September 27, 2022
We welcomed author, historian and community advocate Margaret Seidler to our meeting this week. She shared her perspectives and research an often misunderstood, if not washed over’, era of Charleston history, including some of her own surprising personal ties to 19th century. Reminder of a couple of events coming up: Trash Talkin’ Highway Clean up on Oct. 15 and October Social aboard the Palmetto Breeze on the 18th. Sign up info below.
Margaret Seidler joined us on Tuesday to present the “Accidental Historian”. Her talk was for racial healing through telling a more complete story of history and to heightened awareness and develop a deeper empathy for African Americans who may harbor fear, anger and resentment. She told the story through her family history in Charleston recalling the families living in slave quarters at Mcleod Plantation and wondering why they lived in poverty when her family was at the country club and was told that was just the way it is.
She has since always been an advocate for the African American Community and In 2015/16 she started the Charleston Illumination Project to strengthen citizen and police relationships in the wake of the Emmanuel AME shootings. In 2018 she found that she had African ancestry and descended from William Payne who was prolific in the Charleston Slave trade. This was very eye opening and completely changed how she saw her history relative to African Americans who she had believed she was exempt from. She then began to research her history and that of the Charleston slave trade.
Margaret then gave a very moving presentation of newspaper ads for slaves that told of families being broken up, the skills that many of the slaves had, their names and ultimately that the slave trade also operated behind closed doors at William Payne’s house. She ended on the book Ukweli, where 47 contributors explore American racism through writing and poetry.
Here is a link to the recording of the meeting
Password:93&9NRVj
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Marion Platt gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Alex Bourland introduced our visiting Rotarians & guests
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Virginia.
- Mary Peters introduced our guest speaker, Margaret Seidler, “The Accidental Historian”.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
10/3/2022 | Issue 5066 President: Virginia Lawrence
COMING EVENTS
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- 10/4 – Marcus Amaker, Poet Laureate
- 10/11 – District Governor Bob Gross / 11am Board Mtg.
- 10/15 – Adopt-A-Highway, Bee Street, 9am-10am
- 10/18 – Social Aboard the Palmetto Breeze
- 10/25 – Lisa Matheny, Army Corps of Engineers
- 11/1 – Herman Dixon, Shelter Box
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NEWS BRIEFS
Reminder… Guest RSVP Protocol
If you are planning to bring a guest to Rotary, please let Carroll know by no later than Monday at 5pm. There is some preparation that needs to be done for all guests prior to the meeting.
Special Dietary Requests
If you have a special dietary request or need, be sure to let Carroll know in advance of a meeting. She will work with the staff at Hall’s to ensure that you are prepared a special plate that meets your restrictions. Please do not enter the kitchen area to make a last minute special request.
Community Coat Drive
During the month of October, we will be collecting new and gently used youth and adult sized coats. Adult coats will be donated to the Living Amends, which is a program that distributes coats in a street initiative that works with people who live on the streets, usually drug or alcohol related, and looks for opportunities to not just meet the humanitarian need but also to deliver a lifeline to treatment options. The youth coats will be donated to Carolina Youth Development Center. Please bring your coat donations to any luncheon in October or “bring a coat to the boat” on October 18th.
Trash Talkin’ Time!!
The Community Service Project for October is Bee Street Clean Up on Saturday, October 15 from 9-10am. Meet up is at 140 Bee St, fellowship brunch for those interested afterward! Click link below to register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rotary-adopt-a-highway-bee-street-clean-up-tickets-419575681157
October Social – Aboard the Palmetto Breeze
Join us for a sunset cruise aboard the Palmetto Breeze on Tuesday, October 18 from 4:30-6:30pm. Enjoy appetizers, cash bar and live music by best saxophonist in Charleston, Louie D.
Tickets are $25 – Rotarians & guests welcome! Tickets are limited, so be sure to purchase soon. An email was sent to all members last week. Buy tickets here
The cruise will leave from Shem Creek (behind Tavern and Table – 100 Church Street, Mt. Pleasant.
Blood Drive – Come Donate
Our club is hosting a Holiday Blood Drive with the Blood Connection at the Charleston Riverdogs Stadium on November 19 ahead of the season when blood is most in demand. Mark your calendars now to donate blood.
Youth Exchange Candidates Needed for 2023-2024 School Year
Do you know a high school student that would be interested in a year abroad as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student? Our District needs your help in finding candidates for the 2023-2024 school year. Preliminary Applications are being accepted now. Please pass this along to interested students, families, churches and neighbors so these students don’t miss this opportunity. All Rotarians’ children and grandchildren are eligible for Rotary Youth Exchange. If you have any questions, please contact Lou Mello, District Youth Exchange Chair, at [email protected] or 843-437-9084.
