November 15, 2022
Our speaker this week was Courtney Plotner of the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, who gave us an interactive experience on how challenging a life without sight is.
Lots of holiday activities coming up – Salvation Army Bell Ringing, Ansonborough Holiday Gift Giving Luncheon and our annual Holiday Lunch at Hall’s – see all the info in this week’s issue.
Courtney Plotner President and CEO of the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired spoke to the club about the work and impact of their organization. Their mission is to help individuals with vision loss to live, learn and earn since 1936 and to enrich the quality of life of the blind and visually impaired.
Over 12. 5 million people over the age of 40 experience visual impairment and the rate of vision loss is expected to double this decade. There are 15,000 – 20,000 adults who are blind or visually impaired in the Tri-County and 70% of all adults who are suffer vision loss are unemployed.
Individuals 65 years old or older with this impairment are more likely to experience age-related chronic health conditions compared to those without vision loss. Currently there are less than 3,800 individuals in our entire country certified to provide most rehabilitation skills which are needed by anyone with significant vision loss.
The Association for the Blind and Visually impaired offers classes to empower those with vision loss to “own their life” including Assistive Technology, Computer Training, and Orientation and Mobility Training.
For a recording of this meeting, go here
Passcode: +CncVKv1
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Dan West gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Joe Maas introduced our visiting Rotarians & guests.
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Virginia.
- Karl Brady introduced our speaker and fellow Rotarian, Courtney Plotner, who is the CEO for the Association of the Blind & Visually Impaired.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
11/22/2022 | Issue 5073 President: Virginia Lawrence
COMING EVENTS
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- 11/22 – No Meeting (Thanksgiving)
- 11/29 – Dr. Brown-Mintzner on Alzheimer’s Research. Toys for Tots donations
- 11/29 – Sign up for a professional portrait
- 12/2 – Operation Warm Coat distribution (12-2) sign up
- 12/6 – Josh Watts, MedTrust (Board Meeting: 11am)
- 12/9 – Salvation Army Bell Ringing 10- 5 (sign up here)
- 12/13 – Holiday Luncheon @ Hall’s
- 12/15 – Holiday Senior Giving Luncheon @ Ansonborough House
- 12/20 – NO MEETING
- 12/27 – NO MEETING
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NEWS BRIEFS
No Meeting on November 22 – Happy Thanksgiving
We will not meet on Tuesday, November 22. We hope everyone enjoys this special time with family and friends.
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.
Bring a Toy on 11/29 to Support Toys for Tots!
In support of the USMC Toys for Tots drive, all Rotarians are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to our meeting on November 29th. Representatives from the United States Marine Corp will be attending our meeting that day to collect the toys. This will be the ONLY opportunity to donate a toy at our Rotary luncheon. There are Toys for Tots collection boxes all around the Charleston area.
Blue Buckets – Holiday Gratuity for Servers (Nov 29 last day to donate)
You can support our wait staff/kitchen staff at Hall’s Signature Events by making a donation in the Blue Buckets during our meetings in November. All BLUE bucket donations from now through our meeting on November 29 will be collected and given as a holiday gift to our servers at our meeting on December 6th to show our appreciation for all they do for us each Tuesday.
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. 13 at 12:00noon (doors open at 11:30am). There will be a cash bar. We hope everyone will enjoy this fun, festive time and mingling with their fellow Rotarians. An invite has been emailed, please RSVP to this invite. If you didn’t receive it and would like to attend, please let Carroll know. The deadline to RSVP is this Tuesday, December 6. No additional reservations will be accepted after this deadline. Rotarians are no charge. Spouse/Guest is $40 paid by cash or check at the door.
Need A Professional Head Shot? Join us on Nov. 29th
A complete portrait studio and experienced portrait photographer will be available for our members at our meeting location between 11:00 am and 2:30 pm on November 29th. Your only cost is the time you invest posing for photos. Full resolution photos will be sent to you electronically at no cost.
Long-time Rotarian and recent new club member, Lewis Edge, assisted by Rob Byko, Club Photographer, have generously donated their time and equipment to offer this opportunity to all club members. Lewis has been doing professional photography for 50+ years and is using the equipment from his portrait studio that he owned for nearly ten years in Princeton.
Information on how to schedule your portrait is forthcoming.
RCCF Grant Recipients Recognized
On behalf of our club and the RCCF Committee, Past President and current RCCF Chair, Sandy Morckel, recognized three of our six Fall RCCF Grant recipients.
Joyce Mabin Nesmith, Executive Director, accepted the check on behalf of Beyond Our Walls. Our funds will assist with the start-up and supplies for the S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) Academy in the southern area of North Charleston.
The City of Charleston’s Hope Center was represented by their Executive Director, Latosha Jenkins-Fludd. Our funds will be used to purchase supplies for the Day Room located at the Hope Center. The room has been recently cleaned and is being readied to receive unsheltered neighbors who need to escape adverse weather conditions or simply want to come out of the elements. The purchase will include a charging station for mobile phones.
Fellow Rotarian, George Reeth, Executive Director, attended on behalf of The LENS Foundation. Our donation will fund 10 children to participate in the annual “Shop with a Cop” program. Each child is paired with a “Cop” to go shopping for holiday items for themselves. The goal of the event is to give children the chance to bond with officers and start to create strong, trusting relationships.
