10/22: Chris Singleton, Charleston River Dogs

October 22, 2019:

We were honored to have Chris Singleton as our guest speaker this week. Chris is an inspiring and motivational speaker who recounts how the tragedy at the Emmanuel AME Church which took his mother’s life has impacted him and motivated him to impact the lives of others in a positive way.

Chris was introduced by member Dave Echols.

When Chris was 18, his mother was murdered by Dylann Roof in the Mother Emmanuel tragedy.  Since then he attended CSU on a baseball scholarship, and was drafted by the Cubs. Has been an inspirational speaker based on his life experiences.

Chris opened his talk by asking us all to stand, turn to someone who didn’t look like us, give them a hug and tell them we loved them.

He then noted that 16.2 million people struggle with depression, and of those, only 30% seek help.  Chris shared that he was depressed after losing his mother, but thought he should be a “man,” tough through it.  He is happy to share that he is now 23, has been in counseling 2 and a half years, and that it is helping.

Chris thinks there is no way Dylan Roof would have done what he did if he had grown up with Chris as a friend, if he had had black friends, had a black person tell him he loved him.  Chris wondered that maybe the white people in our club had never heard a black person say “I love you.

Chris invites everyone to hug it out

He still has “struggle moments.”  He relives the night his mother was murdered.  He remembers driving downtown, and seeing all the police tape, and being prevented from entering his church, and directed to the hotel across the street.  The coroner asked him to describe his mother – he was horrified to contemplate that they couldn’t tell which body was hers. He was trying to be strong for his younger sister and brother.  

Chris believes we need to teach people to follow Martin Luther King’s directive – to judge people by the content of their character and not the chemical in their skin.

He also notes that adversity isn’t chosen, and that often beliefs aren’t chosen but are taught.

When Chris played for the Cubs Minor League team, he lived in a retirement community and shared his experience from that chapter of his life  He learned a lot of wisdom from the residents that he has carried with him since.

Chris loves how sports breaks down barriers.  This quote from Jackie Robinson is important to him “ A life is not important except for the impact it has on others.”  He thinks it is no coincidence that Tywanza Sanders (another Mother Emmanuel victim) posted that quote on social media that very day.  

Submitted by Lisa Van Bergen, Keyway Committee 

 IN OTHER MEETING NEWS

      • Stefany Ceccato gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.  
      • Conor Bini introduced visiting Rotarians & guests.  
      • President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness. 
      • Dave Echols introduced our keynote speaker, Chris Singleton, who is former professional baseball player in the Chicago Clubs organization, as well as an inspirational speaker. 

MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY

October, 2019 | Issue 4945 | President: Sandy Morckel

COMING EVENTS
    • Oct. 29 – Mayoral Forum
    • Nov. 5 – Terry Egan, CEO, Brookgreen Gardens
    • Nov. 12 – Rod Gragg, Military Memoirs
    • Nov. 15 – Trident United Way Day of Caring
    • Nov. 19 – Rob Powell, 350th Anniversary of Charlestowne Landing
    • Nov. 26 – No Meeting – Happy Thanksgiving
    • Dec. 3 – Johnny Moore, Rotary District Governor
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 40s (1948-1949)

At the end of the 40’s we had 123 members of our Club.  We helped charter that new club, St. Andrews, across the Ashley River in that growing area of West Ashley. (And that area hasn’t stopped growing since). We sent Christmas packages to war torn countries and Past President Buddy Thornhill told the Club about his visit to Charleville, France, and the needs there. The Club purchased a station wagon for the SC Cripple Children’s Society which we had been helping for the last three years. The Club vote down a recommendation from the Board to increase monthly dues to $8 to include lunches. In government in the late 40’s, a new Charleston County management form went in effect. There was a great need and discussion of policing, paving, and drainage in the city. (And even today, 70 years later, there is a still a great need for paving and drainage).

Day of Caring: Volunteers Needed

We hope you all can join us on November 15th for the Trident United Way Day of Caring. This year our Rotary Group will be volunteering for the Career Conference at R.B. Stall High School.  Please click this link to register (https://www.dacdb.com/SecLogin3.cfm?EventID=77460436) and see below for more details:

EVENT GOAL: To share the good news about the many high demand, high wage careers available in our region that don’t require a bachelors or associates degree.

