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District 6900 News for April, 2025
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The Magic of Rotary
By Gordon Owens As we enter the 4th quarter of the Rotary year, there is still plenty of work to do. Our district is leading the way in Annual Fund and Polio Plus giving, but neighboring districts are nipping at our heals. While our generosity knows no bounds, we are currently predicted to end the year with a few less members in our district than we started the year with. Imaging the impact we could have in our communities and around the world with a few more helping hands in each of our clubs. Even though district conference is when we recognize much of the hard work during this Rotary year, we still have 3 months left to help those in need with service, ask for donations to support our foundation and invite someone with a servants heart to join our team. Let's finish the year strong!
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GeorgiaUnitedDC.com
By Ryan Swertfager The full conference agenda is available on GeorgiaUnitedDC.com. There is still time to get registered and join us at the first ever joint district conference on Jekyll Island, April 24-27, 2025. We will kick off Friday, April 25 at noon, then hit the beach for a tailgate party all afternoon and into the evening. We even have an after party setup at Tortuga Jacks with a DJ & karaoke! After brunch on Saturday, we have some exciting new partner & project speakers, followed by breakout sessions to get your clubs engaged. After a short break we will come back to the conference center for dinner and dueling pianos to entertain us all night long. You won't want to miss a minute of it!
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GeorgiaUnitedDC.com
By Becky Stone With all three districts in Georgia coming together for the first time at a district conference, we want to kick off the weekend in true southern fashion with a tailgate party. We will hit the Great Dunes Pavilion on the beach at Jekyll Island for fun & fellowship from 3-9pm on Friday, April 25. Tortuga Jacks is catering dinner, so your club hospitality tent should include beverages & snacks to share along with your Rotary Game Day spirit. Also, along the beach we have games setup like, corn hole, bocce ball, volleyball, football toss, soccer darts, and bucket golf to spark some competition amongst your new friends from across the state. Sign up to reserve your club's spot for a tent today!
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GeorgiaUnitedDC.com
By Ryan Swertfager At our Georgia United District Conference at the end of this month, we will be collecting gently used sneakers and sporting equipment to donate. The sneakers will get sent to Got Sneakers to be refurbished and distributed to those less fortunate than us. Sports gear that is collected will end up at Boys & Girls clubs in the surrounding area. This is an easy way for us to do a little service while we have fun celebrating all the impact we've had so far during the 2024-2025 Rotary year. We hope to see you on Jekyll, April 25-27.
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Our Rotary Foundation at Work
By Bob Hagan When the District Newsletter reminder note came to me this month, I must admit it truly did inspire me to look at what I wanted to communicate to you all this month a little differently than in past months. So often, and rightly so, I will talk about dollars. Dollars given and dollars in turn placed back out in our Rotary communities. All are great topics that should constantly be placed before us. However, this month the reminder stated, “We love to hear about the ways you are serving your communities and world…” It got me thinking and really looking for stories that complement the request made to us this month. Low and behold, the story I decided to share with you all this month simply fell in my lap. It came from my good friend Club President Rick Clark of the Rotary Club of North Fulton. I’ve had the opportunity and blessing of getting to work with Rick, his dear wife Tina and the Rotary Club of North Fulton for a good long time now. This was a project that was funded by the District 6900 Competitive Grant awarded in the Fall of 2024. This is truly a life-giving project, two of his members, Steve Cory and Marc Gelber, have been working on for some time partnering with the North Fulton Fire Departments. [more] |
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Our Rotary Foundation
By Mandy Timmons The Rotary Club of Peachtree City had the privilege of honoring over 40 Major Donors at a special dinner recognizing their incredible contributions to The Rotary Foundation. Each of these dedicated individuals has given from the heart, contributing $10,000 or more to support Rotary’s life-changing work around the world. We were especially proud to celebrate: - Four members who have reached Major Donor Level 2 ($25K)
- One member who has achieved Major Donor Level 4 ($100K)
As a club, we’ve contributed nearly $400,000 to The [more] |
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Our Rotary Foundation at Work
By LeighAnn Dicesaris The Rotary Club of Columbus recently completed a meaningful Community Grant Project by providing two benches for the tennis courts at Micah’s Promise. A dedication ceremony was held on March 17th to commemorate the occasion. Micah’s Promise, led by Executive Director and fellow Rotarian Bobbi Starr, is dedicated to restoring stolen childhoods by addressing the issue of domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). Their mission—to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly"—guides their efforts to educate the community on the risks and prevention of DMST while providing a supportive environment for the transformational life-change of survivors. [more] |
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Frank E. Bently Sr. Award
By John Neill The Rotary Club of Sandy Springs is pleased to once again present a District Level Award at this year’s District Conference in honor of Frank E. Bentley, Sr. The award, titled: the Frank E. Bentley GRSP Leadership Award, will be presented to a District 6900 Rotarian who has displayed outstanding Leadership in the promotion of the Georgia Rotary Student Program. Please honor the contributions of Frank E. Bentley, Sr. to Rotary and the GRSP by nominating one member from your Rotary Club for the 25th Annual Frank E. Bentley GRSP Leadership Award by filling out this Nomination Form.
