8/28: Dr. Susan Johnson: Blue Zone Project

August 28, 2018 – This week the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston welcomed Dr. Susan Johnson who gave a very informative presentation on the “Charleston Blue Zones Project”. Susan, who is director of MUSC’s Office of Health Promotion, was introduced to the Blue Zones concept at a conference for hospital administrators several years ago.

Blue Zones is a term coined by National Geographic researcher and journalist Dan Beuettner to describe locales where people live much longer than average. In his original article and subsequent book, he identified 5 sites as Blue Zones: Lorma Linda, CA; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Icaria, Greece; and Okinawa, Japan.

Each of these had unique characteristics that Beuttner theorized were factors in the longevity of the population. For instance, Lorma Linda, CA has a very large concentration of Seventh-day Adventists; who favor a very plant-based diet. Nicoya, Costa Rica has a water supply very rich in calcium and magnesium, which are thought to minimize risk of heart disease and other ailments. There is a tradition of napping in the afternoons in Icaria Greece, which has the highest percentage of 90-year olds on the planet. Due to Okinawa’s isolation, many extended families live nearby and support each other on a daily basis. And in Sardinia, Italy, their tradition is to have wine daily, sharing a meal with friends and family.

Susan explained the “Blue Zone Solutions” that were brought to light from studying these communities: “Move Naturally”, “Down-shifting” to reduce stress, diet, limited wine over meal with friends, family, and belonging to faith-based communities and to the “right tribe” of health conscious and supportive friends.

The Blue Zones Project allows communities to select from 3 evidence based policy bundles that best fit their needs. There are now 45 communities in 9 states that are currently involved in the project. The hope is that these communities experience significant saving in medical cost and reductions in lost productivity, resulting in a significant return on the investment made into the program.

Charleston has finished the early steps to become a Blue Zone city with a Community Forum slated for September 20^th at Founders Hall, Charlestowne Landing to continue the process. The current sponsors of the program (no public funds have been committed) are MUSC, Blue Cross, Roper Hospital, and Sodexo. Susan invited anyone interested to attend the forum and to consider becoming a sponsor in the project.

– Jeff Webb, Keyway Committee

IN OTHER MEETING NEWS

• Jamie Cooper gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
• Nick Galizia introduced our Visiting Rotarians and guests.
• President Alex Dallis presented Health and Happiness.
• Robert Sullivan introduced our speaker, Dr. Susan Johnson, who spoke about the Blue Zone Project.

MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
September 4, 2018 | Issue 4903 | President: Alex Dallis

COMING EVENTS

• September 4 – No Meeting
• September 11 – Colonel Nick Wackym, USAF, Planning of first forces in Afghanistan after 9/11
• September 18 – Kristen Beckham, Dominion Energy
• September 25 – Club Assembly

NEWS BRIEFS

RCCF Grant Applications Being Accepted

The Rotary Club of Charleston Fund (RCCF) is accepting requests for grants.  Interested organizations are required to submit a Letter of Inquiry and complete a grant application prior to September 1 to be considered.  The application and other details regarding the grant process can be found on our club’s website — www. charleston-rotary.org.

Rotary Global Grant Scholar Candidate

Unfortunately, our club’s candidate, Eric Singleton, was not chosen as a Rotary Global Scholar.  The candidates were all well qualified and District 7770 selected three scholars for 2019-20.  Eric is very appreciate of the support provided by our club and wanted to thank the members for their assistance.

Dear Rotarians,

I wanted to extend my deepest and most sincere thanks for showing me the many ways in which one can build a life that reflects the mantra of service above self. While I was not awarded a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, I remain undeterred in my engagements with Rotary (even here in Omaha) and in the realm of global social justice. I have learned a great deal from this process, and thank you for your sponsorship, leadership, advice, and above all for welcoming me into a club of stellar individuals. I hope to see some of you again in the near future…you’ll be sure to catch me in Charleston in February as I attempt to escape subzero mid-western temperatures for a few days!

Thank you once again, and I wish you all the very best. 

