President's Message
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” — Helen Keller
This morning, at approximately sunrise on the morning of February 2, 2026, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, a crowd gathered on Gobbler’s Knob as the groundhog known as Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow. Shortly after dawn, with the sun low in the sky, he saw his shadow—a traditional sign that WINTER WILL CONTINUE FOR 6 MORE WEEKS…...
This annual ritual is a uniquely American folk tradition with roots that stretch back to the late 19th century. German-American settlers in Pennsylvania brought an old weather-prediction custom from Europe, interpreting the emerging animal’s reaction to its shadow as a clue to the coming season. In 1887, local members of what became the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club formalized the practice at Gobbler’s Knob, naming their prognosticating mascot “Punxsutawney Phil.” Since then, every February 2 has drawn thousands to witness his forecast—whether it be more winter or an early spring.
Here in Georgia, we’ve just experienced some of the coldest nights of the season. It’s the kind of weather that makes you think twice about going outside without an extra layer, and it’s no surprise that news of Phil seeing his shadow feels familiar. But while the notion of “six more weeks of winter” might sound like a complaint to some, I see it as something else entirely: To serve those in need! Rotary has always taught us that how we approach a situation often matters more than the situation itself. We choose service when others see struggle; we choose action where others see only adversity.
As we all know, this week leads up to Super Bowl Sunday! One of the biggest nights of sports. It reminds me of a story I heard about Alex Smith, NFL QB and how he was faced with what looked like the darkest of winter of his life and turned it into a blessing. In November 2018, Alex Smith, then the starting quarterback for Washington, suffered one of the most devastating injuries in NFL history. On a routine play, his right leg snapped—he broke two bones. He faced multiple surgeries, a life-threatening infection, and months in a wheelchair, unsure if he would ever walk again—let alone play football. For most athletes, that would have been the end of the story.
Instead, Smith entered what he later described as the hardest season of his life—not just physically, but mentally. He spent nearly two years rehabbing, learning to walk again, and rebuilding strength. While he couldn’t play, he stayed with the team—mentoring younger quarterbacks, helping break down film, and becoming a steady presence in the locker room. What looked like a long and harsh winter of his life turned into a new role. In 2020, against overwhelming odds, Smith returned to the field and won NFL Comeback Player of the Year. But many teammates said his greatest impact wasn’t in the games he played—it was in the way he led during the time he couldn’t play.
So if winter does indeed linger, let it be another reason to serve.
There’s warmth in a meal shared with a neighbor, helping a less fortunate family with their heating bill, and hope in showing up where others might shrink back. Spring will come in its time—but the service we give today creates the kind of spring that lasts all year long.
Here’s to staying warm in heart, strong in purpose, and steadfast in our commitment to Service Above Self.
Sic Vos Non Vobis,
Trummie Lee Patrick III
Entrepreneur, Athlete, and Champion for the Growth of Volleyball- Colleen Craig to speak on February 5
Roswell Rotary is pleased to welcome Colleen Craig , a leader whose career spans elite athletics, high‑growth entrepreneurship, and senior leadership roles in major healthcare and financial organizations. Today, she is best known as the co‑founder and CEO of Rally Volleyball and the majority owner of the Atlanta Vibe , Atlanta’s professional women’s volleyball team in the Pro Volleyball Federation.
Colleen’s journey began on the courts and fields of Cornell University , where she competed as a Division I dual‑sport athlete , a middle hitter in Volleyball and a heptathlete in Track & Field. Her competitive drive and discipline carried her to Harvard Business School , where she earned her MBA and shifted her focus to building and scaling successful businesses. Her professional career reflects a rare combination of entrepreneurial and executive leadership. Colleen has played integral roles in the growth of several high‑performing companies across healthcare and finance, serving as CFO, COO, Head of Strategy, and Head of Business Development . Her work includes:
- Founder & COO , Ardea Capital Management, a global hedge fund based in New York
- Head of Strategy , Soros Fund Management
- Partner & CFO , ValorBridge Partners, contributing to the development of ApolloMD into one of the largest healthcare companies in the U.S.
- Earlier leadership roles with ChasePaymentech and Accenture Consulting
[read more]
New Member Spotlight
Welcome Bill Sawin to Roswell Rotary
New Roswell Rotary member Bill Sawin grew up on a small farm in rural Northwest Michigan that had been homesteaded by his great-grandfather where he was involved in his family’s agricultural traditions of raising chickens and cattle, gardening, and growing Christmas trees. Bill was introduced to Rotary by his father Paul Sawin who is a member and past president of the Manton Michigan club.
Bill graduated from Alma College and Michigan Technological University with bachelor degrees in liberal arts and in civil engineering. As a icensed Civil Engineer with a specialization in railroads, he worked for Norfolk Southern Railroad from 2007 through 2019 gaining a wide range of experience in design, construction, survey, and project management of railroad projects. With expertise on a wide range of commodities and projects including track, facilities, ports, spurs, highway crossings and industrial site developments, he attended Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, earning an MBA in Business Innovation and Strategy in 2018. Bill currently works for Kimley-Horn as a rail consultant for a variety of passenger, industrial, port, and public/private clients interfacing with railroads.
Bill is single and he enjoys spending time with friends and family, likes to travel and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and his church. Hobbies include laser etching, drone piloting, baking, violin, reading, and strategy games. When life allows, he enjoys being outdoors including hiking, cycling, fishing, shooting, and winter sports.
Since joining the Roswell Club in July 2025, Bill has generously helped with the Roswell Canton Street Scarecrow, Youth Day Parade Float, Riverside cleanup, and the Golf Tournament. He is most passionate about ways to support Roswell Rotary’s club agendas of “Basic Education and Literacy” and “Community Economic Development”.
Interesting Fact: A train can haul 1 ton of freight a distance of 480 miles on one gallon of fuel and each rail car on a train carries over 3 tractor trailers of load.
Volunteers Needed
Judging Laws of Life Entries
Seeking Laws of Life Essay Judge Volunteers!
Members of Roswell Rotary Club are invited to participate in the rewarding and inspiring
process of judging entries to this year’s Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest.
To sign up,
Visit the Volunteer Tab at georgialawsoflife.org
Select a Kick-Off Training date
Sign up for their team(s) – Only school-level judges participate in team meetings
Questions?? Reach out to Vivian Bankston, Roswell Rotary Club Contest Sponsor, at
vbankston@hotmail.com. [read more]
Youth News
Roswell High School Interact Club
From RRC Interact Liaison Frederick Levy
These are pictures from Roswell High School's recent interact meeting. Students started the meeting with the four-way test (how cool is that??) and moved quickly into their agenda. Then, after their agenda, they started their project of putting together toiletry bags for shelters in the community. Service Above Self in Action!
