Dr. Jacob Atem, a former Lost Boy of Sudan came to the GOC to share his experiences and encourage our Members to overcome obstacles. At age 6, Jacob walked 2000 miles across war torn Sudan with other children after his village was burned. Many of the children he walked with did not survive the journey. Jacob now lives in Gainesville and has dedicated his life to helping others. As a trauma survivor, he knows how important mental health support is to the people in our community. Jacob is also a Member of the Gainesville Rotary Club in Rotary District 6970. The Rotary Club of Downtown Gainesville is sponsoring a major water project through Jacob for South Sudan. Clubhouse International – ICCD

If you meet Jacob you will notice he is always smiling. That says a lot about who he is. Jacobs story was heartbreaking and uplifting to the GOC Members, staff and GOC Board who attended. GOC Board and Members listen as Jacob talks about not losing hope. He says once he survived one harrowing experience, he wasn’t going to let anything stop him. GOC Director of Business Development Brett Buell has worked with Jacob for several years, even though they are in different Rotary Clubs. Service above self and the magic of Rotary brings them together.