November 5, 2024
Victoria Blunt of the Coastal Community Foundation joined us to give us both a history and current state of this amazing community resource in our region.
The CCF was originally started 50 years ago in 1974 through a $9,000 grant from our Rotary Club. Since then is has grown to have more than $500M in philanthropic capital, making it the largest community foundation in the state. It uses the funds to support a wide range of programs and projects in the Lowcountry, including the Rotary Service Above Self Scholarship program. Since 1974, CCF has granted more than $425M to 5,800+ organizations and awarded more than $8M in scholarships to 4,000 students.
Lots going on this Fall in Rotary with volunteer opportunities, events and more great speakers. And with the holidays almost upon us, check the Keyway from important meeting and events information.
To join an upcoming meeting by Zoom use this link and the passcode: Rotary
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Past President Paul Stoney gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Brian Itzkowitz welcomed and introduced our visiting Rotarians and guests.
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Robert.
- President Robert introduced our speaker, Victoria Blunt, Stewardship and Donor Engagement Officer of the Coastal Community Foundation.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY November 12, 2024 | Issue 5148 President: Robert Sullivan
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 11/12 – Veteran’s Day Program, 11am Board Mtg.
- 11/13 – (Service Project) Oyster Reef Fabrication, 9:30-12noon
- 11/15 – (Service Project) Humanities Foundation Food Drive, 12noon-2pm
- 11/19 – Real Estate Panel (mtg. moved to High Cotton)
- 11/26 – NO MEETING – Happy Thanksgiving
- 11/29 – (Service Project) Bikes for Africa (bicycle breakdown)
- 12/3 – TBD, 11am New Member Orientation, Board Election Day
- 12/10 – TBD, 11am Brd Mtg.
- 12/13 – (Service Project) Operation Angel Tree
- 12/17 – Annual Holiday Luncheon at Hall’s Chophouse, 12-1pm
- 12/19 – Holiday Party for Seniors @ Ansonborough House, 1pm
NEWS BRIEFS
IMPORTANT …. Guest RSVP for 11/19 Luncheon Needed by Friday Morning If you are planning to bring a guest to Rotary next Tuesday, 11/19 for the Real Estate Panel, it is important that you let Carroll know by no later than this Friday, 11/15 at 9am. Our luncheon has been moved to High Cotton on 11/19, which is a slightly smaller event space. We need to ensure that we are prepared in advance for any additional people. As a reminder, guest fee is $30 paid at the door. First-time prospective members are free and sign in at the Membership Table.
Holiday Schedule We will NOT meet on Tuesday, November 26, December 24 or December 31. We hope everyone enjoys this special time with family and friends. Our first meeting after the New Year will be Tuesday, January 7th.
RCCF Grant Recipients Recognized On behalf of our club and the RCCF Committee, Past President and RCCF Chair Rob Dewey recognized three local organizations with RCCF Grants this past Tuesday.
Membership Committee Needs Volunteers The Membership Committee is looking for a couple of volunteers to meet with a new member about once a month. The objective is to meet with the new member one on one to answer any questions, discuss committees, reasons for joining, goals as a member. In summary, it’s a personable meeting to help get them on their blue badge path and optimize club experience. If interested in becoming involved on the committee, please contact Connor Spangler at [email protected].
SCORE Oyster Reef Fabrication Service Project
On Wednesday, November 13 from 9:30am-12noon, join the SCORE team and Casual Crabbing with Tia to construct Modified Wire Reefs (MWR) that will be an alternative substrate for oyster larvae to land and grown on. Rotarian volunteers will help to cut, bend and fasten galvanized wire to form a reef structure using power tools. Volunteers must wear closed toe shoes. Safety gear, bug spray, water and other needed materials will be provided. Sign up by using the Sign-Up Genius link that was emailed to members or contact Cody Callarman at [email protected].
Humanities Foundation Food Drive
On Friday, November 15th from 12noon-2pm (location TBD), volunteers are needed to assist the Humanities Foundation with handing out food boxes to those who drive through. All of the meals and provisions will be prepared for our distribution prior to the event. Come enjoy a couple of hours with your fellow Rotarians helping those in need in our community. Sign up by using the Sign-Up Genius link that was emailed to members or contact Cody Callarman at [email protected].
Hurricane Helene Support
We are all deeply saddened by the recent storm damage to our neighbors in Western North Carolina. As Rotarians, such tragedies are a call to action, and our Rotary Club wants to do all that we can to create hope and help the people of Western North Carolina devastated by this disaster.
Thanks to the generosity of many of our club members over the past month, we have collected $683 in the Blue Buckets. We will continue to put the Blue buckets on the tables each Tuesday and collect donations to send to those affected by Hurricane Helene. Members can also make donations to the RCCF for disaster relief support through this PayPal link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/872RUU6PAC92W
Board Nominations
Past President Cleave Ham and the Board Nominating Committee will begin reaching out to those club members who are eligible for election to the 2025-2026 Board. Board Director positions are two year terms. If you are contacted by a member of the committee, please consider volunteering your time and talents to serve our club as a Board Member.
Annual Holiday Luncheon at Hall’s – December 17 Mark your calendars now to attend our Annual Holiday Luncheon at Hall’s Chophouse (434 King Street) on Tuesday, December 17th at 12:00noon (doors open at 11:30am). This event is open to all Rotarians and their spouse or (1) guest. Additional information and how to sign up will be announced on Tuesday and sent in an email next week. We hope everyone will be able to join us as we ring in the holidays!!
