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This Week's Program

Jared Benko was hired in March of 2020 as the leader of the Georgia Southern Athletics Department and began his new role on April 1. Benko, who has more than a decade of progressive leadership experience in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), comes to Statesboro from Mississippi State where he served as Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Financial Officer for nearly four years (2016-2020).

Benko reports directly to the University president, serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and oversees 17 NCAA Division I varsity athletics programs, 15 of which compete in the Sun Belt Conference. Benko is from Watkinsville, Georgia.  He earned a bachelor of science in sports studies from Georgia in 2005 and then a master of public administration in Athens in 2007.

He got his start in the athletic business field as an intern at Georgia from 2007 to 2008. He also spent seven years in sports communications at Georgia, including five years as a student and two years as a graduate assistant, while assisting with the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves.

News from the Board

Your Board met on  Thursday, February 11.  These are some of the highlights from that meeting:

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Rotarians Nathaniel Abrams, Carlton Bryant and Mike Bixler made presentations on the Rotary SafeDrive Driver Safety Awareness Initiative to students at THS and Scholars Academy on Friday, Feb 12. During this Rotary year, presentations have been made to all three area high schools.
• Rose Show 2021 will go on. Volunteers will be needed to help set up. More information to come.

A part of the Teen Health Project, the Youth Leadership Council ‘Youth of the Year’ was selected. Each candidate received a cash prize and winner Kamya Haywood will receive a $1,500 scholarship upon graduation from high school. 

YOUTH SERVICES

• The launch of Character Counts is finally on the calendar. Harper School is ready to go for these virtual presentations by Rotarians. Andre’ Marria needs volunteers, so please be receptive when she asks for help.
• Be The Voice has kicked off at McIntyre Park Middle School. Volunteer help is needed to get the program underway at Thomas County Middle School. Please contact Andre’ if this is something you can help with.

ROTARY FOUNDATION / GRSP

• The club set goals at the beginning of the year: Foundation ($30,000) and GRSP ($25,000), and both goals have been achieved and exceeded. Way to go Thomasville Rotarians!!
  

What You Missed Last Week!

Richard Christenson, one of our newest members, gave his classification talk last week. Thanks for sharing a little of your life’s story with us Rick. Your story helps us know you better, which means we appreciate the road you have traveled which brought you to us. Your words, “Dealing honestly with people and fix only what was wrong with the car,” did not fall on deaf ears. They reminds us that character counts in every area of our lives.

The Rotary Club of Thomasville welcomes Darcy Craven to the Thomasville community. Darcy is the new President/CEO of Archbold Medical Center, and he was the meeting program last week. Darcy’s presentation highlighted the hospital’s endeavors since his arrival. He talked about where the hospital has been, where it is and where it is going. He addressed the hospital’s priorities and it’s challenges. Darcy also gave us a Covid-19 update.

The club recognized two academic students of the month. From Thomas County Central High School we had Morgan Ward. Morgan plans to attend Mississippi College after high school and major in Early Childhood Education. Lawson Brinkley represented Thomasville High School and he plans to attend the University of Georgia and study Veterinarian Science.

We had a combined attendance of seventy-six. By way of announcements we have the following.

• The bloodmobile is scheduled to be at the Archbold Advanced Therapy and Sports Medicine on February 25.
• We have a Fireside Chat on March 23 at Harry Tomlinson’s Fish Camp.
• John Glenn is recovering from surgery. Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts. As we begin another week, Rotary will open many opportunities to you. These will be opportunities for us to make a difference in the lives we touch. With that in mind, “Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.”