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RYLA Update
By Jaclyn Donovan Hey Rotary District 6900 members! Do you ever wish you could experience RYLA for yourself? Do you want to peak behind the curtain and see where all the magic happens each summer? If you answered yes, and if you can give us just *One Day* of your summer we can make the magic happen for you too! We are always looking to bring new Rotary members into the wonderful world of RYLA, offering the opportunity to experience the RYLA energy and explore a new avenue of Rotary service. Chaperones help us keep things running smoothly each night and each morning but have no assigned duties during the day. We think you are perfect for the job! If you are willing and able - even just for 1 day out of the 4 - to give us One Day for RYLA we would love to have you! And you never know, it just might change your life too. Reach out to Jaclyn Donovan or Susan Ruckman for more details and they'll sign you up! [more] |
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End Polio Now
By Bob Hagan What is the #1 initiative of Rotary International? ERADICATE POLIO! This brings me to two topics I want to touch on this month. One is a bit concerning and the other quite uplifting. Let me start with the one that is a bit concerning. I was sent an article for review last month that was published in the “Medscape Medical News” and was written by Annie Lennon that talks about the vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was found in the wastewater systems in five European countries. The second story was about renewed vaccination efforts in parts of Pakistan. Both underscore the need for our continued support of End Polio Now. [more] |
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30 Years of Recovery
By Kirk Driskell On April 24, 2024, I will take the first step of a journey that has been 30 years in the making. It marks the exact date I took my last drink and drug in 1995—and this spring, I’ll celebrate that milestone by walking 300 miles over 30 days along the Benton MacKaye Trail in an effort we’re calling A Warrior’s Path. This isn’t just a hike. It’s a visual metaphor for recovery, redemption, and resilience. As many of you know, I’ve shared openly about my personal battle with addiction and the grace that brought me out of it. But this trail is about more than my story—it's about walking on behalf of the men still struggling in silence, the ones still waiting for someone to believe in them, and the communities that desperately need hope and healing. This is about proving that recovery is possible, transformation is real, and no warrior walks alone. [ more] |
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GRSP Update
By Katheryne Fields From the food to the forest
fields and the new friends made in between going from Pelham High School, Pebble
Hill Plantation, Gentian
Creek Preserve, Hays
LTI agricultural equipment, the Mitchell County Tennis Center to the
Mitchell County Ag Center, the 59th Annual Larry Frosteg Pelham International
Weekend made memories for a lifetime. Our Georgia Rotary Student Program
scholars were welcomed by amazing hosts from the Rotary
Club of Pelham, Camilla
Rotary Club and Rotary
Club of Thomasville as they spent time touring the nearby South Georgia
counties while visiting with one another. Thomasville native Will Watt III,
grandson of GRSP Founder William A. Watt, shared his family legacy with the
group as well. The last day started with a pair of service projects, including
installing a peace pole and a pergola with the help of Rotary
District 6900 Governor Gordon Owens and his wife Ashley, relaxing at
the Eubanks farm and ended with the Pelham Club honoring Kathy Frosteg and
President Vince with a dedication to GRSP Trustee Emeritus Larry Frosteg as
well as a variety show featuring the talented young adults. [more] |
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By Ada Wikina I was privileged to attend the Rotary International Presidential Peace conference was held in Istanbul, Turkey from the 20-22 of February. The conference theme was "Healing in a Divided World." It was an amazing experience for me. There were speakers from all over the world. Topics and stories covered ranged from 'Technology, media and Peacebuilding: From Conflict to Connection, to Today's Youth, Tomorow's Peacebuilders. Details are available in my.rotary.org [more] |
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Rotary Means Business
By Carter Stout Join the fun and fellowship on April 22, 2025 from 6-8PM - at Politan Row at Ashford Lane (near Perimeter Mall). |
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Laws of Life
By Carol Gray Walker We are thrilled to announce the school-level winners of the Georgia Rotary Clubs Laws of Life Essay Contest! The complete list of School Winners can be found in our announcement video on the GLL Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. Some quick statistics: - More than 30,000 students from 65 schools participated in sharing their stories
- Over 1,400 submissions were received, judged by 136 essay judges ... resulting in 141 grade winners and 49 school winners.
