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No Meeting This Week
In Observance of Juneteenth
Weekly luncheon meetings begin at 12:15 pm
on Fridays unless otherwise noted.
Friday
June
26 "Changing
of the Guard" Program
Friday
July
3 NO MEETING
In observance of July 4th
Friday
July
10 MEETING SPEAKER Candace Bazemore
Woke Media Network
Decatur Rotary Awarded 2026 Community Grants
Last Friday, we were pleased to give grants to 6 nonprofit organizations with great programs designed for at-risk youth and literacy in Decatur / DeKalb County.
Congratulations to the grantees!
Atlanta Mind Project: Peer leadership program with workshops and ongoing training for high school and college mental health ambassadors
Decatur Cooperative Ministry: Reading and literacy program for children experiencing poverty and homelessness
Decatur Makers: STEAM programming to serve International Rescue Committee afterschool and summer camp sessions
DeKalb Library Foundation: Learning Spaces, an early reading program for young children
International Community School: Books Without Borders: A Family Literacy Initiative, a program to provide books and reading support for English language learners
Synchronicity Theatre: Playmaking for Girls, a partnership with Global Village and Little Debbie's Second Chance Homes to provide creative and social-emotional programming
And thanks to this year’s Grants Committee: Kelly Caudle, Doug Robinson, Lawrence Sharp, Alison Weissinger, and Candiace Williams. Couldn’t do it without you!
. . . . . PROGRAM UPDATE:
Rotary Youth Exchange
The outbound exchange students for our district have officially graduated after many hours of training and preparation, including new language learning. These students will spend the upcoming school year in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, and Sweden. Congrats to the students we are sponsoring, Celie and Ellie. We know they will have an incredible experience!
. . . . . ANNOUNCEMENT:
Rotary International President to Visit Georgia on June 22
We are excited to share that Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo will be visiting the Atlanta area on Monday, June 22, 2026, following the Rotary International Convention in Taipei.
This is a unique opportunity and will be a special day of Rotary fellowship.
The schedule for the day includes:
• 10:30 AM – District Leadership, PDGs and 25-26 Club President Meet & Greet
📍Peachtree City Christian Church 500 Kedron Dr., Peachtree City, GA 30269
• 11:30 AM – Doors Open for All Attendees / Lunch Served
📍Peachtree City Christian Church
• 12:00 PM – Presentation by RI President 📍Peachtree City Christian Church
Because food will be pre-ordered and venue space is limited, RSVPs will be required for all attendees.
To register, please use this event registration link - and select your meal preference: standard, vegetarian, gluten-free
We look forward to celebrating this special occasion together and showcasing the incredible spirit of Rotary in Georgia.
. . . . . SAVE THE DATE: FODAC Service Project, August 8
Be sure to save Saturday, August 8, 2026, as the date to participate in the FODAC home medical equipment drive. Join Decatur Rotary Club members, along with other clubs in DeKalb County, in picking up donated equipment and organizing donations.
Members and their guests will assemble at the 57th Fighter Group Restaurant. People who can drive a van or pick-up truck are encouraged to drive.
This event is being sponsored by the North Atlanta Rotary Club along with the DeKalb Rotary Council. The chair is Nathan Averson, and he can be reached at 404-386-080 for any questions.
Visit the FODAC (Friends of Disabled Adults and Children) website to learn more about their work.
. . . . . SAVE THE DATE!
Fall Fundraiser Set for Thursday, Oct. 22
Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details about what is certain to be a fun event!
. . . . . Milestones: June
Club Anniversaries
Dan Coursey, 42 years
Bedros Sharian III, 27 years
Herb McCoy, 26 years
Bob Ettensohn, 25 years
Dana Rickman, 8 years
DeAnna Julian, 7 years
Birthdays
Dud Larus, June 11
Kalia Morrison, June 17
David Ewing, June 24
Todd Speed, June 26
Nick Villaume, June 27
Misty Palmer, 4 years
Jennifer Topple, 3 years
Jen Schuck, 3 years
Nick Villaume, 1 year
Kalia Morrison, 1 year
Meeting Recap: June 12
Last week, our lunch program centered on awarding grants to nonprofit organizations supporting our community. Representatives of each organization told the club about the project the Rotary grant would support. Congrats to the grantees!
Several visitors joined us last Friday:
Jerry Brillante, guest of the club and a Rotarian
Gabrielle Rogers, guest of Lawrence Sharp
Kate Braband, guest of Harl Pike
Josh Geller, guest of Brian Lake
Ellie Benson, guest of the club
Elijah Hampton, guest of Genevieve Hampton
Ryan Vincent, guest of Jason Conn
We hope to see you again soon!
Individuals are identified from left to right.
Bryan Downs gives the invocation
Eric Lucas talks about the work of the Decatur Rotary Foundation
Rotary club members with Leah Thomas (second from left), of new grantee Synchronicity Theatre
Our member Kalia Morrison is happy to receive a grant for Decatur Makers
Lory Conte Hall, of the International Community School, tells the club how our grant will support their project
Jason Conn introduces guest Ryan Vincent
Visitor Gabrielle Rogers greets fellow visitor Judge Josh Geller and Tom Adams
Tim Martin answers the 5-question quiz
Steve Szeremeta, Doug Robinson, and Dud Larus
Luis and Nick work out the logistics
Bryan Markowitz is the lucky raffle winner!
Thank You to Our Club Sponsors
We are grateful for the support of our local sponsors, and we encourage our members to support them in return.
We are excited to share that Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo will be visiting the Atlanta area on Monday, June 22, 2026, following the Rotary International Convention in Taipei.
