Fayetteville GA Rotary - Welcome 2009-2010

NEWS FLASH! Sunday, March 21, 2010, America was stupaked and the Congress voted to further socialize health care. In doing so it increased the financial burden on the American taxpayer. Former President Ronald Reagan speaks out, again, against socialized health care! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs but the "baby boomer" generation, possibly the "worst generation" in the opinion of this writer, voted to ignore him.

Mark Your

Calender!

Sporting Clays tournament this Friday, March 26! Check out the information by clicking on the link at the left.

Rotary District 6900 Convention will be at the Cobb Galleria on April 22-25, 2010.

Prayer & Pledge and Lottery

Each week a different member starts the meeting with a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test.

Phil McMullin, shown in the color photo below, is our Card Lottery Supervisor. Buy your tickets from Phil and have a chance to win 1/2 of the cash pot at the end of the meeting. The rules of the game are easy. 1. Buy a ticket(s) 2. Get your ticket selected. 3. Cut the cards and, if you select the Joker, 4. Win 1/2 of the pot!

Phil McMullin

Song of the Week

Paul Oddo- always excellent in his choice of songs. Thank you Paul for your never ending "Service Above Self".

COMING ATTRACTIONS! Check out the song page and visit the video.

Paul singing 9-21-09

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Fayetteville!

SILVER MEDALIST AT THE 2010 ANNUAL CONFERENCE!

We try to keep the information on this page accurate and up-to-date. But sometimes there is a time lag between an event date and posting to this site. if you have any questions, you may call 770-461-7627 during the hours of 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday and ask for the Rotary Web Page editor.

Next meeting date:

We next meet on Monday, APRIL 26, 2010, at Bella Sera banquet room, next to Baci Italian Restaurant in Fayetteville. Located at the intersection of Hwy 85 and LaFayette Ave. (Behind the Arby's restaurant). Meeting time starts at 12:15pm.

Our speaker is State Representative Matt Ramsey.

NOTE: The side bars you are accustomed to seeing are on the next page which is titled "Welcomes past 2009-2010. We are working on setting up similar side bars on this current home page. Meanwhile, you can check out the side bar to the right . . . on the Welcomes Past 2009-2010 page.

We who attended the Rotary District 6900 annual conference which was held at the Cobb Galleria near the intersection of I-75 and I-285, just north of Atlanta had a great time. And guess what, we won the SILVER MEDAL for our web site this year. Yes, we came in second in the mid-size club category! Thanks to everyone who helped in this project! Ed.

CONVENTION AWARDS 2010:

BRONZE = Rotary Foundation

SILVER = Club Website

SILVER = Water Project

BRONZE = Vocational Service

APRIL 19, 2010

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland Speaker. The Congressman brought us up to date on the happenings in Washington. He went into the cost of the massive new health care bill that the Democratic controlled Congress passed. And he explained that the health care that the Congressmen get is not all that much different from what is available to the general public.

Marion Wells introducing Westmoreland.

Card Game Phil and Lynn Westmoreland. The Congressman

draws the winning ticket.

Card Game Phil and Cathy. She draws the card and cuts it.

Better luck next time.

Lynn Westmoreland and Tony.

APRIL 12, 2010

Karen Handel, candidate for Governor 2010.

Card Game Phil and Dave

Karen Handel and Tony

Next meeting date:

We next meet on Monday, APRIL 12, 2010, at Bella Sera banquet room, next to Baci Italian Restaurant in Fayetteville. Located at the intersection of Hwy 85 and LaFayette Ave. (Behind the Arby's restaurant). Meeting time starts at 12:15pm.

(NO MEETING ON APRIL 5. HAPPY EASTER! )

Check out the side bar to the right-------------------------------------------------------->>>

MARCH 29, 2010

Villages Amphi Commercial Rep. Brian Wismer, Director of

Fayetteville Main Street.

Main Street: Councilman Al Hovey-King, Lane Brown, Brian

Wismer, President Tony and Cathy Cochran.

Villages Amphi Commercial Rep. and Tony

Paul giving an explanation about Rotary Convention

Carol speaking

MARCH 26, 2010

SPORTING CLAYS TOURNAMENT

FIRST PLACE

SECOND PLACE

THIRD PLACE

Come join us for the Sporting Clays Tournament TODAY (Youjust missed it! It was on 3/26/10). Click link in sidebar to the left.

Sporting Clays Tournament is Today, Mar. 26!

MARCH 22, 2010

Member Dr. Dave Lee speaks about the new cancer treatment

center at Fayette Piedmont Hospital.

Dave speaker

Dave and Tony

Cancer Wellness

Sporting Clays Tournament is Today, Mar. 26!

