What is the Rotary Club of Clayton Roaring ’20s Gala?

The Roaring ’20s Gala is the Rotary Club of Clayton’s signature fundraising event featuring a murder mystery, $10,000 reverse raffle, dinner, auctions, and 1920s-themed entertainment. Funds raised support local service projects in Rabun County.

When and where is the next Rotary Club meeting?

The next meeting is Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 11:45 AM at the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Clayton.

Who was last week’s guest speaker and what was the topic?

Peter Nguyen was the guest speaker and shared his powerful story of surviving polio in Vietnam and receiving life-changing treatment in the United States, highlighting the importance of Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign.

What is the PolioPlus Society?

The PolioPlus Society is a Rotary initiative where members pledge at least $100 annually to support the eradication of polio worldwide. Donations are amplified through matching contributions from partners like the Gates Foundation.

What service opportunities are available this week?

Members can participate in food distribution on March 21, volunteer at the WOW Thrift Store, and join Foxfire Spring Cleaning Day. These projects support the local community and provide hands-on service opportunities.

Do you need to be present to win the raffle at the gala?

No, participants do not need to be present to win the $10,000 reverse raffle at the Roaring ’20s Gala.

How can members support the Rabun County High School Band fundraiser?

Members can bring small cash donations to contribute to the ‘Money Tree’ auction, which will be held at the fundraiser event at Currahee Brewery on April 2.

What is the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA)?

RYLA is a leadership development program for young people that focuses on building leadership skills, confidence, and community engagement. Volunteers are needed as counselors and activity helpers.

Weekly Newsletter

Week of Thursday, March 19, 2026

President’s Message

As excitement continues to build for our upcoming Roaring ’20s Gala, the momentum across the Rotary Club of Clayton is stronger than ever. This signature fundraiser is a wonderful opportunity for our club to come together, celebrate, and raise the funds that power so many of the service projects that make a difference throughout Rabun County.

It was another great week at Rotary as spring begins to bring new energy and activity to our club. We had a wonderful meeting on Thursday filled with fellowship and progress. Over the weekend, four of our members traveled to Cartersville to participate in the Rotary Leadership Institute, investing in their continued growth as Rotary leaders, while six students from Tallulah Falls School represented our community at the Interact Conference in Cumming. It’s always inspiring to see both our members and our young leaders taking advantage of opportunities to learn, grow, and lead in the spirit of Service Above Self. Lastly, we congratulate the Rabun County High School Boys Basketball Team for winning the Georgia Division 1 State Championship! The picture below shows the team being greeted at 10:30 on Friday night by hundreds of well-wishers.

Recap from Last Week

Our speaker last week, Peter Nguyen, delivered a powerful and emotional presentation about his childhood battle with polio in post-war Vietnam. He shared how the disease impacted his early life and how his adoptive father ultimately brought him to the United States, where he was able to receive the lifesaving treatment that changed the course of his future. His story served as a moving reminder of why Rotary’s decades-long commitment to eradicating polio remains so important.

Following his presentation, members were invited to consider becoming PolioPlus Society members by pledging at least $100 per year to the End Polio Now campaign until polio is fully eradicated from the earth. Right now, these contributions have an extraordinary impact—each pledge is effectively multiplied four times thanks to a generous match from fellow Rotarian Tommy Bagwell and the two-to-one matching support from the Gates Foundation.

We had a wonderful response with five members picking up pledge forms after the meeting. If you would like to join this important effort, go to https://my.rotary.org/en/polioplus-fund and make your pledge. Then, fill out a pledge form that is attached to this newsletter.

This Week’s Meeting

This week’s meeting will be a great Club Assembly with plenty to celebrate and several important updates.

We will hear the latest on where we stand regarding ticket sales for our Roaring ‘20s Gala, so please be sure to bring your ticket stubs and payments with you this Thursday. If you have not purchased an event ticket because you cannot attend, remember that you can still participate by purchasing a raffle ticket—and you do not have to be present to win.

As a reminder, every club member is expected to sell four event or raffle tickets, so let’s keep the momentum going as we approach our biggest fundraiser of the year.

We will also take time to recognize members celebrating birthdays and anniversaries this month. Be sure to join us and lend your voice to what is sure to be our club’s famously enthusiastic—and admittedly terrible—rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.”

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

Lunch Menu

Teriyaki Chicken
Rice
Fresh Vegetables
Salad
Dessert

Next Week’s Program

We will hear from Bryan Ferguson, CEO of Habersham EMC.

Thursday, March 26, 2026
11:45 AM
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton

Click HERE to go to our website to find out more about all our programs

Impact Club Update

Tuesday, March 24
6:00 PM
Food Bank of Northeast Georgia – Clayton

Click HERE to go to our website to find out more about all our programs

Service Above Self – Upcoming Service Projects

There are several great opportunities to serve our community this week.

Our Interact Clubs will also be out serving on Saturday, volunteering at the WOW Thrift Store from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It’s always inspiring to see our young leaders stepping up and making a difference.

We also have our Food Distribution on Saturday, March 21, from 6:45 to 9:00 a.m. at Rabun Gap Presbyterian Church. It’s an early start, but there’s no better way to begin your weekend than by helping provide food for neighbors in need here in our community.

Next weekt he final Foxfire Spring Cleaning Day will take place on Tuesday, March 23, from 9:00 12:00. Bring your gloves and work clothes and join fellow Rotarians in helping get the Foxfire property ready for their busy season ahead.

You can find details for all of these service opportunities on our club calendar at:
www.ClaytonRotary.com/rotary-calendars

Important Dates

March 21 — Food Distribution
March 21 — WOW Thrift Store Interact Project
April 2 — Special Olympics
April 2 — RCHS Band Fundraiser (Currahee Brewery)
April 23 — Offsite Visit to Providence Farmstead
April 25 — Murder Mystery Gala
April 29 — Paper Shredding Event
April 30 – May 3 — District Conference
May 7 — Offsite Visit to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
May 28 – 31 — RYLA
June 25 — End-of-Year Celebration

RCHS Band Fundraiser – Bring your $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 to help support (read below)

We will be hosting the Rabun County High School Band for a fundraiser at Currahee Brewery on Wednesday, April 2. This will be a fun community event and a great opportunity to support our local students and their outstanding music program.

Rotary will be helping with a special “Money Tree” auction, and we are asking members to bring extra cash to donate. If you have $1, $2, $5, $10, or $20 bills, please bring them to a meeting over the next couple of weeks so we can attach them to the tree before the event. The completed Money Tree will then be auctioned off to raise additional funds for the band.

Your small donation can help turn this into a big impact for the students of Rabun County High School.

Roaring ‘20s Fundraising Gala

Saturday, April 25, 2026
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 Style 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

Click HERE to find out more on our website

Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA)

May 28 – 31
Tallulah Falls School

Volunteers Needed:

Counselors
Activity Helpers

RYLA6910@gmail.com
www.ryla6910.com

District 6910 Conference

April 30 – May 3
Harrah’s Cherokee

264 attendees registered
Clayton currently has 17 — let’s grow that number!

Activities Include:
Golf • Fly Fishing • Hiking • 5K • Bowling Social • Cultural Tours

Food Bank Donations

Most Needed Items

Plastic grocery bags
Peanut butter & jelly • Cereal • Soups • Crackers • Rice • Chili & beans
Pasta • Sauce • Beef stew • Canned meats • Fruits & vegetables

Cash donations welcome