Thirsty Thursday March 2 • 5:50 pm to 7 pmInner Voice Brewing | 308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur innervoicebrewing.beer
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Lunch Meeting Friday, March 3
Historic DeKalb Co. Courthouse
101 E. Court Sq.
Speaker: Mike Alexander
Atlanta Regional Commission
Mike Alexander is the Chief Operating Officer of the Atlanta Regional Commission, managing the Community Development, Natural Resources, Research & Analytics, Transportation Planning, Mobility Services, Aging and Independence Services, Workforce Development, and Homeland Security Departments of the ARC. Mike has more than 20 years of public policy experience focused on regional and local community planning. As the COO, he leads this multidisciplinary professional staff in the fields of transportation planning, environmental planning, community and workforce development, economics, aging services, and demographic forecasting.
He is a graduate of the ARC Regional Leadership Institute, Leadership DeKalb, and Leadership Atlanta. Originally from South Carolina, Mike attended Auburn University where he received a dual masters degree in Public Administration and Community Planning. He served as a Marine infantryman in Desert Storm. Mike, his wife Michelle, and their two daughters, live in Decatur.
Upcoming Meetings and Events Mark those calendars!
. . . . . FRIDAY MARCH 10 MEETING
Speakers: Janis Middleton
& Spence Kramer
. . . . . FRIDAY MARCH 17 MEETING
Speaker: David Lawhorn
Motivational Speaker
. . . . .
FRIDAY MARCH 24 MEETING
Speaker: Lynn Cullen, Author
The Woman with the Cure
. . . . . FRIDAY MARCH 31 MEETING
Speaker: Sherry Boston
District Attorney for DeKalb County
Feb. 24 Meeting Recap
Key notes:
Rotary Membership Drive, February and March
Three new Rotary members inducted into the club.
Rotary Fundraiser is Thursday, May 18
Thirsty Thursday: March 2, Inner Voice Brewing
Guests:
Darold Honore, South DeKalb Rotary
Guest of Lawrence Sharp
Nedra White Shaw, South DeKalb Rotary
Guest of Lawrence Sharp
Anna Letkeman, Real estate agent,
Guest of Barbara Tedrow
Liz Bachmann, Social media strategist
Mike Curry, Spouse of Marion Curry, Professor Emeritus
Guest Spotlights
Anna Letkeman, guest of our club and of Barbara Tedrow, is a real estate agent, and has lived in Tucker with her husband for nine years. Anna is originally from Zborezia, Ukraine (Zaporizhia means "down river from the Dnieper River") and supports Ukraine's resistance to a Russian Federation takeover.
Lawrence Sharpe with his guests, Nedra White Shaw and Darold Honore
. . . . . . . . .
Invocation
Former club president Rev. Dr. Todd Speed kicked off the meeting with the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
Our speaker, Marion Curry, her husband Mike, Todd Speed and Walt Drake stand for the pledge.
. . . . . . . . . Decatur Rotary Honors the Passing of H.G Pattillo
Walt Drake spoke to the club about his friend and colleague H.G. (Pat) Pattillo. Walt told a few stories about Mr. Pattillo especially how he had researched underdeveloped countries and chose Costa Rica in which to invest. Pat sent Walt there to start the process of development and eventually purchased 7,000 acres of land. He even convinced Delta to fly directly to Costa Rica fostering the tourist industry there.
Excerpt from Pat’s obituary:
Two of H.G.'s great loves were walking job sites with the superintendents and riding horses – fast and hard, which is how he moved through life. During his stays at Hacienda Pinilla, friends and family often had the opportunity to ride along. Though H.G. didn't take up riding until his mid-50s and continued to ride well into his 80s, young and old alike admit to "being left in the dust."
Family, friends, and colleagues – even casual acquaintances will miss his attention to their interests. Despite the pressing demands of work, H.G. regularly forwarded books and articles he thought others would find helpful, often with a short personal note. An honest appraisal would be given when needed; a sincere word of praise or encouragement was his habit. Beyond his integrity, skill, and vision, H.G. may be remembered most for his ability to inspire the best in others by giving his best.
. . . . . . . . . Decatur Rotary Is Growing, Inducts Three New Members
Decatur Rotary was very pleased to induct three new members:
Jennifer Dodge: Copy writer and media expert, sponsored by Walt Drake
Julian Phipps: Boy Scouts of America, sponsored by Tom Adams
Luis Abularach: Rotarian transferring to Decatur, sponsored by Eric Lucas
Jennifer Dodge expressed thanks to the club and mentioned how as a young student she had benefited from a Rotary scholarship.
Julian Phipps with his sponsor, Tom Adams (right)
From left: sponsor Eric Lucas with Luis Abularach, Jullian Phipps with sponsor Tom Adams, Jennifer Dodge with sponsor Walt Drake.
Marion Curry: Travels and Rotary’s Effort to Serve the People of Uganda
Marion speaking passionately about her experiences and service work in Uganda.
Marion Curry began her comments with two powerful statements:
1. Her first trip to Uganda helped her understand what it truly means to be a Rotarian. It was much more than getting together over lunch.
2. With four trips to Uganda and meeting Rotarians around the world and seeing their dedication to service, Marion wanted us to know that you get a whole new perspective on what Rotary is all about and then you truly become a Rotarian.
She took us all on a trip to Uganda. It was obvious from the start that Marion’s travels to Uganda have changed her perspective on many things. Uganda is right in the middle of the continent and right on the equator. Marion demonstrated how Ugandans meet and greet a person. They look at you . . . they look deeply into your eyes and say, “You are most welcome.” Now when she goes back and visits friends, they say “You are most welcome home.” These greetings are one of the most loving experiences she has ever had.
She let us know more about the people and that 78% of Uganda's population is below 30 years old, making it the youngest country in the world. Water projects, digging and maintaining wells are one of the top priorities, but Marion also focused on the new development of rural health teams that conduct health checks in rural areas riding motorcycles, and even motorcycle ambulances.
Grateful recipients of new donated eyeglasses courtesy of Marion and Rotary.
A big initiative Rotary undertakes is for vital water projects as shown here
Marion poses in a native dress given to her by a friend in Uganda, along with her husband Mike, as they visit with club members and guests after her talk.
Mike Alexander is the Chief Operating Officer of the Atlanta Regional Commission, managing the Community Development, Natural Resources, Research & Analytics, Transportation Planning, Mobility Services, Aging and Independence Services, Workforce Development, and Homeland Security Departments of the ARC. Mike has more than 20 years of public policy experience focused on regional and local community planning. As the COO, he leads this multidisciplinary professional staff in the fields of transportation planning, environmental planning, community and workforce development, economics, aging services, and demographic forecasting.
Marion poses in a native dress given to her by a friend in Uganda, along with her husband Mike, as they visit with club members and guests after her talk. 
.png)
