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Pawsitivity Partnership Seal
February 25, 2026

Meetings

February is Peace and Conflict Prevention Month

3/2 Hands-On Volunteer Activity Benefiting Girl Scouts and Inspiration from their Community Projects
3/9 No Meeting: Volunteer for Shepherd Center Tuesday Dinner Service
3/16 No Meeting: Register for Thirsty ThirdsDay
3/23 FBI Special Agent on Cyber Security
3/30 Kyle Waide, CEO, Atlanta Community Food Bank
4/6 Griff Lynch. President and CEO, Georgia Ports Authority
4/13 No Meeting After Foundation Benefit
4/16 District Conference - April 16 - 19

Events

3/7 Dog for a Day (or a Few Hours) at the lush and scenic Chastain Park
3/10 Shepherd Center Family Dinner Volunteer Event
3/16 Board of Directors Meeting
3/19 Thirsty ThirdsDay
3/21 Pawsitivity Partnership with Buckhead Rotarians Delivering Pet Food with OpenHand
4/4 Healthy Pet Event as part of the Pawsitivity Partnership with LifeLine
4/4 Healthy Pet Event as part of the Pawsitivity Partnership with LifeLine
4/11 2026 Buckhead Rotary Foundation Benefit

Our Rotary Family
BIRTHDAYS

2/3 James Cotton
2/3 Daniela Bergamo
2/6 David Bockel, Jr.
2/6 Reeves Smith
2/11 Bill Barney, III
2/14 Kevin Glass
2/14 Eddie LaRocco
2/15 Sean Mikula
2/15 Patty Webb
2/16 Michelle Middlebrooks
2/19 Mark Meltzer
2/22 Emily Carter

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Rotary Online

https://buckheadrotary.com
https://rotary6900.org/
https://rotary.org/

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LEADERSHIP

President Shelley Hammell
President-Elect Jeff Clark, Jr.
Immediate PP Denise Starling
Vice President Jeff Clark, Jr.
Treasurer Radu Zernoveanu
Secretary Michael Stimpert
Public Image Mark Meltzer
Sergeant-at-Arms Garth Peters

Hands-On Volunteer Activity Benefiting Girl Scouts and Inspiration from their Community Projects

We will be at Maggiano's as usual, but with a different format. We will be working on a volunteer activity over our regular lunch benefiting the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. We will also hear from their Board Chair, Susan Lazaro, on the impact the Girl Scouts make beyond the famous annual cookie campaign. A few Gold Award Girl Scouts will recount the impact that their membership has had on them. The Gold Award celebrates and recognizes Girl Scouts' accomplishments that were made in their communities.

RSVP HERE! 

Need to join by Zoom, click the link below.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87941219913?pwd=S15RIBjTE1TRk1NaDRNa3hTcmphUT09#success Password: 485257

Rotary Club of Buckhead
Maggiano’s Little Italy
3368 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30326


Dog for a Day

Volunteers needed for a dog-gone good time. Join us for a relaxing morning of fellowship and fresh air. We will meet at LifeLine Animal Project at 10:00 a.m. to pick up dogs and head over to Chastain Park Conservancy for coffee, donuts, and a leisurely stroll.

We will be joined by a Scouting America troop who will help walk the dogs with us. If you would rather skip getting a dog, meet us at the Conservancy at 10:45 am to enjoy the walk, a few tail wags and nuzzles, and a little stress relief for both people and pups. 

Click Here to Sign Up! 


Buckhead Rotary Gala: Sponsorships Available

We are very excited to kick-off the 2026 Buckhead Rotary Club Benefit honoring Gary Stokan, President and CEO of the Peach Bowl and his wife Tia on April 11, 2026.

We hope all of our members and their guests can attend. This event is the primary fundraising effort for the Club that supports our three Signature Projects along with all our other efforts that make an impact in our community.

We are updating the Patron Sponsorship offering this year to include two levels. The first “Patron Sponsorship” level is at $500 and will offer Buckhead Rotary sponsors an additional ticket (you already have paid for a ticket through your dues) to the event for their plus one (you will have two tickets total) along with recognition in the event brochure. The second “Hosting Patron” level is at $1,000 and will offer the same number of tickets plus special recognition at the event.

We ask that all Rotarians please seriously consider sponsoring the event to help support the Club and its community service efforts throughout the year.

Click here to sponsor today! 


Message from the President: Standing Room Only for Governor Kemp

Buckhead Rotary was honored to host Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp for an update on his accomplishments and priorities for Georgia. Governor Kemp highlighted progress in economic growth, Georgia is ranked the number one state for business, along with the state’s largest income tax cut of $1 billion and a one-time refund for residents. He also spoke about investments in education and workforce development to better prepare students for today’s job market; all aimed at strengthening communities across Georgia.

The Governor and First Lady’s focus on education, food insecurity, and pet welfare also aligned with Buckhead Rotary’s long-standing commitment to service above self and making a positive impact in our community and beyond.

The visit drew the largest turnout in Buckhead Rotary’s history and members enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about policies and programs supporting Georgia’s continued growth, community well-being, and future prosperity.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this visit a success, including Michael Stimpert, Garth Peters, and especially Jeff Nicholson, for helping secure the Governor’s appearance. 

President’s Message


Standing Room Only for the Governor’s Message

President’s Message


Standing Room Only for the Governor’s Message

Welcome Greg Cole

Congratulations and welcome to our newest member, Greg Cole who was inducted on February 23rd. This special milestone marks the beginning of a journey defined by service, fellowship, and community impact. We look forward to getting to know you, sharing experiences, and seeing the many ways you will help strengthen our club and its mission. Please extend a warm welcome to our newest Rotarian!



Happy Birthday Rotary!

On February 23, Rotary International marked 121 years of Service Above Self. Founded in 1905 by Paul Harris in Chicago, Rotary began with a simple idea: bring together leaders from diverse professions to build fellowship and serve their communities. What started as one club has grown into a global network of 1.4 million members dedicated to advancing peace, supporting education, improving health, and strengthening local economies worldwide.

One of Rotary’s most ambitious efforts has been its leadership in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, working alongside partners such as the World Health Organization. Thanks to decades of advocacy, partnership, and funding, polio cases have been reduced by more than 99.9% worldwide. This demonstrates what sustained service and collaboration looks like.

While Rotary’s reach is global, Buckhead Rotary’s impact is deeply local. Through our signature and service projects and the dedication of our members, we proudly support organizations transforming lives in our community, including Boyce L. Ansley School, Shepherd Center, LifeLine Animal Project, Scouting America, and Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. These partnerships showcase our members’ leadership and hands-on involvement in strengthening our community.





As we celebrate 121 years of Rotary, thank you to all of you whose time and expertise make this work possible. And thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to Service Above Self in our community.

Rockin’ Good Time at Thirsty Thirdsday

February’s Thirsty Thirdsday was a hit at the home of member Kevin Glass and his wife Stefani where we were treated to some wonderful fare provided by Kevin and the AIS School’s inhouse caterers. We were entertained with some good old fashion rock-n-roll by our talented RYE, Rotary Youth Exchange Student, Leo Klein-Kraneberg on guitar. Members spent the evening relaxing, laughing, and having a great time building fellowship.


2026 District Conference

Register Today! 


Join us for an unforgettable 2026 District Conference as we celebrate the incredible 2025-2026 Rotary Year under District Governor Steve! We’re excited to announce that we’re moving the conference to the beautiful Lake Lanier Islands Resort this year — offering a fresh, fun setting for fellowship, inspiration, and celebration. We can’t wait to see everyone there!


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