President's Message

Roswell Rotarians, if you ever wonder whether “Strengthening Connections” is just a theme on a banner, this week should settle it for good — because this week, our connection with the City of Roswell showed up in almost everything we did. Dozens of us laced up and completed the Jeremy Labonte Memorial 5K alongside our City's own first responders, Mayor Robichaux, City Council, and Senator Albers — a race that reminded us our club isn't just adjacent to this City, we're woven into it.

We also got to wish happy birthday to Mayor Robichaux, and we officially dedicated the painting Roswell Rotary sponsored at last year's Roswell Arts Festival, which will now hang permanently on the walls of City Hall — a small but lasting piece of Rotary in the building where Roswell's decisions get made.

And this week isn't done with us yet: Mayor Robichaux herself is at our meeting to address the club directly. That's four separate moments, one week, all pointing the same direction — the ties between Roswell Rotary and the City of Roswell keep getting stronger, and they show no sign of slowing down.

That same spirit of partnership is exactly what powers one of our favorite traditions as we count down to the Golf, Tennis & Pickleball Tournament: the Ball Drop. Once again, the Roswell Fire Department is rolling one of its trucks right onto our tournament grounds, hoisting a bin of numbered golf balls — purchased by club members and tournament participants — and dropping them onto a green far below. Whichever ball finds the hole wins the jackpot for its owner. It's equal parts theater, fundraiser, and love letter to our partnership with the City, and it never fails to draw a crowd and a whole lot of noise.

So here's my ask — step up and buy some chances to win. The Ball Drop is one of the most fun, most communal parts of our biggest day of the year, and it only works if everyone leans in and buys a ball or three. Come watch the truck roll in, cheer for your number, and celebrate a tradition that only exists because the City and Roswell Rotary keep choosing each other. Strengthening Connections isn't just what we're building this year — this week, it's what we're living.

Yours in Service,

Leslie

Update from the Mayor's Office - Mayor Mary Robichaux

Roswell Rotary is honored to welcome Mary Robichaux, Mayor of Roswell, as our featured speaker on August 27. Mayor Robichaux will provide an update from the Mayor’s Office.  A longtime Roswell resident since 1993 and former State Representative for District 48, Robichaux brings more than 35 years of healthcare leadership, public service, and community engagement to her role. Her career includes work with the American Heart Association, Emory Healthcare, and Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she collaborated with more than 700 hospitals to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. [read more]

THIS WEDNESDAY Aug 26
Blood Drive

Sept 14
Tournament Time is Here

Weekly Golf, Tennis, Pickleball Tournament Meetings Begin This Week!

Meet in gym at 11:15 before the lunch meeting. Weekly updates on tournament. All new members encouraged to attend! 

Link to Website

Download Golf Flyer

Download Tennis-Pickleball Flyer

Download Golf Tri-Fold

Download Tennis-Pickleball Tri-Fold

Sunday, Sept 13
Tournament Tailgate

Be a Winner
Ball Drop and 50-50

Thank You Tennis & Pickleball Sponsors

Thank You Golf Tournament Sponsors

Sat. Sept. 19
Lake Party

Sat. Sept. 19
River Clean Up

Rivers Alive, Georgia’s annual river cleanup, comes to Roswell on September 19. The event, co-hosted by Keep Roswell Beautiful and the City of Roswell, is part of a statewide campaign to preserve Georgia’s 70,100 miles of rivers and streams. Small groups of volunteers will be dispersed across the city to perform beautification projects, including litter pick-ups, invasive plant and shrub removal, mulching, native plant planting, and storm drain marking.

Registration

Register online. The registration deadline is September 16. Pre-registered groups will be assigned a task based on preference. In addition to the online group registration, each volunteer must provide a signed waiver.

Questions? Contact Dutch Earle 770-403-0755

Where does the Tournament Money Go?

If you were at the Roswell Rotary meeting when the charity grant checks from the Golf, Tennis, Pickleball tournament were handed out, you remember the energy and the joy from the recipients as they received their checks. Just look at what this club accomplished! How many amazing charities are stronger and able to serve more of our community because of your efforts at the 2025 tournament? 

This is the WHY of the tournament. 

One event with far reaching effects!

Board Spotlight 2026-27
Dave McCleary

Dave McCleary currently serves as historian for President Trummie Lee —a job made even more important with the celebration of the Club's 75th anniversary. Dave is probably best know throughout Rotary for his efforts to Stop Human Trafficking. As then-President of the Rotary Club of Roswell, Dave McCleary founded End Human Trafficking Now, focusing on business engagement, law enforcement collaboration and empowering survivors. In 2019, he was appointed Chair of Rotarians Against Slavery, aiming to mobilize over 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide. In recognition of his work, he received Rotary International’s highest honor—the Service Above Self Award.

As a small business owner from Roswell, Dave and his wife Pam have two daughters, 28 and 31. Volunteering at the 2012 Passion Conference in Atlanta, he first became aware of the issue, realizing the problem existed not just globally but in his own community. With that, Dave turned awareness into action as a passionate advocate for ending human trafficking.

Chairing Georgia’s Statewide Taskforce workgroup on deterring traffickers through business engagement, Dave led the 2015 World Summit on Ending Human Trafficking with President Jimmy Carter, and moderated panels at the UN and U.S. Department of Justice. He also led a national Rotary campaign to support the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act.

Serving on the Super Bowl Anti-Trafficking Task Force, Dave moderated high-level discussions with major corporations and was appointed to Georgia’s GRACE Commission and the White House Round Table on Human Trafficking.

Fun fact – When Dave was 8 years old, he visited Hollywood and saw a live episode of Bonanza being filmed with Little Joe, Hoss and the rest of the cast. Memorably, he was actually acknowledged by Michael Landon.

Coming Up Sept. 3rd
US Treasurer Brandon Beach Speaking at Roswell Rotary

Pick Up Your 2026-27 Directory

Thursday, April 22, to Sunday, April 25, 2027
District Conference Asheville NC

2027 Conference Overview

Dates: April 22–25, 2027

Location: Asheville, NC (Blue Ridge Mountains)

Host Hotels: Embassy Suites and DoubleTree by Hilton (Downtown Asheville)

Registration Tiers: Early Bird Special (July 1 – Dec 31, 2026): $350Regular Registration (Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2027): $425Late/On-site (April 1 – Apr 25, 2027): $450

You can track updates and complete registration through the official Rotary District 6900 website.

Upcoming Roswell Rotary Events
Strengthen Your Connections Here!



Blood Drive

Wed. Aug 26 8am-2pm
 The Tavern
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Tournament Tailgate
Sunday, September 13 6pm - 8pm
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2026 Golf, Tennis, Pickleball Tournament

Monday, Sept. 14
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Rivers Alive Clean Up 
Saturday, September 19
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Lake Day at Gordon Owens
Saturday, September 19
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Roswell Arts Festival
Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 19-20
Add To Calendar

Last Week at Roswell Rotary