Read on for more details. [more] |
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Dunwoody Makes The News
By Charlie Augello Here is just a snippet from the article on RoughDraftAtalanta.com: "Newly formed Anchor Place Respite Care, a twice-a-week program that hosts in its community space older adults living with mild-to-moderate memory issues, is looking to expand its offerings, with the help of the Dunwoody community. Rotary of Dunwoody has named Anchor Place, as one of its beneficiaries through the Rotary Club, in their upcoming Fore the Memories Golf Tournament to be held Monday, May 19." Read the full article online. [more] |
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Club News
By Ada Wikina This year marks the 15th Annual Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival at Logan Farm Park - the largest fundraiser for the Rotary Club of North Cobb. The event takes place on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10. All Net Proceeds are invested in our community. Get more information about the event and buy advance tickets for the Friday night event by visiting the Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival website. [more] |
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Club News
By Sally Platt We did it again! While NFL players were working hard to get ready for the Super Bowl, Marietta Metro Rotarians were working hard to collect cans of nutritious, delicious soup for our annual SOUPer Bowl. Once again, the club was divided into 4 teams and challenged to see which team could contribute the most cans of soup. Our goal was a total of 1,000 cans, but thanks to a fourth-quarter pep talk from Coach Lynn Lanier, the teams blew that out of the water with 1,074 cans. [more] |
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Club News
By Judith Fuller The Brookhaven Rotary Club got a jump on celebrating St. Patrick's Day with our friends at Side by Side Clubhouse. The Club brought the food and festoons. SbS members came ready to compete, playing dominos, spades and taboo. Side by Side Clubhouse provides a supportive community for those recovering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI). All members participate in clubhouse operations and support. This provides purpose and further aids their recovery. The Brookhaven Rotary Club members are happy to hang out and have fun with SbS members. [more] |
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Club News
By Kay Williamson In March, a group of St.
Mary's College students embarked on a journey that would change their spring
break and make a tangible difference in the lives of a needy family. The annual
college challenge for Habitat for Humanity took them to the heart of Meriwether
County, where they dedicated their … [more] |
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Club News
By Mandy Timmons The Rotary Club of Peachtree City recently hosted a "Magical Celebration" to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its Rotary Community Corps (RCC), a dedicated group of special needs adults committed to Rotary’s core value of Service Above Self. The evening brought together Rotarians, RCC members, and their families for a heartwarming tribute to a decade of impact and service. During the celebration, the RCC’s outstanding achievements were highlighted. Over the past decade, RCC members have made a significant impact through service projects with organizations such as Bloom, Midwest Food Bank, and their extraordinary effort in donating seven service dogs to veterans and children with special needs. Special recognition was given to charter members, past RCC presidents, and current officers for their leadership and dedication. Each RCC member was presented with a commemorative plaque to honor their service and commitment over the past 10 years. [more] |
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Club News
By Art Rosser The Decatur Rotary Club and the PAGE (Professional Association of Georgia Educators) recognized the top students and teachers of Dekalb County by hosting the STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) awards at the Historic Dekalb Courthouse. Over lunch and congratulations by dignitaries such as Andrea Arnold, Decatur City Manager, the students and teachers received their STAR certificates and Chick-fil-A gift certificates, and each high school winner had pictures taken. Honored guests included Dr. Gyimah Whitaker, Superintendent of Decatur City Schools, Dr. Devon Horton, Superintendent of Dekalb County Schools, and many school board members from Decatur and DeKalb. [more] |
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Club News
By David Sofferin “Tax preparation for free” sounds too good to be true, but for nine years Thomasville Rotarians and other community volunteers have been delivering just that to local retired residents with low to moderate income. Since its start, the program has served more than 2800 individuals/families and resulted in direct refunds of over $1,820,000 to those people. Tax-Aid is delivered through a partnership of the IRS, Volunteers in Tax Assistance, Rotary Club of Thomasville, Thomas County Library, Envision Credit Union, Thomas University and community volunteers. [more] |
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Club News
By Lisa Gelber The Rotary Club of North Fulton had a great day of serving the community on March 13th. The day started off at Alpharetta High School to pick up chili and salad made by the Culinary Arts students. This lunch was delivered by Rotarians to every fire station in Alpharetta and Milton, as well as police headquarters and 911 centers. In total, over 125 first responders were served! The evening brought our members to Children's Development Academy, where the club sponsored a Literacy Night which included dinner, entertainment and fun activities for the families of preschoolers. We absolutely love serving the North Fulton community! [more] |
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Club News
By Jacob Southerland The Rotary Club of Marietta recently conducted its Spring Marietta Reads Program, where Rotarians read a story to each of the 2nd grade classrooms in the Marietta School District. There are seven elementary schools containing 33 classrooms. so this involves a major commitment from our fellow Rotarians - 17 members read once and eight read twice. [more] |
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Rotavette.com
By Will Daniel The Rotavette Raffle will have a winner at the end of this month, so be sure to get a ticket for a chance to win half the pot, up to $50,000. Asking a friend to buy a $100 raffle ticket is a much easier ask, than saying, "will you give $100 to our Rotary Foundation." The money we raise this year, will come back to us in 3 years in the form District Designated Funds to support the great work you do in your communities and around the world. The more we raise, the more impact we will have in the future. Thanks for helping us share this fun opportunity to support the Annual Fund.
