Speakers
| Speaker | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Leon Willhite - Rotary 5910 District Governor | Sep 11, 2024 |
The Magic of Rotary
 In 1992, Leon was invited to visit the 350-member Rotary Club of Waco. He had recently become the Executive Director of a regional planning agency. Realizing that many of the key business and governmental leaders in the Waco area were active Rotarians, he quickly agreed to join. Although Leon joined Rotary to strengthen access to other leaders, he quickly learned the impact of joining forces with other Rotarians provided powerful opportunities to be of service in the community and around the world. Leon served eleven years in the Rotary Club of Waco with ten years of perfect attendance.
Leon and his high school sweetheart, Lynn, were born and reared in Palestine. After Leon graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in architecture and Lynn graduated with a degree in mathematics from Texas Christian University, they were married. Then they enrolled in graduate school at Texas A&M. Leon received a degree in Urban Planning and Lynn received a degree in Mathematics. Following college, Leon was commissioned an Officer in the Army Corps of Engineers and served at Ft Belvoir Virginia and eight years in the reserves. Leon and Lynn are proud of their two adult children, Melissa and Lee and their six grandchildren. During Leon’s professional career, he served eighteen years in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, two years as the Executive Director of the State Property Tax Board, and twelve years as the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas Council of Governments, a regional planning agency in Waco. After nurturing the family from home until the children enrolled in school, Lynn entered Seminary to become a Methodist Pastor. Over 27 years, Lynn was able to serve 5 different churches.
After retirement in 2003, Leon and Lynn returned to Palestine. Leon served as President of the Palestine Economic Development Corporation and the Palestine Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations including the YMCA, Meals on Wheels, and his local church. In 2004, Leon joined the Rotary Club of Palestine and continues to be an active member with 20 years of perfect attendance. Leon has served in director roles in service, membership and administration and has served as club President in 2009-10 and 2019-20. Leon is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Paul Harris Society and a charter member of the Polio Plus Society. Leon was awarded the district 5910 Roll of Fame in 2012. Leon has served at the district level beginning with the RYLA Adult Leadership Team in 2005. He served as the leader of the RYLA Ropes Course at Woodlake for 5 years and continues to be an active leader. Leon has served as Assistant District Governor 2012-14 and 2021-23. Leon and Lynn’s heart for service led them to become volunteers on a Palestine Rotary Team that responded to Hurricane Harvey in 2017 mucking houses along the Texas coastal area. In 2019, Leon and Lynn traveled to India with a Team of Rotarians from the United States and Canada to participate in a National Polio Immunization Day to help eradicate Polio. In May 2023, Lynn followed in her father’s footsteps and joined Leon as a member of the Rotary Club of Palestine.
|
| Nikolai Bogost | Sep 18, 2024 |
Hush & Whisper Distillary
Nikolai Bogost is the tasting room manager for Hush & Whisper Distillery in Downtown Bryan. Nikolai joins the Hush and Whisper team with six years of bartending and restaurant experience. He moved to Bryan, Texas from Fort Hood at the age of 21, and started learning the craft of bartending just down the street at The Downtown Elixir. Since then he has bartended, head bartended, and managed the Front of House at Gate 12 Bar and Grill. He has several awards from bartending, including claim to one of the top 12 cocktails in the US from the International House of Lustau, and is an active member of the Chilled 100. Realizing he missed shaking cocktails and forming relationships with his guests in a bar setting, he comes to Hush and Whisper excited to showcase our local spirits and work with experienced bartenders to bring one of the most authentic cocktail experiences to Downtown Bryan. On his spare time he enjoys the company of his dogs, cats, and chickens, experimenting with cocktails, and sharing his passion with others. |
| Kelyn Wardlaw | Sep 25, 2024 |
Charity of the Month: Unlimited Potential of the Brazos Valley
 Unlimited Potential is an organization that serves youth that has aged out of foster care from ages 18-25. They provide things like housing assistance, case management, educational assistance and more. Executive Director Kelyn Wardlaw knows how many challenges individuals face when they are no longer in the foster care system. “Homelessness is rampant for this population once they turn 18 and often they’re told where you want to go and they’re given their possessions and they’re dropped off and told good luck,” said Wardlaw. According to The Texas Tribune over 1,200 kids age out of foster care in Texas every year. “Based on a variety of factors they may not be eligible for housing then what do we do,” said Wardlaw. “Residential would provide that stabilizing location where they can come, we can figure out all of their needs and start working on a plan instead of moving you from hotel to hotel or shelter to shelter.” “We want our clients to learn how to live in a family-type situation where there are going to be some problems. There are going to be some ups and downs but we hope to get through that and learn some skills that will do them well,” said Hays. |
| TBA | Nov 13, 2024 12:00 PM |
Veterans Week Program
TBA |