a pet goose who lived in her house. She likes being a Rotarian because of Rotary’s dedication to both local and international service.

Prospective Member Profiles

Featured Speakers: Denise Grabowski and Ellen Harris

Denise and Ellen gave a presentation on the benefits of removing the I-16 flyover and redeveloping the acreage it occupies. They talked about this history of this area of Savannah from the Oglethorpe era, through the establishment of rail service, to the destruction of Union Station and neighborhoods to make way for the interstate off-ramp.

They described how the flyover has created a physical, social, economic, and psychological barrier that has had negative consequences for the Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard and Montgomery Street corridors for decades. New opportunities for federal funding make this an ideal time to explore the possibilities, they said. Their previous presentation at the Jan. 27 Savannah City Council workshop can be viewed here.

Announcements Feb. 1

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango announced that February is Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Month.

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner inducted Derek Goldfarb into the club.

Chris Corey reminded members that Roastary tickets are available for purchase on our website and he is actively seeking sponsors.

Emergency Preparedness Chair Chelsea Sawyer announced that February is Severe Weather Preparedness Month. She offered guidance on what to do during a tornado warning, including moving to an interior room and making sure everyone in the household has shoes on to prevent them from having to walk through broken glass in the wake of a storm.

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley thanked everyone who came out to help with the Tide To Town Love Your Trail Day event at Police Memorial Trail.

Guests

Shannon McClure of Coastal Empire Montessori Charter School

Jennifer Graham of Shelter from the Rain, Inc.

Katie Cupp of Good Cause Marketing

Featured Speaker: Donna Williams

Donna Williams of Center Parc Credit Union talked about the organization and traced its origin back to the Atlanta Postal Credit Union, which was founded in 1925. Center Parc expanded to Chatham County in 2020 and also serves Bryan and Effingham counties. She described several of the credit union’s products and initiatives, including Renewal Checking Accounts and the Community Gardens Initiative.

Brags, Finds, and Whines, Jan. 18

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Julie Wade shared a find: Taking an Amtrak train to Charleston as a day trip is great
Cari Phelps reported that her hair almost choked her in her sleep
Kristin Crawley is looking for people to join the United Way’s Community Investment Panel
Katie Joyner announced she has started a new job at DAI Commercial
Cecilia Arango announced the Blood, Sweat and Beers event raised $19,500

Announcements Jan. 4

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango drew members attention to Rotary partner, ShelterBox, a program which provides essential tools for rebuilding after disasters.

She said Foundation Chair Laura Lee Bocade would be contacting members soon about their Every Rotarian Every Year contributions.

On behalf of Membership Chair Katie Joyner, Cecilia reported that Derek Goldfarb and Emily Salzer are now ready for induction at the next meeting.

On behalf of Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley, Cecilia thanked members who volunteered with Loop It Up Savannah. Upcoming service projects include:

Jan. 16: Union Mission House Prep

Jan. 17: Girls on the Run Spring Season Pack Out

Jan. 21: Girls on the Run Spring Season Curriculum boxes

Jan. 29: Friends of Tide To Town Love Your Trail Day

Members may also purchase materials needed by Future Minds Adult Education and Literacy.

Cecilia urged members to become more involved in Rotary by enrolling in the Rotary Leadership Institute. For more information contact her.

Past President Jessica Pedigo said more details on the oyster roast will be released in the near future. In addition, Munches will resume and invitations will go out soon. Jessica also announced we will soon have a final figure on the money raised by the Blood, Sweat, and Beers fundraiser for Girls on the Run

Preparedness chair Chelsea Sawyer urged members to get ready for cold weather by planning to protect the four Ps: People, pets, plants, and pipes.

Metro Member Moment

Jamie Smith Arkins is the new director of human resources for Hospice Savannah, Inc. She is happily married to Brennen Arkins and has a 13-yr old stepson, AJ who attends St. Peter's. Two interesting facts about Jamie: She was a drum major in her high school marching band over at Valdosta High School (Go Cats!) and she's no doubt Savannah's No. 1 fan of live music and theater! Why does she like being a Rotarian? Jamie says, "It's because of all the members of our club and the opportunities for fellowship and service to our community."

Guests

Kendra DeMoura and Katie Cupp from Good Cause Marketing and Mary Beth Kennedy from CAE Healthcare were the guests of Elizabeth Summerell. They are all members of the Junior League of Savannah

Featured Speaker: Richard Sanders

Attorney Richard Sanders talked about different approaches to conflict resolution including mediation, in which a dispute is resolved when two parties reach a compromise with the help of a neutral third party. He described arbitration as being like, “court without a judge.” Both sides have the opportunity to make their case before a neutral third party, who is a specialist in the area of dispute. Finally, litigation is the legal process in which a judge or jury makes the decision.

Sanders talked about the services available through the Mediation Center of Savannah. He suggested that conflict can be positive, as it can be a catalyst for creative energy. Groups can learn to navigate conflict, he said, and it can be used to benefit highly motivate teams.

Brags, Finds, and Whines, Jan. 4

Cecilia Arango said her son has graduated from the University of Georgia and is now at home filling out job applications.

Jamie Smith Arkins announced she is now the director of human resources at Hospice Savannah.

Zerik Samples shared that he is now engaged. He and his fiancée toured the Biltmore House in Ashville and he recommends it.

Announcements Nov. 16

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango called the meeting to order. She thanked Chris Corey for volunteering to organize the annual oyster roast. Please contact Chris if you would like to help. She reminded members that November is Rotary Foundation Month and urged them to donate if they have not yet done so. On behalf of the Membership Committee, she announced that Emily Salzer and Derek Goldfarb have completed all the new member program requirements.

Immediate Past President Jessica Pedigo reported that the Blood, Sweat, and Beers fundraiser was a big success. She will update the club on how much was raised for Girls on the Run at the next meeting.

On behalf of the Program Committee, Cecilia reminded members about the November Social on Nov. 23 and the Holiday Get-Together on Nov. 30.

Membership Moment: Denise Grabowski

Denise is founder and owner of Symbioscity, an urban planning consulting firm located in Savannah. She's married with two kids in public school — her daughter is (almost) 15 and a freshman in high school, and her son is in 6th grade. She serves on the SCCPSS School Board as the District One representative.

She is a Georgia native and grew up in the Atlanta area, and moved to Savannah soon after college. She was the scholar-athlete of the year her senior year in high school. Denise said she loves Metro Rotary for great events like the Blood, Sweat and Beers fundraiser for Girls on the Run, where we can come together to raise money for a great cause and have a lot of fun at the same time!

Guests

Lauren Grout and Jeff Hatch were the guests of Katie Balthrop.

Sara Del Cuore, Will Fagan, and Anna-Maria Perez were the guests of Jeff Brady.

Featured speaker: Zelonia L. Williams

Zelonia described her background and education, and explained how it led her to found Future Minds Literacy and Adult Education. Future Minds invites students, free of charge, to participate in a learning community that allows them to work at their own pace, address barriers to learning, and identify their personal learning styles — so that they may earn their GEDs.

The program also includes an emphasis on life skills. She explained that some of the people she serves are not seeking GEDs, but simply want to improve their reading and comprehension skills. Rotarians are invited to support the program by purchasing materials needed by program participants.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Nov. 16

Jason Somers announced that his son Sam is now working at JDR Construction & Design.

Jordan Chase reported that the Emmaus House Empty Bowl event raised $53,000.

Lee Perry announced the Nov. 13 Savannah State University Scholarship Gala raised $250,000.

Destiny Mojica-Taylor said she is closing on a house in two weeks.

Cecilia Arango thanked Destiny for inviting her for coffee at the Blue Door. She complained that she received a $485 water bill, indicating a leak. Unfortunately, the plumber said leak is under concrete.

Copy of Brags, Finds, and Whines: Nov. 2

Jason Somers announced that his son Sam is now working at JDR Construction & Design.

Jordan Chase reported that the Emmaus House Empty Bowl event raised $53,000.

Lee Perry announced the Nov. 13 Savannah State University Scholarship Gala raised $250,000.

Destiny Mojica-Taylor said she is closing on a house in two weeks.

Announcements Nov. 2

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango made members aware of the programming available from Rotary Works, including a program on “Navigating the Shark Infested Waters of the Workplace.”

Cecilia reminded members of upcoming service opportunities including the Nov. 13 Blood, Sweat, and Beers fundraiser and the Girls on the Run 5K. Jeanine Roach and Denise Grabowski were thanked for volunteering at the Friends of Tide to Town Love Your Trail Day event.

Program Committee Chair George Seaborough thanked everyone who attended the social at Sey Heys. He announced the next social event on Nov. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at 1790.

Interact Liaison Sara Smith talked about the upcoming Preston Johnson Annual High School Speech Contest. Committee members will be needed to read through submissions. Contact her for more information.

Georgia Rotary Student Program Host Florence Slatinsky said Sofie is doing well and recently attended a High School football game and will be attending a Georgia Southern University game soon.

Membership Moment

Joshua Yates described his work running the Green Truck Pub as, "living the dream." He left his career as an engineer 12 years ago because he loved the pace of working in restaurants. However, he still gets to apply his engineering training as a collector and restorer of pinball machines. He's also an internationally ranked competitive pinball player.

Josh said he likes Metro because of its commitment to hands-on service. He said it's also a great way to meet people. Don't forget the Green Truck Pub Grand Re-Re-Re-Opening on Nov. 13 from noon-4 p.m.

Guests

Ro and Brad Patrick were the guests of Whitney Shephard

Jordan Riles was the guest of Katie Joyner

Bill Horn was the guest of John Rodman

Featured Speaker: Laura Lee Bocade

Foundation Committee Chair Laura Lee Bocade reminded members that November is Foundation Month. The Foundation, she said, enables Rotarians to do much more in our areas of focus: Basic education and literacy; community economic development; disease prevention and treatment; maternal and child health; peace building; conflict prevention; and water, sanitation, and hygiene.

She noted the new Foundation focus, environmental sustainability. For more information on Foundation giving, contact Laura Lee.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Nov. 2

Kelley Waldron thanked Cari Clark Phelps for her entrepreneurship presentation at St. Andrew's School.

Sara Smith gave Cecilia Arango rave reviews for her Rocky Horror Picture Show performance.

Jeff Brady he is seeking additional employees to join his firm.

Lee Perry noted that Georgia beat Florida.

Florence Slatinsky thanked everyone who has been involved in Emmaus House's Empty Bowl fundraiser.

Josh Yates encouraged everyone to come out to Green Truck Pub's anniversary celebration on Nov. 13 starting at noon.

Laura Lee Bocade announced Mountainfilm's Veteran's Day Program.

Chelsea Swayer said she got to go trick-or-treating with her daughter for the first time.

Cecilia Arango thanked everyone who attended Rocky Horror Picture Show performances and bragged on the Savannah Arts Academy Cross Country Team's recent victories.

Julie Wade announced the hiring process for her successor at Park Place Emergency Shelter is underway and reminded everyone that November is National Runaway Prevention Month.

Announcements Oct. 19

Committee Reports

Immediate Past President Jessica Pedigo called the meeting to order. She reminded members that Oct. 24 is World Polio Day.

Membership Chair Katie Joyner announced that Emily Salzer and Derek Goldfarb have earned their yellow/red belts.

Programs Chair George Seaborough encouraged members to attend the next social on Oct. 26, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Sey Hey’s, 2505 Bull St. He announced that Chatham County Commissioner Aaron Whitely will be the speaker at the Nov. 16 club meeting. Whitely will discuss funding available to the county through the American Recovery Act and Chatham County Teen Court.

Literacy Chair Julie Wade announced the club will be working with Future Minds Literacy and Adult Education, Inc., which provides adult education including GED preparation. Metrotarians may consider purchasing books for use by program participants.

Program Committee Chair Kristen Crawley thanked volunteers who helped with the Girls on the Run golf tournament. Upcoming volunteer opportunities include Friends of Tide to Town’s “Love Your Trail” clean-up day at the Truman Linear Park Trail on Oct. 23 and at Metro’s Blood, Sweat, and Beers fundraiser for Girls on the Run on Nov. 13.

Membership Moment: Sam Hubbard

Sam is a financial adviser who came back to Savannah from New York City, where he lived for 16 years after earning his undergraduate degree at Furman University. One of his specialties is guiding clients through financial decisions they will have to make if they enter divorce proceedings. His family includes his wife and two boys, ages 8 and 11. His favorite thing about Metro Rotary is “everyone in the room.”

Guests

J.J. Collins was the guest of Jasmine Mills.

Liz Giddens was the guest of Laura Lee Bocade.

Chase Cowart was the guest of Chris Corey.

Brad Patrick was the guest of Josh Yates.

Kristin King was the guest of Katie Joyner.

Lauren Grout was the guest of Katie Balthrop.

Cynthia Garrison and Joel deNeuf visited from the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville.

Featured Speaker: Malena Gauss

Gauss is the dynamic entrepreneur behind Savannah's first glass recycler. She described how Lammergeier Glass Recycling launched after her interior design/lighting business was hit hard by the pandemic.

At present, Chatham County municipalities and private waste haulers are not recycling glass. However, she countered the idea that there is no market for recycling. In fact, she said, Georgia is the second largest market for crushed glass.

She recently invested in new equipment that crushes glass into a larger size preferred by companies in the state. Gauss described the four step process of glass recycling: 1. Collection. 2. Transport to a material recovery facility. 3. Color sorting and cleaning. 4. Transport to a crushing facility. Lammergeier now has more than 700 residential customers. Gauss said she remains committed to her primary goal: Keeping glass out of landfills.

Fall Fundraiser Sponsors Needed!

Help us raise money for Girls on the Run and have fun doing it! Become a fall fundraiser sponsor

Metropolitan Savannah Rotary and Thomas & Hutton present "Blood, Sweat, and Beers" — a fundraiser benefiting Girls on The Run of Coastal Georgia and other nonprofits. The event will be held at Coastal Empire Brewing Company on Nov. 13 and features live music by DJ Jose Ray, snacks, shenanigans, and an amazing afternoon.

We invite you to help make this event even more successful by becoming a sponsor at the following levels:

Announcements Oct. 3

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango made members aware of Rotary Works, an initiative provided for Rotarians within Zones 33 and 34 who are experiencing career transitions. This initiative is comprised of three distinct programs, providing education, networking, and/or financial resources for participants.

Our Blood, Sweat and Beers fall fundraiser for Girls on the Run is scheduled for Nov. 13. Sponsors are needed!

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley reported Rotarians are invited to participate in the Tide To Town “Love Your Trail Day” on Oct. 23. Volunteers will clean up the Truman Linear Park Trail.

Membership Moment: Chris Corey

Chris Corey is Metro’s sergeant-at-arms and the advertising director at Savannah Morning News & SavannahNow.com. Something you may not know about Chris: Years ago, the Savannah Sand Gnats brought in a stunt to help fill the ballpark. The gimmick was to have a stunt man run the bases while set on fire. They called Chris' name over the loudspeaker and asked if he wanted to light the stunt man on fire. Chris' first thought: "What if this guy gets hurt?" was outweighed by his second thought: "HELL YEAH! This is a unique experience." He went through with it and celebrated with the stunt man's family after the fact over some shots of Jack Daniels (not Jack Fire) and both made Sports Center a couple of days later.

Chris' interest in joining the Metro Rotary family was to meet like-minded people who want to give back to the community, while spending time with a diverse group of folks that would become friends.

Classification Talk: Derek Goldfarb

Derek Goldfarb presented a classification talk, describing his work as director of partnerships for the new Savannah arena, through Oak View Group Facilities. In this position he is responsible for securing a naming rights partner, creating founding partners, and developing advertising and promotional relationships.

When he arrived in Savannah he was eager to meet people so he sought out civic organizations, which brought him to Metro. A New York native, he says sports are in his genes. He lives in Richmond Hill with with his wife Sara, and their children, Connor and Noelle, and beagle Lemmie.

Guests

Zoe Rinker was the guest of Ellen Harris.

Katrina Bostick was the guest of Julie Wade.

Featured Speaker: Erin Wessling

Wessling spoke to the club about the Give Change That Counts Program — a campaign supported by Chatham County, the City of Savannah, and several organizations that are dedicated to reducing panhandling throughout the area. Through fundraising and donations, the campaign aims to establish day centers in the area.

The day centers will at as safe welcoming locations where individuals who are experiencing homelessness can go during the day and access support services. Because most shelters close during daytime hours, the day centers will fill an important need. Wessling said those who wish to help can make donations or sponsor advertising, community connects, and business partnerships. All funds raised goes directly to day center operations.

Announcements Sept. 21

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango announced that Elizabeth Summerell is president-elect of the Junior League of Savannah.

She also reminded members that Sept. 21 is International Day of Peace. Equality is both a fundamental human right and a necessity for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Still, girls and women worldwide face inequities in areas including health and education, and they experience significant violence and disproportionate poverty, she said.

Cecilia announced that Rotary has teamed up with Toastmasters to provide virtual professional development certifications in a variety of topics including building a welcoming community for people with disabilities, collaboration, developing inclusion plans, delivering speeches, leading teams, DEI resources, and resiliency. Find out more through the Rotary Learning Center.

Program Committee

Program Committee Chairman George Seaborough reminded everyone of the next Social at Castaways on Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m. Erin Wessling will talk about the Give Change That Counts initiative at the Oct. 5 meeting and Malena Gauss of Lammergeier Glass Recycling is the featured speaker at the Oct. 19 meeting.

Service Committee

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley reported there are 24 volunteer opportunities at the Girls on the Run Golf Tournament on Oct. 14. The fall fundraiser will be held on Nov. 13, so save the date!

Foundation Committee

Foundation Committee Chair Laura Lee Bocade announced Metro's latest Paul Harris fellows: Darron Alvord (+5), Kelley Boyd (+1), Spencer Burch, Ellen Harris, Cari Phelps (+1), Patrick Phelps (+1) and Josh Yates (+5).

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner reminded members of the Each One, Bring One campaign. She presented a yellow belt to Emily Salzer.

Interact

Interact Club Liaison Sarah Smith invited members to talk with Woodville Tompkins students about their careers or work in the community. Mondays and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. are the best times. The presentations are made via YouTube and are archived so more students can view them. Contact Sarah for more information.

Guests

Kyle Redner was the guest of Laura Lee Bocade.

Conni Reynolds was the guest of George Seaborough.

Emily Salzer (New Members Program)

Featured Speaker: Ed Presnell

District Governor Ed Presnell is a regional business executive with Peach State Federal Credit Union and a member of the Augusta Rotary Club. He shared his optimistic outlook on how Rotary has weathered the pandemic, noting that the district has experienced a net loss in membership of 170 people. This equates to an average of three members per club from the 61 clubs arrayed throughout our district. He encouraged everyone to take their Rotary involvement to the next level and to embrace the Each One, Bring One campaign.

Ed described Rotarians as, "change makers," noting that our individual efforts to serve people in the community — and especially Girls on the Run participants — will have a multiplier effect, which will extend to their entire families. He also reminded Metro members about the importance of having fund while serving others.

Announcements Sept. 7

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango reviewed recent media coverage of Metro members, including a Forbes article that spotlighted Cari Phelps’ Salacia Salts and reporting on the grand opening of Habitat for Humanity Savannah’s new executive offices, which featured photos of CEO Zerik Samples and fellow Metro members. If you spot a Metrotarian in the news, email a link to metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com

Program Committee

The Sept. 21 lunch meeting will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Ave. The featured speaker is District Governor Ed Presnell of the Rotary Club of Augusta.

The September Social is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Castaways in Sandfly.

Service Committee

A family-friendly Tybee Island Beach Clean-up will be held on Sunday Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. in observation of International Coastal Clean-up. We will meet at the Tybee Pier. Sign up here.

Georgia Rotary Student Program

Sofie Bohl, who is a student at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus, gave the club an overview of her life in Sweden.

Featured Speaker: Dr. Sametria McFall

Dr. McFall is Interim Provost and Vice President at Savannah State University. She previously served as vice president for academic affairs at the university and has held numerous other roles at SSU. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Savannah State, and an additional master’s degree and a doctorate from Northeastern University. She provided an overview of the degree programs available at SSU.

Announcements Aug. 17

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango announced Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta’s Each One Bring One membership initiative. Each member is urged to invite a prospective member to a club meeting. When thinking about who you would like to invite, be intentional and consider the following: Is the prospective member service oriented? Do they have the time and level of commitment necessary to be an active Metro member? Remember, there are many local Rotary Clubs.

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner explained the "New Member Obi Belt Process." In related news, Derek Goldfarb has now reached yellow belt status in the new member program. She also described methods Metrotarians can employ to identify prospective members including participating in community events, mentioning Rotary when you are asked about your leadership skills, identifying a missing classification and developing a plan to fill it, and making prospective members feel important.

Rotarian Reader

Reshma Shah Johnson directed members’ attention to Frank Bures’ article, “That’s What Friends Are For,” in the August issue of the Rotarian. The author notes a Paul Harris quote from the early 1990s, “There is no place like a city park on a Sunday afternoon to feel one’s loneliness. To me one essential was lacking, the presence of friends."Reshma shared information from the article that describes how friendships are established and how important they are. Loneliness is a health problem. Friendship is the cure, she said.

Program Committee

The Sept. 7 lunch meeting will be held at Savannah State University. Featured speakers are Dr. Semetria McFall, interirm provost and vice president at SSU, and Sofie Bohl, GRSP student. The Sept. 21 meeting will be held at First Presbyterian Church. District Governor Ed Presnell is the speaker.

Interact

Sarah Smith, Interact liaison for Woodville-Tompkins High School, reported the club will not be meeting in person, but has a YouTube channel allowing speakers to interact with students. The sessions are archived so other students can view later. Contact Sarah for more details about how to get involved.

Georgia Rotary Student Program

Georgia Rotary Student Program Host Florence Slatinsky announced there are around 50 students in the program and for now they are interacting virtually instead of attending in-person events. GRSP Student Sofie Bohl will speak at our Sept. 7 meeting.

Metrotarians in the News

A Savannah Morning News article reported on Susan Kirk's work with the City of Tybee Island to investigate allegations of improprieties against a city official.

Guests

Ryan Smith was the guest of Liza Smith.

Melissa Harvey was the guest of Jordan Chase.

Kristen Baird was the guest of Cecilia Arango

Sofie Bohl was the guest of Florence Slatinsky

Featured Speaker: Tiffany Collins

Tiffany explained how teaching at a technical college helped her learn that she had a lot to learn from her students, a perspective she continues in her current role as executive director of Girls on the Run of Coastal Georgia and Lowcountry. Founded in 2006, Girls on the Run has programs in all 50 states, Mexico, and Canada — but each local council must support itself 100%, she explained.

Trained coaches lead small teams through a inclusive research based curricula, which includes dynamic discussions, problem solving, intentional decision making, and goal setting. The program serves around 1,400 girls with 50 teams each season, and two celebration runs per year. Some 70% of participants receive scholarships. GOTR is Metro's service partner for this year.

Late Breaking News: Updates from After the Meeting

Jessica Pedigo, immediate past president, shared this executive assistant job opening. Please share with people you think would be interested.

Brags, Finds, and Whines Aug. 17

Cecilia Arango thanked Cindy Mullally for scheduling the location for the board photo shoot and praised Someari Benson-Jaja of Shot by Somi Studios for his work. She also gave a shout out to everyone who volunteered at the service project at Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision.

Lee Perry announced he is now an empty nester. He recently dropped off his daughter at college. Cecilia reported her son is in his final semester at the University of Georgia.

Announcements Aug. 3

Committee Reports

President Cecilia Arango convened the meeting.

Foundation

Foundation Committee Chair Laura Lee Bocade announced Metro’s newest Paul Harris Fellows: Kelley Boyd (+1) and Denise McCoy. Jasmine Mills attended the meeting and we were able to present her with her Paul Harris Fellow certificate and pin.

Disaster Response

Disaster Response Committee Chair Chelsea Sawyer invited members to join the committee after bribing everyone with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Contact her if you would like to get involved. As one of the tips offered to the club, she discussed her favorite (dripping in sarcasm) – the cone of uncertainty – and how misleading the cone can be.

Membership

Membership Committee Chair Katie Joyner reviewed the steps in the new member program process:

Prospective Member Responsibilities

Guests interested in joining must attend one service project and two meetings.
Then find two Metro Rotarians to serve as sponsors.
Submit an application and pay $200 new member fee to begin the New Member Program
Photo/bio are sent to communications committee to be featured twice in Rotary Repeats.
Fulfill the five step new member program. Pay prorated dues. Induction.

Metro Member and Sponsor Responsibilities

Identify the prospect’s two co-sponsors.
Invite prospect to meetings, service events, and socials until they become an official member.
Explain attendance requirements and types of meetings/schedule.
Explain to the prospect that they are not automatically guaranteed membership. Current members, for whatever reason — personally or professionally — do have the right to speak up if they are uncomfortable with the prospective member. No reason must be given, but if one is offered, it will remain confidential. Members should send communication to the president and membership chair.
Once a prospect’s application is approved and the $200 new member program fees have been paid, coordinate two group meetings and share the ABCs of Rotary.

Missed a meeting? Here are ways to get back on track:

Visit Rotary EClub One.
Attend another club’s meeting.
Donate $25 to our Girls on the Run fundraising committee.
Attend a munch.
Attend a Metro Board Meeting, every second Thursday at 8 a.m. at Corporate Environments, 2 E. Bryan St. Suite 1500B.

Program

Program Chair George Seaborough announced upcoming events:

Lunch Meetings

Aug. 17: Tiffany Collins, executive director of Girls on the Run
Sept. 7: Savannah State University Interim Provost and Vice President Dr. Semetria McFall. The meeting will be held on the SSU campus.
Sept. 21: District Governor Ed Presnell. The meeting will be held at First Presbyterian Church.

Social: Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Taste of India

Fifth Tuesday of the Month Special Social: Aug. 31, 5:30 at Starland Yard

Service

Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley reminded members to donate business clothing to the Interact Club at Woodville Tompkins. Donate two pieces of business wear and you’ll receive one service credit for a maximum of three credits. Contact Kristen to coordinate drop-off.

On Aug. 21 from 9 -11 a.m. Girls on the Run needs help packing snacks for the school year. The location will be announced soon. Contact Kristen for details.

It’s time to start planning the annual service fundraising party. Email Kristen and Cecilia to volunteer. And save the date for a Tybee Beach Clean-up to be held on Sept. 21.

Literary

Literary Committee Chair Julie Wade has established a partnership with Hubert Middle School, where 30 incoming 6^th graders read at a pre-K level. An Amazon wish list will be created with required reading books to be sent directly to the school and volunteers will be needed to read to students. A volunteer training session will be scheduled soon, along with a writing and oratory contest in the spring, and an end of the year ice cream and pizza party to celebrate gains in literacy. To get involved, contact Julie.

Georgia Rotary Student Program

Georgia Rotary Student Program Host Florence Slatinsky announced that Sophie Bohl arrived on Aug. 2. Florence will let us know of future dates where we can meet Sophie.

Featured Speaker: Maryann Brickey, Live Oak Public Libraries

Brickey, senior library manager at Southwest Chatham Library, shared some snapshots from 2020-2021. During that time the libraries had 722,424 visitors and 117,119 account holders. She reported that 849,367 items were checked out and 107,588 e-resources were downloaded, during the same period. Community engagement activities undertaken by the library system include a community book donation program, Ready Readers at Mercer Middle School, and the Books on the Go homebound mail service.

Brickey also shared information on Live Oak’s early literacy, student success, access to technology, and economic empowerment support programs. In addition, she highlighted new innovation initiatives including Story Walk at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, Literary Scavenger Hunts with Bike Walk Savannah, and the Seed Library with Chatham County Extension, Islands Farmers Market, and Forsyth Farmers Market.

A donation to Girls on the Run in Brickey's name will be made by Metro.

New Members Program Spotlight: Derek Goldfarb

Goldfarb is director of partnerships for the new 9,500-seat Savannah Arena scheduled to open in 2022. As a member of the Oak View Group Facilities team, which will manage and operate the new Savannah Arena, he will be responsible for securing a naming rights partner, creating founding partners, and developing advertising and promotional relationships.

Goldfarb is a nearly 20-year veteran of selling naming rights, sponsorship sales and premium seating for arenas and stadiums across the United States. He joins Oak View Group Facilities from the South Carolina Stingrays Hockey Team, an ECHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, where he served as chief revenue officer overseeing advertising sales and business development. A Native New Yorker, Goldfarb resides in Richmond Hill with his wife Sara, and their children, Connor and Noelle, and beagle Lemmie.

Late Breaking News: Updates from After the Meeting

Beginning with the Aug. 17 meeting, face coverings will be required inside the J.E.A. except when members, guests, and speakers are eating.

Brags, Finds, and Whines Aug. 3

Suzanne Kirk bragged on her custom ring created by Kristen Baird Jewelry. The ring includes birthstones for her family.