MARCH 15, 2010

Carol gives the Club more Rotary information and shows us

how to use the District web site on the Internet.

Carol speaker

Card Game Skip and Phil

Paul and Nohemi lead the singing: "When Irish Eyes are Smiling!"

MARCH 8, 2010

Carol Colon's grandaughter receives the Paul Harris Award

from PDG Al Lipphardt.

Paul Harris presentation

South Regional Speaker

South Regional Speaker and Tony

Card Game Phil and Dave

MARCH 1, 2010

Paul and Nohemi visiting Chichen Itza in their honeymoon

FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Bob Melka - spoke about things that give him the "red a** ,

of which there are many!

Bob and Tony

Card Game

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Rotary Governor Roy Strickland fires up the Club on the anniversary of Rotary. Card Game PDG Bill Woulfin Happy birthday to Rotary! Carol Colon holds the birthday cake. . .

JANUARY 11, 2010 High Museum of Art, Atlanta. High Museum Speaker and Tony

Card Game Michelle, Phil and Tony . .

DECEMBER 21, 2009 Christmas for the kids at Rotary. Haley and Santa Santa bookreading

All picture

Tony, Cathy and Santa

Jack and Santa

DECEMBER 14, 2009

Wallace Kite led the Club with the Prayer, Pledge and 4-Way Test.

Paul Oddo led the song for the day which was "Blue Christmas."

And Bill Curry, Head Coach of the Georgia State Panthers spoke to the Club. He talked about team work and about how everyone on the team must get along for it to be a good team on the football field. As a society, we need honesty and need to learn to work with each other too.

He said the "huddle" is embelmatic of America and football shows that when a diverse group is forced to work together, it can be done.

Bill coached for the University of Alabama and now, as the new head coach of the Panthers, he is building a brand new football team from the ground up. He said his new team is experiencing togetherness through adversity. In this light, he told us a story about a player in the Sun Bowl years ago who is now a paraplegic as a result of injuries in the Iraq War. But the soldier and former football player wants to get back "into the game." If you always keep trying, you can play with the best.

And Bill also told a poignant story about his association with Vince Lombardi, arguably the best coach in pro football, ever. One of Vince's many mottoes was "Religion, Family, and the Green Bay Packers!"

Tony and Bill Curry.

Richard and Bill Curry.

Paul between words on the song Blue Christmas.

DECEMBER 8, 2009

The Rotary Club of Fayetteville held its 28th (or maybe 29th?) Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at the beautiful Hollingsworth House on Hwy 54 in Fayetteville. President Tony Fritz called the festivities to order and then, after the prayer, pledge and 4-way test led by Dave Lee, those in attendance sang a rousing chorus of Jingle Bells led by none other than Paul Oddo. Also in attendance were DG Roy Strickland and Assistant DG Jerry Bilbro. The entertainment for the evening was provided to the Club by Dave Lee who brought with him the Southern Crescent Chorale, under the direction of Janice Folsom, to perform a 20 minute selection of Christmas songs. Genevieve Oddo, Paul's mother, thoroughly enjoyed the evening's fare. Carol Colon was the official photographer. Scott McIver served as bartender. And a big thank you and a tip of the hat goes out to Parks Redwine for providing the wines for the evening's enjoyment.

Merry Christmas Scott and mom & Paul.

Paul and his mother.

NOVEMBER 30, 2009

Phil Grant led the club in the Prayer, Pledge and 4-Way Test. President Tony Fritz called on Paul Oddo to lead the song for the week and Paul led the Club in singing Perry Como's hit from the 1950s, "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays." PDG Al (I am standing!) Lipphart told the Club about the up coming District Convention next April 22-25, 2010. (See side bar for more info.) Al said the cost will be $175.00 for each member and $125.00 for each spouse who attends. Since the Convention is at the Galleria Mall in Atlanta, the programs will start at noon so that the attendees who drive will not have to fight rush hour traffic. A shuttle will be available during the day to take you to off-site locations, such as for shopping or dining. When the programs end, around 4pm, the evening events will commence so that no one will have to go home and then come back. Dinner will be served in the evening. Awards have been streamlined so that only the "best" clubs will win. There will be no "second," "third place" etc. winners. This will allow for more meaningful programs as the speakers will not have to rush through so that the awards can be presented. Also, there will be no District sponsored golf or tennis tournaments. You are on your own for these events. Featured speakers include the CEO of the CDC and the President of Coca Cola. The House of Friendship will be in a 72,000 sq ft hall, so we can bring everything if we want! And the door prizes are CASH! $5,000 has been allocated for this event. Upon conclusion of his presentation, the Club gave away its annual cash contributions to local charities. Included in the program were the Fayette Youth Protection Home, Inc., Becky Davenport, Exec. Director; Fayette Senior Services, Debbie Britt, Exec. Director; Fayette Samaritans, Gerald Sudduth, Director; The Joseph Sams School, Marie Sams, Exec. Director. We thank all these fine organizations for the work they are doing to make Fayette County a better place to live.

