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Jeff Hullinger
Broadcaster, Executive Producer | GPB
Veteran broadcaster Jeff Hullinger is currently the Executive Producer of Local Content for Georgia Public Broadcasting, where he hosts special programming and interviews Georgia newsmakers. He also writes a blog for GPB featuring musings from in and around Atlanta and across the state from a self-described "curious soul."
With more than 40 years of experience, Hullinger is one of Atlanta's best-known and most versatile broadcasters. He served as main news and sports anchor at 11Alive/WXIA Atlanta, Sports Director/main sports anchor at WAGA Fox-5 Atlanta, radio voice of the Atlanta Falcons, afternoon drive radio news anchor at WSB Atlanta, and covered front line play-by-play for ESPN College Football, Basketball (men and women) and Arena League Football. He contributed as fill-in on CNN's Talkback Live.
A Leadership Atlanta alumnus, he was inducted into the Southeast Emmy Silver Circle Hall of Fame, is a 22-time Regional Emmy winner, and includes among his professional accomplish-ments honors from the Edward R Murrow Awards, Associated Press, Green Eyeshade, Atlanta Magazine Best of Atlanta, the Georgia Association of Broadcasters, Best of Gannett and Georgia Sportscaster of the Year. He's been a moderator in Atlanta mayoral, Georgia gubernatorial, and U.S. Senate and U.S. House debates.
Greeters: Rick Garnitz and Gyimah Whitaker
Weekly luncheon meetings begin at 12:15 pm
on Fridays unless otherwise noted.
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FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 22
Meeting/Speaker:
Mike Alexander COO | Atlanta Regional Comm.
. . . . .
FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 29
No Meeting
Thanksgiving Holiday
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THURSDAY
DECEMBER 5
Location
TBA
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Sign Up Now for the MLK Jr. Service Project, January 18, 19, and 20
Decatur Rotary’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day service project is coming up. We team up with the City of Decatur to help older residents with home and yard maintenance and repair. Since 2003, project volunteers have installed handicap ramps, replaced rotten wood, weatherized homes, repaired water damage and worked with professional partners to do plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work.
The work will take place the weekend before MLK Day as well as on the holiday itself. Go to our sign-up page to choose a shift or two. All are invited to sign up, and all skill levels are welcome!
. . . . . Nominations Committee to Meet President Dudley Larus announced that the Nominations Committee will be convening soon to slate the board and president for next year. Per the bylaws, the Nominations Committee is composed of three past presidents and two other members. The committee will be composed of past presidents Doug Tozzi, Alan Yorker, and Todd Speed; president-elect Alison Weissinger; and President Larus.
. . . . . Service Project at Legacy Park a Success Thanks to all who came out to help with the wetlands restoration service project at Legacy Park last Saturday!
Let Bob Ettensohn know if you would like to do more service projects like this, or if you have other types of projects to suggest.
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Milestones
Club Anniversaries
Eric Lucas, 37 years
Walt Drake, 34 years
William Harshman, 34 years Dave Jollay, 31 years
November Birthdays
Joe Kusmik, 29 years
Rick Garnitz, 27 years
Noel Maloof, 10 years
Mary Ann Cathopoulis, 5 years
Alan Yorker, Nov. 3
Noel Maloof, Nov. 4
Marvin Fralish, Nov. 6
Bob Wilson, Nov. 10
Dana Rickman, Nov. 24
Bedros Sharian Jr., Nov. 25
Robert Brown, Nov. 28
Jamaal Ellis, Nov. 29
FRIDAY | JANUARY 31, 2025
Harl Pike gave the invocation. Tim Martin (right) reminded everyone that this week’s special program starts early: hosts for STAR program guests should arrive at 11:30, and lunch will be served at 11:45. Doug Robinson (above, left), house captain for our MLK service project, reported that inclement weather prevented us from completing the finishing touches. He’s looking for three consecutive good-weather days for us to return to the home and complete the painting job. Stay tuned for those make-up days.
Wondering where some of our club members are? Are you missing having conversations with anyone? If you notice someone hasn’t been attending meetings, take the initiative and call or email them (use our handy Club Runner directory). Make sure our members know that we care, and we want to see them at lunch. Let’s take care of our Rotary Club community!
Maria Alvarez reached out to Mary Ann Cathopoulis, who has been recuperating from illness. Eric Lucas said that he had contacted Barbara Tedrow, who has also been out because of illness.
Speaker Jon Thompson with Club President Dudley Larus
Maria Alvarez introduced speaker Jon Thompson, CEO and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Comunidad Connect, which offers programs in Nicaragua and Dominican Republic designed to improve public health, community development and sustainability, and opportunities for young people through sports. Jon talked about how critical relationships are to his organization’s success. He said, “Real change happens at the speed of trust.”
Visitors were Nedra White-Shaw, guest of John Bennett; Candiace Williams, guest of Danielle Jones; Misty Palmer, guest of Dan DeWoskin; Jailah Zanders, guest of Lawrence Sharp; Dr. Mohamed Saleh, president of the Cairo Rhine-Nile Club in Egypt.
Laura Brookshire and Doug Park served as greeters.
Tom Adams delivered the invocation by singing the naval hymn “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.”
President Dudley Larus invited Al Adams to say a few words in honor of Veterans’ Day. Al gave some facts about U.S. veterans: There were 16 million veterans after World War II; in 1970, 20% of the U.S. population were veterans; there are now 21.8 million veterans, which is only 6% of the U.S. population. President Larus then played a Veteran’s Day video.
Bob Ettensohn asked members to fill out the service project ideas sheet.
. . . . . OUR SPEAKER: Alec Smythe, Rotary District Webmaster Was Our Speaker
President Larus introduced the speaker, Alec Smythe, from the Rotary Club of Buckhead, to discuss the Rotary websites.
Smythe discussed the three different Rotary websites: Rotary Foundation, District, and Local Club. He walked through the Learning Center pages that offer videos and courses about Rotary, and he showed how to access our Profile Page and update our contact information.
On the District website, we can access multiple features including: Committees, Volunteer Hours, Attendance Tracking, Invoices, Reservations, Surveys, Calendar, Scoreboard, Grants, and Events.
Smythe closed with his thoughts about how this is a difficult and divisive time in our country but that Rotary brings us together, and the world needs Rotary now.
Scenes from our most recent meeting and events. Individuals are identified from left to right.
Harl Pike gave the invocation. Tim Martin (right) reminded everyone that this week’s special program starts early: hosts for STAR program guests should arrive at 11:30, and lunch will be served at 11:45. Doug Robinson (above, left), house captain for our MLK service project, reported that inclement weather prevented us from completing the finishing touches. He’s looking for three consecutive good-weather days for us to return to the home and complete the painting job. Stay tuned for those make-up days. 
Speaker Jon Thompson with Club President Dudley Larus
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