“The Friendly Breakfast Club”
Newsletter

Meetings

May is Youth Service Month

Our Rotary Family
BIRTHDAYS

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Rotary Online

https://dunwoodyrotary.org
https://rotary6900.org/
https://rotary.org/

ROTARY CLUB OF
Dunwoody

LEADERSHIP

This Week's Speaker: Attorney General Chris Carr

Christopher M. Carr was sworn into office as Georgia's 54th Attorney General on November 1, 2016. Carr believes there is no more solemn responsibility than to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the State of Georgia and the interests of the people of the State of Georgia.

Governor Nathan Deal appointed Carr as Attorney General to fill a vacancy created by the departure of former Attorney General Sam Olens to become president of Kennesaw State University. Carr's term runs through 2018, when he will be eligible to seek election to a full four-year term.

Carr serves on Georgia's Judicial Nominating Commission, the body charged with reviewing and recommending judicial appointments. He was appointed to the Commission in 2011 by Governor Deal. To date, the Commission has filled more than 100 judicial vacancies statewide. He is also on the Board of Advisors for the Atlanta Lawyers Division of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, the Human Trafficking Committee for the National Association of Attorneys General and the Executive Committee for the Georgia Older Adults Cabinet. Carr previously served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) under Governor Deal from November 2013 to November 2016. As Commissioner, Carr led the state agency responsible for creating jobs and investment in Georgia through business recruitment, retention and expansion, international trade and tourism, as well as the arts, film and music industries.

During Carr's three-year tenure at GDEcD, the state of Georgia was recognized as the top state in the nation in which to do business for three consecutive years by Site Selection and Area Development. In addition, GDEcD helped facilitate 1,069 projects across the state that represent approximately $14.4 billion in investment and the creation of more than 84,000 jobs. In 2015, GDEcD was recognized as the top economic development agency in the country.

Prior to joining GDEcD, Carr was Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson for six years. During his time in Washington, Carr advised the Senator on federal legislation, numerous judicial nominees for the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts in Georgia and across the country.

Carr began his career with Georgia Pacific, then practiced law with Alston & Bird LLP in Atlanta and later as Vice President and General Counsel for the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.

A graduate from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and Lumpkin School of Law, Carr is admitted to practice law in Georgia.

Carr and his wife Joan Kirchner Carr have two daughters.

[Source: https://law.georgia.gov/biography-attorney-general]

Club Assembly recap

Last Friday's meeting (May 5th) was a Club Assembly dealing with the Club's plans for the 2017-2018 year. For those that couldn't be with us, here is a recap of the key points covered during the Assembly:

1. Rotary is about the fellowship that we gain while serving others, hence our Motto of "Service above Self"
2. Rotary works because members contribute hours, funding and leadership at the margin. There are many other claims being made on these items.
3. Leadership may well be what distinguishes Rotary from other organizations
4. Striving for excellence is built into our Club's DNA. Our Club does many great things including
   1. helping others (more than 20 different projects each year)
   2. innovation new program (like RFFA, and Character Counts to name just 2)
   3. developing leaders
   4. having talented members serve at District level positions (Anne Glenn as Global Grants Chair and Jackie Cuthbert as Editor of the District Newsletter
   5. raising more than million dollars in just under 33 years
   6. been recognized as the best Class III Club in District 6900 in 16 of the last 32 years, and coming in runner up in three other years.
   7. won Best Club for 17th year in 2016 -2017
5. Lifelong Rotarians don't just happen they need to be mentored and groomed
6. The 2017-2018 RCD Presidents Vision for the Club
   1. Make sure members enjoy their year by providing opportunities to engage the member's passions and for members to bond with each other
   2. Communicate our successes to both the Club members and the community at large
   3. Cause the Rotary Club of Dunwoody to become "The Place to be"
7. Vital that we continue to develop leaders to enable Club activities (both existing and new) that are effective at harnessing our member's passions
   1. we need members to step forward to become leaders of projects that engage the member's passions
8. Board's role is evolving from managing activities to strategic planning
9. To add new projects we need to either grow membership or decommission projects that no longer appeal to the changing mix of member passions
10. If a project doesn't have a leader it will be suspended for a year (being placed in the Parking Lot). If no one steps up to lead the project in the intervening year, that project will be decommissioned.(See 2017-2018 Leadership Opportunities article elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin)
11. As the Club membership changes over time, so too do the passions of the members.
    1. Club is developing a way to evaluate all projects (both existing and potential future projects)
       1. does it engage one or more members passion
       2. who benefits in addition to the member(s)
       3. is it sustainable or a one-time effort
    2. Club will evaluate all existing partnerships to see if they are still relevant
12. We are looking at best practices District wide, and will adopt any that will better serve our members

Following the presentation, questions were taken and suggestions were made by club members on ways to improve how members are served by the Club.

