Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Ryla award winners (l-r)Devin Dollar East Laurens H.S, Lindsey Tate Trinity Christian School, Alia Nelson West Laurens H.S.,Candace Christian President Dublin Rotary Club, Jackson SmithTrinity Christian School and Helen Zellner Dublin H.S.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership development program run by Rotary. While participants can be any age, most events focus on secondary school students, university students, or young professionals. RYLA events are typically 3 — 10 days long and include presentations, activities, and workshops that cover a variety of topics, including:  Leadership fundamentals and ethics,  Communication skills,  Problem solving and conflict management and  Community and global citizenship.

Office Of Economic Development

Kim David is Vice President of Economic Development for Oconee Fall Line Technical College a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia that serves 11 counties in central Georgia. A native of Sandersville, Kim recently began her career with OFTC in September of 2015.
Kim is a graduate of Brentwood School in Sandersville and received her undergraduate degree from Valdosta State University where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She went on to receive her master’s degree in public administration from Georgia College and State University.
Kim returned home in the summer of 2010 to work with the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership where she worked with Washington County leaders to address community and economic development issues utilizing resources of the University System.
Prior to working with the Archway Partnership, Kim lived in Atlanta, where she worked as the program manager for the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce and the State Medical Education Board. While there, she stayed connected to her rural Georgia roots as she planned and conducted the Georgia Medical Fair a rural physician recruiting program, and managed a scholarship program for medical students and loan repayment programs for physicians and dentists.
Kim is very active in civic and community organizations as a member of The Guild of Washington County-a women’s organization working to address needs of Washington County’s women, children and families, and Sandersville Rotary Club. Kim currently serves on the Sandersville Rotary Club board as Public Relations Chair and is past Co-Rotarian of the Year for the Club and Co -Rookie of the Year for District 6920. Kim is an active member of Georgia Economic Developers Association and a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and Leadership Washington. She was a charter member and also has actively served on the advisory board for the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County since the club opened its doors in 2012, and has recently been appointed Co-Chair of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Development committee. She is a past board member of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and is a pastpresident of the Brentwood Alumni Council. Kim is married to Parrish David, a native of Cairo, GA. They live in Sandersville with their boston terrier Otis and actively attend Sandersville United Methodist Church.

Dublin Chief of Police

A. Tim Chatman is the Senior Pastor at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, in Ailey, Ga. , as well as the Chief of the City of Dublin Police Department. He is married to the Elect Lady, Rev. Verlinda Chatman. He has one daughter, Lakesha Chatman, and three sons, Anthony Chatman Jr, Stacey Chatman, Brandon Chatman, and two granddaughters.
A. Tim Chatman is a 1980 graduate of the West Laurens High School, a 1982 graduate of the Macon Technical School in Constructional Design, a 1985 graduate of the Middle Ga. Police Academy, a graduate of the GBI Narcotic Agents Academy, a graduate of the GBI Special Agents Academy, and a 2002 graduate of the American International Polygraph Institute in Atlanta Ga.
Bishop A. Tim Chatman attended three years at the Bryant Theological Seminary, and obtained his B.A. from the Open Bible College in South Carolina. Bishop A. Tim Chatman is a 2012 graduate of the Epistle Institute in Atlanta, Ga. He was ordained and consecrated Bishop and Prelate of Global Impact Fellowship on April 21, 2012, under the Mandate of Kingdom Manifestation and the College of Bishops through the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Church Administration and has been featured on the Word Net Work and the Bible Series that was shown all over the world.
Chief A. Tim Chatman recently retired from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent Principle after 22 years. He returned to the Dublin Police Department as Assistant Chief in 2014 and took command as Chief of Police in January 2016. He is also the CEO of Chatman & Associates and serves on the School Council at North West Laurens Elementary School.

Rotary members welcome GRSP Student Emma Stahlfors

Dublin Rotary President Candace Christian and her husband Don hosted a drop in reception for this years GRSP student Emma Stahlfors.

Georgia State College Leadership Program

Since 2005, John Bowen has served as the coordinator of leadership programs at Georgia College, where he directs the Emerging Leaders Program, the Leadership Certificate Program, the Georgia Education Mentorship (GEM) Program, and the Inspire! Student Leadership Forum. John also serves as faculty secretary for Omicron Delta Kappa (National Leadership Honor Society), and advisor to the student-led organization Bobcats Against Hunger. From 2007-2011, he taught in the GC Outdoor Education program, instructing courses and workshops in wilderness living, backpacking, rock-climbing, and caving. John earned a Master’s in Outdoor Education Administration from Georgia College, a Bachelor’s in History from the University of Georgia, and an Associate’s in Language and Literature from Andrew College. While in graduate school he completed a 70+ day semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in the backcountry of Alaska.

Local High School Football Coaches

(l-r) Dublin Fighting Irish Head Coach Roger Holmes, Trinity Crusaders Head Coach Jimmy Fields, Rotary Elect President Bill Brown III, East Laurens Falcons Head Coach Chris Robinson and West Laurens Raiders Head Coach Stacey Nobles.

Georgia Claire Bourassa

Georgia Clair Bourassa is the daughter of Rotarian Jo-ne Bourassa. In 2015, she not only won Distinguished Young Woman, but also won the Talent Award and the Spirit Award at the local program. At the state program, she placed first in the talent competition. In her junior year, she placed first in Region Literary and second at State Literary for her piano solo. In her senior year she placed first in Region Literary and first in State Literary for her piano solo. Georgia Claire participated in soccer all four years of high school.
She is attending Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and majoring in Audio Engineering and minoring in classical piano performance.

