Meeting Recap for September 8, 2026
It was another packed room for our September 8 lunch meeting, with plenty of guests joining us—many with connections to Arete Scholars and Thrive Academy.
We were pleased to welcome:
- Chase Merriwether , Thrive Academy student
- Jay'R Robertson , School Leader of Thrive Academy
- Ashley Collier , Arete Scholars
- Phil Van Gelder , Alpharetta Rotarian and supporter of Arete Scholars
- Yessica Rebolledo , Tacos & Tequila, guest of Jonathan Stelling
- Maria Nunez , La Bonanza Catering, guest of Jonathan Stelling
- Richard Brooks , Johns Creek Chamber, guest of Bob MacDonald
Steve Cory kicked off Happy Dollars with a little Rotary history and a simple challenge: raise $26.50 for The Rotary Foundation—the amount of the first contribution to the endowment fund proposed by Arch Klumph in 1917 that would eventually become The Rotary Foundation. Steve quickly surpassed his goal, while members shared plenty of happy news of their own, including Garrett Vaughn and his wife celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary and William Bennett sharing good news about the improved health of a loved one .
The good news for The Rotary Foundation continued when Bob MacDonald announced a generous $2,000 donation . His gift gives us a wonderful start toward our club's annual Foundation goal of $25,000. Thank you, Bob!
We also celebrated two of our newer members, Joe Leone and Dave MacDougall , as they officially "graduated" from red badges to white badges. Both have already jumped into club life and made meaningful contributions, and we're grateful to have them as part of North Fulton Rotary.
Our guest speaker was Chase Merriwether , a Thrive Academy student who attended RYLA in June with a scholarship from our club. RYLA is a four-night leadership retreat for high school students held at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus. Through workshops, team-building challenges, and presentations from community leaders, students develop communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills while experiencing Rotary's commitment to Service Above Self .
Chase shared several lessons from his RYLA experience, including the realization that he is always evolving and growing. He also learned more about how he approaches conflict—often seeking information as a way to find resolution. Perhaps most meaningful was his discovery that he could learn to trust his fellow participants in a surprisingly short amount of time.
His advice to future RYLA students summed up the experience perfectly: "Put yourself out there and try to enjoy yourselves because you only get one chance."
Thank you, Chase, for sharing your RYLA experience with us!
We also got to know Joe Leone a little better through his vocational talk. Originally from Queens, New York, Joe moved to Long Island at age 10 and remained there until relocating to Cumming in November 2025. He and his wife, Debbie , have been married for 36 years and have two children, Christina and Robert.
Joe studied Business Computer Information Systems at Farmingdale State University and Hofstra University before building a career in business development and sales. His early career included selling telex—and eventually fax—machines throughout all five boroughs of New York City before joining Standard Register, now known as Taylor Communications.
Joe was drawn to Rotary by his desire to serve and connect with others, and he left us with some simple but powerful "news we can use": Be full of gratitude, and be genuine and respectful of others.
For those looking to send business Joe's way, his ideal prospect is someone who wants to connect, inspire, and grow their business through printed communications and promotional tools . Thanks for helping us get to know you better, Joe!
Thank you to all of our guests, members, speakers, and donors for another terrific North Fulton Rotary meeting. From investing in future leaders through RYLA to supporting The Rotary Foundation and strengthening relationships with organizations like Arete Scholars and Thrive Academy, it was a great reminder of the many ways Rotary brings people together to make a difference.
