President's Message, September 15, 2026
Submitted by President Dan Jenkins
Our next lunch meeting is Tuesday, September 22nd and will be hosted by President-Elect Jonathan Stelling.
We'll also have an impactful presentation from a future Habitat for Humanity homeowner, the Ait Kassou/Outib family. Our club will have an opportunity to help this family on October 3rd as part of our First Nail service project. It will be a meaningful program and a great opportunity to learn more about the family we'll be serving together.
And don't forget to sign up for our Holiday Party!
The party will take place on Tuesday, December 1st, from 6-10 pm at Ippolito's in Roswell (Holcomb Bridge Road). It's going to be a great night of fellowship, fun, and celebration - and one you definitely won't want to mis!
Please sign up using the link below:
Holiday Party!
Look forward to seeing you there!
Meeting Recap for September 8, 2026
It was another packed room for our September 8 lunch meeting, with plenty of guests joining us—many with connections to Arete Scholars and Thrive Academy.
We were pleased to welcome:
- Chase Merriwether, Thrive Academy student
- Jay'R Robertson, School Leader of Thrive Academy
- Ashley Collier, Arete Scholars
- Phil Van Gelder, Alpharetta Rotarian and supporter of Arete Scholars
- Yessica Rebolledo, Tacos & Tequila, guest of Jonathan Stelling
- Maria Nunez, La Bonanza Catering, guest of Jonathan Stelling
- Richard Brooks, Johns Creek Chamber, guest of Bob MacDonald
Steve Cory kicked off Happy Dollars with a little Rotary history and a simple challenge: raise $26.50 for The Rotary Foundation—the amount of the first contribution to the endowment fund proposed by Arch Klumph in 1917 that would eventually become The Rotary Foundation. Steve quickly surpassed his goal, while members shared plenty of happy news of their own, including Garrett Vaughn and his wife celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary and William Bennett sharing good news about the improved health of a loved one .
The good news for The Rotary Foundation continued when Bob MacDonald announced a generous $2,000 donation . His gift gives us a wonderful start toward our club's annual Foundation goal of $25,000. Thank you, Bob!
We also celebrated two of our newer members, Joe Leone and Dave MacDougall, as they officially "graduated" from red badges to white badges. Both have already jumped into club life and made meaningful contributions, and we're grateful to have them as part of North Fulton Rotary.
Our guest speaker was Chase Merriwether, a Thrive Academy student who attended RYLA in June with a scholarship from our club. RYLA is a four-night leadership retreat for high school students held at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus. Through workshops, team-building challenges, and presentations from community leaders, students develop communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills while experiencing Rotary's commitment to Service Above Self .
Chase shared several lessons from his RYLA experience, including the realization that he is always evolving and growing. He also learned more about how he approaches conflict—often seeking information as a way to find resolution. Perhaps most meaningful was his discovery that he could learn to trust his fellow participants in a surprisingly short amount of time.
His advice to future RYLA students summed up the experience perfectly: "Put yourself out there and try to enjoy yourselves because you only get one chance."
Thank you, Chase, for sharing your RYLA experience with us!
We also got to know Joe Leone a little better through his vocational talk. Originally from Queens, New York, Joe moved to Long Island at age 10 and remained there until relocating to Cumming in November 2025. He and his wife, Debbie, have been married for 36 years and have two children, Christina and Robert.
Joe studied Business Computer Information Systems at Farmingdale State University and Hofstra University before building a career in business development and sales. His early career included selling telex—and eventually fax—machines throughout all five boroughs of New York City before joining Standard Register, now known as Taylor Communications.
Joe was drawn to Rotary by his desire to serve and connect with others, and he left us with some simple but powerful "news we can use": Be full of gratitude, and be genuine and respectful of others.
For those looking to send business Joe's way, his ideal prospect is someone who wants to connect, inspire, and grow their business through printed communications and promotional tools . Thanks for helping us get to know you better, Joe!
