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Club Announcements:
Mask Are Recommended at Meetings
Due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, we are asking members to please wear a mask while you are gathering and having fellowship before our club meetings. Once you sit at a table for your meal, you can remove your mask. Thank you for understanding this voluntarily action. We want to keep all our members and guest safe during the pandemic.
Proposed New Member Announcement
Dr. Sudhakar “Sudha” Madakasira has been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of North Jackson by Wyatt Emmerich and is sponsored for membership by Past President Don Roberts. Dr. Madakasira is a psychiatrist and is CEO and Medical Director of Pyscamore, LLC. His company is a licensed, private, freestanding psychiatric intensive treatment program for highly functional individuals suffering from serious mental disorders, resulting in psychosocial, work, or school impairments. It has offices in Flowood, Biloxi and Southaven. Sudha has lived and worked in the Jackson Metropolitan area for over 30 years. He and his spouse, Kimberly have four children and live in Rankin County at the Reservoir. He will be loaned the classification, Physician – Psychiatrist after his membership is approved by the Board. This is the 1st publication of this proposed new member.
Prayer
We invoke your blessings upon us now in this gathering as we renew friendships, welcome newcomers and visitors, and as we share in pursuit of our particular concerns and interest as Rotarians. Thank you, God, for the nourishing food and nurturing fellowship which we enjoy from week to week. We offer our prayer with humility and praise. Amen.
Dr. Michael Garrett, Executive Director of Homes of Hope for Children, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 18, 2022 meeting. Dr. Garrett informed club members about the children's home in Purvis, Mississippi. The mission of Homes of Hope for Children is to serve children in crisis throughout Mississippi by providing strong, Christian homes to every child who lives on campus while ensuring that each child is loved unconditionally and has their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs met. Dr. Garrett and his two sisters who spent time in a Christian children's home as kids, had a vision to provide a place where children in crisis could grow up. Over a decade ago, he and his wife moved to Hattiesburg with their then-infant son. "God had placed the vision of Homes of Hope for Children my heart", and they were committed to bringing it to life by helping boys and girls find a nurturing place to call “home.” Currently, Homes of Hope for Children has four cottages, two for boys and two for girls with a total of 28 children. Each cottage houses up to seven children and is staffed by a Christian houseparent couple that has been “called” to this special work. They also have a transitional living program to serve young adults who have graduated from high school while living on the campus while transitioning into the next stage of their lives. Dr. Garrett announced during his talk, that they are in the begging stages of planning for a Homes of Hope for Children in the Jackson area. Here is the link to the video of the club meeting, https://vimeo.com/668101579. Shown in the photo below from left, Club President Uriel Pineda, Dr. Garrett and Club Director Bill Osborne.
Francine Thomas Reynolds, Artistic Director at New Stage Theatre, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its January 11, 2022 meeting. Reynolds informed club members and guest about the history of New Stage, how the theater has dealt with COVID and the current season. New Stage Theatre was chartered as a nonprofit organization in 1965 and produced its initial season in the winter and spring of 1966. Founded by Jane Reid Petty and seven other charter board members, with the assistance of the American National Theatre Academy and Actors’ Equity Association, the theater has been dedicated to professional excellence in the dramatic arts since its inception. Ivan Rider was the theater’s first artistic director and served in that capacity until 1979. New Stage’s first home was an adapted church at the corner of Gallatin and Hooker Streets. The full houses for its opening season were significant: they represented the city’s first racially integrated theater audience and playgoers’ response to more intellectually stimulating theater fare than had been previously available locally. New Stage produced 13 seasons in the 150-seat church before moving to its present site in Belhaven in 1978. Built in 1963 for the Jackson Little Theatre, the 12,000 square foot structure includes the 364-seat Meyer Crystal Auditorium, and a flexible, smaller performing space, the Jimmy Hewes Room. Now in its 56th year, New Stage produces a full professional season, including five main stage shows in the subscription series. The next show for this season is I Just Stopped by to See the Man, February 2-13. The play is set in the Miss. Delta about a Delta blues singer's passion for his art and the sacrifices of fame and fortune. Shown in the photo below is from left, Luther Munford, club member; Reynolds and Bill Osborne, club director. Here is the link to the meeting video https://vimeo.com/665757820.
During our club's meeting on January 4, 2022, under the guidance of Wyatt Emmerich and Bill Osborne, an outline was discussed concerning our programs/speakers. Please take a look at the below template and make any suggestions you have as to possible speakers and topics. We are working to make the meetings as interesting as possible and would like your suggestions. If you have any suggestions, please contact our club administration director Bill Osborne @ wgoii@att.net.