TARGET AUDIENCE – 100 high school seniors that have not yet earned Silver or higher on our state’s Career Readiness test for high school students called WIN. Statistically, this cohort of students is unlikely to be enrolled in a 4 or 2 year college immediately after high school. There are however many certificate and continuing education programs in our region that would accelerate their career and put them on a path to success, without the dept now associated with many college degree seeking students.

We’ll start with a welcome speaker to set the expectation of the day, then have 2 breakout sessions on resources available, followed by an interactive young professionals panel discussion, and a small group lunch with volunteers leading a “What’s Next for Me” activity.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED! 12 Rotarians are encouraged to volunteer to facilitate table top discussions during lunch aimed at ensuring each participating student leaves with 3 to 5 specific steps they plan to undertake before graduation.

Contact Kirbry Teller [email protected] for more information or to sign up to help

They do plan to replicate these events at other CCSD high schools later in this school year.

Thank you for your service and support!

Continuing a great tradition: Dictionary handout

Did you know that we are involved with The Dictionary Project every year? The Dictionary Project is a joint effort of the Historic Charleston Rotary Club and the Charleston Breakfast Club to supply dictionaries to all third graders in the downtown schools. The goal is to assist all students to become good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing a gift of their own personal dictionary.  We will distribute almost 300 dictionaries to 6 elementary schools on the peninsular. And the handout is underway! Thanks to Stefan Di Manno Ceccato Debbie Barton and Karl Riner who made the delivery to Mitchell Math and Science Elementary School this week is support of Rotary International Education & Literacy Month.

World Polio Day Contribution

This past Thursday, October 24th was World Polio Day and our club participated last Tuesday by putting Polio collection buckets on the tables.  Thank you to all those who generously made a contribution. Rotary is closer than ever to eradicating Polio, but your help is still needed.  We collected $245, which will be matched at a District and International level. In addition, our club made a club donation to Polio from the RCCF of $4500. 

Fun  member social event at Bay Street Biergarten

Thanks to the membership committee for organizing a fun outing at the Bay Street Biergarten.  Member socials are a great away to network with members in a casual setting and also invite prospective members to learn more about the fun and fellowship of Rotary

50/50 Raffle 

The 50/50 Raffle will continue at our next meeting with a 1 in 8 chance. Current pot is $190, so bring your cash and let’s grow the pot. You do need to be present to win. Tickets are available at meetings – 1 for $5 or 3 for $10. 

Board Member Nominations

We are seeking Board Members for the upcoming Rotary year.  All eligible members will be contacted about serving on the Board in the upcoming year.  If you are contacted by a member of the Nominating Committee, please give some serious thought to serving our club.  It is a great way to learn more about Rotary, get involved, meet other Rotarians and give back to our club and community.

Outbound Youth Exchange Students Needed for 2020-2021

Our District’s Youth Exchange Program needs your support. The District would like to be able to send between 15 and 19 Outbound students a year on Exchange and receive the same number of Inbounds coming into our District. To do that, the District needs clubs, members and local schools to get involved that have not previously been involved.  Children of Rotarians are eligible for this wonderful opportunity. 

Preliminary Outbound applications are now being accepted for the 2020-21 year. Everyone’s help is needed to keep this program strong and change the lives of young people. Please contact Karl Riner, Karen Clark or Richard Sidebottom of our International Committee, if you have any questions or know of someone interested in participating. 

Corporate/Family Membership

District Membership Committee Member and Past President Digit explains the new membership options for friends, family and work colleagues

As we strive to expand our membership, the Board has discussed and approved a new membership category.  We are now able to offer Corporate/Family Memberships for members of the same business, organization or family.  The primary member will pay full club dues of $550 every 6 months. Associate members can also join at a fee of $225 every 6 months including a one-time $100 initiation fee. Associate members will be responsible for paying the $25 meal fee for lunches attended unless the primary member is not in attendance then there is no charge for their meal. Associate members will have all of the benefits of being a Rotarian as the primary member.  If you have a co-worker or immediate family member who would like to be a part of Rotary and join as an Associate member, please contact one of our membership chairs – Digit Matheny [email protected] or Heidi Finniff [email protected] to see how they can join.

