February 18, 2020:
At this historic meeting of our club we presented a $50,000 grant to Chief Luther Reynolds and the Charleston Police Department for the launch of a Leadership Development Institute to better train its personnel. Also, this past weekend saw a great turnout of Rotarians from our Club and The Breakfast Club to pack more than 15,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger.
Our meeting last Tuesday saw the official announcement of a wonderful partnership between Rotary Club of Charleston and the Charleston Police Department. Past President Digit Matheny thanked and congratulated the members of our Committee, and the members of the Police Department who worked to make this partnership a reality– Past President Mark Smith, Past President Jermaine Husser, President Sandy Morckel, and President-Elect Lisa Van Bergen and from the Police Department – Chief Luther Reynolds, Sgt. Eric Light, Lt. Thomas Adams, and Lt. Anthony Certella. Per the press release- The Charleston Police Department and The Rotary Club of Charleston announced the launch of a Leadership Development Institute (LDI) which will have as its focus to create a leadership training program that creates a safe community, builds strong partnerships and develops purposeful leaders.
The LDI is a direct action following findings and recommendations of an independent department wide audit last year. The audit concluded that a key challenge facing the department was a lack of sufficient leadership training of its personnel. It recommended development of a comprehensive training plan that also engages and involves community leaders in its creation.
Chief Reynolds indicated that he was humbled to be recognized during our Rotary Club’s 100th anniversary year and he thanked our membership for believing in the Charleston Police Department.
He spoke passionately about things that he believes are “force multipliers”. These include technology and using the best technology to do your job. He also believes that the very best teams have good leadership behind them and that leaders are developed, not born. This program will help to create a culture of investing in men and women to be their best, investing in the future organization and empowering people so that decisions can be pushed down to where they belong.
The Rotary Club of Charleston will contribute the first $50,000 to assist in developing a curriculum and associated training infrastructure for the CPD. The project will be the training foundation that will provide guidance, strategy and positive influence to all sworn CPD officers to promote and enhance positive community engagement today and for the future.
As part of the partnership the Rotary Club will be represented on the LDI’s board of directors and provide direct input, assessment and feedback on the development and operation of it. In addition, the Club will support on-going community engagement and relations programs as the project evolves to promote the initiative and assess its impact.
Chief Reynolds concluded by again thanking our membership for considering and believing in the Charleston Police Department.
Submitted by Don Baus, Keyway Committee Chair
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
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- Michael Smith gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Conor Bini welcomed all visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness.
- Past President Digit Matheny welcomed and introduced our guest speaker, Charleston Police Chief, Luther Reynolds, who discussed the launch of the Leadership Institute and our club’s partnership.
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MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
February 25, 2019 | Issue 4957 | President: Sandy Morckel
COMING EVENTS
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- 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
- Mar. 17 – 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 80’s (the Forty years ago decade)(1980-1982)
We started the ‘80s with a membership of 215 and ended the decade with a membership of 276. A most significant Rotary event was sponsoring a Club within our own area of jurisdiction. We founded the Charleston Breakfast Club with a founding membership of 35, with some of our own members becoming members of that Cub. We also established the boundary between our Club and the North Charleston Club. The Breakfast Club was the seventh club we had sponsored since our founding in 1920. The others in order of founding were Beaufort, Aiken, St. Andrews, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville. In 1982 we help establish the Wood for Warmth program in cooperation the SCE&G by splitting and stacking 51 truckloads of wood for those living on fixed income and could not afford wood or still tried to heat with wood. We moved the Club’s meeting place from the Colony House to the Shrine Temple after contemplating moving back to the Francis Marion Hotel which we didn’t.
Meeting Reminders
We do NOT meet this coming Tuesday, February 25 or the following Tuesday, March 3. We hope everyone will enjoy the 100 Year Anniversary Gala on Saturday, February 29.
January Dues Past Due
January –June Rotary dues are now PAST DUE. Past due statements were emailed last week. If you received a notice, please make payment as soon as possible.
50/50 Raffle
The 50/50 Raffle continues at our weekly meeting on March 10. Members will have a 1 in 9 chance to win. The pot will start at $131. 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.
Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors pack 15,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger

The two downtown Rotary clubs, along with our Rotaract and Interact clubs, put on an impressive display of assembly-line meal packaging ths past weekend. As part of the Rise Against Hunger program, the group of close to 80 volunteers, including friends and family, packed more than 15,000 meals that will be distributed to various communities in need around the world. Congratulations to everyone who turned up and helped this great cause.
And we even got great coverage from the local news!





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.
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 countdown is on! Get out there and sell tickets for 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
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- ERA Wilder Realty, 122 Coleman Blvd. Mt Pleasant.
- State Farm Insurance: 3750 Savannah Highway, John’s Island
- NV Realty, 91 Broad, St. Charleston
Tickets will be availabel at the 100th Annivesary Gala and the winning ticket will be drawn at the end of the evening on February 29, 2020.
Gala Event Tickets sold out!
The Rotary Club of Charleston 100th Anniversary Gala dinner event is officially solds out. The event will be held February 29, 2020 at the Francis Marion Hotel.
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.
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

Proposed New Members
The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Karla Coombs – sponsor: Heidi Finniff; classification:
Megan Fink – sponsor: Skip Fink; classification: Non-Profit Marketing
In the event you know Karla, please tell a member of the Board how she will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Silva Goxhaj
Birthdays
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- 3/2 – Richard Sidebottom
- 3/6 – Steve Coe
- 3/10 – Ruthie Ravenel & Joseph Tecklenburg
- 3/14 – Rich Dukes
- 3/16 – Alan Burgreen
By the numbers
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- Attendance on February 18, 220: 56
- Not in attendance: Allen, Altman, Beam, Berry, Brack, Burgreen, Burt, Byko, Carico, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cohen, Cole, Cook, Coxe, Crouch, Deavenport, DeGraff, Diminich, Dopp, Drafts, Fellabom, Fink, Gill, Holmes, Jamme, Jones, Jones, Kaynard, Leonard, Oswalt, Patrick, Ravenel, Riley, Rust, Savage, Shahid, Sidebottom, Smith, H., Smith, M., Strickland, Taylor, Tecklenburg, Van Bergen, Vanek, Webb, Weston, Wieters, Willey
- Out of Town Make-ups: None
WELLNESS TIP
February is American Heart Month – 4 Ways to Take Control of Your Heart Health
You’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your heart. Learn how to be heart healthy at any age.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.
Manage conditions. Work with your health care team to manage conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This includes taking any medicines you have been prescribed.
Make heart-healthy eating changes. Eat food low in trans-fat, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium. Try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits, and aim for low sodium options.
Stay active. Get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. You can even break up the 30 minutes into 10-minute blocks.
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