North Fulton Rotary gathered for our 2nd Tuesday meeting and welcomed a number of special guests on April 14th. Past District Governor Gordon Owens was in attendance and he brought Brandon Williams, CFO at Wellstar as a guest. Dave McDougal, guest of Doug Higgins, made a second visit to our club. We were also happy to welcome Jennifer Swindell and Spencer Maxwell, today's Guest Speaker, from Heart from Africa.
Happy Dollars
Today's Happy Dollars was led by Steve Cory. PDG Gordon Owens got things started with a generous donation, sharing that our club has inspired the Roswell Rotary club to give generously with their Happy Dollars.
Brad Serff donated some Happy Dollars to share that the Milton First Responder's Foundation Concert was coming up in Milton on April 18th. Anyone not attending the District Conference should go to the concert to support this worthy cause.
Louis Weiland had a wonderful visit with his grandson in Houston, where he has relocated to pursue his PhD.
Cliff Wilcox is thrilled that Michigan basketball are the National Champions!
Guest Speaker
Today's featured Guest Speaker was Spencer Maxwell with Heart for Africa, an organization that is especially near and dear to our hearts. Founded nearly 20 years ago by Ian and Janine Maxwell, Heart for Africa's mission is to bring hope, fight hunger, care for orphans, reduce poverty and provide education for more than 450 children.
Over the years, Heart for Africa has launched several number of initiatives aimed at long-term sustainability, including farming operations, a dairy, a woodworking center and an artisan craft shop. Like many organizations, they have recently faced significant challenges. Their farming initiative has been temporarily paused due to financial losses, though they are actively seeking investors to relaunch efforts centered around vanilla farming. A regional livestock disease has made raising dairy cows more costly, leading them to purchase milk instead. Additionally, rising production costs have made it more economical to buy furniture rather than produce it on-site.
One of the most difficult decisions they've faced was pausing the intake of new children beginning in January 2026. With an annual cost of approximately $3,000 per child, the organization made the thoughtful decision to prioritize and honor their long-term commitment to the children currently in their care.
Despite these challenges, Spencer shared a message of hope. With continued prayers, support and a renewed focus on sustainable vanilla farming, Heart for Africa is confident they will overcome these obstacles and continue their impactful work.
Thank you, Spencer, for sharing your story and inspiring us with the resilience and mission of Heart for Africa.