February 11, 2020:
The Rotary Club of Charleston welcomed Bob Smith, CEO of Palmetto Goodwill, this week, to give us an overview of his organization and all the ways it contributes to the community.
Don’t forget the countdown is on to the 2020 Boat Raffle, our main fundraiser for the year. Get out and sell some tickets and encourage friends, family, colleagues to text BOATRAFFLE to 44321 to enter. Drawing is Feb 29 at our 100th Anniversary Gala Event.
This week we were fortunate to have Bob Smith, CEO of Palmetto Goodwill, speak to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston. Bob has worked at Goodwill for the past 38 years, starting out as a truck driver. He highlighted the many connections that Goodwill has to our club from its founding in 1979 to today. Rotarians such as Ted Stern, Sandy Stuhr, David Anderson, John Bleeker, and current board member Rudy Gill are just a few of those that have played a major role in the success of Palmetto Goodwill.
Goodwill’s mission is to “help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.” Bob explained that they want to get people into career paths, not just jobs. A good high paying job can lift a household up the economic ladder. There are 3 career centers located in our district that offer job training.
Another goal of Goodwill is adult education. Goodwill has a program with locations in other states for called The Excel Center. This is a tuition-free adult charter high school that awards industry recognized certifcations and high school diplomas. Palmetto Goodwill wants to open a location in our district, possibly located at Trident Technical College.
During the question and answer session after Bob’s presentation, Rob Dewey told Bob how he had brought two men, just in the past week, who had been recently released from prison, to a Goodwill location; and they were taken care of very well by the people there. Bob closed his remarks by thanking Rotarians for their support of Palmetto Goodwill.
Submitted by Jeff Webb, Keyway Committee
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
-
-
- Mary Peters gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Michael Cooper welcomed all visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness.
- John Bleecker welcomed and introduced our guest speaker, Bob Smith, President & CEO of Palmetto Goodwill.
-
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
February 18, 2019 | Issue 4956 | President: Sandy Morckel
COMING EVENTS
-
- Feb. 18 – Impact Grant: Charleston Police Department LDI
- Feb. 22 – Rise Against Hunger meal packing event (The Citadel)
- Feb. 25 – No Meeting
- Feb. 29 – 100 Year Gala (Sculpture dedication at 5 PM. Gala at 6 PM)
- Mar. 3 – No meeting
- Mar. 10 – Anita Zucker
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 70s (1978-80)
Some great programs in the late 70’s included one by Gen. Mark Clark who gave one on Gen. George Patton; and one program by honorary member, Gov. Jim Edwards, who gave a review of the accomplishments of the State. The Club collected $7000 for the Paul Harris Foundation and named three new Paul Harris Fellows. In a special Paul Harris ceremony, 90 year old Rotarian member, Bachman Smith, was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow. The District Conference was held at a new resort on Kiawah Island. Rotarian Member Hudson Edwards, who was a member of the 1928 Georgia Tech football that played in the Rose Bowl, regaled the Club with stories of the game and the trip by train to Pasadena. Our District’s Group Study Exchange Team to India included one Bill Grimball, who later became a member of our Club.
50/50 Raffle
President Sandy Morckel won the raffle this past Tuesday! Actually, her husband, Craig Gangloff purchased tickets in advance as he was walking out the door the previous week. Congratulations! The 50/50 Raffle starts over next Tuesday with a 1 in 10 chance to win. 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.
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 March 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. For more information, please contact RCCF Chair, Alissa Lietzow ([email protected]).
International Project Grants
The International Committee of our club is now accepting grant applications for international projects that you may be involved. Grants will be made to build international relations that improve lives and create a better world to support peace efforts and end polio.
Areas of Rotary focus are promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies. Please reach out to Karl Riner, Committee Chair should you want to participate or receive more information.
January Dues Statements
January dues statements were distributed via email to all members the second week of December. Payment is now past due. Past due statements have also been emailed.
If you are planning to attend the Gala, please be sure payment is made as soon as possible. We have very few tickets remaining and anticipate that this event will sell out soon. Payment is required in advance of the Gala in order to reserve your seat. We will not be accepting payments at the door or after the event. If you would like to bring a spouse/guest, an extra $100 can be included with your dues payment. Please be sure to make note of this additional amount with your payment.
