Posted on by Mike Sottak

9/10: Andy Manzi: Warrior Surf Foundation

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September 10, 2019:

Andy Manzi, the Executive Director of the Warrior Surf Foundation, spoke to the club and shared his story and his organization.

 Andy was 16 on 9/11, living in Connecticut when the twin towers were hit. It was a life changing experience for him. At 17 following high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he was trained to be riflemen and tow-gunner. 

Upon completion of training he received orders to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Camp Lejeune, NC, and in 2004 deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, where he participated in some of fiercest combat the Marine Corps had experienced since Vietnam.

He volunteered for a second deployment in 2005, and was medically retired as a ‘Sergeant of Marines ‘due to injuries suffered in combat.  

Upon returning home, he enrolled in Eastern Connecticut State University, and re-connected with his family. After completion of his bachelor’s degree, Andy began traveling in an effort to re-establish his identity, and eventually landed in Folly Beach, SC.  He struggled to find meaning, and wasn’t able to share his war experiences with his friends and family.

He received treatment from the VA Hospital, but still had problems with the consequences of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury.  A friend encouraged him to surf, and that experience was more healing than any therapy or medication. It was here that Andy began to teach surf lessons professionally and began his outreach to other veterans through free surf lessons on the beach.  He saw the power of the ocean and a community of veterans.

He was motivated from that to develop the Warrior Surf Foundation.  In 2015 he co-founded the non-profit and has been the Executive Director ever since. In 2017 Andy was recognized as a “Top Ten CNN Hero in the World” for his community work with veterans. 

The Warrior Surf Foundation provides adaptive surf therapy, which includes weekly surf instruction, group socialization, wellness coaching, yoga, and mindfulness training.

They have served over 400 veterans since 2015, and have observed improvement, including going back to school, finding better employment, and improved personal relationships. 

They are completely funded through grants and individuals donations. You can learn more at www.warriorsurf.org or email them at [email protected].  They need volunteers as well as financial support.  

Submitted by Lisa Van Bergen, Keyway Committee

 IN OTHER MEETING NEWS

        • Marjorie Hanger gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.  
        • Peter Tecklenburg introduced visiting Rotarians & guests.  
        • President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness. 
        • Skip Fink introduced our keynote speaker, Andy Manzi, founder of the Warrior Surf Foundation, who presented “9/11; National Tragedy – Personal Journey” 

MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY

September 17, 2019 | Issue 4940 | President: Sandy Morckel

COMING EVENTS
    • Sept. 17 – Bill Hall, Hall’s Chophouse
    • Sept. 24 – Chloe Tonney, Trident United Way
    • October 1 – Rob Powell, 350th Anniversary of Charlestowne Landing
    • Oct. 8 – Mary Whyte, Portrait of American Veterans
    • Oct. 15 – No Meeting
NEWS BRIEFS

Rotary Club of Charleston History Moment

At each meeting, President Sandy plans to share some of the snippets of our club’s amazing 100 year history and our impact on Charleston and around the world. It will be a fun trip down memory lane and will also be shared in the Keyway.

THE 40’S (1940-1942)

The Charleston Rotary Club entered the 1940’s with 84 members and a World War. Rotary Clubs had been banned in Japan and Germany. (And who can forget December 7, 1941 and Pearl Harbor)?  Several members went off to war! The Club contributed $250 to the PTA Council and cooperated with them to clean up the “Red Light District“ around Memminger High School. W.D. Workman was editor of our newsletter called the “Keyway.” (He often gave very opinionated comments in the newsletter. Workman later became the first Republican candidate for the US Senate in modern times and in the 1960’s and was soundly defeated). The Club offered the entire Club membership to the Civil Defense organization. Tires and gas were rationed. With the war going on we ended by gaining only one member in two years.

Hurricane Dorian relief from Rotary Club of Charleston

The devastation that Abaco and Grand Bahama took from the full force of Hurricane Dorian with wind speeds reaching 200 mph, has caused tremendous pain and destruction across those islands. The official death toll is close to 50, but is expected to raise to astronomical levels as the full impact of the storm is uncovered as recovery efforts begin. Up to 70,000 people are in immediate need of lifesaving assistance, and rebuilding efforts to replace tens of thousands of lost homes and businesses will be enormous.

Our Rotary Club of Charleston Board voted to donate $3,000 from our disaster relief fund, plus another $1,000 from our international projects fund to aid Rotary International’s response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, specifically Abaco and Grand Bahama islands.

Separately, individual members were challenged by Rotarian Rotarian Rob Byko and his wife Karen to match a $1,000 personal donation to help the people of the Bahamas recover from this tragic storm. We’re thrilled to report less than 24-hrs later, in addition to the original challenge, a friend of Rotary has stepped up and pledged an additional $1,000 to the RI fund,  and other donations from our members  and friends of Rotary have so far added another $2,000 to the total, which as of Friday (Sept 13) totalled $8,000.

Rob’s wife Karen was born and raised in the Bahamas, and her family and friends still live there. Her cousins Chana & Billy Albury were on separate islands during the storm, and this report on CNN shows them being reunited on Man-o-War Cay, where Chana rode out the storm in a small interior room of their home, and Billy didn’t know if she survived or not until he landed on Man-o-War in the CNN helicopter. The footage shows the devastation of the damage. Click here to see the CNN Story

To help us track donations to meet our goal, please email your online donation receipt to [email protected].  Rotarians of  the Rotary Club of Charleston and Rotary District 7770, let’s get come together to help our those in the Bahamas both with immediate needs, and with their long recovery effort!

To donate, please click below:

https://7020.org/page/hurricane-dorian

The funds will be dedicated specifically to Rotary District 7720 through Designated Advisory Fund #574 specifically for Albacos and the Grand Bahamas. Don’t forget to email Rob Byko with your donation so we can track those from our club who donated.