Announcements July 20

Committee Reports

Immediate Past President Jessica Pedigo presided over the meeting on behalf of President Cecilia Arango and announced that Metro has received three District Governor 6920 Awards: The Governor’s Gold Award, The Governor’s Best of the Best Award, and The Governor’s Superior Leadership Award to Jessica.

She reminded members that they could earn meeting credits by attending Rotary EClub One meetings. Don’t forget to send your make-up info to metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com

Foundation Committee Chair Laura Lee Bocade announced Metro’s newest Paul Harris Fellows: Ellen Harris, Elizabeth Summerell, Jamie Smith Arkins (+1), Spencer Burch, Jordan Chase (+1), Jasmine Mills, Cari Phelps (+1) and Patrick Phelps (+1).

Contact Program Chair George Seaborough for more information on these upcoming events:

July 27 — Social at 5:30 p.m. at Taca
Aug. 3 — Lunch meeting with Maryann Brickey, children’s librarian and branch manager with Live Oak Public Libraries.
Aug. 3 — Program Committee meeting, 5 p.m. at Taca
Aug. 17 — Lunch meeting with Tiffany Collins, executive director of Girls on the Run
Aug. 24 — Social at 5:30 p.m. at Taste of India

Looking for Service Committee opportunities? 1. Donate two pieces of business attire to the Interact Business Clothing Drive. Receive one service credits for every two items donated for a maximum of three credits. 2. A beautification project will be held at the Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision on Aug. 7. There will be one shift, held indoors, for 8-10 volunteers. Contact Service Committee Chair Kristen Crawley for more information.

Sarah Bockel Smith, Interact liaison for Woodville-Tompkins High School, invited members to present to the club. You are not limited to talking about your career. You can also speak to the students about your involvement in the community and other topics. Contact Sarah for more details.

Sophie Bohl of Sweden, the area’s Georgia Rotary Student Program participant, will be arriving in Savannah Aug. 2. Contact Florence Slatinsky if you would like to help welcome her to Savannah.

Reshma Shah Johnson, The Rotarian Reader, directed the club's attention to Friends in Need from the July issue of The Rotarian. The article describes how an international relationship came full circle when clubs in India provided aid to Detroit in the early days of the pandemic.

Metrotarians in the Spotlight

Bret Bell presented at the Savannah Rotary Club's recent meeting and Julie Wade’s was included in the University of Georgia Alumni Association Bulldog 100 for Park Place Outreach Youth Emergency Services. The list recognizes the fastest growing businesses and organizations owned or operated by UGA alumni in 2021.

Membership Moment: Jamie Smith Arkins

Jamie works in human resources, but talked about what she likes to do outside of work, including her love for live music. She’s looking forward to seeing Hamilton, one of her bucket list items. Jamie grew up in Valdosta and will be visiting this weekend for the first time since 2014. She said her favorite thing about being a Metro member is, “I get to be me!”

Guests

Nate Wayne, a loan officer with the Small Business Assistance Corporation, was the guest of Katie Joyner.

Brad Trower, vice president of development for St. Joseph's/Candler, attended along with Chase Cowart, manager of strategic planning at the hospital. Brad is a member of the Statesboro Rotary Club.

Featured Speaker: Georgia House District 163 Rep. Derek Mallow

Rep. Mallow — a native of Savannah who earned a bachelor's and a master's degree from Savannah State University — outlined the contours of his district, which includes both

affluent areas of the city of Savannah, along with every public housing property.

He reviewed legislation he considers victories from the last session, including the overhaul of Georgia’s citizens arrest law; Senate Bill 85, which expands the definition of hazing; and a pair of bills which help victims of human trafficking, among others. He explained his main passions as a lawmaker are mental health, education, and criminal justice.

Late Breaking News: Updates from After the Meeting

Whitney Shephard directs our attention to this from Bill Gates: "Thanks to the commitment of Rotary and other partners, as well as the dedicated political leadership of polio-affected countries, I’m confident that we can create a world where no child will ever be paralyzed by polio again." Read more.

The Gates Foundation is matching our donations to Polio Plus two to one.

Metro Rotary Announces New President and Board

Metro Announces New President and Board 2021-2022

The Rotary Club of Metropolitan Savannah recently inducted its new slate of leadership for the 2021/2022 year at its July 6 meeting and is proud to announce its new Club President Cecilia Arango.

Cecilia Arango is the marketing manager at engineering and consulting firm, Thomas & Hutton. She handles company-wide marketing, public relations, and communications for Thomas & Hutton’s 13 offices in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Arango is passionate about service to the community and has been an active Rotarian with the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary since 2016. She has served on the board as communications chair and is a Paul Harris Fellow. In addition, Arango sits on various boards, including Savannah Sports Council, Savannah Repertory Theatre, and Park Place Outreach and is a community adviser for the Student Leadership Program.

Named a Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40 and a Savannah Magazine’s New Guard, Arango is an avid runner on a quest to run a marathon in each state and is the founder of local running book club, Read, Run & Rant, that was featured in Shape Magazine. She is a local actress/performer with the Bay Street Theatre and The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble.

Arango is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia and is currently in the 2020/2021 Leadership Georgia class. She is happily married and has a son graduating this year from UGA and a daughter who will be a rising junior at Savannah Arts Academy.

In addition to Arango, the 2018/2019 board includes President Elect – Will Gruver (Jan-Pro of SC/GA Coast), Immediate Past President – Jessica Pedigo (Sterling Seacrest Partners) Treasurer – Tony Uhrich (Hussey Gay Bell), Secretary – Jasmine Mills (Noom), Sergeant at Arms – Chris Corey (Savannah Morning News & SavannahNow), Program Chair – George Seaborough (Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy) Service Chair – Kristen Crawley (United Way of the Coastal Empire), Communications Chair – John Bennett (Georgia Bikes/Valdosta State University), Membership Chair – Katie Joyner (Small Business Assistance Corporation), Foundation Chair – Laura Lee Bocade (Corporate Environments of Georgia), Family of Rotary Chair – Destiny Mojica-Taylor (scDataCom) and Members at Large – Jamie Smith Arkins (Help at Home LLC) and Jason Somers (JDR Construction & Design).

Brags, Finds, and Whines July 20

Whitney Shephard bragged about the recent visit to Green Truck Pub by First Lady Jill Biden and Sen. Raphael Warnock, but would have liked to have received more notice from the Secret Service.

Kelley Boyd bragged on Suzanne Kirk’s Daughter, Audrey, joined team at Savannah Yoga Center through its Energy Exchange program. If you know high school or college students who could benefit from a little yoga in their lives, please contact Kelley.

Elizabeth Summerell bragged on Kelley Waldron for being on a DEI panel during a Junior League of Savannah training on July 10.

John Rodman is chair of the Kicklighter Resource Center board of directors and announced they are seeking additional members to grow the board. Contact him if you are interested in serving.

Reshma Shah Johnson announced that she has resigned from her position as town architect for The Ford Plantation.

Brags, Finds, and Whines June 15

Orlando Montoya, a founding member of Metro, announced he is moving to Atlanta in July.

Kristen Crawley said United Way of the Coastal Empire is looking for ambassadors and loaned executives for the annual campaign this fall. Contact her for details.

George Seaborough reported that Zerik Samples has just purchased a new home. Tell him congratulations next time you see him!

Announcements June 1

Committee Reports

President Jessica Pedigo confirmed the following people are currently in the New Members Program: John Rodman, Katie Balthrop, Destiny Mojica-Taylor, Meagen Burrows, and Chelsea Sawyer. She announced the end of the year party will be scheduled for late June and more information is coming. In the meantime, don’t forget to report your munch attendance. Leigh Ryan of World Trade Center Savannah will be the speaker at the June 15 meeting.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase reported that details of the June service project with Bike Walk Savannah were still being worked out and she hoped they would be announced soon. UPDATE: Our June service project will be comprised of two street audit sessions in the Edgemere-Sackville neighborhood. The two sessions will take place on Monday, June 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and on Saturday, June 26 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Prior to the session volunteers will receive information about the process and instructions on how to download the mobile application, and the group will meet at the beginning of the audit session to answer any questions and receive their assignments. The signup link is now available. See email from Jordan for more information.

Guests

Sen. Jen Jordan was the guest of Julie Wade.
Derek Goldfarb was the guest of Cecilia Arango.
Emily Salzer was the guest of Jordan Chase.
Hannah Simons, visiting from France, was the guest of Whitney Shephard.
Ed and Lois Engel are Rotarians from Holland, Michigan. They are new to Savannah and looking for a new club.
Chelsea Sawyer (New Members Program)

Featured Speaker: Michael Traynor

Michael said he was a little over 90 days into his role as CEO of Union Mission, but explained he has previously served as chair of the organization’s board of directors. Union Mission serves more than 700 people per year through its various departments, including individual programs that focused on women, women and children, men, special needs housing, permanent supportive housing, and mental health counseling.

He said he was particularly excited about the conversion of the J.C. Lewis Health Center’s former location on Fahm Street into a shelter, which will serve unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness. Michael said his research indicates it’s the only such facility on the Georgia Coast. It will include 32 rooms and onsite counseling.

Membership Moment: Cody Tharpe

Cody said Tharpe Engineering Group recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary. The structural engineering firm works on a wide range of commercial, industrial, preservation, and multi-family residential projects. When asked about his favorite Rotarian, Cody named Patton Dugas. Cody serves as Metro’s treasurer.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: June 1

Chelsea Sawyer reminded everyone hurricane season begins on June 1.

Jessica Pedigo confessed that she accidentally drove to First Presbyterian for the meeting instead of the JEA.

Announcements May 18

President Jessica Pedigo reminded members of Metro’s 50% attendance minimum, which is more generous than many other clubs. Running low? You can earn attendance credits by:

Attending an eClub Meeting
Attending a meeting of another Rotary Club
Donate to our service partners Bike Walk Savannah or Urban Hope
Participate in a service project
Attend a Munch or social

Service Committee Jordan Chase thanked everyone who participated in bike and pedestrian counts with Bike Walk Savannah. She hopes to have more information on the June street audit project soon.

Program Committee Report: Michael Traynor of Union Mission will talk about the organization’s Phoenix Project at the June 1 meeting. Don’t forget to report your Munch attendance to metrosavannahrotary@gmail.com

A lively game of Metro Jeoparty (yes, you read that right) ensued with a fierce competition between teams quizzed on categories such as Pandemic Shift, Official-ish Rotary Things and Metro History. Winners walked away with priceless prizes of Hansen Architects mouse pads, Sterling Seacrest cups, Daniel Weiner Handyman pens and more.

Guests

Alyssa Harvey was the guest of Jordan Chase

Chelsea Sawyer (New Member Program)

The following people are currently in the New Members Program: John Rodman, Katie Balthrop, Destiny Mojica-Taylor, and Meagen Burrows.

Announcements May 4

May 4 Announcements

Committee Reports

Membership Committee Chair Cari Clark Phelps reported that four people are in the new member process: Katie Balthrop, Destiny Mojica-Taylor, Meagen Burrows, and John Rodman. All are nearing completion, except John, who just started the process.

If your attendance is under 40% please contact Cari immediately. If you need attendance credit you should attend an e-club meeting, attend another local club meeting, donate $25 to one of our service partners, attend a Munch, or attend a board meeting. If you have changed careers or job descriptions, please update your classification in ClubRunner.

President Jessica Pedigo said her car was broken into and many valuable items were taken, but miraculously the perpetrator had no use for the Rotary Robe. Also, if you are interested in helping plan the end of year party, email Jessica (even if you told her at the end of the meeting as she cannot retain anything from the meetings). This is a great way to get attendance credit if you are lacking! If you want to be on the steering committee for Metro’s Legacy Project, email her as well.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase thanked everyone who has done bicycle and pedestrian counts with Bike Walk Savannah and said it was a great way to get kids involved in a service project. Volunteer opportunities have been extended through May 15. Sign up on the Bike Walk Savannah website.

Guests

Derek Goldfarb was the guest of Cecilia Arango.

Emily Salzer and Alyssa Harvey were the guests of Jordan Chase.

Featured Speaker Leslie Mattingly of the St. Simons Island Rotary Club

Leslie presented on the work Rotary has been doing in Puerto Rico with a Global Grant to encourage sustainable agriculture through a partnership with Para la Naturaleza, a nonprofit that focuses on conservation of natural ecosystems, and the San Juan and St. Simons Rotary Clubs. Because the majority of food consumed in Puerto Rico is imported, supplies were severely strained during natural disasters. The project trains local farmers and workers in associated industries on ways to supply restaurants and markets. Other education programs focus on teaching about nutrition and cooking with fresh ingredients. Metro was among the clubs that supported the program.

Metro Mania Challenge Update

President Elect Cecilia Arango announced that the Mighty Mighty Bruised Bones are the April Metro Mania Champions. To earn points in the May challenge, contribute to Brags, Finds, and Whines at a club meeting, bring a guest to a meeting, attend a social or service event. If you do all three, email Cecilia.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: May 18

Jordan Chase reported that Danny has suffered a full ACL tear and partial MCL and PCL tendon tears. UPDATE: The good news is his surgery is scheduled for July so they will still get to go to Jamaica!

Cecilia Arango shared that her daughter, Julie Wade’s Daughter, and Suzanne Kirk’s daughter took third in the state 4x800 relay. Cecilia, Julie, and Suzanne sang karaoke and did some tequila shots to celebrate. Unfortunately, they were informed by their daughters that they are Cheugy.

Lee Perry also bragged on his daughter’s recent successes on the St. Vincent’s Academy track team and mentioned that he has served as an assistant coach at SVA.

Leigh Acevedo reported that the Savannah Economic Development Authority is now operating out of their new building on Drayton Street. SEDA will be holding some open houses this summer, but if anyone would like a tour before then, get in touch with Leigh.

Copy of Brags, Finds, and Whines: May 4

Suzanne Kirk said she has recently done business with two fellow Rotarians: Reshma Johnson of Shah Architecture is designing her kitchen remodel and Kelley Boyd of Savannah Yoga Center led a yoga session for her birthday. She also mentioned her daughter, along with Cecilia Arango’s and Julie Wade’s daughters are members of the Savannah Arts Academy track team, which won the regional championship.

Kelley Waldron announced that Wednesday, May 12 is Horizons Savannah’s Annual Giving Day. She is raising funds for them as a board member and has also contributed a $500 match for the first $500 donated. There is another match from an anonymous donor, which means every dollar donated is tripled. Her giving page is here. Any and all donations make a difference for students served by the program.

Cecilia Arango announced that Derek Goldfarb, a guest at the May 4 meeting, is a contestant in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Man and Woman of the Year program. To purchase a raffle ticket, visit www.teamlifesavers.com click on "additional opportunities," under "merchandise" scroll to bottom and click on image to buy. Follow prompts to purchase the $100 raffle tickets. You can also purchase a raffle ticket via Venmo by sending $100 to Derek. He will send a confirmation email and notify LLS of your donation.

Announcements April 6 and 20

April 20 Announcements

Committee Reports

Membership Committee Chair Cari Clark Phelps reminded the group that 50% attendance is required. She explained ways for members to boost their attendance, including online opportunities and supporting nonprofit organizations. Also, if your spouse is a club member, attendance is combined for your household. Still, we have a number of people who have dropped below 40%. We are offering assistance for people who are having financial hardships as well as a leave of absence option for members who cannot be involved at the moment, but who do not want to leave the club permanently. She invited members to contact her to discuss options, but stressed that many people want to become members and we want to offer them opportunities to become involved in the club without the club growing too large. She announced that John Rodman is entering the new members program. He is sponsored by Lee Perry and Ariana Berksteiner.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase thanked everyone who helped at the Make A Wish Foundation 5K on Skidaway Island on April 17, including Jason Summers, Chelsea Sawyer, Zerik Samples, Sam Carroll and George Seaborough. The next service project is participating in Bike Walk Savannah’s bicycle and pedestrian counts at locations around town. The counts collect data on biking and walking traffic, which is used to plan for bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails. You can sign up for a date, time, and location via the BWS website. The counts continue into May, but you must register for a date in April to get service credit for this month. The May service project will also be with Bike Walk Savannah. Stay tuned for details.

President Jessica Pedigo asked members to respond to a survey on preferences for meeting and social event formats. The survey also invites input on potential legacy projects the club could fund over several years.

Guests

Chelsea Sawyer (New Members Program)

Katie Balthrop (New Members Program)

Destiny Mojica-Taylor (New Members Program)

Mary Francis was the guest of Erica Morrow

Featured Speakers: Jessica Savage of WTOC-TV

Jessica moved to Savannah when she was in middle school and she graduated from Jenkins High School, but has worked in Texas for most of her career.

She called working at WTOC, a station she grew up watching, an amazing opportunity. Jessica praised the station for investing in investigative journalism as it requires a lot of time and resources. She said investigative reporting can also help solve problems in the community.

As an example, she mentioned the recent sale of the Chatham Apartments building, which required residents to find new places to live. She was able to track down a resident who was having financial difficulties. After the story aired, someone called the newsroom offering to pay for her expenses. Later, Jessica did a follow-up story on the woman, who was able to find a place to call home at Live Oak Landing. She shared another story about how her reporting helped a resident find a long-term solution after trash and other debris was illegally dumped on his property. Jessica explained that this kind of reporting can have lasting, positive impacts in the community

Metro Mania Challenge UpdateU

Upcoming Meetings

Report any munch attendance to MetroSavannahRotary@gmail.com!

April 6 Announcements

Committee Reports

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase announced a service project with the Make A Wish Foundation 5K on Skidaway Island State Park on April 17. We will also be helping with Bike Walk Savannah’s annual bike and pedestrian counts.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner announced Jessica Savage, an investigative reporter at WTOC-TV, would be the speaker at the April 20 meeting.

President Elect Cecilia Arango announced that Danny Chase is now a Paul Harris fellow.

Guests

Amy Johnson, of the Washington-Wilkes Rotary Club, was the guest of Jamie Smith Arkins.

Rick Battinger was the guest of Laura Lee Bocade.

John Rodman was the guest of Lee Perry.

Zerik Samples was the guest of Jessica Pedigo

Emily Salzer was the guest of Jordan Chase.

Chelsea Sawyer was a guest via Zoom.

Ann Shealy was the guest of Jamie Arkins.

Meagen Burrows and Katie Balthrop, who are in the new members program, attended the meeting

Classification Talk: Meagen Burrows

Meagen lived in Tulsa and attended Oklahoma State University. She moved to Seattle for Law school and started working for a firm that dissolved and eventually became GableGotwals, a full service firm where she became an associate in 2014 and a partner in 2018. She’s worked mainly in healthcare issues including day-to-day hospital legal issues and HIPAA. She is now focused on the provider side of the equation working with physicians, labs, and radiology groups. She also does corporate and human resources work, and thinks of herself as a utility player in the transactional world. She has a fantastic husband named Andrew and the best dog in the world, Zoey.

Featured Speaker: Bret Bell

Bret presented an update on the City of Savannah’s arena project. He explained it’s a multipurpose facility designed for concerts and sporting events. Construction began on Sept. 19, 2020 and is expected to be completed in February 2022. He explained the technology and configuration of arenas has changed dramatically since the current civic center was built in 1972, and now the trend is providing different kinds of spaces for people to use, and it’s no longer just about “sitting in your seat and watching what’s in front of you.”

Bret is particularly excited about the hockey team that will be playing in the arena. He said they have been meeting with the Savannah Bananas and talking about how to make the games entertaining. Bret expects about 150 nights of entertainment to be offered when the arena opens with about 25 concerts, 50 hockey games, and 75 other events.

The arena is located 1,200 feet away from the National Historic Landmark District, but there are wooded areas, former industrial properties, and canals in between. A lot of the master plan process looks at ways to bridge these divides and there has been a lot of interaction with stakeholders. However, the plan to connect the arena and westside neighborhoods with downtown is not fully funded and will have to be done in phases. The city remains fully committed to creating these connections so residents and visitors can safely move back and forth from the arena and surrounding neighborhoods to the historic district. The project also includes other stormwater and roadway improvements, and rehabilitation of the 19^th Century waterworks property.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: April 20

Lee Perry is participating in a fundraiser called Stop Soldier Suicide. The rate of soldier suicide is twice the national average. With the fundraiser comes the burpee challenge that he has also undertaken. For more information, visit his Facebook fundraiser. Lee is also arranging for the club to attend a Savannah State University Tigers football game in the fall.

Elizabeth Summerell is now with Marcum, LLP.

Katie Joyner said SBAC is looking for a (unpaid) summer intern, contact Katie for more information.

Jessica Pedigo reminded everyone to Venmo donations to Cody Tharpe (@ctharpe11) if they have submitted a brag, find, or whine.

Announcements Feb. 16

Committee Reports

George Seaborough reminded members about the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy take out food event and raffle fundraiser on Feb. 21 at Benedictine. The raffle remains open through Feb. 26 at 2:59 a.m. He thanked those who have already ordered. Julie Wade announced the Park Place Toss for a Cause event on March 6.

President Jessica Pedigo announced that we are at 80% on Foundation giving and urged members to make their contributions by the end of the month. A fund has been established to donate on behalf of members who may not be able to otherwise. Contact her for more information.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase reminded members we will be collecting running shoes for the Fleet Feet donation program. The shoes will go to local organizations that help unhoused people. Race medals will also be collected and given to children at Memorial who are completing their cancer treatments. Donations can be dropped off at the Savannah and Pooler Fleet Feet locations. Sign the attendance sheet while there to get credit.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner will have someone from the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee speak to the group on March. 2. A representative of the Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision will speak to the club at the March 16 meeting. He encouraged everyone to continue scheduling munches.

On behalf of President Elect Cecilia Arango, Jessica Pedigo reminded members the February Metro Mania Challenge involves participating in the shoe and medal collection effort, supporting a Metrotarian owned business, and giving a shout-out to a Rotary member on social media. She also announced Will Gruver will be the next president-elect once Cecilia takes office.

AV Support Needed: We had an issue with Wi-Fi at the meeting that presented unexpected challenges that we had to work with on the fly. If you have any experience in IT or audio/visual production, we welcome your assistance at our meetings! Please contact Jessica for details.

Featured Speaker: David Pratt

David began the presentation by announcing that he was stepping down from his position with the Savannah Music Festival to become chief executive officer at the Austin Symphony Orchestra. He explained how the Savannah festival is different from others in that it does not focus on a single genre. Instead, it features performers from American roots music (blues, bluegrass, etc.) international music, jazz, and classical. Pratt said that in 2019, the festival resulted in $10.05 million in direct spending, $7.65 million in visitor spending, and $852,344 in sales and hotel tax revenue. The festival generated 8,916 room nights and 1,783 flights.

He described how festival staff worked to pivot to bring programs — especially educational programs —online so they could continue to reach participants during the pandemic. They also studied how outdoor concerts in Florida and Tennessee were able to be staged while maintaining Covid protocols. The plan for 2021 is to use the outdoor performance space at Trustees Garden at reduced capacity. Pratt said Coastal Health District Director Dr. Lawton Davis is a supporter of the festival and has offered consultation on how to maximize safety.

Membership Moment: Jason Nielubowicz

Jason talked about his work in commercial and residential real estate at Judge Realty. As most people know, Jason is an avid live music fan and if not for the pandemic would be out seeing music every night.

He has had a large collection of vintage motorcycles, which once totaled 14 machines. Now he’s down to two BMWs. He said he's lucky to be alive, having been shocked with 7,620 volts of electricity from a downed power line in 2007.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Feb. 16

Anne Kuhlke-Lee showed off her new baby, Grady, who attended the meeting with her via Zoom.

Sarah Smith thanked Julie Wade and Denise Grabowski for working hard to get children back in schools. She also bragged on Fleet Feet and how great her experience and new shoes are.

Kristen Crawley whined that she learned of Anne’s pregnancy during the pandemic and Grady is now 5 months old and we are still in the pandemic!

Announcements Feb. 2

Committee Reports

President Jessica Pedigo reminded members about the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy take out food event and raffle fundraiser on Feb. 21 and the Park Place Toss for a Cause event on March 6.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase announced we will be collecting running shoes for the Fleet Feet donation program. The shoes will go to local organizations that help unhoused people. Race medals will also be collected and given to children at Memorial who are completing their cancer treatments. Donations can be dropped off at the Savannah and Pooler Fleet Feet locations.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner announced that David Pratt of the Savannah Music Festival will be the speaker on Feb. 16.

Family of Rotary Chair Jasmine Mills said she will be taking over the secretary position this summer. She asked everyone to send attendance documentation and other correspondence to the metropolitansavannahrotary@gmail.com account.

Foundation and Grants Committee Chair Patrick Phelps reported we are extremely close to meeting our Every Rotarian Every Year giving goal. If you have not made your foundation contribution yet, please do so by the end of February.

President Elect Cecilia Arango announced the February Metro Mania Challenge involves participating in a service project, supporting a Metrotarian owned business, and giving a shout-out to a Rotary member on social media.

Guests

Zerik Samples was a guest at the meeting. He is CEO of Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity and, before moving to Savannah, he was a member of the Rotary Club of St. Simons.

Featured Speaker: Jackson Evans

In a presentation featuring musical interludes, Jackson Evans talked about his work at Benedetto Guitars, which Bob Benedetto founded in 1968 to build archtop jazz guitars.

Jackson explained the mechanics of guitars and their evolution over the years, describing the design elements that allow louder volumes while still maintaining structural integrity. He demonstrated the features and acoustics of several guitars, including an instrument built in Chicago between 1886 and 1890.

Although archtops are often called jazz guitars, they are used in other genres. He cited Maybelle Carter of the Carter Family as a noted archtop player. Benedetto produces 80-100 guitars per year, with the highest end models costing $20-50,000.

Membership Moment: Cynthia Mullally

Cindy said the highest profile event she’s managed in her role as an event planner was a 2012 event focusing on the nation’s economic recovery, featuring President Bill Clinton and President George Bush.

She is married to Matt Toole and her most famous relative is her cousin Tommy Norden, who played Bud Ricks on the television show, “Flipper.” Cindy also talked about how much she enjoys living in Gordonston.

Announcements Jan. 19

Committee Reports

President Jessica Pedigo said she was pleased to see everyone actively involved in scheduling Munch meetings. She also announced that Josh Yates is a Paul Harris Fellow once again. Jessica reminded members they have until the end of February to make a donation of $50 or more. At present, 64% of the club has donated. If your financial situation does not permit a donation, a fund has been established so that a donation can be made in on your behalf. For more information, contact Jessica.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase thanked everyone who volunteered at PACK on Jan. 18 and at Emmaus House on Jan. 9 The February service project will involve collecting running shoes for Fleet Feet and their donation program, as well as race medals that will go towards children at Memorial who are completing their cancer treatments.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner told members that Jackson Evans of Benedetto Guitars will be the Feb. 2 speaker and David Pratt of the Savannah Music Festival will present on Feb. 16. Daniel announced that he has moved to Arizona, but will continue involvement in the club remotely.

Guests

Chelsea Sawyer was the guest of Sarah Smith.

Featured Speaker: Wayne Ashford

Wayne Ashford of Ashford Tea Company explained how he built up his café business in Indianapolis. About 13 years ago he and his wife started talking about moving and created a list of the qualities they wanted in a community. Eventually they visited Savannah, explored the city, and started coming back every year — sometimes twice a year. They moved to Savannah almost three years ago.

He said tea has always been a constant in his life, but when he discovered loose tea, it changed his world. For the last 20 years he’s been teaching people about tea. Wayne described his business as being about a lifestyle, and not just a retail venture. He explained the health benefits of teas and said his shop on Oglethorpe Avenue now stocks more than 60 varieties.

Membership Moment: Alfred McGuire

Alfred McGuire is principal at Woodville Tompkins High School. He offered some facts that people might not know about him: Alfred is really excited about this year’s Metro Mania theme as he attended WrestleMania when it came to Tampa.

He also loves running, but is not able to at this time because he is recovering from foot surgery. Alfred said his son often picks out a tie for him to wear each morning.

Announcements Jan. 11

Committee Reports

President Jessica Pedigo announced that the Metro Mania Showdown Series was a success, raising $15,317.91 and fully funding the requests made by Bike Walk Savannah and Urban Hope. She thanked everyone who volunteered, bought tickets, or sponsored events.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase thanked everyone who volunteered at Emmaus House on Jan. 9. The next service opportunity is Jan. 18 from 5:30 - 7 p.m. at P.A.C.K. District Governor Steve Barnes will join the volunteers.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner announced Wayne Ashford of the Ashford Tea Co. will be the speaker at the Jan. 19 meeting.

Foundation and Grants Committee Chair Patrick Phelps reported we are at 60% on foundation donations and getting closer to our Every Rotarian Every Year contribution goal. Donations of at least $50 are appreciated and can be made here. If you are not in a financial position to make a donation, please contact Jessica Pedigo. A fund has been established to make donations on behalf of members who are not able to do so.

