The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

* FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

* SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

* THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;

* FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

Based on the Object of Rotary, the Avenues of Service are Rotary’s philosophical cornerstone and the foundation on which club activity is based:

* Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.

* Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.

* Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.

* International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
“We are one of 3 districts in the state of Georgia and cover an area from just north of Atlanta all the way down the western side of the state to the Florida line. We have 71 outstanding clubs with nearly 5,000 Rotarians who are making a difference in their communities, locally and around the world. From supporting local food pantries and school libraries to building hospitals and schools in the Caribbean and South America to providing life-saving polio vaccine to millions of children in India, the Rotarians of D6900 are Making Dreams Real for those who are less fortunate or struggling in today’s tough economic climate. Led by our District Governor Ted Propes, the Rotarians of D6900 will return to beautiful Jekyll Island in April to celebrate another successful Rotary year. When we do, we will be rekindling a tradition of meeting on Georgia’s Jewel that goes back more than 50 years. After being away for five years, D6900 Rotarians AND their families can’t wait to ‘come home’ again for a Rotary Roundup.”— Lauri Young, Rotary District 6900 Rotarian

Tags: community service, georgia conventions, international service, jekyll island convention center, jekyll island conventions, jekyll island georgia, lauri young, rotarians, rotart, rotary conventions, rotary D6900, rotary georgia, rotary goodwill, rotary internation, rotary leadership, service organizations, vocational service
Posted in April 2009, Beachscape | No Comments »

The Jekyll Island Authority today announced its selection for Planning, Architectural and Engineering Services for the Jekyll Island Convention Center, Beachfront Park and Entry Corridor Revitalization areas. The selection is a conclusion of Request for Qualified Contractor #253 and was approved by the Jekyll Island Authority Board on Monday.

The Jekyll Island Authority is pleased to select HHCP Architecture, Inc. as the winning firm. HHCP will contract and report to the Jekyll Island Authority and together with HHCP’s project team work with the JIA along with revitalization partner Linger Longer Communities to fulfill the vision for the new beach village.

“We had 33 responses to the RFQC, so the review team had a great amount of work to complete in a short amount of time,” stated Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “There were many great firms, but HHCP really impressed us, bringing a higher level of excitement and a deeper understanding of the importance and potential the beach village project has.”

HHCP Architecture, Inc. will be the primary partner and handle architecture, programming, budget & scheduling and LEED qualification. Among HHCP’s project team, site consultants will be Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co. of Brunswick, GA who will handle civil engineering and surveying. Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin of Atlanta will handle transportation planning, site planning, landscape architecture, environmental and graphics & wayfinding. Building consultants will be structural engineers Stanley D. Lindsey and Associates of Atlanta, mechanical engineers TLC Engineering for Architecture from Orlando and interior designer TJNG Partners also of Orlando. HHCP Architecture, Inc. is licensed and registered in Georgia with its main headquarters in Maitland, Florida.

“The new Jekyll Island Convention Center and Beach Village has the potential to create a strong sense of place and give visitors an enjoyable, rich and unique experience that will make them want to visit again,” stated Alan Helman, senior partner with HHCP Architecture, Inc. “We are obviously pleased with the selection and are confident in our team’s ability to meet the goals and exceed expectations.”

Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects, Inc. (HHCP) was founded in 1975 and has grown to become one of the southeast’s most experienced and respected architectural firms. With a staff of 67 professionals and support staff, HHCP has project experience all over the world, most in the hospitality industry. Much of the domestic experience is in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico and includes the Orange County Convention Center and University of Central Florida’s College of Hospitality in Orlando. HHCP’s work on the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort was recognized as the 2007 Project of the Year by Associated Builders and Contractors.

The Jekyll Island Beach Village project is one of several redevelopment projects which will bring about the revitalization of Jekyll Island. Along with a new convention center and beachfront park, partner Linger Longer Communities will construct two adjacent hotels, a retail shopping village with public plaza and a new vacation ownership lodging project. The entry corridor to Jekyll Island will be re-worked to unify the site and place the beach village adjacent and overlooking the beach and ocean. The total project is expected to cost $165+ million.

