President's Message, August 18, 2026
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!
North Fulton Rotary: August 11 Meeting Recap
Our meeting on August 11 was full of energy and happy dollars.
- Joe Leone celebrated officiating his son’s wedding at Wolf Mountain Vineyard over the weekend.
- Stacy Georges expressed gratitude to the club for supporting Tom after the unexpected loss of his twin brother.
- Joy Manbeck gave happy dollars to celebrate the induction of new member Flore Zambou and to honor Mike Mudd on his 25th Rotary anniversary.
- Bob MacDonald is celebrating his 47th wedding anniversary and spent time with the 21 inbound RYE students at their recent orientation.
- Mike Mudd told the story of how he became a member of North Fulton Rotary 25 years ago (if you weren’t in attendance, ask him to share it with you).
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.
North Fulton Rotarians install landscaping for new Habitat home
Club members teamed with Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia to prepare the yard for a single mother and her two teenage daughters
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:
- Clearing construction debris
- Planting bushes and trees
- Installing sod (which required the clearing of large rocks)
- Installing mulch
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 Supports Roswell Rotary Red Cross Blood Drive
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
- If you are healthy and eligible, please consider donating; every donation helps.
- Share the event information with friends, family, and neighbors to encourage broader community participation.
- Refer to the flyer for details on times, eligibility, and any steps needed to participate.
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
Cooking Up Change: A North Fulton Rotary FUNdraiser
An evening of hands-on cooking, mingling, and a chef-led meal to raise funds for our club.
Let's Get Cooking!
What to expect
- An interactive, hands-on cooking experience led by a chef.
- Time to mingle with other club members and enjoy the meal you help prepare.
Logistics
- Taste Buds Kitchen provides all food, cookware, and utensils.
- Drinks are BYOB (wine and beer only).
- Space is limited to 42 participants.
Cost and registration
- Cost: $100 per person.
- Payment by check payable to Rotary Club of North Fulton or by credit card (see Jeff Esterkes).
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
Service Opportunity, September 16th: CDA Treasure Hunt
Join North Fulton Rotarians for a morning with PreK students
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
Companion Club Update and Call to Action
Reminder that our next companion club meeting on August 20th has a venue change. We'll be gathering at Bowlero Roswell at 6:30 pm so please join us to bowl and mingle.
In addition, the Companion Club is collecting items for transitional housing starter kits that will be given to families moving into permanent housing after experiencing homelessness or other difficult life circumstances.
Imagine finally receiving the keys to a place of your own only to realize you don't own a shower curtain, a set of dishes, or even a laundry basket. These are everyday items many of us take for granted, but they can make a huge difference for someone starting over.
To make contributing as easy as possible, we've created an Amazon Wish List:
Click here: Donate Transitional Housing Items
The wish list is simply a convenient way to see the types of items we're collecting. You are welcome to purchase these items anywhere you'd like—the Amazon list is intended as a guide and a convenient option. If you order from Amazon, the items will be delivered directly to my office. If you purchase separately, I will collect at the Lunch meetings or you may drop them off at my office.
Because we'll be assembling multiple starter kits , we need multiple quantities of every item on the list. Even if an item has already been purchased, we still need additional donations of nearly everything. If you're able, consider purchasing two or more of the same item so we can help as many families as possible.
Some of the household essentials we're collecting include:
- Kitchen utensils
- Pots and pans
- Plates, bowls, and cups
- Silverware
- Shower curtains and liners
- Bath towels
- Laundry baskets
- Cleaning supplies
- Trash cans
- Bedding and other everyday necessities
We'll be collecting donations through the end of September. Once all of the items have been collected, we'll announce a date in October for volunteers to come together and package the starter kits before they're delivered to families.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Joseph Powell, (912) 662-2246.
North Fulton Rotary: First Annual Fall Gala
Save the Date: Fall Gala on October 24th
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.
Membership Minute: Membership & Engagement Month
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.