2017-2018 Leadership opportunities

There are currently 15 open leadership opportunities that still need to be filled for 2017-2018. They are spread over 5 different areas:

Below are brief descriptions of each event/activity that needs a leader. Please take a moment to see if you are passionate enough about any of these areas to become its leader for 2017-2018. If you have an interest, please contact President Elect Rick Otness at otness_r@mindspring.com or call him at 770-715-9251 to learn more.

Junior Achievement (JA)

Description: Leads the Club's efforts to assist in Peachtree Charter Middle School students being exposed to business and its practices. Students are given a hands on approach to running a business on a typical day. For many it will be their first exposure to what a job in business may look like and the impact they can have. This activity is typically scheduled to occur in either January or February at the Junior Achievement Discovery Center.

Responsibilities: Coordinates our relationship with JA, and also writes a pre and post event article for the Bulletin. Main task is to round up 15-20 people (both Rotarians and friends of Rotarians) who will volunteer to spend one workday (from 8 AM to 2PM) coaching a group of PCMS students who will be attempting to run a "business" at the Junior Achievement Discovery Center located in downtown Atlanta.

Playbook: Exists

Special Olympics

Description: Working with the special needs kids and seeing their sense of achievement is inspiring. Teams from 12-16 schools compete in a regional tournament at Peachtree Charter School. Typically involves a set of basketball skills (throw, catch, shoot) which usually occurs on one Friday in either October or November

Responsibilities: Coordinates our relationship with JA. Big task is to recruit 12-18 volunteers (Rotarians and friends of Rotarians) to work one of 2 two hour shifts (9-11 or 10:30 to 12:30) on day of the competition which will be held on a Friday (usually in Oct or November)

Playbook: exists

4th of July

Description: Family of Rotary event which allows Rotarians and their families to celebrate the 4th of July. Dunwoody's parade typically draws 30,000 spectators and is the place to be.

Responsibilities: Coordinate all Club activities related to celebrating the 4th of July. Choose a theme for Club's Float, form a team to build and populate the Club float. Build a team of volunteers to staff the Club's Hot Dog stand on the morning of the 4th of July.

Playbook: Yes

USO

Description: Greet and hand out food to members of the armed services and their families while they are on layovers in Atlanta's airport. Gives Rotarians and their friends a chance to personally thank armed service persons for their service in protecting our country.

Responsibilities: Collect donated food (beverages, baked cookies, etc.). Signing up volunteers to staff the operation on two separate dates (one is usually in November/December and the other in March/April)

Playbook: Yes

Induction of new members

Description: Lead the induction ceremony that presents new members to the Club on the day they are inducted into the Club

Responsibilities: Two weeks in advance call both the new member and their sponsor to confirm they will be at the meeting scheduled for his/her induction. Know the induction oath, and give sponsors an opportunity to introduce the new member to the Club

Playbook: Needed

Orientation of new members

Description: Run new members through what is involved in being a Dunwoody Rotarian. Helps them know about all the opportunities that await them, as well as some of the basic procedures of being a rotarian.

Responsibilities: Maintain orientation guide, updating it as changes in knowledge occur. Scheduling one on one meeting with each member within a week of their scheduled induction ceremony

Playbook: Needed

Recruiting corporate Partners

Description: Work with three Corporate partners, and involve their employees in any Rotary projects to which the corporation is committed

Responsibilities: Target best opportunities for long term partners to participate in Rotary projects and fund raising events. Help recruit new corporate partners and then maintain our relationship with these entities.

Playbook: Needed

Integrating new members into Club

Description: Create lifelong Rotarians. This is done by carefully integrating them into the Club and gradually increasing their involvement.

Responsibilities: Maintain a team of 4 couples each of which will work with a separate new member over the first two years after that person becomes a member of the Rotary Club of Dunwoody. Each Rotarian couple will track the progress of a new Rotarian in meeting agreed upon goals

Playbook: Needed

Weekly Bulletin

Description: Organizing content supplied by others into the Weekly Bulletin. Usually takes about 1 hour each week. Allows you to keep Club informed about upcoming speakers, club news, and opportunities to serve.

