Washington Rotary Club

Washington Rotary Club Washington Rotary Club is a part of Rotary International, a worldwide service organization. Our mott

At last week’s luncheon, October 14, 2025, Rotary member Ed Patton gave a lecture on the Geology and Geography of the Ea...
10/20/2025

At last week’s luncheon, October 14, 2025, Rotary member Ed Patton gave a lecture on the Geology and Geography of the Eastern Snake River plain in Idaho. The area is an ancient track of the Yellowstone Hotspot and is home to Craters of the Moon National Monument.

The EBR1, (Energy Breeder Reactor) was developed there and powered the first town to be lit by nuclear power in the country.

Hagerman Fossil Beds located nearby depicts fossils of the earliest ancestors to modern day horses, donkeys and zebras. The Equus Simplicidens is the identifying term given to the horse fossils discovered in Hagerman, Idaho in 1928.

And on another significant note, the path of the Oregon Trail runs through the Eastern Snake River plain. We thank Ed for sharing his knowledge of the area with our club.

Our club welcomed Tom Duggan, a native Washingtonian to speak about the history and significance of church architecture ...
10/13/2025

Our club welcomed Tom Duggan, a native Washingtonian to speak about the history and significance of church architecture throughout Wilkes County, on October 9, 2025. As a noted local photographer, he has identified 84 church structures in the area with 70 active congregations. (43 Baptist, 10 Methodist and 15 of other denominations)

Washington Presbyterian Church represents the oldest church structure built in Washington in 1825, though the congregation first formed in 1790.
Its style is reminiscent of New England style churches as many of its original members were from that region. Jackson Chapel was the first Black Church built in 1867 by freed slaves.

Tom’s photos featured exterior and interior views illustrating various architectural styles of their time periods including stained glass windows, hand-crafted wooden pews, alters, balcony’s and pipe organs. Bethel Methodist Church and First Methodist Church feature unique curved wooden pews.

Tom opened and closed his presentation with a the Bible verse “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” Psalm 133, v 1-3. Our Church structures provide safe and sacred gathering places.

10/06/2025

Rotarians Pam and Lisa building our Squarecrow for the contest on October 31, 2025.

On October 2, 2025, Washington Rotary Club hosted Sam Moore, Chairman of the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners, Lisa ...
10/06/2025

On October 2, 2025, Washington Rotary Club hosted Sam Moore, Chairman of the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners, Lisa Dozier, Wilkes County Tax Commissioner, and Janet Parker, Assistant County Clerk. They spoke to the tax relief and reforms impact of HB 581, which established a new statewide “floating” homestead exemption, for Wilkes County residents. The Bill took effect on January 1, 2025 and caps the annual increase in a homestead property’s taxable assessed value at the rate of inflation, preventing large spikes in property taxes due to rising real estate values.
HB 581 also authorizes counties and municipalities to impose an additional local sales tax of 1% to generate revenue to offset property tax relief. This sales tax option requires voter approval through a local referendum. Wilkes County residents will be able to vote on this sales tax increase on November 4, 2025.

Rotary Club of Washington welcomed Jack Patton as our guest speaker last Thursday. He is an aspiring local entrepreneur ...
09/29/2025

Rotary Club of Washington welcomed Jack Patton as our guest speaker last Thursday. He is an aspiring local entrepreneur assisting in the launch of a new start up business know as Georgia Agri Drone.

Based out of Palmer Equipment Company, they are invested in the latest movement of farming called Precision Agriculture which is done by piloting a DJI Mavic Enterprise surveillance-type drone over agricultural fields. The process involves the use of technological advances in censors, controls, data handling, flight efficiency and payload capacity in the drone for mapping, scouting, and the precise spraying and spreading of crops. Drones are becoming an invaluable tool in increasing farm productivity and food supply.

Jack left us with the message that drones are an ever-expanding part of our everyday life and are turning some industries upside down. For the agricultural sector of the economy drones have already saved farmers billions, and will continue to grow as a key piece of equipment for the farm.

He graduated from St Pius X High School in Atlanta and studied for four years at MTSU, Middle Tennessee State University studying unmanned aircraft systems operations.

09/29/2025

We welcome Stasio Rusek as our newest member of Washington Rotary Club!