Eric 

Eric Singleton

College of Charleston Honors ’18

B.S. Psychology

B.A. International Studies

Charleston 40 Vice President

c: 864.325.1583

e: [email protected]

Youth Exchange Host Family Needed

Our club is seeking a host family for our Inbound Rotary Exchange student from March 2019- June/July 2019 (until after her return from the Rotary Western trip).  Our Club’s Inbound student, Lucia Violani, who is from Italy, is 17 years old and attending the Charleston Charter School for Math & Science.  Please note that having other school age children in your home is not a requirement for hosting.

As you know, the secondary student program offers an opportunity for you and your family to experience firsthand the richness and diversity of a culture different from your own, and for you to exemplify American values and culture to a foreign visitor. Approximately 25,000 high school students from around the world participate in this program each year. The good will of American host families in opening their homes to these young international visitors is vital to this program’s success. The health, safety, and well-being of the young people who participate in this program are our highest priority. A host family has many responsibilities, the most important of which is properly caring for an international student during the course of his/her program. The student is a guest in your home and how you relate with this student will create a lasting image of our country and its people. It also offers you and your family a unique, rewarding and enjoyable experience.

Please let Karen Clark now as soon as possible if you are able to consider this Hosting opportunity. If you are interested, either Karen or Richard Sidebottom will contact you to discuss further. We appreciate your consideration and thank you for your support of this great program!

Rotary District Fall Seminar

The Rotary District Fall Seminar is being held on Friday, September 21^st at Seacoast Church in Mt Pleasant (see details below). This is a great opportunity right in our own back yard to learn more about Rotary and meet fellow Rotarians from around the District.  If you are interested in attending, please let Carroll know.

Location:  Seacoast Church, 750 Long Point Road, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Start time: 9:00 am (registration begins 8:15 am)

Finish time: 4:00 pm

Attire: business casual

Registration Fee: $35.00 per person paid by our club    **Lunch is included

Registration:  Carroll to take care of the registration

No Meeting Labor Day Week

 Please note that we will NOT meet this Tuesday, September 4^th.

Join the PR Committee and Earn Service Hours, too! (Fame, notoriety and recognition from your peers is FREE!)

We’re looking for 3 to 4 Rotarians to help us spread the word about our Club through various communications channels. Your contributions will reach countless Club members, family and friends, as well as the local community at-large more than 36-times a year! Your feature stories and timely coverage of Rotary Club events may also be picked up by District, National and International Rotary news channels.

Don’t worry if your’re not an expert techie, can’t write like Hemingway and Pat Conroy, or wield a camera like Steve McCurry or Annie Leibovitz – our super-qualified A-team will be right there to support your efforts with training and guidance you’ll need to see your by-line and photo-credit circulation grow to an epic scale.

Social Media Manager:  Work with team members, committee heads and the Board on developing, publishing and promoting social media content for the Club. Active channels now include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Familiarity with these or emerging platforms will be helpful, as will knowledge of what makes for successful SM content. Experience with search optimization techniques will earn you immediate MVP status. While your own exposure to Social Media is helpful, it is not essential. The team will gladly train our e-challenged volunteers, too!

Keyway Production Manager: Work with co-chairs, Keyway editor and our content development team to publish our weekly newsletter on club web site. Familiarity with web publishing and content managing systems (e.g WordPress) a plus.

Keyway Content Developers: Copywriters & storytellers who can develop short-form, original content including summary articles, possibly combined with team-generated photos and/video content, to provide coverage of weekly meetings and presenters, as well as occasionally produce special features on past or upcoming club events, special projects and fundraisers.

So if you are interested in maximizing your Rotary experience, this is your chance to create an immediate and long-lasting impact on how our Club is regarded by current and prospective members. You will also be shaping how our Club will be recognized by our peers, our community and by Rotary International for the good work of our members.

Join the Charleston Rotary Press Corps and help generate that buzz! Contact Mike Sottak, [email protected], or Rob Byko, [email protected], for more information.

MEMBER NEWS

Member News

President Alex presented new member Tom Giovanniello with his Blue Membership Badge this past Tuesday.  Tom has been an active new member and successfully completed all “Red Badge” requirements.  We appreciate his dedication and enthusiasm for Rotary. Congratulations, Tom!

Please note that Carroll Schweers will be out recovering from surgery the first couple of weeks of September. She will return emails as she is able.  If you have an urgent matter, it is suggested that you contact President Alex Dallis or President-Elect Sandy Morckel.