Thank you to all of our guests, members, speakers, and donors for another terrific North Fulton Rotary meeting. From investing in future leaders through RYLA to supporting The Rotary Foundation and strengthening relationships with organizations like Arete Scholars and Thrive Academy, it was a great reminder of the many ways Rotary brings people together to make a difference.
Let's Score for the Foundation
North Fulton Rotary's Football Pool to support The Rotary Foundation is back!
Here are the details:
· Members pledge an amount of money per point for a team(s) of their choice for regular and post season play
· Teams from Middle School, High School, Flag, College, NFL, etc. are all eligible
· Donations can be designated by members to either the Annual Fund or Polio Plus
· The member who donates the largest amount can designate a charity of their choice to receive a donation equal to 10% of the total amount raised
· There will be weekly updates resulting in the coveted Bragging Rights
· Jonathan Stelling is our regaining champion from last year’s competition
But Wait, there's More:
· To help members become a Paul Harris Fellow ($1000 in cash or points donated to the Rotary Foundation) or achieve the a higher level of recognition we will have a Matching Points Campaign for anyone who donates $250 or more (either as a part of the football pool or other donations).
· Members may make contributions to the Rotary Foundation throughout the season or wait until the season is over. Please forward your email contribution receipt to me at doug@doughiggins.com
Here's the link to donate: https://my.rotary.org/en/donate
Please send your team(s) and the amount of money you want to pledge per point to Foundation Chair, Doug Higgins (doug@doughiggins.com) by 9/18 so he can provide the first update at our next meeting on 9/22.
Thanks for your support and Let’s Score for The Foundation!
Brick Campaign: North Park Peace Garden
Brick Campaign
It has been 3 years since we last offered to sell/order/install engraved bricks at our Rotary Peace Garden at North Park. Many of you may not even know about the wonderful brick paver patio that we built. Take this opportunity to be a part of the Peace Garden.
BUY A BRICK (or 2 or 3)!
Please read the ATTACHED flyer and place your order by the deadline, September 23.
Buy a personalized engraved brick for installation by North Fulton Rotary. They are engraved with your desired text up to 3 lines (18 characters per line including spaces). All bricks are 4 x 8 inches. Recognize someone or something that has impacted your life or capture a meaningful quote.
PRICES: $100 for the first engraved brick. Each additional brick is discounted to $50 ($100 for 1 brick / $150 for 2 bricks / $200 for 3 bricks).
Call Steve Siders with any questions 678-488-3545.
Access the order form via the e-mail Steve sent to club members (search for North Fulton Rotary) on September 8th here at the bottom of the email: https://rotary6900.org/email/23462
North Fulton Service Project with Habitat for Humanity — Oct 3rd
Volunteer opportunity in Gainesville
We are partnering with Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia again on October 3rd in Gainesville, GA, this time for a First Nail Ceremony as work begins on the new home for the AitKassou/Outib family. This is a great opportunity to support local housing efforts and serve alongside fellow club members.
- Date: October 3rd, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Location: Gainesville, GA
- Details: See below flyer for full information.
- Volunteer limit: We are limited to ten volunteers.
- Sign up: Use the QR code on the flyer or this link: Habitat First Nail!
If you have questions, please reach out to Service Project Chair Amie Blanton at (770) 315-9974.
Companion Club Update and Call to Action
The next meeting of the Companion Club will be on September 17th at 6:30 pm at NoFo Brew Co in Cumming, GA.
In addition, the Companion Club is collecting items for transitional housing starter kits that will be given to families moving into permanent housing after experiencing homelessness or other difficult life circumstances.
Imagine finally receiving the keys to a place of your own only to realize you don't own a shower curtain, a set of dishes, or even a laundry basket. These are everyday items many of us take for granted, but they can make a huge difference for someone starting over.