Even during revitalization, Jekyll Island offers guests a wonderful beach escape with hotels, rental cottages and campground all operating. All restaurants, tennis facilities, bike paths, Summer Waves Water Park, Historic Landmark District and golf courses are open for business; and miles of uncrowded beach are unaffected by revitalization project work. For more information about Jekyll island revitalization, visit www.jekyllisland.com. For more information on HHCP Architecture, Inc., please visit www.hhcp.com.

Tags: georgia beaches, georgia vacations, jekyll island authority, jekyll island authority board, jekyll island convention center, jekyll island meetings, jekyll island redevelopment, Jekyll island revitaliz, Jekyll Island vacations
Posted in Press Releases | No Comments »

Beginning this year, the Jekyll Island Authority Event Marketing team is getting extra help via volunteer participation on event planning committees. The committee approach was initiated to encourage more community and inter-departmental involvement at all Jekyll Island events.”Our local business owners, managers, and residents are great resources for ideas and are eager to help,” said Jones Hooks, Executive Director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “By establishing these committees, we hope to bring those ideas together and open more lines of communication between the JIA and our community.”

The Event Planning Committees are divided into two categories. Event Support Committees help bolster all events via sponsorship sales, fund-raising, entertainment negotiations, financial management, volunteer recruitment, and environmental oversight. Event Committees work on issues directly related to their specific event. An Event Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from each of the other committees, oversees all events and makes decisions on any new event proposals.

“With more people involved we are able to gather ideas and find better solutions,” said Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator for the Jekyll Island Authority. “We want our annual events to be more community-oriented rather than just promote tourism. So far the response has been extremely positive and we appreciate the input and support.”

Interested parties are still invited to participate on an Event Committee. To sign up contact Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator for the Jekyll Island Authority at 912-635-4189. For more information on all Jekyll Island events, visit www.jekyllisland.com.

Tags: jekyll island, jekyll island beach, jekyll island beach music festival, jekyll island convention center, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island golf, jekyll island hotels, Jekyll Island volunteers, Shrimp & Grits Festival
Posted in In the News, Press Releases | No Comments »

The first float finder of Jekyll Island’s 2009 Island Treasure promotion is Eric and Deborah Stevens from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Staying at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, the couple read about Island Treasures in Jekyll Island’s Beachscape Newsletter.

“Island Treasures on Jekyll Island” is a unique treasure hunting experience on Georgia’s most popular public beach. The treasures are hand-crafted glass floats, called Island Treasures. The glass floats have been sought after by Jekyll Island guests since 2002. Each is unique and stamped with the year to be a collector’s item for the lucky beachcomber who finds one.

Island Treasures mimic glass floats once used on the fishing nets of fishermen in the early 1900s. The floats would sometimes break loose and wash ashore for lucky beachcombers to find and keep. Collecting these glass floats became a hobby in the 1950’s, declined as commercial fishing moved to plastic and Styrofoam floats. Glass fishing floats became rarer and are highly sought after and very valuable today.

During January and February, the Jekyll Island Authority recreates this hunt-and-find experience is recreated. The glass float treasures are the works of commissioned artists from across the country. “Beach Buddies” hide them along the shore line every day for lucky visitors to find and keep. Treasure finders can register their Island Treasure at the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center to receive a bio on the artist and a certificate of authenticity. The Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center has Island Treasure floats and an array of the other colorful glass creations for purchase in-store or online at www.jekyllisland.com/islandtreasures.

Since the promotion began six years ago, over 1,000 glass floats have been found by guests from across the U.S., Canada and England. Jekyll Island floats are collector’s items and can be occasionally found on auction sites like eBay.

Those who are unable to visit Jekyll Island can participate in a virtual treasure hunt on www.jekyllisland.com. Search the website for small, hidden Island Treasure pictures. The first person to click on one will win an actual Island Treasure that will be shipped to them.

