March 8, 2022
Congratulations to our own Digit Matheney for being named District 7770 Rotarian of The Year. A huge honor, and well deserved for someone who exemplifies everything about Service Above Self. Digit was recognized at this past weekend’s District Conference in Hilton Head. In our weekly meeting, Rotarian Marion Platt shared his insights into the affordable housing challenges we face in the Lowcountry and his own work at Star Gospel Mission. Don’t forget our next club social, March 24 at Bedford Halls on Meeting Street.
The Reverend Dr. Marion Platt, is a native of Charleston, who returned home to serve as Executive Director and Pastor of Star Gospel Mission, becoming only the sixth leader in the organization’s 118-year history. Marion served two enlistments as a U.S. Army infantryman and 19 years with The Salvation Army before accepting this position with Star Gospel Mission.
Marion earned his doctoral degree from Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville). He is an adjunct instructor of leadership at Wesley Biblical Seminary and dissertation advisor at Trevecca Nazarene University.
Marion has been a Rotarian for 16 years in Atlanta, Savannah, and Memphis Clubs. He is Vice-President of the Southern Organization for Human Services and serves on the Faith-Based Advisory Council of the International African American Museum.
Marion is married to Dr. Everette Platt, who teaches English & Language Arts at The Cooper School. They have three children, Dina, Josh, and Zion. Marion is an avid reader, and he enjoys fishing, running, and listening to jazz.
Dr. Marion Platt started with a story (summary): At the age of 12, I was pulled away from Nintendo by my grandmother, who took me to volunteer for the Salvation Army. There, I was quickly trained to take applications from people in a queue, people waiting for help.
While volunteering, I met an illiterate woman and a homeless man, who lived under a bridge. I thought, “Someone needs to do something….The trajectory of my life was transformed that day – in Dec. 1989.”
“Doing Something”
After honorably serving two enlistments as a U.S. Army infantryman, Marion used the GI Bill to attend Trident Tech’s human services department. After marriage, he and his wife moved together with the Salvation Army to the organization’s College of Officer Training. Marion rose in the ranks of the Salvation Army, serving in leadership positions in several cities.
More than a year ago, while musing beside a river near his home in Memphis, where he led operations for the Salvation Army, Marian said he decided to return home, to return to Charleston. Soon thereafter, he responded to a job posting for the Star Gospel Mission, where he knew he could “do something.”
Marion is only the sixth leader in the Star Gospel Mission history. Begun by the Rev. Obadiah Dugan in the old Star Vaudeville Theater more than 118 years ago, the mission soon moved after the Rev. Dugan purchased Holy Rosary Roman Catholic church on Meeting Street. From that site, SGM provided services to both homeless men and women until Hurricane Hugo in 1989, when they narrowed their focus to men only.
Today, SGM provides male-only residential services in partnership with organizations expert in addiction and mental health treatment, counseling, job training, and life skills.
The number one cause of homelessness is lack of affordable housing, Marion said. At Star Gospel Mission, this is a barrier for men who want to transition out of the dorms provided across SGM’s eight transitional home sites. All men in Star Gospel’s program work, however, Marion said, “It’s rare to earn enough to pay rent.”
To educate us on the complexity of this issue, Marion explained that “affordable housing” is also called “attainable housing” or “workforce housing.” He said that HUD regulates access to housing by categorizing people in three buckets: median income, low income, and very low income.
In conclusion, Marion told the story of Mark, a Star Gospel guest, who came to the mission after he lost his housing, moved under the bridge for six months, and had all his earthly goods either stolen or scattered one day while he was away. “He moved out last Friday, having made his deposit on an apartment,” Marion said gratefully.
Questions/Answers
- Are there any disqualifiers for men wanting to stay at Star Gospel Mission? Answer: Convicted sex criminals are disqualified.
- Do you see an expansion in the future of Star Gospel Mission? Answer: More beds are always needed.
- Do you serve people with mental health issues? Answer: Yes, SGM partners with professionals in these areas.