Joseph Sams School, Marie Sams, Board Director Dale Georgia

and Tony.

FYPH Becky Davenport and Tony.

FSS Debbie Britt and Tony.

Fayette Samaritans Gerald Sudduth and Tony.

District Speaker PDG Al Lipphart Card Game.

All Community Donations.

NOVEMBER 23, 2009

Al Gilbert lead the Club in the P P & 4WT. He did a special prayer for the Rotary Foundation.

Paul Oddo lead the Club in singing "Over the River and Through the Woods" to get into the Thanksgiving spirit.

Cathy Cochran introduced our guest speaker. Our speaker was Corliss Scroggins Lawson, who has lived in the Atlanta area since 1992. Born in 1962 in Topeka, Kansas, she is an attorney who spoke to the Club about giving thanks to God for our blessings. One of five children and formerly an attorney with Lord, Bissell and Brook, she gives thanks to God for all her success as an attorney. Because she has encountered much tragedy in her life (she recounted that her first husband died when he was 46 years old and her sister died when Corliss entered law school among other tragedies) she believes God is testing her.

Carol and Richard taking a picture of Corliss Scroggins Lawson.

Tony and speaker Corliss Scroggins Lawson.

Phil forgot the cards!!

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

Parks Redwine lead us in the prayer, pledge and 4-way test. Former member (and hopefully member again) Al Dapkus told the Club about his new insulation business. Pres. Tony gave a presentation about the new cancer center at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. His firm, Harris Fritz Architects, designed the center. The cost will be $10,000,000! It will be constructed on the first floor within an existing building for which there were no tenants. This will save money and will fill an empty office space too. Inside the facility will be a linear accelerator which is housed in concrete walls 6 feet thick. It weighs 2,000,000 lbs by itself and is used to treat cancer patients. The lobby is designed with stainless steel to show it is state of the art and with wood to show warmth. It does not have a clinical look! The facility will open in June 2010. Paul lead the Club in singing "America" (aka My Country Tis of Thee).
[Note to the reader. Because of differences in computer operating systems, you may have to scroll down to see the pictures which follow.]

Tony presents the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Project.

Skip Arendt won the ticket drawing but he lost the draw of the joker. So he cut the card!

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

Marion Wells led the "prayer, pledge and 4-way test":

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Wi it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Our Guest Speaker today was John Oxendine, introduced by Jack Smith. He spoke to the Club about his job as Insurance Commissioner, Fire Commissioner, Industrial Loan Commissioner and Comptroller General. Five jobs for the price of one! For pictures of John Oxendine and and Club members at the meeting click on the photo album page to the left.

Paul extended his wife's "good-byes" to the Club and invited them on her behalf to the wedding by the Church on January 9 in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Phil and Dale card game using sharp scissors

Paul speaking

Results of the Board of Directors meeting AUGUST 10, 2009:

The CART bucket is now called the "donation bucket" and this year all proceeds go to Polio Plus.

The "Club Project" for this year is the Fayetteville Sign and is tabled until after it receives approval from the City.

The alzheimer Walk is being handled differently this year. Instead of passing the CART bucket, we are asking everyone to go to the web link below and donate money, or sign up to walk. Be sure to sign up under or club name. http://memorywalk09.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=301146&lis=1&kntae301146=CCD3C6B6A2FF414190746ABE812AF8A1&team=3421270&tlteam=0 Skip has agreed to fill in for Phil McMullin in the card ticket sales.

Scott McIver has agreed to fill in for Phil Grant if he can't get there for Sergeant-at arms

OCTOBER 10, 2009 -

Today members of the Club helped clean up the waterways of Fayette County. They met at the gazebo in the town center park (aka Jack Day Park) and went to the banks of the Whitewater Creek. This is an annual project for our Club. If you haven't experienced it, do so next year. It is a lot of fun and you also help keep the environment clean.

Richard Buchanan, Skip Arndt and friends. Ready to

clean the river.

