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Laws of Life essay by Faith Fitzgerald (2nd Runner Up Statewide)

Lou Holtz once spoke, “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” This quote shows great meaning and shares a powerful message in my life. Matthew Swatzell was a firefighter in Dacula, Georgia at the time. He was excited to help people, make a positive impact on others’ lives, and start his career. Little did I know, he would change not only his life but mine. Matthew had just gotten off a twenty-four-hour shift and was extremely tired. He fell asleep at the wheel about three to four miles away from his house and hit an oncoming car head-on. It just so happens that the car that was hit was my mom’s car. I was about nineteen months old at the time and my mom, June, was seven months pregnant with my baby brother. Because Matthew hit the car head-on, the steering wheel was pushed into my mom’s stomach and caused her to immediately go into cardiac arrest; luckily, I had no serious injuries. She was rushed to the nearest hospital along with me. That morning my Dad had heard a banging on the door by the pastor at our local church telling him that my mom and I were in a car accident and that he needed to go to the hospital immediately. Once they got there, they were informed that my mom didn’t make it, and my baby brother didn’t make it either. In the sentencing process, my dad forgave Matthew and opted for the lesser charge. Because of legal issues, the two were advised not to see each other. On the two year anniversary of the accident, Matthew was walking up to Publix to get a card to share his condolences, and as he was walking up, he saw my dad by coincidence; the two talked in the parking lot for hours. The next day they went out to get some lunch to talk, and they both agreed that they should stay connected somehow. Because of them staying connected, my family and I still visit him to this day. Over time, my Dad and Matthew have a brotherly relationship because of his response to the tragedy. I think Lou Holtz’s quote “Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it” goes along with my life perfectly. The fact that my mom passed away hurts greatly to me and my dad, but because of how my dad responded to the situation, Matthew’s life is well. He is married to a loving wife, with three amazing kids. If my dad had not chosen the lesser charge, it could have meant serious fines and even jail time. This also shows me the importance of how you respond to situations because it can change someone’s life. Not only has his decision made an impact on Matthew’s life and mine, but it has also made an impact on others’ lives. The Today Show invited them to be on the show. The episode aired in 2019, and there are multiple videos sharing this story on Youtube and Vimeo with over fifty thousand views. Through this story, God has shown how he can turn the worst situations into a positive influence on others.

Thanks for the Great Global Grant Program Cameron Clark!

Thank you Cameron Clark for the great program on Reducing Chronic Childhood Malnutrition in Guatemala through Rotary International grants by BPD. Their Comprehensive Program helps children by helping provide clean water and improved sanitation, smoke free efficient stoves, and improving maternal and childhood n.utrition. They are making huge differences in the lives of so many! To learn more about how you can help contact: Dr.Deb.Walters@gmail.com.

Thanks for the Wonderful Rose Show Program

Tom Faircloth gave us a great program and amazing pictures detailing the history of the Rose Show.

GRSP PROGRAM this week!!! Don't miss it!

We will hear from our GRSP student Maria Carbonell. We will also recognize our GRSP Donors!

Character Counts by Krista Peace

Character Counts is a wonderful opportunity to get out of your “daily bubble” and step into a different life. I don’t get to be around children often and it is such a joy to do so. While volunteering at the Boy and Girls club, I genuinely had a great time teaching the children. These kids are engaging, intelligent, and very funny. You may actually learn more from them than they learn from you. There’s no reason to be intimidated or feel like you need the perfect lesson, the children are just so happy to see a new face and learn from someone other than their teacher. We all had a great time together and I left excited to go serve again.

Making Masks Better - Thanks John Comita!

What I am doing is using my laser cutter to make “S” hooks out of acrylic. These hooks are used to hook face masks to the back of your head rather than around your ears. This wasn’t my idea, but I saw several Glowforge users making these and sending them to hospitals around the country. I sent 70 up a hospital in Albany, Copper’s friend works there, and I made about 100 for Archbold. I’ll keep making them as long as I have the acrylic.