The Rotary Club of Hall County — Sunset recently donated $500 to Our Neighbor of Gainesville to help provide groceries for the residents of Randy’s House, an Our Neighbor facility.

Our Neighbor is an organization that helps young adults with special needs become more independent through affordable housing that suits their needs.

The new Rotary club also recently held its Charter Night, celebrating the organization’s new charter.

The event included appearances by Rotary Governor Shane Burr and District Governor Garland C. Moore. The president of the club, Jean Cornett, offered a challenge to other members to add at least one new member each by July 31. The Rotary Club of Hall County — Sunset is sponsored by Rotary Club of Gainesville, Doug Langman, immediate past president, and Rick Boyd, current president.

The club meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Sweetfire Lodge, 1701 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville.

William Rezak, president of Alfred State College in Alfred, N.Y., from 1993-2003, met with honors program members on Sept. 24 to explain and discuss the ongoing Middle East tensions, giving particular emphasis to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Because Rezak’s family roots are in the Middle East, he has studied the history of these conflicts for some time. Honors program members were given an in-depth look at the current struggles in the Middle East.

White County resident Johnny Westmoreland was recently named the regional winner for Northeast Georgia of the Garden Club of Georgia’s annual competition.

Westmoreland, a longtime employee of the Georgia Department of Trnasportation, was honored for his spectacular display of wildflowers throughout Hall County.

He recently retired from the department with more than 34 years of service.

The Garden Club of Georgia presents awards each year to Georgia DOT employees in recognition of their efforts to support the state’s wildflowers.