OCTOBER 5, 2009 -

Today, Dennis Martino, member of the Rotary Club of the Airport, spoke to us about the Rotary Literacy project that is organized by his Club. Their project is to give away 50,000 dictionaries to third graders throughout the state of Georgia.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2009 -

The guest speaker today was Dr. Mark Becker, President of Georgia State University. We were very pleased that he could take time from his busy schedule to visit with us as evidenced by the enthusiastic Q & A following his talk. Georgia State University has come a long way in 40 years. From a downtown Atlanta college, then university, geared to working students, to a traditional university with dorms and all, just located in a downtown setting. The university will field its first football team in September 2010 which will, in this humble editor's opinion, complete the transformation to a full service university.

President Tony shakes hands with President Mark Becker of Georgia State University.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2009-

Tony Fritz, President was the guest speaker. He filled in for the speaker who was unable to attend the meeting. Tony also led us in the prayer, pledge and 4-way test. He reminded the Club that we should plan to attend the District Conference next April 2010 as it will be held in the Galleria on Cobb Parkway. Pictures of the past Conference were show as well.

Jeoff Hamilton passed around a sign-up sheet for for volunteers to work at the Golf Tournament this Friday, September 25th.

Tony Fritz in wide-screen letter-box format. Just like on TV!

Phil Smelley and Phil McMullin cut the cards for charity. . .

AUGUST 31, 2009-

Betsy Box from the Bedford School told us about the strides being made in the world of special education for children with learning disabilities. She herself has dyslexia, which is a writing problem. There are other "dys's" but I cannot now remember them as I write about this week's meeting. Nevertrheless, the program contained a slide show and one of the memorable slides, for me, was the one drawn by a student who spelled the words backwards.

Speaker Betsy Box and President Tony Fritz. And the book of the week.

Food for thought:

If there was not God, there would be no atheists.

-- G.K. Chesterton

AUGUST 24, 2009 - Today was Club Assembly.

President Tony encouraged everyone to get involved. And he challenged us with definitions from his new dictionary.

Cathy Cochran talked about the upcoming Alzheimer's Walk in Peachtree City on October 2nd and the River's Alive cleanup the following weekend.

Jeoff Hamilton promoted the golf tournament which will be on September 25th. Check out the sidebar --->

Jack Smith asked for Rotary dues payments.

Carol Colon talked about the District Fundraising and giving programs.

Hector Colon explained how we can become a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club using existing credits available to us at the R.I.Foundation.

Al Gilbert mentioned the need to get new members and the need for better membership information. See the sidebar for more information --->

Richard Buchanan gave us examples of fun fund raising techniques.

Tony, Doug and Paul with the "book of the week."

A thought for the day: Ninety nine percent of politicans give the rest a bad name!

AUGUST 17, 2009

Fred Elsberry from the Better Business Bureau was our Guest Speaker. He explained how the problem of identiy theft can affect small businesses. Some of his suggestions for avoiding identity theft are as follows;

1. If you don't need information, don't collect and store it. For example, when getting job applicants to fill out forms, don't ask for their social security number unless they are going to be interviewed and will require a background check.

2. If you only need information once, delete it after it is used.

3. If you find you have information you no longer need, destroy it.

4. It is a good idea not to sign the backs of credit cards. Show the vendors your ID instead.

5. Review your bank account and credit card statements monthly.

President Tony presents the book of the week to our Guest Speaker, Fred Elsberry.

Jack wins again and Phil hands the scissors. If you would like to get in on this money making opportunity, read all about the "card lottery" in the side bar.

.A Thought for the Day: Remember, he has most who needs the least! St.J.Escriva

AUGUST 10, 2009-

Today was a Club Assembly. The speaker was our own Past President Al Gilbert who spoke about membership for the coming year. In order to try to encourage new membership, the Club has been divided up into 6 teams. Each team is trying to get the most points. A point is earned whem a team member brings a quest to a meeting who is eligible for membership. If the guest ultimately becomes a member, the team gets another point. The team with the most points by January gets a steak dinner! FREE! The contest will start up again in January.

Teams are:

Carol Colon Jim Crissey

Tim Trammell Skip Arendt

Scott Williamson Chip Glazer

Alex Rodriquez Merry Holly

Tony Fritz Jim Daughtry

Hector Colon Darrell Cutts

Doug Mickey Michelle Boyd

Brenda Schachle Phil Grant

Parks Redwine Wallace Kite

Pat Fox Al Curtis

Jeoff Hamilton Paul Oddo

Richard Buchanan Cathy Cochran

Phil Smelley Scott McIver

Dave Selleck Phil McMullin

Dave Lee Jack Smith

Dale Kreuter Marion Wells

Al Gilbert and President Tony Fritz hold the book of the week which Al signed after his presentation to the Club. (Tony's shirt pattern is really one of straight lines. What you see above is trick photography.)

