April 29, 2025
Paul Fetheringill, head of the SC Small Business Development Council, joined us at our weekly meeting. Paul told us about the services that the organization offers, which is mainly focused on individual business consulting to small businesses. This includes business planning, financial management, and access to other resources for running a business. The organization’s effort are an important driver for economic development in the state.
Special thanks to everyone who came out for our Spring Social. It was a great event and raised valuable funds for continuing our community giving that supports outstanding projects and organizations. Special thanks to all our sponsors, listed below. 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 the video of this week’s meeting, go here Passcode: $zw&L&1w
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- DJ Hampton gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Barb Walters welcomed and introduced our visiting Rotarians and guests.
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Robert.
- President Robert Sullivan introduced our speaker, Paul Fetheringill, who discussed the SC Small Business Development Council.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
May 6, 2025 | Issue 5166 President: Robert Sullivan
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 5/6 – Dr. Mena Mark Hanna, General Director, Spoleto
- 5/13 – Youth Exchange Students, Apollo & Isaure (11AM Board Mtg)
- 5/20 – Charleston County Teachers of the Year / Rotary Service Above Self Scholars
- 5/27 – NO ROTARY – Happy Memorial Day!
- 6/3 – TBD
- 6/6 – Rotary District 7770 Golf Tournament
NEWS BRIEFS
Spring Social
A special thank you to Karla Combs, Cody Callarman and the social team for all their efforts in planning and hosting a wonderful Spring Social event for our members at James Island County Park last week. If you missed it, members enjoyed a beautiful venue and evening, delicious shrimp boil cooked by our own Cody Callarman and lots of fun fellowship with fellow Rotarians & their guests! Thank you to all our sponsors for their support!
Gumbo Gold Sponsors
- HomeTrust Bank
- Soil Consultants, Inc.
SeaGrass Silver
- First National Bank
- Southeastern Insurance Solutions
- Andrew Rosenfeld
- Clement, Crawford & Thornhill
Boiling Bronze Sponsors
- Clara Heinsohn
- Captains Choice Cruises
- Cleave Ham
Interact Student Awarded Scholarship
Together with the Rotary Club of Charleston Breakfast Club, the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston sponsors the Rotary Interact chapter at Charleston Charter School for Math and Science (CCSMS). The sponsorship includes a Rotarian liaison to the club, sending students to Rotary Interact conferences and assisting their faculty advisors in planning community service.
Beginning in early 2024, our club’s liaison, McCain Kerr, began to pursue an idea about starting a scholarship for a student in the Interact Club at CCSMS. Clubs in other parts of the Southeast raise thousands of dollars a year, some as much as $10,000 or more, for similar scholarships. Through the combined efforts of my counterpart, Dave Neff at the Rotary Club of Charleston Breakfast Club, and the CCSMS faculty advisors, Cassidy Batiz and Savannah Simmons, the idea was able to come to fruition this year.
As presented at the meeting this past Tuesday, April 29th, our Rotary club was able to present an award for $1,000 to Deanna Jackson. Deanna is a very deserving student, who not only was an officer for Interact, but is also on her journey to become a veterinarian. McCain would like to see the club continue allocation for such a deserving cause. For the 2025-2026 academic year, opening up the scholarship guidelines to include applicants who are the children of Rotary members will be considered. It is McCain’s financial hope that with the $1,000 in the annual RCCF budget and with donations from other Rotarians, we will be able to give out three scholarships per year in the coming years.
Rotary Student of the Month and Educator of the Month Programs
This week marks a monumental milestone for our Rotary Club’s support of education in our community. On Friday, April 25, 2025, President Robert Sullivan, Education Committee Chair Marion Platt and yours truly, Alex Dallis, had the honor of presenting Student of the Month recognitions to three outstanding students at Mitchell Elementary.
The December Student of the Month is Dion Daniels who is in the third grade. Dion meets or exceeds every expectation and she is respectful at all times. She is a caring and empathetic friend and always leads academically, scoring the highest in her grade on iReady testing.
The January Student of the Month is Terrance Green, also in third grade. Terrance has shown leadership this year using Mitchell’s Habit#6 – Seek First to Understand. He is slow to speak, but quick to listen, and he leads through his volunteer assistance with traffic patrol. And Terrance is no stranger to excellence, having been recognized by our club as a student of the month in the past.
The February Student of the Month is Major Brown in the fourth grade. Major always does the right thing even when no one is looking. He is the most hard working and tries his best even when he’s tired. He comes to school every day in a good mood ready to learn.
And at our meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, we honored three outstanding educators at Mitchell Elementary.
Our Educator of the Month for January is Cella Cecchi. Ms. Cecchi is a teacher assistant and has joined one of the most diverse and involved classrooms in the school. She is always positive and shows support when the students need it the most. She is a team player and Mitchell is lucky to have her.
The Educator of the Month for February is Claurissa Green. Ms. Green is the secretary/bookkeeper for Mitchell. She is always helpful and positive and is very thorough with every task she completes. She supports her co-workers and students alike.
