Saturday, April 13, Paulding County Rotary Club members joined with Hiram and North Paulding high school volunteers to support Kindworks United's 2nd Annual Family Fun Day. Kindworks is Paulding County's local support group for foster and adoptive parents. This event provides foster parents with the opportunity to bring siblings together who are in foster care.

Paulding County Rotary Club member Tina Drummond introduced her two guests to the Rotary Club. Aileen Culberson, Manager of the Paulding County Animal Shelter and Jason Flatt owner-operator of Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue. Upon introduction, Mrs. Drummond shared with members her knowledge of the pit bull rescue operation. As a board member, she vouched for the integrity with which resources are managed and spent for the betterment of all animals receiving help through the rescue. After the introduction, she invited Aileen Culberson to speak.

Mrs. Jessica Moore the Executive Director and Ms. Merrill Baker the Development Director of McKenna Farms made a visit to the Paulding Rotary Club this past week. Introduced by club Pres. Ford Thigpen, Mrs. Moore thanked the club for the invitation to speak and the continued support. Mrs. Moore has been a frequent guest of the Rotary Club as many members are advocates of McKenna Farms and the progress they have made over the years in further utilizing their facility to expand their therapeutic programs.

Paulding County Rotary Club celebrated its 50th Anniversary in the Dallas Civic Center. Approximately 120 guests were in attendance for the celebratory dinner. Current Paulding County Rotarians welcomed former members and Rotary dignitaries including District 6900 Governor Court Dowis.

Rotarian and club member Sam Elrod introduced Dr. Rebecca Vaughn a longtime member of the Paulding County community. Dr. Vaughn thanked the Rotary Club for the opportunity to speak on behalf of her father's book and share her interest in his life story. Her father, Rufus Youngblood a Georgia native, served in the Secret Service for 20 years and wrote a book chronicling his time in the Secret Service and the five Presidents whom he protected.

The Rotary Club welcomed Shirley Smith and Vicki Paris from Paulding Christmas to the March 19th meeting. Every year the Paulding County Rotary Club organizes the Invitational Christmas Parade in Dallas. 2018's parade marked the 26th year of the parade in Dallas.

Superior Court Judge David Lyles spoke to the Rotary Club about the most recent accountability Court in Paulding County. It is a program designed to provide case disposition for people with a documented mental illness who have been charged with a crime. In many ways, Georgia is leading the nation in prison reform, and Paulding County is leaving the state through Accountability Court programs.

The Shepherd's Rest Ministries Women's Shelter operates around the clock, 24 hours and 7 days a week to take calls from women and families in dire need. During 2018 over 16,700 calls were answered and 14,892 calls were followed up on. Legal advocacy helped 457 women with temporary restraining orders. The 2 crisis houses that they operate provided shelter for 26 women and 60 children.