THE FOUR-WAY TEST, THE BELL CURVE OF LIFE, AND THE POWER OF BECOMING BETTER
President's Message
Last Thursday, our club was treated to a truly memorable program from Farrell Middleton, who challenged each of us to examine where we are on the Bell Curve of Life. Farrell’s message was simple, honest, and incredibly timely: no matter where you stand — in your work, your relationships, your health, or your purpose — you still have the opportunity to move from a B or C-player to an A-player in any area of your life. He reminded us that our life is not a status quo or even a decline unless we choose to make it one. Instead, it can be the most meaningful, most impactful, most service-driven phase we ever lived. Marcus Aurelius, writing nearly 2,000 years ago, wrote: “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”— Marcus Aurelius Farrell’s challenge was to use that power intentionally. Improve your attitude. Sharpen your habits. Become someone people gravitate toward — not out of obligation, but out of admiration. He reminded us that most of us know people who, through pure self-improvement and discipline, have elevated every part of their lives. And we also know people who shrink from that work and become smaller as life gets bigger. Let’s look at a powerful example of someone who moved from “average” to “impactful” through relentless self-improvement – Legendary painter and icon Bob Ross. If you don’t know who Bob Ross is then, google him. You know who he is……ha-ha! Before the hair, before the “happy little trees,” before he became a global cultural icon, Bob Ross was… a high-school dropout and a warehouse carpenter in Florida. Nothing about his early life suggested he would influence millions. Everything changed when he enlisted in the Air Force. Ross eventually became a drill sergeant — known for yelling, not painting. But during long nights in Alaska, he began to teach himself to paint. He failed constantly. He improved gradually. He became obsessed not with talent — but with technique, discipline, and his attitude toward learning. When he finally left the military, Ross made a quiet, powerful decision: He would never raise his voice again. He would make gentleness his brand. He would make encouragement his legacy. The rest is history. He went from a C-player craftsman, an average airman to a quiet soul who simply decided to improve. Bob Ross reinvented himself — and became one of the most influential artists in modern culture, teaching 400 plus million people how to see beauty in the world and in themselves. So we ask ourselves-Where do we find that road map to reinvention and self-improvement? The Four-Way Test: A Blueprint for Becoming Better Rotary gives us one of the simplest, purest, and most actionable frameworks ever created: The Four-Way Test. When faced with decisions about our behavior, our relationships, and our personal growth, the Four-Way Test quietly asks: Is it the truth? Self-improvement begins with honest self-examination. The truth about where we’re excelling and where we’re falling short. Is it fair to all concerned? Are our actions lifting others? Or are we stuck in habits that unintentionally burden those around us? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Becoming someone people gravitate toward is the natural result of choosing goodwill with intention. Will it be beneficial to all concerned? A person who grows — in patience, purpose, character, gratitude — benefits everyone in their orbit. These four questions, when applied sincerely, nudge us toward Farrell’s call to become better, kinder, stronger versions of ourselves. As Robert Frost wrote, reminding us that growth is often a choice between the familiar and the brave: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”— Robert Frost. Self-improvement is the road less traveled. But it makes all the difference. Our program last week arrived in the season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah — a time that naturally turns our hearts toward gratitude. And gratitude, more than anything else, is the accelerant of self-improvement. Another quote from Marcus Aurelius: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” Gratitude lifts us from self-pity. Gratitude unlocks generosity. Gratitude pushes us toward service. It aligns perfectly with Rotary’s mission and our shared promise: Service Above Self. Looking Ahead: This coming Thursday, we welcome Governor Sonny Perdue, former Secretary of Agriculture and current Chancellor of the University System of Georgia. A leader who has himself walked multiple “second half” chapters and continues to serve with curiosity, conviction, and integrity. It is fitting that he joins us now, as Farrell’s message still echoes: No matter where we are on the bell curve of life, we can still choose growth. We can still take the road less traveled. We can still use the Four-Way Test as our compass. We can still become someone people naturally gravitate toward. If you have yet to sign up for our Christmas Holiday Party, please do so today. We are finalizing the list very soon. Thanks! Sic Vos Non Vobis Trummie Lee Patrick III Roswell Rotary Welcomes Chancellor Sonny Perdue – December 11 Roswell Rotary is honored to welcome Chancellor Sonny Perdue as our featured speaker on December 11. A former two-term governor of Georgia, US Secretary of Agriculture, and current Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Perdue brings a distinguished record of leadership across agriculture, education, business, and public service. His decades of experience, from the State Capitol to the U.S. Cabinet, will offer valuable insights. Appointed by the Board of Regents as the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia in April 2022, Perdue now oversees 26 public colleges and universities, managing a $11.5 billion annual budget, 51,000 faculty and staff, and more than 364,000 students. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to connecting world-class education with economic opportunity for all Georgians. Before assuming his current role, Perdue served as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021, where his background as a farmer, agribusinessman, and veterinarian uniquely informed his approach to national agricultural policy. His public service journey began in the Georgia Senate (1991–2001), where he chaired the Higher Education Committee and rose to Senate President Pro Tem. In 2003, he made history as Georgia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, serving two terms and focusing on education reform, healthcare access, job creation, and community safety. Born in Perry, Georgia, and raised on a row crop farm in Bonaire, Perdue learned the value of hard work early on. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia, where he also walked on to play football for the Bulldogs. He also served in the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of captain. After a brief veterinary practice, Perdue launched several successful businesses in agribusiness and transportation. His civic engagement began in the 1980s on the Houston County Planning and Zoning Board, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of public leadership. Chancellor Perdue and his wife Mary Ruff Perdue, also a UGA graduate, have been married for 48 years. They are the proud parents of four children and grandparents to 14, who affectionately call him “Big Buddy.” The couple has also opened their home to eight foster children awaiting adoption. An avid outdoorsman, Perdue is a licensed airplane and helicopter pilot. Please join us for this special opportunity to hear from one of Georgia’s most accomplished leaders. All are welcome, $20 includes lunch.
Date: Thursday, December 11
Time: 12:15
Location: Roswell Area Park
Bill Johnson Community Activity Building
10495 Woodstock Road
Roswell, GA 30075 Roswell Rotarians Helping Each Other
Gratitude Wall
This is a new section of the Rotoscope- highlighting a few of the many acts of service our members give to each other: Jacque Digieso: It is impossible to select only one of my RRC members for a note of gratitude. There is literally a constellation of people who bring their extraordinary warmth, generosity and joy to every interaction. I am deeply appreciative of the time they share with me, the attention they pay to my life, the ways they include me in their acts of compassion and community involvement and the history we share that includes laughter and adventures. I am so blessed to have them in my life! Alan Greensmith: Recognition and thanks to fellow Rotarian Peter Saddler. My company, ENGEDI RX, engaged Peter to help us plan our strategy for the next 3 years and to improve our sales process. Peter delivered on both counts. I encourage fellow members to connect with Peter, as his insights and expertise could be valuable for anyone looking to refine their strategy and processes. Trummie Lee Patrick: I would like to thank John Michael Brunetti for his support of veterans, both recognized and especially behind the scenes. His quiet generosity and willingness to step up to make a difference are inspiring examples of Rotarians in Action. Thank you John Michael for your willingness to step up. If you would like to share the extraordinary actions of a fellow Roswell Rotarian on the Gratitude Wall, please contact Alicia Hughes ahughes@wsnielsen.com or Kathy Igou kligou@gmail.com THIS Saturday, Dec. 13
Holiday Party-Register Today
Mason Beard
New Member Spotlight
Mason Beard, a Marine Corps veteran, successful healthcare technology entrepreneur and proud family man, is the newest member of the Roswell Rotary Club. A Birmingham native who grew up in rural Auburn, Alabama, Mason enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve right out of high school. After completing Infantry School at Camp Lejeune, his unit was activated for Operation Desert Storm — an experience that instilled in him a lifelong respect for service above self. Following his military commitment, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Concordia University-Wisconsin and a Master of Arts in Health Promotion from the University of Alabama. He then began his career as an Occupational Therapist at the renowned Shepherd Center in Atlanta before pivoting into healthcare technology. In 2005 he co-founded Wellcentive, a population-health analytics company that grew to serve hundreds of health systems nationwide, acquired by Philips in 2016. After helping scale the platform globally, he helped found and sits on the board of the Fintech Company - Immediate. Mason is also an active investor and LP of several growth funds. Mason and his wife Kari met in Atlanta in 1998 and will celebrate 27 years of marriage next year. They have three children: two daughters who are now out of college and launching their own adventures and a son who is a senior at Roswell High School. As the Beard household inches toward the empty-nest chapter, Mason and Kari are savoring every moment while looking forward to whatever God has next. Longtime Roswell residents, he has already given back to our schools by serving as Fundraising Chair for the booster clubs at both Fellowship Christian School and Roswell High School. He is eager to bring that same energy to Roswell Rotary — especially to projects that support veterans, a cause especially close to his heart. Liberty Square Park
