This Week's Speaker
Wayne Cook, Atlanta Mission
In a way, Wayne Cook was already dead — or wanted to be. “I was ready to end it all,” he says. “I was 50 years old, addicted to drugs, homeless on the streets, broken, and hopeless.”
Wayne struggled with drugs most of his life. He’d been to prison, in and out of countless rehabs, and hit rock bottom so many times he lost count. Nothing could change his race to the grave. “By 2009, I’d been living on the streets for a couple of years,” he recalls. “It was so bad, my only pillow was an old boot with a roll of toilet paper inside. Depression, guilt, and shame were killing me. Spiritually and emotionally, I was completely broken.”
One afternoon, he laid down to sleep on the sidewalk across from Atlanta Mission. He saw a crowd of men at Atlanta Mission’s gate and decided to check it out. That decision led him inside, where he found a safe bed and a hot meal. He’d been in a lot of shelters and rehabs before, but there was something different about Atlanta Mission. He decided to stay. And the longer he stayed, the more he opened up.
“It was like a Bible boot camp,” Wayne recalls. Over the next year, as Wayne grew in the Lord, and alive in Christ, his life slowly transformed. The transformation was so profound, Atlanta Mission equipped Wayne with hundreds of hours of training to serve on staff at Atlanta Mission and minister to other men who are seeking help here. A true professional, he builds relationships, offers encouragement, and connects them to services that can transform their lives, like his was transformed. He found his true calling, he says.
Wayne remembers when he was “dead” on the streets. Now he celebrates his new life every day. And he knows his new life is possible for one reason: Easter. Christ’s resurrection. “If Jesus Christ didn’t rise again, none of this would be possible,” he says. Jesus spiritually raised Wayne from the “dead.” But your gifts led him to Jesus. Thank you.
You Can Make a Difference at Camp Corral - Volunteer Opportunity
On Thursday, June 13, we have an opportunity to help at Camp Corral - held at Camp Twin Lakes near Winder, Georgia. The mission of Camp Corral is to transform the lives of children of wounded, injured, ill, and fallen military heroes by providing a unique summer camp experience. In 2019, Camp Corral will serve more than 3,000 campers in 19 locations around the country.
Last year, RCD provided four scholarships for campers. This year, June and I have provided scholarships for two children to attend Camp Corral in RCD's name.
As a club, we also have an opportunity to serve ice cream to the 150 campers/staff as part of their June 13 dinner. We need 5-10 volunteers for the evening - we're asked to arrive by 5:30 pm (it's a little over an hour to get there), get a quick tour, have dinner at 6:15 then serve ice cream, We should leave about 7:30 pm and be home about 9 pm.
It's a great chance to say thank you to our active military, veterans and their families for their sacrifice.
Let me know if you would like to help.
Have You Signed Up for the End of Year Celebration at the Dunwoody Nature Center?
We know it's still three weeks away but the time to let us know you're coming is now!
Where, you ask? To a Dunwoody Rotary social event at 6:00 pm on Thursday June 27 in the Pavilion at the Dunwoody Nature Center. Help us to celebrate the 2018-19 Rotary year and welcome in Cathie Brumfield as our 2019-20 President! You can:
- Enjoy delicious food representing a variety of cuisines - all from Please Chef - along with tasty beverages of all kinds
- Take part in sharing wonderful memories, amusing stories and well deserved awards
- Raise another glass to the Rotary Club of Dunwoody and our 35-year history of making a difference
- Cheer on the new officers and directors and directors we'll install for the next Rotary year.
We hope that you and your guest will join us. We will have appetizers and each attendee will receive a coupon good for one drink. To ensure that we are resourced properly, I ask that you please acknowledge your attendance (and a guest if you wish) by registering for the event. Use the link https://dunwoodyrotary.org/v2/event/4025 and click on the REGISTER button.
This will be the final meeting of the Rotary year and should be
a fun way to carry on the momentum gained throughout the year. I sincerely hope you can attend.
Do You Know Someone Who Would Make a Great Speaker?
The speaker committee is off and running for the 2019/20 Rotary year – with some great speakers already lined up for July and the first week of August. Mark your calendar and invite your friends to hear:
- July 12: Pat Graham, Rare Books
- July 19: Cary King, 1968 Vietnam Tet Offensive
- July 26: Caesar Gaiters, DeKalb Rotary Council Chair re: Rotary and Entrepreneurship
- August 2: Tony Barnhart, 2019 College Football
From that point forward, Kathy Brandt needs your help finding speakers. If you can think of someone with an interesting story to tell, please let Kathy know at kgbrandt1@comcast.net.
Calling All Bakers - Start Baking to Support Our July 4 Hotdog Booth and Bake Sale
In keeping with our 20+ year tradition, the Rotary Club of Dunwoody will have a hot dog booth at Dunwoody's annual Fourth of July Celebration. And, as in most recent years, with your help we plan to sell baked goods - cookies, brownies, any finger food dessert that can be packaged in a sandwich size or snack size Ziploc bag and sold for $1.00.
Les Woulfin is baking; so is our GRSP student Mathilde Illum. You can bring your creations to our hot dog stand in Dunwoody Village on the morning of July 4 (we'd like to have them no later than 9:00 a.m. so we can have them onn display andready for sale when the parade comes into the Village. Or, we'll determine a drop off place before the 4th and let you know!
Any money we make on hot dogs and baked goods will be added to the money we have to fund our good work in the community!
Not a baker? There are plenty of opportunities to help … from assembling the float to walking in the parade to working in the hot dog stand - all take place the morning of July 4 and leave the entire afternoon free to enjoy the holiday..
Happy Dining -Annual Dunwoody Restaurant Week June 8 - 15 !
The 8th annual Dunwoody Restaurant Week begins this Saturday, June 8 and runs through June 15. This year there are 29 restaurants offering lunch and dinner menus at a variety of price points – there is truly something for every palate and occasion! Dunwoody Rotarian Charlie Augello’s E 48 th Street Market is among the participating restaurants.
What a perfect opportunity to invite colleagues to try a new restaurant or visit a long-time favorite.What a perfect opportunity to meet local restauranteurs, thanking them for choosing to do business in Dunwoody. What a perfect opportunity for Dunwoody Rotarians to make their presence known in our community.
This year, some arts and culture organizations are offering discounts with a restaurant week receipt. To view these offers and all of the participating restaurants and their special restaurant week menus, check out the Dunwoody Restaurant Week website: www.dunwoodyrestaurantweek.com
Happy dining!
Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Gwinnett Stripers on July 20
On July 20, the Rotary Club of Dunwoody will make its annual trek to a Gwinnett Stripers Game at Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30043. Similar to last year, the Club has arranged for a Buffet Dinner (ballpark food) prior to the Game. The cost is $ 29 per person which includes the buffet dinner and a box seat on the first base side where hopefully it will be cooler than it was along the third base line last year. Game time is 6:05 pm, so plan to be there by 5:00 pm at the latest.
The Gwinnett Stripers are the Atlanta Braves’ Triple A Affiliate and that night will host the Rochester Redwings, the Triple A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The Twins currently are in first place in the AL Central so the July 20 game should be a good game featuring numerous future MLB players. The first 2500 fans through the gate will receive a Stripers’ Tee Shirt as well. The game, of course, is secondary to a night of fun and fellowship for the Dunwoody Family of Rotary.
Everyone is invited. Plan to bring the kids and grandkids. If you wish to attend, please RSVP by July 1, 2019, to Ken Levy at kennethlevy99@gmail.com, in person or by telephone or IM at (770) 686-2651.Hope to see you at the Ballgame!!!!