September 16, 2023 - Blitz Weekend!  Rainy day on Lake Peachtree for Blitz Training Weekend, but as Coach Jessica says - "It is a WATER sport!!"  48 teams will have practice this weekend to get ready for next week's 16th Annual Dragon Boat Festival!

 

September 16, 2023 - #grandprixseries #ptcrotary  Exciting start to the 23-24 Grand Prix Series at Harps Crossing this morning! Rain held out just long enough! Congrats to PTC Rotarian Phil Crane (and his wife Gillian) for winning in their age groups! Thanks to the volunteers - Mandy, Jim, Fernando, Fergus and race coordinator extraordinaire George!!!

September 14, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Anna!  We are so excited to have you as the newest Rotarian in the world!  Anna and her husband, Alec, live in Peachtree City.  Anna is originally from Russia and attended the Russian State University before coming to America where she completed her law degree at the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!).  Anna likes photography, reading and learning new languages.  She is looking forward to being actively involved in our community and hopes that her desire to serve along with her professional skills will enable her to be a great Rotarian!  

 

Pictured (L-R):  Alec Repczynski (Husband), New Member Anna, Sponsor Chey Holbrook, Membership Director Anna Finn and President Amy Benton

September 12, 2023 - How cool is this??? Thanks to a grant from our club in July, 86 students from Spring Hill Elementary learned about Habitats and Impacts. The Fayette Environmental Education Center was thrilled to be able to provide this program and take nature to the classroom.  #environmentalimpact #environmentaleducation #easternboxturtle #DoingGoodintheWorld #SupportingtheEnvironment #BasicEducationandLiteracy

September 8, 2023 - Thank you @nightmarketllc for allowing us to be your featured non-profit tonight! Always great to hang out with a few 1000 of our PTC friends!

September 8, 2023 - #makingconnections #sasayamarotary #ptcrotary #Rotary

September 7, 2023 - Congratulations, Mary Chapman!  This was a well-deserved recognition for the Rotary Legacy that you have created!  Mary's start with our club began in 1967 as a "Rotary Ann" when her husband was inducted into the club during the first meeting after the club was chartered.  Mary and Bubber quickly became the Party Planners for the club and have hosted events over the last 40 years ranging from Halloween costume parties to the annual Christmas party, Major Donor dinners and just simple intimate get-togethers for fellow Rotarians.  Mary was the 3rd women to join our club on March 1, 1989 and has remained an active member all this time.  Mary received a membership recognition award in 2002 for helping the club gain 27 members.  Mary has since sponsored 24 members herself and has the 25th one in the prospective member cycle now.  Mary has attended numerous RI Conventions and had the unique opportunity to travel to India with a group of Rotarians to administer Polio vaccines.  Mary received the Club Rotarian of the Year award in 2002 and was chosen as a Sheffield Leadership Award recipient in 2007 for her work as the president of our club.  The following year, Mary received the D6900 Rotarian of the Year award.   Mary and her husband are also Major Donor Level IV!  Mary's legacy lives on with her children being Rotarians and grandchildren growing up through Interact as well.  Mary wears her "Rotary Heart" on her sleeve - What a great example of a ROTARIAN!  We are so blessed to have Mary as a mentor to all of us!

 

August 24, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Matt!  Matt is the owner of Island Fin Poke located in Peachtree City (YUM)!  He lives in Whitesburg with his wife, Toyyan, and son, Keegan.  Matt has a degree in management from University of West Georgia.  Matt loves to be active in the community and feels that Rotary is the right fit for he and his family to be more involved.  We agree - Rotary is the perfect fit!  We are so happy for you to be an active member, Matt!  Welcome to Rotary!

 

Pictured (L-R):  Sponsor Marie Schlosser, Toyyan Heller, New Rotarian Matt Heller, Keegan Heller and President Amy Benton

 

August 19, 2023 - Welcome to the US, Muhammad Abbas! We are so excited to have you as our GRSP student this year at the Rotary Club of Peachtree City! We are all looking forward to meeting you and learning all about your home country of Pakistan!  

 

August 17, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Allen Brown!  Allen is a Sales Executive for Intercontinental Packaging based out of Opelika, AL.  He works out of the Peachtree City area but still resides with his wife, Shontina, in Decatur, AL.  Allen has 4 children and 8 grandchildren.  Allen and his wife, Shontina, founded Lexi House in Decatur. Based upon their own adoption story they were led to open the Lexi House in honor of their daughter to help young ladies who were pregnant, homeless and desperately needing guidance.  During their stay at Lexi House young moms are taught the gifts of parenting, relationships, job training, budgeting and the love of Jesus.  As #MaternalandChildHealth is one of the areas of focus for Rotary, Allen was already a Rotarian at heart and now he's official!  We are so excited to have Allen jump right into our organization as he continues #DoingGoodintheWorld!  We look forward to working with you, Allen!