Four Years in the Making- Past President John Carruth
In early 2022, President-Elect John Carruth was deep in planning for his upcoming year as president starting in July 2022. In a conversation with then Roswell Recreation and Parks Department Director Jeff Leatherman, John and Jeff discussed ideas about possible ways Roswell Rotary could be of service to the City’s parks. Jeff let John know of a little-known, little-used, undeveloped park in the Liberty Square neighborhood near Mimosa Elementary School, a neighborhood populated by low-to-moderate income, mostly Hispanic, families. The working idea was to apply for a District 6900 Community Grant to fund a pavilion that the club would erect as a service project. The proposal also included using design and engineering expertise within the club to help masterplan improvements that City could undertake with time. When Roswell Rotary was not awarded the grant, the Club’s Charity Committee and Board of Directors adopted the concept of a larger project using part of the proceeds from the golf and tennis tournament fundraiser to expand the project scope. As the ideas developed, increasingly this undeveloped parkland became more known to Mayor, City Council, and Recreation Commission members. With that, some concern was expressed that the limited improvements envisaged by Roswell Rotary would result in a park not on par with the quality of other parks in the City. Just as it looked like this service project might not go forward, the City learned of a new grant opportunity from the State of Georgia for improvements in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The census tract including Liberty Square was the only one in Roswell that met the criteria. In September 2022, Roswell Rotary joined the efforts of the City in applying for the grant. In May 2023, the City was awarded a $2.2 million grant for the complete redevelopment of Liberty Square Park. What started as an idea for a modest club service project in a disadvantaged part of our city has blossomed into the full makeover of the Liberty Square Park with the approval by the City Council last month to move forward with the redesign and implementation. Learn more about the proposed improvements and timeline at Roswell Moves Forward on Liberty Square Park Redevelopment. Special December Opportunity
President Trummie will speak to the Club on Thursday about a special opportunity that has been presented to help four veterans in the month of December. Our club is so generous and it can feel at times that there are just so many asks for our donations, but when an extraordinary opportunity presents itself, our club is nimble and generous. Third Annual Event
ChristKindle Market Now Open
The 3rd annual Christkindle Market at Bulloch Hall is OPEN! Please come to support us. The market goes through December 23. Hours are Mon-Thurs 3-8, Fri/Sat noon-9, Sunday noon-8. Please volunteer at the Bulloch Hall Gift Shoppe as part of the Rotary participation. Click this link or contact Karen Schwank at Karen@keedesignsinc.com. If you would like more information, please click here. Speaker Line up for remainder of December- Invite a guest!
Dec. 4 Farrell Middleton - The Bell Curve of Life More Info
Dec. 11 Chancellor Sonny Perdue Dec. 18 Tony Barnhart - College Football Update Meeting Details - Rotary Club of Roswell
- Roswell Area Park
- Bill Johnson Community Activity Building
- 10495 Woodstock Road
- Roswell, GA 30075
Four Way Test- Recruiting Tool for New Members
New member Tim Maurer wrote an incredible article on his first impression of Roswell Rotary, what he thought he was walking into and how his mindset completely changed. Please take a few moments to read this article he wrote, published in Forbes Magazine. The Forbes article “Applying ‘The Four-Way Test’ in Life and Money” powerfully illustrates how the timeless principles of Roswell Rotary — embodied in the Four Way Test — go far beyond club meetings: they can shape how families, communities, and businesses approach money, relationships and values by asking whether actions are truthful, fair, build goodwill, and are beneficial to all. Encouraging prospective members to read this piece shows that Rotary is not just a service club — it offers a moral compass for everyday life decisions that resonate with integrity and long-term thinking. Inviting people to join means offering them membership in a community that values ethical leadership, genuine relationships, and making a positive difference — ideals that the article affirms are still deeply relevant today. Click here for article What a great reminder of how Rotary truly brings us together, how we have so much to be thankful for and how building the Roswell Rotary Community can help so many here in our community and afar. President Trummie Lee Patrick III 2025/2026 The Number
2025 Golf, Tennis, Pickleball Tournament Funds Raised
Total funds raised for the 2025 tournament! Gross of $240, 479. Wow!!!!! Thank you to everyone! April 16-19, 2026
2026 District Conference- Lake Lanier Islands
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Roswell Rotary Holiday Party Saturday, Dec 13
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District 6900 Conference Lake Lanier Islands
Thursday April 16 - Sunday April 19
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