To make contributing as easy as possible, we've created an Amazon Wish List:
Click here: Donate Transitional Housing Items
The wish list is simply a convenient way to see the types of items we're collecting. You are welcome to purchase these items anywhere you'd like—the Amazon list is intended as a guide and a convenient option. If you order from Amazon, the items will be delivered directly to my office. If you purchase separately, I will collect at the Lunch meetings or you may drop them off at my office.
Because we'll be assembling multiple starter kits , we need multiple quantities of every item on the list. Even if an item has already been purchased, we still need additional donations of nearly everything. If you're able, consider purchasing two or more of the same item so we can help as many families as possible.
Some of the household essentials we're collecting include:
- Kitchen utensils
- Pots and pans
- Plates, bowls, and cups
- Silverware
- Shower curtains and liners
- Bath towels
- Laundry baskets
- Cleaning supplies
- Trash cans
- Bedding and other everyday necessities
We'll be collecting donations through the end of September. Once all of the items have been collected, we'll announce a date in October for volunteers to come together and package the starter kits before they're delivered to families.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Joseph Powell, (912) 662-2246.
Women in Rotary
The next quarterly Women in Rotary event will be sponsored by Rotary Club of Alpharetta on September 22nd from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at:
The Hamilton Hotel (Carrie's Conservatory), 35 Milton Avenue, Alpharetta
Appetizers will be provided and guests will purchase their own beverages.
Please bring a $5.00 or $10 gift card for Publix/Kroger/Walmart to support North Fulton Community Charities.
Please RSVP at: Women in Rotary
Gentlemen - please let your significant others know about this!
Any questions, please call Joy at (770) 715-5422
Golfing for Respite
As a reminder, our Companion Club members, Tom and Stacy Georges, are hosting a golf tournament to raise funds for their non-profit, Special Needs Respite. The date is October 5th and they could use some volunteer help on that day: Volunteer at Golf for Respite
Additional details are included on the flyer. 
North Fulton Rotary: First Annual Fall Gala
Save the Date: Fall Gala on October 24th
The North Fulton Rotary Club is pleased to announce its First Annual Fall Gala Event at St. Ives Country Club on Saturday, October 24. The Roswell Rotary Club will join forces with our club as a co-sponsor for a fun night of dinner, dancing and raising money for two worthy causes.
Proceeds from the event will support Areté Scholars and HomeStretch, two organizations dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.
Tickets are now available for $150 (price increases to $175 on 9/15) using this link: Fall Gala Tickets
You can also use the QR code on the flyer. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rick Clark, Fundraising Chair (704) 807-0083.
Club Branded Items Available to Order
Show Your North Fulton Rotary Pride!
Our new North Fulton Rotary online store is officially open! Members can now order branded clothing and gear to show off their Rotary pride wherever they go.
Orders will ship every two weeks, so take a look and see what your wardrobe might be missing. Your closet could probably use a little more Rotary!
Order Here: North Fulton Rotary Merch
North Fulton Supports Roswell Rotary Red Cross Blood Drive
North Fulton is proud to once again partner with the Red Cross Blood Drive hosted by Roswell Rotary on October 28th at Roswell Junction. We have also added one of District 6900's newest Rotary Clubs, North Atlanta Professional Alliance (NAPA) to our volunteer efforts! Please see the flyer (thanks to Kathleen and her team for cleaning up the Blood Drive flyer!) for full details about the event.
Why this matters
Since the American Red Cross launched an emergency blood shortage appeal on July 13th, thousands of people have stepped up to help. Unfortunately, donations are still not keeping pace with hospital demand. Their inventory of type O blood is especially dire. Right now, they have less than a one-day supply of type O positive blood. In just the second time in their history, The Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis and escalated their appeal efforts on Monday, July 27.
How you can help
- If you are healthy and eligible, please consider donating; every donation helps.
- Share the event information with friends, family, and neighbors to encourage broader community participation.
- Refer to the flyer for details on times, eligibility, and any steps needed to participate.
To register to donate blood use the QR code below or click here: Donate Blood
To volunteer to help at the blood drive, sign up here: Volunteer at Blood Drive
Membership
