November 10, 2020:
Mayor Will Haynie of Mount Pleasant paid us a visit this week to give us some perspective from the “other side of the bridge.” We also recognized our first First Responder of the Year award, bestowing the Charleston FD’s David Griffin with the honor. And we welcomed his boss, Fire Chief Dan Curia, to our club as our newest member. More honors were handed out to our club’s multiple Paul Harris Fellow award winners. No meeting this week – enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Mayor Will Hayne of Mt Pleasant joined us on Tuesday. Mayor Hayne was elected town council in 2015 and to the Office of Mayor in 2017. He was born in Greenville and moved with his family to Mount Pleasant in 1966. He was graduate of the Citadel with a degree in Business Administration in 1983, receiving the Palmetto Medal Award, the highest award to be offered by the College. He reiterated being sent to Switzerland with the Rotary and hearing from one of the hosts what the European version of Heaven of Hell. All the police are British, all the chefs are French, all the mechanics are German, all of the lovers are Italian, and all of the organizers are Swiss. In the European version of Hell, the police are German, the chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss and the organizers are all Italian.
He went on to talk about “Relevance” and with all of the changes we have gone through, it has been quite a time to be in a leadership position. He ran as mayor to protect the feel and quality of life in Mount Pleasant and have a vision for the City, but he didn’t run on handling the worst pandemic in recent history.
His father told him, if you want to make everyone happy, sell ice cream, don’t be a leader. You have to make decisions that people will not like but you have to be relevant to who you are and where you are. You need a vision that you can communicate, connection to the people, you have to initiate and you have to stand alone. He had a stay at home order in March, listening to the hospital, not what others are doing. You have to be ready to stand alone. The virus has 3 characteristics, virulence, hosts which are us, and its means of transmission. We, as American’s, have a lot of trouble fighting a virus where all you have to do is put others ahead of ourselves.
On Mount Pleasant, he went on to say that they are within 1% of the retail sales they had before Covid which is remarkable. They have been able to grant a Covid bonus to their first responders. They passed a 10 year comprehensive plan and building design guidelines. They have their first affordable housing in years, as well as the new Lucy Beckham High School. They are widening Park West Blvd and building a new fire station as well creating short term rental guidelines to preserve the character of the town.
We need to look at how Covid is going to change our lives when we get beyond it. From office space to working at home to vacant restaurants, we need to make changes to improve and above all be relevant.
Go here for a recording of the meeting.
Submitted by Don Baus, Chairman Keyway Committee
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
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- President Lisa gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Heath Ward welcomed all visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Lisa presented Health and Happiness.
- President-Elect Rob Dewey introduced his friend and our keynote speaker, Mayor of Mount Pleasant Will Haynie.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
November 24, 2020 | Issue 4987| President: Lisa Van Bergen
UPCOMING EVENTS
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- Nov. 24 – NO MEETING (Thanksgiving)
- Dec. 1 – Dr. Thad Bell, “Healthcare Disparities”
- Dec. 8 – Board Meeting @ 11am / Dondi Costin “How Local Universities are dealing with Covid-19”
- Dec. 15 – Holiday Luncheon @ Hall’s
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NEWS BRIEFS
No Meeting on Nov. 24 – Happy Thanksgiving
We will not meet this Tuesday, Nov. 24. We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and is able to enjoy time with family and friends. Watch for the Evite in your inbox for our meeting on Dec. 1. It will be emailed at the beginning of Thanksgiving week. The deadline to RSVP will be on Black Friday, Nov. 27th.
Meeting on ZOOM
We will continue to offer our Rotary Meetings by Zoom well into the foreseeable future, and now we are also able to offer an IN-PERSON option with a few alterations to the way we have met in the past (see below). We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us!
Important Note: Attendance requirements for attending the Rotary Club of Charleston luncheon have been waived. Attending the Rotary Club of Charleston Luncheon is voluntary and members/guests are invited to join us in-person or virtually on ZOOM. Anyone who is “at risk” for COVID-19 is encouraged to stay at home
An RSVP is required for those attending in person, as we have a cap of 70 people for our in-person meetings for the time being. The deadline for RSVPs was this past Thursday, Nov. 12. Reservations for this meeting are now closed. If your schedule has changed and you are now available to attend in-person, please contact Carroll as there is a possibility that there is availability. We will also offer the meeting on Zoom and that link will be included in the weekly Keyway email.