Tags: Beachcombing on Jekyll Island, Georgia Coat, glass floats, island treasures, jekyll island, jekyll island beach, jekyll island convention center, Jekyll Island Events, jekyll island golf, jekyll island hotels, Jekyll Island Island Treasures, Winter vacations on the Georgia Coast
Posted in Beach Bummin', Festivalgoer | No Comments »

Beginning New Year’s Day and continuing through the months of January and February, the Jekyll Island Authority hosts “Island Treasures on Jekyll Island”, a unique treasure hunting experience on Georgia’s most popular public beach. The treasures are hand-crafted glass floats, called Island Treasures. The glass floats have been sought after by Jekyll Island guests since 2002. Each is unique and stamped with the year to be a collector’s item for the lucky beachcomber who finds one.

Island Treasures mimic glass floats once used on the fishing nets of fishermen in the early 1900s. The floats would sometimes break loose and wash ashore for lucky beachcombers to find and keep. Collecting these glass floats became a hobby in the 1950’s, declined as commercial fishing moved to plastic and Styrofoam floats. Glass fishing floats became more rare and are highly sought after and very valuable today.

During these first two winter months, the Jekyll Island Authority recreates this hunt-and-find experience is recreated. The glass float treasures are the works of commissioned artists from across the country. “Beach Buddies” hide them along the shore line every day for lucky visitors to find and keep. Treasure finders can register their Island Treasure at the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center to receive a bio on the artist and a certificate of authenticity. The Jekyll Island Visitor Information Center has Island Treasure floats and an array of the other colorful glass creations for purchase in-store or online at www.jekyllisland.com/islandtreasures.

“Jekyll Island is a popular winter escape for guests from northern states and Canada,” explained Beth Burnsed, Event Marketing Coordinator. “The natural beauty of our beach has its own special rewards to beachcombers, but to find a beautiful Island Treasure is really exciting!”

Since the promotion began six years ago, over 1,000 glass floats have been found by guests from across the U.S., Canada and England. Jekyll Island floats are collector’s items and can be occasionally found on auction sites like eBay.

Those who are unable to visit Jekyll Island can participate in a virtual treasure hunt on www.jekyllisland.com. Search the website for small, hidden Island Treasure pictures. The first person to click on one will win an actual Island Treasure that will be shipped to them.

Participating hotels have special programs and packages to celebrate Island Treasures on Jekyll Island. Jekyll Island has seven hotels open and operating, including the boutique Beachview Club. Other hotels include the Oceanside Inn & Suites, Quality Inn, Jekyll Oceanfront Clarion Resort, Villas By The Sea, Jekyll Island Club Hotel and the Days Inn & Suites. For more information on Island Treasures and other events on Jekyll Island, visit www.jekyllisland.com or call 1-877-4JEKYLL.

Tags: beach treasure, glass fishing floats, island treasures, island treasures on Jekyll Island, jekyll island beach, jekyll island convention center, jekyll island golf, jekyll island hotels
Posted in Festivalgoer, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Well it seems things went really well…

They wrote us this really nice letter thanking us for how well the wedding and reception went:

Dear Stacey,

I just wanted to write to say a brief thanks to you and everyone at the Convention Center for pulling off everything we had planned for Bess’ wedding last Saturday despite tropical storm Fay.  You all really do have the “can do” attitude you expressed.  The rooftop garden room looked lovely and the food was hot and ready when the guests arrived.  The cake professional did a lovely job slicing the cake.  Several guests mentioned how tasty the buffet was, especially the perfectly done flounder.

The detailed way you gave us a tour of the Chapel back in March also helped very much.  My mother’s 86 year old cousin did brave the wind and rain to come to the wedding in her scooter.  Because you had told me what you had seen a guest in a similar scooter do at a previous wedding, we were able to reassure her that by arriving early she could go down the aisle and wait in the back until everyone paraded past her, then watch from the back aisle.  It meant a great deal to her to be there and having her movements worked out in advance kept her feeling at ease.

Thanks again—

Shelley Sturges

Tags: georgia coast, jekyll island convention center, jekyll island wedding, tropical storm fay
Posted in Diversions | No Comments »