Also, keep an eye on our Facebook page for continuous update on Rotary’s efforts in the Bahamas – it’s impressive work that we should all be proud of.

 

50/50 Raffle Winner

Much to the chagrin of Mark Smith, there was no winner in 50/50 Raffle this past Tuesday, so bring your cash on Tuesday, Sept. 17 as there will be a 1 in 8 chance to win!  The pot is up over $400. You do need to be present to win. Tickets are 1 for $5 or 3 for $10.  

 

 

Back to School means Rotary Readers are back in action

Michael Smith entertains the kids at Mitchell Elementary

Rotary Readers is a  great way to earn some community service hours and have a fun time in the process. This program places volunteers into an elementary classroom weekly for a 30 to 60 minute reading session.  Each Rotarian develops a program with the teacher depending on the need.

Kerby takes his turn

Some volunteers read to the children and ask questions while others listen to the children read and help them through the books.  Each volunteer stays with the same class for the entire school year.  Several Rotarians have worked with the same class for multiple years.  The club volunteers at Mitchell Elementary with 5 active participants.

Overall, we cover 5 classrooms with about 20-30 students in each class totaling between 100-150 students each year.

Current participating Rotarians include Jack Mitchell, Kurt Seguer, Michael Smith, Alex Dallis and Kerby Teller. For more information or to sign up for a slot, contact Kerby Teller at [email protected]

Host Tobias, our International Exchange Student

Do you have an extra room in your home?

We are still searching for a third host family for our incoming Rotary Youth Exchange student Tobias, who will be with our club for the 2019-2020 school year. He will be attending school downtown at the Charleston Charter for Math & Science and we are looking for a good family to house him from mid-March through June.

If you are able to help or if you have non-Rotary friends that may be interested in housing an exchange student, please see the information sheet below and contact Richard Sidebottom ([email protected] ) or Karen Clark ([email protected]) for more information.Host family information sheet:

https://yehub.net/cgi-bin/sys-pdf.cgi?PGID=LIB&RID=79&DBID=SC1

 

Help End Polio Now – Attend Atlanta Braves Game on 9/22 

Rotary and the Atlanta Braves have partnered to help the End Polio Now Campaign. Attend the September 22, 2019 Atlanta Braves game in Atlanta against the San Francisco Giants, and purchase the tickets through the link below, and a portion of each ticket will be donated to End Polio Now. The goal is for Rotarians, their families and invited guests to cheer on the Braves while helping our End Polio Campaign. The more tickets that are bought, the more can go towards the End Polio Now Campaign. And don’t forget, the Gates Foundation will match 2:1 the proceeds from the game.

  •  Atlanta Braves versus San Francisco Giants
  •  Sunday, September 22, 2019 – Game time 1:20 pm
  •  SunTrust Park, 755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA
  •  General Admission Tickets $12 ($5 goes to Polio)
  •  Home Run Porch Tickets $33 ($13 goes to Polio) 

– Must use the link to donate a portion of each ticket to End Polio Now – https://groupmatics.events/event/Endpolio5

We are counting on our Rotarians to make this a success. As we get close to the full eradication of Polio more money is needed to get to the finish line. Go online today to order your tickets for you, your family, friends, anyone interested in Rotary. Let’s make this a great day to celebrate Rotary and the End Polio Campaign.

https://groupmatics.events/event/Endpolio5

Dues Are Now Past Due

Dues statements for the July 1-December 31 period were distributed via email on June 10 and are now past due.  Past due statements were emailed two weeks ago to those who haven’t made a payment. Please be sure to pay from this statement.  If you did not receive a statement or have questions, please contact Carroll.

 

Our Club is on Social Media

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].

 

Member news

Welcome back, Steve Morse!  Steve has been a long-time supporter of our club and rejoined as a member this past Tuesday. He was sponsored and introduced by Rob Dewey and will hold the classification of Banking/Sales.  

 

Past Presidents John Tecklenburg and Digit Matheny were recognized by Rotary Foundation Chair, Karl Riner, with Paul Harris Fellows. John received a Paul Harris Fellow + 8 and Digit a Paul Harris Fellow + 6.  Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation.  Congratulations to John and Digit on their recognitions.  Their continuous support of Rotary and The Rotary Foundation is much appreciated. 

With much regret, the Board accepted the resignations of John Channell and Scott Embry.  We will miss these Rotarians and wish them all the best!

Proposed New Members

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

MJ Le – sponsor:  Rob Byko, classification:  Graphic Design

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

 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Andy Brack

    • JOINED: January 2002
    • SPONSOR: J. Douglas Donehue
    • MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: Historian, Past Webmaster, Past Keyway Editor, Past President, Past Assistant District Governor
    • CLASSIFICATION: Communication Strategist
    • PROFESSION: Writer, Editor, Publisher
    • SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: Have painted abstract art for more than 35 years as a way to stretch my mind.  Have published 18 years of columns weekly (650,000+ words) without ever missing a deadline. Read: StatehouseReport.com

Birthdays

  • Sept. 21 – Brett Barry
  • Sept. 22 – David Burt

By the numbers

    • Attendance on August 13, 2019: 73
    • Not in attendance:  Allen, Altman, Baggs, Bailey, Barry, Baus, Beam, Carico, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cole, Cook, Cooper, E., Cooper, J., Cooper, M., Coxe, Deavenport, Donnellon, Drafts, Dukes, Finniff, Gill, Husser, Jones, Kaynard, Kohli, Lucy, Minson, Mitchell, Moring, Ravenel, Raver, Rich, Riley, Rust, Smith, M., Smith, P., Strickland, Taylor, Thomas
    • 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

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.
  • We’re on Instagram.  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: Sandy Morckel
  • 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.