March 25, 2025
Melissa Stowassar, who oversees Trident Technical College’s Community and Continuing Education initiatives, explained all the great opportunities that are available to high school students through their internship program. There are an extensive range of business, technical, and vocational areas for students to participate in through real working situations, on a part time and for pay basis, that provide them a jump start on both higher level education and degrees, as well as into their professional careers. Melissa shared some of the fantastic success stories that have come out of the program.
Lots of fun opportunities coming up in April, including our Spring Social on April 24, and a behind the scenes look at the Gaillard Center. Check the Keyway from important meeting and events information.
To join an upcoming meeting by Zoom use this link and the passcode: Rotary
To see a recording of this week’s meeting go here.
Passcode: &B70RCCW
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Paul Attaway gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Joshua Davis welcomed and introduced our visiting Rotarians and guests.
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Robert.
- Harry Staley introduced our speaker, Melissa Stowasser, who is Vice President for Community and Continuing Education at Trident Technical College
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
April 1, 2025 | Issue 5162 President: Robert Sullivan
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 3/29 – Water Mission: Walk for Water: info here
- 4/8 – Tour of Gaillard. RSVP required
- 4/15 – Elliott Summey (11am Board Mtg)
- 4/22 – NO Rotary Meeting
- 4/24 – Spring Social @ James Island County Park, Wappo Shelter: RSVP here
- 4/29 – Paul Fetheringill – SC Small Business Development Council
- 5/6 – TBD
NEWS BRIEFS
New Member Orientation – This Tuesday, 4/1
Past President Rob Dewey will host a New Member Orientation Session on this Tuesday, April 1 at 11am. All new members who have not attended a previous session should make plans to attend. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our club and Rotary International. Attending one of these sessions is also one of the requirements of all new members to earning a BLUE Badge.
Gaillard Center Tour – April 8th
In lieu of our regular lunch meeting on Tuesday, April 8th, we will take a “field trip” to The Gaillard Center for a “Lunch & Learn” with President & CEO, Lissa Frenkel and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Gaillard Concert Hall. Event details are below. Space is limited, so an RSVP by Monday, March 31 is required to attend this event. Please note that due to the limited space, this event is for ROTARIANS ONLY. If there is space available, we will consider allowing guests. The link to RSVP is below: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4AA2AA7F5C52-55680500-gaillard
Event Details: April 8, 2025 – Gaillard Tour Offsite (ROTARIANS ONLY) Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: The Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun Street Meet in front of the ground floor lobby by the box office. Signage will be provided.
Deadline to RSVP: Monday, March 31. Schedule of Events:
- 12:00 PM – Arrival
- 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM – Lunch & Learn with President & CEO, Lissa Frenkel
- Learn about the history of the Gaillard Center and its impact on the community.
- 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM – Tour of the Gaillard Concert Hall
- Experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic concert hall.
Additional Information:
- Boxed lunches will be provided for all attendees.
- Please arrive promptly at 12:00 PM for check-in.
- Parking vouchers for the event will be available.
Spring Social – Get your tickets now: April 24
Please join us for our Spring Social and FUN-Raiser, Shrimp, Sausage & Service at James Island County Park, Wappoo Shelter on April 24 5:00PM – 7:00PM
Food & Beverage are included and guests are ENCOURAGED,
Please share the link and have everyone purchase tickets!
There will be raffles and games the night of the event, so invite your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers as all proceeds will go to RCCF to fund our many grants and projects throughout the year!!
Thank you for all you do and your support of OUR Historic Rotary Club of Charleston
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/
https://www.signupgenius.com/
March Social at Edmunds Oast
Thanks to everyone who turned out for our March Happy Hour Social at Edmund’s Oast on March 27th from 5:30pm-7:30pm. We had a super crowd of current and prospective members attending and enjoying the spring evening, fellowship and great fare.
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]
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.
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
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, Heidi Finniff, was honored to recognize fellow Rotarian Jason Noble with a Paul Harris Fellow + 4 this past Tuesday. Congratulations to Jason and we thank him for his dedication and service to our club and The Rotary Foundation.
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston: Riana Brennan – sponsor: Jerry Kozel; classification: Health/Home Care Dave Ziegler – sponsor: Denise Kaufman; classification: Construction/Roofing In the event you know Riana or Dave, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Connor Spangler
Rotarian Connor Spangler gave us some insights into his career in real estate, which includes a specialty in off-market real estate, and also as a consultant for people buying and selling homes, including. Connor moved to Charleston about two years ago and credits Rotary as a great way to meet new people. He enjoys an active lifestyle and is into music, playing the piano and bluegrass banjo, and even creating his own music. Thank you for the talk, Connor.
Birthdays
- 4/2 – Mary Peters
- 4/3 – Tamara Curry
- 4/7 – Past President Alex Dallis
WELLNESS TIPS
Have a vegetable at breakfast. Most people save their veggies for dinner, but it’s healthful to think outside the cereal bowl and veg out at breakfast. For example, add a sliced tomato to your cheese sandwich or some mushrooms to your eggs.
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. https://www.cainhoyrotary.com
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 302 Hibben St
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