Rotary Program Topics Template 11 Jan Francine Thomas Reynolds, New Stage Theater
18 Jan Dr. Michael Garrett, Exec. Dir., Homes of Hope for Children
25 Jan Michael Watson, MS Sec. of State
01 Feb Heart Health (a cardiologist from Baptist Systems)
08 Feb Dorothy Anderson, Marriage, Love and Relationships
15 Feb City of Jackson (possibly Jordan Rae Hillman, Dir. of Planning & Dev.)
22 Feb Open (Possibly vocational talks)
01 Mar Infrastructure (Possibly Brad White, Dir. MDOT)
08 Mar Allergies (Possibly Winn Walcott, MD)
15 Mar Arts (possibly Betsy Bradley, Exec. Dir. of Miss. Museum of Art)
22 Mar Open
29 Mar Rotary Dist. 6820 Governor Ed Thurmond
05 AprilTourism (possibly a Visit Mississippi representative.)
Mississippi State Senator David Blount, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its December 21, 2021 meeting. State Senator Blount, a Democrat who represents district 29, informed club members and guest the outlook for the upcoming legislative session. Senator Blount said the most important task in the session is spending the roughly 2 billion of federal COVID money for one time usage. The state also has a little less than 2 billion in the bank and the rainy day fund is full. Issues effecting Jackson that are his top priority are, fixing the water and sewer issues and crime and public safety. Other cities in the state also need water and sewer updates. Another issue he hopes to tackle for Jackson is getting more prosecutors to help with the crime issues. Another issue facing the legislature is to restore the initiative process and pass the medical marijuana bill. Redistricting is another issue the legislature is facing. Senator Blount also said that the #1 issue for Mississippi in his opinion, is expanding Medicaid. There is also talk about eliminating the state income tax according to Blount. One third of the state revenue of the 6 billion general budget, comes from income tax collections according to Senator Blount. The Legislative session starts January 4th, 2022. Shown in the photo below is Senator Blount and Club President Uriel Pineda. Here is the link to the video of the meeting https://vimeo.com/659784057.
The Mississippi String Quartet performed before our club's meeting on Tuesday December 21, 2021. The musicians performed holiday classics for club members and guest. Members of the quartet are from left, Marta Szlubowska, Concertmaster for the Symphony; Milena Rusanova, Ausra Jasineviciute and Rebekah Miller.
The Rotary Club of North Jackson heard two new club members give their vocational talks during its December 14, 2021 meeting. Club members Lynette Suttlar, owner of 1STAR Realty LLC and John Garrard, owner and President of Optimum Financial Services LLC., informed club members about their life and career. Suttlar is a native of Benton in Yazoo County. She has one son and one grandson. Lynette spent 30 years working for the US government with stents at the US Postal Service, IRS and Department of Defense. She spent 15 years in the military with 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Army and 11 years in the Army Reserves. Lynette was a Staff Sergeant when she retired. She has a MBA and MPA from Jackson State University. Lynette is a diplomat with the Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce. Her hobbies are golf and reading. Garrard, is a native of Isola, Mississippi. He is a Mississippi State University grad and has earned his MBA from Millsaps College. After working in the brokerage business with large companies A.G. Edwards and Legg Mason, he started his own (RFA) registered investment advisor firm Optimum Financial Services LLC in 1990. Optimum was the first RFA in Mississippi to use robotic advisory software to help in advising their clients with their investments. John is married to Susan, President and CEO of the Mississippi Children's Museum. They have two sons. Shown from left in the photo below is, Garrard, Suttlar and Club President Uriel Pineda. To view the meeting video, please click on this link https://vimeo.com/657208244.
Mississippi State Department of Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs III, spoke to the Rotary Club of North Jackson during its December 7, 2021 meeting. Dr. Dobbs updated club members and guest on the COVID virus and the new Omicron strain. Dr. Dobbs said that most of the early deaths were at nursing homes. Most deaths now are from the un-vaccinated witch is around 90%. Dobbs said that 120,000 children are orphaned in the USA due to their parents dying of COVID. He also said that most deaths in 2021 when the vaccine was available, are those 65 and older. Dr. Dobbs said that boosters are needed just like getting the flu vaccine each year. one of the goals of the vaccine according to Dr. Dobbs is to keep folks from spreading the virus to others. The new Omicron strain doesn't seem to cause a lot of hospitalisations currently. The vaccines with boosters seem to be good at treating the Omicron strain. He suggest a COVID safety plan during the holidays should include where to get the anti-bodies and where to get tested. Shown in the photo below from left, Dr. Nelson Atehortua, club member; Dr. Dobbs and Club President Uriel Pineda.
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