Stories

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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. 

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.

 

 

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.  

 

 

If you're interested in sponsoring, contact Jessica Pedigo at JPedigo@SSPins.com  or 912-544-1903. Sponsorship opportunities include:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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: 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!

 

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?

 

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

 

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:

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

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

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

 

 

 

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). 

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: 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. 

 

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!

 

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.

 

 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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:

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.

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).

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!

 

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:

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.

 

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. 

 

 

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!

 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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!

 

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....

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:

Congratulations to Elizabeth Summerell on completing the requirements to become inducted into the Metro Savannah Rotary family! 

 

Fun facts about Mike:

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!

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. 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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.

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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:

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!

 

Metrotarians in the news:

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

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

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 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 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. 

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!  

 

Metrotarians in the news:

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

 

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!"

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

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.

 

Patrick Phelps helped recognize Kathleen Wells as our latest Paul Harris Fellow. 

 

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.

 

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.

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

Metrotarians in the news:

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

 

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.

 

Next Service Opportunity - Annual Service Partnership:

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.

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! 

 

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, 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!

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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)!

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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!

 

 

Invoices have been sent.  Don't be that guy.  Pay your dues for the 2019-2020 year so we can pay Rotary International!

 

 

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:

 

Log into My Rotary and see how much you've given.  Hint:  It should be $100.

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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.

 

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.

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

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. 

 

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.

 

 

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!

 

 

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!

 

 

Invoices have been sent.  Don't be that guy.  Pay your dues for the 2019-2020 year! 

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.   

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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. 

 

Our GRSP student, Vitoria, a chemical engineering major, shared her experience with us and these were some of her featured highlights:

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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.

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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!

 

 

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!

 

 

 

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. 

 

 

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. 

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.  

 

 

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! 

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last meetings:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@tandh.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

 

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.  

 

 

 

 

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!

 

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!

 

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.

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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.

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 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? 

 

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:

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

 

 

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:

Please send your Brags, Finds, and Whines to arango.c@thomasandhutton.com in order to be included in Repeats. 

 

 

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

A big warm welcome to the following guests who attended our last 2 meetings:

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:

 

 

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.  

 

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.

 

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).

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!

 

 

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 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 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!

 

 

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.

We Have a New Logo  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• VIP Area
• Parking- general public and bands
• Merchandise
• Ticketing
• Vendor assisting (set up/breakdown)
• Band/Backstage Hospitality

 

 

 

• Kids swimming pool (Just one) 
• Water Balloons 
• Bats (6-8 Needed)
• Buckets (6-8 Needed)
• Pool Noodles - Full Length (8 Needed) 

 

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

At his final meeting as President, Robert McCorkle presented annual awards to Rotarians who went above and beyond during the course of the year.

 

 

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.