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The Bulletin

October 8, 2019


Meetings

October is Economic and Community Development Month

10/9 Chris Brand, CEO of FODAC "Friends of Diabled Adults and Children"
10/16 Japanese Consulate program: "Walk in U.S., Talk on Japan"
10/23 4th Wed: No Meeting
10/30 5th Wed: No Meeting

Our Rotary Family
BIRTHDAYS

10/1 Josh Moreland
10/3 Elisabeth Dillard
10/5 Richard Burroughs, III
10/7 Brendon Planz
10/24 Gary Henschen
10/25 Matilda Arhin

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

10/10 Justin Alford (6)
10/21 Bonnie Hardage (19)
10/30 Jared Sobelson (9)

Rotary Online

https://brookhavenrotary.org
https://rotary6900.org/
https://rotary.org/

ROTARY CLUB OF
Brookhaven


Wednesdays, 12:15 pm
Capital City Country Club- Guest/Vis
53 West Brookhaven Drive, NE
Atlanta, GA 30319

LEADERSHIP

President Tony Shaffer
President-Elect Jared Sobelson
Treasurer Michael E O'Nan
Secretary Cara O'Grady
Foundation Bonnie Hardage
Membership Benjamin Ragin
Public Image Mark Galvin
Fellowship Director Bob Cunningham

Big Green Egg​ - Chef D-Mart presents a night of Rotarians!

Brookhaven Rotarian Dan Martinez will provide a customized menu, partially hands on, for this Club Social event.

Menu: Dishes will include meat / veggies / dessert; beer and wine included.
Date/time: Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 - 8:45 pm

Location: HQ BGE 3786 Dekalb Technology Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30340 (map link)

Cost: $69 per person

RSVP: to Chef D-Mart at Dan.joshua@gmail.com, number of people attending and names.
Payment will be worked out at a later date, just need to reserve your spot!

Rotary Means Business

Mission Statement

Rotary Means Business encourages Rotarians to support the success of their fellow Rotarians by doing business with them, and by referring others to them.

Today Rotarians are embracing the original foundations of what the Rotary Club was based on as we adhere to the Four Way Test. The RMB Fellowship provides an opportunity for all Rotarians to network on a global basis to enhance their businesses.

We encourage any active Rotarian in good standing who is interested in doing business with other Rotarians to join the Rotary Means Business Fellowship.

The next Rotary Means Business meeting will be Tuesday, 10/15, Hudson Grille, Brookhaven, 6:30pm-8pm. (map link)

Please use this link to sign up so the organizers can plan for the event: https://rotarymeansbusinessoctober.eventbrite.com



​Christopher D. Brand ~ President / CEO ~ Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC)

Chris Brand has a lifetime of experience in disability issues. While growing up in Atlanta, GA, he bonded with

a close friend of the family who had Muscular Dystrophy (MD). For 19 years, he watched the effects that the
disease had on the human body of his best friend, as well as the family structure. After losing his friend, Chris
knew that his vocation would always be tied to this community whose challenges he knew so well. This
experience prompted him to work the MD telethons and summer camps for many years. He worked at three
different companies doing accessibility modifications to vans and automobiles, then became a rehabilitation
specialist at the Gwinnett Medical Health System working in-patient, out-patient, sports medicine and acute
rehab.
Chris joined FODAC in 1993 as the donations manager. Because of his work to develop new resources for
donations as well as expand existing ones, Chris was promoted to executive director of FODAC in 2001 and
voted president in 2003. During this period, he guided FODAC through a difficult growing period to become
what is now a national best practice program and the largest domestic distribution program of used Home
Medical Equipment (HME). This program promotes increased independence and more participation in
education, the workplace, and the community in underserved regions of Georgia and the Southeast.
Under Chris’ guidance, FODAC has launched two of its largest capital campaigns. The first campaign included
major building renovations, such as energy efficient updates, lobby expansion, more interactive equipment for
client usage and thrift store improvements. The second has focused on improving warehouse and production
flow of HME throughout the facility, adding solar and LED retrofits and retiring the debt on the facility. These
changes have increased efficiencies in service and capacity for delivery to clients and other regional partners.
He created volunteer drop-off sites that have now expanded to over 30 locations around the state and South
Carolina.
Chris secured a Federal Demonstration Grant from 2006-2010 to help create a network of access points for
medical equipment across Georgia and the Southeast and the U.S. He is a member of Georgia Voluntary
Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and has established a relationship with Red Cross and GEMA to
house and distribute disability shelter kits for general population shelters in Georgia. He also leverages new
HME donations to assist regions affected by disasters around the country in collaboration with FEMA.
Chris currently serves on the National Task Force for Disaster Preparedness and the National Task Force for
ReUse of Assistive Technology. He also serves on the Board of the Georgia Tools for Life Advisory Board at
GA Tech. He has made presentations on the ReUse of assistive technology in S. Carolina, Denver, Orlando,
California, Washington D.C. and Atlanta. Chris is an active Stone Mountain Rotarian, serving as President in
2014-15, and is proud to have been the District 6900 Rotarian of the Year (2017) after assisting with several
local, national and international service projects.
Chris, his wife Laura and their three children are members of Briarlake Baptist in Decatur. He has also enjoyed
serving in various ministries including the Atlanta Passion Play for 12 years.
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