Spring Blood Drive 2025
Please join us in our Annual Spring Blood Drive.
Stories
|
|
||
Gulf Coast Center for Non-ViolenceCooper Cross presented his Eagle Scout project to our club this week. The project is for the GCCFN Justice Center. In addition to his project, he also entertained us with some of his original and classic songs.  Cooper Cross presented his Eagle Scout project to our club this past week. It involves updating space in the new GCCFN Justice Center. In addition to his project, he entertained us with some of his original songs and some classics. |
||
Thanksgiving Blood Drive Thanks to the many people who showed up to support the Thanksgiving Blood Drive. |
||
Leadership Development Officer Edgewater's Leadership Development Officer meeting with DG Sam Walley at the Beach Territory's fireside chat.
|
||
Club Officer's for 2024-25 District Governor Vicky is installing the Edgewater Rotary club's officers for 2024-25. |
||
Installation of 2024/25 President District Governor Vicky installing Brandon "Jake" Jacobs as Edgewater Rotary's Club President for 2024-25. |
||
Today's MeetingToday's speaker is TBA.
|
||
Kevin Felsher
Kevin Felsher is a native of Biloxi and has resided on the Gulf Coast his entire life. He graduated high school from Biloxi High and attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he received his B.S. degree. He has been married to Crystal Lucas Felsher for over 24 years and they have two children, Carson and Cooper. They are members of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Kevin has worked in Real Estate for over 15 years and is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker Alfonso Commercial Realty and is a graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast Class of 2018-2019. He is active in civics serving as former Chairman and current member of the Architectural and Historical Review Commission for the City of Biloxi, past Vice Chairman and current member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers Board, past President and current member of the Harrison County Beautification Commission, current member of the Main Street Biloxi Board and served as past Chairman of the Economic Vitality Committee. Kevin serves on the Advisory Board of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Pickleball, Inc., Tunnel to Towers Biloxi Board, and is a member of the Biloxi Businessmen's Club, Coast Pistol and Rifle Club, and the Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce. Kevin is also passionate about volunteering for charitable causes and serving the community. He currently serves as a board member and former Vice Chairman of Catholic Charities of South Mississippi, as past President and current member of the Our Lady of Fatima Men’s Club, and past Captain with the American Heart Association. He was named the American Cancer Society's, "2020 Real Man of the Year" for the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, recipient of the 2022 Mental Health Association's Annette O'Keefe Humanitarian of the Year Award, recipient of the 2023 Helen Reddy Johnson Memorial Award for his work on Mental Health in the State of Mississippi, and recipient of the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence's "Making a Difference" award for his support of victims of domestic abuse. He has also coached for the past 7 years with the YMCA, Biloxi Recreational league, Upward Sports, and Our Lady of Fatima Elementary. He is also a member of the Class of 2020 Biloxi Sports Hall of Fame |
||
Today's Meeting |
||
Vicky Gutierrez |
||
Angela Singletary Angela Singletary is a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the most recent Executive Director for Bethesda Free Clinic. |
||
Caitlin KellyMy husband, Steve, have lived in Pass Christian for the last 17 years. We are both medical professionals and have four beautiful children. We are also Foster/adoptive parents. In September of last year I started work to get Mississippi’s first Safe Haven baby box (shbb.org). In that time, I was able to be in touch with representatives/ legislators in Jackson and we were able to change the Safe Haven law to operate Safe Haven baby box in any city that may want to house a box. Also, we were able to change the time from 7 days to 45 days old that a mother can safely surrender a child without the fear of prosecution. (If you would like to have more information you can Google “Safe Haven Baby Boxes Long Beach, MS caitlin kelly” that will show our timeline of the last 10 months!)  Safe Haven Baby Box, Long Beach, MS
|
||
Speaker - Chris RobinsonChris was born in Aberdeen, MS to an Episcopal priest and elementary school teacher. His family soon moved to Yazoo City and then out to Denver, CO following his father's calls in ministry. They returned to Jackson, MS while Chris was still in middle school and he graduated there from St. Andrew's and then Millsaps College with a BA in Religious Studies. After a year of working at the Duncan M. Gray Camp & Conference Center for the Episcopal Diocese, and two years of discernment in diocesan programs, Chris entered Virginia Theological Seminary in the fall of 2007. Graduating in 2010, Chris' first cure was in the MS Pine Belt at the Episcopal Church of the Mediator-Redeemer in Magnolia-McComb. Serving first as Deacon-in-Charge, then Priest-in-Charge and finally as Rector, Chris spent four years learning a great deal about the more practical side of parish ministry. During this time he also married his wife, Whitney Moore, who was serving at the time as the Youth Minister to St. Andrew's Cathedral in Jackson, MS. In early 2014 Chris accepted the call to serve as the Episcopal Chaplain to the University of Mississippi and he and Whitney moved to Oxford. After four wonderful years of working with the college students in Oxford, developing pilgrimages and community service projects, Chris found himself longing for the work of parish ministry. After a period of discernment, Chris entered into conversation with the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi, MS and agreed to come and serve as their Priest. For the last four and half years, Chris and Whitney have been delighted to be a part of the Redeemer family, even to the point of doing their own bit of new member recruitment as they welcomed their first child, Caroline, last August. |
||
