9/18: Kristen Beckham, Dominion Energy

September 18, 2018:  Our speaker this week was Kristen Beckham with Dominion Energy.  Ms. Beckham shared both the history of Dominion Energy as well as discussing the potential merger with SCE&G.  She educated our club about Dominion’s current holdings, noting that they serve 19 states on both the East and West Coast, with their primary offices being in Richmond, Virginia.  Dominion has invested over $750 million in South Carolina over the past three years.  Ms. Beckham noted that in 2015 Dominion had purchased 1500 miles of natural gas pipelines in South Carolina, covering 32 counties, so they have been in the state for the past 2 years.  They also have solar/renewable energy projects in South Carolina.  They currently serve over 9 million customers with electricity or natural gas and have over $75 billion in assets.  They are also one of the nation’s largest solar operators, with a goal of reducing its carbon intensity by 50% by 2030.

Ms. Beckham presented how the merger of Dominion and SCE&G would benefit customers.  Residential customers would each receive a payment of approximately $1000, and an immediate 7% reduction in electricity rates.  She noted that business, nonprofits, and churches would also receive a payment, based on electricity usage in 2016, likely larger than the residential one.  Further, she noted that the $1.7 billion in existing V.C. Summer debt would be absorbed by Dominion and never collected from customers.

They plan for the headquarters to remain in Cayce, SC, to smooth the transition.  Also, currently SCANA employees would have employee compensation protection until 2020.  She stressed that the stability of Dominion would help strengthen South Carolina by fostering job growth and investor confidence.  Ms. Beckham also noted that Dominion has a large commitment to charitable giving, and would increase SCANA’s giving by $1 million annually over the next 5 years.

Rotarians had many questions for Ms. Beckham, who shared that 5 of the 7 milestones for merger with SCE&G had been achieved, and the remaining two are approval from the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the South Carolina Public Service Commission.  Thanks to our speakers committee for bringing us information as relevant and timely as this.

– Lisa Van Bergen, Keyway Committee

IN OTHER MEETING NEWS

• Tom Leonard gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
• Kay Minson introduced our Visiting Rotarians and guests.
• President Alex Dallis presented Health and Happiness.
• Past President Digit Matheny introduced our speaker, Kristen Beckham, who spoke about Dominion Energy.

MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
September 25, 2018 | Issue 4904 | President: Alex Dallis

COMING EVENTS

• September 25 – Club Assembly
• October 2 – County Candidate Forum
• October 9 – No Meeting
• October 16 – James Smith, Gubernatorial Candidate

NEWS BRIEFS

Our Club is on Instagram

Our club launched an Instagram account this week.  Please be sure to follow us at @ChasRotaryClub, which is our Twitter handle, as well.

Members are encourage to follow all of our social media channels and share posts with their followers too!  We also need members to send us picture of anything they do that relates to Rotary – service projects, meetings, events, etc.  We would love to keep our accounts full of smiling Rotarians! Photos can be send to Mike Sottak, [email protected], or Rob Byko, [email protected].

Rotary Celebrates 71st Birthday of the US Air Force

 The US Air Force was officially founded on 18 September 1947, and in the decades since it has established itself as an air force second-to-none. Yet the Air Force’s history and heritage goes back the turn of the twentieth century.

Between 1909 — when that the US military purchased its first aircraft — and 1947, the US Air Force did not exist as a separate and independent military service organization. It went through a series of designations: Aeronautical Section, Signal Corps (1909); Aviation Section, Signal Corps (1914); United States Army Air Service (1918); United States Army Air Corps (1926), and United States Army Air Forces (1941).

WWII illustrated the value of airpower, and the need to change the basic organization of the US Military Forces.  The result was the creation of a single Department of Defense with a strong Joint Chiefs of Staff with Army, Navy, and Air Force chiefs.  In 1947 President Truman signed the National Security Act which established this new defense organization, and along with it the creation of the US Air Force as an independent service, equal to the US Army.  The official birthday of the US Air Force is 18 September 1947.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY US AIR FORCE!!