We congratulate all RCCF grant recipients and appreciate all their organizations do to assist those in need in our community. We were able to grant 6 different organizations during the Fall grant cycle. The deadline to submit applications to be considered during our Spring grant cycle is March 1, 2023.
Salvation Army Bellringing
Our long-standing holiday tradition continues! We will be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Friday, Dec. 9 from 10am-6pm. We will have two stations – one at King/Market and one at Meeting/Market. A sign-up opportunity will be emailed to all members soon. Be on the lookout for it as we need lots of volunteers! This a fun, festive way to serve our community!
Rotary Foundation Year End Giving Campaign NOW In Progress!
Matching Points Campaign will last until December 31, 2021. Gifts of $100 to $500 will be matched by the District (7770). If you would like to become an instant Paul Harris Fellow for $500, the district will match your donation. Please reach out to Karl Riner to participate or for more information. You can also donate to Rotary’s efforts to end polio now: https://endpolio.org/donate.
Membership Drive this January

- 75% of new members learned about the club from one of our members, and
- 50% of prospective members who attend a weekly meeting decide to join
Senior Holiday Giving
We are gearing up for our Annual Senior Gift Giving for the residents of the Ansonborough House. We are again very proud to have the opportunity to make sure all 80 residents of the Ansonborough House have a wonderful holiday. This year we will be hosting a luncheon for the seniors on 12/15 and giving each resident a holiday card with a Harris Teeter gift card inside. We need 8-10 volunteers to help with the card stuffing immediately following our Holiday Luncheon on 12/13 (1:30-2:30pm), as well as 8-10 volunteers to help host/serve the lunch from 12:30pm – 2:30pm on 12/15. If you would like to help with this project, please reach out to Sandy Morckel at [email protected] or Tiffany Vanek at [email protected].
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.
Youth Exchange Students Need Host Families
Our club is hosting two youth exchange students this school year. Jenny, who is from Taiwan, and Lula, who is from France. Both students are staying with their first host family. All members will have an opportunity to meet our students as they will be attending club meetings, events and service projects throughout the year.
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].
Please note that 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. We need to line up our first host ASAP.
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
Support The CART Fund
It is easy for club members to make individual contributions and support The CART Fund electronically. The CART Fund has 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
Paul Harris Fellows Recognized
Continuing the legacy of our founder, the Paul Harris Fellow program recognizes individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. The honor was established in 1957 to show appreciation for contributions that support our Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant.
Our Rotary Foundation Chair, Karl Riner was honored to recognize several members of our Board with Paul Harris Fellows this past Tuesday to thank them for their service to our club:
- President Virginia Lawrence
- Robert Sullivan
- Kelsey Willey
- Debbie Barton (Club Secretary)
- Phoenicia Miracle
- Stefany Ceccato
We are pleased to announce that Alan Burgreen, Marion Platt, Travis Ronk and Paul Stoney have all been elected to the 2023-2024 Board of Directors. On July 1, 2022, they will join President-Elect Cleave Ham, Phoenicia Miracle, Amy Riley, Michael Smith and Robert Sullivan on the Board. We had a strong slate of candidates and sincerely appreciate all candidates’ willingness and desire to serve our club. Congratulations to all!
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Rotarian: Sara Dolan
- JOINED: June 2022
- SPONSOR: Baxter Hahn
- CLASSIFICATION: Dance
- PROFESSION: Tour Director
- CURRENT PROFESSION: Dance Makers, Inc.
- Community Service Organizations, Current Activities or Activities/Volunteer Work in the Past: Water mission – involved since 2013, Camp Happy Days – involved since 2021
- SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: I am entering my tenth year with my current employer
Rotarian: Katherin DeMoura
- JOINED: July 2022
- SPONSOR: Kerby Teller
- CLASSIFICATION: Architect/Business Development
- PROFESSION: Regional Business Development Leader
- CURRENT PROFESSION: McMillan Pazdan Smith
Architecture - Community Service Organizations, Current Activities or Activities/Volunteer Work in the Past: Was an
active member of Rotary while living in Pickens, SC from 2009-2013. Just participated on a team with Kerby Teller for LLS – Man and Woman of the Year. Our team raised more than $130K for LLS research. - SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: Began my career as a City
Manager in Pickens, SC right after grad school, spent five years learning there
and was heavily focused on physical aspects of community building. This is
eventually what lead me to work for McMillan Pazdam Smith and help
communities as they plan for their capital needs. On a personal note, I grew up
in Maine, but got to SC via Clemson as soon as I could to warm up.
Birthdays
- Nov. 22 – Jay Gibson & Past President Alissa Lietzow
- Nov. 29 – Phoenicia Miracle
- Dec. 1 – Dan Moses
WELLNESS TIP
Enjoy talking with your loved ones
A great way to ensure you enjoy eating healthy food is to eat with friends and family and take part in the dinner table conversation. Conversation during meals can force you to eat more slowly, which prevents you from overeating, as you focus more on your companions than on the meal itself.
AREA CLUB MEETINGS
Mondays
https://www.cainhoyrotary.com/
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
Cainhoy: 6PM, on the first and third Tuesday of the month, King’s Cross Church, of Clement Ferry Road
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: Virginia Lawrence
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