Susan Varnes Susan Varnes leads the executive team as president and chief operating officer of Treasure Bay L.L.C. She oversees the operations and future development of the Biloxi, Mississippi property and the company’s affiliated Caribbean properties in Aruba, Bonaire and St. Croix. Varnes’ gaming experience spans over 30 years where she held senior corporate and property management positions with the Isle of Capri before joining Treasure Bay in 2001. Varnes is past chair of the Mississippi Gaming & Hospitality Association, a member of the Gulf Coast Business Council, serves with many community and charitable organizations throughout the Gulf Coast and served on the Global Gaming Women’s Southern Region Education Committee from 2016 to 2020. |
||
Thank you LetterThe following is a translated copy of a Thank You letter from Fransisco Javier Montalvan in El Chaparral. Dear Sponsors, We extend an affectionate greeting from the children, parents, teachers, and community of the school Francisco Javier Montalvan in El Chaparral. Through this letter we want to thank you for the great contributions that you have made to our day-by-day support by providing grains, a delicious glass of milk and the food that we enjoy daily. May God illuminate your lives as well as all your loved ones. We send big hugs and kisses! May God bless you always. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! You are in our hearts. Sincerely your friends from the community of El Chaparral, Nacaome, Valle, Honduras CA |
||
Jason GreenRiemann's Funeral Home
|
||
Tiffany DillaardTiffany Dillard is the Executive Director of CASA of Harrison and Stone Counties, where she leads a phenomenal team of staff and volunteer advocates. Mrs. Dillard has been an avid advocate and leader for children and families throughout Mississippi and the MS Gulf Coast region for over 24 years. She has held various leadership and administrative positions on both state and local levels for social service agencies for more than 15 years. Dillard has also worked closely with local, county, and federal law enforcement, juvenile courts, Child Protective Services, District Attorney’s Offices, Child Advocacy Centers, and traumafocused service providers while serving in these advocacy and leadership positions. Tiffany was recently appointed by Governor Tate Reeves to serve as the CASA discipline representative on the Mississippi Children’s Justice Task Force. Needless to say, she is truly committed to improving child outcomes and strengthening families. Dillard resides in Gulfport with her husband of 20 years, three sons, and her very special fur baby. She enjoys spending time with each of them in her downtime. |
||
Judge DickinsonJudge Dickinson is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he earned a Bachelor’s of Accountancy, and he is also a graduate of Mississippi College School of Law where he received his law degree. Judge Dickinson has worked in the private practice of law since 2005 in civil litigation in Gulfport. In 2016, the Dickinsons began serving as foster parents in Harrison County, and to date have fostered 10 children. In 2018, he was elected to serve as a County Court Judge handling all Youth Court matters in Harrison County. He also served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Independence (aircraft carrier) in Japan. Mike has been married to Siobhan (“Shuh-von”) for 18 years, and they have five children (3 biological, 1 adopted from foster care, and 1 currently in foster care). Mike also helped spearhead the Rescue 100 ministry at Michael Memorial Baptist Church which served to boost the number of foster homes in both Harrison County and across the State of Mississippi. In 2021, he became a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner through Texas Christian University. In 2022, he was appointed by the Mississippi Supreme Court to serve on the Commission on Children’s Justice. In 2023, Judge Dickinson was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Mississippi Task Force on Foster Care and Adoption which was created by the Mississippi Legislature in 2023 SB 2384.
|
||
Children's Health Fair It's time to get thing lined up for this year's Children's Health Fair. There are many things that still need to be done, or at least communicated that they are completed. This is Edgewater Rotary's signature community service project. We provide health screening and other services to over 360 children each year providing a much needed benefit to our community.
|
||
May 31, 2023 SpeakerThis week's speaker is Sam Burke, with St Vincent de Paul on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
|
||
Spring Blood DriveEdgewater Rotary just completed it's Spring Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross. We were able to collect 32 pints of blood for the Red Cross. I was very honored to see the number of Rotarians that "Rolled up" their sleeves to donate.  |
||
Adele Lyons Adele Lyons serves as the CEO of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc. She took on this role in early December 2017. Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc.’s mission is to CONNECT, INFORM, ADVOCATE, and DEVELOP. As a membership organization of over 985 members, the Chamber is comprised of businesses throughout the Gulf South, and strives to improve the business climate through fostering leadership, advocating for businesses, and providing information to the community. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber is the only Accredited Chamber in the State of Mississippi.
Lyons was awarded the IOM graduate recognition for completing a comprehensive course of study in nonprofit management through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management program in 2018. Previously, Lyons served as the Director of Development and Communication for Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was the Program Director for the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Lyons holds a masters degree and a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. |
||
Dean BertramDr Dean Bertram is currently an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science at William Carey University. Bertram previously retired from his alma mater in 2020 after serving 28 years as a professor. His specialty is in the area of fingerprints, fire investigation and crime scenes. Dean is also a partner and president of KDL Solutions, which is a sole source provider for ALERRT active shooter training gear. Bertram is a proud husband and father of two girls.
|
||
Stephanie Dearman |
||
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
|
||
Finding Safe Haven For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
|
||
Saving lives in Ghana What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga. |