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.

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 ([email protected]) know as soon as possible if you are able to consider this Hosting opportunity. We appreciate your consideration and thank you for your support of this great program!

Host family information sheet:

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

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.

US Navy Celebrates its 244th Birthday

On October 13, 1775, the United States Navy was established. The day is celebrated as the birthdate of the American Navy.

The United States Navy originated as the Continental Navy. The then Continental Congress authorized 2 armed vessels to search for ships supplying the British army with weapons and ammunition during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783).

When the war ended, the Continental Navy was dismantled, but pirate threats to American merchant shipping led President George Washington to establish the Naval Act of 1794, creating a permanent standing US Navy.

The United States Navy today is the naval warfare branch of the US Armed Forces. It has more than 328,000 personnel on active duty; approximately 100,000 personnel in the Navy Reserve, and over 270,000 Department of the Navy Civilian employees. 

The Navy has approximately 480 ships in both active service and the reserve fleet, of which some 290 are currently underway.

The current inventory of aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary is over 2,000, not including the Marine Corps assets.

Your US Navy continues to protect our freedom of the seas!

Wish a sailor Happy Birthday!

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

With much sadness, we announce the passing of long-time, dedicated

Rotarian, Jerry Nuss. Jerry was an Honorary Member of our club, who served our club and our district for 47 years. He was a Past President of our Club, a Past District Governor, a Paul Harris Fellow and a Paul Harris Society Member. He also served as our club historian for many years as he was full of Rotary knowledge. Jerry loved Rotary and was a wonderful ambassador for Rotary. He truly lived his life by the 4-Way Test. He will be greatly missed by us all!

Welcome to Rotary, MJ Le!  MJ was inducted into our club this past Tuesday.  She was sponsored and introduced by Rob Byko. MJ will hold the classification of Graphic Design. 

 

 

Congratulations to Owen Clary who received his 44 year Perfect Attendance pin!  That is quite a record! Owen has been a member of our club for almost 2 years. Prior to our club, he was a member of the Aiken, SC Rotary Club. 

 

Several of our new members were presented with their BLUE badges this past Tuesday – Zac Jones, Madeleine Frume and Stefany Ceccato.  Congratulations to these members! They all worked hard to successfully complete their RED badge requirements.

 

Proposed New Members

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

Barb Walters – sponsor:  Sandy Morckel; classification:  Commercial Banking

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

 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Madeleine Frume

  • JOINED: March 2019 (our club); Has been a Rotarian for 30+ years
  • SPONSOR: Karl Riner
  • MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: International Committee, Community Service Committee
  • CLASSIFICATION: Self-Employed
  • PROFESSION: Inventor 
  • SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: When a task or situation arises, I am a highly motivated individual to see it through to finish with God’s blessings.

 

Birthdays

  • Oct. 31 – David Krumwiede
  • Nov. 1 – Ricky Bailey & Kay Minson
  • Nov. 2 – Bill Hall

By the numbers

    • Attendance on September 17, 2019: 68
    • Not in attendance: Allen, Altman, Barry, Beam, Bickley, Carico, Chico, Clark, Coghill, Cohen, Cole, Cook, Cooper, E., Cooper, J., Cooper, M., Coxe, Deavenport, Diminich, Donnellon, Dopp, Drafts, Dunaway, Fink, Gill, Giocanniello, Holmes, Husser, Jamme, Jones, C., Kaynard, Kohli, Leonard, Lucy, Mitchell, Moring, Patrick, Ravenel, Raver, Rich, Rust, Seguer, Sidebotton, Smith, H., Smith, P., Strickland, Tecklenburg, John, Tecklenburg, Joseph, Teller, Vanek, Willey, Woodell
    • Out of Town Make-ups:  Owen Clary, Jim Thorpe Penn. 
WELLNESS TIP

Get Moving

Carve out time to be active this Halloween – between get-togethers and trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Take a walk and do some weight training to help you feel good!

Regular physical activity can help control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and some cancers, improve mental health and mood, and increase your chance of living longer.

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 FacebookTake 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.