Proposed New Member

The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:

Zac Jones – sponsor:  Kurt Seguer, classification:  Insurance

In the event you know Zac, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Rotarian: Courtney Parades Plotner

• Joined: 2017
• Sponsor:  The one and only Kerby Teller
• Membership Involvement: International Committee and Membership Committee
• Classification: Eleemosynary/Executive
• Profession: CEO of the Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
• Something Unique About Yourself: My husband and I spent a month and a half traveling around southern Africa during the 2010 World Cup. This isn’t necessarily unique, but we love to travel, and this was the most amazing travel experience we have had so far

Birthdays

• September 11 – Ellen Berlin
• September 12 – Lisa Stokes
• September 13 – Rob Byko
• September 14 – Alan Uram
• September 16 – Courtney Plotner

By the numbers

Attendance on August 28, 2018:  61

Not in attendance:  Allen, Baggs, Barry, Baus, Berlin, Bishop, Bodkin, Brady, Bullard, Carico, Channell, Clary, Coe, Coghill, Cole, Cook, Deavenport, Diminich, Dopp, Drafts, Echols, Embry, Fellabom, Gill, Holmes, Hudnall, Husser, Johnson, Jones, Kaynard, Kerrigan, Kohli, Krumwiede, Leonard, Livingston, Marty, Minson, Mitchell, Moring, Prewitt, Ravenel, Raver, Riley, Rust, Schmidt, Seguer, Sidebottom, Smith, H., Stokes, Strickland, Taylor, E., Tecklenburg, John, Tecklenburg, P., Teller, Van Bergen, Welborn, Willey, Williams, Youngs

Out of Town Make-ups:  None

WELLNESS TIP

Let Beans Be a Part of Your Diet

If you do one thing to improve your diet this fall, eat 3 cups of beans each week. Besides being a comfort food, beans add flavor and texture to soups, chili, and casseroles. They’re also a great salad topper.

Beans are rich in protein, iron, folic acid, fiber, and potassium. So pick a bean, any bean — lima, black, garbanzo, pinto, or others — and enjoy.

AREA CLUB MEETINGS

Mondays

• Summerville – Oakbrook: 7:30 a.m., Monday, Westcott County Club, 5000 Wescott Club Drive, North Charleston
• North Charleston: 12:30 a.m., Monday, Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Blvd, North Charleston.
• Summerville Evening: 5:30 p.m., Monday, Montreux Bar and Grill, 127 W. Richardson Ave., Summerville

Tuesdays

• East Cooper Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Cooper River Room at Waterfront Park, Mount Pleasant
• Charleston: 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Hall’s Signature Events, 5 Faber, Charleston
• Goose Creek: 12:45  m. Tuesday, Gilligan’s, 219 St. James Ave., Goose Creek

Wednesdays

• Daniel Island: 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Daniel Island Club, 600 Island Park Dr., Daniel Island
• St. John’s Parish (John’s Island): 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, 2817 Maybank Highway, Unit 1, John’s Island
• Mount Pleasant: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Harbor Breeze Restaurant, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant
• Summerville: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sticky Fingers, Summerville

Thursdays

• North Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Embassy Suites, 5055 International Blvd., North Charleston
• Moncks Corner: 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Gilligan’s Restaurant, Moncks Corner
• St. Andrews (West Ashley): 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Bessinger’s BBQ, 1602 Savannah Highway, Charleston.

Fridays

• Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m., Friday, Harbour Club, 35 Prioleau St., Charleston

SOCIAL MEDIA 

Our Rotary club actively uses social media — and we encourage you to interact with us through social media.

• We’re on Facebook.  Take a look at our page and be sure to “like us”.
• We’re on Twitter.  You can follow us @chasrotaryclub.

ABOUT THE KEYWAY 

The Keyway has been published weekly as a newsletter for the Rotary Club of Charleston for more than 90 years.

• President: Alex Dallis
• Keyway editor: Don Baus [email protected]
• Executive secretary: Carroll Schweers, [email protected]
• Mailing address: Rotary Club of Charleston, P.O. Box 21029 ,Charleston, SC 29413-1029
• Copyright 2018, Rotary Club of Charleston. All rights reserved.