Change in Membership Status Deadline (IMPORTANT) If you plan a change in your club member status by January 1, 2025 to Excused, Leave of Absence, E-Member or if you are planning to resign, please notify Carroll in writing NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 6th. All membership changes will need to be reviewed and approved by the Board at the December 10h meeting. Membership changes will affect your January-June 2025 dues statement, which will be distributed in mid-December. Our club is required by Rotary International to pay semi-annual dues for all members on the club’s membership list as of January 1. If you resign after the December 6th deadline, you will be responsible for paying the Rotary International and District dues which the club pays for you on January 1. If you have any questions, contact Carroll.
Be “Spotlighted” at a Meeting
The Rotary Club of Charleston will be highlighting a member of the club twice a month through June of 2025. Members who want to be spotlighted need to let me know of your interest and I will assign you a date. At the assigned meeting, you will have approximately 2 minutes to tell the Rotary Club membership about yourself. You can use visual aids and/or just talk about yourself. Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to “spotlight” you and your personal and professional achievements. Contact Julianne Farnsworth at [email protected] if interested or for more information.
Rotarians Against Human Trafficking (RAHT)
One of Rotary’s big initiatives this year is to combat human trafficking. It’s a prevalent, but also oftentimes unspoken issue. Past President Alissa Leitzow is the RAHT Ambassador for our club, so please reach out to her for more information on how to get involved. [email protected]
EPI Volunteers & Fundraising for the RCCF
Our Rotary Club is collaborating with Event Partners, Inc. (“EPI”), which is an organization based in Charleston, established in 2005, serving partner organizations throughout the United States with event staffing solutions and consultation services in the sports and entertainment industry. EPI has a Group Fundraising Program, whereby organizations like our Rotary Club can raise money by providing our members opportunities to volunteer to staff multiple types of events, such as “Collegiate Athletics and Championships, Professional Sports, Music Concerts and Festivals, Races and Local Events”, with fees for their service paid to RCCF; examples of types of events in our area include Charleston Battery Soccer, Riverfront Park Festival, Spoleto Festival, CSU & Citadel football, Charleston Classic Basketball Tournament, and CofC basketball (about 15 home games).
This is a year-long fundraiser for our club and a fun and easy way for our members to help our club raise funds for RCCF on their own time, by volunteering for a variety of positions at events, such as ticket scanners, parking directors, etc. and can include friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and such.
For more information and Sign Up Genius, please click on the below link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4AA2AA7F5C52-50046538-epifunraising
Please direct any questions to Karla Combs, Pres-Elect and 2024 Fundraising Chair, who is spearheading this fundraising effort for our club.
Rotary International 2024/2025 Theme: Create the Magic of Rotary
This year’s Rotary Presidential Theme is “The Magic of Rotary”. You will see the themed banner hanging on the podium every meeting. Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick encourages members to recognize and amplify the organization’s power to save lives. Clubs are encourage to celebrate the magic of Rotary that is created with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member of Rotary.
July – December 2024 Dues Invoices PAST DUE
July-December 2024 dues invoices are PAST DUE. If you have not made your July 2024 dues payment, please do so promptly. We will be closing the books on this current billing cycle on December 31 and issuing January-June 2025 invoices before the holidays. We would like to receive all past due payments before the Board Meeting on December 10. If you didn’t receive an invoice or have misplaced, please contact Carroll. Also note that payments can be paid on-line by either credit card or bank transfer. Members just simply need to click on the “pay now” button on their invoice. If you prefer to pay by check, please mail to PO Box 21029, Charleston, SC 29413.
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.
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 send to Mike Sottak, [email protected], or Rob Byko, [email protected]
MEMBER NEWS
Congratulations to Ed Sutton, who was elected to the SC Senate representing District 20. We also want to recognize and thank for serving our community the following Rotarians: Skip Fink (Folly Beach City Council), Karl Brady, Jr. & Mike Seekings (Charleston City Council) and Howard Chapman (Mt. Pleasant Town Council). Thank you to our club members who volunteered their time at the election polls on behalf of our club and the RCCF. Their “wages” for working the polls last Tuesday will be donated directly to the RCCF to support our many service projects. Club member volunteers were Sandy Morckel, Lisa Van Bergen, David Burt, Jane Horetsky, John Tecklenburg, Jerry Kozel, Karen Parson, Heidi Finniff, Karen Clark, Steve Morse, Robert Sullivan, Digit Matheny, Clara Heinsohn, and Bob Leventhal. MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian: Stephen Moody
JOINED: February, 2024
SPONSOR: Digit Matheny
CLASSIFICATION: Real Estate
PROFESSION: Coldwell Banker Community Service Organizations, Current Activities or Activities/Volunteer Work in the Past: Habitat for Humanity SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: I was a school teacher for fourteen years.
Birthdays
- 11/16 – Ittriss Jenkins
WELLNESS TIP Dine with your family Fall is a perfect time to slow down. It’s also a great time to regroup as a family and reconnect over dinner. Families who dine together tend to eat more nutritious meals. It also strengthens family relationships and can even help fast eaters slow down and appreciate food more.
OTHER AREA ROTARY CLUBS
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
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, Hibben Methodist Church, 690 Coleman Blvd., Mount Pleasant
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: Robert Sullivan
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