Ryan Kelly presided over the meeting. Courtney Payton provided the opening prayer and Lee Kemp led the Club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Kelly then led the club in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Mugshots Bar and Grill in Hattiesburg.
Ryan announced that we have 6 new member applications and with Logan Kemp transferring from the Columbia Club, we will have 7 new members. Ryan also informed members that Toni remailed the wine tasting tickets invoices, to be looking out for those and get those paid so we can start donating funds to some organizations.
Latreaka Ranking announced Brooke Cruthers is a guest of Mavis Creagh. Brooke works with USM and the Leadership Pinebelt, working with human trafficking victims. She informed us that human trafficking is in the Hattiesburg area. She advocates for victims and works with relocating them and getting them therapy they need. If you suspect any human trafficking, please call the national hotline number at 888-373-7888
Stew won the drawing but didn’t draw the wining card.
Bryan Shaver announced there will be a new Rotary club starting in Sumrall and they will meet at Little Macs. He then introduced today’s guest speaker, Karen Sims, MAMFC, Executive Director at Hope Clinic.
Karen was adopted in 1965, she considers that the moment of her divine intervention. Her parents adopted her and then later a boy. She was told she was adopted at an early age and used to tell everyone she knew she was adopted. She considers herself very lucky to have gotten the loving family she has.
After a pregnancy scare during her teens, leaving her feeling scared and alone, she decided during college that she wanted to someday help future teens that found themselves in the same situation.
Now she works with the Hope Clinic. The Hope Clinic works with teenage girls that find themselves pregnant. The program helps guide these young women in the decision making. No matter what option they choose to take, the Hope Clinic is there to walk them through each step of the way. This includes helping with housing to doctor appointments. This includes everything from adoption, abortion or keeping the child, they are there to assist and guide them through. There is even a program that helps the women take care of the child after birth. Not all these women have family that will help them.
There is a new tax credit program that allows you to donate part of your income tax to the Hope Clinic. It is the PRA tax credit. This allows you to choose where you would like tour money to go. Rather than having it dispersed throughout the state, this is your chance to keep it close to home. The Hope Clinic is a beacon of hope for so many women and couples throughout our community each year.
The free services and resources available through the Clinic provide them with a promising future and our community is better for it. You can contribute to this cause and partner in changing the life of others.
You can contact us at HopeClinicMS.com for more information on how to donate and apply for the tax credit.
Ryan thanked Karen Sims for her informative presentation.
There being no further business to come before the club, Ryan thanked Amy for her presentation and then adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”