May 6, 2025
We got a taste of Spoleto Festival USA, the renowned music and arts festival Charleston hosts each Spring, from our guest speaker Mena Mark Hanna, who runs the event. He gave us an overview of the event’s history and operations, as well as it significant economic impact on the greater Charleston economy. Mena also teased some of the showcase performances – music, theater, performance art – that will grace that many stages and venues scattered across the city in late May and early June, and encouraged Rotarians to buy their tickets for the most poplar event soon. Visit the festival web site.
More great speakers on tap as we din down the Rotary year. 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: 4mGY+%2.
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Past President Paul Stoney gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Jennifer Flanagin welcomed and introduced our visiting Rotarians and guests.
- Health and Happiness was presented by President Robert.
- Steve Dopp introduced our speaker, Dr. Mena Mark Hanna, General Director, Spoleto.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
May 13, 2025 | Issue 5167 President: Robert Sullivan
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 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
Meeting Location Change for Tuesday, 5/13
Our meeting this Tuesday will be held at High Cotton, 199 East Bay Street. Members can park in their normal parking spots and walk down the alley (past Hall’s Signature Events) and across East Bay Street to High Cotton.
Reminder … Guest RSVP by 5pm on Monday
If you are planning to bring a guest to Rotary, it is important that you 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. Guest fee is $30 paid at the door. First-time prospective members are free.
Nominations for Community Impact Recognition Award for a Community Leader
Our Club’s Awards Selection Committee, chaired by Pres-Elect Karla Combs, is currently accepting nominations from our Club members for our annual Community Impact Recognition Award for a Community Leader. The Community Impact Award – Community Leader is given annually by the Rotary Club of Charleston to a community member who exhibits “Service Above Self” in their daily activities, models the Rotary 4-Way Test* in their life and profession, and exemplifies the ideals of the Rotary Vision: “Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.” Please help the committee by filling out the nomination form with someone in our community who you feel meets these criteria and deserves to be recognized by our club. The nomination form was emailed last week and will be available at weekly meetings. If you have any questions or need the form, please contact Karla Combs at [email protected]. Please note that the nomination form is due by Saturday, May 31.
RCCF Grants Awarded
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.
Maria Kelly attended on behalf of AMOR Healing Kitchen. Our club’s donation will support the funding to build a community garden on their property where teens can learn to grow herbs and flowers. In addition to providing teens with valuable skills related to sustainable farming, the garden will enable the organization to offer fresh-cut flowers to clients as part of their meal delivery service. 30 teens will directly benefit from the garden.
Beyond Our Walls was represented by Joyce Maybin-Nesmith. The grant funds will be used to support the Tutoring & Personal Development Program, which benefits 80 underprivileged children in North Charleston. The program provides academic tutoring, literacy support, lessons in hygiene and self-care. Funds will be used for educational materials and resources to ensure tailored and impactful learning experiences.
Fellow Rotarian, Candy Oliver, attended on behalf of Warrior Surf Foundation. Our club’s donation will fund the purchase of yoga mats for veteran participants to use during the 12-week Surf Therapy program. Yoga is a key component of the curriculum, helping participants build strength, flexibility, and emotional regulation. Over 100 veterans participate in this program annually. We congratulate these outstanding local organizations and were pleased to support their efforts to help others in our community.
Last Call for January 2025 Dues Payments
We still have a few members who have not paid January 2025 dues (and you know who you are!), please be sure to take care of making payment as soon as possible. This Rotary year is quickly coming to an end and July-December 2025 dues statements will be issued next month. If you have an outstanding balance and have recently received a past due notice or been contacted by club leadership, please make good on your payment by the end of May.
Change in Membership Status Deadline
If you plan a change in your club member status by July 1, 2025 to Excused, eMember, Leave of Absence or if you are planning to resign, please notify Carroll in writing NO LATER THAN June 9th. Any change will affect July billing. Also, if you are on our membership list as of July 1, the club pays Rotary International and District dues for you. Members who resign after July 1 will be required to pay dues. If you have any questions, contact Carroll.
International Committee Seeking Grant Applications T
he 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: New Instagram Account
We now have anew Instagram account! Please follow us on @charlestonrotaryclub. Thanks To Charlie Jablon for setting this up. Continue to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, too. 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] Charlie Jablon [email protected] and Michael Smith [email protected]
MEMBER NEWS Proposed New Members The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
- Allison Sims – sponsor: Chris Olson, classification: Real Estate
- Zachary Serrins – sponsor: Cody Callarman; classification: Bottling
In the event you know Allison or Zachary, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideals 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
- 5/14 – Trey Lucy
- 5/16 – Billy Cooke
- 5/17 – Denise Kaufman
- 5/18 – Peter Hearne & Colleen Moring
- 5/19 – Steve Dopp
WELLNESS TIPS Cook with your kids. Don’t think of this interaction as cooking lessons. Rather, realize that teaching your kids to put together a meal is a lesson they can use for the rest of their lives.
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