“Parks and playgrounds are the soul of a city.” -Marty Rubin
We are all very fortunate that Alpharetta has an exceptional park system that truly enhances the quality of life in our City! We have acres devoted to walking trails, playgrounds, sports fields, arboretums, and community parks. At the expansive Wills Park, along with excellent sports and recreational facilities, we have one of the finest equestrian facilities in the Southeast. Alpharetta also boasts a beautiful greenway system along Big Creek that provides a naturally picturesque pathway for bikers and hikers of all ages to enjoy.
This Week –
Our speaker this week is Morgan Rodgers, Alpharetta’s Director of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs, and the husband of our very own Janet Rodgers.
Rodgers has been a leader in the recreation and parks industry for more than 40 years and has served five southeastern cities during his career.
Known for his high level of enthusiasm and creativity, Rodgers has earned the respect of his peers and has promoted his chosen profession through volunteer leadership roles with the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) and the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA). He is a recipient of GRPA’s Michael Daniel Professional Leadership Award and has served on NRPA review committee charged with evaluation of recreation and parks programs across the country that are being considered for accreditation through the association.
Rodgers holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks Administration from Clemson University and is also an accomplished author.
Opportunities for Fellowship –
- Dinner Honoring District Governor Court Dowis – Mary Ulich has graciously offered to host a dinner honoring DG Court Dowis at her home on Thursday evening, August 2nd, the evening before he visits our club on Friday. Details will follow, but since it is at Mary’s house we know it will be a fun evening you won’t want to miss!
- Old Soldier’s Day Parade – August 4th we will once again participate in the annual parade honoring our country’s veterans. With Joel leading us, how can we not have a fabulous time. And, of course, as is our Club tradition, we will follow the parade with our cookout at Gillard’s Grill in Wills Park. Bring your family and friends for a good, old fashioned home town parade and picnic!
- Decorating our Float – Of course, if our float is going to represent us well on Saturday, we will have to decorate it up to our usual high standards! We will get started decorating on Thursday afternoon at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church and then finish up on Saturday morning. It will be a great way to get in a fellowship mood just in time for the party at Mary’s house. We’ll try to time things so that you can participate in both activities.
- Greeting our new GRSP Student – Our new GRSP student, Sofia Erlandsson, will be arriving from Sweden on Tuesday, August 7th. Her flight arrives at 8:17pm. It would be wonderful to have a large group of Rotarians meet her flight and make her feel welcome.
Opportunities to Serve -
- YMCA Summer Lunch program at Aspen Pointe – every Wednesday of the summer, 11:45 – 1pm. Help YMCA coordinators distribute lunches and engage in fun activities with the kids. See Mickey Rodgers to sign-up.
- I Can Bike – July 30th – August 3rd. Help teach children with special needs how to ride a bike! This is a highly impactful program facilitated by Alpharetta Public Safety, held at the Cooler Family Skate Center. You can find more details and register to volunteer at: http://bit.ly/icanvolunteer.
- USO Dates - August 2nd, October 4th and December 6th. See Past-President William Perkins to volunteer.
- Fresh Market –If you’ve not participated before, catch the sign-up sheet that’s passed around each meeting. This is an easy way to serve those in need by taking breads and other items from Fresh Market to NFCC to be given to those in need. Contact Lee Doernberg.
Have a wonderful week and I hope to see you on Friday!
Robin McIntire
President
2018-2019
Rotary Club of Alpharetta