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The Rotary Times |
Submitted by President Dan Jenkins
I am thrilled that next Tuesday, August 25th, we have a BIG day for our club - District Governor Cynthia Edwards is coming to North Fulton! She'll be sharing her vision, priorities, and inspiration for District 6900, and this is our moment to show her the energy and strength of our club.
Let's make the room buzz. Let's fill every seat. Let's show DG Cynthia what North Fulton Rotary Club spirit looks like!
Please mark your calendars, adjust your schedules, and be there. A strong turnout sends a powerful message about who we are and the impact we're ready to make this Rotary year.
See you Tuesday, the 25th, at Brimstone - let's make it unforgettable!
Our meeting on August 11 was full of energy and happy dollars.
As noted at the meeting, Mike Mudd celebrated his 25th anniversary as a North Fulton Rotarian on April 7, 2026. The club presented Mike with a 25th anniversary pin and a RCNF-branded baseball hat as a reminder of the friendships he has in the club and the gratitude we feel toward him.
We were also thrilled to induct Flore Zambou as a new member, sponsored by Joy Manbeck. Flore was most recently a member of the Johns Creek - North Fulton club, which dissolved in June. She is originally from Cameroon, where her parents were founding members of a Rotary club. Flore works as a Real Estate Broker and her husband practices real estate litigation law (hopefully Flore has never needed to engage his services!). We look forward to serving alongside Flore and getting to know her better.
Our guest speaker was Dr. Ralph Peeler from the North Atlanta Rotary Club, accompanied by Jon Yaeger. North Atlanta Rotary is in year 4 of a planned 5-year global grant project to reduce the number of spina bifida births in Ethiopia. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect where the spinal column and backbone fail to close completely during the first month of pregnancy; approximately 70–80% of cases are attributed to low folic acid.
The project focuses on providing folate tablets to mothers who have already given birth to one child with spina bifida, since these women are about 10 times more likely to have another baby with spina bifida. Since the project began, 3,500 women have been enrolled and there have been 113 pregnancies within this group, with only one baby born with spina bifida to date. Long term, Ethiopia plans to add folate to the salt supply to ensure adequate intake across the population. In the meantime, the global grant continues to educate women about folate and ensure it is available to those at highest risk.
It was a meaningful meeting—full of personal milestones, warm welcomes, and a powerful example of Rotary service in the world.
On Saturday, August 15th, North Fulton Rotary members joined Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia to complete landscaping around a new home built for a single mother and her two teenage daughters. The project focused on preparing the yard to be safe and welcoming for the family.
Volunteers handled several key tasks:
Although it was a very hot day, members continued the work and were welcomed by the new homeowner, who joined them on the job and expressed her appreciation. The partnership with Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia gave club members an opportunity to contribute hands-on support to a local family and demonstrate community spirit.
North Fulton Rotary continues to seek practical ways to support neighbors and improve local neighborhoods through volunteer projects and partnerships.
North Fulton is proud to assist with the Red Cross Blood Drive hosted by Roswell Rotary on August 26 at Roswell Junction. Please see the flyer for full details about the event.
Why this matters
Since the American Red Cross launched an emergency blood shortage appeal on July 13th, thousands of people have stepped up to help. Unfortunately, donations are still not keeping pace with hospital demand. Their inventory of type O blood is especially dire. Right now, they have less than a one-day supply of type O positive blood. In just the second time in their history, The Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis and escalated their appeal efforts on Monday, July 27.
How you can help
To register to donate blood use the QR code below or click here: Donate Blood
To volunteer to help at the blood drive, sign up here: Volunteer at Blood Drive
Let's Get Cooking!
What to expect
Logistics
Cost and registration
Support for the club
Taste Buds Kitchen of Alpharetta will make a donation to our Club based on attendance. Proceeds from the evening will help raise funds for the Rotary Club of North Fulton.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP here: Let's Get Cooking
If you have questions about registration or payment, please contact Jeff Esterkes (978) 590-0695
We invite club members to take part in a warm, hands-on service activity at Children's Development Academy. Our Annual Treasure Hunt is set for September 16th, running from 10:15 am to 12 pm.
During the event, Rotarians will "hide" treasures on the playgrounds and then assist PreK students in locating them as needed. The activity is designed to be fun, engaging, and supportive for the children.
After the Treasure Hunts conclude, we will join the students for lunch. This is a great opportunity to spend informal time with the children and staff and to share a pleasant meal together.
If you are able to participate, please come ready to help on the playground and to enjoy lunch with the students. We look forward to seeing North Fulton Rotarians at the Children's Development Academy for this annual service tradition.
To participate, please sign up on this link (to complete the CDA waivers): Treasure Hunt
If you have any questions, please contact Stacey Nyman, (404) 368-5552
The North Fulton Rotary Club is pleased to announce its First Annual Fall Gala Event at St. Ives Country Club on Saturday, October 24. The Roswell Rotary Club will join forces with our club as a co-sponsor.
Proceeds from the event will support Areté Scholars and HomeStretch, two organizations dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.
Tickets are now available for $150 each and will increase to $175 on August 25th so buy your tickets early using this link: Fall Gala Tickets
You can also use the QR code on the flyer. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rick Clark, Fundraising Chair (704) 807-0083.
The Power of One Invitation
Most Rotarians didn't stumble into the club - someone invited them. Think of the person in your life who'd thrive in a room like ours: a colleague, a client, a neighbor who's always organizing something. Bring them to a meeting. The invitation is the whole ask; Rotary does the rest.