Guests

Kylie Carrico was the guest of Julie Wade.

Fitz Hale was the guest of Jordan Chase.

Katie Balthrop is in the New Member Program and also attended the meeting.

Guest/Prospective Member Reminder

Metro Rotary welcomes all guests to club meetings, socials and service projects! Please introduce your guests and, if on Zoom, make sure they turn their cameras on so we can actually meet them. If your guest is interested in potential membership, please let Cari Phelps (Membership Chair) know as soon as possible. There is a vetting process for membership so everyone must go through the proper steps in order to be approved for the New Member Program. The process includes being listed in Rotary Repeats (including a headshot, preferably, their name, employer/job, and two sponsors), attending at least three meetings (including one Service Project) and submitting an application to the Membership Committee for approval. As a member of Metro, if you have a conflict with a potential new member, whether professional, personal, or otherwise, please notify the Membership Chair (Cari) or President (Jessica).

Featured Speakers: Katrina Bostick, Kate Blair, and Julie Wade

Katrina Bostick of Family Promise, Kate Blair of CASA Savannah, and Julie Wade of Park Place Outreach talked about their work and the realities faced by people living in poverty. The three nonprofit leaders have been collaborating and working to improve conditions in the community in different capacities. Members were reminded that conversations about poverty in Savannah must include discussion of racial equity and generational wealth. In addition, the myth that people choose to live on public assistance and can do so comfortably is a myth rooted in racism.

They talked about the struggles of families living at or below the poverty line, and how difficult it is for them to stay housed and cover other expenses while working at minimum wage jobs. The loss of employment will throw people into poverty and right now almost 36% of working families with full time jobs or multiple part time jobs are living under the poverty line. The situation is made worse by systemic and structural racism, predatory lending, people who are unbanked or underbanked, high housing costs, undiagnosed mental health issues, substance use disorders, high childcare costs, and low wages.

Those interested donating to these organizations and others working to improve conditions should make unrestricted donations, which allow nonprofits to be more responsive to changing conditions. View their PowerPoint presentation for more information.

Membership Moment: Patton Dugas

Patton shared things fellow members probably know about him and other facts they may not. Patton is market president for Truist Bank in Savannah. Before he moved to Savannah and became a banker, he founded an audio/video contracting business that allowed him to "hang out with a bunch of musicians and roadies." He described himself as a "reformed hippie" who had long hair and wore flip flops. He shared a story of attending an event shortly after arriving in Savannah and being mistaken for Robert McCorkle.

Brags, Finds, and Whines Feb. 2

Daniel Weiner announced Justin Hummel is running for mayor of Bloomsburg, Pa.

Katie Joyner bragged on Jessica Pedigo for inviting Zerik Samples to the outing at Wormsloe Historic Site.

After the presentation from Wayne Ashford at the Jan. 19 meeting, Sarah Smith said she visited Ashford Tea Company and purchased a tea she has enjoyed.

Jessica Pedigo announced an American Red Cross program aimed at increasing the number of Black blood donors in an effort to battle sickle cell disease. A blood drive is being held at Savannah State University on Feb. 18.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Jan. 11

Julie Wade announced that since it is not possible to hold the annual gala this year, Park Place Outreach is hosting a corn hole fundraiser on March 6 at Southbound Brewing Company. She is currently seeking sponsors for the event.

George Seaborough reported that Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy would not be able to hold its annual oyster roast fundraiser. Instead, he is organizing a drive-through pick-up event. For $20 you'll get barbecue chicken fingers with two sides in a roll. They will also have a raffle. More details will be announced soon.

Denise Grabowski said she had a great experience buying new running shoes at Fleet Feet and wanted to brag on Mike Nadeau and his employee Jacob.

Jessica Pedigo thanked the Family of Rotary Committee for sending an email and card celebrating her Rotary anniversary. She whined that she missed Erika Morrow's ForSight Eye Care New Year's Eve celebration.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Dec. 1

Leigh Acevedo said, "It’s cold and that’s my whine."

Katie Joyner bragged on Julie Wade for organizing the Metro Mania Scavenger Hunt.

Jasmine Mills announced she is now group coach at Noom.

Julie Wade reminded the meeting that several nonprofit professionals are members of our club and many others serve on nonprofit boards. She encouraged everyone to support them on Giving Tuesday and for the rest of the year.

Announcements Nov. 10

Committee Reports

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase announced those seeking November service opportunities should volunteer at Metro Mania Events. The December project will be collecting and refurbishing kids bikes for the annual Holiday Bike Drive conducted by Bike Walk Savannah and Loop it Up. If you or your friends have bikes that are collecting dust, but are still in good shape, please consider donating them. Bike Walk Savannah is also seeking businesses to serve as drop off locations.

Membership Chair Phelps Sarah Smith was inducted at today's meeting. Congratulations, Sarah!

Foundation Chair Patrick Phelps announced that November is Foundation Month. Our current giving rate is 47.1 percent and 54 percent of our members are Paul Harris Fellows.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner reminded everyone to register for the in-person meeting at the JEA on Nov. 17— with speaker Dr. Marc Bailey — by 5 p.m. on Nov. 10. This will determine if we commit to the in-person meetings going forward. The following heath and Safety protocols will be in place at the JEA:

Separate Entrance
Distant Tables
Temperature Checks
Hand Sanitizer
Masks Worn Continuously During Meeting

You MUST register. If you would like to request lunch, do so in the comments.

President Jessica Pedigo reminded everyone to register for the remaining Metro Mania Showdown Series fundraising events and invite your friends buy their tickets. These events are not just for Metrotarians! Each person who attends an event will be entered to win a prize package worth more than $3,000. A complete list of remaining events and links to purchase tickets are available on our website.

Guests

Nicole Goggins was a guest of Leigh Acevedo.

Tom Kohler was a guest of Whitney Shephard.

Membership Moment

Since George Seaborough has recently talked with us about his work with Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy, he decided to share facts about himself, including his full name: George Washington Seaborough III. He has been married to his wife Connie for 14 years and they have a daughter. George earned an undergraduate degree in political science and a master's degree in public administration from Savannah State University. He enjoys playing billiards and pool, and working in his backyard and garden. He also enthusiastically encourages people to move to the Twickenham neighborhood.

Featured Speaker

Marion Curry, assistant district governor for Area 9 (Ashburn, Fitzgerald, Ocilla, and Tifton), shared photos and videos from her work with Rotary in Uganda. Her focus has been primarily on water and school projects. Once clean water and schools are available, the next step is improving public health through medical clinics. Marion described programs that engage young people to promote health and healthy living among their peers. Her presentation included a video of wild car and motorcycle traffic in Kampala, a city of 1.7 million people, along with photos of the wildlife that can be seen in the countryside. She hopes to return to Uganda next year.

Metro Mania Showdown Series

We had eight great events for our Metro Mania Showdown Series presented by Thomas & Hutton and we are down to the FINALE RAFFLE!!!

Raffle tickets are only $25 to win the Finale Raffle valued at over $3,000!!! The Finale Raffle is open to the public to raise money to support Bike Walk Savannah and Urban Hope this year!

FINALE RAFFLE DETAILS: This is the raffle to beat all raffles! "Register" for the event in order to your tickets here. If you want to purchase more than one raffle entry (and why wouldn't you?!), you will need to "register a guest" and enter your name as the guest. Want to keep it simple?! Venmo @JessicaPedigo by December 15th at 10am!

FIVE bourbons from Ghost Coast Distillery and a cocktail shaker
12 pack of beer, gift card and swag from Service Brewing
Oyster watercolor from local artist Tara Conway
Photograph of "Storm on Tybee" by local photographer Malcom Tulley
Gift cards to Local Farmbag, Ruth's Chris, and Lux & Nyx Luxury handbags
Byrd Cookie Company gift basket
a THREE night stay on Tybee at Wicker Cottage
A digital subscription to Savannah Morning News
Tea from Savannah Tea Room along with a mug, cookie, candle and two SCAD yoga mats to really relax
Two AMAZING pairs of his and hers sunglasses from ForSight Unique Eye Care and Eye Wear
Two bottles of wine and gift tags (should you choose to share)

Got questions? Contact Jessica Pedigo JPedigo@sspins.com. Otherwise, GET YOUR TICKETS NOW, the winner will be drawn at the Metro Lunch Meeting on December 15th! (You do not have to be present to win)

Please thank our great sponsors for supporting Metro Rotary and our non-profit partners! Thank you to all who donated to make such amazing raffles during the series! Thank you to the fall fundraising committee for putting on eight great events!

Announcements Oct. 20

Featured Speaker

Dave Lake, station manager at WRUU, was the speaker at the Oct. 20 meeting. He discussed how the all-volunteer community radio station has grown since it began broadcasting in 2017 and described WRUU's mix of music, public affairs, news, and cultural programming. In 2019 the station was selected as Best Local Radio Station and Best Talk Radio Station in the annual Connect Savannah Best of Savannah readers' poll. Because of the pandemic, the noncommercial station had to cancel its largest fundraising events and is now depending on donations from listeners to keep the station on the air. The station currently has more than 60 volunteers producing programs. Proposals for new shows can be submitted via the station's website.

Committee Reports

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase reminded members about the Victory Volunteers effort, which worked to pick up trash and trim back overgrown vegetation along Victory Drive on Oct. 24.

Membership Chair Phelps reported that Sarah Stone will be inducted at the next club meeting.

Foundation Chair Patrick Phelps announced the latest Paul Harris Fellows are Cecilia Arango and Chris Corey. Justin Hummel has received his two ruby pin.

President Jessica Pedigo announced the club is scheduled to resume in-person meetings at the JEA on Nov. 17. Box lunches will be available to go so that members will not have to take off their masks to eat. Everyone who plans to attend must register, even if you don't want a to-go lunch. A Zoom attendance option will be available if someone will volunteer to handle the A/V. She said sponsors are needed for the upcoming Metro Mania Showdown Series events.

Metro Mania standings updated

The Grisly Misfits are leading in Metro Mania standings. Earn points for your team by becoming a sponsor for a Metro Mania Showdown Series event, registering for the meeting at the JEA, and registering for fundraising events.

Guests

Meagen Burroughs attended as a guest of George Seaborough.

Destiny Mojica-Taylor attended as a guest of Cari Phelps.

Commit to a committee!

All Metro members are expected to serve on a committee. Contact the appropriate committee chair to volunteer:

Service: Jordan Chase

Rotary Foundation: Patrick Phelps

Membership: Cari Phelps

Communications: John Bennett

Family of Rotary: Jasmine Mills

Program: Daniel Weiner

Featured Speaker: Vaughnette Goode-Walker

Vaughnette Goode-Walker, director of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, was the speaker at Metro's Oct. 6 meeting. She led an online tour of the building, which tells the story of Savannah's Civil Rights movement. She explained how the museum's design takes visitors along a timeline that begins at the museum's entrance on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Goode-Walker said the first thing people want to know is, "Who was Ralph Mark Gilbert and what did he do to get a museum named after himself?" Gilbert was a pastor, a radio show host, organizer of around 40 NACCP chapters around the state, and a mentor to W.W. Law. An archive of his sermons, WTOC-AM radio scripts, and other documents was established at the museum about a year ago.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Nov. 17

Florence Slatinsky announced that a Rotaract Club was being formed at Savannah Country Day School. The club is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Savannah.

Jamie Smith Arkins bragged on the organizers of the Metro Mania Cycle Paths bike ride on the Truman Linear Park Trail on Saturday and Kelley Boyd's Open Air Yoga session on Sunday at Starland Yard.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Nov. 10

Cari Clark announced that she will be a guest on the Creative Coast's Entrepreneur's Night Podcast on Nov. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Cari also announced that Make Savannah's Holiday Fair is scheduled for Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Broad on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Food will be provided by the Grey Market and complimentary coffee by Origins. More than 30 vendors will be on site. Those who bring three canned goods will be entered to win a box of local items. The event is being held in an open warehouse space and face coverings are requested. Items are being posted on Make Savannah's Instagram.

Elizabeth Summerall announced the annual St. John's Church 2020 Holly Days Bazaar is coming up on Nov. 11 and 12. She is also selling tickets for the Junior League to the Savannah Bananas' Fansgiving 2020 on Feb. 13, so contact her to get yours.

Florence Slatinsky bragged on Ariana Berksteiner for a very successful Empty Bowl event benefiting Emmaus House. Jordan Chase bragged on Florence, noting that the event raised $47,000 this year.

Kristen Crawley invited members to join Somi Benson Jaja and team for shots and headshots at the beautiful Mansion on Forsyth Park on Thursday, Nov. 12, 5-7 p.m. Guests are kindly asked to make a $10 suggested donation to benefit United Way of the Coastal Empire. With your donation to United Way, you’ll enjoy a complimentary shot and hors d'oeuvres courtesy of the Mansion on Forsyth Park as well as live music by LaFaye. The Shot by Somi Studios team will be taking complimentary headshots at the event, which will be available for purchase for $50 each. All headshot proceeds will be donated to the United Way. Donations for the event can be made in advance or text SOMI to 40403 to donate.

Jason Summers has some slightly used office furniture — including filing cabinets, desks, and chairs — he'd like to donate to a nonprofit.

Jordan Chase bragged on Bret Bell for his online standup comedy set benefitting Performance Initiatives.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Oct. 20

Cari Clark announced that she and Patrick have three new nieces. Her sister adopted three children.

Denise Grabowski shared good reviews of a virtual play produced by students at The STEM Academy at Bartlett Middle School's Black Box Productions.

Kelley Boyd announced that she is the proud owner of a mini Winnebago camper.

Jordan Chase reminded meeting attendees about the Emmaus House's Empty Bowl Fundraiser on Nov. 1. The online silent auction for handmade bowls is now underway.

Announcements Oct. 6

Membership Moment: Sara Holton

Sara was Born in Springfield, Missouri, moved to Marietta when she was 9, then Savannah when she was 16 years old. She graduated from Savannah Christian, then went on to Georgia Southern. She has two children and has been married for 14 years. She has been working in the commercial furniture field since 2003. Her favorite aspects of her work are getting to know clients, identifying what they need, and determining how she can help them.

Committee Reports

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase thanked the members who completed "Something from Nothing" videos for Loop it Up Savannah. There are three spots still open for the Girls on the Run golf tournament on Oct 15. Sign up here. The October service project is being coordinated with the Great Savannah Cleanup on Oct. 24 and specifically the Victory Volunteers effort, which will work to pick up trash and trim back overgrown vegetation along Victory Drive.

Program Committee Chair Daniel Weiner announced the next speaker is Dave Lake, program director at WRUU, Savannah's all-volunteer community radio station. Daniel is also planning a social ride on the Truman Linear Park Trail to celebrate Bike Walk Savannah's Moonlight Garden Rides. He is also working to arrange a virtual tour of the Graveface Museum.

Membership Chair Phelps reported that Sarah Stone has nearly completed the new member program.

Foundation Chair Patrick Phelps announced that Sara Holton and Brad Whitfield are Metro's newest Paul Harris Fellows. In addition, Josh Yates is PHF+3, Whitney Shephard is PHF+4, Daron Alvord is PHF+5, and Robert McCorkle is PHF+8. In all, Metro has 46 Paul Harris Fellows. You can make a donation here and check your PHF status here.

Metro Mania standings updated

The Piledriver Posse continues to lead the Metro Mania standings. Power up your team's points by:

Attending a Munch with five other members.
Sending a full body photo in wresting gear to Cecilia.
Sign up for a Woodville Tompkins High School Rotaract interview. Contact Alfred McGuire for more information.

Guests

Meagen Burroughs attended as a guest of George Seaborough.

Destiny Mojica-Taylor attended as a guest of Cari Phelps.

Katie Balthrop attended as a guest of Daniel Weiner.

Commit to a committee!

All Metro members are expected to serve on a committee. Contact the appropriate committee chair to volunteer:

Service: Jordan Chase

Rotary Foundation: Patrick Phelps

Membership: Cari Phelps

Communications: John Bennett

Family of Rotary: Jasmine Mills

Program: Daniel Weiner

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Oct. 6,

Kristen Crawley announced Ready-Pedi-go, an event to celebrate Jessica Pedigo‘s 40th birthday. The 13.1 mile event is Saturday, Dec. 12 and starts at your own time. All are invited to participate and celebrate Jessica’s birthday! For anyone that is interested call Kristen Crawley at 678-232-7241.

Suzanne Kirk invited members to follow her competition with Julie Wade in the Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia Race Where You Are event. Check them out on Facebook.

The Junior League of Savannah was forced to cancel its annual Thrift Sale due to the ongoing pandemic, Elizabeth Summerell reported. Instead the League will be collecting donations to give to some of its community partners including Ronald McDonald House, Safe Shelter, Park Place, and Over the Moon Diaper Bank.

Jordan Chase reminded meeting attendees that tickets are still available for Emmaus House's Empty Bowl Fundraiser on Nov. 1. The online silent auction for handmade bowls begins Oct. 19.

Whitney Shephard shared the story of how Josh Yates, who was trained an engineer, decided that he wanted to open a restaurant. A decade later, Green Truck Pub is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with a fundraiser for Loop It Up Savannah, a children's art contest, and giving gift cards to educators.

George Seaborough announced he has launched a fundraising challenge for Chatham Savannah Citizen Advocacy.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Sept. 15

Kristen Crawley announced she is now working with the United Way of the Coastal Empire as United Way ambassador.

Cari Phelps: Thanked William McIntosh for helping her with some science-related questions.

Leigh Acevedo shared the news that she has found a new childcare provider and is hoping for a smooth transition.

Jordan Chase said Emmaus House is seeking additional sponsors for its Empty Bowl fundraiser on Nov. 1.

Announcements

News from the Sept. 15 Meeting

Membership Moment: Justin Hummel

Justin has moved back to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, a small university town. He had been running restaurant, but it has been closed since April. Now he's using the kitchen to produce four different kinds of pierogis that he and his wife sell at the farmers' market on weekends. Justin has been elected to the town council, serves on the library board, and is working on a plan to reopen the municipal pool.

Committee Reports

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase reminded everyone to work on their Loop it Up "Something from Nothing" videos. Metro will help with a Victory Drive clean-up effort in conjunction with the City of Savannah's Great Savannah Cleanup on Oct. 24. Details to come. Through the end of the year, members who are concerned about participating in in-person events may make a $25 donation in lieu of attending.

Service Committee Chair Emeritus William McIntosh reported that Girls on the Run has not seen registration sufficient to continue as our service partner this year. As a result, we will shift to Bike Walk Savannah as the sole service partner for the year. We will still need volunteers to help with the Girls on the Run golf tournament on Oct. 15.

Membership Chair Cari Phelps reported that Sarah Smith is nearing completion of the new member intake process. Ellen Harris was inducted into Metro during the meeting.

Foundation Chair Patrick Phelps announced we have reached the 50 percent mark on foundation giving. He encouraged members to check their Paul Harris Fellow progress.

Family of Rotary: If you would like to earn additional points, you can help Jasmine Mills send out birthday and anniversary cards.

Other Announcements

Alfred McGuire is sponsoring a Rotaract program at Woodville-Tompkins High School. He is looking for volunteers to participate in 15-minute virtual interviews in which they will share tips for success and insights to help the leaders of tomorrow.

The Grizzly Misfits are the current Metro Mania leaders.

Guests

Katie Balthrop attended as a guest of Daniel Weiner.

Commit to a committee!

All Metro members are expected to serve on a committee. Contact the appropriate committee chair to volunteer:

Service: Jordan Chase

Rotary Foundation: Patrick Phelps

Membership: Cari Phelps

Communications: John Bennett

Family of Rotary: Jasmine Mills

Program: Daniel Weiner

Featured Speaker: Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg

Dr. Van Den Wymelenberg is director of the University of Oregon's Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory in Eugene and Portland, Oregon. He discussed the critical role buildings play in supporting public health, as indicated by the first thing we did after the pandemic began: We vacated buildings.

His research centers on microbiomes within buildings. Pathogens are detected using surface swabs, passive air settling in collection vessels, and collecting samples using active air pumps. Samples are sent through RNA sequencing to determine virus presence and concentrations.

He said safer and healthier buildings can be designed with a blend of old and new technology. For example, they could feature windows that can be opened to improve ventilation along with viral monitoring technology.

Announcements

News from the Sept. 1 Meeting

Membership Moment: Jasmine Mills

Jasmine shared her work over the last working as a fitness trainer/nutrition coach, and she led the meeting through some healthy stretching exercises while doing it. She is also studio manager at Salacia Salts. Born in Macon, she moved to Savannah five years ago.

Jasmine and her wife Brandi are now in the process of becoming foster parents. She reminded the meeting attendees that these days when we may be spending long days sitting in front of our screens, it's important to get up and move!

Committee Reports

President Jessica Pedigo reminded members to complete the Munch Survey.

Service Committee Chair Jordan Chase announced that the September service project will be virtual. We'll work with Loop it Up on the organization's "Something from Nothing Challenge." Check your inbox for an email from Jordan with all the details.

At our next meeting, Prof. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg will talk about how to manage office spaces during the pandemic. If you have ideas for future speakers, please contact Program Chair Daniel Weiner.

Membership Chair Cari Phelps reported there are two members in the training program.

Foundation Chair Patrick Phelps reminded members that a recurring foundation donation earns 10 Metro Mania points, a one time donation earns five. Wondering how to make a donation? Watch this video.

Metro Mania standings updated

The Piledriver Posse is now leading the Metro Mania standings. Power up your team's points by:

Arranging an unofficial Munch with five other members
Sending a full body photo in wresting gear to Cecilia
Filling out the Munch survey

And enter those September points!

Guests

Jeff Grant attended as a guest of Suzanne Kirk.

Armand Turner attended as a guest of Denise Grabowski.

Commit to a committee!

All Metro members are expected to serve on a committee. Contact the appropriate committee chair to volunteer:

Service: Jordan Chase

Rotary Foundation: Patrick Phelps

Membership: Cari Phelps

Communications: John Bennett

Family of Rotary: Jasmine Mills

Program: Daniel Weiner

Featured Speaker: Beth Nelson of the Savannah Regional Film Commission

Beth Nelson, executive director of the Savannah Regional Film Commission, was the speaker at the Sept. 1 meeting. Part of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, the commission works in three broad areas:

Marketing the Savannah region as a premier filmmaking destination
Recruiting, supporting, and retaining local film industry professionals
Assisting with productions

Productions are looking for the best bang for their buck and SEDA has offered a number of incentives including a $25,000 bonus for hiring local crew members. The economic impact of local television and film production has grown from $18.1 million in 2014 to $125.6 million in 2019. Nelson noted MovieMaker Magazine has named Savannah the "best place to live and work as a film producer" and she said two developments that could further boost film production in Savannah include a purpose-built sound stage and direct flights between Savannah and Los Angeles.

Brags, Finds, and Whines: Sept. 1, 2020

Jasmine Mills and her wife are in the process of becoming foster parents and needed to undertake some home improvement projects. She praised Daniel Weiner for doing a great job with the work and keeping her informed and on budget during the projects.

Denise Grabowski reminded everyone to complete the Census online if you have not already.

Jamie Smith Arkins thanked Orlando Montoya for hosting another online trivia night.

Ben Senger announced that Nexstar Media Group, which owns WSAV, launched a new primetime national newscast on WGN America on Sept. 1. "News Nation" will air daily from 8 - 11 p.m. and will feature stores from local stations around the country, including WSAV.

Bret Bell will be performing in an online standup comedy show benefiting Performance Initiatives Savannah. He will share more details soon.

Cari Phelps announced the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force 2020 Wick Searcy Memorial Clay Shoot, which is scheduled for Sept. 25 at Forest City Gun Club. The event is named in memory of Amelia Harper's father, who was chairman of the board of the museum. For more information, email Amelia.

Announcements

News from the Aug. 18 Meeting

Membership Moment: H. Lee Perry

Lee Perry talked about his work as business manager for the Savannah State University Foundation, where he oversees all the private and public ventures — he's also an SSU alumnus. Lee shared details of his family's deep roots in Savannah and talked about his previous work at Morgan Stanley, BB&T, and Carver State Bank. He's served on the board of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and is a past president of the 100 Black Men of Savannah. He continues to give back to the community by mentoring young people.

Classification Talk: Sarah Smith

Sarah Smith, director of digital content and marketing at WTOC-TV, shared how she works toward the goals of maintaining the station's digital dominance, discovering new audiences, and growing revenues. She explained the tools and tactics she uses in her work, including social media measurement. In addition to the field of broadcasting, she has also used her communications skills in the healthcare industry. She has lived in Savannah for 10 years.

Service Partner Presentations

Caila Brown, executive director of Bike Walk Savannah, gave an overview of the organization's work to improve safety and mobility in Savannah neighborhoods that might not have received the attention they deserved in the past. Leah Kessler, executive director of Girls on the Run of Coastal Georgia and Low County, described how participation in GTR helps girls build confidence, and how she is adapting to the pandemic through virtual programming. Stay tuned to hear more about upcoming service projects.

Guests

Jeff Grant attended as a guest of Suzanne Kirk.

Donna Pfendler attended as a guest of Mike Nadeau.

Rachel Cretella attended as a guest of Laura Lee Bocade.

Recordings of Previous Infinite Possibilities Webinars Are Now Available

If you missed Dr. Sylvia Whitlock speaking about being the first female President in Rotary and how her club fought RI in court and went to the Supreme Court to allow females in Rotary, you can view it here.

Announcements

Membership Moment: Erika Morrow

Erika Morrow of ForSight talked about her work and offered the follow advice for summertime eye health:

Make sure to wear eye protection while working in the yard with power equipment.
Wear UV protective eyewear if you're out in the sun.
Eat plenty of greens. They are good for your eyeballs.

Infinite Possibilities series celebrates women in Rotary

The first Infinite Possibilities series is now underway with the following speakers scheduled:

Aug. 28: Rotarian Jenny Stotts, Boldly Leading the Way, Hosted by RI Director Peter Kyle
and PDG Vanessa Ervin
Sept. 25: Past RI Vice President Dean Rohrs, Hosted by Past RI Director John Smarge
and Zone 34 ARC Cyndi Doragh
Oct. 30: Very Special Guest Speaker, Hosted by RI Director Stephanie Urchick

The second series, focusing on strength and diversity, is scheduled for January 2021. Registration and more information.

Classification Talk: Ellen Harris

Ellen talked about her work in historic preservation, including her service at the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission's Historic Preservation Department, teaching at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and launching her own consulting firm, Ethos.

The firm offers preservation planning, historic tax credit and tax freeze applications, grant writing, historic resources surveys, historic structure reports, grant writing and more. Ellen earned a bachelor's degree in medieval studies from the University of Birmingham and a master of fine arts degree in historic preservation from SCAD.

Know someone interested in becoming a Metro Savannah member?

Here's the summary of the New Member Process:

Guests interested in joining must attend one service project and two meetings, and find two Metro Rotarians to serve as sponsors. They must submit an application and pay the $200 New Member Program Fee to begin New Member Program, fulfill the 5 Step New Member Program, and pay prorated annual dues before induction.

New Member Program:

Learn about Rotary; read ABC's of Rotary
Prospective member attends Group Meeting No. 1: Orientation with a Membership Committee Member and Sponsors to provide background on Metro and Rotary International.
Prospective Member gives a Classification Talk.
Prospective Member attends Group Meeting No. 2 with representatives of Membership, Foundation, and a Past President to learn about a) ways to contribute to the Foundation and how the funds are used, b) Annual Service Project and c) Induction.
Prospective Member serves as a greeter at two lunch meetings (in the future after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted).

Questions? Contact Cari Clark Phelps, membership chair.

Metro Mania Standings

The Mighty Mighty Bruised Bones are the current Metro Mania Champions, eeking out a slight lead over the Pile Driver Posse. Help your team claim the championship belt by participating in an August Munch, completing the membership survey, paying your dues, and updating your Metro Mania Points in the spreadsheet.

Featured Speaker Aug. 4

Featured Speaker: Ravi Vadlamadi

Ravi Vadlamadi was the featured speaker at the Aug. 4 Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club meeting. Vadlamadi provided a progress report on The Happy Schools project, which was started by Rotarians in India who saw the need in rural schools.

Many students do not have access to proper sanitation at home, let alone at school, need education about basic hygiene and some do not have even a desk to sit at in the classroom. The program address is these issues. The grant funds nine schools in the area around Narasaraopet near Gunter in Andhra Pradesh, India. He was joined at our virtual meeting by Raja Reddy and Vinita Harnathka.

Announcements

Metro Inducts 2020/21 Board

The Metro Savannah Rotary Club recently inducted its new slate of leadership for the 2020/2021 year at the July 14 club meeting and is proud to announce its new Club President, Jessica Pedigo.

