At a Glance
Bell will ring at 7:25 this week – be ready to join the breakfast line
- Speaker is Mark Johnson – an amazing mind reader and mentalist, and fellow Rotarian from Buckhead Rotary. You will not want to miss!
- Vocational Minute – Kelly Walker
- Adopt-a-Mile this Saturday 8am at Burger King. Contact Chris Weeber 770-365-6719
- Grilling & Gridiron this Saturday 3:30pm Downtown Alpharetta. Volunteers contact Mickey Rogers at 770-378-2597. Others – hope to see you there to benefit The Lionheart School
Where to start…
I have yet to find a wise quote that adequately sums-up this past week. Synonymous with the local and global presence of Rotary, so was our experience and response. It was a rough week within our Club with several members in various stages of medical treatment and recovery, and the shock we all felt at the loss of Kathleen Canada – beloved wife of Joel. Kathleen’s memorial service and reception were testaments to the love and joy she brought to so many lives. I couldn’t begin to count the number of Rotarians present, and I suppose the number is irrelevant – but those who were able to attend were there. And Joel - we will continue to be there for you and your family, indefinitely - whatever the need.
Nationally we cannot help but be impacted by the news and images of the devastating losses in Houston and along the Texas coast; and of course, stay tuned for Irma in the coming days. From what I continue to read, the primary need at this point is funding - $$. As announced at our meeting, we will match the first $2,500 in gifts. I will send specific instructions in a separate email to follow.
Member Updates:
Steve Gillard came home from the hospital on Saturday and will remain at home with treatment through Monday when he goes for a follow-up. He has some leg and walking issues that need to be addressed but, as he said, “we’re moving forward.” Steve hopes to be back with us on September 15th. Let’s hope his recovery goes well. I’m sure a call, email or note would be appreciated!
Bill Weeks - As I write this I’m on the phone with John Hipes who, along with Karen, is laughing it up at Bill’s bedside. Bill seems to have come through his surgery quite well and is giving the nurses a hard time – as we might expect. He will be at Northside Hospital (Room 270) until (at least) Friday. Certainly give him a call or stop-by to see him. We wish him well in recovery.
Our continued thoughts and prayers for Jan Hines and his wife as they both continue their recovery; and for Gary Mossner at the loss of his mother-in-law, grandmother, and health concerns for two of his brothers. Of course there are always others who struggle with those issues that may not be known to us.
This Week
Rotary Closet Clean-out – Wow – is all I can say. Just take a look inside. Thanks to Karen Hipes, Chris Weeber, Clark Savage, Sue Kinker and Paul Ray for staying well after our meeting last Friday to clean house. There were many trips to the dumpster and some items moved to our storage area in the APC Alpha Trailer.
Rotary Interest Groups - As a practice run a group of 6 Rotarians and 4 family members organized an impromptu trip to the Chattahoochee for a kayak adventure. We paddled about three miles upriver and three miles back almost without incident - - - . :) We had a great time and look forward to another trip again, soon. This is a good example of a common interest that we can enjoy together in groups large or small. This week you will find several index cards at each table that will be used to record hobbies or interests that you would like to share with other members. We will collect and categorize them into a list and look for some initial leadership to help bring the groups together. – More on Friday.
The true spirit and character of this Club shines through and is fully revealed when it comes to supporting one another and those who are in need beyond our community. I’m not only proud to be a member of Alpharetta Rotary, but a group that makes me a better person as well. Iron sharpens iron…
See you Friday!