Gainesville/Hall Rotarians Join in on Peace Project

Nearly 300 Rotarians from three clubs (Rotary Club of Gainesville, Rotary Club of Hall County and the Rotary Club of South Hall) joined together more than three years ago to honor their Public Safety Community by Donating / Dedicating and Celebrating our Public Service Community.

The vision was brought to the three clubs by Past District Governor Dianne Cammarata and Past District Governor Lona Pope after visiting the Rotary Club of Canton and viewing their wonderful Memorial for Public Safety. After reviewing and visiting all the tributes and monuments in our community, we realized we have never honored this special group of men and women who put on their uniforms, badges and credentials to Serve and Protect the people.

All three clubs approved the project and gave the seed money to begin the journey. Along with a Rotary Foundation funded Rotary District 6910 grant of $2,500 applied for by the Rotary Club of Hall County, we were ready to begin. A local artist and fellow Rotarian, Jane Hemmer was commissioned to design and sculpt along with Kevin Chambers, KLC Studios Owner & sculptor from Atlanta, the medallion that is the center piece to our tribute. The people on the medallion are actual pictures of public safety people to include the Sheriff’s Department, 911, Operator, Fire and Police. Around the Medallion….the words “Service Above Self”.  As well, we wanted to personalize the project by selling personalized bricks to honor the Public Safety Community. Over 425 bricks were sold to parents, friends and neighbors of Public Safety. These bricks will circle the granite piece with a pool of water cascading and surrounding the monument. The business community wanted to be included in honoring this special group and purchased a limited edition of 10 benches to add $27,000 to the project.

While this project was moving along the City of Gainesville gave the Rotarians a wonderful area to display the tribute (in Roosevelt Square where President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited twice after the 1936 tornadoes). The city council felt the area was tired and needed refreshing. They began the process of budgeting a renewal of Roosevelt Square which put our project on the back burner for about a year in order to move through the process. In the end our little $90,000 project spurred the renewal of a $900,000 project for our entire community to enjoy!

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE…Thursday, December 8, 2016 will be the long awaited Celebration / Dedication of this wonderful long awaited project and we couldn’t be any prouder! And the timing couldn’t be any better than to honor this group of Public Servants that epitomize the Rotary Motto…”SERVICE ABOVE SELF”.

More pictures to follow of the celebration in later edition of Rotations.

-Submitted by Past District Governor Lona Pope, Rotary Club of Hall County

Hall County Rotarians Partner in Fundraiser to Feed Hungry in North Georgia

In partnership with the Gainesville (GA) Housing Authority, the Rotary Club of Hall County, Georgia visited the Georgia Mountain Food Bank on July 29, 2016, to paint decorative bowls that will be kiln fired and exchanged for donation at the 2016 food bank fundraiser to feed the North Georgia area hungry.  The event will be held in September at the First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Georgia. This project is one of the Georgia Mountain Food Bank's most popular projects.

The Georgia Mountain Food Bank's mission is to address hunger, health and quality of life by serving those in need throughout the entire North Georgia Region.  The food bank provides a vital link between sources of food supplies and hardworking community-based partner agencies, like our Rotary Club, who help get the food into the hands of families and individuals who need it. 

Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Hall County annually contribute to the food bank’s fundraiser by offering beautifully decorated hand-painted bowls to be exchanged for funds in the event. Other bowls are collected from some of Georgia's most well-known personalities and those who are very talented, but not yet famous. 

Partners with the Gainesville (GA) Housing Authority also proudly provided youth whose groups were representatives of the Harrison Square Apartments, Atlanta Street Apartments and Melrose Apartments to assist in the bowl-painting project.  These young people are indicative of the emerging leaders within public housing.  They were selected for their outstanding influence among their peers. Each actively takes part in mentoring others in the community, by volunteering and promoting peace and education. 

For more information on the GHA, visit their website at:   Gainesville Housing Authority.

You may also learn more about the Empty Bowl Luncheon by visiting the website of the Georgia Mountain Food bank at:  Georgia Mountain Food Bank.

The Rotary Club of Hall County invites you to also drop by our website for information on future events:  The Rotary Club of Hall County.

District Governor Kim Waters shows how it's done.

-  Submitted by Hall County Rotary Club President Ralph Taylor