President's Message

Roswell Rotarians, thank you for a fabulous kickoff meeting last week—what an energizing way to begin our year of Strengthening Connections. The room was filled with purpose, laughter, and that special blend of fellowship and service that makes Roswell Rotary unique.

This week, we get to do it again as we welcome GBI Director Chris Hosey as our speaker, along with fabulous food, camaraderie, and a shared commitment to making our community safer and stronger. Director Hosey has emphasized that the GBI’s mission is to provide the highest-quality investigative, scientific, and information services to law enforcement partners across Georgia, and that success is driven not by the title of Director, but by “dedicated men and women…sworn to the task of serving the citizens of the state.” He has pledged to “keep our foot on the gas pedal” in addressing violent crime while expanding capabilities and partnerships, reflecting a vision grounded in public service, innovation, and teamwork—values that mirror Rotary’s own. Bring a friend to the meeting!

Rotarians are people of action, and bite-sized steps help us turn that energy into impact for Strengthening Connections this year. I find that with so many priorities competing for my time and attention, if I know something needs to be done and I can do it in 5 minutes or less, I do it right then. That releases my brain to focus on the next true priority without the anxiety of when I’m going to get the small thing done or whether I’ll forget it.

So I’ve done your work for you. Here are FIVE simple, less than 5 minutes each, specific ways you can move Roswell Rotary forward this week:

1. Huskies Helping Huskies: Hop on the Amazon Wishlist, purchase some supplies, and make an impact for our middle schoolers in need of a boost to kick off their school year with confidence;

2. Calendar: Go to the Roswell Rotary website, click on the calendar, choose which events you’ll attend and which speakers you’re inviting guests to hear, and then lock those dates into your calendar so they are a true priority;

3. Commit once and for all to your volunteer role and financial commitment for the Golf, Tennis & Pickleball Tournaments, helping our sponsorship and volunteer teams know they can count on you—because doing so respects their time, honors our “is it fair to all concerned” test, and helps them sleep at night.

4. Survey: If you haven’t done so, please complete the short survey circulated last week so your voice can help shape how YOUR Roswell Rotary serves this year.

5. Connections Challenge – schedule it for the week as soon as I announce it. Then you’ll calendar it and do it. As this message is being written, my own challenge isn’t done yet, but I’m looking forward to the coffee time I’ve scheduled with two of our Rotarians—because some of us overachievers can’t stop at just one connection.

See you on Thursday!

Together in Service,

Leslie

Insights from the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026
Time: 12:15
Location: Roswell Area Park
Bill Johnson Community Activity Building
10495 Woodstock Road
Roswell, GA 30075

We are pleased to welcome Chris Hosey , Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, as our guest speaker. Appointed by Governor Brian Kemp and taking office on August 1, 2023, Director Hosey brings 38 years of distinguished service with the GBI. Since joining the Bureau in 1987 as a Narcotics Agent with the Local Violators Squad, he has risen through every sworn supervisory rank in the Investigative Division. His leadership roles have included Assistant Special Agent in Charge of a multijurisdictional drug task force, Special Agent in Charge of both the Region 5 Statesboro Office and the Savannah RDEO, and Inspector overseeing drug operations, general investigative offices, and the GBI Training Unit. He later served as Division Director for the Investigative Division and Assistant Director before assuming his current role. Hosey has also contributed extensively to the Bureau’s specialized training and tactical capabilities, serving as a GBI Warrant Service, Firearms, and Use of Force Instructor, and helping to create the GBI’s Special Enforcement Team. [read more]

Week #1
Connections Challenge

Come Join Us at Alive in Roswell!

Thursday, July 23
Backpack Packing Party

Wish list . Easy to order online. All items will be there at our July 23rd meeting. Priya Crumpton is your contact for questions. 

Sunday July 19
Showcase Atlanta/Rotary Volunteer Day of Service

We are honored to invite you to participate in the Showcase Atlanta/Rotary Volunteer Day of Service, powered by UPS and The UPS Foundation, in partnership with Rotary and the City of Atlanta. The event will take place at Piedmont Park on Sunday, July 19, during the A Celebration of Soccer & Sound.

This meaningful day provides an opportunity for our Rotary community to come together in service and support survivors of human trafficking.

Additional event details and parking will be shared early next week, including final timing confirmations.

We look forward to your participation and sincerely appreciate your continued commitment to this important work.

If you have any questions, Dave McCleary Rotary dave@endhtnow.com [read more]

Summer Volunteer Opportunity
Homestretch Summer Enrichment for kids

President-Elect Leslie has committed to 33 volunteer hours for the 33 children in the HomeStretch program.

9-10 am M-F from June 8 through July 31 are available dates. [read more]

Tennis-Pickleball Clinic

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

Sponsorships- The Tournament Engine

Sponsorships are the engine that drives the Golf-Tennis-Pickleball Tournament. 