Rise Against Hunger Meal Packing Event
Our club is partnering with the Rotary Club of Charleston-Breakfast on a meal packing event for Rise Against Hunger on Saturday, Feb. 22 at The Citadel. The goal is to pack 15,000 meals. We are close to our volunteer goal of 75. And, $4325.00 has been raised toward our $5,000+ fundraising goal. . No gift is too small. It costs a little more than $0.30 to buy the ingredients for a meal, so your donations will go a long way to help fight world hunger! You can volunteer to set-up before 1 pm, pack meals from 1-3 pm and/or clean up at 3 pm. Click on the link to register or donate.
Get Your Rotary 100 Anniversary Apparel
Rotary 100th Anniversary Commemorative gear is now on sale! Don Oswalt and our PR Team showcased a golf shirt and tee-shirt in varying colors and sizes, along with a baseball cap, all with our 100th anniversary logo. We encourage every Rotarian to purchase one or more of the special merchandise and wear it proudly at every Rotary function or volunteer activity in which we participate. Golf shirts will be available for $45, tee-shirts for $20 and hats for $20. You can purchase these items online here or at the Rotary Meetings over the next 2 weeks. We will place the group order for all items at the beginning of February.
Boat Raffle tickets now on sale
The annual Boat Raffle has begun! Tickets are now available for all Rotarians to help with our major fundraiser of the year. The prize is once again a beautiful Sea Fox boat valued at $40,000. And a cash equivalent prize of $15,000 is also an option for the winner. Tickets are $100 and no more than 1,000 will be sold – great odds!
Please get out there and sell tickets to family, friends and colleagues. This is the primary source of revenue for us to fund all the great work we do all year long. This year its even easier to sell tickets. In addition to the traditional printed tickets, which you can get from Doug Holmes, you can direct people to buy tickets in other ways.
By Text: simply text BOATRAFFLE to 44-321 and tickets can be purchased through a mobile device.
By web site: Log on to the Rotary web site at www.charleston-rotary.org and click on the link at the top left of the page to go to a secure web page to buy tickets
In person: at one of several Rotarian businesses selling tickets including
-
- ERA Wilder Realty, 122 Coleman Blvd. Mt Pleasant.
- State Farm Insurance: 3750 Savannah Highway, John’s Island
- NV Realty, 91 Broad, St. Charleston
The winning ticket will be drawn at our 100th Anniversary Gala Event on February 29, 2020.
Become a sponsor of the Rotary 100th Year Anniversary
As we gear up for our 100th Anniversary celebration there are are some great sponsorship opportunities to give businesses visibility and the excellent PR that come along with being associated with Rotary. Sponsorship packages range from $250 to $10,000 and include participation and visibility at our 100th Anniversary Gale Event on February 29. Go here to see the sponsorship options and you can pay for the package you chose right on the web site. And share this with other businesses or potential sponsor you think would benefit from this great marketing and community support opportunity. Remember, this is part of our fund raising effort and most of the funds will go directly back into the projects and organizations we support throughout the year.
If you want an electronic file of the sponsorship packages to email around or print out, contact Lisa Van Bergen [email protected]
Gala Event Tickets on sale now!
Mark you calendars and get your ticket now for the event of the year: The Rotary Club of Charleston 100th Anniversary Gala Dinner event. The event will be held February 29, 2020 at the Francis Marion Hotel.
Tickets are $100 and there will only be 300 sold, so act now.
To purchase tickets, go here
Featured keynote speaker is Past Rotary International President John Germ, Moderator/Host PJ Browning, Publisher of The Post and Courier, along with highlights of our 100 years of impact in Charleston. Black tie optional.
6 pm: Cocktail Reception with live music
7 pm: Dinner and program
8 pm: Dancing and entertainment with Zandrina Dunning Experience
You won’t want to miss this fantastic celebration of Rotary’s 100 years of Service Above Self in Charleston.
Volunteers Needed for Gala
Rotarian volunteers are needed at the Gala to assist with greeting and checking in our guests. If you are available and interested in assisting, please let either Lisa Van Bergen or Carroll know. Volunteers would need to arrive early and assist until the dinner begins.
Rotary Fountain Dedication – February 29, 2020 @ 5 pm at the Rotary 4-Way Test Fountain in Marion Square across from Francis Marion Hotel
Local Bronze Artist Scott Penegar was selected to create bronze sculptures of indigenous Lowcountry waterfowl and animals to finish the Rotary 4-Way Test Fountain in Marion Square. The artist, City of Charleston officials, Rotary dignitaries and the local media will be invited for the official dedication at 5 pm. All current and former Rotarians are invited to join us. Come dressed for the Gala, and we’ll proceed to the Francis Marion across the street after the dedication for the 100th Anniversary Gala.