Jack won the lottery and got a chance to cut the

cards. Here Jack (on right with back to the camera)

has passed his winning ticket to Phil McMullin

(on left smiling and holding the ticket just passed to

him by Jack). Jack stands to win "big money" if he

selects the Joker from the deck. . . .

Jack cut the cards and gave us his quote of the day:

"Oh no!" No joke(er), Jack did not win anything outside

of the chance to cut a card in two. However,

If you are interested in entering this money-making

opportunity, see the rules in the sidebar to this page.

AUGUST 3, 2009 - FAMILY OF ROTARY NIGHT!

President Tony Fritz hosted the first major event of his Presidency on August 3rd when the Club members, spouses and guests met at Truett Cathy's Upscale Pizza. The pizza was delicious and the fellowship was fabulous! We even were treated to a special guest appearance by Truett Cathy who came by to say hello and to give us copies of his new book "Truett, How Did You Do It?" Kathy Cochran did a wondeful job coordinating the activities and made sure everyone got served.

President Tony is proud to kick off the evening's festivities with a blessing.

Restaurant founder Truett Cathy, one of America's most well known and well loved businessmen stops by and says hello. Pictured from left to right are Dale and Erika Kreutter and Marion Wells.

.Past President Paul Oddo (foreground) with his mother, Genevieve and brother, Warren.

Past President Darrell Cutts et al.

Richard Buchannan (left), Marion Wells (right)

JULY 27, 2009 -

Tony talks about the upcoming golf tournament. . ..

.(Picture courtesy of NASA space station photography. It's not that bad considering. . .)

Paul listens . . .

David Lamb (Tony Fritz's son) and Rachel Williamson (Scott Williamson's daughter) speak about RYLA. And Tony shows off the Book of the Week which was autographed by the speakers and given to the Library as part of our Club's ongoing Literacy Project.

JULY 20, 2009:

Brenda Schachle gave her Rotary classification talk at this meeting. Pat Stansbury with The National Museum of Patriotism will be re-scheduled for a later date. Hector Colon shared the delivery of checks to Rotary International from District 6900 to the Rotary Foundation which represented 100% participation from all 69 Rotary clubs.

President Tony holds up a picture of our new student, Alejandro. Alejandro will arrive in Georgia on July 22, 2009.

Past President Hector gave the Club an update on Rotary International. He also told the Club he had the priviledge of shaking hands with the statue of Paul Harris in Chicago. Hector explained that although Paul Harris's hand was out, it was not for money, but was rather extended in the usual "handshake mode." As none of us were in Chicago with Hector, we accepted his explanation on faith.

Brenda Schachle signs the Speakers Literacy Book since she filled in for our missing speaker today. Brenda, who deals with retirement plans, told the Club about her profession and her firm.

JULY 13, 2009-

CLUB ASSEMBLY DAY: The speaker was DG Roy Strickland who presented Paul Harris awards and installed new member Michelle Boyd. He gave the Club a pep talk and said he would be ready, willing and able to help Tony reach his goals for the new year.

Tony Fritz, Pres., Suzanne Strickland and Roy Strickland, DG 6900

The Speakers Book of the Week. Part of our Literacy Program in which we give a book to the library that has been autographed by the Speaker.

JULY 6, 2009-

Past president Paul Oddo presented the program today. He told the Club about his family's arrival in Georgia 39 years ago with their children's book publishing company and about the years in between then and now. During this time Paul graduated cum laude from Georgia State University, worked as an accountant for Price Waterhouse, raised cattle with his brothers, started Oddo Brothers CPA firm in 1979, became the first president of the Rotary Club of Fayetteville in 1980, partnered with his brothers in the GTO'S drive-in restaurant, ran for Mayor of Fayetteville and was elected to the City Council in 2005.

Having been lucky enough to meet and fall in love with his fiance, Nohemi Quintero Orci, he has abandoned plans to become a priest.

Nohemi and Paul (wearing a Mexican sombrero at the Mariachismo Restaurante).

JUNE 27, 2009

OFFICERS' INSTALLATION BANQUET---

June 27 was our annual Officers and Directors installation banquet. The old officers and Directors steped aside as the new Officers and Directors tookl their oath of office. The Banquet had a Mexican theme this year and was held at la hacienda de Irene y Alan Edwards. President Scott presented the following awards at the officers and directors installation. Congratulations to the following Rotarians: (A) Service Above Self Awards: Tony Fritz and Phil McMullin (B) Four Avenues of Service Citation for Individual Rotarians: Irene Edwards (C) President's Award: Jack Smith and (D) Rotarian of the Year: Dale Kreutter.