The 2020/2021 board includes President – Jessica Pedigo (SterlingSeacrest Partners), President Elect – Cecilia Arango (Thomas & Hutton), Treasurer – Cody Tharpe (Tharpe Engineering), Secretary – Will Gruver (Jan-Pro of SC/GA Coast), Sergeant at Arms – Daniel Weiner (Handyman Service Experts), Service Chair – Jordan Chase, Communication Chair – John Bennett (Georgia Bikes), Membership Chair – Cari Phelps (Clark Creative Communications), and Foundation Chair – Patrick Phelps (Hansen Architects, P.C.) Family of Rotary Chair – Jasmine Mills (Salacia Salts) and Immediate Past President –Bret Bell (City of Savannah).

Pictured above are the 2020-2021 board members photographed from a safe distance.

We have a knack for P.A.C.K.

For our July service project, we helped pack at P.A.C.K. Savannah, which helps multiple organizations in Savannah pack supplies and food, and currently distributes around 10,000 bags of food to local children each month.

On July 28, Metro Rotarians “packed” the warehouse to help put together meal kits and back to school packs for our community’s schools and neighbors. What an amazing organization we’re proud to support. See all the school supplies? A big pat on the back to our members who helped make back to school easier for the kids.

Let's get ready to rumble, Metro Maniacs!

New board, new shenanigans! Introducing 2020’s METRO MANIA! With Covid and our lack of in-person meetings, our focus on engagement is important more than ever. METRO MANIA’s goal is to keep us engaged, while having fun (wrestler-style), by collecting points through the Rotary year.

Each of you have been assigned to a team - The Grisly Misfits, The Doomsday Devils, The Piledriver Posse, and The Mighty Mighty Bruised Bones with color-coordinated bandanas. At each meeting, we'll bounce the Reigning Champ (the team that’s has the most points). Come up with a your alter ego wrestling name, a team catchphrase, and don your best festive costume and let’s see which team collects the most points at the end of the year.

Featured Speakers

Coach Shawn Quinn spoke to us about the Savannah State University Tigers football team at our July 21 meeting. Quinn became the 26^th head football coach at SSU in March 2019.

Only the second head coach in the program’s 100 plus year history to post a winning record in an inaugural coaching season, he described the tactics he uses to keep his team motivated and focused on their goals. Quinn also answered question about the team’s move from Division I to Division II, and his efforts to recruit players from Savannah and Coastal Georgia.

The native of Chicago also talked about living on Tybee and riding his bicycle around the island to relax. Prior to being selected head coach, he served as interim head football coach at Savannah State from December 2018-March 2019. He was hired by the Tigers in February of 2018 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Photo courtesy of Savannah State University Athletics

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Brags, Finds, and Whines

You don't have to build your own finder. We've got your Brags, Finds, and Whines right here.

Cari Clark Phelps announced that Salacia Salts has been in business for nine years!
Erika Morrow was featured in Savannah Magazine
Ariana Berksteiner is featured in the United Way of the Coastal Empire's Women Who Rule campaign.
Bret Bell the 2019/2020 club awards.
- Best Attendance: Jamie Arkins
- Best Volunteer: Daniel Weiner
- Donna Shalala Making Rotary Awesome Award: Cari Clark Phelps
- Sir Kenneth Fung Ping-Fan Award: Cody Tharpe
- Rotarian of the Year: Sam Carroll

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to johnreidbennett@gmail.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Julie Wade and Jordan Chase invited Rotarians to a fundraising party to support fellow Metrotarians running for office - Denise Grabowski for District 1 school board and Lee Perry for County Tax Commissioner. The event was Tues, March 3 from 5:30-7:00 at the Wade's residence and was limited to Metrotarians and spouses/partners. This was not an official Metro event.
Erika Morrow announced an event called What She Wants that will take place on April 4 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at ForSight. Local makers will be there and it's free to the public.
Mike Nadeau announced it's race season! Look forward to the Cure for Cancer Komen Race, Publix Women's Half (use code CECILIA10 for 10% discount off registration), and Make-a-Wish Trail Run.
Jenny Woodruff gave a shout-out to Mike Nadeau and Fleet Feet for getting some new running shoes so she can chase her son around.
Bret Bell gave a shout-out to Suzy Wallace for transporting our GRSP student around and connecting her to Darron Alvord for dental work.
Cari Clark Phelps gave a shout-out to Patrick Phelps, Cody Tharpe, and Jason Somers for their project, Perry Lane Hotel, as the host hotel for the American Idol filming
Jamie Arkins announced that Sarah Smith was on the cover of Ardsley Park Living
Orlando Montoya is looking for a room to rent, ideally near Abercorn, ideally someone professional - perhaps a property management situation. If you know of anything, please let him know!
Orlando Montoya will present a message on themes of personal risk taking, starting anew, and personal transformation at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Savannah on Sunday, March 15 at 11 AM.
Cecilia Arango is hosting Literary Leaders, a book club focusing on leadership skills. The event takes place on April 2nd at Southbound Brewing from 5:00-7:00 PM. Grab a copy of Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" and join the discussion.

Announcements

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT!

Montell Jordan wrote a hit song in the 90s, wanna hear it? Hear it go!

"Honeys in the street say, "Metro, yo we made it!

You gotta get your groove on, before you go get paid

So tip up your cup and throw your hands up

And let me hear you all say EREY"

As a Club, we pledged 100% club participation to have Every Rotarian Every Year - meaning each Rotarian contributes at least $100. Thank you all for making it happen and a big shout out to Patrick Phelps for herding all the cats!

VOLUNTEER FOR ANNUAL SERVICE PARTNER SELECTION COMMITTEE

William McIntosh is looking for volunteers to help serve on the ASP Committee. Contact William at womcintosh@gmail.com

CALLING ALL READERS!! March 25th at 9 AM at Brock Elementary School

We're participating in the Rotary Read-In on March 25th at Brock Elementary School. Registration deadline was Feb 25th (however, registration is still open). When you sign up, you are volunteering to read a book to students and then donating that book to the school. This is a rewarding and easy way to volunteer. E Shaver Bookseller has suggested titles once you find out what grade level you'll be reading to and will be offering a 20% discount. Sign up at https//savannahrotaryreadin.com and also register with Metro. See Sam Caroll's email for more information.

LOOPING LITERACY TOGETHER

If anyone is interested in reading regularly through Looping Literacy Together at Brock Elementary, please email carmen@loopitupsavannah.com.

WHO'S GETTING LEIED?

DISTRICT CONFERENCE - JEKYLL ISLAND ON APRIL 24-26

Join the party as we head on down to Jekyll Island for the District Conference on April 24-26. In recognition of the 2020 RI Convention being held in Honolulu, the district conference will be Polynesian-themed, featuring Polynesian menus and entertainment. It'll be fun to go as a group and all events are casual. Contact Bret Bell for more information!

MARCH 31 METRO FIELD TRIP WITH ORLANDO!

Orlando Montoya is offering Metrotarians a 2-hour tour of historic downtown Savannah on Tues, March 31st. If you're interested, please email Orlando at o.montoya@comcast.net for more details!

REMINDER: NO MEETING ON MARCH 17. WE CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY SHENANIGANS ON MARCH 24TH!

We're going to have a kick-ass birthday celebrating US! Metro turns 9! We'll have some exciting announcements (HINT! HINT!) to prepare for the inaugural "summer games". Come join in the celebration!

ANOTHER ROASTARY IN THE BOOKS!

Thanks to the incredible planning team, including Jordan Chase, Jessica Pedigo, Liza Smith, and Kristen Crawley on organizing such an incredible event! We couldn't have asked for a better Sunday. The oysters were delicious and the music with Jason Salzer was perfect! A big shout-out to hosts, Patrick and Cari Phelps for hosting us in your backyard. In addition, congratulations to Liza Smith and Julie Wade as our winners in the Chili Cook-Off!

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Sheri Dean
Dare Dukes
Connie Keller
Jessica Messere
Erika Morrow
Laura Sparks

Featured Speakers

Dare Dukes spoke about his role as director of Deep Center, a non-profit that empowers Savannah’s young people to thrive as learners, community leaders, and agents of change. Through creative writing, cultural production, and art, Deep creates platforms for the city’s youth and the village of support around them, including their families and adult allies, to share stories, engage in debates, and make Savannah a more just and equitable place. More than just an after-school program, Deep works not just with youth but the village and systems surrounding young people. The aim is to lift up Savannah’s youth and families by directly supporting them while working to change the institutions and systems harming them.

Erika Morrow spoke about her role as an optometrist with her eye care boutique located in downtown Savannah - ForSight Eye Care. Her boutique playfully borrows from Forsyth Park. She was introduced to Metro Rotary through a fellow Metrotarian and builder, Josh Brooks. She is the only one in her large immediate family who attended college and she's a huge dog person. As an eye doctor, she's like your primary care physician for eyes and doesn't do surgery. Erika gives back to the community in many ways - one of them being a participant in the InfantSEE program which offers no-cost eye assessments for infants 6-12 months.

Featured Speakers

Chrissy Edwards spoke about her role as director of Horizons Savannah, the local chapter of one of America's best summer learning programs. Each summer, the program welcomes about 150 low-income public elementary and middle school students to a 6-week enrichment program that prevents learning loss that occurs during the summer. The program provides a safe and nurturing environment, recreational and cultural activities, meals and snacks, caring professional teachers, and creative and challenging instructions to improve students' academic, social, and emotional skills.

Jenny Woodruff spoke about her role as education and community engagement director for the Savannah Music Festival. She is especially proud of a new education program that SMF recently launched called Jazz Academy. The first program served 30 students in the 5th grade. Jenny also talked about the larger Musical Explorers program which serves every student in kindergarten through 2nd grade in Chatham County. These programs bring national artists to local students, inspiring and educating them.

Announcements

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - FEB 29TH!! We are 82% of the way toward our goal for 100% for EREY!

IF YOUR NAME ISN'T...

Leigh Acevedo, Darron Alvord, Kathleen Anderson, Cecilia Arango, Jamie Arkins, Bret Bell, Kelley Boyd, Jeff Brady, Emily Burch, Spencer Burch, Sam Carroll, Danny Chase, Jordan Chase, Chris Corey, Kristen Crawley, Patton Dugas, Denise Grabowski, Will Gruver, Suzy Karpf, Jasmine Mills, Sara Holton, Justin Hummel, Reshma Johnson, Suzanne Kirk, Anna Kuhlke-Lee, Robert McCorkle, Denise McCoy, William McIntosh, Orlando Montoya, Clint Murphy, Jason Nielubowicz, Jessica Pedigo, Lee Perry, Cari Phelps, Patrick Phelps, Jeanine Roach, Ben Senger, Whitney Shephard, Florence Slatinsky, Liza Smith, Jason Somers, David Spisso, Jessica Thomas, Julie Wade, Daniel Weiner, Jenny Woodruff, Josh Yates then go to https://my.rotary.org/en and donate!

As a Club, we've pledged 100% club participation to have Every Rotarian Every Year make a contribution of at least $100. The good news is that the Club has already gifted $50 to your contribution. Please see below on how to complete your part:

Go here: https://metrosavannahrotary.org/ and select "Foundation" in the blue menu bar:

Or, go directly to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

Select your cause in which you'd like to support.

Donate a minimum of $50 in order to qualify for your every Rotarian every year contribution "EREY". Consider selecting a recurring donation for automatic annual contributions.

Please do not forget to SIGN IN, if you've forgotten your password, create a new one. If you have not signed up to the website, do so. Recognition will only occur if you sign in.

If you'd prefer to pay by check. Complete the form in the link below and mail your contribution to the address at the bottom of the form or bring a check (payable to Rotary Foundation) or bring cash to the next meeting!

https://my.rotary.org/en/document/contribution-form-rotary-foundation

CALLING ALL CHILI CHEFS!! March 8th at 3 PM at the Phelps Residence

The chili cook-off portion of the Metro Roastary fundraiser is back again this year. We're looking for volunteers to make chili, If you're interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please contact Jessica Pedigo. This is a public event so please invite all your friends and professional contacts.

CALLING ALL READERS!! March 25th at 9 AM at Brock Elementary School

We're participating in the Rotary Read-In on March 25th at Brock Elementary School. Registration deadline was Feb 25th (I'm sure you can still register if needed). When you sign up, you are volunteering to read a book to students and then donating that book to the school. This is a rewarding and easy way to volunteer. E Shaver Bookseller has suggested titles once you find out what grade level you'll be reading to and will be offering a 10% discount. Sign up at https//savannahrotaryreadin.com

LOOPING LITERACY TOGETHER

If anyone is interested in reading regularly through Looping Literacy Together at Brock Elementary, please email carmen@loopitupsavannah.com.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE - JEKYLL ISLAND ON APRIL 24-26

We're making a push for more club participation at the District Conference on Jekyll Island on April 24-26. In recognition of the 2020 RI Convention being held in Honolulu, the district conference will be Polynesian-themed, featuring Polynesian menus and entertainment. It'll be fun to go as a group and all events are casual. Contact Bret Bell for more information!

METRO CLUB SOCIAL @ SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY

Thanks Lee Perry and Josh Yates for organizing this month's club social at a Savannah State basketball game!

9th Annual Roastary Oyster Roast

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!

Join us for our 9th Annual Metro Roastary Oyster Roast on Sunday, March 8th from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. Metrotarians Cari and Patrick Phelps will be graciously hosting the oyster roast at their residence at 308 E. Hall Street. Tickets are $40 advance/$45 at the door. It'll be a casual afternoon of all-you-can-eat oysters, cold beer and wine, and live music! Come out and enjoy a beautiful late afternoon of oysters and vote for your favorite chili. There will be an amazing Savannah raffle basket up for grabs as well.

Proceeds will benefit local non-profit partners, in addition to Rotary International causes, such as Polio Plus.

If you're interested in sponsoring, contact Jessica Pedigo at JPedigo@SSPins.com or 912-544-1903. Sponsorship opportunities include:

Title Sponsor ($1,000) limited to one • (8) Event Tickets • 2 minute speaking opportunity at event • Large Color logo and company name in title on invitation • Signage at the event (banner or signage to be provided by sponsor) • Sponsor announced and thanked at event
Pearl Sponsor ($750) • (6) Event Tickets • Medium Color logo on invitations • Signage at event (banner or signage to be provided by company) • Sponsor announced and thanked at event
Oyster Sponsor ($500) • (4) Event Tickets • Small Color logo on invitations • Signage at event (banner or signage to be provided by company) • Logo displayed on a food or beverage vendor site • Sponsor announced and thanked at event
Shucker Sponsor ($250) • (2) Event Tickets • Name listed on invitations • Sponsor announced and thanked at event Salt Water Sponsor (in-kind donation for raffle) • Information on item(s) donated displayed at event • Donor name announced and thanked for donation at event.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Whitney Shephard invited Rotarians to Sunday Funday on Feb 23rd at Green Truck Pub to benefit Savannah Tree Foundation. Suzanne Kirk gave the poutine 2 thumbs up!
Jeff Brady bragged about an amazing trip that he had with 5th graders to Rock Eagle
Cari Clark Phelps announced the opening of a second location for her store, Salacia Salts, at 148 Abercorn Street
Denise Grabowski thanked everyone for supporting her in her campaign for a seat of the Savannah/Chatham County Public School Board
Lee Perry announced that he's running for Chatham County Tax Commissioner
Jordan Chase and Julie Wade is throwing a fundraising party to support fellow Metrotarians running for office - Denise Grabowski and Lee Perry (and anyone else who wants to jump into a 2020 race). The event takes place on Tues, March 3 from 5:30-7:00 at the Wade's residence on 3410 Abercorn Street (house is at 51st and Vetsburg - facing a park that faces Abercorn). The event is limited to Metrotarians and spouses/partners, but is not an official Metro event. Check your emails for more information. There are opportunities for host sponsorships. Contact Jordan and/or Julie.
Bret Bell reminded us that political fundraisers is not a club-sponsored event and club resources are not being used for it.
Cecilia Arango is hosting Literary Leaders, a book club focusing on leadership skills. The event takes place on April 2nd at Southbound Brewing from 5:00-7:00 PM. Grab a copy of Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" and join the discussion.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Megan Burrows
Lori Cook
Ellen Harris
Erika Morrow
George Seaborough
Sarah Smith

Nominated Guests

We introduce to you our three in the New Member Process:

LEVEL 1-5: George Seaborough (level 2), sponsored by Ariana Berksteiner and Whitney Shephards with Cynthia Mullally as Membership Liaison, is the Coordinator/Executive Director for Chatham Savannah Citizen Advocacy. He's a Savannah native and is married to Youth Minister, Tyneise Seaborough. They have a 4-year-old daughter named Sabera. He graduated from Savannah High and holds a B.S. in Political Science with a minor in Education and a Master’s of Public Administration from Savannah State University. A member of Branded Hearts International Church and President of Twickenham Neighborhood Association, George has served in leadership roles as a Union Organizer for SEIU, Field Director for Young Democrats of Georgia, Interim Director of SSU Community Future Corporation, Loan Associate for United Way, and Freshman Experience Professor at Savannah State University. In his spare time, he has led high school students on several college road trips to South Carolina and throughout Georgia, served as a volunteer adviser to help students prepare for the Harvard Model United Nations competition, and educated students on the political process of campaigns.

LEVEL 1-5: Erika Morrow, M.S., O.D. (level 2), sponsored by Bret Bell and Cindy Mullally with Denise McCoy as Membership Liaison, is a Colorado native, one of eight children, and has 17 nieces/nephews. She is happily married to her husband, Brian, since 2009, and they have two dogs. They relocated to Savannah in 2017 for her husband's career at Gulfstream. They enjoy traveling, camping, hiking, and frequenting the local establishments of Savannah. Erika attended the University of Colorado at Denver and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2012. She went on to pursue her Doctorate of Optometry and Masters of Vision Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she graduated with honors in 2016. After falling in love with the Savannah area, Erika opened her own eye care practice in the historic district, ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear. She provides full service eye care services and has a wonderfully unique optical. She is the president for the First District Georgia Optometric Association and a member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Chamber.

LEVEL 1-5: Sarah Smith (level 1), sponsored by Jamie Smith Arkins, is the Director of Digital Content and Marketing at WTOC. She started her career in television and has worked in numerous fields, including the arts, retail, and healthcare, but the magnetic pull of the universe clearly wants her in media. Sarah has proudly served on the Board of The Matthew Reardon Center for Autism for six years and is a previous Chairman. She is also involved in her daughters' school, where she is the Communications Chairman for the PTA and President of the School Council. She loves attending Christ Church Episcopal and helps with the children's chapel team. Mostly though, Sarah loves being with her husband, Solomon, and daughters, Abigail (10) and Nora (8). If she had endless time and money, Sarah would spend her days traveling the globe, drinking, eating, taking pictures, and experiencing new cultures. She has a degree in English and Fine Arts from Vanderbilt University, a Master's Degree in Art History from the University of Georgia, and a Certificate of Language and Culture from the Catholic University in Angers, France. Sarah is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Savannah.

As a part of the New Member process,guests with interest in joining Metro are asked to submit a bio so we can share with the club. This is our time to learn more about our future members! If you have any questions about the prospective member's status, please reach out to Membership Chair, Cari Clark Phelps. We want to ensure our process IS FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED. Happy reading!

Laura Sparks, sponsored by Jordan Chase, has lived in Savannah since 2002. She grew up in New Orleans and finished high school in Atlanta. She attended the College of Charleston and finished with a degree in psychology in Minneapolis. After traveling and working abroad, Laura moved to Savannah to live near her sister. She started her career in Real Estate before joining Ashley's Business Solutions in 2009. Laura took a short break to raise her 2 daughters, while working part time with St. John's Episcopal Church, and as a certified health coach. She has been an active volunteer at her church helping with their annual church conference, assisting with the silent auctions, Sunday school, and co-chairing their bazaar. Laura now is back working with Ashley's in sales, helping businesses with work-flow management with copiers and software.

Karen Terry, sponsored by Jordan Chase, grew up in the one red light town of Estill, SC and graduated from high school in a class of 14 people. She spent many high school days aimlessly riding around the country with her friends wondering what people do in places with restaurants and entertainment. After being a very indecisive undergraduate, Karen moved to Savannah in 2012 where she earned a Master’s of Public Health from Armstrong State College. She began her career as a Fellow at the National Cancer Institute where she worked to disseminate research-based interventions from the national to the community level. Karen is the Director of the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial Health University Medical Center and is the 2019 Corporate Walk Chair for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Savannah. In her spare time, Karen enjoys visiting her family in that one red light town and pretty much anything she can do outside with her cocker spaniel, Cooper.

Announcements

NEWEST METROTARIAN

Everyone welcome Mike Nadeau to the family! He was inducted to the family at our last meeting.

METROS WHO MUNCH

Check out the latest munch dates! Daniel Weiner, Julie Wade, and Denise McCoy hit up the Green Truck Pub and Bret Bell, Orlando Montoya, and Suzy Karpf dined at Flock to the Wok. Have you munched yet?

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT FINALE - JAN 25 & FEB 1!

Thanks to the following who volunteered their time to help with the last service projects for Habitat for Humanity:

Lee Acevedo, Cecilia Arango, Jamie Arkins, Ben Barksdale, Bret Bell, Emmy Burch, Spencer Burch, Sam Carroll, Jordan Chase, Chris Corey, Kristen Crawley, Patton Dugas, Denise Grabowski, Will Gruver, Ellen Harris, Katie Joyner, Anne Kuhlke-Lee, Denise McCoy, William McIntosh, Jessica Pedigo, Cari Phelps, Patrick Phelps, Jeanine Roach, Ben Singer, Whitney Shephard, Liza Smith, Jason Somers, Laura Sparks, Julie Wade, Daniel Weiner, Josh Yates

IF YOUR NAME ISN'T...

Leigh Acevedo, Darron Alvord, Kathleen Anderson, Cecilia Arango, Jamie Arkins, Ben Barksdale, Lee Beckmann, Ariana Berksteiner, Bret Bell, Kelley Boyd, Jeff Brady, Emily Burch, Spencer Burch, Sam Carroll, Danny Chase, Jordan Chase, Chris Corey, Kristen Crawley, Chris DeLeon, Patton Dugas, Denise Grabowski, Will Gruver, Suzy Karpf, Jasmine Mills, Sara Holton, Justin Hummel, Reshma Johnson, Suzanne Kirk, Anna Kuhlke-Lee, Robert McCorkle, Denise McCoy, Alfred McGuire, William McIntosh, Orlando Montoya, Clint Murphy, Jason Nielubowicz, Jessica Pedigo, Lee Perry, Cari Phelps, Patrick Phelps, Jeanine Roach, Ben Senger, Whitney Shephard, Florence Slatinsky, Liza Smith, Jason Somers, David Spisso, Grant Tallon, Jessica Thomas, Julie Wade, Daniel Weiner, Brad Whitfield, Jenny Woodruff, Josh Yates THEN

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR

District Governor Mike Muldowney presented us with a flag for EREY for participation last year and we need to be at 100% again this year! What does this mean? It means your deadline to contribute to the Foundation is FEBRUARY 29TH! What if we don't make EREY?

BRET SAYS, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"

Go here: https://metrosavannahrotary.org/ and select "Foundation" in the blue menu bar:

Or, go directly to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

Select your cause in which you'd like to support.

Donate a minimum of $50 in order to qualify for your every Rotarian every year contribution "EREY". Consider selecting a recurring donation for automatic annual contributions.

Please do not forget to SIGN IN, if you've forgotten your password, create a new one. If you have not signed up to the website, do so. Recognition will only occur if you sign in.

https://my.rotary.org/en/document/contribution-form-rotary-foundation

SAVE THE DATE! March 8th at 3 PM at the Phelps Residence

More details coming soon!

Featured Guests: McIntoshes Live Out Their Travel Dreams

Mackie and William McIntosh talked to the Club about fulfilling one of their lifelong dreams - to take off work for a year (June 2018 - June 2019) to travel across Europe. After two deaths of close family members, it really ignited the flame of the old adage that "life is too short" and William and Mackie decided that it was time to start working on making their travel dreams come true. It took a lot of budgeting (saving up to a 1/3 of their net income) and planning (they started the process in 2012). Some of the things they shared included:

Homeschooling their 10-year old son, Liam. Mackie focused on English, while William handled math.
Experiencing Tour de France was awesome!
Air B&Bs are the best. Know when to book and find good deals.
They traveled via train a lot and did camper vans
Poland was super cheap and any countries in the north were expensive
France is the only country that didn't speak English. Also - don't go to France in June.
They packed 28 suitcases
Their best meal was in Portugal

Bret Bell also shared with us his presentation on Top 10 Other Vacations Metrotarians Took Last Year:

10. Lee Beckmann fought off Somali pirates while enjoying discounted container ship travel.

9. Laura Lee Bocade entered a wheelie contest at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

8. Robert McCorkle rode bareback on a rhino during a return trip to the Serengeti.

7. Lee Perry helped organize a Fyre Festival

6. Jeff Brady went somewhere where he'd feel comfortable wearing Lycra.

5. Grant Tallon swam with tigers in the South China Sea

4. You know Cecilia and Emmy did a marathon somewhere.

3. Danny Chase got burnt to a crisp in the Dominican Republic

2. Ariana Berksteiner went to Central American and started a revolution

1. Suzy and Judge Karpf went to a Cosplay Convention in Vegas

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Josh McIntosh, guest of DJ Spisso
Ellen Harris (Ethos Preservation), former Metrotarian and guest of Cari Clark Phelps

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

DJ Spisso bragged about Savannah Spirit, the newest for-profit franchise to join the Women's Premier Soccer League. The team will kick off its inaugural season in WPSL this coming May. They're currently looking for Game Day Ambassadors and sponsorships! Send DJ an email if you're interested.
Jenny Woodruff bragged about Savannah Music Festival's new SMF Local Partner initiative. For $150, you'll receive a decal to display at your business identifying you as a partner in the community. Local Partners may offer discounts or specials at their discretion to SMF patrons. When posting to social media, use #SMFLocalPartner and SMF will share your offers with their social media community too. In addition, you'll be listed in the printed version of the official festival program and on the SMF website. Do it by Feb 28th!
Julie Wade came with checks ready to support our 2 Metrotarians running for local offices! We know one is Denise Grabowski as she runs for Savannah-Chatham County School Board District 1 (taking over Julie's seat) and we're waiting for our other mystery Metrotarian to announce his/her running! Julie urged everyone to donate financially to their campaigns for support as elections have become more contested and more expensive - so support your fellow Metrotarians!
Cindy Mullaly bragged on SCAD's upcoming event on Valentine's Day - Feb 14, 4 PM at Arnold Hall Theater - Savannah Women of Vision, commemorating women of peerless valor, altruism, and intellect. This year, the honorees include Clermont Huger Lee (one of the first women to lead a landscape architecture practice in Georgia and was the foremost expert in recreating historic landscapes in mid-20th century Savannah) and Suzanne Shank (a lauded veteran of the investment banking industry and chairwoman, CEO, and founding owner of Siebert Williams Shank & Co.). Check out these women and details on the event here.
Cecilia Arango along with several of her peers in the A/E/C industry are starting a book club focusing on leadership called Literary Leaders. The first book club discussion takes place on Thurs, April 2, 5 PM at Southbound Brewing. Pick up a copy of Simon Sinek's Start With Why and join the discussion.
Chris DeLeon bragged on the Southeastern District Georgia Dental Association's Give Kids a Smile event happening across GA! Dentists provided free dental care for children on Fri, Feb 7th at Savannah Tech's Eckburg Auditorium. The volunteer initiative takes place each February in conjunction with Children's Dental Health Month and provides dental screenings, treatment, and education at no charge to underserved children in GA.
Sarah Smith wants you to know about the 5th Annual Savannah Autism Conference as part of The Matthew Reardon Center for Autism that took place Feb 6-7.
Arianna Berksteiner bragged on everyone who donated and attended Ms. Freda's retirement party. Ms. Freda had been with Emmaus House for 20 years. Please welcome new executive chef, Ms. Brandy to Emmaus House!
Kelley Boyd is hiring! Savannah Yoga Center is hiring a General Manager position. This is an above industry paid full-time position. Please send all your amazing leads our way via the Indeed job posting! https://indeedhi.re/38w0Zjg

Featured Guest: Nick Palumbo

A GREATER SAVANNAH (1903-1906), AN ERA OF NOTEWORTHY CIVIC INNOVATION THROUGH POSTCARDS

Nick was excited to share with us his collection of postcards, specifically with Savannah's history and infrastructure that exists today and those that are sorely missed. What about postcards? They convey place, emotion, and time. They relay tragedy, disaster, feelings, celebrations, and more. World War I ended postcards as print quality declined and ink was running out. After showing us his collection and a history through time, Nick posed the question - What are the buildings today that will be cherished in the future?"

