Announcements:
Round Up for Rotary - August 10 & August 17 - Volunteer opportunity to work at Piggly Wiggly Sign up to work a shift or two.
August 10 - 1 to 3; 3 to 5, 5 to 7
August 17 - 1 to 3, 3 to 5, 5 to 7
Speaker -
Dr. Babet Villena-Alvarez, our speaker on July 30, spoke about the "Korean Wave"
She taught at USCB for 30 years and was named Professor of the year in 2010. She spoke about "Sports with no borders" which brought many Koreans here for golf. Business with no borders brought Hyundai to Georgia. The Hyundai plant is the largest project ever in Georgia state history. The plant, which will be making electric and hybrid vehicles (Genesis, Hyundai, Kia) is expected to employ 8,000. It will be opening six months early and supposed to start making vehicles by the end of this year. The project has brought many challenges: Wages & transportation; work force housing; labor force; traffic; infrastructure - electricity, water; occupational safety; cultural diversion. Babet led a group to Korea to tour facilities. October 25 they are having a conference here with presentations by Hyundai and Mando - the biggest supplier of chassis and brakes. The plant is bringing Korean engineers and the rest of the workers will be mostly American. A Grant, approved in July 2023, which provides education, will help with the special situation of many Koreans moving to this area. In addition to Hyundai, fifteen large companies have moved to Georgia, pulling in a lot of Koreans.
At the July 23 Meeting RRFC Bernie Riedel gave us a Foundation/ Polio update.
He also tested our memories and knowledge with a game of Rotary Jeopardy. Competition was tough, and lots of fun.