This Week's Speaker
John Butler, Chairman Emeritus, Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association
Join us this Friday at the Embassy Suites to welcome John Butler, Chairman Emeritus for the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association. John is a Vietnam veteran and served as the Project Manager for the Vietnam War Memorial project dedicated on October 5 in Brook Run Park. John led the process to design, fund, and build the stunning $1.2 Million memorial honoring the nearly 400,000 soldiers who gave their lives for freedom from Communism during the Vietnam War. That three-year process included combining the dreams and desires of Vietnamese Refugees (both war veterans and civilians) and Vietnam Veterans who served in all branches of the U.S. Military. More than 300 volunteers and donors participated, about half from Vietnam and half from America. Dunwoody Rotarians and the Club were proud to contribute to this project.
After graduating from college with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Computer Science in the late 60’s, John served in the U.S. Army as a Field Artillery Lieutenant. He served in Germany as a Field Artillery Platoon Leader, then in Vietnam as a Forward Observer for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and finally as the Battalion Fire Direction Officer for the 2nd of the 94th Heavy Artillery Battalion positioned on the Laotian border near the DMZ. In addition to other medals, he was awarded a Bronze Star for his combat service in Vietnam.
After returning from Vietnam, John worked in the computer industry as a business solutions provider for 27 years, a church consultant for 12 years, then as a healthcare consultant for senior adults and their families starting in 2009. [read more]
Veteran's Day: Join Anchor Place at Brook Run; Watch Special Video
On Monday, November 11, 2024, Anchor Place is having a special program on Veteran's Day, culminating in a visit to the new Vietnam Memorial in Brook Run. Families will pick up our program participants at 2:00 and we'll head across the street to Brook Run for a short ceremony and remembrance of our veterans. You are welcome to join us at Brook Run if you can - as you know, Dunwoody Rotarians (with matching funds from the club) helped to fund the memorial.
Last Friday, Griff Ransom mentioned a film on the Vietnam war that was worth watching. “The
Truths & Myths about the Vietnam War” is available to watch online at www.AVVBA.org.
Whiskey Raffle Update
Countdown to 2024 Rotary Club of Dunwoody Whiskey Raffle: One Week to Go!
Help us raise money to support our work in the community! How? By sharing the link and the postcards for our annual Whiskey Raffle with your friends,
family, colleagues, neighbors, and everyone else in the community - https://whiskey-raffle.com/.
Raffle tickets are $25 each and we will only sell 400 tickets. Raffle night is Thursday, November 14 at Bar[n] booze [n] bites. On raffle night, we will pull six tickets from the raffle bin and award six prizes.
Each week we will highlight one of the prizes to be
awarded. This week's highlighted prize is the is the Highland and Smoke Prize - another prize for Scotch lovers! This prize package is for 3
bottles, including a bottle of Dalmore 18 Year Single Malt Scotch which we
didn't have in time for the photos. Thanks to Eleni Bafas and Dave Burr for
donating bottles. Also included is a $150 gift certificate to the Thos. O'Reilly Public
House in Sandy Springs.
Getting to Know You
Michael Kenig: From Corporate Leadership to Community Service
After 35 years at Holder
Construction Company, where he retired as Vice Chairman, Michael Kenig hasn't
slowed down a bit. A self-described "professional meeting attendee"
during his corporate career, Michael has channeled that same energy into community
service and civic engagement in his retirement.
Though familiar with Rotary
through Tommy Holder, the former CEO of Holder Construction and past president
of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, Michael discovered our club through a fortuitous
conversation with Paula Shiver at a Perimeter Chamber event, with Tina Philpot
providing additional insights. The club's diverse speakers, social connections,
and community focus resonated with his values. Since joining last October,
Michael has become an integral part of our club's operations. From helping with
early morning room setup to managing our booth at the Arts Festival and
coordinating our presence at Dunwoody Oktoberfest, his commitment to service is
evident in everything he does.
Beyond our club, Michael
dedicates his time to organizations promoting civic engagement and reducing
national polarization, including the Rotarian Action Group for Peace. He shares
his passion for community service with his wife, Marcie Louza, founder of The
Sandwich Project, which delivers 8,000-10,000 sandwiches weekly to combat food
insecurity across metro Atlanta.
Michael's transition from corporate leadership to community
service exemplifies how professional expertise can be channeled into meaningful
local impact.
Michael is pictured with his father who lives in Puerto
Vallarta. Michael has visited for five months every year for the past 30 years.
Toys for Tots
Just 40 Shopping Days Until the Holiday Luncheon!
And then you'll still have almost two weeks before Christmas. Why do we mention this? Because it's our tradition to bring unwrapped toys, books, bicycles and more to the Dunwoody Holiday Luncheon - this year on Friday, December 13. The stores are already packed with Christmas merchandise, so take time now to pick your special gift for an underprivileged child. Thanks to Jim and Janet Glass, we have been doing this for nearly 15 years! Help us please!
Service Opportunity
Brookhaven Seeking Volunteers for VA Women's Health Fair
Brookhaven
Rotary Club is supporting the VA Women's Health Fair on Thursday, December 5 (10 am to 2 pm), and has reached out to all the DeKalb Rotary Council Rotary Clubs asking for help with volunteers. The event is designed
to provide invaluable information and resources to approximately 150 women
veterans, focusing on mental health and overall well-being. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up, kitchen services, and breakdown (2-4 pm). If you would like to learn more or offer assistance, please
contact Brookhaven Rotarian (and Navy Veteran) Kim Green at kim@successfullyacceleratingcoaching.com.