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Club News
By Judith Bennett In mid-March, members of the Lake Spivey/Clayton County Rotary Club proudly attended the Good Shepherd Clinic’s 2025 Pillars Luncheon in Morrow, Georgia. This annual event celebrates community leaders and organizations making significant contributions to the region. This year’s luncheon also marked a special milestone, celebrating the clinic’s 10th Anniversary and honoring its continued dedication to providing free healthcare to uninsured residents of Clayton County. One of the highlights of the day was the presentation of the 2025 Pillars of the community. Among the distinguished honorees was Lake Spivey/Clayton County Rotary Club’s own Deborah Anglin, who received the Community Service Pillar Award. As Cofounder and CEO of Hearts to Nourish Hope, Inc., Deborah has dedicated her career to empowering at-risk youth and fostering community development. [more] |
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Club News
By Jackie Cuthbert When the eight clubs of the DeKalb Rotary Council met for breakfast in March, they focused on education - with each club honoring a teacher from a school in their community. Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, newly elected CEO of DeKalb County, was the keynote speaker and focused most of her remarks on the importance of education. In addition to honoring teachers at this annual DeKalb Rotary Council event, the Council recognizes individual Rotarians who have gone the extra mile to exemplify Service Above Self. [more] |
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Club News
By Nichole Fannin The Rotary Club of Carrollton’s third annual West Georgia Talent Competition brought talented performers of all ages from West Georgia, and beyond, to Carrollton, GA last fall. This annual fundraising event supports Rotary’s mission of service to community allowing the club to support deserving causes across Carroll County, including the Dr. Rash Education Scholarship at the University of West Georgia, West Georgia Technical College Education Scholarship, Carroll County Council on Aging, THS Emergency Shelter, Carroll County Child Advocacy Center, and Carroll County Mental Health Advocates, among others. [more] |
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By Thomas House Over a very snowy weekend in Atlanta, a team of dedicated Vinings Cumberland Rotarians embarked on an international mission to Bolivia. After enduring nearly 50 hours of travel delays, they arrived in Santa Cruz, ready to serve. In partnership with Dr. Steve Rosser of Emory University, the team assisted in a cleft palate surgical mission, supporting mothers and children as they prepared for and recovered from life-changing operations. In just five days, the team helped provide care for 60 patients. For many of our Rotarians, the most unforgettable moment was witnessing the overwhelming joy on the faces of mothers as they saw their children's transformed faces for the first time. [more] |
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Club News
By Kathryn Igou Roswell Rotary recently traveled to Costa Rica and those who were there will never be the same. We came back as different people, full of hope and the joy of giving back. Project #1 was providing free eyeglasses. We tested almost 120 locals' eyes in two days! We found some with perfect vision, some who were blind in one eye, and had lots of people who were very happy to see better with their new glasses! Project #2 was completing installation of the basketball goals our rotary grant purchased. We met with Mayor Veronica and City people who were so grateful. Project #3 was a trip to the local school to give out backpacks, Spanish to English dictionaries and soccer balls! They were so excited and grateful. Such beautiful happy children. [more] |
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Club News
By Darlene Daly In March, the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain proudly celebrated its outstanding members and community partners at the annual DeKalb Rotary Council’s Awards Breakfast. Among those honored: Dr. Monique Robinzine of Redan High School, one of the Council's Teachers of the Year, Darlene Smith Daly as Stone Mountain's Show Rotary Cares award winner, Alan Jannsen as the Stone Mountain's Satellite Club Show Rotary Cares recipient, and Marlene Randall as the club's nominee for the Council's You are the Key award. The Club also honored DGN Cynthia Dorsey Edwards with its Guardian of the Legacy Award for her unwavering dedication to Rotary. [more] |
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Club News
By Roy Strickland Paulding County Rotarians recently took time to greet hundreds of American soldiers as they passed through Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Club members prepared and distributed meals for service men and women returning to basic training following the holidays. It's the club's annual event in concert with the USO and it's a most-favorite endeavor for club members. What an honor to serve these great young American soldiers! [more] |
LEADERBOARD |
Check out the full district scoreboard |
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| Here are the clubs that are leading the way in our district for membership, annual fund and polio plus. |
| Category |
NET MEMBERSHIP |
ANNUAL FUND |
POLIO PLUS |
| I |
Henry County |
North Atlanta |
Meriwether County (Warm Springs) |
| II |
Johns Creek North Fulton |
Vinings Cumberland |
Vinings Cumberland |
| III |
Decatur |
Dunwoody |
Carrollton Dawnbreakers |
| IV |
Roswell |
Peachtree City |
Columbus |
Upcoming Key Dates
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