02/16/2026
The Rotary Club of Monroe has a proud weekly tradition: we donate a book to a local elementary school library in honor of our guest speaker. It’s one of our favorite ways to invest in the next generation of readers and further City of Monroe, GA Government's mission of increasing youth literacy.
However, leadership and growth don't stop in elementary school!
Today, our President-elect, Matt Whitley, took "Service Above Self" to the shelves by donating 110 books to the Walton County Public Library.
These weren’t just any books, they were the "tools of the trade" Matt used during his time at West Point, in the Army as an Apache helicopter pilot, platoon leader, and company commander, and through his MBA at the University of Georgia. Many of them traveled with him during his deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
While these high-level leadership, business, and strategy texts aren't quite right for an elementary classroom, they are perfect for the Monroe-Walton County Library's mission. By donating them, we’re ensuring that the wisdom that helped build a local leader is now available to anyone in Walton County looking to start their own journey.
They also accepted these books with his highlights and notes, so they don’t have to be mint-condition!
If you’ve got books at home that have helped you grow, consider following Matt’s lead. Let’s clear the "shelf-drag" and keep Walton County's literacy programs thriving!