Rotary of North Fulton Again Named Best All-Around Club

publication date: May 22, 2008

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author/source: Jamie Woodhead / STAFF

By Jamie Woodhead / STAFF

Doug HIggins, CEO of Roswell’s American Trust Bank and President of the Rotary of North Fulton

The Rotary of North Fulton received the award for Best All-Around Club of the Year for its size category in District 6900, which covers Atlanta and western Georgia. The club has won the award three of the past four years.

Seven different Rotary clubs exist in the North Fulton area, varying in size and age. Doug Higgins, CEO of Roswell’s American Trust Bank and President of the Rotary of North Fulton, believes that what makes his club unique is the dedication of its members.

“Our club has 35 members,” Higgins said. “But we have been able to achieve large accomplishments, especially in terms of our size.”

The club’s major annual fundraiser, Concert in the Park, held at Wills Park in Alpharetta, raises roughly $50,000 each year. According to Higgins, “Larger clubs raise much less.”

The club also recently participated in its other annual fundraiser, the Inter-faith Breakfast, on May 1. Every penny the club raises through fundraisers is donated, and Higgins believes that the club’s commitment to raising money and serving the community is the reason the club has been recognized as Best All-Around.

“By raising and donating a lot of money, we are able to provide critical resources to those with the highest needs in our community,” he said.

The Rotary of North Fulton mainly focuses on serving the local community with such activities as building a No Boundaries Playground adjacent to the Miracle League baseball field in Alpharetta and constructing six Habitat for Humanity homes in the North Fulton area. Some of the club’s international projects include providing much-needed books to a school in Guatemala, building three Habitat homes in Guatemala, and repairing an orphanage in Transylvania.

Another goal that Higgins thinks is important is enhancing literacy in the local community. The club donates books to children of low-income families in North Fulton on a regular basis.

The Rotary of North Fulton, which was chartered eight years ago, experienced significant growth this past year by adding 16 new members, nearly doubling the size of the club from the previous year. Higgins expects the club to continue to grow exponentially, and he believes that “as the club grows, we will be able to do even more.”