Newsletter

Rotary Fact

The first-ever community service project undertaken by the world’s first Rotary Club in Chicago in 1905 was the installation of a public restroom near City Hall.

This Week
All About Students

This week's Rotary meeting will feature several student recognitions and a distribution initiative aimed at supporting local schools.

• Students of the Quarter: The club will present its first Students of the Quarter awards for the year.
• Thomasville High School soccer: Both the girls and boys teams, recognized as GHSA State Champions, will be honored.
• Golf tournament recognition: The winning team from the Rotary | United Way golf tournament will be acknowledged.

In addition to these recognitions, Rotary received a grant that enabled the purchase of opioid recovery kits. These kits will be distributed to all local school systems, including the technical school and Thomas University, to support safety and preparedness in the community.

GRSP Pebble Hill Lunch

Thomasville's GRSP student lunch, part of the 60th annual Larry Frosteg Pelham International Student Weekend, is Friday, Nov. 6 at the Pebble Hill Learning Center.

We need members to sign up to participate. Volunteers are needed for set up and clean up as well as to sit at tables with groups of GRSP students. Set up begins at 11:15 a.m., and the event is expected to end around 12:15 p.m.

Sign up here or talk to Debbie Goodman.

Coat and Blanket Drive

Don't forget: Rotary is collecting new and gently used coats and blankets to support the Thomas County Food Bank’s Coat Closet.

Please bring coats, blankets, or cash donations to tomorrow's meeting, drop your donations off at Brigit Smallridge’s office or send money to Brigit. Cash donations will help the organization buy coats and blankets at discounted prices. Even a $5 or $10 donation can buy a coat or blanket.

Rotary has supported the Coat Closet almost since the launch of the Thomas County Food Bank 20-plus years ago. The Coat Closet is open from mid-October through early December during regular food bank hours. Volunteers schedule Food Bank clients to “shop” for coats for their families. Children are offered coats annually and adults can get them every two years. Blankets are distributed as needed. All clients meet income and circumstance qualifications for food assistance.

Typically, the coat closet provides more than 1,000 coats and several hundred blankets every year.

Thursday, Oct. 15
Discover Rotary

Join us for Discover Rotary — an informal evening to connect with fellow Rotarians, introduce others to our work and explain how to get involved. The event is open to anyone curious about Rotary membership and community service.

When: Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: The Plaza Restaurant

This is a joint event with the district and other local clubs. Please invite friends and colleagues who may be interested in joining Rotary.

Brief agenda and program:

• 5:30 pm – Check-in
• 5:45 pm – Appetizers, Cocktails, Networking
• 6:15 pm – Program, Presentation, Discussion
• 6:45 pm – Q&A/Next Steps
• 7:00 pm – Adjourn

Register here.

Saturday, Oct. 24
Volunteers Needed for Hands on Thomas County Day

What: Rotary is recruiting volunteers for Hands on Thomas County Day, a community-wide day of service.

When: Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Where: Volunteer projects take place at sites around Thomas County; lunch and a post-service celebration will follow at Cherokee Lake. The lunch will include games, a photo booth, music and other fun activities.

Join more than 1,200 other community volunteers working at at least 50 volunteer sites around the community. The Thomasville Rotary team welcomes volunteers of all ages and skill levels to help make a positive impact.

How to register: Sign up online to join the Thomasville Rotary volunteer team: https://www.thomasvillerotary.org/event/9942.

Mark Your Calendars
Rotary Online Auction

Planning is underway for our third annual online auction.

Please consider whether you or your friends and family members have any high-end items that could be added to this year's auction. For example, a large percentage of our proceeds in both 2024 and 2025 came from vacation rentals – do you have access to a phenomenal vacation spot? If so, please connect with Marta Jones-Turner. 

The auction will end on Thursday, Dec. 3 at our annual holiday party. Proceeds from the auction will help fund our club's community service, youth projects and other programs throughout the year. 

Calendar

Calendar is subject to changes. View the full Rotary calendar anytime and:

• Add individual calendar items to your personal calendar.
• Subscribe to the Rotary calendar for automatic updates.

Attend a club meeting via Zoom. Meeting ID: 867 7770 1621