As Rotarians, we know service above self is more than a motto — it’s a call to action. That’s why the Roswell Rotary Golf, Tennis, & Pickleball Tournaments are more than just fun on the fairways and fierce matches on the courts. They’re engines of change for our community.

Every dollar raised through our annual tournaments goes directly to local charities that make a difference in the lives of children, veterans, seniors, and families in need. Corporate sponsorship helps fund programs that provide winter clothing for students, medical equipment for veterans, meals for homebound seniors, and educational support for at-risk youth — to name just a few.

Thank you to the Sponsorship Committee for stepping up to serve in this critical role. But remember, the Sponsorship Committee will need the help of every Roswell Rotary member. We have to fire up this engine with our friends, neighbors, contacts, and networks. We are all part of the sponsorship team!

To sponsor or learn more, visit the Tournament Website or contact Kurt Hilbert  khilbert@chalmersadams.com 

Commit early! The Big Connect event is on August 9th, and all committed and paid sponsors will get a free beer at one of our three event breweries while we perform a service project for one of the tournament charities. Great way to get your company involved and experience hands-on exactly where your sponsorship dollars go!

New for Premium Sponsors (Silver and Above): Special exclusive invitation-only event before the tournament and VIP perks. Contact Kurt Hilbert khilbert@chalmersadams.com

Volunteers-The Heart of the Tournament

Volunteers – The secret sauce to our day of service and fundraising for charities is our volunteers. Secure your spot now so you know how you’ll contribute…and how you’ll enjoy the fellowship the rest of the day. Volunteering has a not-so-secret side benefit of building relationships (dare I say Strengthening Connections?? ?) with fellow Rotarians!

For many Roswell Rotarians, the Golf, Tennis, Pickleball Tournament is the place where they, as a new member, felt most engaged and made the most connections with their fellow club members. Volunteer, make new friends, serve our community-We all win!

Sign Up to Volunteer

August 9 3pm - 6pm
The Big Connect

The Big Connect – Strengthening Connections Campaign accelerator!

On Sunday, August 9 from 3 pm – 6 pm. Roswell Rotary will sponsor a crowd-pleasing volunteer event – three impactful projects at three of our beloved breweries – Gate City, Variant, and Voo Doo. We will hit each brewery for an hour, have fellowship, and complete a service project at each – for 3 of our local charities! It will be a fast-paced service accelerator afternoon demonstrating our commitment to Service Above Self. And a fun way for us all to connect as club. 

Bonus: If you have sponsored Golf, Tennis, or Pickleball and paid, you receive a free beer at one of the breweries.

Board Spotlight 2026-27
Michael Agurkis

Returning to the Rotary Board for a second round of service, Michael is serving as Secretary during his 12th year as a Rotarian. A proud Atlanta native and UGA graduate, he has spent more than 20 years at CommonWealth Financial Planners, helping families plan their financial futures from the firm’s office on Canton Street.

After serving as Treasurer last year, Michael earned the affectionate title of “hatchet man” from a former club president for his determined pursuit of past-due accounts. He is thankful to pass both the spreadsheet and the hatchet to James Stone this year.

Michael believes a strong community is one where neighbors know and care for one another, and he would love for Roswell to feel a little more like Mayberry. When he is not helping build community through Rotary, he enjoys woodworking, relaxing at the lake, and spending time with his wife, Sarah, their two daughters, and Daisy, the family Labrador. Daisy survives the Georgia summer by waiting patiently beneath the ice maker, convinced every falling ice cube is a special treat.

Michael met Sarah at freshman orientation at UGA. A few years later, he traded Athens for Brisbane, Australia, where he spent six months learning to drive a stick shift left-handed, picking up some excellent Aussie slang, and pretending Vegemite tasted good. Good on ya!

Member Survey

Survey Link

Please complete the survey! Check every project you would like to be part of. Share your ideas for other projects. Let us know about potential speakers you would like to see or have connections with. Your membership matters. Connect!

Website & Rotascope
New Look

You may have noticed a new look on the website and in the weekly newsletter. The newsletter was redesigned as we moved to our new president and to increase readability. The new template should be easier to read both on your phone and your desktop. Note that for an even better display, you can click "View as PDF" at top or click "View online" at the bottom. Happy reading!

The new website was designed to make it easier to see the information you want to see.  Fewer clicks or searching for the right page. Now you can go to the website and see most information on the first page! Even Facebook posts are displayed here. We will continue to tweak and improve throughout the year. Hopefully, the Roswell Rotary website becomes a "Go To" for all our members. 

Here's to New and Improved and continuous improvement! 

Upcoming Roswell Rotary Events
Strengthen Your Connections Here!



Huskies Helping Huskies Backpacking Project
Thursday, July 23
Wish List Link 
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The Big Connect
Sunday, August 9th
3pm - 6pm
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Tennis Pickleball Clinic
Wednesday, August 12
6:30pm - 8:00pm Country Club of Roswell
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2026 Golf, Tennis, Pickleball Tournament
Monday, Sept. 14
Add To Calendar

Last Week at Roswell Rotary