Responsibilities: Publish the weekly bulletin. Primarily involves receiving content (from various members and directors), pasting that content into a Bulletin template, and hitting the publish button before midnight on Tuesdays. The editor does not have any responsibility for generating content, only for publishing supplied content.

Playbook: Needed, but trainer available

Website maintenance

Description: Make it possible for members to easily find key information and be informed about the Rotary Club of Dunwoody. You will evaluate whether the information on the website is up to date, and if not, report deficient areas that need updating to the Future Presidents.

Responsibilities: Examine website site for effectiveness, and make recommendations for any needed changes. Post any content provided by others in the appropriate places on the website, and notify District support if a challenge develops.

Playbook: Needed

Camera

Description: Ensure that the Club captures both still and video images to be used by the Club to inform members and the community at large about Rotary's successes. Images are meant to show activity and its impact.

Responsibilities: Maintain club's photo/video archive, make it readily available to club members, recruit a team of people to video/photograph, make sure that at least a member of the team is present and taking photos at most Rotary activities.

Playbook: Needed

Sunshine

Description: Allows for two minute moment at the start of each meeting, which will educate and/or entertain the membership.

Responsibilities: Recruit Club members to give a 2 minute "moment" at the start of each week's meeting. Can be a humorous moment and/or an educational moment.

Playbook: Needed

Hospitality Suite (District Convention)

Description: We maintain a hospitality suite at the District Conference where Rotarians (from our Club and other Clubs) can meet, relax, and have access to alcoholic beverages and snacks

Responsibilities: Coordinate logistics surrounding the operation of the Hospitality suite during the District 6900 Conference

Playbook: Needed

Awards

Description: Works with the President to make certain all awards are made in a timely fashion.

Responsibilities: Order any items to be given out as awards at the December luncheon and at the year-end Awards dinner, remind the President of any upcoming awards at least one month prior to their normal presentation.

Playbook: Calendar available

Farewell from GRSP Student Marc Gevers

This year in GRSP has been truly phenomenal. I remember at the start of the year, at our very first conclave, we were all being told that this year would be one of the best in our lives, and I do not think that I truly understood what that would mean.

This year has truly been one of the best in my life, and I have been touched by so many wonderful people inside and outside Rotary. Coming to Georgia really opened up my eyes to the American way of life, and the American people. I could talk about specific experiences that have been precious to me this year, but there are so many of those that this would end up being as long as the book I plan to write. So instead I want to share two of the greatest overall experiences I have had during this year.

The first experience that has been so interesting and beneficial to me is the Southern hospitality. Being welcomed into the homes of Rotarians across Georgia and here in Dunwoody, and by students and their families from my school, has really been so heartwarming, it has truly made me not only feel at home, but a part of a larger family. Although sometimes I still find it a bit odd when a complete stranger is friendly and welcoming to me, this is something which I will miss and am going to try take back home with me (and trust me if that doesn’t stick I will be back here soon).

Perhaps the greatest experience of the GRSP year for me has been something I never expected to affect me the way in which it did. Namely the patriotism of Americans on every level from middle school to national pride. Now I am not saying I am a patriot of America – although it is an amazing country – but I have become a stronger patriot for South Africa and the world we all live in. I have always been a proud South African and world citizen yet I have always been somewhat skeptical of how much difference I can make in my country let alone the world, but this year interacting with American Rotarians as well as the 51 GRSP students from 17 countries, has made me see the possibilities for change that a small group can have, let alone the combined strength of Rotary. After this year I have realized more and more, in the same way that GRSP made a difference in so many people’s lives, that I can make a difference too.

I truly want to thank Georgia Rotarians for everything they do to make this program a possibility. Further than that though, I want to thank you all at Dunwoody Rotary for making this possible for me, by choosing me you did me a great honor, and it is something which I will carry proud for as long as I live. This program is something so special, and so life changing, and I will forever be thankful that you all allowed me into your lives, your club, and supported me along the past year. Hopefully I have lived up to your expectations and I will continue trying.

Kindest Regards,

Marc Barros Gevers

Photo of GRSP students of 2016/7 at a recent conclave (Marc is bottom right)