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North Fulton Rotary: March 24th Meeting Recap

Today's meeting was a very special one and many members showed up to hear from our Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger. Before we heard from him, however, we had a few Happy Dollars of note:

William Bennett shared that he was very happy that Spring has finally arrived!

Lou Weiland shared the exciting news that his grandson received a scholarship for a PhD program in San Diego.

Joy Manbeck shared the welcome news that her brother has finally received his much needed veteran's benefits.     

Jim Murphy was excited that he was able to share our flower market flower on his neighborhood HOA Facebook page - what a good reminder to the rest of us in the club! 

Foundation Recognitions

Foundation Chair, Doug Higgins, recognized several of our members for attaining a new Paul Harris Fellow level:

William Bennett: Paul Harris +2

Rick Clark: Paul Harris +8

Jonathan Stelling: Paul Harris +2

We are so fortunate to have so many generous members who give to The Rotary Foundation! 

Guest Speaker

Today's guest speaker, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, was introduced by Andy Kalajian, President of Brad Raffensperger for Governor.  Secretary Raffensperger began his remarks by outlining the key responsibilities of the Secretary of State's office, including registering businesses, licensing professionals across 40 different fields, overseeing state elections, and regulating securities. He highlighted one accomplishment in particular: significantly reducing the time it takes for nurses to become licensed in Georgia. 

As a Republican candidate for Governor, Secretary Raffensperger also shared several priorities he believes are critical for Georgia's future. These include capping property taxes, eliminating taxes on non-essential services for senior citizens, and strengthening public safety. He noted that the Georgia State Patrol is currently understaffed and emphasized the need for competitive pay, hiring incentives, and retention bonuses, particularly in counties along the Florida border where officers are often drawn to higher-paying positions.

Secretary Raffensperger also emphasized opportunities for innovation and growth. He pointed to Israel as a global leader in agricultural technology and suggested Georgia could benefit from adopting advancements in precision agriculture and water conservation, particularly given that agriculture remains the state's largest industry.

Education was another key focus. Secretary Raffensperger advocated for bringing vocational training, such as electrical, plumbing and HVAC, back into high schools to address the shortage of skilled tradespeople and provide students with well-paying career paths that require little to no college debt. He also stressed the importance of strengthening math education to prepare students for a technology-driven future.

As a Johns Creek resident, Secretary Raffensperger closed by noting the strong quality of life in North Fulton and expressed his desire to expand those opportunities to communities across Georgia. 

Service Opportunity: Take Out Art Kits

It's time again to build this Spring's Take Out Art Kits in partnership with Arts Alpharetta! These kits support the mental health of local elementary school students by allowing them to process their thoughts and emotions through art creation. Join us to create these art kits and then head over to Campania for our First Tuesday Social. 

Sign up here: Take Out Art Kits

First Tuesday Social: April 7th

Please join us at our First Tuesday Social at Campania (Alpharetta location) on April 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mark Hutchins.

Campania, 800 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Feeding the Hungry: The Sandwich Project with Cambridge High Interact

Submitted by Joy Manbeck, Youth Services Chair

On Wednesday, April 22nd, we will join together with the Cambridge Interact Club to make 200 sandwiches for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in the Atlanta Metro area. Our club is funding the sandwich supplies and the Interact students will help us assemble them after the school day finishes.

**Please use this link to sign up to help with this project: The Sandwich Project

Please reach out to Joy Manbeck (770) 715-5422 with any questions.

Membership Moment

Submitted by Jeffrey Esterkes, Membership Chair

Our strength lies in our differences. Let's seek out voices from varied backgrounds to enrich our club and broaden our impact.

Companion Club Update

Reminder that our companion club meeting is April 16th at Thrive, 44 Milton Avenue, Alpharetta (located above Minnie Olivia Pizza) at 6:30 pm. 

The Guest Speaker for this month's meeting will be Brian Dooling, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Joseph Powell, (912) 662-2246.