We will continue to offer our Rotary Meetings by Zoom well into the foreseeable future, and now we are also able to offer an IN-PERSON option with a few alterations to the way we have met in the past (see below). We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us!
Important Note: Attendance requirements for attending the Rotary Club of Charleston luncheon have been waived. Attending the Rotary Club of Charleston Luncheon is voluntary and members/guests are invited to join us in-person or virtually on ZOOM. Anyone who is “at risk” for COVID-19 is encouraged to stay at home
In-Person Meeting Guidelines
The following guidelines have been established for our in-person meetings that comply with state and local regulations for events:
ENTERING MEETING/REGISTRATION
- Attendance is at your own risk and only those who are healthy are encouraged to attend
- Wearing masks upon entering is optional
- Entrance doors will be open
- Marks on floor every 6 feet to registration table
- Registration table located inside room past “lounge area”
- Rotarians/Visitors/Guests wait in line to be signed in by Sergeant-At-Arms Committee
- Temperature will be taken at door and anyone with a 100.4 or higher will not be permitted in the meeting.
- Anyone entering the meeting (members/guests/speakers/venue staff) will be expected to sign a COVID waiver. The COVID waiver will be emailed to club members and venue prior to our first several in-person meetings for review. Members can certainly share with guests.
- Sergeant-At-Arms committee will be wearing masks & gloves
- No badges
- No raffle
- Hand sanitizer located at registration and in various locations in the room
SEATING
- Lunch will be plated and served as Rotarians arrive at their tables – no buffet or drink station
- Rotarians/Visitors/Guests will be encouraged to find a seat after being registered. Try to fill tables from the far wall (near the kitchen) outward to eliminate some of the brushing up against others while finding a seat
- Tables & seats will be appropriately spaced to allow for social distancing
- Hand sanitizer will be at each table
HEAD TABLE
- 1 Head table with 2 seats – speaker and speaker introducer
- Podium with table mic (wipes available on podium)
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS/VISITORS
- No passing of handheld mic/members will stand-up and introduce guests without use of mic
RSVP REQUIRED TO ATTEND MEETINGS
- Members/Visitors/Guests planning to attend weekly meetings will be required to RSVP through Evite to let us know if you are planning to attend as we are limited to 70 people at this time
- Any dietary restrictions need to be noted on the RSVP
ZOOM / RECORDINGS
Meetings will continue to be available on Zoom and a recording will also be emailed out after the meeting for those not comfortable attending in person
Important COVID-19 Message from the District
As we go back to attending meetings in person, we wanted to again share the below from the District. Members are asked to keep this in mind.
It has come to my attention that we need to set some ground rules for dealing with Rotarians who contract COVID-19 and how we deal with this in our clubs. First, for the Rotarians themselves. We MUST maintain absolute confidentiality for ANYONE who tests positive for COVID-19 unless they give us permission to share their information. That said, we MUST also ask, even require, that any Rotarian who has been to an in-person Rotary meeting or other function and later suspects they have COVID-19 report this to their Club President as soon as possible. This could be due to being in close contact with a person who tests positive or that they show symptoms. And, they absolutely must let the Club President know immediately if they test positive. Then, keeping confidentiality, the Club President MUST let all who attended that event know that there was someone at the event or meeting who came down with symptoms or tested positive. This will, at least, give all those notified the option of being tested immediately. And, it gives them warning that maybe they should limit their contact with others until it is proven that they are not infected.
Community Impact-Recognition Award
The Historic Rotary Club of Charleston presented our first ‘Community Impact-Recognition Award’ this past Tuesday. The recipient is a longtime member of the Charleston Fire Department – Battalion Chief David Griffin. Chief Griffin was selected by the Charleston Fire Department command staff, to which our newest Rotarian, Dan Curia, is the Fire Chief.
The Community Impact-Recognition Award was approved at the October meeting of the Board of Directors. This Award will be presented at least 4 times a year. When this appreciation is given to a First Responder – they will receive a ‘trophy’, which will come from All American Awards and a gift card from a restaurant. Many thanks to the Crab House for providing a generous gift card to the Rotary Club so we could pass it onto Chief Griffin.