Today’s guest speaker at Rotary Club of Washington, GA was Rhonda Rezsofi, owner of the 1896 Wine Room downtown on the S...
09/18/2025

Today’s guest speaker at Rotary Club of Washington, GA was Rhonda Rezsofi, owner of the 1896 Wine Room downtown on the Square. Rhonda and Robert opened their establishment one year ago as a gathering place for locals and visitors of our community, featuring speciality wines selected from the Top 100 Wines list in Wine Enthusiast Magazine. They choose value wines that are high quality and serve them at an affordable price.

Robert Vick and Rhonda Rezsofi moved to Washington, GA four years ago when their daughter was a student at the Savannah School of Art and Design. With a degree herself in Psychology from Texas Christian University, Rhonda says this is by far the best job experience she’s enjoyed during her career. Robert custom-built many elements inside the restaurant, most notably the back bar and refurbished the building’s original fireplace and historic mantlepiece. They also exhibit artwork from local artists.

The Wine bar is located between Al’s Pizza and Miller’s Bistro and is open Wednesday- Saturday, from 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm. They do take pizza order’s from Al’s and serve a limited selection of beers

At this week's Rotary luncheon, members enjoyed a special presentation from Melanie Boatright, manager of A.H. Stephens ...
09/12/2025

At this week's Rotary luncheon, members enjoyed a special presentation from Melanie Boatright, manager of A.H. Stephens State Historic Park and Museum. With warmth and enthusiasm, Melanie shared the story of the park’s unique role in preserving both natural beauty and important history. She described how the park is named for Alexander H. Stephens—Vice President of the Confederacy, former Georgia governor, and a distinguished congressman, senator, and lawyer—and how the grounds feature not only miles of scenic trails, campgrounds, and a tranquil lake, but also the carefully preserved historic site that tells the story of Stephens’ life and times.
Melanie spoke about her work in managing the museum, which houses an impressive collection of period artifacts, documents, and exhibits that bring 19th-century Georgia to life. She explained that the museum doesn’t just focus on Stephens as a man, but also on the broader era he lived in. She highlighted his role in the peace talks that sought to bring the Civil War to an end, giving visitors a deeper appreciation of his place in history while also connecting them to Georgia’s cultural heritage.
She also shared updates on programs and events happening at the park—from living history demonstrations and holiday celebrations to educational tours for students and opportunities for families to camp, hike, and simply enjoy the outdoors. Melanie emphasized that A.H. Stephens Park is not only a place to learn, but also a place to gather, explore, and build community. Her presentation was an inspiring reminder of the importance of preserving history while creating meaningful experiences for generations to come.

09/06/2025

Happy be-lated Birthday to Rotarian Michael Horgan- September 5th. Hope you had a great day!

We were honored to have Alan Kinder, a decorated WW II veteran as our guest speaker on Thursday, August 4th, hosted by R...
09/06/2025

We were honored to have Alan Kinder, a decorated WW II veteran as our guest speaker on Thursday, August 4th, hosted by Rotarian, Colonel (retired) Andy Anderson. At 100 years old, Kinder made the trip back to Luxembourg, the Ardennes Forest and Bastogne, France this past June to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Prior to leaving, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor award, the European country’s highest decoration, presented by the French Consul General in Atlanta.

The warm reception in France by locals was overwhelming, as it was a year ago when he and other WW II veterans returned to Normandy to celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion of Europe. At age 18, Kinder was drafted into the Army and after a short military training period he shipped out to Normandy, France. His unit landed at midnight by boat on Utah Beach, August 17, 1944. Over the course of months as his unit, the 14th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, advanced the fighting intensified. In December of 1944 they were camped outside of Bastogne, France, near the Battle of the Bulge. His Battalion was trained to detect enemy artillery positions with microphone technology. It was a desperate fight against the Germans to contain them in sub-zero, freezing conditions.

Kinder was able to go back and relive his wartime experiences along with other WW II veterans through the help of a charitable nonprofit called Forever Young Veterans. His greatest wish is that all military veterans of foreign wars could be celebrated as they have been. Alan Kinder resides in Gainesville, Georgia today.

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108 N. Alexander Avenue
Washington, GA
30673

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