The Rotary Times

New Rotary Year Kicks Off — July 14, 2026 Meeting Recap

The club welcomed the new Rotary year with an energetic meeting led by President Dan Jenkins. In attendance were guests including Assistant Governor Butch Carter, SaraSpring Weston from North Fulton Community Charities and Kirk Canaday of the former Johns Creek North Fulton club.

William Bennett led Happy Dollars, and members shared plenty of good news, including a new grandson for Doug and Michelle Higgins, Peachtree Road Race participation and travel updates. The club raised $152 during Happy Dollars; since Doug Higgins went over the $100 threshold, he decided the funds would go to The Rotary Foundation.

Today's program was a message from our new president, Dan Jenkins, who outlined the year's planned service projects and challenged members to increase participation in community service opportunities.

Membership Chair Jeff Esterkes and Membership Committee member Joe Leone spoke about the importance of membership engagement and connection to sustain club efforts and impact.

After the meeting, members completed the club's first service project of the year by organizing school supplies into 48 backpacks for North Fulton Community Charities. SaraSpring Weston noted that the need this year is 200 more students than last year, and our 48 backpacks — one per member of the club — will help address that increased need.Many thanks to Service Chair Amie Blanton for organizing the supplies, and to Stacey Nyman for leading the backpack project in Amie's absence. The meeting set a positive tone for the year ahead as the club prepares for upcoming service initiatives and member involvement.

Membership Minute: Growing Our Rotary Family Together

Co-Membership Chairs Jeffrey Esterkes and Joe Leone outline priorities to strengthen engagement and connection

This membership update, submitted by Co-Membership Chairs Jeffrey Esterkes and Joe Leone, outlines a warm, people-centered approach to growing our Rotary family in North Fulton. Jeff and Joe will focus on two priorities: Engagement and Connection.

Engagement

• Staying connected with current members, with two areas of focus:
  • Reaching out to members who have been absent to check in and reconnect.
  • Encouraging all members to share ideas for improving meetings and club initiatives.

Connection

• Building relationships with prospective members, with two areas of focus:
  • Following up with people who show interest in joining.
  • Reminding prospects of our meeting schedule to help them stay engaged.

Jeff and Joe invite members to participate by staying connected, offering ideas, and helping welcome prospective members. Their emphasis on both engagement and connection aims to strengthen our club community and make it easier for interested people to become a part of North Fulton Rotary.

Their simple ask of members: When you meet someone interested in giving back, or someone you think would make a great Rotarian:

• Invite them to a meeting.
• Grab their contact info.
• Forward it to Jeff or Joe.

Every member is part of the team growing our impact. Thank you  for everything you do to make this club great, and here's to bringing new voices into our Rotary family! 

North Fulton Service Project with Habitat for Humanity — Aug. 15

Volunteer opportunity in Gainesville; limited to 10 club members

We are partnering with Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia for our next Service Project on August 15 in Gainesville, GA. This is a great opportunity to support local housing efforts and serve alongside fellow club members.

• Date: August 15
• Location: Gainesville, GA
• Details: The scope of work will be landscaping. See below flyer for full information.
• Volunteer limit: We are limited to ten volunteers.
• Eligibility: To give all members a chance to participate, we are initially offering this opportunity to club members only. We will open it up to spouses/family if additional volunteers are needed. 
• Sign up: Use the QR code on the flyer or this link: Habitat Sign Up

If you have questions, please reach out to Service Project Chair Amie Blanton at (770) 315-9974.

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

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
The Red Cross is currently experiencing a critical blood shortage. Regular donations from healthy individuals have a huge impact on maintaining hospital supplies and supporting patients in need.

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

Companion Club Update

Reminder that our companion club meeting is August 20th at Thrive, 44 Milton Avenue, Alpharetta (located above Minnie Olivia Pizza) at 6:30 pm. 

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 Home Stretch, two organizations dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

Fundraising Chair Rick Clark will be sharing additional details at our next club meeting. If anyone is interested in joining the Fundraising Committee for this upcoming event, please reach out to Rick. The committee consists of:

• Dan Jenkins
• Jeff Esterkes
• Jim Murphy
• Stacy Georges
• Rick Clark