The President’s Corner

February 13, 2017

Happy almost Valentine’s Day Rotaract and Friends!

Last week’s membership meeting was fantastic. A hearty thank you to Mr. Oakley and his team from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. I believe I speak for everyone when I say that the presentation was informative and engaging – regardless of the liberal use of charts!

The group has asked that all who attended please fill out a short 4-5 minute survey. Click here to be taken to the survey. You can also learn more about the Atlanta Fed’s current events by following them on twitter (@AtlantaFed) or through Facebook.

Lastly, keep the Black Tie and Blue Jeans Gala in mind! April 22nd is quickly approaching. We are still looking for sponsors, food providers (also sponsors), and more ticket sales. Be creative! Dinner after the March 23rd meeting will be held at Jason’s Deli. A portion of these sales will go to towards the Gala.

-Tony B.

Member Spotlight

Take a moment to learn more about one of our members: Jonathan “Jonny” Taylor

Education:
Bachelors in Zoology/Environmental Science from Miami University (Ohio)

Occupation/Title/Company:
Environmental Specialist for the City of Jacksonville

What does your job entail?
Essentially I oversee the cleanup of underground petroleum contamination at around 40 sites around NE Florida. I work with environmental consulting companies that assess and remove the contamination from these sites so that our groundwater stays clean.

What do you do for fun?  What are your hobbies?
I love being outdoors, more specifically this includes hiking, camping, birding, and herping (looking for snakes, lizards, etc.). When I’m not in nature I enjoy reading about science and history, tasting as many craft beers as I can (I have an app to keep track), daydreaming about places I want to travel both near and far, and going on said trips with any willing participants.

If you weren’t currently in your occupation, what would you be doing (your dream job)?
I’d love to be someone teaches the masses about conservation and nature, like Jack Hanna, Jeff Corwin, or David Attenborough (maybe not as famous), and travel all over the world doing it!

Why did you join Rotaract?
I was new to Jacksonville and was looking to meet new people. I met a bunch of fantastic people who get involved in great causes and I decided to stay!

What is your favorite Rotaract memory?
This past July, we cooked dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald house. I had to cook a bunch of meat and it was a race against the clock so I felt like I was on Master Chef. I even had fellow cooks harshly judging its quality! It was a really fun afternoon and it was great to see what we had put together at the end.

What is your current goal or ambition?
Now that I have a great job in my field I’m planning on building myself up personally and professionally so I can find the next great opportunity!

Your alter ego name: self-given or given by others. Or best nickname?
In high school, some friends called me “Loomx’ (pronounced Loo-mix). They found out if you started typing “Jonny” into a flip phone using that old T9 typing, it would predict Loomx for some reason, and it stuck among a group of my close friends. I thought it was a funny little quirk so I use it as an alias from time to time.

Community Service

-Save the date: Riverside Craft Beer Fest February 25, 2017

More information here

-Save the date: Civic Orchestra Concert Service Project February 25, 2017

Locally, we have a good problem: there are too many volunteers. Unfortunately, the Craft Beer Festival was unable to accommodate so many volunteers. So, we will also be helping with the Civic Orchestra.

More information here

-Also keep an eye out for requests from the team planning the Gala.

Social

– February 11th – Karaoke!

Check out our new local celebrities: