Newsletter

Thursday, Nov. 13
Annual Thanksgiving Celebration at Vashti

Tomorrow, we'll host our annual Thanksgiving meeting at Vashti. Since our club's founding in 1921, we've supported Vashti in various ways, including this traditional Thanksgiving meeting. Members who choose to do so often make a  contribution to the center for children. 

Rev. Donald Mathis will be out speaker. Rev. Mathis is a member of the board of directors for the Vashti Center, and he will talk to us about the programs offered and the children supported  by Vashti. He completed a five-year program and received a diploma in ministry from Candler School of Theology at Emory University before continuing his education and receiving an associate's degree in sociology from Waycross College. He later graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in social work from Savannah State University, where he was inducted into the National Honor Society. He is also an alumnus of Saint Leo University, where he received a master's degree in social work focused on advanced clinical practice and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society.

Rev. Mathis has been in pastoral ministry for 24 years and has pastored many congregations. but he is equally active in the community. He has worked with the Wesley Foundation Campus Ministry, the Urban Hope After School Program, and the Board of Missions in Savannah. In Statesboro, he served on the Board of Missions, the Committee of Building and Location, and the Board of Mission for the Statesboro District, the board of Directors for the North and South Georgia Pastor’s School, the Committee of Religion and race for the SGAC, and the advocacy committee for the SGAC. He has interned with Department of Juvenile Justice and with the Department of Family and Children Services in Waycross and 4 Evamor Inc. in Columbus.

For the past seven years, Rev. Mathis has worked with and interned with TEARS Inc. as an intake and outreach coordinator, counselor and prevention specialist. He has been employed with Tuskegee University in the Social Work Department for the pass four years and is now teaching online distant learning social work courses.

Please join us to know more about the programming at Vashti and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal. 

Nov. 21 to Dec. 4
Rotary Online Auction

Just in time for the holidays, our second annual online auction will kick-off Nov. 21 and end Dec. 4 during our Rotary holiday party. Proceeds from the auction will help fund our club's community service, youth projects and other programs throughout the year.  

Items that will be available during the auction include:

• Vacations and excursions at the beach and in the mountains, 
• limited edition bottling whiskey,
• spa visits, 
• a shopping spree with Santa at Imagination Emporium,
• a skeet and trap day for four shooters, 
• jewelry,
• a custom fire pit,
• and more!

How can you help?

Mary Beth Donalson (229.221.0715) continues to gather high-end items to add to the auction. If you have an item that might be of interest, or you have friends who may donate, please contact Mary Beth. Additionally, once the auction goes live, please share the auction and/or specific items among your friends and family and your social media network. The more people engage with the auction, the better the proceeds will be and the more good work we will be able to do throughout the year. 

Upcoming Events
Mark Your Calendar for the Rest of November

November at a glance: 

• Wednesday, Nov. 19: Coffee Chat at Grassroots Coffee. Stop in anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. for coffee and casual conversation with fellow Rotarians in a small group format.
• Thursday,  Nov. 20: Pack & Sort at Second Harvest beginning at 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 22: Produce distribution at Weston Park. The need will be great this month. Please plan to help. 
• Thursday, Nov. 27: Happy Thanksgiving. There will be no club meeting. 

The calendar is subject to changes. Find the most updated Rotary calendar anytime:

• Add any individual calendar item from the Rotary calendar to your personal calendar.
• Subscribe to the Rotary calendar for automatic updates.

Save the Date
Rotary Leadership Institute

Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10 at Southern Regional Technical College. All Rotarians are required to complete Part 1, but members are encouraged to attend their appropriate session.

RLI is designed to assist in improving Rotary knowledge and leadership skills of future leaders of our Rotary clubs and is offered at three levels over one-day workshops.

More information to come.