And our favorite - BRET'S TOP 10 NICK PALUMBO VINTAGE POSTCARD FINDS

10. This guy floating with a gun down the Savannah River.

9. Early SCADdies loitering near the Armory

8. Public art on Bull Street

7. First generation drone prototype over Forsyth Park

6. Palm frond rose guy at Old City Market

5. Sasquatch frolicking through azaleas

4. Swimming with Great Whites on Tybee

3. Original Gen. Oglethorpe Hotel tower on Wilmington Island

2. Tony Thomas on Broughton Street

1. Good old-fashioned bare-knuckled post-meeting City Council street fight

Classification Talk with Anne Kuhlke-Lee

Anne Kuhlke-Lee is a licensed professional counselor and has all the acronyms behind her name to prove it! She worked for SCAD for 7 years - and before that she was Savannah Technical College's first counselor - before opening her own counseling services. She is a Master's-degreed mental health service provider and is trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioral, and emotional problems and disorders. Anne accepts insurance, doesn't prescribe meds, and believes that psychotherapist or mental health counselor might be a better descriptor than "counseling services." If you know of any moms out there struggling with any mental health issues, Anne helped start the Facebook group, Maternal Mental Health Collective of Savannah (@ListenToMoms).

Nominated Guests

We introduce to you our three in the New Member Process:

LEVEL 1-5: Erika Morrow, M.S., O.D. (level 1), sponsored by Bret Bell and Cindy Mullally with Denise McCoy as Membership Liaison, is a Colorado native, one of eight children, and has 17 nieces/nephews. She is happily married to her husband, Brian, since 2009, and they have two dogs. They relocated to Savannah in 2017 for her husband's career at Gulfstream. They enjoy traveling, camping, hiking, and frequenting the local establishments of Savannah. Erika attended the University of Colorado at Denver and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2012. She went on to pursue her Doctorate of Optometry and Masters of Vision Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she graduated with honors in 2016. After falling in love with the Savannah area, Erika opened her own eye care practice in the historic district, ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear. She provides full service eye care services and has a wonderfully unique optical. She is the president for the First District Georgia Optometric Association and a member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Chamber.

LEVEL 1-5: Mike Nadeau (level 5), sponsored by Cecilia Arango and Suzanne Kirk with Cari Phelps as Membership Liaison, is the Owner/Operator of Fleet Feet Savannah (and Pooler coming soon!). He's a passionate individual who never really backs down from tackling a new challenge in life.He's had the awesome opportunity to serve our country in the United States Air Force working as a Signal Intelligence Analyst, U1N471. While in the Air Force, he traveled to Japan, South Korea, and all over the Middle East. Personally, he's traveled all over Europe and Central America. One of his greatest experiences in life was driving in an old Jeep from CA to FL with his dad when he separated from the Air Force. Mike's a passionate runner and has completed an Ironman, 140.6 miles (swim 2.4, bike 112 and run a marathon), as well as completed an ultra-marathon covering 100K, 62miles. He enjoy music and plays very little guitar although he does enjoy it. He has an amazing wife who puts up with most of it, and a daughter who attends Catawba College on a soccer scholarship. She’s majoring in biology in preparation for vet school. Mike's bucket list includes wanting to hike the AT, fly a helicopter, and travel the Pacific Northwest.

Announcements

JANUARY MONTHLY METRO SOCIAL @ MOODRIGHT'S

Thanks to all those who came out for our monthly Metro Social at one of the newest spots in town, Moodright's! Harold Yellin, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, joined us also.

ASP - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SERVICE & BIG CHECK DELIVERY!

Thanks everyone who came out to help move Habitat out of 70th Street location to their new digs at the ReStore on MLK. As a group, we presented Harold with Habitat a check for $10,000. Thanks to Metrotarian Ben Senger for taking video and interviews to post on WSAV.

IF YOUR NAME ISN'T...

Leigh Acevedo, Darron Alvord, Kathleen Anderson, Cecilia Arango, Jamie Arkins, Bret Bell, Kelley Boyd, Jeff Brady, Emily Burch, Spencer Burch, Sam Carroll, Danny Chase, Jordan Chase, Chris Corey, Kristen Crawley, Chris DeLeon, Patton Dugas, Denise Grabowski, Will Gruver, Jasmine Mills, Sara Holton, Justin Hummel, Reshma Johnson, Suzanne Kirk, Anna Kuhlke-Lee, Robert McCorkle, Denise McCoy, William McIntosh, Orlando Montoya, Jason Nielubowicz, Jessica Pedigo, Cari Phelps, Patrick Phelps, Jeanine Roach, Ben Senger, Whitney Shephard, Florence Slatinsky, Liza Smith, Jason Somers, Julie Wade, Daniel Weiner, Josh Yates THEN

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR

BRET SAYS, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"

Go here: https://metrosavannahrotary.org/ and select "Foundation" in the blue menu bar:

Or, go directly to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

Select your cause in which you'd like to support.

Donate a minimum of $50 in order to qualify for your every Rotarian every year contribution "EREY". Consider selecting a recurring donation for automatic annual contributions.

Please do not forget to SIGN IN, if you've forgotten your password, create a new one. If you have not signed up to the website, do so. Recognition will only occur if you sign in.

https://my.rotary.org/en/document/contribution-form-rotary-foundation

YOUR GIRL'S THE 2021-22 PRESIDENT NOMINEE!

Oh, herro...(FYI, I wrote that.)

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Kristen Crawley wants you to know that she's no longer with Savannah Bee Company
Cari Clark Phelps bragged about her new Marketing Manager for Clark Creative and it's Kristen Crawley!
Lee Perry bragged about the upcoming Savannah State basketball game social coming up on Feb. 20th. Price will be $10. Look for an upcoming email with the link to purchase tickets.
Denise Grabowski is running for Julie Wade's old spot - District 1 - on the Savannah-Chatham County Public School Board of Education. Rock the vote!
Ryan Smith is on Board Chair and invites you to the upcoming 4th Annual Girls on the Run Pacesetter Concert on Sun, Feb. 16th from 5-7 PM at the 45 Bistro featuring local artists, Laiken Williams (vocals), Kristin King (harp), Maggie Evans (bass and vocals), Susanna Kennedy (violin, guitar, vocals), and Britt Scott (vocals, guitar). Suggested donation is $150 (single)/$250 (couple). Liza is part of the host committee. RSVP to Chris Carpentino at chris.carpentino@girlsontherun.org
Emmy Burch bragged about the RISE national conference, doubling the size of the event. She's putting her doctorate to work!
Bea Saba whined about resigning from Metro. She's leaving Savannah and will be the new director of the Bryan College Station Public Library System in Texas.
Jason Somers bragged on his oldest kid as he's going to be a SCAD Bee starting in January
Julie Wade invites you to the Park Place Gala on Friday, Feb 7th from 7-9 PM at the Plantation Club at The Landings. Tickets are $150 with table sponsorships available. More info here
Erika Morrow invites you to lafont., an exclusive eyewear trunk show and styling event on Thurs, Feb 6th at 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM at ForSight (350 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd). There'll be snacks, wine, beer, and great deals on eye glasses!

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Ryan Smith, guest (and husband) of Liza Smith
Jonathan Lee, guest (and husband) of Ann Kuhlke Lee
Laiken Williams, guest of Cari Clark Phelps

Patrick Monahan: Savannah 2020 - From SWOT to Savannah Forward

Pat Monahan is the current City Manager and is counting down the days (less than 80ish days) before retires to his hammock in his cabin in North Carolina - and he's serious this time. After turning down the offer over and over, Pat decided to step out of retirement and assist the city (Georgia's 2nd largest municipal organization) as interim City Manager in July 2019, during a transition period when former City Manager, Rob Hernandez, took a job down in Florida. Pat had already served 29 years as the Assistant County Manager and retired in 2012, before he started his own consulting business, Governomics. One of his iconic projects includes the Savannah International Trade Center.

In the first 2 weeks as City Manager, Pat performed a SWOT analysis, which helped identify the focus areas/targets he delved deep into during his 10 months, including:

Adopted Budget - millage rate
SPLOST passage
Arena groundbreaking
Vacancies filled
5-Year Capital Improvements Plan development
Federal Highway money for DeRenne project
New Public Works Complex
Municipal Complex to house all City services
Homelessness initiatives
Choice Neighborhood Grant

Pat says he's definitely retiring. However, Bret pulled together TOP 10 WAYS TO GET PAT MONAHAN TO STAY ON AS CITY MANAGER and this list goes like this:

10. Mike Nadeau agrees to throw in lifetime supply of high-end minimalist running shoes.

9. Set aside time every City Council Meeting for Pat's "This Week in Obscure Savannah History" lecture.

8. Henry's Restaurant agrees to make All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Wednesdays a daily thing.

7. Repaint the majestic City Hall Gold Dome a hideous Florida Gator orange.

6. Move the Waving Girl to Talahi Island as a nice treat for Pat when he commutes home every evening.

5. Robert McCorkle agrees to submit no more rezoning requests.

4. Convert City Manager's Office into woodworking shop. Change City Manager duties to that of City Carpenter.

3. Allow Pat to work remotely from hammock on porch of North Carolina cabin.

2. Flat out bribe him with the title of 2020 St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal.

1. New City Council agrees to act sanely, use good judgement, and conduct efficient meetings.

Newsworthy Metrotarians

Orlando Montoya (Connect Savannah) wrote an edgy piece regarding the merging of Armstrong into Georgia Southern University. Read all about it here!

Jenny Woodruff' (US News & World Report) was featured for the Savannah Music Festival's Georgia Jazz Academy. Read all about here!

Emmy Burch did a fine job singing at the City Council's inauguration!

Tharpe Engineering (Cody Tharpe), Hansen Architects, and Thomas & Hutton (Cecilia Arango) were featured in the Savannah Magazine's feature article on the Cove at Dundee (Tiny House Project).

Announcements

CHEERS TO 2019!

We celebrated a kick-ass 2019! Kudos to Whitney Shephard Yates on organizing our fun Holiday Social on Dec. 18th at Savoy Society We had a blast!

MUNCH MUCH?

A big shout-out to Liza Smith for playing Metro's Munch-Maker! Thanks everyone for signing up for a Munch-date with your Metro fam! We took a quick break with all the December madness, but keep a look-out for your next Munch Date. Also, it's never too late if you still want to munch, please email Liza Smith and she'll hook you up (heeeheeeeheeeheee).

Here's the gist:

Put your name on the list (email Liza)
Munchmaker Liza will match you up with two or three others
Your crew will have one month to make Munch happen
Post a pic on FB and tag Metropolitan Savannah Rotary because #PicsOrItDidntHappen
Get an attendance credit

ASP - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SERVICE!

Mark your calendar for 2 exciting events that we'll need all hands on deck for:

Jan 25, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM (2 shifts with shift change starting at 11:30) - The Big Move and presentation of the Big Check! Please make an effort to be at the ReStore at 11:30 during the shift change. This is when we'll present our big check to Habitat for $10,000. Our District Governor will be in atteendance as well.
Feb 1, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM (2 shifts with shift change starting at 11:30) - Final clean, staging, and touch-up of the old office on 70th Street

NEXT METRO CLUB SOCIAL - MOODRIGHT'S

We'll see you on Jan 28 at 5:30 PM at Savannah's only Duckpin bowling bar. If you want to get there earlier and jump on some Happy Hour bowling, it starts at 4 and ends at 6 PM for $3 per person. Did you guys know there's a Beggars Banquet on the menu? For $20, you get a beer, a slushie, pack of cigs, and 2 games for $20?! I know where my next munch date is!

IF YOUR NAME ISN'T...

Leigh Acevedo, Darron Alvord, Cecilia Arango, Jamie Arkins, Bret Bell, Kelley Boyd, Jeff Brady, Sam Carroll, Danny Chase, Jordan Chase, Chris Corey, Kristen Crawley, Patton Dugas, Denise Grabowski, Will Gruver, Jasmine Mills, Sara Holton, Justin Hummel - homeboy doesn't even live here, Reshma Johnson, Suzanne Kirk, Anna Kuhlke-Lee, Denise McCoy, William McIntosh, Orlando Montoya, Jason Nielubowicz, Cari Phelps, Patrick Phelps, Jeanine Roach, Ben Singer, Whitney Shephard, Florence Slatinsky, Liza Smith, Jason Somers, Julie Wade, Daniel Weiner, Josh Yates THEN

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR

We're currently at 52% and we need to be at 100%! What does this mean? It means your deadline to contribute to the Foundation is FEBRUARY 29TH! What if we don't make EREY?

BRET SAYS, "NOT ON MY WATCH!"

Go here: https://metrosavannahrotary.org/ and select "Foundation" in the blue menu bar:

Or, go directly to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

Select your cause in which you'd like to support.

Donate a minimum of $50 in order to qualify for your every Rotarian every year contribution "EREY". Consider selecting a recurring donation for automatic annual contributions.

Please do not forget to SIGN IN, if you've forgotten your password, create a new one. If you have not signed up to the website, do so. Recognition will only occur if you sign in.

https://my.rotary.org/en/document/contribution-form-rotary-foundation

Nominated Guests

We introduce to you our three in the New Member Process:

LEVEL 1-5: George Seaborough (level 1), sponsored by Ariana Berksteiner and Whitney Shephards with Cynthia Mullally as Membership Liaison, is the Coordinator/Executive Director for Chatham Savannah Citizen Advocacy. He's a Savannah native and is married to Youth Minister, Tyneise Seaborough. They have a 4-year-old daughter named Sabera. He graduated from Savannah High and holds a B.S. in Political Science with a minor in Education and a Master’s of Public Administration from Savannah State University. A member of Branded Hearts International Church and President of Twickenham Neighborhood Association, George has served in leadership roles as a Union Organizer for SEIU, Field Director for Young Democrats of Georgia, Interim Director of SSU Community Future Corporation, Loan Associate for United Way, and Freshman Experience Professor at Savannah State University. In his spare time, he has led high school students on several college road trips to South Carolina and throughout Georgia, served as a volunteer adviser to help students prepare for the Harvard Model United Nations competition, and educated students on the political process of campaigns.

Sarah Smith, sponsored by Jamie Smith Arkins, is the Director of Digital Content and Marketing at WTOC. She started her career in television and has worked in numerous fields, including the arts, retail, and healthcare, but the magnetic pull of the universe clearly wants her in media. Sarah has proudly served on the Board of The Matthew Reardon Center for Autism for six years and is a previous Chairman. She is also involved in her daughters' school, where she is the Communications Chairman for the PTA and President of the School Council. She loves attending Christ Church Episcopal and helps with the children's chapel team. Mostly though, Sarah loves being with her husband, Solomon, and daughters, Abigail (10) and Nora (8). If she had endless time and money, Sarah would spend her days traveling the globe, drinking, eating, taking pictures, and experiencing new cultures. She has a degree in English and Fine Arts from Vanderbilt University, a Master's Degree in Art History from the University of Georgia, and a Certificate of Language and Culture from the Catholic University in Angers, France. Sarah is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Savannah.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

DJ Spisso announced a new women's soccer franchise coming soon to Savannah! The new Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) will have its inaugural season in Savannah! The Savannah Spirit Soccer Club will play its games at Memorial Stadium as part of the WPSL Carolina Conference, Southern Division and is looking to partner with non-profits to help with game day events, as well as give back to their organization. Additionally, the Club has sponsorship opportunities that include Match tickets and VIP events. Please contact DJ at 912-224-8218 (for a good time) and more information.
Jamie Smith Arkins bragged on Dr. Morrow's grand opening of Eye Sight and won a pair of awesome polarized sunglasses!
Kelley Waldron bragged on Laura Lee Bocade for assisting St. Andrew School with its strategic initiatives!
Cari Clark Phelps is hiring a Marketing Manager for Clark Creative! Know any good people, please send them Cari's way!
Florence Slatinsky bragged on SEDA's annual meeting!
Jasmine Mills is now married!
Whitney Shephard Yates is calling for Metro Readers! Come grow our #CommunityReadingSquad and join us at Brock Elementary on Wednesdays at 10 AM. You can read once a month or more. Email Whitney if you're interested. It's a small commitment with a BIG impact on our youngest community members!
George Seaborough invites you for Oysters on the Bluff at the lovely Isle of Hope Marina on Sun, Jan 26 from 3-6 PM to benefit Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy. There'll be artwork by Brittany Curry with InkyBrittany. Come and enjoy oysters, chili, hot dogs, beer, wine, and music. Cost: $35 per person in advance rain or shine. $45 per person at the door. Children under 13 are free. Sponsors include Georgia Ports Authority, Port City Logistics, Isle of Hope Marina, Gerald's Pig and Shrimp on Tybee, Team Callahan at Keller Williams Realty, Bouhan Falligant LLP, FPC of Savannah, Jon and Kimberly Pannell, The Patel Law Firm, David Lock, Twinkle Jewelry in City Market, Bonitz of Georgia, Mahany Construction Company, Royal Restrooms, Engel & Völkers Savannah, Hughes Public Affairs, 3PL Worx Logistics, Quentin Marlin, Michael M. Dobbs & Associates Insurance, Simply Children's Dentistry, Carroll Construction Company, Empire Logistics, Huey's on the River, Bezilla Kinney Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors... and more sponsors to come! Call 912-236-5798 for sponsorship opportunities.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Ellen Harris (Ethos Preservation), former Metrotarian and guest of Cari Clark Phelps
Julie Moore (Savannah Yoga Center), guest of Kelley Boyd
Joey Odom (DIRTT), guest of Laura Lee Bocade
John Rodman (CRM Attorneys), guest of Lee Perry
David Slatinsky (USI Insurance), guest and husband of Florence Slatinsky

Nominated Guests

As a part of the New Member process, guests with interest in joining Metro are asked to submit a bio so we can share with the club. This is our time to learn more about our future members! If you have any questions about the prospective member's status, please reach out to Membership Chair, Cari Clark Phelps. We want to ensure our process IS FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED. Happy reading!

George Seaborough, sponsored by Whitney Shephards, is the Coordinator/Executive Director for Chatham Savannah Citizen Advocacy. He's a Savannah native and is married to Youth Minister, Tyneise Seaborough. They have a 4-year-old daughter named Sabera. He graduated from Savannah High and holds a B.S. in Political Science with a minor in Education and a Master’s of Public Administration from Savannah State University. A member of Branded Hearts International Church and President of Twickenham Neighborhood Association, George has served in leadership roles as a Union Organizer for SEIU, Field Director for Young Democrats of Georgia, Interim Director of SSU Community Future Corporation, Loan Associate for United Way, and Freshman Experience Professor at Savannah State University. In his spare time, he has led high school students on several college road trips to South Carolina and throughout Georgia, served as a volunteer adviser to help students prepare for the Harvard Model United Nations competition, and educated students on the political process of campaigns.

Erika Morrow, M.S., O.D., sponsored by Cindy Mullally, is a Colorado native, one of eight children, and has 17 nieces/nephews. She is happily married to her husband, Brian, since 2009, and they have two dogs. They relocated to Savannah in 2017 for her husband's career at Gulfstream. They enjoy traveling, camping, hiking, and frequenting the local establishments of Savannah. Erika attended the University of Colorado at Denver and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2012. She went on to pursue her Doctorate of Optometry and Masters of Vision Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she graduated with honors in 2016. After falling in love with the Savannah area, Erika opened her own eye care practice in the historic district, ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear. She provides full service eye care services and has a wonderfully unique optical. She is the president for the First District Georgia Optometric Association and a member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Chamber.

Announcements

HOLIDAY SOCIAL

It's time to get festive! You're invited to Metro's Holiday Social on Wed, Dec. 18th from 5:30-7:30 PM at Savoy Society (102 E Liberty Street, Suite 109). Join your Metro BFFs as we toast the brand new Savoy Society lounge. There'll be cocktails, wine, beer, and munchies.

Speaking of Munchies....

Munch Much?

Thanks everyone for signing up for a Munch-date with your Metro fam! It's not too late if you still want to munch, please email Liza Smith and she'll hook you up (heeeheeeeheeeheee).

Here's the gist:

Put your name on the list (email Liza)
Matchmaker Liza will match you up with two or three others
Your crew will have one month to make Munch happen
Post a pic on FB and tag Metropolitan Savannah Rotary because #PicsOrItDidntHappen
Get an attendance credit

ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Congratulations to Elizabeth Summerell on completing the requirements to become inducted into the Metro Savannah Rotary family!

MIKE NADEAU'S CLASSIFICATION TALK

Fun facts about Mike:

Owns Fleet Feet Savannah, sells "the experience", and is opening a second location in Pooler
Quit smoking on his 40th birthday and started running
Was in the Air Force for almost 9 years and worked in Intelligence (tell him secrets and he won't spill the beans)
Completed 3 ultra marathons, 4 Ironman competitions, and is currently training for another ultra marathon
GO GATORS! (even named his bulldog "Gator")
Worked in the beverage industry - Red Bull
Sits on the Bike Walk Savannah, Savannah Sports Council, and a Racing Committee with the City
Suffers from hair dyslexia (it took 18 months to grow his luscious beard)

METRO SOCIAL AT TWO TIDES BREWERY

We had an awesome turn-out at our last social at Two Tides! We look forward to seeing you at our next one on Wed, Dec. 18th!

SPEAKERS

Jami Murray is the Sales & Marketing Manager of Coastal Home Care, which is going through a transition right now. The firm was locally-owned and is now part of Chicago-based Help-at-Home. They are currently rebranding. Jami spoke to the club about various options for our aging loved ones, offering services such as the Medical Alert System (you know it better as "I've fallen and I can't get up!"), in-home care services, home health services, assisted living/personal care home, inpatient rehabilitation, long-term care/nursing home, and hospice care.

Lauren Criukshanks with Inspiritus informed the club on the many refugee assistance services they offer right here in Savannah, including resettlement, social adjustment, cultural orientation, employment, matching grant, and refugee school impact grant. They assist hundreds of refugees each year on the path to citizenship. Inspiritus aims to help refugees achieve economic self-sufficiency, integrate successfully into their new communities and country, and strive for citizenship.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Sam Carroll wants to remind you to bring a $25 Kroger gift Card to Tuesday's Club Assembly for the Tiny Homes residents - you'll receive a Service Credit!
Erika Morrow is hosting a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 4-7 PM (with ribbon cutting starting at 5:30 PM) for the newly opened ForSight, located in a newly restored building at 350 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd - diagonal from the newly renovated Enmarket. ForSight was restored and decorated using reclaimed materials from Emergent Structures and other local businesses, including Forsyth Metalworks, Miracle Method, Brooks Construction, and 18Loves. Raffle tickets will be sold at the door for $10 each or 5 for $40 for a chance to win an Apple Watch, $100 Visa Gift Card, prescription eyeglass lens vouchers, free frames, INVU & Maui Jim Sunglasses, and gift cards for local small businesses.. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Savannah Center for Blind and Low Vision as they work on building a walking path.
Cindy Mullalyy bragged on her good experience working with Dr. Ericka Morrow at ForSight!
Julie Wade bragged on Josh & Whitney Shephard Yates for hosting a fundraiser at Green Truck for Park Place Outreach!
Lee Perry bragged that Savannah State University won the SIAC conference! Picked to finish late at SIAC Media Days, the Tigers football team used it as motivation and rolled over the number two team in the division, Fort Valley State, notching a 53-24 win in front of the home crowd, solidifying their spot atop the SIAC East. Lee is working on putting together a social to watch an upcoming SSU basketball game.
Liza Smith says for those who signed up for Munch, you'll be assigned a date soon! She's trying to schedule them all out instead of doing it all at one time.
Darron Alvord is participating in Interfaith Light the World and shared a gentle reminder for us all to bless others during this holiday season
Leigh Acevedo shared that her house on 604 Johnston Street is lit up in Christmas lights. Come drive by and see the Acevedo's festival of lights!
Anne Kuhlke Lee bragged on Daniel Weiner for being awesome and helping her out with some construction work!

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Suzanne Ansley (Camp Sunshine), guest of DJ Spisso
Stephanie Irwin (Camp Sunshine), guest of DJ Spisso
Amber Bradshaw (Best Version Media), guest of Jeff Brady
Allison Falkenberry (Otium), guest of Cindy Mullally
Laura Sparks (Ashley Business Solutions), guest of Jordan Chase
Erika Morrow (ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear)
John Rodman (CRM Attorneys), guest of Lee Perry

We Don't Want Y'all's Babies!

Janice Alexander, Customer/Constituent Services Manager with the GA Dept of Human Resources, gave a little lively humor and educational talk on what all the GA Dept of Human Services does for our community and the one takeaway we all took with us was that DFACs does not want our babies - one of the common myths spread about the service. She helps spread DHS' mission - Stronger families for a Stronger GA and talked to us about the various programs they offer, including Aging Services, Child Support, and Family & Children Services. They aim at helping people become self sufficient and making sure children are safe. DHS understands and believes that children do better at home with their parents.

Janice states that "people want to do better and they just need a little help," explaining that DHS makes efforts in lessening punishments and looks for better ways to make the system work. What was staggering to hear is that almost 60% of kids who live here in Chatham County and enter into the fostering system get placed outside of the County and away from their homes and their familiar surroundings. Their is a need for foster parents in the County and if you or someone you know would live to get involved, please contact DHS.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Cari Clark Phelps bragged on her donors for her Facebook birthday fundraiser that started at a goal of $300 and raised almost $1,000 for school children in India. She's going to research to see if it can be matched for a total of $2,000! As a note, when you donate to Facebook, there are no fees!
Julie Wade wants you aware that November is National Runaway Prevention Month! She also gave a shout-out to Cecilia Arango for being accepted into Leadership Georgia (side note: Julie nominated Cecilia) and also gave a shout-out to Thomas & Hutton for its Jeans Day helping raise $1,000 for Park Place Outreach!
DJ Spisso bragged on everyone who voted and then threw out Bret Bell for Mayor 2020!
Florence Slatinsky bragged on Ariana Berksteiner and Emmaus House's Empty Bowl Fundraiser and everyone who came out to support!
Bret Bell bragged on the exciting Arena project and also the first phase of Tide to Town and gave a shout-out to Denise Grabowski on being part of the team with contractor, Perkins & Will.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Tim Cone (Georgia Tech)
Elaine Ceccacchi (Engel Volkers)
Erika Morrow (ForSight Unique Eye Care & Eye Wear)

Announcements

unch Much?

Thanks everyone for signing up for a Munch-date with your Metro fam! It's not too late if you still want to munch, please email Liza Smith and she'll hook you up (heeeheeeeheeeheee).

Here's the gist:

Put your name on the list (email Liza)
Matchmaker Liza will match you up with two or three others
Your crew will have one month to make Munch happen
Post a pic on FB because #PicsOrItDidntHappen
Get an attendance credit

We are at 28% EREY status! Please make your additional (or more) $50 donation to Rotary Foundation for year-end giving.

Did y'all see the Polio stories in the last issue of the Rotarian? If not, please do and here's a story that hits close to home - did you know that Whitney Shephard Yates' mom had polio and spent almost a year in a hospital when she was very little? Whitney remembers thinking it was especially terrible that her mom hated chocolate because all of her medicine was chocolate-flavored in the hospital! Anything bad enough to make you hate chocolate has to be horrible!

Elizabeth Sommerll gave a Classification Talk. Here's a little bit of what we learned:

- She's a Wake Forest graduate (7-1 Woo!)

- Moved to Savannah 4 years ago and is from Northern Virginia

- Her family used to own and operate a winery in Virginia

- Plays kickball for the Pooler Plantains team

- Serves as Treasurer for a few local non-profits in town and serves as Finance Director for Junior League

- As an auditor, she hasn't dealt with any shady dealings to report to any Board of Directors

- DOES NOT DO TAXES!!

Thank you to Alfred McGuire for sending us action shots of Laura Lee Bocade with DIRTT as a guest speaker for the Woodville Tompkins Interact Club!

About DIRTT: DIRTT is a building process powered by technology. They’re changing the face of construction with industry-leading software and advanced manufacturing. Complete interior spaces are built faster, cleaner and more sustainably. DIRTT removes the guesswork with the power of ICE technology.

Looping Literacy Together, a literacy reading project with Loop It Up Savannah and Otis Brock Elementary, kicks off now! Thanks to our Metrotarians who are volunteering an hour out of their day to help read to Pre-K and Kindergarten classes!

"Head"ed to the "Mills" - Congratulations to Jasmine Head, now Jasmine Mills, who married her partner for life, Brandi Mills. We wish you a lifetime of love, light, and laughter!

Newsworthy Metrotarians

Metrotarians in the news:

Julie Wade, Whitney Shephard Yates, and Josh Yates (Savannah Morning News) collaborated on Park Place, Green Truck raising awareness of runaway prevention
Julie Wade and Park Place Outreach (Savannah Morning News) with Bank of America naming Park Place in its new community investment program
Julie Wade (Savannah Morning News) won't seek re-election for the District 1 SCCPS board. If you're interested in running for District 1, come to Coffee Deli on Nov. 20th to learn more.

Bret's Top 10

We hope everyone had a spooky Halloween! Here's a rundown of Bret's Top 10 Metro Halloween Costumes!