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!

East Cooper Rotary Speakeasy

The East Cooper Rotary Club will be hosting their 3rd annual East Cooper Speakeasy- Prohibition for a Cause on October 13th from 7 to 11 pm at the Sweetgrass Event Center in Mount Pleasant. This year the two named charities benefitting from the fundraiser will be East Cooper Community Outreach and East Cooper Meals on Wheels. Money from the fundraiser will also benefit their club charities such as Happy Feet, Polio Plus, and Toys for Tots. Tickets are $100 and includes food, open bar, live music, games, dancing, and one chance at Grand Prize Raffle. You can go to the event website for additional information –www.eastcooperspeakeasy.com.

Rotary Day at the South Carolina State Fair

Join Main Street Rotary Club for the LARGEST ROTARY MEETING in SC at the inaugural Rotary Day at the State Fair! It will be a fun-full day of fellowship, celebration and ‘HISTORY’ making as we start a new Rotary tradition in South Carolina. This historical day will feature activities for all ages, commemorative keepsakes, and an attempt to break a State and World Record! Come for part or all of it and bring your families, friends, potential new members, or anyone looking to learn more about ‘Service Above Self’.

Advance commemorative package includes entrance ticket to SC State Fair, celebratory t-shirt, custom wrist band, “Rotary” Ferris Wheel ride, opportunity to set a world record. Packages are $25 for an individual or $80 for a family of 4. Free entrance for Children under 5.

For more information on event details or participating in the world record, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/358749591326951/?ti=icl.

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

Congratulations to Past President Digit Matheny, who was recognized this past Tuesday with a PHF +5 pin by our International Service Director, Karl Riner.  The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of US$1,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. We appreciate Digit’s dedication and continuous support of The Rotary Foundation.

Congratulations to Kerby Teller as he and his wife are expecting a baby girl.

Proposed New Member

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

Jeff Weber – sponsor:  Alex Dallis, classification:  Radio/Mgmt

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

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Rotarian: John “Jack” M. Mitchell

• Joined: 2009
• Sponsor:  Larry Tarleton
• Membership Involvement: Currently involved with the International Committee. Was recently involved in several community projects, like assisting to build a new ramp for a local resident.  Currently a part of Rotary Readers at Mitchell Elementary in Mrs. Yianopolis’s pre-K class.
• Classification: Telecommunications
• Profession: AT&T Legislative & External Affairs
• Something Unique About Yourself: I am an avid woodworker. I have built over 100 pieces of furniture.  I am also a former high school basketball coach and still coach youth basketball at Buist Academy.

Birthdays

• September 21 – Brett Barry
• September 22 – David Burt
• September 24 – John Tecklenburg
• September 26 – Paul Stoney
• September 27 – Dan Ravenel
• September 28 – Amy Riley
• September 29 – Catherine Jones

By the numbers

Attendance on September 18, 2018:  81

Not in attendance:  Baggs, Beam, Berlin, Bishop, Bodkin, Brack, Bullard, Buzon, Byko, Carico, Channell, Coe, Cole, Cooper, J., Deavenport, DeGraff, Donnellon, Echols, Embry, Gill, Giovanniello, Holmes, Hudnall, Husser, Jones, Kaiser, Kaynard, Kerrigan, Kohli, Krumwiede, LaMotte, Livingston, Lucy, Marty, Mitchell, Plotner, Ravenel, Rich, Rust, Saboe, Schmidt, Shahid, Sidebottom, Stokes, Strickland, Taylor, E., Taylor, T., Tecklenburg, John, Welborn, Whitaker, Williams, Youngs

Out of Town Make-ups:  Steve Dopp, York, ME

WELLNESS TIP

Defuse Stress With Friendship

Fall is a good time to come back together after the summer scattering of vacations and busy schedules — a great time to relax with friends.

Soothe away stress by making contact in person or by phone with someone you care about, someone you haven’t talked to in awhile because life got in the way. The positive emotions will make you feel good, and when joy and stress meet up, the joy wins out.

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.