 

Pictured (L-R):  Chey Holbrook (Red Badge Coordinator), New Member Allen Brown, Sponsor David Moore, President Amy Benton

August 13, 2023 - Thank you, Dr. Sue Royappa, for the service and connections you are making in your travels to India!  Sue had the opportunity to speak to an exclusively women's rotary - Rotary Club of Chennai Utsav and present them with our PTC flag.  She is using her platform of Rotary while working in India to continue to promote using technology to increase health awareness and improve access to healthcare. 

August 12, 2023 - Thanks to PTC Rotarians JD Holmes, Amanda Gilbert and Mike Lardie for volunteering with The Eden Project at the Trails for Troops event hosted for the 2nd year by Southern Conservation Trust.  This is a 3-4 mile hike at The Ridge Nature Area in Fayetteville.

August 12, 2023 - Congratulations to our PTC Rotarians that completed RLI Part 1!  Such a great day of learning!  Several are already looking forward to Part 2!

 

PTC Graduates:  Amos Speight (not pictured), Kathy Workman, Marie Schlosser, Anna Finn, Cindy Baker, Diliana Panova, Chan Spraley, Joshua Wright, Fernando Duenas, Andy Borders

August 10, 2023 - #DGD #GoDawgs #BWFamilyFoundation #UGA #TeamBWood #FutureLeaders #LifeSkills

 

August 10, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Cindy!  Cindy is a managing partner of Benetrend Partners (one of our Rotary Emerald Level Partner Program members).  She resides in Senoia where she raised her two sons - Trey & Garrett.  Cindy has lived in Fayette County for more than 30 years and has always been involved in the community.  Cindy is interested in making a difference in our local area and has jumped right into several volunteer opportunities already!  We are excited to have you, Cindy!  Welcome to Rotary!

 

Pictured (L-R):  Sponsor Patti Kadkhodaian, New Member Kathy Workmann, New Member Cindy Baker, President Amy Benton

 

August 3, 2023 - Congratulations, Chris Thompson!  Chris received the first "President's Circle" award for the 2023-2024 Rotary Year from President Amy Benton.  This award was created this year to allow special recognition of some key Rotarians that continue to go above and beyond in their personal, professional and Rotary lives!  Chris' commitment to Rotary (21 years, past president and chair of the Rotary PTC Foundation), commitment to our country (24 year Navy veteran, selected for captain and his current role as commanding officer defense logistics), commitment to his career (VP, commercial lending) and to his family and local community makes him a great choice for the first member this year of this prestigious 'circle'!  Congratulations again, Chris - we are so proud of you!

August 3, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Dr. Sue Royappa!  Sue is the Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of Health Secure.  She resides in Sharpsburg with her husband, Andrew.  Sue received her BS from Purdue University, MD from University of Mississippi Med Center, and her MPH from San Diego State University.  Her hobbies include travel, hiking, gardening, painting, public health and telehealth.  As a physician passionate about global health, she was drawn to Rotary's mission to create sustainable solutions for communities in need.  We look forward to working side-by-side with you, Sue!  Welcome to Rotary!

August 3, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Sam Rayborn!  Sam is the owner of Temporary Wall Solutions and resides in Peachtree City with his wife, Cheryl, daughter Delaney and son Duncan.  Sam has a degree in American Studies and attended the University of Southern Miss and New Mexico Military Institute.  His hobbies include woodworking, volunteering with veterans treatment court and mentoring - what a perfect way to step into Rotary!  Sam has always been a doer and a volunteer and since moving to PTC has wanted to re-engage in the community!  We can't wait to see the great things you are going to do as a Rotarian, Sam!  Welcome to Rotary!

August 3, 2023 - Welcome to PTC Rotary, Brandon!  Brandon is the owner of Laboratory Fitness in Peachtree City.  He resides with his wife, Jill in Senoia and is a soon-to-be first time father!  Brandon is a graduate of McIntosh High School, played baseball at Emory University and holds a BA in Math & Economics from there along with an MS in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Brandon is a PTC Rotaract Member and wants to be able to give back to the 'community that raised him'!  Brandon - we are excited to have you join us!  Welcome to Rotary!

 

July 29, 2023 - What a great way to give back to our community!  We volunteered at Bloom's Back to School Bash.  Our "Team Rotary" were responsible for giving out backpacks to ~100 foster kids in the community while other volunteers served food / snacks and helped with several fun activities - like bouncy houses, giant connect four games and more!  Bloom is a refuge where foster children can find safe, nurturing foster families with the training and support to help them heal, and free resources like clothing, school supplies, and toys so they can focus on thriving.  There are 11,000 innocent children in Georgia’s foster care system, removed from their homes through no fault of their own.  We are truly blessed to have an organization like Bloom here in Fayette County to help support these children.  

 

Pictured (L-R):  Mike Lardie, Amos Speight, Amy Matusek, Jim Mothorpe, Mandy Timmons, Fernando Duenas, Tise Eyler

July 27, 2023 - We love making these 'connections' with sister clubs around the world!  We had the pleasure of welcoming Mojisola Agbesanwa, from the Rotary Club of Stratford, London, UK, District 1130 to our meeting this week.  Mojisola is a past president of her club and a current Assistant Governor.  

