The Rotary Club of North Cobb celebrated Valentine’s Day by welcoming District 37 Senator Lindsey Tippins as its speaker. Senator Tippins updated the club on his policies regarding education, health care, and other issues facing the state of Georgia. The club took the opportunity to ask the Senator about common core math and phonetic based reading programs. In honor of the Senator’s visit, the club awarded $6,000 in grants to local charities.

The first $2,000 grant went to The Extension to remodel their Hope Hall into a bedroom to serve additional victims of homelessness and addiction. With this additional space, The Extension will extend their service impact indefinitely by 5%. North Cobb Rotary is a longtime supporter of The Extension and serves monthly dinners to their residents. North Cobb Rotary President David Schwickerath and North Cobb Rotarian Skip Harper both serve on The Extension’s Board of Directors. The Extension Executive Director Tyler Driver attended the meeting to receive his grant check. Mr. Driver will welcome North Cobb Rotary to his facility to provide club members with a tour at their next meeting.

“The North Cobb Rotary Club has a long history of supporting both the Men’s and Women’s Extension. It is a great honor for us to help in our small ways!” North Cobb Rotary President and The Extension Board Member David Schwickerath.

Acworth based charity, New Beginnings Food Outreach, received a $1,000 donation to buy fuel for their refrigerated truck. This truck picks up and delivers food donations to Bartow County and Cobb County families in need. Charity representatives Dwight Holcomb and Allen Hagen attend the meeting to receive their grant.

The day’s final $3,000 grant was awarded to the Northwest YMCA in support of their meal program to feed hungry children during school breaks. Food insecurity is a constant concern for many local families, and without school assisted lunches, many children miss meals when school is out of session. The Northwest YMCA provides and delivers lunches during these times. Northwest YMCA was represented at the Rotary meeting by Executive Director and Rotarian Jude Dooley.