The Board has also approved that we will present 2 Awards at our annual end of the year meeting: the other 2 Awards are for 2 members of our Club = The Rookie of the Year and the Bill Hall Rotarian of the Year. Club members will be receiving information about the nominations for these Awards in February.
Our Club is delighted that Battalion Chief David Griffin is the first person to be given this honor from our Club. We look forward to continuing this new tradition for years to come. The next presentation will be on December 1 and then again on March 30.
Happy Hour Social – A Success
We hope everyone enjoyed the social at the Rutledge Cab Company this past Thursday and were able to catch up with Rotary friends. A big thank you to Leah Donaldson and Michael Smith for coordinating this event for our club.
Mark your calendars for our next Happy Hour social scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 21 at The Shelter in Mt. Pleasant.
Board Nominating Information
In line with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Rotary Club of Charleston, the secretary shall supply each member in good standing with a roster giving the names of those members who are eligible to serve on the Board of Directors. The below list reflects those eligible members who have agreed to serve, if elected.
The By-Laws were revised in June 2017 and state that to be eligible for election to the Board of Directors, a selectee, must be a member in good standing of the Rotary Club of Charleston (with no current dues delinquencies) and must be a member of the Rotary Club of Charleston for at least twelve (12) months as of October 1 of the year in which the election is to occur and met all requirements of a Blue Badge member. Additionally, the selectee must have exhibited regular and reliable attendance of at least 70% (including make-ups) over the past twelve (12) months and must not have served on the Board in the prior twelve (12) months unless otherwise permitted herein. A member must also have actively participated in a committee of the Club, as determined by the nominating committee. If elected, a member must agree to become a sustaining member of the Rotary Foundation and agree to attend at least one of the following District meetings: District Convention, District Assembly or District Foundation Meeting.
The list of eligible members shall be presented to the members of the Club who shall by ballot each indicate their first through fourth preferences from the below list of eligible members to serve on the Board of Directors for the coming year. Each member, in attendance at the annual meeting, or by proxy previously submitted, shall have four (4) votes to elect the four (4) new Board Members. The annual meeting will be held on Tuesday,
Rotary members who are to remain on the Board of Directors during the 2021-2022 year are: Lisa Van Bergen, Rob Dewey, Rob Byko, Jeanne Jamme, Virginia Lee, and Joseph Tecklenburg. Outgoing members are: Digit Matheny, Paul Stoney, Karl Brady and Charlie Palmer.
Nominating Committee
The following members have been assigned by President Sandy Morckel and Nominating Chairperson Sandy Morckel to the Nominating Committee: David Burt, Alex Dallis, Karl Riner, Heidi Finniff, and Kerby Teller.
Eligible Candidates
- Stefany Di Manno Ceccato
- Owen Clary
- David Cohen
- Rich Dukes
- Nick Galizia
- Cleave Ham
- Stavros Triantafyllidis
- Jeff Webb
- Charlton Wieters
- Kelsey Willey
- Chad Woodell
Holiday Gratuity for Hall’s Staff
Just a reminder … we are collecting CASH donations to give the staff at Faber as a holiday gift and to show our appreciation for all they do for us each Tuesday. There will again be buckets on the table at our meeting on 12/1, so please consider making a contribution.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Our long-standing holiday tradition continues! We will be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Friday, Dec. 11 from 10am-6pm. We will have two stations – one at King/Market and one at Meeting/Market. More information to come about sign-ups, but if you would like to reserve a certain shift in advance, contact our project chair, Denise Kaufman at [email protected]. We hope as many of you as possible will participate as this is a way we can serve our community while safely social distancing outdoors.
Holiday Luncheon at Hall’s
We will return to Hall’s Chophouse for this year’s Holiday Luncheon. Mark your calendar now for this popular holiday event – Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 12:00noon. Due to COVID and social distancing protocols, this will be a Rotarian ONLY event (no guests) and reservations will be limited. We hope everyone will enjoy this fun, festive time and mingling with their fellow Rotarians. Look for an Evite and additional details to be emailed to you soon.
Change in Membership Status Deadline
If you plan a change in your club member status by January 1, 2021 to Excused, Leave of Absence, E-Member or if you are planning to resign, please notify Carroll in writing NO LATER THAN December 7, 2020. This change will affect the January statement, which will be distributed in mid-December. All current members who officially resign after December 7 will be billed $52 to cover Rotary International dues, which are paid the first of each billing cycle. If you have any questions, contact Carroll.