 

Picture:  Mojisola and President Amy Benton

 

July 27, 2023 - Our Annual CRYING TOWEL contest!  Always fun to have all of our local high school football programs represented at this event!  We enjoy hearing from each of the coaches on just how tough of a year their respective teams are going to have - from the 'peewee' size players and lack of skills to the tough competition across from their rivals across town (who are also in the room)....  The one with the biggest sob story is then awarded the Crying Towel to proudly display for the next year...  This year, Coach Chad Frazier, Whitewater High School, was awarded the Crying Towel as we heard all about the 'vultures (aka Ospreys) that are circling his practice field because his players are so slow, they think they are dead' and the fact that SMHS Coach Phillips is sending him false weather reports to keep his team from being able to practice regularly! 

 

In all fun, these coaches are troopers to come do this every year for us!  We are so proud of our school systems, the sports programs and especially the way these coaches are focused on helping these student athletes become good and successful young men at the next level!  Thanks to all of the coaches, atheletic directors, principals and board of education for joining us again this year for this very fun program!

 

Pictured (L-R):  Coach Derek Smith (McIntosh), Coach Darius Smiley (Sandy Creek), Coach Chad Frazier (Whitewater), Coach Nick Davis (Fayette County), Coach Chad Phillips (Starrs Mill) and President Amy Benton

July 22, 2023 - Congratulations, Graduates!  So proud of these PTC Rotarians that took a Saturday out of their very busy schedules to complete the Rotary Leadership Institute's Graduate course - "Transforming Your Club"!  Ready to take the things they learned on Public Image, Motivating Rotarians and Enacting Change to our members!  

 

 

July 20, 2023 - What an AMAZING Meeting!

With the new Grant Application process implemented earlier this year, we were able to review and award 22 Grants this year!  Each organization filled out a grant request (very similar to grant process we do with the Rotary Foundation).  Each are a 501(c)3, had to provide a plan for use of any grant funds in our local community, ways that our members could have hands-on experience to support them with service and how they would promote our public image!  We were blown away by the applicants, the programs they are doing and what they do to continue to make our community a better place for all of us!  We are blessed to be able to have members to continue to support funding for programs like these and we are so excited to work with each of these organizations in the next year!

 

Recipients included:  Advo-Kids CASA, Inc.; Armed Forces Mission, Inc.; Camp Southern Ground; Challenge Air for Kids & Friends; Fayette Accountability Court; Fayette Senior Services, Inc.; Fine Arts & Crafts Entrepeneurs, Inc. (FAACE); Flint River Council BSA, Inc.; Frontline Response; Harbor of Hope, Inc.; Harts of Teal, Inc.; June's Second Chance Ranch; Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia; Real Life Center, Inc.; Rotary Community Corps, Girls Scouts Service Unit 617; Southern Conservation Trust; Southwest Christian Care; ExceptionalOPS; The Joseph Sams School; and United Way of Greater Atlanta.

July 18, 2023 - Fun!  Fellowship!  Frosty Beverages!  Join us the 3rd Tuesday of each month for our Rotary on Tap!  Stay tuned to our calendar for where we will be next month!

Pictured - Fergus Esezobor, Mike Nelson, Tammy Soulakos, Amy Benton, Mandy Timmons, Anna Finn, Prospective Member Cindy Baker, Brett Vincent, Jason Aldrich, LeeAnn Ryan, Ric Thompson, Al Brown

 

July 18, 2023 - #NewYearNewLocation #FriendsTable #coffeechats  What a great turnout this morning for Coffee Chats at our new location for this year - @friendstableptc (Friends Table PTC)! Fun, Fellowship and FUN!!! Join us each Tuesday at 9:30!

Pictured (starting with the colorful shirt) - Tise Eyler, Fernando Duenas, Jim Mothorpe, Amy Benton, Tammy Soulakos, Marie Schlosser, Clare Chapman (Visiting from Senoia Rotary), Mary Chapman, Amos Speight, Mike Lardie, Patti Kadkhodaian, Prospective Member Sue Royappa, Anna Finn

July 13, 2023 - Welcome to the newest member of the Rotary Club of Peachtree City! We are so excited to have Kelly Williams, owner of Kellys' Automotive Repair, join our membership. Kelly lives with his wife Cassi and two children, Anthony & Mia in Tyrone. Kelly wants to give back to our community and to be part of an organization looking to serve others. Well, Kelly - we are the right fit for you! Welcome to Rotary!

 

July 10, 2023 - President Amy had the distinct honor of installing our board of directors for the PTC Rotary Community Corps.  Rotary Sponsor Joel was instrumental in starting this unique organization made up of special needs adults in late 2014 with the official charter date of March 2015.  The club continues to grow and is now made up of ~30 members.  We look forward to working with them on special projects during this Rotary year and were happy to tell them that they were chosen for one of our club's community grants for this year as well.