10. Darron Alvord as the Sadist Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors

9. Josh and Whitney as this.

8. Jenny N Cecilia as Salt N Pepa

7. Reshma as Salsa (to her Chip)

6. Robert McCorkle as Sasquatch

5. Until he got too damn hot and changed into his backup Avett Brothers Superfan costume

4. Lee Beckmann as a Sexy Nurse

3. Bea and Liza as this terrible movie

2. Chris Corey as Madman, Don Draper

1. Orlando Montoya as The King

Nominated Guests

As a part of the New Member process, guests with interest in joining Metro are asked to submit a bio so we can share with the club. This is our time to learn more about our future members! If you have any questions about the prospective member's status, please reach out to Membership Chair, Cari Clark Phelps. We want to ensure our process IS FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED. Happy reading!

Nominated Guests

Bret's Top 10

Here's a rundown of Bret's Top 10 Things Observed at House Party for Habitat!

10. Whitney and Jeanine are evil and were the cause of your Wednesday-morning hangover.

9. The ladies could not resist Josh's tidy, all-business, one-piece jumpsuit.

8. All Rotarians are terrible at Giant Jenga and were thrilled when Bret awkwardly ruined the game.

7. The Metro ladies looked like they could kick most of the guys' butts.

6. Except for these guys, who are totally bad-ass

5. Metro clearly needs to begin recruiting more engineers.

4. These guys looked a little like Bert and Ernie.

3. Bret Bell is the greatest talent of his generation.

2. Professional bubble machine created a magical dreamscape that blurred the line between fantasy and reality.

1. Jordan and Jamie will be planning all future Metro parties until further notice.

For She's a Jolly Good Fellow

Brother, brother, brother! We're at 26% EREY! Say your prayers, take your vitamins, and congratulate Whitney Shephard for earning her Paul Harris x 4 and an extra sapphire added to her pin meaning she's donated $4,000 to Rotary's annual fund, PolioPlus, or the Humanitarian Grants program. We have 3 Paul Harris Fellows, including Robert McCorkle (+8) and Darron (+4).

Stan Deaton's Three Pivotal Elections that Didn't Feature Donald Trump

Stan Deaton sure knows how to grab our attention weaving in humor and history! Stan is the Senior Historian at the Georgia Historical Society, where he's worked since 1998. An Emmy-winning writer and host of Today in Georgia History, Stan spoke to the club on 3 pivotal and contentious elections in the 20th century (that didn't feature Donald Trump) - 1928 with Al Smith and Herbert Hoover, 1960 with JFK and Nixon, and 1964 with Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Follow his blog - Off the Deaton Path! I vote we bring Stan back, feed him a few glasses of wine, and ask for a Drunk GA History session! Who's in?!

Meet GRSP Student - Ariela Samour

Meet our newest GRSP student, Ariela Samour, from El Salvador! She's one of 50 students who come to Georgia each year to attend our universities. These students are selected by Rotary Clubs around the world and must be academically qualified, speak fluent English, able to afford the air fare and cost of medical insurance. Ariela is interested in business administration and hopes to be able to form her own company. She's a member of Interact and the Key Club and her hobbies are photography and art.

Suzy Wallace will serve as our Metro Liaison with Ariela. Please let Suzy know of any events that would be a good experience for Ariela.

Raise the Roof, Y'all!

Let's raise the roof on yet another highly successful Metro fundraiser! No one throws a party like we do! Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, and silent auction partners who made the House Party for Habitat a great event! A huge thank you goes out to our Planning Committee coordinated by Jordan Chase and Jamie Arkins!

Jordan announced at the meeting that we raised - $16,000!

Newsworthy Metrotarians

Metrotarians in the news:

Ariana Berksteiner featured in Savannah Morning News for the Empty Bowl fundraiser on raising hunger awareness
Cecilia Arango featured in Georgia Trend as one of the state's Top 40 Under 40
Michael McLeod featured in Savannah Morning News on celebrating National Financial Planning Month

Newsworthy Metrotarians

Metrotarians in the news:

Denise Grabowski on WTOC talking to Savannah City Council on master plan laying out the future of Savannah - "We are asking Council to recognize the legacy we have inherited here in Savannah, and to plan for the future legacy of for our community." - D. Grabowski
Denise Grabowski on GPB's Political Rewind talking about the exciting connectivity project, Tide to Town
Cari Clark Phelps awarded 2019 Savannah Magazine's Best of Savannah - Best Graphic Designer
Cecilia Arango featured in Savannah Morning News for her selection as Chairman of the Girls on the Run Fall 2019 5K Committee

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

MIke Muldowney, District 6920 Governor
Elizabeth Summerell
Kelli Weis
Sara Smith
Michael Johnson

A Visit from District Governor Mike Muldowney

District 6920 Governor Mike Muldowney has been involved with Rotary since 2001, when he joined the Rotary Club of St. Simons Island. Her served on the Club's Board of Directors from 2005-2007, as Club President from 2011-2012, and on the St. Simons Island Rotary Scholarship Fund from 2006-2015, becoming Chair from 2009-2015. Muldowney has earned the recognition of Bruce/Tharpe Fellow for his contributions to the Scholarship Fund, in addition to being a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Sustaining Member, and Will Watt Fellow.

According to Bret, here are the Top 10 Things Muldowney will do as our District Governor:

10. Quietly mass forces on the borders and begin assault of Districts 6900 and 6910

9. Dye mustache jet black as part of desperate strategy to get more young people to join Rotary.

8. Lobby Rotary International to add Irish Whiskey Tasting Tent at next RI Convention

7. Leave Metro a suitcase full of money at the end of this meeting

6. Make next spring's Jekyll Island All Clubs Conference "clothing-optional"

5. Forever ban all future District 6920 events from being held in Dublin

4. Overcome public speaking fear by utilizing ventriloquist routine and speaking through dummy named Mikey at Club visits

3. Direct all 6920 Clubs to abolish the 4-Way Test and replace with the following 1-Way Test: Will It Please Governor Mike?

2. Approach RI President Mark Maloney about forming Rotary branch of the Irish Mafia

1. Insist that all District 6920 Rotarians speak with a Cockney accent and greet Mike with "Ello Gov'na!"

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Lee Perry gave shout-outs and kudos to the planning team for a great House Party for Habitat fundraiser! Also, Go 49ers!!
Kelley Boyd whined about having to miss the House Party for Habitat! Some brags include her 4-month old shop, Ordinary Magic, is doing AWESOME! Come check it out on the corner of Bull & Anderson Street. It's great for finding the perfect birthday, employee, hostess, boss gifts.
Leigh Acevedo has the perfect rental find for you! She has a rental available - 3 BR/1.5 Bath house in Forrest Hills (Skidaway & DeRenne) for $1300/month. Pet(s) negotiable. Huge fenced-in backyard, updated kitchen, and nearby park - all in a quiet centrally located neighborhood. Spread the word!
Whitney Shephard is looking for Metro readers to join the #CommunityReadingSquad with Loop It Up! Molly Lieberman with Loop It Up is scheduling volunteers at Brock Elementary for our weekly reading (you'll only need to commit to once per month. If you can swing twice a month, even better!) If you'd like to join the Squad, please fill out this form and you'll be contacted to read.
Jessica Pedigo wants you to send her any sponsorship requests if you have them - don't forget to add your pitch! Sterling Seacrest is taking a look at their budget now so if you want $$, send in your requests!
Jamie Arkins announced that there'll be a Habitat for Humanity Women's Build Happy Hour Wine Event taking place on November 14th at the Savannah Wine Cellar from 5:30-7 PM. RSVP to development@habitatsavannah.org if you plan to attend. They'll cover your first glass of wine. Also, come out and support Sunrise Rotary's Trick or Trot 5K that will be happening on Sat, October 26th starting at the Islands YMCA at 8 AM.

Brags, Finds, & Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Whitney Shephard invites you to Deep in the Streets, a fall fiesta and fundraiser for the Deep Center, on Sat, Oct. 26th from 5-8 PM on Desoto Avenue next to Starland Yard. Green Truck will be among the food caterers.
Whitney Shephard held a fundraiser for Hurricane Dorian relief efforts on Mon, Sept 23. The restaurant donated 10% to Rotary's on-the-ground disaster recovery campaign run by local Rotarians in the affected areas.
Bret Bell bragged on the City of Savannah's groundbreaking for the $165 million arena project held on Sept. 13th
Sam Caroll bragged on a successful "Wish List" drive for Habitat for Humanity. 14 of our members participated and Sam delivered $350 worth of supplies and gift cards to Habitat for Humanity. Harold and his Habitat were very appreciative.
Cecilia Arango brags on Orlando Montoya and Jamie Smith Arkins for all their help on gathering all the information for Rotary Repeats!

Announcements

ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Patrick Phelps assisted District 6920 Governor, Mike Muldowney, in pinning the Rotary emblem on Reshma Shah Johnson, Metro's newest member (one of us! One of Us! ONE OF US!) Muldowney reminded all members that Reshma is now also the newest member of 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide! You can now find the process for new members (and sponsors) available at the front check-in. Thanks to the Membership Committee for helping with this process.

PAUL HARRIS FELLOW

Patrick Phelps helped recognize Kathleen Wells as our latest Paul Harris Fellow.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

Congratulations to Justin Hummel and his new bride, Kim! They got married on Aug 14th in California. He says he misses us dearly!

District 6920 Governor Mike Muldowney explained the history and purpose of the CART buckets and encouraged donations of loose change or dollar bills to support Alzheimer's research. Every penny raised goes directly to research, while other funds are used for administration.

ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE SUNSHINE DIVISION: "Building a Better Rotary thru Education"

Registration closes today (9/27) for Parts 1, 2, 3, and a special Graduate Class for the next District 6920 RLI that will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5th (7:30 AM - 3:30 PM) at the Oconee Fall-Line Technical College Campus in Dublin, GA. Some of the interesting leadership topics that will be discussed include Membership Engagement, Analyzing Your Rotary Club, Strategic Planning, Service Projects, Effective Leadership Strategies and the History of Rotary. A special Graduate Class on “Transforming Your Club” will also be offered for those Rotarians that have completed Graduation of RLI.

RAISE THE ROOF FOR HABITAT - FALL FUNDRAISER

Suzanne Kirk announced the change of date (Thanks Dorian!) to Tues, Oct. 8th at 6 PM at 402 E. Broughton Street. The theme will be a Kid n' Play house party with DJ Jose Ray, jello shots, and a construction-attire costume contest! We're still seeking sponsors and volunteers with attendance credit given to both. Sign up to volunteer here! Also, we're looking for items for the Silent Auction and need your help and we'll pay you in make-up credits! While all types of auction items are welcomed, we've found in the past our most in-demand items are usually shared experienced building goodwill and better friendships with fellow club members! Some ideas of what we're looking for:

Host a cocktail party or happy hour at your home. Have a pool? Pool party! Like to grill? Have a gameday cookout!
Go in with other rotarians as a group to host a progressive dinner or dock party!
Have an awesome backyard? Consider hosting a BBQ, oyster roast, or lowcountry boil!
Have a boat? Consider auctioning off a sunset cruise or fishing trip!
Have an awesome talent, hobby, or skill you can share with others? Auction off a private lesson or session!
Have a short-term vacation rental or beach house? Auction off a weekend!
Have a pinball collection? Host a pinball party! (can you tell Josh Yates came up with this list?)

If you can't host an event, we appreciate you wrangling in some sweet prizes like festival passes, gift cards, art, and more. Contact Josh Yates if you have some goodies!

Thanks to Cari Clark Phelps for designing the graphic for the Fall fundraiser and thanks to Kacey Kennickell for printing it!

GEORGIA ROTARY STUDENT PROGRAM (GRSP)

District 6920 Governor Mike Muldowney explained the history and purpose of GRSP and encouraged volunteers to support Metro's student designate, Ariella Samour, an Armstrong student, with activities such as rides and help navigating her time in Savannah.

Whitney Shephard announced further details regarding Metro's partnership with Loop It Up Savannah, one of our past annual service partners. During this partnership, Metro Rotary has adopted Brock Elementary for our Loop It Up reading. We've committed to getting book boxes made and filled with books, as well as reading in classes. We are welcoming volunteers to read once a month to a pre-K or K class. According to Molly L., Brock has three Pre-K Classes and five K classes this year. This means if we are going to start everyone with the weekly readers component all at once, we would be looking for 32 readers - or folks to fill 32 slots-- maybe some people might do more than one. Kindergarten has reading/literacy time between 11:15-1:15, which we thought would be a good time frame for readers to come if they were trying to combine this with their lunch hour. Pre-K could possibly be between 12-1 since the kids nap at 1:00. But if there were Rotarians who could come earlier than lunch time, we might want to move the Pre-K readers to between 10:15 - 11. I think we are open on which day of the week this all happens.

Please email Whitney if you're interested in reading! If you are interested and are not yet approved through Operation Beacon, fill out the background check paperwork for Operation Beacon here: https://spwww.sccpss.com/aa/sp/beacon/Pages/default.aspx - at some point in this there will be a drop down where you can select an organization you are affiliated with and you should select Loop It Up.

INTERACT SPEAKERS NEEDED!

Bret Bell shared information on behalf of Bea Saba who is coordinating Metro's Interact Club, which is a Rotary Club for young people. It takes place once a month at Woodville Tompkins High School. Saba encourages you to consider speaking to the Interact members who are interested in all kinds of careers, but especially those in the career pathways that include architecture/construction, business and computer science, culinary arts, education, engineering and technology, family and consumer science, government and public service, healthcare services, and marketing, sales, and service. We have agreed to provide speakers for Oct. 23, Feb 5, and March 5th. Thank you to Jason Somers for being our first Metrotarian to speak to about 40 students on the construction industry. Jason discussed safety (OSHA 10 hour class) and soft skills (importance of showing up on time, communication, follow-through with promises/commitments).

METRO SOCIAL - CANDIDATE MEET & GREET

While Rotary International, as well as our own club, are decidedly NON-POLITICAL, local politics and policy affect us all. Because so many of our members are not only impacted by, but also engaged and interested in City of Savannah politics, and because many candidates have reached out and expressed interest in connecting with our club, we extended an invitation to all registered candidates for the upcoming local elections to join for an informal networking social at the Top Deck rooftop bar at the Cotton Sail. Thanks to everyone who came out!

One of Us! One of Us! One of Us!

Patrick Phelps assisted District 6920 Governor, Mike Muldowney, in pinning the Rotary emblem on Reshma Johnson, Metro's newest member (one of us! One of Us! ONE OF US!) Muldowney reminded all members that Reshma is now also the newest member of 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide! You can now find the process for new members (and sponsors) available at the front check-in. Thanks to the Membership Committee for helping with this process.

Announcements

MUNCH - METRO LUNCH

Liza Smith announced a new Metro Rotary program called "Munch" (Metro Lunch) ... name may change because well, because we're all still 14 at heart. I see and hear you snickering right now (...and I like it!) Regardless, this is just another opportunity for all of us to get to know one another and Metro better. Metrotarians will be set up on small group lunch dates that will count towards attendance as long as a picture is taken because #PicsOrItDidntHappen

ASP SERVICE PROJECT - HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Metrotarians provided butt sweat and tears at our first ASP Service Project for Habitat for Humanity. We worked on Habitat's headquarters on 70th Street on Saturday, Aug 24th to help prepare it to sell on the market. We helped repair and paint the wooden fence, trimmed branches and bushes, pressure washed the house, and helped repair the stairs and ramp. Habitat has outgrown this space and is planning to relocate to the Restore property on MLK. Thank you all for volunteering your time!

Congratulations to Jamie Smith Arkins on winning a prize package for becoming the first Metrotarian to complete an annual Rotary Foundation contribution. The club is looking for 100% and you have an entire year to do it, but since the new Rotary year has just begun, any contribution that you made before now is for the old Rotary year. Jamie's prize package was a Bloody Mary mix. Hell yeah.

JK...YOU TOTES CAN. LET'S HAVE MUNCH! (Cody is totes snickering at this....)

Cari Clark Phelps announced that the Membership Committee is considering consolidating the membership process for new members. The change still has to be approved by the board. It's not so much a change as a consolidation of many steps into fewer steps. Contact the Membership Committee as early in the process as possible for more information if you believe you or someone you know would like to become a member. Bret Bell's goal is to add 6 new members this Rotary year.

FIZZICAL FITNESS

Metro's Social on Tuesday, August 27th was brought to us by our very own Metrotarian, Kelley Boyd with Savannah Yoga Center! We had a nice yoga session followed by drinks at White Whale. Check out our "Rogis"!

ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE SUNSHINE DIVISION: "Building a Better Rotary thru Education"

Registration is now open to all Rotarians for Parts 1, 2, 3, and a special Graduate Class for the next District 6920 RLI that will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5th (7:30 AM - 3:30 PM) at the Oconee Fall-Line Technical College Campus in Dublin, GA. Some of the interesting leadership topics that will be discussed include Membership Engagement, Analyzing Your Rotary Club, Strategic Planning, Service Projects, Effective Leadership Strategies and the History of Rotary. A special Graduate Class on “Transforming Your Club” will also be offered for those Rotarians that have completed Graduation of RLI.

Brags, Finds and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Whitney Shephard is calling all her runner friends! Who wants to be in a posse of 5K or 10K runners to support GRSP? Whitney's running the 10K for Savannah Sunrise Rotary's Trick or Trot event on Sat, Oct. 19th. There's already one metro team, but it'd be fun to have more! $35 for the 10K and $25 for the 5K. If enough people sign up, Whitney may be reviving the Hulk Hogan costume! Um...there may be burgers after the race. SIGN ME UP, brother!
Orlando Montoya celebrated his 20th Savannahversary on Fri, Aug 23rd at Edgar's Proof and Provision
Bret Bell announced a City of Savannah master plan workshop for the Canal District held on Thur, Aug 22 at the Coastal Georgia Center
Jenny Woodruff is excited that she found child care!
Cari Clark Phelps is excited about an upcoming trip to LaCoste France

Newsworthy Metrotarians

Metrotarians in the news:

Jason Nielubowicz was recognized by Judge Realty as Top Producer for July 2019
Robert McCorkle was recognized by Savannah Magazine with a feature on his house, formerly that of Johnny Mercer, in a recent issue

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Steven & Jessica Alford, new Savannah residents - Steven worked in PR in Texas and Jessica's joining WTOC as on-air reporter, Jessica Savage
Kelli Weis, Sotheby's International Realty
Karen Terry, Memorial Health
Laura Sparks, Ashley's Business Solutions
Melinda Fradley, Savannah Children's Choir

Tim Cone Building Up Some STEAM/STEM

Tim Cone, Program Director for Georgia Institute of Technology's Savannah Campus' Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computer (CEISMC) taught manufacturing, robotics, and engineering at Savannah's Woodville Thompkins Technical and Career High School, where he was recognized as Savannah Chatham County District High School Teacher of the Year in 2014. He is also the co-founder of Maven Makers. His role is now building STEM/STEAM in the public schools. He verified his geek status by showing his socks featuring BB-8, a droid character who appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker.

The force is strong with this one.

Announcements

NEW BOARD, WHO DIS?

Check out our new 2019-2020 board! Can you believe this photo shoot was organized in 2 days and everyone showed up?! On top of that - in 100-degree weather?! I secretly gave myself the Sally Field's "They Really Like Me" speech as I walked to my car drenched in sweat. Thanks for your cooperation, you beautiful people, you!

Metro's Board of Directors include:

President - Bret Bell
President Elect - Jessica Pedigo
Immediate Past President - Whitney Shephard
Treasurer - Cody Tharpe
Secretary - Will Gruver
Sergeant at Arms - Sara Holton
Service Chair: Sam Carroll
Foundation Chair: Patrick Phelps
Membership Chair: Cari Phelps
Communications Chair: Cecilia Arango
Directors at Large: Jason Nielubowicz, Liza Smith, Jordan Chase

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!

With Bret now at the helm, he would like to enrich Metro with the following:

Tacos
Top 10 Lists for everything
The 4-Way Test is now the 5-Way Test. Repeat after me - Of the things we think, say, or do,
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
5. **NEW** Will it be AWESOME?
Metro in the News Spotlights
Prezi please, let's make PPTs great again!
Your Facebook photos will need to be set to private and hidden unless you want them shared via PPT
But seriously, Bret's goals include:
- Increase the club size by 6 members
- Add more networking opportunities
- Every member does a service project
- Enhance Metro's stature in Savannah
- Make Metro More Awesome

EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY WITH LOOP IT UP

Rotary Area 1 clubs, including Metro, Sunrise, Savannah (Downtown),and Skidaway Island, will participate in early childhood literacy with Loop It Up as a sustained partnership with underserved schools. This will be an extension of the book box project we did a few years ago. We'll be doing book drives, reading to classes, etc. and the program will be focused on Pre-K and Kindergarten. If you're interested in helping, please contact Whitney Shephard!

SERVICE: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Next Service Opportunity - Annual Service Partnership:

August 24 - Habitat for Humanity. Two shifts available: 8:30 - 11:30 and 11:30 - 2:30 at 1106 E. 70th Street
- Some of the work that needs to be done include repairs to the fence and stairs, tree trimming, pressure washing, and painting. Please go online and sign waivers. We are looking for tools, trucks, and chop saws.
Fundraiser - come on out for Hops for Habitat at Coastal Empire Beer on Aug 24 from 7:00-9:00 PM to benefit Habitat for Humanity. There'll be live music from SOAP and food from Big Bon Pizza! Tickets are $35.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE UPDATE

Our Membership Committee will present our new streamlined New Member Process at our next meeting on Aug 20th! It's now a 5-step process.

Almost (New) Members include Elizabeth Summerell and Reshma Johnson
(Retired) Members include Jennifer Huskey (she is pursuing her endeavors in jewelry making), Josh Brooks (building an empire with Brooks Construction, but we'll see more of Josh as he chairs our ASP, Habitat for Humanity), and Jake Crawley (who is now working at Byrd Cookie Company)

JUST YOUR FRIENDLY ROTARY FOUNDATION REMINDER!

Patrick? It is me you're looking for? Log into My Rotary and see how much you've given. Hint: It should be $100. Metro has already committed to giving $50 on your behalf, now it's your turn to give your part (hint: $50).

Other creative ways to give is via social media. Facebook created 2 new non-profits - Rotary International and End Polio. Pick one of those and ask your friends and family to give!

SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

Thank you everyone who donated school supplies to help kids in need. Weslyn Mahogany Bowers, with Blessings in a Bookbag, Inc., was grateful for the supplies and will be distributing them to families she serves in the public school system.

Harold Tessendorf & Habitat for Humanity - Annual Service Partnership

Harold Tessendorf, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, talked to the club about its mission and how we will help their organization. The Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity subscribes to a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The organization brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Harold talked about the "American Dream" of being able to own a home and discussed Savannah and its surrounding areas' lack of affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity is an affordable homeownership ministry committed to partnering with low-income, working families to realize their dreams of owning quality, affordable, and energy-efficient homes in safe and revitalizing neighborhoods in Chatham County. As one of 1,600 affiliates in the US and part of Habitat for Humanity International, which is active in 70 countries around the world, Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity addresses the need for safe and affordable shelter both locally and around the world.

As part of our Annual Service Partnership, we will help prepare the existing office located on E. 70th Street to have it ready to sell on the market. The organization has outgrown this facility and needs a professional presence. The office will be relocated to the Restore property on MLK. The goal is to consolidate the office space and Restore to be in one facility. Please sign up for our first Service opportunity on Aug 24th!

Three Questions with Bea Saba

What do you do? I'm a librarian
How did you end up in Savannah? I moved to Savannah because I liked the weather. I'm used to the tropical temps.
What's one thing we don't know about you? I drive like a New Yorker. I grew up in the Bronx and am pretty sassy and rough, which means I'm very assertive when it comes to driving.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Stacy Cleveland, guest of Emily Burch
Valerie Kirk, daughter/guest of Suzanne Kirk
Sarah Smith, WTOC, guest of Jamie Smith Arkins
Alexis Spisso, daughter/guest of DJ Spisso
Karen Terry, Director of Operations at Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, guest of Jordan Chase
Hunt's Belly Hump, future child of Drew Hunt

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Julie Wade announced that Savannah/Chatham County Schools are back in session and thanked everyone who proudly says #wechoosepublicschool!
Denise Grabowski announced that she's going to be on NPR's Political Rewind on Aug 19th! Set your stations to the NPR Podcast and listen to the current political issues and hear from the decision makers.
DJ Spisso announced his new position over at the National Guard! Congrats!
Cecilia Arango announced that tickets for HAIR, THE AMERICAN TRIBAL-LOVE ROCK MUSICAL are still available. Thanks to Metrotarians, Jamie Smith Arkins and Daniel Weiner, who came out to support! This weekend is the final run of the show. Don't miss out! Check out this awesome review posted in Connect Savannah!
Liza Smith announced the Girls on the Run Pace-Setter concert featuring local female powerhouse musicians that took place on Sun, Aug 11th to raise money for scholarships for Girls on the Run!
Ann Kuhlke Lee announced her last day at SCAD! She has opened up her own therapy business and it's located near Green Truck!
Ariana Berksteiner announced the Aug 30th benefit, Feeding the Soul: Comedy Fundraiser, for Emmaus House. Front Porch Improv will host the event at Ghost Coast Distillery and will feature comedy and storytelling mix starring some of Savannah's most brilliant storytellers and improvisers telling true stories and witty comedic scenes.
Emily Salzer announced that she is no longer with the YMCA and has taken over Roger Moss' former position over at the Savannah Children's Choir. Congrats!
Leigh Acevedo announced that they are moving into a new house!

What is ShelterBox?

At first glance, it does look like a snippet from the Fyre Festival, but these are shelter boxes designed for actual real disaster relief for people who need it the most. Frank Spears spoke to us about ShelterBox - a global disaster relief charity (4-star on Charity Navigator) that provides immediate emergency shelter and other lifesaving aid to survivors of a disaster or humanitarian crisis. 83 million people around the world have been displaced by some sort of force. It's estimated to rise in staggering numbers over the next 20 years due to political instability around the world, in addition to natural disasters. These ShelterBoxes contain the tools to transform lives and rebuild communities. Each ShelterBox aid is tailored to each disaster and typically includes tented shelter, blankets and groundsheets, solar lights, cooking utensils, water purification equipment, a tool kit, mosquito nets, and children's activity packs. The work of ShelterBox is made possible through ongoing contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

We presented Frank our big check donation of $1,000 to ShelterBox!

And then took a selfie because pics or it didn't happen (ask them Fyre Fest suckers)!

Announcements

CHEERS TO WHITNEY SHEPHARD YATES!

This is the look of someone about to pass the gavel to the next Metro president! Here's a recap on how Metro (AKA Large Club of the Year) did this year with Whitney at the helm:

We gave!
- $296 per person to TRF
- 80% sustaining members
- 1 new Bequest Society member
- 1 new Benefactor
We worked!
- 26 service projects and counting
- 418 man hours of service and counting
We grew! (+1 member net)
We bragged!
- Media stories
- Newsletters, social media, and website

DISTRICT 6920 ANNOUNCEMENTS

District Governor, Margaret Jacob thanks you for your service, your support, and friendship and signs off with our District accomplishments for the year:

Saving Lives Through Medicine
- Opened its 5th clinic on June 13th in Augusta. Map International now supports 37 clinics due to Rotary's Inspiration
Global Grants supported by 6920 Foundation giving has provided
- American farmers in Puerto Rico the opportunity to grow their own food
- A well for genocide survivors in Uganda
- Wash stations for girls in India
- Safe haven for women in Nepal
- Water in every house in Haiti
- Women's health support in Guatemala
Feeding the Hungry throughout the District with the support of Back Pack Buddy, food banks, food drives, packing events, food baskets, and soup kitchens
Tiny Houses for homeless vets first section opened in Savannah and plans drawn for Brunswick
End Polio Now campaign has support
Effective July 1st, Rotary International will have online Grants Training available for all Rotarians
And support District Governor Elect, Mike, in his year with "Rotary Connects the World"

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR CHANGE IN MEETING DATE!

The first July meeting is July 9th (instead of July 2nd) due to the 4th of July holiday. It's a new year with a new board and....TACOS! Feliz Ano Nuevo Metro! Let's TACO about the different committees and how you can help! Also, Bret Bell sent everyone the Bylaws for new membership changes. A vote is required for that so please take a look at it. The budget for 19-20 will be also be sent out soon!

LET'S GET SOCIAL ON LITERACY AT MOON RIVER BREWERY - JUNE 25TH @ 5:30 PM!

Come on out to Moon River for our upcoming social for casual conversation and drinks with other Area 1 clubs, including Skidaway, Sunrise, and Savannah clubs! We'll have a presenter briefly discuss the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education in regards to working together for early literacy. We'll be set up inside south of the bar.

DISTRICT ASSEMBLY COMING UP - JULY 27TH

Coolio once said, "How we gon' git there? We ain't go no car!" Fret not, Whitney will take you on this fantastic voyage to Dublin, GA. Just let a sista know. Shout-outs to Will Gruver and Bret Bell who are planning on attending! Learn more about district service, Saving Lives with Medicine, the 10 Million Meal Challenge, and more!