Club Supports The CART Fund & You Can Contribute to The CART Fund On-Line
Through our RCCF Funds, which club members contributed to by supporting our 100 Year GALA and Boat Raffle this past February, a $1500 donation was made on behalf of our club to The CART Fund to support Alzheimer’s Research.
It is also easy for club members to contribute and support The CART Fund electronically. The CART Fund has just rolled out a new portal www.mycartfund.org, which you can easily access. As a Rotarian and a DACdb user, you automatically have an account already set-up in your name. Your user name and password are the same as it is for the DACdb.
Support the Rotary Foundation
Just a reminder as we enter the season of giving not to forget the Rotary Foundation! There is the District 7770 Million $ Campaign and dinner to be held on May 5th 2021 at the Francis Marion Hotel. Our own Sandy Morckel is the Chair for that event. $10,000 spread over 3 years or a Bequest gets you an invite.
And do not forget your opportunity to be recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. Eighty-five dollars a month gets you there. Please reach out to Karl Riner, Club Foundation Chair, to sign up or ask questions.
Support Polio – October & November PolioPlus Months
Although the calendar has turned to November, District 7770 has designated October AND NOVEMBER as Polio Plus months. Please consider making an online donation to Rotary’s efforts to end polio now: https://endpolio.org/donate. You can also continue to help District 7770’s END POLIO NOW Chair Bernie Riedel with his 500 mile walk/run challenge to end polio. Bernie is as committed as they come to Rotary’s goal to end polio – help him here: https://raise.rotary.org/Bernie-Riedel/challenge. Either way, make sure you sign in using your My Rotary account to ensure you and the Club receive credit for your donation.
July Dues Now Past Due
If you haven’t already, please be sure to pay your July-December 2020 dues. Members with outstanding balances have received multiple past due notices and should note that payment is now considered 90 days past due. (see below for Failure to Pay Policy).
Please note that we have expanded our payment options and you now have the ability to pay via ACH and PayPal. Also of note, a 3% convenience fee is added to all credit card dues payments.
Members with outstanding balances have received multiple past due notices and should note that payment is now considered 90 days past due. (see below for Failure to Pay Policy).
The below policy was approved by the Board this past Spring and went into effect on July 1, 2020. Our club’s operating budget depends on members paying their dues as we incur various expenses based on our membership count and we cannot continue to pay for Rotarians, who do not fulfill their commitment of paying semi-annual dues.
Failure to Pay Dues Policy (effective 7/1/20)
“Any Rotary member with dues past 90 days must either pay in full or develop a payment plan, which includes making a minimal payment. If this is not in place by 120 days, then membership in Rotary will be terminated. If a member wishes to return, they must pay all outstanding dues prior to resubmitting an application.”
Another IMPORTANT change …. When we start meeting in-person in September, meal fees will increase to $30 for both excused members and guests. We will also ask that meal fees (Excused & guests) be paid at the door. We will no longer bill.
District Governor Nominations Being Accepted
As the Immediate Past District Governor of Rotary International District 7770, Johnny Moore, serves as Chair of the District 7770 Nominating Committee. In that capacity it is his responsibility to publish this call for nominations, to receive nominations, to present the nominations to the Nominating Committee and to Chair the Nominating Committee during the interview and voting process.
We are seeking nominations for the Office of District Governor of Rotary International District 7770. Nomination data forms must be returned to Johnny at [email protected] no later than 31 December 2020. Included in the attached packet is Article 16 of the Rotary International Manual of Procedure explaining the qualifications for District Governor. The applicant must read, understand, agree to and sign this section in order to be considered. The Club Secretary must sign the nomination form prior to submitting it to me.
Though not required it is suggested that the candidate meet with the Board of their Club to seek Board support for their nomination.
The Nominating Committee will meet on January 29th, 2021 with interviews starting at 9:00 AM. The location or method of meeting will be determined at a later time and meeting via virtual means is a distinct possibility. Those nominated will be informed of the method for meeting as much in advance as is possible and will receive their interview time at that point.
If you have questions, you may contact me at [email protected].
