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He was elected to the County Board in a special election on July 7, 2020. Born in Athens, Greece, Mr. Karantonis studied economics in Germany, graduating from Berlin’s Freie Universitaet with a Master’s Degree in urban and regional economics, with an emphasis on inequality in urban development.
New Member: Jeff A. Davis
Jeff A. Davis was inducted into Rotary at our October 8th club meeting. He was sponsored by President Chelsi Dildine. Jeff has attended several of our online club meetings and has 
participated in a Trivia Happy Hour.
participated in a Trivia Happy Hour. Jeff A. Davis joined General Dynamics in October 2018 as head of communications. He serves as the company’s principal spokesperson and synchronizes the efforts of communications professionals across the company’s ten business units. Prior to joining General Dynamics, Davis served as the principal partner of Davis Endo LLC, a crisis communications consultancy.
Jeff was the Pentagon’s Director of Defense Press Operations from 2015 to 2017, serving as the senior non-political spokesperson for the Department of Defense. He was the acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs during the presidential transition and served as a communications advisor to Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis.
A retired Captain in the U.S. Navy, Jeff served as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) and as the speechwriter for the U.S. Pacific Fleet commander. He has been the Director of Public Affairs for Navy Region Hawaii, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, the U.S. 7th Fleet, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command. He was the Navy’s assistant Chief of Information for Media, where he served as the Navy’s primary spokesperson.
A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles, a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He was a 2006 Pacific Century Fellow and is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Jeff was the Pentagon’s Director of Defense Press Operations from 2015 to 2017, serving as the senior non-political spokesperson for the Department of Defense. He was the acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs during the presidential transition and served as a communications advisor to Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis.
A retired Captain in the U.S. Navy, Jeff served as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) and as the speechwriter for the U.S. Pacific Fleet commander. He has been the Director of Public Affairs for Navy Region Hawaii, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, the U.S. 7th Fleet, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command. He was the Navy’s assistant Chief of Information for Media, where he served as the Navy’s primary spokesperson.
A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian Studies from the University of California at Los Angeles, a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He was a 2006 Pacific Century Fellow and is an alumnus of the Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
New Member: Krysta Jones
Krysta Jones was inducted into Rotary at our November 24th club meeting. She was sponsored by Lisa Bellamy and Inducted by President Chelsi Dildine. We 
first met Krysta as our lunchtime speaker. She has since been a guest at multiple ARC meetings and graciously accepted our invitation to join. (Normally you would see a photo to the induction on this website, but we were meeting virtually and do not have a photo of the ceremony.)
Named one of Leadership Arlington's Top 40 Under 40, Krysta Jones was also featured in Ebony Magazine as a "Hero Next Door". She successfully represented two associations for eight years as a registered lobbyist, advocating for women’s and socio-economic status issues. Krysta has served as the Director of Outreach for two Members of Congress, designing outreach strategies, developing relationships with key community leaders and communicating their legislative agenda via meetings and over 20 congressional events. While serving in the Peace Corps in Paraguay from 2000-2002, Ms. Jones helped create student governments, and procured funding and provided training for a community radio station. Krysta has served in leadership roles for several local, state and national organizations. Krysta hosts her own show, "A Seat at the Table" on Arlington Independent Media. She is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership and the Women’s Campaign School at Yale.
Service Above Self
Blood Drive
Arlington Rotary finished its summer by supporting a successful blood drive by the Rock Spring United Church of Christ. Club President Chelsi Dildine (pictured) didn't get to drive the Bloodmobile, but was excited by the turnout. Many thanks to Club member Hugh Barton who took the lead in organizing the club's annual appeal for donors.
Scholarship Awards
Arlington Rotary Educational Foundation--Scholarships Awarded to Exceptional Students in an Exceptional Year
The Arlington Rotary Club (ARC) Educational Foundation has awarded college scholarships to two members of Arlington’s Class of 2020.
Maria Canales-Williams, a graduate of Washington-Liberty High School is the recipient of the ARC Educational Foundation Scholarship for $10,000 to attend Virginia Tech University where she intends to study biology and pursue a career as a research scientist in gene therapy to help fight and find cures for diseases.
Her many activities include serving as president of the Cystic Fibrosis Club.
Daniel Meskel, a graduate of Arlington Community High School. Is the recipient of the ARC "American Challenge" Stipend in Memory of Audra Rafter for $8,000 to attend Northern Virginia Community College. He intends to study computer science.
He previously was awarded a gold medal for web design in the Virginia Shills USA competition.
The scholarships are awarded annually and provided in semester installments.
April 24th -- Food for Local Families in Need
Arlington Rotary Club recently raised over $10,000 to alleviate hunger in Arlington. One half of the funds raised was passed on to Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and the other half to Bayou Bakery's participation in the Real Food for Kids initiative.
WJLA has a piece on Bayou Bakery and Real Food for Kids.
January 20th, A Successful MLK Day of Service
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For the second year in a row, Arlington Rotary Club sponsored a no-sew fleece blanket assembly project during Volunteer Arlington's Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer Day. Over one hundred volunteers assembled 200 fleece blankets! After Raquel Neumann described what the Rotary Club does and Chelsi Dildine described how to put the blankets together, the volunteers spent the next two hours assembling the blankets. The blankets were donated to Arlington Housing Corporation (https://www.ahcinc.org/), an affordable housing company that gave the blankets to kids in their housing developments and to A-SPAN, an NGO committed to ending homelessness in Arlington, who gave the blankets to their clients. |
Click here for more photos.