Allstar Assembly

We had ten visiting Rotarians including our speaker for Saturday’s All Star Assembly, Tiffany Ervin from Hendersonville, NC and Debra Lowe, Rotary International Senior Major Gifts Officer for Zone 34. The All Star Assembly was a huge success with 134 plus in attendance from around the district.  Thank you to Karen Core, Jo-ne Bourassa, George Best and Jep Craig for attending with me.  We loaded the tractor trailer with items for Broken Shackle Ranch.  The residents and staff were elated when the tractor trailer delivered the items on Monday.

District Governor Visit

District Governor 2016-2017 Pam Lightsey Rotary Club of Augusta South Pam is excited to serve as your District Governor 2016-17 and is looking forward to celebrating 100 years of The Rotary Foundation at the RI Convention to be held in Atlanta, June 10-14, 2017.
Pam has been a member of the Augusta South Rotary club since 2003. She served as president from 2006-07 and Assistant Governor 2009-12. After serving as a host family for Georgia Rotary Student Program she served as a Trustee from 2009-12 and Director from 2012-17. Pam is also a graduate of the Rotary Leadership Institute. She is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow+5, Sustaining Member, Bequest Society Member. She was named “Hero Among Us” by Past District Governor Bob Griggers. Pam chaired the Stop Hunger Now Project in 2010 and 2012. She served as the Chair for the Rotary Area Council which consists of 13 Presidents and President Elects representing three districts (6910, 6920, 7750). She currently serves as Vice President for the Greater Augusta Partnership for Literacy which works to put books in the hands of children from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Richmond, Columbia and Burke county.
Pam has been employed for 25 years at Augusta University, formerly known as Augusta State University/Georgia Regents University. She was asked to start a new office nine years ago on campus, which is now known as the JagCard Office. Her office serves all faculty, staff and students with their official university id, as well as, all other functions as door access, debit card functions, etc. With the consolidation of two universities, she now serves over 20,000 faculty, staff and students on both campuses to include the hospital.

African Mission Work

Russell Falk is a graduate of Syracuse University Environmental School of Forestry where he received a BS degree in Resource Management. In 1979 he moved to Dublin Ga. to work as a procurement forester with Georgia Pacific Corporation. In 1986 Russell started Timberland Resource Services Inc. a consulting firm that specializes in Forest Management, Land Appraisals and Real Estate Brokerage. In 2003 Russ began to study at Reformed Theological Seminary and is 15 credit hours short of a Masters Degree in Theology.
In 1996 Russell started Go Forth Ministries International which assists African Churches with water wells, orphan assistance, bible distribution and teaching the bible. Go Forth has one full time missionary from America serving in Malawi with one staff member both of whom serve in the orphanage built in 2013. In 2010 Russ organized the Celebrate Recovery Ministry in Dublin which ministers to over 100 people each Monday night at First Baptist Family Center. He serves as the ministry leader there and was ordained last year as a Baptist Pastor.
Russ is married to the former Marybeth Murphy whom he invited to her Senior High School Prom as their first date. They have three children, Katy Johnson who works with Dublin Eye Associates in Dublin, Carly Falk who is a counselor at Sunspire Rehabilitation Center in Hilton Head and Ryan Falk who received his Associates Degree in Forestry at ABAC and is working towards an Environmental Engineering Degree hopefully at Ga Tech.
Today Russ comes to share on the work done in Africa on behalf of Rotary on the trip he, Melissa Senn, Curt Kersey and Chris Kersey made last month to Africa.

Laurens Youth Lesdership

Jennifer Bryant (2nd from left) graduated from East Laurens High School in 2001, and went on to further her education at Wesleyan College in Macon. In 2005, Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising, Marketing and Communication. Upon graduating from college, Jennifer began her career at Oconee EMC and is now the Member Services Director.
Having been a member of Laurens Youth Leadership’s charter class, Jennifer knew she wanted to continue to be part of the program. After graduating from college and moving back to Dublin, reconnecting with LYL was a natural next step. Laurens Youth Leadership has been developing Dublin-Laurens youth leaders for the past 18 years and in the process of starting its 19th year. This upcoming class will be Jennifer’s 12th year as a Program Director. Alongside Jennifer is co-founder and Program Director, Kathy Allgood, and Program Directors Leigh Ann Tribble and Madison Horne. Pictured above Left to right. Leigh-Ann Tribble, Jennifer Bryant, Kathy Allgood, Madison Horne.

Georgia Commissioner of Driver Services

Bert Brantley, a native Georgian, was appointed as Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) by Governor Nathan Deal and the DDS Board of Directors in March 2016.
As Commissioner, Bert assists almost 1,000 DDS team members in issuing over two million secure IDs and licenses each year. With 66 centers around the state and more services available online than ever, DDS is providing Georgians with numerous options in renewing their license or receiving any other service the agency provides.
Bert previously served in several state agencies, including the Georgia DOT, Department of Economic Development and the State Road & Tollway Authority. From December 2006 to January 2011, Bert served as Governor Sonny Perdue’s chief media spokesman during his entire second term.
Bert grew up in several different towns around South Georgia, the son of two longtime state employees – his father retired from the Georgia State Patrol and his mother retired as a local and regional leader with the Georgia Department of Labor. He graduated from Lowndes High School in Valdosta, and went on to the University of Georgia to study journalism and political science. He also earned a master’s degree with honors in public administration from UGA.