Dear Rotarians,

Diane and Mike Tobin with the Spice and Tea Exchange of Chattanooga gave us some great things to consider last week as they spoke on the healthy benefits of tea and spices. By the amount of questions and after-meeting conversation, it seems like the talk was well received. 

And with that, we enter into what is easily one of the busiest seasons of the year, Christmas. It's hard to believe that we're in December already and motoring right into a new year. And, as is our custom each year, we will share a meeting with the Brainerd Kiwanis Club. This year we will host the meeting as we have somewhere between 20-25 Kiwanians joining us. Please take special care to greet and welcome our guests and include them in your table for lunch.

Our speaker this week is Sergeant Peter Turk of the Chattanooga Police Department. Sgt Turk will be speaking to us regarding the CPD Street Crimes Response Team efforts. It will be very informative as we hear of efforts to curb the crime that is present in the streets of our great city.

Wednesday is also the day we present the Chattanooga Police Department and the Shop with a Cop program our annual Christmas gift. Sergeant Victor Miller will be present to receive the check that provides opportunities for the less fortunate to actually go Christmas shopping with a "cop". Our gift of $500 will provide Christmas presents for five children in an effort to partner up a local police officer with a child that the Department of Children's Services think might benefit from a little extra attention this Christmas. This is always an awesome presentation!

President Todd