- Is the homeless population increasing or decreasing? Answer: It remains to be seen how the pandemic has impacted the “housing distressed.” A point-in-time count was conducted last month, and we’re waiting on that report.
Marion’s talk can be found here.
Access Passcode: @=0Z7g?@
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- James Yanney gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- President-Elect Virginia Lee introduced our visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Rob presented Health and Happiness.
- Phoenicia Miracle introduced fellow club member and guest speaker, Marion Platt of Star Gospel Mission, who spoke on “Affordable Housing”.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
3/15/2022 | Issue 5041 President: Rob Dewey
COMING EVENTS
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- March 15 – Club Assembly: Zoom Only
- March 22 – Barbara Melvin, SC Ports
- March 23 – Monthly Social @ Bedfall’s, 5 -7:30 pm
- March 29 – Bill Dunavant, Dunavant Enterprises
- April 5 – Lori MacMahon, MUSC, VP of Research
NEWS BRIEFS
Meeting this Tuesday – ZOOM ONLY
Our meeting this Tuesday, 3/15 will be held only on ZOOM. Please do not go to 5 Faber as we will not be there.
District 7770 Conference
Big News out of Hilton Head last weekend! Our own Digit Matheney was named Rotarian of the Year. We’ve always known he was a top dog Rotarian when he was named our club’s RoY last year, but this is a huge honor for all the hard work he has put in at the district level as Membership Chair.
Thank You Pins – Alfred Pinckney
Our Rotary Club is continuing to recognize former and long-time retired Rotarians, so we may present them with a lapel pin. The pin was designed by Rotarian Don Oswalt. In the middle of the pin the initials “TY” = Thank-You. On the outside of the pin states that the TY is from your Club – The Historic Club of Charleston – Rotary.
This past Tuesday, Membership Chair Cleave Ham was honored to recognize and thank former Club President, Alfred Pinckney, for his many years of dedication and service to our club. Alfred served our club as President during the 1986-87 Rotary year and also served on the Board of Directors prior to that role. He helped start the Gift of Life program, which brought children with huge medical needs to Charleston to get the medical attention they needed. This program captured the hearts of Rotarians and became a project for our entire District. The program is still active today. Alfred was accompanied to our meeting by his 2 grandsons – Henry and George Frenzel. It was a treat to have this outstanding Rotarian with us on Tuesday!
Meeting Update – RSVP Required for all Guests by Monday at 5 p.m.
As those of you who have attended recently are aware, we have returned to a buffet-style luncheon. Our attendance numbers have consistently returned to pre-COVID numbers, so as we move forward into 2022 there will be NO EVITE or need to RSVP to weekly luncheons. We have been printing nametags for guests, so we do ask that if you are bringing a guest (especially a prospective member), please let Carroll know by 5:00 pm on Monday. Also, if you have a dietary restriction, please inform Carroll weekly, so a special meal is prepared for you.
March Social: Wednesday, March 23 at Bedford Falls
Please join us at the March Social to enjoy Rotary Fellowship and support a new local business!
Please invite a friend – especially one who is interested in joining Rotary!
Wednesday, March 23rd, Bedford Falls, 430 Meeting Street
5.00 – 7.30pm
Invitation from the Daniel Island Club – Quack-a-Palooza
The Rotary Club of Daniel Island invites you to join them on Thursday, March 24 to kick-off the Charleston Area Duck Race in style. Quack-a-Palooza, A Yellow Affair, will include music, Lowcountry food favorites, an open bar, and special duck drinks. Come dressed in something yellow, and join fellow Rotarians and friends from Rotary Clubs throughout the greater Charleston area. Chef Mac, a hometown favorite, will prepare savory food including Cocktail Shrimp & Grits, Pulled Pork Sliders, Carolina Meatballs, Bacon Mac & Cheese Dip and other delicious treats. The event will include fun ways to raise money for the charities of participating Rotary Clubs including a mini-duck race, raffle items, and direct giving to local charities in need.
