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Emily Holden has never met a stage she didn’t love or an audience member that didn’t become a friend. An Atlanta-based stand-up comedian, she tours nationally with Moms Unhinged and was a 2024 Ladies of Laughter finalist in NYC. Also in 2024 she was named a Decatur Hometown Hero for her work with the City of Decatur.
Weekly luncheon meetings begin at 12:15 pm
on Fridays unless otherwise noted.
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FRIDAY
APRIL 25
SPEAKER: Colleen Saringer Global Health Leader & Consultant
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THURSDAY
MAY 1
ANNUAL FUNDRAISER!
The Lost Druid,
Avondale Estates
6-9 pm
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THURSDAY
MAY 2
SPEAKER: Christina Montesinos Abstract Painter
It’s Not Too Late to Secure Auction Items for May 1 Fundraiser!
We are especially looking for experiences as auction items, such as an overnight stay at a cabin or beach house, a wine tasting for 4-6, or a round of golf at a nearby course. Thanks to everyone who has brought us items already. Let’s get a few more big ones!
Contact Kelly Caudle, Alison Weissinger, or Lawrence Sharp about auction items. Thank you!!
. . . . . Keep Those Bottles of Wine for Fundraiser Coming!
Please bring a bottle of wine to Rotary on Friday. We will use these for our ring toss game at the fundraiser. Thank you! Contact Kelly Caudle or Alison Weissinger with questions.
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Service Project: Toy Park Cleanup April 25
Beloved Decatur Rotarian Rev. Dr. James Brewer Calvert passed away in 2023, and last year our club installed two benches in his honor at the First Christian Church Toy Park. To honor James’s memory, we pledged to perform Toy Park clean-up duties once a year. It’s that time – come and join us to honor James’s spirit of community engagement!
Toy Park Cleanup, Friday, April 25, 2-4 pm
First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
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SAVE THE DATE: FODAC Equipment Drive, August 9
Mark your calendar for the annual FODAC (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children) equipment drive on Saturday, August 9. All the clubs of the DeKalb Rotary Council have participated in this big project, which has collected about $2 million worth of durable medical equipment from local residents and businesses that has been refurbished and redistributed to those in need. Expect to hear more in the coming months about how to get involved. Get your trucks ready!
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Milestones | April
Club Anniversaries
Bill Mealor, 44 years
Bob Buckner, 39 years
Mac Willett, 38 years
Birthdays
Dan DeWoskin, 13 years
RJ Jawanda, 9 years
Jamaal Ellis, 4 years
Alison Weissinger, April 1
Elliot Augustine, April 2
David Hughes, April 4
Luis Abularach, April 4
Bedros Sharian, April 5
Dorian DeBarr, April 8
Bob Buckner, April 17
Maria Alvarez, April 22
Friday, June 6 Recap Speaker: Ariana Bryant | Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
From left: Bob Ettensohn, speaker Ariana Bryant
Bob Ettensohn introduced lunch speaker Ariana Bryant, of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). In her role as Community Development Officer, Ariana pursues partnerships and community initiatives to advance the well-being of children and their families. She emphasized that the health of children extends beyond the borders of CHOA’s medical facilities, and said that in 2023, Children’s provided $412.4 million in benefits to parents, families, and children. She also shared some important CHOA initiatives, such as the child advocacy program Strong4Life and a rural health initiative that supports a pediatrician pipeline as well as behavioral and mental health in rural parts of the state.
Leadership Award for President Dudley Larus
Dist. Gov. Gordon Owens honoring Dudley Larus with Sheffield Leadership Award
Al Adams gave remarks on the significance of our club’s president, Dudley, being honored with a Sheffield Leadership Award and thanked him for his excellent leadership of the club over the past year. Dudley guided us to grow and thrive.
District Governor Elect Steve Ivory also spoke about Dudley’s leadership and congratulated the club on its positive momentum.
The Sheffield Leadership Award, established in 1994, is presented by the Rotary Club of Americus in honor of three Past District Governors – all from the same family and the Americus Rotary Club. It honors John West Sheffield (District 39, 1926-27), John W. Sheffield (District 690, 1961-62), and Langdon Sheffield (District 690, 1975-76), who have each served this Rotary District as District Governors.
Selected by the District Governor, the award is presented annually to the District 6900 club presidents (from each of the club size categories) who best exemplify the extraordinary leadership traits represented by the Sheffield family and execute their responsibilities in an exceptional manner.
Congratulations, Dud!!!
Elizabeth Sullivan – Classification Talk
Elizabeth Sullivan
Elizabeth Sullivan spoke briefly about her law firm’s area of practice, workers’ compensation. She has experience defending employers and insurance companies as well as advocating for injured workers, and thus is able to bring a whole perspective to her work.
Rotary Global Grant Scholar
Taiko Nakazawa
Since fall 2023, Decatur Rotary has hosted Taiko Nakazawa, of Japan, as a Global Grant Scholar. She spoke to the club about her wonderful experience at Emory, where she just completed her master’s degree at the Rollins School of Public Health. She now has an internship at Villa International, so we hope to see her more often.
Visitors
We welcomed Brandi Smith, visiting Rotarian from the Buckhead Club; Jim Kresge, guest of Doug Robinson; Willie Accree and Jack Kirivong, guests of Jason Conn; Andrea Young, guest of Dud Larus; Riley McMillan, guest of John Bennett; Selma Doganson, RYE student and guest of the club; and Taiko Nakazawa, Global Grant Scholar and guest of the club.
Scenes from our most recent meeting and events. Individuals are identified from left to right.
Speaker Ariana Bryant and Brandi Smith, of the Buckhead Rotary Club
Guest Jim Kresge and Doug Robinson (Happy anniversary to Doug & Diana!)
Charlie Lutin, David Ewing, Lawrence Sharp, Kalia Morrison, David Hughes
Rick Garnitz, Leo Ladefian, Luis Abularach, Brian Markowitz
Dist. Gov. Elect Steve Ivory and President Elect Alison Weissinger
Willie Acree and Jack Kilivong, both returning visitors. We hope you’ll join the club!
Dudley with Bob, who really wanted to win the raffle!
Emily Holden has never met a stage she didn’t love or an audience member that didn’t become a friend. An Atlanta-based stand-up comedian, she tours nationally with Moms Unhinged and was a 2024 Ladies of Laughter finalist in NYC. Also in 2024 she was named a Decatur Hometown Hero for her work with the City of Decatur.
Please bring a bottle of wine to Rotary on Friday. We will use these for our ring toss game at the fundraiser. Thank you! Contact Kelly Caudle or Alison Weissinger with questions.
Guest Jim Kresge and Doug Robinson (Happy anniversary to Doug & Diana!)
Charlie Lutin, David Ewing, Lawrence Sharp, Kalia Morrison, David Hughes
Rick Garnitz, Leo Ladefian, Luis Abularach, Brian Markowitz
Dist. Gov. Elect Steve Ivory and President Elect Alison Weissinger
Willie Acree and Jack Kilivong, both returning visitors. We hope you’ll join the club!
Dudley with Bob, who really wanted to win the raffle!
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