The March Educator of the Month is Joanne Smith, who is also a teacher assistant. Having her join us was especially momentous since it put is un the presence of royalty! Mitchell had at one point three Ms. Smiths on staff, but Joanne Smith earned the moniker Queen Smith, a title she still holds. No doubt it is due to the fact that Queen Smith does an amazing job in the cafeteria during arrival and breakfast duty. Her small groups are so engaged and filled with vocabulary-rich conversations. Nothing stresses Queen Smith and she is always smiling and happy.
International Committee Seeking Grant Applications
The International Committee is actively seeking grant applications, and the deadline is rapidly approaching! If you have a global, non-profit that could benefit by partnering with our club, please reach out to either Karen Clark or Digit Matheny for an application and submit it to the committee by May 7th, 2025. ONE WEEK AWAY! The Club has a total of $6,600 budgeted for international grants that we wish to split between 2–3 organizations and distribute by the end of June. The committee would like to grant recommendations to the board at its May 13th meeting. Please connect with either Karen [email protected] or Digit Matheny [email protected] for an applications or any questions.
Tee Off for a Cause That Matters – 5th Annual Rotary District Golf Invitational
The 5th Annual Rotary District 7770 National Golf Invitational is happening Friday, June 6, 2025, at the stunning Charleston National Golf Club—and we want YOU on the green with us. This isn’t just another tournament—it’s a powerful day of fellowship, fun, and purpose, with all proceeds supporting the C.A.R.T. (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) and Rotary’s global mission to End Polio Now. Here’s how you can get involved: ✅ Become a Sponsor – Showcase your brand in front of Charleston’s most engaged community of leaders and change makers. ✅ Volunteer – Lend a hand behind the scenes and be part of something impactful. ✅ Sign Up Your Team – Grab three friends, coworkers, or clients and enjoy a memorable day on the course. Plus, enjoy:
- A Thursday Night Icebreaker Happy Hour at Burton’s Grill – Mt. Pleasant
- Food from the legendary Swig & Swine
- Beverages sponsored by Soil Consultants
Check-in begins at 9:30 AM | Shotgun Start at 11:00 AM Charleston National Golf Club | Mount Pleasant, SC Spots are filling fast—don’t wait! Click here to register, sponsor, or volunteer now Together, let’s make a difference—one stroke at a time.
Youth Exchange Information / Host Families Needed for 2025/2026 Rotary Year
The Rotary Youth Exchange program offers teenagers ages 15-19 an opportunity to make new friends and learn new ways of living, to open themselves to different ideas, a new culture, traditions, and experiences, and to adapt and gain fresh perspectives while in the U.S., attending high school and living with 2- 3 host families. The exchanges offer the same benefits to host families. I have been involved with the program for the past 8 years and can attest to the wonderful opportunity it has presented to both the students and their hosts.
- This year’s student is a 17-year-old girl from Verona, Italy.
- She will attend the Charleston Charter School for Math & Science (bus routes to and from cover a wide geographic area)
- We are in need of a family to host her for at least 3-4 months beginning in August, when she arrives and before school starts. We also need one or two other families to host her for the remainder of the school year for 3-6 months.
- Host families will need to complete an online application and some online training modules as well as attend one in-person meeting with other host families and the Youth Exchange Officers & Counselors (my role) from our Rotary District this summer in either June or August.
Please contact Karen Clark if you would like additional information about the program, have questions and/or if you would like her to contact others directly to discuss this hosting opportunity. Also, if you know of any local students who may be interested in being sponsored for an outbound exchange in another country. Thank you for your consideration and for sharing this information with your families and others you know that may be interesting in hosting (they do not have to be Rotary members)!
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
Welcome New Members Welcome New Members
Riana Brennan was inducted this past Tuesday and is the club newest member. She was introduce by Drew Faw and will hold the classification of Health/Homecare. We welcome Riana into our Rotary family!
Blue Badges Presented President Robert presented Theresa Adkison, Drew Faw, Madison Hancock and Stephen Moody with their Blue membership badges this past Tuesday. Congratulations to these new members for successfully achieving all the new member requirements!
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Kirk Evans, Jr. – sponsor: Michael Smith; classification: Financial Advisor
In the event you know Kirk, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian Brooke Manheimer was in the spotlight recently and gave us some background on her life journey. She has been in our club for about three years. A native of Salisbury, NC and UNC graduate. She has been married for 21 years and has three sons (16, 14 12) and two dogs. She has enjoyed a diverse career, following getting her degree as a dietician, with career stops in pharmaceutical sales. (for Pfizer for ten years ) and them moved into waste management sales selling dumpsters, and now sells for a mechanical contracting company that sell the ‘brains’ and infrastructure for commercial buildings.
Birthdays
- 5/3 – David Baggs
- 5/7 – Dave Echols
- 5/8 – Zac Jones & Cody Callarman
- 5/11 – David Cohen
WELLNESS TIPS Take time for tea. Tea contains polyphenols, it’s good for your bones and it provides a soothing cup of comfort in any season.
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