DUES ARE DUE - JULY 1ST!

Invoices have been sent. Don't be that guy. Pay your dues for the 2019-2020 year so we can pay Rotary International!

SERVICE: FORSYTH FARMERS' MARKET

Sam Carroll received this sweet note from FFM Board Member, Laura Seifert. If you can't read the photo, Laura says," Thank you for your support of the Forsyth Farmers' Market Farm Picnic! We couldn't hold this event without our many fantastic volunteers, and the Rotary Club comes through every year. We appreciate you organizing the team! This year was our best Picnic yet. We exceeded our fundraising goal by about $1,700 and raised $3,300 more than last year. Thanks again for your (and all of the Rotary volunteers) help!"

Service dates to look out for:

June 29 - Loop It Up's A-Town MiniFest - there'll be 3 PM and later shifts
July 11 - Emmaus House

JUST YOUR FRIENDLY ROTARY FOUNDATION REMINDER!

Log into My Rotary and see how much you've given. Hint: It should be $100.

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Jordan Chase bragged on this year's TEDx Savannah and how inspiring it was! There were about 8 Metrotarians present at the event. You must check it out next year! Don't forget that our our very own, Laura Lee Bocade, sits on the TEDx Board.
Jamie Arkins bragged on Cari Clark Phelps for being named Savannah Chamber's 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year! Who knew you could be rewarded for being the "crazy" behind 3 businesses - Clark Creative Communications, Salacia Salts, and Faux Show Table Covers - as well as 2 community initiatives, Make Savannah and cSpot!
Leigh Acevedo bragged on being Mother of the Year as she whined about finding her 18th month old chilling in the toilet! #littleshit
Kelly Boyd wants you to know about Ordinary Magic, an offshoot of Savannah Yoga Center. It had a soft opening this past Friday, June 21st, to celebrate the Summer Solstice. Come by and visit to pick up some skin, hair, and face small batch products that are all female owned companies from around the US and Canada. The store will also carry medicinal herbal elixirs, adaptogen products, books, jewelry, rocks/minerals, tarot/oracle cards, and all your magical life needs!
Lee Beckmann brags on this year's Leadership Southeast Georgia program! He congratulates our very own, Laura Lee Bocade, from graduating Class of 2019! A big shout-out to Cecilia Arango who planned the Chatham County session on Health & Infrastructure; Suzanne Kirk as our site administrator; and tour guides and panelists, including Bret Bell, Whitney Shephard, and John Bennett.

And the Service Above Self Award Goes to....

DANIEL WEINER! Congratulations Daniel on showing all of us what "Service Above Self" means! He served as Annual Service Partner Chair and has contributed more than 30 hours of service (and bringing along his amazing wife, Kristin, to help)! We'd also like to give shout-outs to Jamie Arkins, Josh Yates, and Jason Somers for their commitment to service! On behalf of Metro, we made a donation to Rotary Foundation in Daniel's name.

And the Metro Member of the Year is...

SARA HOLTON! Congratulations to Sara who stepped up as Sgt at Arms and Program Committee Chair mid year LIKE A BOSS! She helped coordinate our location search in 2018 and has managed caterers, speakers, and members. In addition, she has handled all of our last minute texts, emails, and calls with such grace! On behalf of Metro, we made a donation to Rotary Foundation in Sara's name.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Laura Sparks, Sales Executive at Ashley Business Solutions, guest (and college roommate) of Jordan Chase
Karen Terry, Director of Operations at Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, guest of Jordan Chase

BREAKING NEWS!

Surveys are important. Thank you for taking time to fill out our Metro membership survey so we can improve and make our club better. The people (okay, so 1 out of 4 responses) have spoken. By far, this is pertinent information you all need to know.

Announcements

LET'S GET SOCIAL ON LITERACY!

Come on out to Moon River for our upcoming social for casual conversation and drinks with other Area 1 clubs! We'll have a presenter briefly discuss the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education in regards to working together for early literacy.

WHITNEY SHEPHARD YATES. THE LEGEND. THE LEGACY.

Only 2 meetings left and homegirl ain't playing. Whitney dropped a pop quiz on us to see if we could identify the 6 areas of focus! She's worked hard this rotary year in educating us Metrotarians on the different areas and how we've played a part in each focus. Good news! We just finished the paperwork and we'll be officially doing the Happy Schools project in India again for 2019-2020!

DISTRICT ASSEMBLY COMING UP - JULY 27TH

DUES ARE DUE!

Invoices have been sent. Don't be that guy. Pay your dues for the 2019-2020 year!

There's a Rabbi in the Haas!

Did you hear the one about the Rabbi? You know - the one about the native of McAllen, TX who disappointed his Jewish parents and didn't become a doctor or a lawyer, but chose instead to become an elementary school teacher? Yep, we're talking about Rabbi Robert Haas, the current 14th spiritual leader of Congregation Mickve Israel.

If you missed our last meeting, you missed a great history lesson (and comedy show - Rabbi Haas also does stand-up and was delivering one-liners throughout all of lunch) on quite the impressive Jewish history in Savannah since July 11,1733. 41 Jews intentionally arrived in Savannah and brought with them one of the first Torah scrolls written in the mid-1400s. Georgia was the only 1 of the 13 colonies to give Jews full rights, which consisted of a plot of land to farm, a house downtown, and arms - which was unheard of. They were well received because one of the Jews was a doctor who helped treat yellow fever at the time. Rabbi Haas also mentioned that Savannah is unique in that we have 4,500 Jews living here and there are 2 families - the Sheftalls and the Minas - that date back their origins to 1733.

Rabbi Haas is currently the 14th spiritual leader of Congregation Mickve Israel and talked to us about the 3 different congregations in town - reformed, conservative, and traditional orthodox.

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Robyn Carroll, President of the Jewish Educational Alliance, guest (and wife) of Sam Carroll
Laura Sparks, Sales Executive of Ashley Business Solutions, guest (and college roommate) of Jordan Chase

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Ann Kuhlke Lee is looking for a reasonably priced office space, ideally in mid-town or downtown to start a private practice. Hit her up with any suggestions/leads you may have!
Danny Chase bragged on the Tybee Tri team - Jordan Chase, Kristen Crawley, and Kathleen Anderson!
Patton Dugas bragged on closing a deal thanks to Danny Chase!
Kristen Crawley wants you to know about an upcoming World Trade Center's Quarterly Exporter Roundtable: Exporting Basics, 5 Things Every Exporter Should Know on Tues, June 25th.
Reshma Shah Johnson bragged about hosting 2 Savannah Bananas for the summer! Keep a look out for #34 and #21!

Tom Sloane on the Transformation of Libraries

(L to R: Bea Saba, Tom Sloane, Whitney Shephard Yates)

Tom Sloane, the new Executive Director of Live Oak Public Libraries, gave us a pop quiz on history facts (call me the Millennium Master) to segue into the vision of the future of libraries, specifically with our Live Oak Public Libraries. Tom talked about expanding programming and its larger digital collection. He also gave a big shout-out to our girl, Bea Saba, for her hard work as the library system went through some transitioning and challenging times.

Libraries are a place to connect and serve as lifelong learning centers because of its accessibility. Some exciting news to share is that currently there are 470 public computers available for anyone to come in and use. Live Oak is partnering with Comcast in a fiber optic network that will connect its 16 locations (in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty) to thousands of people. What does this mean? The system, to be provided by Comcast, is expected to deliver internet speeds of up to 300 megabits per second, which will allow for movie-streaming and transmitting large files. It could be useful to the small business community and for educational purposes. It could provide access to the community for decades to come.

There are 106,000 active library cardholders with a recorded 1.2 million visits with 1.3 million items (books, e-books, and audio books) borrowed. In addition, there are 3,500 sponsored programs available for children and adults.

Vitoria Pagliaci Shares Her GRSP Year

Our GRSP student, Vitoria, a chemical engineering major, shared her experience with us and these were some of her featured highlights:

She was 1 of 42 GRSP students from all over the world based in Georgia
THANKSGIVING!
She learned programming as part of her job as an IT Student Technician
TURKEY!
She was involved in Rotaract as one of the coordinators and is excited that they're trying to start an Interact club here
GIVING THANKS!
She also served as an Event Coordinator for the International Student Organization and enjoyed learning the different cultures
STUFFING/DRESSING!
She had fun celebrating different holidays not observed in Brazil. Thanksgiving is her favorite and she also wants Savannahians to never compare Savannah's St. Patrick's Day to Brazil's Carnival. "It's definitely not like Carnival."
Cue Taylor Swift's "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22" because Vitoria did turn 22 in March!
APPLE PIE!!
What's next? Vitoria plans on heading back to Brazil next month. She'll graduate in 2 years and will try to get an internship here in the US, as well as her Masters. She was diggin' Boston!
Vitoria's advice to upcoming GRSP students? "Be open to what comes. Don't come with high expectations. Learn new things."

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Susan Klein, Skidaway Island Rotary and GRSP Trustee for Vitoria Pagliaci

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die" - Cersei "and you also take a day off work to recover" - Lee Perry. He announced that it was his first day back to work after watching the series finale of Game of Thrones and after watching it, Lee signed the petition because "you know nothing, Jon Snow."
Lee Perry also gave a shout-out to Amelia Harper, Cari Clark Phelps, and Jessica Pedigo for their hard work on putting together the Mighty 8th's 2019 Legacy Ball. 18 Metrotarians came out to support! Way to go!
Kristen Crawley bragged on Kathleen Anderson and Jordan Chase on getting her ready for her first sprint tri! Kristen had a #butdidyoudie moment and these girls got her through the mild panic attack!
Something to write "ommmm" about - Kelley Boyd bragged about the lifestyles shop, Ordinary Magic (located at 1323 Bull Street - corner of Bull/Anderson), will be opening on June 1st! Carrying female-owned, small batch natural skin, body, and hair care, crystals, jewelry, adaptogens, herbs, and tonics, Ordinary Magic is an offshoot of Yoga Center. Also, join the 30-day yoga challenge running June 1-30 at Savannah Yoga Center! Community, accountability, strength, zen, and fun! Stay connected to your health and well-being goals with yoga!
Ariana Berksteiner bragged that Theo turned 1 on Sunday!
Bea Saba wants you to know about NoveList Plus and NoveList K-8 Plus. These are free databases provided to all patrons of Live Oak Public Libraries to help you find books you'll want to read based on titles, authors, series, or genres. Find "Read-alikes" - books based on content or author. Search by title, author, series, etc. and you’ll find a list of similar Read-alikes on the right sidebar of the page. Password cavern expires on 8/6/2019. To continue using that resource, be sure to obtain a library card to access new password after that date and by logging on here for the new password. For more information, visit your local community library or at www.liveoakpl.org. And don’t forget to sign your kids up for our Summer Reading Program. Happy Reading!

Your Vote Counts! Habitat for Humanity Voted 2019-2020's Annual Service Partner

The votes have been tallied and we'd like to announce our 2019-2020 Annual Service Partner - Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity (CEHFH)! It came down to CEHFH and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). Thank you all who voted.

Since 1983, CEHFH has brought low-income working households together with donors and volunteers to build 145 affordable homeownership units in Chatham County. CEHFH also operates a robust homebuyer education and counseling program to equip Habitat homeowners with financial, leadership, and maintenance skills. We look forward to fundraising and providing service to Habitat! Our Habitat for Humanity Consolidation Project will involve working on the new training and office space, as CEFHF consolidates its programs under one roof at its ReStore (701 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in downtown Savannah). With Metro's volunteers, we'll help reduce the labor costs associated with constructing the new space. We'll also help with minor exterior repairs and landscaping work at their current office in preparation of its sale.

Our $10,000 will be used to cover the costs of purchasing the building materials and supplies which are needed for repairs at the current office and build out of the new offices and training area. Construction is proposed to start in July 2019.

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Julie Wade wants you to know about Go South Summer where Yale student interns will be working with Savannah non-profits. This year, they'll be working at Park Place, Deep Center, Step Up Savannah, and Inspiritus Refugee Resettlement (formerly Lutheran Family Services). They are looking for 2 more hosts to provide housing for these amazing college students from June 3-July 28th. If you're interested in hosting or know someone who might be, please get with Julie. Julie served as a host last year and can answer any questions you may have!

Announcements

ALL WE DO IS WIN!

Metro was awarded the title of Best Large Club of the Year because we completed the most activities on the Celebration Citation (membership, service, communications, Foundation, etc.) for a club our size, as well as other activities (fundraisers and service projects). Let's keep up the good work! Whitney has given Bret some shoes to fill!

FAMILY FIELD DAY

Thanks to everyone who came out on Sunday, May 19th, for our annual Family Field Day in Tiedeman Park. A fun time was had by all!

SERVICE PROJECTS

We've had some great weekends of service! Thanks to all the volunteers who made it out on Saturday, May 18, to the Tiny House Project. Volunteers helped plant trees and made pathways on the property of The Cove on Dundee for homeless veterans. Whitney also presented a $6,000 check, on behalf of Metro, to Cindy Kelley, Executive Director of Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless and was featured on WTOC's Mid Morning Live on Friday, May 17 to discuss our service and fundraising partnership.

On Saturday, May 11th, volunteers helped build the first of the 3 residential rain gardens to help the Ogeechee Riverkeeper. Tanya Mandel is working on drawings and designs for all 3.

Nominated Guest: Elizabeth Summerell

Elizabeth Summerell, sponsored by Patrick Phelps and Mason Heidt, is a Certified Public Account and is an audit manager for Holland, Bromley, Barnhill & Brett, LLP. She has more than 10 years of public accounting experience servicing publicly traded and closely held companies in a number of industries. Engagements include providing services in the audit and accounting areas for software development, software-as-a-service, biotechnology, government contracting, manufacturers and distributors, financial institutions, restaurant franchisor, airport facilities development, not-for-profits, construction, professional sports franchise.

Elizabeth grew up and spent the first 30 or so years of her life in Northern Virginia before moving down to Savannah to be closer to family. She received both her bachelors and master’s in accounting at Wake Forest University and was on the ’99 Virginia State tennis champion high school team. When not working or participating in philanthropic activities, Elizabeth enjoys playing in an adult recreational kickball league. She has a mutt named Kayce who is mostly corgi, but after a dog DNA test, it was confirmed she is 33% chihuahua, 12.5% Boston terrier, 12.5% Rhodesian ridgeback, 12.5% basset hound, and the rest unknown.

Don't Be a Dumb (Gr)Ass! Take Care of our Water!

Laura Walker, City of Savannah's Environmental Administrator for the Office of Sustainability, dropped some knowledge to our club about the different types of water resources - potable water, stormwater, and wastewater. The Water Resources Bureau at City of Savannah designs, builds, and maintains infrastructure that produces, treats, and conveys safe drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater. Did you know a source of our drinking water is the Floridan aquifer and that it's the best drinking public source in the world? Laura also talked about getting to know your water meter. If you just got your water bill (I did this week), check your water meter! It should be less than what you see on the bill. If not, call the City. If there's a blue thing spinning, you have a leak. And THE MORE YOU KNOW (insert Reading Rainbow here).

Are you scared of lead in your water? Turn your water on and before you use it, count to 3. This allows fresh water to come through your tap. Here's another fun tidbit: Use cold water, not hot, to cook. Doing all of this limits the possibility of coming into contact with lead. Leaking all kinds of safe water wisdom on you today.

Want more? Did you know that your ~~water~~ UTILITY bill includes not just water, but wastewater and utilities? The most expensive thing on your bill is sewer because it's expensive to treat. #eew We also learned the 4 Ps that can be flushed down the toilet - paper, pee, poop....and puke. #quadrupletheeew. And for those who like additional wipes, don't flush those down the toilet. There's no such thing as flushable wipes - even when it says flushable. #misleading

Dropping some other bombs here - 80% of the pollution was once point-source (sewer waste), now 80% of the pollution is non-point source - pointing to us vile humans. We need to be water advocates regardless of any political leaning. Call 311 when you see your neighbor blowing leaves down the storm drain! Create a rain garden. Use that water to irrigate your grass (we also learned that grass is dumb). Compost (PS - Daniel "wins everything" Weiner won the composter).

Be on the lookout for a cool project in Habersham Village at Jacob G Smith Elementary. The City is doing some green infrastructure design and have received funding from the State to deal with the school's drainage issues. Some solutions are to put in pervious pavers and create rain gardens through functional art.

Announcements

METRO MIDWAY SUCCESS: Thanks to all the pinball wizards, ping pongsters, cornholians, rock-paper-scissorsssszzzzers, chili cooks, and house partiers for coming out to Metro Midway and raising $6,085! Thanks to our Kick-Ass Committee who made it a success: Kelley Boyd, Amelia Harper, Suzanne Kirk, Daniel Weiner, and Josh Yates, as well as all of our volunteers to make the magic happen!

$10,000 DONE: Congratulations and a pat on the back for us in reaching our $10,000 donation to our Annual Service Partner, Ogeechee Riverkeeper! With that said, here's your REMINDER! ANNUAL SERVICE PARTNER: The application deadline is 4/8/19 so please distribute it out to your favorite organizations and get the word out! The Committee will narrow the applicants down to 6 finalists and each will be asked for an in-person interview during the week of 4/26/19, which will then narrow the finalists down to 3. The finalists will be presented at the 5/7/19 Program Meeting and everyone will have an opportunity to vote for their choice via SurveyMonkey. The voting will close on 5/14/19. The application is posted on our Members Only page.

REMINDER! ROTARY FOUNDATION DONATION (for you Voldemorts that shall not be named): You know how Metro donates $50 to the Rotary Foundation each year on your behalf, and we ask you to match that with another $50 donated at www.myrotary.org? Great news - you have until March 30 to make it count! Log into myrotary.org to get started. Don't have a Rotary International account yet? This is your chance to change that. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with Whitney's RBF.

CART Donations: Thanks to Whitney Shephard who matched CART donations for a total of $153.80 raised for Alzheimer's research!That nearly doubles our year-to-date giving. It's not too late to contribute. Email Whitney if you'd like to make an online donation and she will match it dollar for dollar!

NEW MEMBER ALERT: Please welcome Reshma Shah as she enters into our new member program! If you haven't met Reshma yet, introduce yourself at the next lunch meeting!

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Mike Nadeau, Owner/Manager of Fleet Feet Savannah - guest of Cecilia Arango

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Cecilia Arango bragged about trapping her man (husband) for 20 years! Happy anniversary!
Jamie Smith Arkins announced that it's Katie Joyner's birthday! Happy birthday!
Suzanne Kirk invites you to join her Komen Race for the Cure team, Kirk Krusaders! Sign up here! Also, ladies (and dudes) come to the Pink Party upstairs at 40 Volume Salon on April 2nd for hair extensions and other services, pop-up shopping, and raffles! Join the party here! Save the date for April 11th for Hahas for Tatas, a comedy fundraiser starring "everyday comedians", including 2 of our own Metrotarians, Cecilia Arango and Bret Bell. Limited seating. Laugh with us here!
Jessica Pedigo announced that she and Cari Phelps are helping Amelia Harper chair the Might 8th Gala on May 11th. Amelia's father asked her to chair the gala before he passed away. He was very involved in the museum and was serving as chairman of the board when he passed. The Gala will be an open bar and seated dinner, with a silent and live auction - including raffle tickets for $50 for a trip to Napa! This year's theme is the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the event will also include a special tribute to Amelia's father. Get your tickets here!
Kelley Boyd announced that Savannah Yoga Center is expanding the first floor of its current building and will be expanding current classes to include Healthy Aging Yoga classes, qigong, and a retail store called Ordinary Magic - all slated to open May 2019!
Jessica Thomas bragged on Will Gruver's LLS Man of the Year All-Star campaign and announced the fundraiser Oyster Roast for a Cure on Sat, April 27 from 5-9 PM at the Dutch Island Pool. $40 per person and you can pay cash, check, or Venmo to @Will-Gruver. There'll be oysters, BBQ, beer and wine, as well as live music by Patrick Connell.
Leigh Acevedo bragged on the Rotary Read-In and gave kudos to all the Rotarians who participated in reading to our elementary schools!
Jenny Woodruff bragged on the volunteers (Jamie Arkins, Sam Carroll, Chris Corey, and Jake Crawley) for volunteering at the Musical Explorers Fam Jam session! Get excited because the Savannah Music Festival is here!

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Leigh Acevedo's find is the Ocar-winning documentary on the Pad Project in India. The film is called "Period. End of Sentence" and it's on Netflix. Highly recommend! "A period should end a sentence, not a girl's education." www.thepadproject.org
Cari Clark Phelps has a shout-out for her "banker on my back", Patton Dugas. Patton and Robert McCorkle's team helped Cari secure and close a loan on her office building.
Jamie Smith Arkins gave a shout-out to Will Gruver as one of LLS' All Stars. Will originally ran locally in Savannah in 2014. With his 5-year campaign anniversary, Will decided to run NATIONALLY as an All-Star Candidate. He's running against alumni from across the country. His theme is music related - "Getting the Band Back Together". The campaign is 10 weeks from Feb. 21 - May 3rd. Check it out at 10weektour.com
Lee Perry gave a shout-out to Whitney and Josh for throwing a fun Metro Midway! He's now working on his own man-cave.
Ariana Berksteiner wants everyone to know that she WON the chili cook-off!

Metrotarian Panel - Getting to Know You

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you!

We had a blast getting to know the hobbies and passions of members Cecilia Arango, Jake Crawley, and Josh Yates. Cecilia is a Marketing Manager for Thomas & Hutton and is a marathoner, actress, singer, and booknerd. Jake is a transportation broker in logistics and enjoys woodworking and racing remote control cars. Josh is a restaurant owner (Green Truck) and has an affinity for pinball machines. Each of them talked about their different passions, what drives them, and what they enjoy most about their hobbies. They discussed how they make time to do the things they love and encouraged everyone to get to know one another better and discover each other's passions to help build better relationships.

Metro Midway a Huge Success

Our Metro Midway fundraiser was a huge time and a YUGE success! People were dropping fists with the Rock Paper Scissors competition where Leigh Acevedo was proclaimed the winner because she got "lei-ed" all night! Josh Yates was busy upstairs with everyone exercising those thumbs with the pinball competition - and can I say, what a stellar 80s playlist Josh had going on upstairs?! Ariana Berksteiner dropped it like it's hot with that kick ass chili that took home first place, while people were ping ponging and cornhole tossing all night. Thank you to Whitney and Josh for opening their crib to all of us for one epic house party! PS - we're still talking about Lee Perry's momma's red velvet cake.

Metro Midway raised over $6,000 and with both fundraisers (Yachty by Nature), we've raised our $10,000 for our ASP, The Ogeechee Riverkeeper! Thank you everyone for making it happen!

Membership Minute with Jasmine Head

Jasmine Head is a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor. Jasmine grew up in Forsyth, Georgia and attended Macon State College and Georgia College and State University. She loves hiking, reading, sunshine, shopping, and attending live theater. She and her girlfriend, Brandi Mills, have two cats, Sarabi and Si. Congratulations to Jasmine on finally getting inducted into the Metro family! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! What better way to welcome you in than kicking it off with Orlando's Membership Minute!

Random Question: What is the bug, insect, or crawling creature that makes you scream? SPIDERS

Preference Question: Should macaroni and cheese be creamy, pot-cooked and edible with a spoon or dense, oven-baked and able to be cut into perfect squares? CREAMY

Trivia Question: A question inspired by our meeting today at the JEA. The first JEA building was built on a downtown square in 1915 and still stands, although today it is used as a dormitory for SCAD. What is the name of that SCAD building, which also is the name of the square on which it stands? PULASKI HOUSE ON PULASKI SQUARE (with help from an audience member)

Audience Question: Have you set a date for your wedding? YES, NOVEMBER 10TH.

Political Rascals PAC a Punch

Meet the Political Rascals, a motley crew of a grassroots collective voice in the community, founded in 2019 who formed their very own state PAC in just 3 days. Six of the 11 Political Rascals were in attendance at our meeting, Clinton Edminster, Amanda Hollowell, Coco Papy, Michelle Solomon (not pictured), Molly Lieberman, and Tre Singleton. They spoke passionately about why they formed a PAC and their mission to teach young people how to be engaged and understand politics. What first started as just a group of like-minded friends transitioned into this group of "rascals." They realized that money was needed to impact real change and created a PAC out of spite and love for the community. Their PAC was formed as a legal mechanism to make political contributions specifically for certain goals and candidates; however, their focus is on the policies versus the candidates. As a state PAC, they support legislation in Georgia and all 11 Political Rascals have to be in agreement for any type of support to be given. Their goal is to make progressive change with providing a whole new excitement around civics and politics with new age mechanisms and technology for communication. In 2019, the Political Rascals' goal is to make politics accessible to the common people so that all have a voice, with voter engagement as a high priority on their list.

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats.

It was our first meeting at the Knights of Columbus. DJ Spisso asked if we could open the bar.
Cecilia Arango wished everyone a Happy Lunar New Year and donated some dolla bills she stole from her kids' lucky red envelopes. Orlando Montoya taught us how to say "Happy New Year" in Vietnamese.
Jamie Arkins Smith gave a shout-out to those who were able to attend The Grey's fundraiser for the staff of The Green Truck since it was temporarily closed due to a kitchen fire. **Happy to announce that it's officially open as of Feb. 14th! Happy Valentine's Day!
Jenny Woodruff was excited to talk about the upcoming Savannah Music Festival starting March 28 - April 13. Tickets are available online now! In addition, on March 9th, explore music and art with family and friends at this FREE event - Musical Explorers Family Jam - presented in partnership with last year's annual service partner, Loop It Up Savannah, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers - Savannah. The concert starts at 11 AM and 1:30 PM.
Lee Perry announced that he hates the Patriots. Go 49ers!
Julie Wade thanked Josh and Whitney Shephard Yates for helping non-profits while cleaning out their kitchen at The Green Truck.
Whitney Shephard wants to thank Savannah for all the love and support!
Bea Saba wants you to know that Live Oak Public Libraries is presenting Amazing Stories by Award-Winning Authors on Sat, Feb. 16th! Jessica Kensky & Patrick Downes, survivors of the Boston Marathon, will be at Southwest Chatham Library at 2:00 PM and will present an engaging program about overcoming adversity. Kwame Alexander & Randy Preston will be at the Bull Street Library at 2:30 PM and will present moving stories and beautiful photography from Ghana. These events are for all ages and are free and open to the public.

First Project with Annual Service Partner, Ogeechee Riverkeeper

As part of the Windsor Forest Stormwater-Wise Project, and in collaboration with Ogeechee Riverkeeper and UGA Marine Extension, a total of 20 volunteers from both the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club and residents of Windsor Forest neighborhood tiled 125 storm drains on Saturday, January 12, 2019. These tiles educate the public that these drains lead directly to our waterways (streams, marsh, river, ocean, etc.) and do not go to a wastewater treatment plant. Many uninformed people illegally dump paint, oil, and many other pollutants into storm drains. Storm tiles have been shown to reduce these practices, protecting our waterways.

Announcements

RLI: If your new year's resolution was to be a better Rotarian and make Metro the best by strengthening your Rotary knowledge, now's the time to register for Rotary Leadership Institute for Part I, II, and III & Graduation (Membership) Course now being offered and open for registration! This will take place at Georgia Tech Savannah Campus on February 16th from 8 AM - 3:30 PM. $100 fee includes class registration, course material notebook, breakfast, lunch, facility fees, and completion certificate. Register today! Jamie Smith Arkins and Cecilia Arango will be attending. Will you?

FUNdraisers & Club Socials: Y'all. There's a contest for BEST CLUB Fundraiser and BEST CLUB Social event. We could win $500 for each! Whitney is looking for volunteers to help make our upcoming FUNdraiser on Feb 23rd a success! Please let her know if you can help!

STATE OF FUN District Conference May 3-5, Jekyll Island: Registration is free! You only have to pay for meals. Registration opens this week. Stay tuned for more details.

Deb Thompson - United Way of the Coastal Empire - Talks Business

Deb Thompson became the new President/CEO of United Way of the Coastal Empire (UWCE) in August 2018. She replaced Gregg Schroeder who retired after 33 years. She is the first woman and non-United Way member to be appointed for this position in 80 years! She comes with a strong business background and understands the struggles of small business start-ups. In addition, she has personally benefited from the United Way as a single mother and recipient of United Way funds. Deb says now it's her turn to give back.

UWCE has the same mission and focus of United Way worldwide, but is a franchise. What does this mean? It means for every dollar you donate to the UWCE, 96 cents of every dollar is going to a service/program in OUR community. It's important to note that overhead expenses do not come out of donations. These expenses specifically come out of a trust fund - Herschel Jenkins Trust Fund.

Deb talked about the extensive process that non-profits must go through to receive funds, as well as the Allocation Committee, a group of community and business volunteers who visit each agency, meet their staff, and see how the programs work. Last year, 55% of the campaign was designated by donors to go to specific organizations and the remaining 45% funded the rest of the programs.