Quack-A-Palooza, A Yellow Affair, will be held at Alhambra Hall in historic Old Town at 131 Middle Street in Mount Pleasant, from 5:30-9:00PM, $100 per person. A few table sponsorships are also available for $1200, which includes upfront seating, signage and appreciation from the stage during the event.
Paul Harris Society
Did you know that you can register for a recurring donation to Rotary Foundation through Rotary Direct, which is the recurring donation program available through Rotary.org. You can donate $75/month and then include your $100 donation through your dues to become a Paul Harris Society Member – meaning that you have committed to donating $1000/year. What an easy way to support the Rotary Foundation and become a Paul Harris Fellow!
Ambassadorial Global Grant Scholars
Please help us identify potential candidates for the Ambassadorial Global Grant Scholarship through the International Rotary Foundation!
This is an ideal opportunity to build global leadership opportunities for our impressive students pursuing graduate work abroad from our local colleges and universities. Our undergraduate, graduate and honors programs of our four-year colleges and universities often provide excellent outreach/access to students who may be eligible.
Eligible candidates previous work or volunteer experience, academic program, and career plans should be strongly aligned with one of the six areas of focus:
- Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution
- Disease Prevention and Treatment
- Water and Sanitation
- Maternal and Child Health
- Basic Education and Literacy
- Economic and Community Development
For more information, please contact Chloe Tonney at [email protected].
Youth Exchange Host Families Needed
The Rotary Club of Charleston needs local families to host an exchange student (that our club will sponsor), age 15-18 1/2, for a period of 3-5 months in 2022/2023. The families are grouped together and organized through the Rotary Club. This great opportunity to volunteer and change the life of a young person and expose your family to a different culture!
The exchange student will attend the same high school locally for the entire year so it is important that the host families are in the same school area (and it is convenient to travel to and from). Our inbound student will attend the Charleston Charter School for Math & Science which is located at: 1002 King Street, Charleston SC 29403.
A host family needs to have the desire to provide the following:
- Love as a family member. The student will be a part of the family not a guest.
- Transportation– The student will not be allowed to drive while in the US.
- A Bed-The student does not have to have his/her own room, but we do ask that they have their own bed.
- Food– We ask that you provide food for the student, including lunch while at school. Again, treating the student as you would your own.
If you are able to volunteer for this opportunity, please go to http://yehub.net/SC1-hfapp and complete the online Host Family Application. This can be done on your smartphone, tablet or PC. You will also need to consent to a background check as part of this process. Please note the following:
- You will need two references (emails, street addresses & phone numbers for each)
- Also, to include photos of your home including: student bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, family room, exterior of home & a casual family photo (smaller sizes work best) in the application.
- Please review the attached checklist for an overview of the process and timeline.
- Once you complete the application, we can schedule a time for me to visit you and your family at your home to go over some additional information and also address any questions or concerns you may have.
Rotary Youth Exchange Dates to Remember:
2022
- June: Training- Host Families & YEO/YEC in Charleston
- August : Inbound Student Orientation Training Weekend- Charleston, SC
- December: Disney World Trip! Mandatory for all Inbounds
2023
- March: District 7770 Rotary Conference, Columbia, SC (All Inbound and Outbound Students MUST attend)
- June: Rotary Western Tour (optional
If you have questions or need further information, please reach out to one of our club’s Youth Exchange Officers/Counselors – Karen Clark or Richard Sidebottom.
Blue Bucket Collections – Support Ukraine
Blue Buckets will continue to be on the tables during the month of March. Be sure to bring your Happy Bucks and consider making a cash donation at an upcoming meeting. The money collected in the buckets this month and in April will be donated to the Disaster Relief Fund at the Rotary Foundation in support of Ukraine.
No cash? No problem. We now take Venmo!
Thanks to overwhelming demand by our younger, cash-fee members, the club will now accept Venmo payments. Venmo can be used to pay dues, meals for guests, contribute happy dollars and conduct other transactions which previously required cash, check or credit cards. Simply add @rotaryclubofcharleston as a payee on your Venmo account. Thanks Joseph Tecklenburg for helping us reach this incredible technology milestone!
