When and where is the next Rotary Club of Clayton meeting?

The next meeting is Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 11:45 AM at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton. The guest speaker will be Peter Nguyen, discussing his experience with Polio and the mission to eradicate the disease.

How can I join the Polio Plus Society?

To join, you must pledge to contribute at least $100 annually to the PolioPlus Fund. Donations can be made online at my.rotary.org, through your club foundation chair, or by mailing a check to The Rotary Foundation. Additionally, you must complete the District 6910 pledge form and submit it to Bill Strickland.

What are the details for the Roaring 20s Fundraising Gala?

The Gala takes place Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Rabun County Civic Center Ballroom. It features a $10,000 reverse raffle, an interactive murder mystery, and auctions. Tickets are $150 for dinner and raffle entry, or $100 for the raffle only. 1920s attire is encouraged.

When is the Special Olympics event in Rabun County?

The Special Olympics event will take place during the day on April 2, 2026, at Rabun County High School. Volunteers are needed and can sign up via the QR code provided in the club communications.

What items are most needed for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia?

The most needed items include plastic grocery bags, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, soups, crackers, rice, pasta, canned meats, and canned fruits/vegetables. Cash donations are also welcome with checks payable to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia (Memo: Rabun County).

Weekly Newsletter

Week of Thursday, February 26, 2026

President’s Message

Last week was a busy and meaningful one for the Rotary Club of Clayton. Between our weekly meeting, packing meals together, and spending time with the Rabun County High School Interact Club members, our club continued to live out Rotary’s spirit of service and fellowship. Yet even in the midst of all this activity, we were reminded how precious and fragile our time together truly is.

Many of you saw the message I shared about Jon and Brent Tuck’s daughter, Peyton, who tragically lost her baby girl just two weeks before her expected delivery. Our hearts are heavy for the entire Tuck family, and during times like these our Rotary family does what it does best—we come together in support, prayer, and compassion. Please keep Jon and Brent Tuck, Peyton and husband William Deloach and their families in your thoughts as they walk through this incredibly difficult time.

Recap from Last Week

At our meeting last week we heard from Angel McCracken and Courtney Ramey about the exciting work underway to bring Special Olympics back to Rabun County. They shared opportunities for volunteers to assist with the event, which will take place April 2 during the day at Rabun County High School. We encourage all members to volunteer — simply scan the QR code to sign up.

We were also pleased to welcome 14 students from the RCHS Interact Club, along with their sponsor Debra Paff, who joined us for the meeting. It is always inspiring to see the next generation of servant leaders engaging with Rotary.

This Week’s Meeting

Our guest speaker will be Peter Nguyen, who will share his story of growing up in post-war Vietnam and contracting Polio as a child. His powerful story will help us better understand the importance of continuing Rotary’s mission to eradicate this devastating disease. Below is a photo of Peter (on the right) and his family.

We are also grateful to Rotarian Tommy Bagwell from District 6910, who has issued another challenge to support End Polio Now.

Tommy will match the first 500 new donors who join the Polio Plus Society by contributing at least $100 annually to the End Polio Now Campaign.

To join the Polio Plus Society, a Rotarian pledges to contribute $100 or more each year until wild polio is eradicated. The end is within reach — there have been no new cases of wild polio reported in 2026.

Contributions can be made at: https://my.rotary.org/en/polioplus-fund

You pledge to donate at least $100 per year to the PolioPlus Fund of The Rotary Foundation until polio is eradicated worldwide.

Many members set this up as:

$10 per month, or
$100+ annually.

2. Make Your Donation

You can donate in one of these ways:

Online through Rotary’s donation portal (select PolioPlus Fund)
Through your local Rotary club foundation chair
By mailing a check to The Rotary Foundation with “PolioPlus” in the memo.

3. Complete the District Pledge Form

Also fill out a short pledge/commitment form (see attached) and submit it to District 6910 PolioPlus coordinator, Bill Strickland, westtrickland3@gmail.com

4. Receive Recognition

Members usually receive:

A PolioPlus Society pin
A membership certificate
Recognition in their Rotary club or district.

