Perry Rotary Club

*Thank you, Senator Larry Walker III!*

The Rotary Club of Perry was proud to welcome one of our own — Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker III — as our speaker at the June 8th meeting. It’s always special when a fellow Perry Rotarian takes the podium.

Senator Walker updated us on the Gold Dome and his work for Middle Georgia and District 20.

*Highlights from Senator Walker’s past year:*

*Strengthening Georgia’s Workforce*
Sen. Walker sponsored SB 354, SB 373, and SB 195 — all signed into law — to cut red tape and expand job opportunities. These bills removed licensure for hair styling/makeup services, expedited licenses for marriage & family therapists moving to Georgia, and made Georgia the 3rd state to join the Social Work Licensing Compact.

*Delivering Tax Relief*
He helped pass HB 111, lowering Georgia’s income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19% with a path to 4.99%, and HB 112, providing one-time refunds of $250-$500 to taxpayers.

*Backing the Blue & Tort Reform*
Sen. Walker championed the “Back the Blue Act” to fund merit bonuses for deputies and jailers, and led on SB 68 to curb lawsuit abuse and protect small businesses.

*Insurance Reform for Homeowners*
He carried HB 1344, the Georgia Insurance Fairness Act, giving homeowners the right to see and dispute aerial images used to cancel policies, plus creating storm damage mitigation grants.

*Fighting for Middle Georgia*
From advocating for Robins AFB during the 2025 federal shutdown to securing $3M for Rock Eagle 4-H Center cabins, Sen. Walker continues to put Houston County first.

Senator Walker, thank you for your leadership, your accessibility, and for living out Service Above Self — both under the Gold Dome and here at home in Perry Rotary.

*Thank you to today’s Rotary guest speaker, Paul Allen!* 🙌

We appreciated hearing from Paul Allen, Business Development Project Manager for the Houston County Development Authority, about the *Middle Georgia Workforce Alliance*.

Paul shared valuable insight on how we’re connecting educators and employers, building talent pipelines, and closing critical skill gaps to strengthen our local economy. His work with Certified Work Ready programs and customized recruitment events is making a real impact for employers and job seekers across our region.

Thank you, Paul, for your dedication to growing opportunities for Georgia’s workforce and for giving us a clearer picture of what’s happening right here at home.

The Perry Rotary Club proudly completed our annual Dr. Cabasares Literacy Project this week at Tucker Elementary School and Kings Chapel Elementary School. Every student at both schools was able to choose and take home books of their own to keep.

This project is designed to help combat summer reading loss and keep students on track for the next school year. Children who do not read or have access to books during the summer can lose 2–3 months of reading progress, making it even harder to catch up in the fall. Statistics show that only 38% of Georgia’s third-graders are reading proficiently, making reading over the summer even more important for our kids.

Literacy is one of the greatest gifts we can invest in and Perry Rotary is proud to be able to do this project annually for our local kids.

Perry Rotary Hooks Success at Annual Fishing Tournament

PERRY, Ga. — The Perry Rotary Club reeled in community support during its Annual Fishing Tournament held Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry. Proceeds from the event will fund Rotary projects serving needs locally and abroad.

Top 10 Winners
Conner Law & Mason Engle
Ben Lawson & Brant Beckham
Klint Rooks & Bob Lawson
Trent Mason, Tillman Mason & Thomas Mason (7)
Larry Walker Jr and Foster Rhodes
Chase Davis & Dalton Fuller & Wyatt Fuller (6)
Andy Crook & Clay Smith
Ike Wilcox & Eddie Wilcox & Hank Cannon (12)
Bob Moore & Phillip Moore
Malcolm Dean & Jerry Dean

Big Fish Winners
Adult: Conner Law & Mason Engle
Youth 0-8: Thomas Mason, age 7
Youth 9-12: Hank Cannon, age 12

Congratulations also go to the winners of the raffles for big prizes.

The Perry Rotary Club thanks all cash and in-kind donors, volunteers, Perry Rotarians, the Trinity School of Medicine Rotaract Club, and the community. Special appreciation goes to Mayor Randal Walker for serving as emcee.