Packing Beans for AFAC
On September 30th, Rotarians (and three future Rotarians) were at Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) packing beans for distribution. (AFAC buys in bulk; we package.)
Backpacks for Students—Delivered!
We have met our goal of 20 backpacks, filled with school supplies. Special thanks to David Sutfin who personally handled all – yes, all – the logistics. Julie Booth, APAH Volunteer Program Manager joined us at our last meeting, and departed with the well-stuffed backpacks.
Empowering Enrichment for Arlington Schools
Arlington Rotary Club provided $5,000 in scholarships for Key Elementary School students
and Oakridge Elementary school students for the 2018-2019 school year. The scholarships were used to pay students' tuition for Empowering Enrichment, an after-school program that provides students with learning opportunities on a wide range of subjects, including math, science, dance, slight of hand, and more. The goal: Assist students who otherwise would not have been financially able to participate in these enriching programs to share these opportunities with their fellow students. Validated comments below:
and Oakridge Elementary school students for the 2018-2019 school year. The scholarships were used to pay students' tuition for Empowering Enrichment, an after-school program that provides students with learning opportunities on a wide range of subjects, including math, science, dance, slight of hand, and more. The goal: Assist students who otherwise would not have been financially able to participate in these enriching programs to share these opportunities with their fellow students. Validated comments below:Dear Rotary,
Many of our students have benefitted from the Rotary scholarships your group has generously provided over the years. The little girl in kindergarten, who was so obsessed with ballet that she wore skirts everyday and called them tutus, is the 4th grader who still loves dance classes. The shy, new student who came last year is an outgoing artist in the sketching class. The student who told me that she loves sewing and weaving because she learned it from her grandmother, is continuing to grow her skills in the sewing class. Thanks so much for all you do,
-- Key Elementary Teacher
I cannot express how grateful I feel as a teacher that I’m able to offer scholarship enrichment opportunities to our students. You have been such an integral part of their development and growth outside of the normal school day. The recipients are those who don’t have access to Legos or technology at home, so now they’re able to utilize these resources to build their creative and analytical minds. On a personal level, they are so excited to take these classes. Second graders often need reminders to be responsible for their actions, but my students are fully aware of their schedules. They actually remind me and say, “Today I’m going to take the Minecraft class!” sharing their enthusiasm for all who are willing to listen. So, it is with extreme humility and gratitude that I say, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!”
-- Key Elementary Teacher
-- Key Elementary Teacher
Many of our students have benefitted from the Rotary scholarships your group has generously provided over the years. The little girl in kindergarten, who was so obsessed with ballet that she wore skirts everyday and called them tutus, is the 4th grader who still loves dance classes. The shy, new student who came last year is an outgoing artist in the sketching class. The student who told me that she loves sewing and weaving because she learned it from her grandmother, is continuing to grow her skills in the sewing class. Thanks so much for all you do,
-- Key Elementary Teacher
“It is very fun to learn new things that you don’t know. We learned about codes that will control computers and tell them what to do.”
-- Key Elementary Student and Scholarship recipient
-- Key Elementary Student and Scholarship recipient
“I love dancing with Ms. Shona!! Even if you get the steps mixed up, she will always help you get it right. She really makes sure everyone is comfortable and confident!!”
-- Oakridge Elementary Student and Scholarship recipientWhen Rotary Club donates to enrichment programs members are funding independence, joy, mentoring, friendships and learning. These scholarships make it possible for a kid to pick her own class, explore what she wants to explore. The support the 2nd grade boy in his magic class receives is invisible to him and to others. They just get a chance to be regular kids instead of recipients of aid, and experience what it’s like to have their own agency and choices. This is a basic human need as children become the adults they are destined to be. Experiences like Enrichment may seem small but they set these young people up for success in life and help them with confidence. And, exploring cooking, yoga, dancing or chess or magic is fun and also a way to learn and interact with interesting adults who can mentor and engage with them in smaller groups.
-- Jenny Sammis, Oakridge Elementary School PTA President, 2018
-- Jenny Sammis, Oakridge Elementary School PTA President, 2018
I have had the pleasure of teaching dance to Empowering Enrichment Rotary Club Scholarship students at both Key and Oakridge Elementary. The Oakridge scholarship student had already been given a PTA scholarship in years past, which meant she was not eligible to take my class through this means again. The Rotary scholarship allowed the student to do her favorite thing - dance! She served as a leader in the class by helping to lead warm ups and by taking a front row spot in the performance dance. I know that her participation in the class boosted her confidence and gave her a real sense of pride in her hard work. At Key, I had multiple scholarship recipients in my dance class. Without the Rotary scholarships I believe we would have been under enrolled, which would have led to the class being cancelled. So, from that perspective the Rotary scholarships, directly and indirectly, helped all 13 students participate in an active, creative arts activity. We had a great group of students who really bonded. They learned a dance using flags as props. We decorated these flags to represent our own personalities and then waved them proudly as we danced. The dancers showed so much enthusiasm and pride for their final performance dance.
-- Shona Colglazier, Urban Kangaroo Owner