District 7770 All Club Conference
The 2020 District 7770 All Club Conference will be held March 27-29 at Hilton Columbia Center. Registration is now open and the deadline to get the “Early Bird” rates is January 31. Our club will pick up the conference registration fee for any member who would like to attend on a first come, first serve basis. You can attend one day or the entire weekend. Throughout the weekend, you will enjoy learning more about Rotary and meeting other Rotarians from around our District. You will also have the opportunity to participate with other Rotarians in two service projects. Rotarians are responsible for their own accommodations. If you are interested in attending and need help registering on the DACdb, please let Carroll know. Members can find more information and register themselves on the DACdb database under the “Calendar” tab. Please be sure to select “Pay by Club Check” as method of payment and send your confirmation to Carroll. You don’t have to be a Board Member or even a committee chair to attend – all Rotarians are invited.
Rotary District 7770 Cruise for CART
Rotary District 7770 is sponsoring a cruise in October 2020 to support the CART Fund. $100 of each ticket will be donated to CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) to fund research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. We are inviting every Rotarian regardless of club or district affiliation to join in this opportunity to raise money for CART. Since its inception, the CART Fund has given $8.2 million in research grants. Children and non-Rotarians are also invited to participate in this cruise.
October might seem like a long way off, but deposits are due by February 10, 2020. The final payment is not due until June 25, 2020. Pricing is dependent on your choice of cabin. Every Rotarian should have received an email with an attachment with detailed information. The District website also has listed the pricing as well as the information sheet which needs to be included with your deposit.
The cruise will depart from Charleston the afternoon of Saturday, October 17, 2020 and return to Charleston the morning of Saturday, October 24, 2020. The ship will be the Carnival Sunshine, which is new to Charleston. The ports of call will be Bermuda and Princess Cays. On one of the nights at sea, we will have a party for those participating in the fundraiser.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to have a great time, enjoy the fellowship of old friends, meet new friends and support the CART Fund.
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

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.
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
We have two Rotarians are continuing to recover at home from recent surgeries – please keep both Andy Brack and Leslie Fellabom in your thoughts and prayers. We look forward to having them back with us in March.
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
- Kimberly Crain – sponsor: Ruthie Ravenel; classification: Real Estate
- Chloe Tonney – sponsor: Tom Leonard; classification: Eleemosynary/Executive
- Allen Giles – sponsor: Heidi Finniff; classification: Solar Energy/Recruiting
- Leah Donaldson – sponsor: Alissa Lietzow; Non-Profit Executive
In the event you know Kimberly, Chloe, Allen or Leah, please tell a member of the Board how she will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Anthony Weston
Birthdays
-
- 2/19 – Herb McGuire
- 2/22 – Virginia Lee
- 2/23 – Don Baus
By the numbers
-
- Attendance on February 11, 220: 64
- Not in attendance: Altman, Baggs, Baus, Berry, Brack, Carico, Coghill, Cole, Cook, Crouch, Dallis, Deavenport, DeGraff, Dopp, Drafts, Dukes, Echols, Fellabom, Fink, Giovanniello, Goxhaj, Hanger, Howard, Jones, C., Jones, Z., Kaynard, Lietzow, Lucy, Minson, Miracle, Moring, Patrick, Plotner, Ravenel, Rust, Savage, Sidebottom, Staley, Strickland, Taylor, Tecklenburg, J., Tecklenburg, J., Tecklenburg, P., Teller, Triantafyllidis, Vanek, Wieters, Willey
- Out of Town Make-ups: None
WELLNESS TIP
Keep the pressure off – February is American Heart Month
That cuff squeezing your arm at every doctor’s visit is important. It measures the amount of pressure flowing through your arteries with every heartbeat.
If your blood pressure gets too high, the extra force can damage artery walls and create scar tissue. That makes it harder for blood and oxygen to get to and from your heart. The heart has to pump harder and gets worn out faster. If it can’t get enough oxygen, parts can start to die.
Get your blood pressure checked every 3-5 years if you’re 18-39. If you’re 40 or older, or if you have high blood pressure, check it every year.
Cut back on salt, limit alcohol to no more than one to two drinks a day, favor healthy eating habits (think fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein) manage your stress, and work out. These changes are often enough to bring your blood pressure back down into the normal range. If not, your doctor might recommend you also take medication.
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.
- 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