Impact: Donations are matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation, so a $100 gift becomes $300 for vaccination and eradication efforts. With your $100 contribution being matched by Tommy Bagwell, $100 now becomes $400, $200 becomes $800, $300 becomes $1,200 !!!

Your continued support helps Rotary finish the fight.
Thursday, March 12, 2026 → 12
11:45 AM
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton

Lunch Menu

Taco Bar
Extra Lettuce for Taco Salads
Dessert

Next Week’s Program

Club Assembly

Thursday, March 19, 2026 → 19
11:45 AM
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton

Impact Club Update

Tuesday, March 10 → 10
6:00 PM
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton

Service Above Self

Eight Rotarians showed up at Foxfire last Wednesday to continue the Spring cleanup efforts following the recent ice storm. Together we loaded a large truck and dual-axle trailer with downed limbs and trees. Afterward, the group enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared on a wood-burning stove.

Following last week’s meeting, 10 Rotarians packed 70 meals to support families in need in our community.

Thank you to everyone who continues to serve and make a difference.

Upcoming Service Opportunities

Don’t forget to pick up tickets for the Roaring 20s Fundraising Gala. Even if someone cannot attend, they can still participate in the $10,000 Reverse Raffle.

Service opportunities include:

Meal packing after this week’s meeting
March 12 — Community Dental (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
March 14 — Stekoa Creek Cleanup (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM) – Stekoa Creek Park

Important Dates

March 12 — Community Dental
March 14 — RLI Training
March 14 — Interact Conference
March 14 — Stekoa Creek Cleanup
March 21 — Food Distribution
March 21 — WOW Thrift Store Interact Project
April 2 — Special Olympics
April 2 — RCHS Band Fundraiser (Currahee Brewery)
April 25 — Murder Mystery Gala
April 29 — Paper Shredding Event
April 30 – May 3 — District Conference
May 28 – 31 — RYLA
June 25 — End-of-Year Celebration

Roaring 20’s Fundraising Gala

Saturday, April 25, 2026 → 25
Rabun County Civic Center Ballroom
Theme: Roaring 20s Murder Mystery

Event Highlights

$10,000 Reverse Raffle
Interactive Murder Mystery
Silent & Live Auction
Dinner + Cash Bar

Tickets

$150 — Admission + Dinner + Raffle Entry
$100 — Raffle Only

You do not have to be present to win

Sponsorship Opportunities

Table Sponsors

Diamond Flapper (10) — $10,000
Platinum Speakeasy (8) — $5,000
Gold Gatsby (6) — $3,000
Silver Age (4) — $1,500

Event Sponsors

Murder Mystery — $3,000
Signature Cocktail — $2,000
Program — $500

Dress to Dazzle — 1920s Attire Encouraged

Laura Seeberg: 941-799-9393

Volunteer Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd73aSuUnt2q7Ghn_c_7Wd_Voe9MOruWhSTmyS4ojHlxt0MVg/viewform

All Rotarians are expected to participate

Roaring ’20s Update

Good news! Momentum is building for our Roaring ’20s Murder Mystery Gala.

So far, 66% of our club members have picked up their packets of four tickets to sell, which is a great start.
We have already sold 60 event tickets at $150 each and 45 raffle-only tickets at $100 each.
In addition, we currently have $40,500 pledged in sponsorships, which is a tremendous show of support from our community and sponsors.

The not-so-good news:

33% of our club members have not yet picked up their ticket packets. If you are one of them and cannot make it to a meeting, the Fundraising Team will gladly deliver your packet to you.
Only 20 club members have purchased tickets to attend the event. This is our largest fundraiser of the year, and we need full participation from our Rotary family. If you cannot attend the event, please consider purchasing a raffle ticket—you do not have to be present to win.
Finally, please turn in your ticket stubs and any money collected as soon as possible so we can accurately track sales and determine how many additional tickets still need to be sold.