Official Rotary Club of Charleston Statement on Racial Inequity and Business Support
The Rotary Club of Charleston Board of Directors has adopted an official statement on Racial Inequity and Business Support in light of the recent unrest in our community and across the nation and the world. Rotary International had adopted an official statement on June 1, and we felt it was important for our Rotary Club to take a stand to condemn racial injustice and also show support for our small businesses who were affected during the recent rioting. While this has been a very challenging year for our community and our members with this pandemic and the resulting economic effects, we feel hopeful that a shift is occurring for the pandemic that has plagued our country for 400 years. In both our words and our actions, we have a chance to be a part of changing our future to one that allows all of our citizens to have a chance to live up to their fullest potential. With all the amazing and transformative impact the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston has had on our community and milestones that we have celebrated throughout this 100th anniversary year, you can be proud to be a part of an organization that lives up to our vision of uniting to create lasting change in our world, our communities and in ourselves.
The statement in its entirety can be found on the lead page of our club’s website.
Club/District Emails
As a Rotarian and a member in District 7770, you are receiving emails from our club and the District. Both the club and the District try to minimize the number of emails being sent, but in today’s world of staying at home and no contact, emails are the main way to get information out and keep Rotarians connected. Please do not unsubscribe from District emails as this also affects your ability to receive club emails. If you unsubscribe from the District emails, then you are also unsubscribing from receiving club emails.
Our Club is on Social Media
Members are encouraged 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 sent to Mike Sottak, [email protected], or Rob Byko, [email protected].
MEMBER NEWS
Congratulations to our newest Rotarian – Dan Curia! Dan was sponsored and introduced by President-Elect Rob Dewey. He will hold the classification of First Responder/Fire. We welcome Dan into our Rotary family!
Congratulations to Joseph Tecklenburg … it was announced on Tuesday that he and his wife are expecting a little girl!

Rotary Foundation Karl Riner recognized several of our members with multiple Paul Harris Fellows this past Tuesday.
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- GP Diminich – PHF + 1
- Don Oswalt – PHF + 1
- Jeanne Jamme – PHF + 4
- Digit Matheny – PHF + 7
- Karl Riner – PHF + 7
Congratulations to these members! Their continuous support of the Rotary Foundation is much appreciated!
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian: Dan Curia
- JOINED: 11/17/20
- SPONSOR: President-Elect Rob Dewey
- MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: New Member
- CLASSIFICATION: First Responder/Fire
- PROFESSION: Fire Chief, Charleston Fire Department
- SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: I play the drums. Until I moved to Charleston in 2018, I played in a rock and blues band for years.
Birthdays
- 11/27 – David Anderson
- 11/29 – Phoenicia Miracle
- 12/5 – Nathan Allen
- 12/6 – Ivan Anderson
By the numbers
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- Attendance on November 17, 2020 (In-Person and Zoom): 47
- Not in attendance: Allen, Baus, Berry, Bickley, Brack, Ceccato, Chico, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cohen, Cole, Cook, Coxe, Crain, Crouch, Deavenport, DeGraff, Diminich, Drafts, Echols, Fason, Fellabom, Finniff, Galizia, Gill, Hanger, Holmes, Humiston, Husser, Imam, Jamme, Jones, C., Jones, Z., Kaynard, Moore, Morelli, Moring, Patrick, Oswalt, Ravenel, Raver, Riley, Rust, Savage, Seguer, Shahid, Sidebottom, Smith, H., Smith, M., Smith, P., Staley, Strickland, Taylor, Tecklenburg, John, Teller, Uram, Vanek, Wackym, Walters, Webb, Weston, Williams
- Out of Town Make-ups: None
WELLNESS TIP
Outsmart the Buffet
When you face a spread of delicious holiday food, make healthy choices easier:
- Have a small plate of the foods you like best and then move away from the buffet table.
- Start with vegetables to take the edge off your appetite.
- Eat slowly. It takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to realize you’re full.
- Avoid or limit alcohol. If you do have an alcoholic drink, have it with food. Alcohol can lower blood sugar and interact with diabetes medicines.
Also plan to stay on top of your blood sugar. Check it more often during the holidays, and if you take medicine, ask your doctor if the amount needs to be adjusted.
ARE 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: 7:30AM Hall’s Signature Events, 5 Faber, 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: Lisa Van Bergen
- 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