Perry Rotary Club

*Thank you to today’s Rotary guest speaker, Paul Allen!* 🙌

We appreciated hearing from Paul Allen, Business Development Project Manager for the Houston County Development Authority, about the *Middle Georgia Workforce Alliance*.

Paul shared valuable insight on how we’re connecting educators and employers, building talent pipelines, and closing critical skill gaps to strengthen our local economy. His work with Certified Work Ready programs and customized recruitment events is making a real impact for employers and job seekers across our region.

Thank you, Paul, for your dedication to growing opportunities for Georgia’s workforce and for giving us a clearer picture of what’s happening right here at home.

The Perry Rotary Club proudly completed our annual Dr. Cabasares Literacy Project this week at Tucker Elementary School and Kings Chapel Elementary School. Every student at both schools was able to choose and take home books of their own to keep.

This project is designed to help combat summer reading loss and keep students on track for the next school year. Children who do not read or have access to books during the summer can lose 2–3 months of reading progress, making it even harder to catch up in the fall. Statistics show that only 38% of Georgia’s third-graders are reading proficiently, making reading over the summer even more important for our kids.

Literacy is one of the greatest gifts we can invest in and Perry Rotary is proud to be able to do this project annually for our local kids.

Congratulations to our April Middle School Students of the Month Brayden Head from westfield and Ramsey Singleton from Perry Middle School! Keep up all your hard work!

Last week we were honored to have Tucker Elementary School EarlyAct Club join us for our meeting. The EarlyAct Club is a service club that follows the Rotary 4way test and strives to complete service projects thoughout the school year for their school, community, and a global project. We are proud of these students and their desire to serve others.

Trinity School of Medicine Rotaract Club Serves Up Funds at Pickleball Fundraiser

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Trinity School of Medicine Rotaract Club hosted its Pickleball Fundraiser on Saturday afternoon, April 18, 2026, at Ted Wright Park in Warner Robins. Community members and students grabbed paddles for friendly doubles competition to support the club’s service initiatives.

Proceeds from registration fees, sponsorships, and raffles will go to the Houston County Volunteer Clinic.

The Trinity School of Medicine Rotaract Club extends sincere thanks to everyone who bought tickets for the raffles and to those who donated prizes. The club also appreciates all volunteers, sponsors, and participants who made the event possible.

Perry Rotary Hooks Success at Annual Fishing Tournament

PERRY, Ga. — The Perry Rotary Club reeled in community support during its Annual Fishing Tournament held Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry. Proceeds from the event will fund Rotary projects serving needs locally and abroad.

Top 10 Winners
Conner Law & Mason Engle
Ben Lawson & Brant Beckham
Klint Rooks & Bob Lawson
Trent Mason, Tillman Mason & Thomas Mason (7)
Larry Walker Jr and Foster Rhodes
Chase Davis & Dalton Fuller & Wyatt Fuller (6)
Andy Crook & Clay Smith
Ike Wilcox & Eddie Wilcox & Hank Cannon (12)
Bob Moore & Phillip Moore
Malcolm Dean & Jerry Dean

Big Fish Winners
Adult: Conner Law & Mason Engle
Youth 0-8: Thomas Mason, age 7
Youth 9-12: Hank Cannon, age 12

Congratulations also go to the winners of the raffles for big prizes.

The Perry Rotary Club thanks all cash and in-kind donors, volunteers, Perry Rotarians, the Trinity School of Medicine Rotaract Club, and the community. Special appreciation goes to Mayor Randal Walker for serving as emcee.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Rotarian Penny Byrd on achieving Paul Harris Fellow +4!

This incredible milestone reflects your ongoing generosity, commitment, and dedication to Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self. Thank you for the lasting impact you continue to make in our community—truly well deserved!

A big thank you to Judge Katherine Lumsden for speaking to our Rotary Club today and sharing her passion for improving mental health in our community.

Her work with Mental Health Matters of Middle Georgia is truly inspiring, and we appreciate her dedication to breaking stigma and building support systems for those in need.

We’re also looking forward to the upcoming Mental Health Summit on May 1, 2026—an important step toward turning awareness into action here in Middle Georgia.

Thank you, Judge Lumsden, for your leadership and commitment to making a difference!

We were excited to have Joy Sanders and Chole Oglesby share their winning speeches from the 2026 Perry Rotary Speech Competition with the club today. Joy is a senior at Warner Robins High and recived 2nd place in the Competition and Chole is a 10th grader at Perry High School and recived 3rd place. The 1st place winner, Claire Jefferson, was not able to come visit today. All 3 winners will advance to the zone competion April 18

Thank you GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for coming to speak to our club today 🇺🇸