July-Dec 2022 Dues Are Past Due
July-December 2022 dues payments are now considered past due. Second past due notices were emailed on 8/31. If you received an email, please be sure to take care of making payment. We have made it even easier to pay! We have upgraded our software and added a new component to our invoicing. We are now able to accept credit card and bank transfer payments on-line. Members just simply have to click on the “pay now” button on their invoice and make payment. We hope this new feature will make those of you paying by credit card or bank transfer easier. We will continue to also accept payments by check. If you have any questions about your dues, please contact Carroll.
WE ARE NOW ON Linked In
For all you Linked In users, be sure to follow us on that popular professional social media network. Our handle is Rotary Club of Downtown Charleson and you can link directly to our page here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rotary-club-of-downtown-charleston/
Hosts Needed! Our Club’s TWO Youth Exchange Students Have Arrived and We Need Host Families
IMPORTANT!!!! We are still looking for local families to host both female exchange students for a period of 3-5 months in 2022/2023. This is a great opportunity to volunteer and change the life of a young person and expose yourself and your family to a different culture! All of the prior students have been wonderful and a delight to get to know!
Both of our exchange students 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). They will be attending the Charleston Charter School for Math & Science located at: 1002 King Street, Charleston SC 29403.
If you are interested in hosting one of these students for a couple of months, please reach out to either Karen Clark [email protected] or Richard Sidebottom [email protected].
This is a great opportunity to volunteer and change the life of a young person and expose yourself and your family to a different culture! All of the prior students have been wonderful and a delight to get to know and stay in contact with!
Our exchange students 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). Each girl will attend the Charleston Charter School for Math & Science located at: 1002 King Street, Charleston SC 29403.
Please note that a host family or couple 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 as soon as possible. We need to line up our first host soon for each girl. Please note that Hosts do not need to be a part of Rotary, so it’s okay (and appreciated) if you share with other couples and families that you feel may be interested.
The application 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, include photos of your home including: student bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, family room, exterior of home and 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
MEMBER NEWS
Congratulations to Past President and current Assist. District Governor Sandy Morckel for being recognized by President Virginia as Rotarian of the Month for September. Sandy coordinated the Community Impact Meeting held earlier this month at the College of Charleston with the two other Charleston clubs and the Coastal Community Foundation and Trident United Way. Sandy does so many wonderful things for our club and District and is always looking for ways for our club to make an impact in our community.
And congratulations to our our new blue badgers: Jennifer Brinson, Adrian Cain, Jason Eckenstein, Lewis Edge, Jay Gibson, Bob Leventhal, Mark McMath, Richard Parker and Mike Seekings were recognized with their BLUE membership badges this past Tuesday!
Our hometown team, The Charleston RiverDogs, are back-to-back champions! The RiverDogs claimed their second consecutive Carolina League championship after defeating the Lynchburg Hillcats 6-2 last Tuesday night. It was a clean sweep for the RiverDogs who finished the postseason with a 4-0 record.
In recognition of their fabulous season, President Virginia gave out some Riverdog “swag” to a few lucky members at our meeting. Congratulations to our own Dave Echols and The Charleston Riverdogs!
Proposed New Member:
The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Lymari Rentas Gonzalez – sponsor: Adrian Cain; classification: Consultant
In the event you know Lymari, please tell a member of the Board how she will serve the ideals of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian: Edward “Hamer” Darby, Jr.
- JOINED: June 2022
- SPONSOR: David Burt
- CLASSIFICATION: Construction/Business development
- PROFESSION: Business Development
- CURRENT PROFESSION: Monteith Constructions
- Community Service Organizations, Current Activities or Activities/Volunteer Work in the Past: Meals on Wheels, and excited to see what opportunities Rotary provides.
- SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: My first plane ride was to Hawaii.
BIRTHDAYS
- 5 – James Yanney
- 8 – Dan Curia
- 9 – Cleave Ham & Kate Marra-Grant
WELLNESS TIP
Get in on the pumpkin trend
This favorite fall centerpiece is packed full of nutrients and minerals. It’s one of the best sources for beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Avoid canned pumpkin, which is often full of sugar and syrups and instead reach for the real deal.
AREA CLUB MEETINGS
Mondays
Summerville – Oakbrook: 7:30 a.m., Monday, Westcott County Club, 5000 Wescott Club Drive, North Charleston
North Charleston: 12:30 p.m., Monday, Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Blvd, North Charleston, SC
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: 1pm-2pm on 1st & 3rd Wednesday. Hilton Garden Inn-Homewood Suite/Lowcountry Conference Center, 406 Sigma Drive
Thursdays
North Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Marriott Hotel, 4770 Goer Drive, 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