Deb talked about the future of UWCE. Where are we going? She mentioned UWCE and the community (private businesses, government, non-profits, religious sects, etc.) working collaboratively to solve our local community issues to make our area attractive for business. She is hoping to create multi levels of relationships with non-profits and have incubators to teach business savvy skills to help make each non-profit stronger in our community.

Now, what can we do to help?

The Brave New World of Self-Driving Cars

Stephen Lowry, with Harris Lowry Manton, LLP, spoke to us about the wave of the future - self-driving cars. When will all of this newfangled craziness happen, you ask? The answer is...before you know it. By 2020, it's estimated that there will be 10 million vehicles with self-driving capabilities. Some of this is already happening (looking at you with your auto parallel-parking cars). Our streets won't be completely taken over by autonomous vehicles by 2020, but it's going to happen sooner than we think. Some say they will be commonplace by 2025.

Stephen discussed the ups and downs of Tesla's driverless Autopilot system and the Google Car prototype - the Waymo. Google has installed LIDAR equipment, in addition to cameras, to help sense nearby hazards like pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists, as well as road signs and traffic signals. It's still not perfect and has experienced some fatal accidents. Tesla has been receiving quite the backlash since Elon Musk isn't a fan of LIDAR - the laser sensor that most car and tech companies sees as a vital component for self-driving cars.

Stephen also talked about the ethical dilemma with Self-driving Car and the Three Laws of Robotics:

A robot must not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the order given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

The ethical dilemma the autonomous vehicles face include the Trolley Problem, Tunnel Problem, and the Infinite Trolley Problem. It's really interesting - check the diagram here. For example, are you gonna push a large man onto a trolley to help save five people? Hmmm, questioning all your moral principles or whether or not you're a jerk...the struggle

6 THINGS I LEARNED FROM RIDING IN A GOOGLE SELF-DRIVING CAR by The Oatmeal. READ THIS!!! DO IT!!! ALL THE COOL KIDS WHO WILL ONE DAY BE RIDIN' OUT IN A SELF-DRIVING CAR NAMED BARRY ARE READING IT.

Welcome to the Fam, Emily Salzer

Our family is growing! Congratulations to Emily Salzer, with sponsors Jordan Chase and Suzanne Kirk, on her induction to the club on Tuesday, Jan 15th. Welcome to the family!

Emily gave her Classification Talk a few meetings ago and here's what you should know:

Originally from Jacksonville, FL
Grew up in Rotary with her father taking her to meetings as early as age 7 or 8
Went to Georgia Southern University
Moved to Nashville where she met her husband and started her career with Whole Foods in 2013 there
The opening of Whole Foods in Savannah brought them here
Career change in 2015 - YMCA/SCCPSS partnership - Pryme Tyme after-school program - non-profit was a big change for her since she's a "spreadsheets and timelines" kind of person - very organized
Pryme Tyme has been around for 30 years in 37 schools
Husband, Jason, teaches at Georgia Southern University at Armstrong Campus and is a musician
They have a 7-year old boy and two 3-year old twin boys
Active members of First Presbyterian Church
An only child and her parents relocated to Savannah and she likes having them nearby

Brags, Finds, and Whines

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats.

Denise Grabowski announced that
- There's a new Bike Walk Savannah Initiative called Ardsley in Motion to keep street conditions safe. Also, Bike Walk Savannah (was Savannah Bicycle Campaign) was a finalist for the #FundMyStreets community grant. Their road safety idea was selected to win up to $50,000 to improve road safety in our local community. Denise asked for support on Twitter by retweeting the #FundMyStreets video link. A panel of expert judges will award up to $50,000 to the finalist with the best plan and video.
- The Chatham Area Transit Authority is proud to announce its Let's Go! Designing Better Transit Together Initiative, which will result in a system-wide redesign of the community's fixed-route bus network. Residents were invited to learn and provide feedback at the first community open house on Jan 15th. An online webinar will be presented on Wed, Jan 23 from noon to 1 PM. To register, send an email to letsgo@catchacat.org.
Jessica Pedigo's father agreed to build all 23 beds for the first phase of the Tiny House project and needs to have the beds complete by the end of January. For a good time and also if you're interested in volunteering, call Jessica (912-441-5822) as they will be getting together other days throughout the month. There's still some priming to be finished and the actual building of the beds.
Ariana Berkstiner was fishing for sympathy and asking if anyone had a quiet room for her to catch some zzzz's since her 7-month old is teething and her 4-year old is having night terrors. HALP!
Leigh Acevedo celebrated the new year with her favorite people and stayed up til 1:30 AM! She gives a big shout-out to her mom for watching the baby!
Kelley Boyd hosted a Free Yoga-Yoga Fest on Jan 19th at the Savannah Yoga Center. Free 40 minute classes were offered on the hour from 9 AM to 4 PM!
Laura Lee Bocade announced that the Banff Mountain Film Festival tickets are on sale now. The event takes place on Fri, April 20th at the Lucas Theatre from 7 - 9 :30 PM. Bike Walk Savannah will be raffling a mountain bike from Quality Bike Shop along with other exciting prizes.
Orlando Montoya mentioned
- The Confucius Institute at Savannah State is offering free Mandarin classes. Last year, they canceled classes because there wasn't enough attendance. Email confuciusinstitute@savannahstate.edu for more information.
- The final Day Trip involves cattle, ticks, and raptors - Feb 2 to Statesboro, GA. This trip raises fund for our annual service partner, ORK, and our global grant project. You'll be visiting Hunter Cattle, the US National Tick Collection and Raptor Center at Georgia Southern.
Jamie Arkins gave a big shout-out to the volunteers who helped with our first Annual Service Partner project with Ogeechee Riverkeeper. We were able to tag 16 storm drains.
Justin Hummel and his fiance, Kim, moved back to PA. We'll miss them for sure! The good news is Patrick Phelps will be taking Justin's place as Foundation Chair. Welcome Patrick!
There's no place like home, said Kevin Klinkenberg as he and his family moved back to Kansas.
Thank you to Robert McCorkle for opening up your home and to the host committee for the incredible holiday oyster roast on Dec 16th!
Emmy Burch is back! She finished up her term with a 4.0!
Jenny Woodruff is back after 6 months of practically missing from Rotary
Jamie Arkins asked that we keep Clint Murphy and his family in our thoughts and prayers. Clint's father, Johnny Murphy, passed away on Dec. 19th.

It's Back to the Board with Jessica Pedigo

Please welcome (back) to the board, Jessica Pedigo! She will serve as President after Bret Bell's reign. The club unanimously approved the Board's nomination at Tuesday's meeting. This is what happens when you quit coming regularly to meetings...sucker!!

PS - that was actually quoted from none other than Jessica

Guests

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last 2 meetings:

Michael Solomon with Synovus Bank, guest of Suzanne Kirk
Zach Thomas with Bergen & Bergen PC, guest of Jessica Pedigo
Daislyn Garcon with City of Savannah Water & Sewer Department, guest of Jonas Subaar
Cam Patterson, father and guest of Emily Salzer
Tim Cone with GA Tech, guest of Leigh Acevedo

You Down with O-gee-chee? Yeah, You Know Me! Who's Down with O-gee-chee? Metro Rotary!

Metro's fall fundraiser is in the works for our annual service partner, Ogeechee Riverkeeper! Join us on Oct 18 at the Starland Dairy for games, food, wine, and Two Tides beer! Of course, there will also be a fabulous silent auction! Event revenue will go toward the Stormwater-Wise Windsor Forest project. We're recruiting sponsors and silent auction donations. (Ahem....if you own a boat, you might as well go ahead and donate a river cruise for the auction so that the committee doesn't have to track you down.)

Sponsorship forms are available here!

ASP Voting Is Upon Us

On May 15 Fearless Annual Service Partner (ASP) Leader Daniel Weiner will present the three finalists. Then it's your chance to vote and help the club determine which worthy organization we'll be supporting in 2018-19. The three finalist have all been interviewed by the committee and you can read their applications here:

Ogeechee Riverkeeper

Chatham Savannah Homeless Authority

Coastal Empire Montessori

Nominated Guest: Mike Nadeau of Fleet Feet Savannah

Mike Nadeau, sponsored by Cecilia Arango and Suzanne Kirk, is the owner/operator of Fleet Feet Savannah. He's had an awesome opportunity to serve our country in the United States Air Force working as a Signal Intelligence Analyst, U1N471. While in the Air Force, he traveled to Japan, South Korea, and all over the Middle East. Personally, he's traveled all over Europe and Central America. One of Mike's greatest experiences in life was driving in an old Jeep from CA to FL with his dad when he separated from the Air Force. Mike's career has taken him all over the country and provided him with experiences that have created amazing memories. He's a passionate runner and has completed an Ironman, 140.6 miles (swim 2.4, bike 112 and run a marathon), as well as completed an ultra-marathon covering 100K, 62miles. He enjoys music and plays very little guitar, although he does enjoy it. Mike has an amazing wife who puts up with most of it, and a daughter who attends Catawba College on a soccer scholarship. She’s majoring in biology in preparation for vet school. Mike's bucket list includes wanting to hike the AT, fly a helicopter and travel the Pacific Northwest. Still so much to do in life, but he's tackling it one challenge at a time.

Membership Minute with Denise Grabowski

Denise Grabowski is an urban planner who has been a part of many important ongoing projects that affect us all, from the arena, to the parking study, to the bus system redesign. She came to Savannah from her native Atlanta 23 years ago to work for the Metropolitan Planning Commission. Denise founded her own urban planning firm, Symbioscity, 8 years ago. She is married with 2 kids - 6th grader, Julia, and 3rd grader, Michael. She loves cooking, gardening, being on the water and travel, with recent trips to Russia, Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia. She played for Georgia Tech’s coed Ultimate Frisbee team and was invited to a national tournament with them in San Diego, although she doesn’t play the sport much anymore.

Random: If you could replace the bow, the wave, the handshake and the salute, what interesting new gestural greeting would you create? Blowing a kiss gesture.

Preference: Closed cabinets or open shelving? Closed.

Trivia: Does alcohol warm or cool your body? Denise got it right - cool is correct. Alcohol dilates warm blood vessels near your skin, creating the impression of warmth, while it actually can drop core body temperature.

Audience: What is the transit system redesign that your firm is working on? This initiative will result in a realignment of our fixed-route bus network, led by an international transit planning firm, Jarrett Walker + Associates, with the assistance of CAT and Symbioscity. Check out Brags, Whines, & Finds for more information on CAT's Let's Go Community Open House.

Membership Minute

Jordan Chase

*disclaimer: This photo already existed in our photo library so I'm using it because...#america

Jordan is Human Resources Senior Business Partner at Memorial Health where she has worked for eight years. Born in Macon, she was raised in Savannah from age 2, taking ballet at the former Montessori school, now Husk on Oglethorpe Avenue. She attended John Hopkins University and College of Charleston. Her hobbies include fitness, namely, running, swimming, and health club workouts. She also loves trying out new restaurants and reading, especially historical fiction. She was Metro's first full-term president, a role she earned by drawing straws with Clint Murphy and David Acuff, and was the first of this club’s two "pregnidents", mother of children ages 10, 9, and 5 and married to club member Danny Chase (who proclaimed he is actually considered her oldest child).

Random: If you could use only one app that did not come pre-installed on your smartphone, and not including mail, text, browser, map, or calendar apps, which would it be? Amazon

Preference: Macarena, Achy Breaky or Electric Slide. Ahhhhh, Macarena

Trivia: Name as many of the countries or regions where the following Christmas foods are served:
Buche de Noel: a rolled pastry in France
Pozole: hominy soup in Latin America
Panettone: a sweet bread in Italy
Zakusky: appetizers in Russia
Glogg: a mulled wine in Scandinavia
Kourabiedes: cookies in Greece

Annual Service Partner Fundraiser Announced!

Retro Metro Art Bazaar to benefit our Annual Service Partner will take place Wednesday, Nov 15th. Food, 60s beats, libations, and art - all to benefit Savannah's community art program. Buy your tickets now!

Women in Rotary

As many of you know, March 8 was International Women's Day. Metro Rotary will honor Women in Rotary at our program meeting on March 21. Judge Louisa Abbot will be presenting and is the first woman in history to serve as President of a Rotary club (Rotary Club of Savannah). The Honorable Louisa Abbot is in her seventeenth year as Judge of Superior Court of Chatham County, Eastern Judicial Circuit. Please join us next Tuesday for a profound presentation by a dynamic guest speaker!

Sign up for Rotary International Convention

Thousands of Rotarians from around the world will descend upon Atlanta June 10-14, 2017 for the Rotary International Convention and Centennial Celebration of the Rotary Foundation! Convention and Hotel registration begins May 28 and goes up in price over the next year. Take advantage of the discounted prices beginning May 28. Find out more by watching this short video here. Metro will mostly likely organize group transportation and lodging. More to come on that. For now, we hope you will mark your calendars, register early, and plan to be in Atlanta June 10-14, 2017!

Registration fees:

May 28 - June 6, 2016..............$265.00

June 7 - Dec. 15, 2016.............$340.00

Dec. 16, 2016-March 31, 2017..$425.00

On Site Registration.................$490.00

Metro Gets Dirty

It was a homecoming of sorts on April 9 as Metro Rotarians returned to Greenbriar Children's Center, our Club's first Community Service Partner.

Rotarians cleaned out and planted the spring garden in the extensive raised beds that Metro created for Greenbriar in 2013. Rotarians worked with children at the center to plant all kinds of fantastic veggies, which the Center will harvest for use in its meals.

Great to see this partnership continue!

Metro Inducts 2 New Members

Metro inducted two new awesome members during the April 5 Meeting. They are Patrick Bentley, a Project Manager at the Savannah Economic Development Authority, and Jeff Harris, Vice President of Human Resources & Auxiliary Operations at SCAD.

Congratulations Patrick and Jeff, and welcome to the Club!

Metro Inducts New Members

Metro inducted five new awesome members during the March 1 Meeting.

They are: Justin Hummel, Sago Property Management; Henry Lee Perry, Savannah State University; Kevin Klinkenberg, Savannah Development and Renewal Authority; Cecilia Arango, Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co.; and Liz Parizo, Memorial Health.

Congratulations to all!

Election Social Sept. 22

Metro Meets the Candidates

With interminable debates in Cleveland and California in the rear-view mirror, the election world now pivots to Savannah, where the political event of the season will be held September 22 at The Florence.

There, Metro Rotarians will share the stage with more than two dozen Savannah City Council candidates - an unpredictable bunch on a good day. Throw some alcohol into that mix, along with a pair of take-no-political-prisoner Rotarians named Clint Murphy and Staci Donegan, and there ain't no telling where this night is gonna go.

This will be a casual opportunity to get to know the candidates better, and for them to get to know our Club better. It should be fun and informative. And The Florence has an awesome bar.

We want to look good, so please make every effort to come.

See everyone at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at The Florence, 2 W. Victory Drive.

Extreme Makeover: Metro Edition

We Have a New Logo

Metro launched a new logo during the Sept. 1 meeting. The logo started as a conversation between Past President Robert McCorkle and Communications Chair Bret Bell over the spring: They wanted a brand that reflected the vibrancy and uniqueness of Metro while still honoring the Rotary International traditions. They wanted a logo that was more flexible than our clunky old one. They wanted to shorten Metropolitan in favor of the catchier Metro, which we all call ourselves anyway. And they really liked that M.

Those talks resulted in some pretty inspiring cut-and-paste sessions (with actual scissors and glue), which thankfully led Robert and Bret to the conclusion that there was no way in hell they were going to pull this off.

They tapped Cari Clark (duh), who is literally the best in town for this sort of thing. Cari was gracious with her time and talent, and lent the club the considerable resources of her amazing firm Clark Communications

The result is a fresher-looking logo that is distinctly Metro, while paying homage to the Rotary wheel and true to the official Rotary colors. Look for this sucker on all of our stuff, including hipper new t-shirts that Florence Slatinsky is creating for us.

Metro rocks fund-raiser for Farmers' Market

Rodeo!

Great turnout for the Oct. 13 Food Truck Rodeo will mean lots of cold hard cash for our 2015-16 service partner, the Forsyth Farmers' Market.

The event outside Service Brewing featured food trucks, plenty of beer, lots of ridiculous carnie games, and an unforgiving mechanical bull. Congratulations to cowboy Jake Crawley for winning the bull riding competition. He was awarded the coveted brass rodeo belt buckle.

Special thanks, too, to Jessica Pedigo, Liza Smith and their amazing team, which worked their tails off to make the event happen. Ridiculous times had by all! And only minor injuries!

All proceeds will benefit the Forsyth Farmers' Market. Metro Rotary is partnering with the Farmers' Market to develop and implement the Bring it Home! program in partnership with the brand new Farm Truck 912. Bring it Home! will provide fun, educational programming in addition to healthy food options through Farm Truck 912 to many local families in food insecure neighborhoods. Bring it Home! aims to improve the health status of Savannah’s most vulnerable community members.

Malt + Music + Metro = Yep

Volunteer for Revival Fest!

What more could you ask for.....great music, cold craft brews, and delicious food offerings??? What: You want to add a little COMMUNITY SERVICE into the mix.....you got it!

Looking for volunteers for the 3rd Annual Revival Fest taking place Saturday, September 12, in the Coastal Heritage Society’s Georgia State Railroad Museum. This is an awesome time. Our very own Jason Nieluwbowzyxcczz?%, pictured above, clearly enjoyed himself last year. In short, Revival Fest is like a giant backyard party with your favorite music, food, friends and libations. http://www.revivalfest.org/

Alcohol sales are benefiting Coastal Heritage Society. This is a Family Friendly event. Shifts are three hours. Upon arrival volunteers will be assigned by the Revival Fest staff to one and or/any of the following jobs duties:

VIP Area
Parking- general public and bands
Merchandise
Ticketing
Vendor assisting (set up/breakdown)
Band/Backstage Hospitality

Volunteers will be invited to enjoy the festival before or after their shift.

Due to the many shifts and not knowing where you will be assigned to work, this will be the honor system of self-reporting. Once you complete your 3 hour shift, please email BOTH Amelia Harper & Bea Saba at harper.amelia@gmail.com and sabab@liveoakpl.org to get your service credit.

For BOTH active members AND prospective members – Sign Up Here: http://metropolitansavannahrotary.org/volunteer/managevolunteercontacts?VolunteerSignUpId=4609b32c-d83f-4206-934a-ccbf82dd3546&Token=8kM9F9KUC_HT93iIwbl80dfZ71Ct9--bP1D8rOBZ78Kj1QkbjyZdDjNnZnCbxzAP0

See you in Ardsley!

Family Field Day Needs Your Help

This much-anticipated barrel of laughs is almost upon us: 2:30 p.m. Sept. 13 in Tiedeman Park.

Here's what the planning committee needs from you:

Kids swimming pool (Just one)
Water Balloons
Bats (6-8 Needed)
Buckets (6-8 Needed)
Pool Noodles - Full Length (8 Needed)

If you've got any of this, please contact Jake Crawley or Jessica Thomas.

Event details:

A friendly competition for the whole family – age 5+ recommended for games.
BBQ and non-alcoholic beverages provided by Rotary – bring a side dish or dessert to share and a cooler with other libations, if you wish.
Wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes.
Bring folding chairs or a picnic blanket.
Tiedeman Park is located at across from Savannah Arts Academy between 46^th Street and Washington; Atlantic Avenue curves around the park.
Please RSVP on the Metro website so we know how many people to expect.
Bathrooms available.

August Service Project

Metro turns out for Cool Communities, Hot Savannah

Some scenes from the Aug. 22 volunteer event with the Forsyth Farmers' Market Farm Truck at the Cool Communities, Hot Savannah event in Wells Park. More than 15 Metro Rotarians helped organize activities for children, and paint the Farm Truck (not the awesome mural pictured, but equally impressive stuff). A great start to our partnership!

From the Metro Salt Mines Department

The Sultan of Spreadsheets, the Master of Minutes, the Pied Piper of Planning Docs: Patton Dugas has been a busy guy folks.

The new Members Only page Patton's set up on http://metropolitansavannahrotary.org is your one-stop shop for Metro business: Check you attendance, pay your dues, view Club goals, learn about prospective members, read the rules, view our budget.

If you are among the Club nerds and actually read that budget, you'll see that annual Club dues will increase next year from $300 to $350. Ouch we know, but still way cheaper than every other Rotary club in town. Beginning in October, lunch will also increase from $10 to $12.50, which will include the Square processing fee.

Why are you greedy bastards doing this to me, you may ask? For one, things cost more. For another, we're growing into a more established club, and want to have a bigger impact on our community. The increase will allow us to do more, and have more fun.

Check it all out by clicking on the "Members Only" tab at the top of the homepage at http://www.metropolitansavannahrotary.org or by going directly to the page here: http://metropolitansavannahrotary.org/Page/Show?ClassCode=Page&Slug=members-only. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to get your billing and attendance digits.

The Partnership Begins

Get On The Bus

During the July 21 Meeting, Forsyth Farmers Market Director Teri Schell gave Metro the 411 on Farm Truck 912, our big service project for the next year.

The lowdown: Farm Truck 912 is a mobile farmers’ market that will bring local fruits and vegetables to Savannah neighborhoods with the least access to healthy food. In Chatham County, 19% of people and 26% of children reported a lack of reliable access to food in 2013.

Metro is on board to support Farm Truck 912 through the "Bring it Home" programming that includes cooking, exercise, health education, and social activities in conjunction with Farm Truck stops. We'll also be directly supporting the startup of Farm Truck operations through a variety of volunteer opportunities.

"This is really a brand new project, so we can make it what ever we want," Schell said.

You can help shape this awesome partnership during our family-friendly kickoff event with Farm Truck 912 on Saturday, Aug. 22, in Wells Park near MLK and 38th Street. The truck will be there as part of the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority's (SDRA) Street Fair - "Cool Communities in Hot Savannah," which will feature local products, foods, businesses, artists, musicians, and activities for the whole family.

During the event, we will be helping FFM with art & crafts, games and projects centered on healthy choices & food education that hopefully the participants will “bring home” and incorporate in their daily lives.

The event runs from 2 – 7pm, but FFM would love our help for the set up and take down after the event. Thus, we have created 2 hour volunteer shifts from 1 pm until 8 pm. Sign up here: http://admin.clubrunner.ca/11960/VolunteerTask/List?VolunteerSignUpId=61ddb0df-3f68-4cb8-bde9-82e346b3ac12&SelectedId=ffee7d98-43a4-4fad-943e-665ee9611831

Family Field Day Survey Launched

Who Wants It?

Mark your calendar: The much-anticipated Family Field Day is ON.

Set for 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, in Tiedeman Park, it's an event you really don't want to miss. Last year's totally rocked.

Jessica Thomas' planning crew is looking to make it even better, and needs your help. Please take a moment to fill out this short survey about what you'd like to see at the event: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3S2JBGN

Event details:

A friendly competition for the whole family – age 5+ recommended for games.
BBQ and non-alcoholic beverages provided by Rotary – bring a side dish or dessert to share and a cooler with other libations, if you wish.
Wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes.
Bring folding chairs or a picnic blanket.
Tiedeman Park is located at across from Savannah Arts Academy between 46^th Street and Washington; Atlantic Avenue curves around the park.
Please RSVP on the Metro website so we know how many people to expect.

It takes a village

Rotarians step up for Committee assignments

President Kirk pushed Committee involvement as the key to Metro’s success for the upcoming year. Below are those who signed up for each during last week’s Club Assembly. Impressive!

Grants Committee: Coordinates district and global grants, and annual service partner grant and fundraising efforts

Chair, Jessica Pedigo
Jason Somers
Denise McCoy
Cody Tharpe
Bea Saba
Clint Murphy
Florence Slatinsky
Robert McCorkle

Foundation Committee: Develops plans to ensure Metro support of Rotary Foundation
Chair, Jordan Chase
Brady Cannon
Jenny Woodruff
Robert McCorkle
Darron Alvord

Family of Rotary Committee: Engage members’ families in Rotary
Chair, Jessica Thomas
Jake Crawley
Jamie Arkens Smith
Amelia Harper
Clint Murphy

Programming Committee: Execute Club meetings and monthly social activities
Chair, Leigh Acevedo
Emmy Williams
Chris Corey
Jason Somers
Kristen Crawley
John Northup
George Barrow
Eric Bull
Lee Beckman
Bea Saba
Josh Brooks
Cindy Mullally
David Acuff

Communications Committee: Increase Club communications internally and Club profile in the community
Chair, Bret Bell
Alfred McGuire
Eric Bull
Jamie Smith Arkins
Florence Slatinsky
Josh Yates
Whitney Shepherd

Service Committee: Organizes monthly service projects and coordinates annual service partner
Chairs, Jeanine Roach and David Acuff
Staci Donegan
Devon Smyth
John Bennett
Whitney Shepherd
Darron Alvord

Membership Committee: Recruits, integrates and retains Club members
Chair, Michael McLeod
Emmy Williams
Jason N
George Barrow
John Northup
Clint Murphy
Cam Pope
Jeff Brady

Metro inducts new President, Board of Directors

New World Order

Suzanne Kirk left no doubt about her presidential style during last week’s regime change, ushering in a Canadian-style governance that focused on punctual efficiency, socialist populism with an emphasis on committee rule, and Yukon-style beards.

She introduced a new global grants initiative that will partner with worthy projects in either Ghana or Brazil, though sources indicate it’s in reality the beginning of a vast pipeline to funnel Club funds to Saskatchewan.

“Metro Savannah Rotary has accomplished so much in our first few years; it’s hard to imagine we were just chartered in 2012,” Kirk said. “Our founding members and past Presidents have established a vibrant club for today’s Rotarian. I’m honored to follow in their footsteps and help our club continue to demonstrate our commitment of service above self both here in Savannah and in the global communities we support.”

Outgoing President Robert McCorkle presented Kirk with the traditional framed portrait of Harris the Cat, which will proudly hang in Kirk’s home or business for the year. Kirk gave McCorkle some booze.

During McCorkle’s past year as president, membership grew by 5 percent, Metro became an Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) Club, inducted four new members into the Paul Harris Society, and received the Gold Award from the District Governor. Members volunteered more than 400 hours during a dozen service projects across the community, and the Club raised nearly $10,000 for service partner Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

“It has been a thrill to play a small role in the continued growth of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club,” McCorkle said. “This Club continues to be a testament to what a group of individuals can do when they join together to put ‘Service Above Self’ and make concentrated efforts to transform the lives of others. I am proud to call myself a Rotarian.”

Joining Kirk and McCorkle on the 2015-2016 Board of Directors are: Patton Dugas, Brad Whitfield, Amelia Harper, Bea Saba Jeanine Roach, Jessica Pedigo, Jordan Chase, Michael McLeod, Bret Bell, Leigh Acevedo, Jeff Brady, Jessica Thomas, Julie Wade, Liza Smith, Josh Brooks and David Acuff.

Annual Metro Awards

Pedigo named Rotarian of the Year

At his final meeting as President, Robert McCorkle presented annual awards to Rotarians who went above and beyond during the course of the year.

Jessica Pedigo was named Rotarian of the Year. As Grants Chair, Jessica took the lead on many important initiatives, including the wildly successful Grand Prix for SBC tricycle races.
Ben Barksdale was named Volunteer of the Year. Ben logged the most volunteer hours in the Club, and received a separate volunteer award from the Savannah Bicycle Campaign for his efforts.
Special Club awards went to Secretary Bea Saba, who keeps track and follows through on all the things that would otherwise cause Metro to melt into a useless puddle; and Foundation Chair Jordan Chase, whose efforts secured EREY status for Metro.

Rotarians at Work

July 10 Service Project: Emmaus House

Metro Rotarians prepped, cooked, served, cleaned and helped 100 souls receive a hot meal at Emmaus House on July 10. Amazing service, amazing experience. Nice job everyone.

Passing the Gavel

Metro installs new President, Board of Directors

Suzanne Kirk, President of Employee Development Strategies Inc., was installed this week as President of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club. Kirk succeeds outgoing president Robert McCorkle, partner in the law firm of McCorkle & Johnson, LLP.

During McCorkle’s past year as president, membership grew by 5 percent, and the Club was successful in securing donations to the Rotary Foundation from each of the Club's members. Members volunteered more than 400 hours during a dozen service projects across the community, and the Club raised nearly $10,000 for service partner Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

At his final meeting as President, McCorkle presented the Rotarian of the Year Award to Jessica Pedigo, Volunteer of the Year Award to Ben Barksdale, and awards to Jordan Chase and Bea Saba for their service to the Club.

“It has been a thrill to play a small role in the continued growth of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club,” McCorkle said. “This Club continues to be a testament to what a group of individuals can do when they join together to put ‘Service Above Self’ and make concentrated efforts to transform the lives of others. I am proud to call myself a Rotarian.”