Rob Dewey is now looking into how we can use Bitcoin to pay our dues.
Charleston 50: Year Two
Charleston50, a fundraising campaign launched by the Rotary Club of Charleston to fund community grants, has already reached 58% of its 2021-22 goal during the first 24 days of our fiscal year!
Begun last year when traditional events were canceled due to COVID, the project is continuing thanks to the overwhelming response by members who donate $500 annually to support deserving non-profits in our club’s service area.
The Rev. Rob Dewey, club president, said, “Charleston50 was a surprise success for us. After decades of supporting projects by selling tickets and sponsorships, we quickly learned that our members value the impact our club has in the community and the easy way they can give through Charleston50.”
Charleston50 members receive several visibility benefits including being listed on the club’s website and on a slide deck visible for 20 minutes before each meeting; a pin; a sticker; and an opportunity to briefly greet club members. Donations to Charleston50 are made through the non-profit arm of our club and are 100% tax-deductible.
Please download and complete the Pledge Form here, and return it via email to Phoenicia Miracle at [email protected].
Support The CART Fund
It is easy for club members to make individual contributions and support The CART Fund electronically. The CART Fund has 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.
MEMBER NEWS
Welcome to our newest members – Harry Camferdam, Eric Farr and Dudley Katz! Harry was sponsored and introduced by Harry Staley. He will hold the classification of Real Estate. Past President Patterson introduced and sponsored Eric, who will hold the classification of Financial Planner. Dudley, a retired dentist, was introduced and co-sponsored by Mackie Moore and Charles Ingle, who is Rotarian from the Sea Island Rotary Club. We are excited to welcome these new members into our Rotary family!
Sam & Leslie Skardon proudly welcomed identical and healthy twin boys Lewis Logan Skardon and Lawson Sullivan Skardon.
Sam reports: “Mom is doing well too, already up and walking around the hospital (to the point that nurses are having to call other departments to track her down). She has been a true hero for 35 weeks, and set the standard of love, care, and sacrifice we’ll continue to show both boys. We are also extremely grateful to the doctors and nurses at Roper St. Francis who have provided us with top-notch care.
Yall have already been so generous with us in so many ways, but if you’d like to help this week, our friend Emily Gildea has created a meal train for us here: https://mealtrain.com/mqzkz9, so that we’ll have a steady stream of food coming to our house, which we hope we’ll all be home to by Tuesday.”
With much regret, the Board accepted the resignation of Tom Giovanniello. We will miss Tom and wish him all the best in his new endeavors.
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Lewis Edge – sponsor: President Rob; classification: Retired
Chappy McKay – sponsor: Dan Ravenel; classification: Construction/General Contractor
Candy Oliver – sponsor: Stephanie Dasher; classification: Eleemosynary/Executive
Ashley Shaver – sponsor: Karla Combs; classification: Educ/Univ/Careers
In the event you know Lewis, Chappy, Candy, or Ashley, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian: Stephanie Dasher
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- JOINED: 6/7/2021
- SPONSOR: Skip FInk
- MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: New Member
- CLASSIFICATION: Non Profit
- PROFESSION: Executive Director, Warrior Surf Foundation & U.S. Navy Veteran
- SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF
Stephanie is married to Jordan Dasher. Stephanie graduated from college with a Nuclear Engineering Sciences and Technology degree. She dropped out of Algebra 2 in high school because it was too hard. She was not good at math. However, Stephanie loved science. Her experience provides proof, our brains mature and work at different rates. Given enough time, we can learn to do anything.
- JOINED: 6/7/2021
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Birthdays
- 3/16 – Alan Burgreen
- 3/18 – Sue Sommer-Kresse
- 3/20 – Karla Combs & Elizabeth Hills
- 3/21 – Leslie Fellabom
WELLNESS TIP
Work hard & be kind
Enough said!
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
Mount Pleasant: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Mt Pleasant Presbyterian Church. 302 Hibben St. 29464.
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: Rob Dewey
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