August 26, 2025
We welcomed noted lawyer, TV legal expert and author Eric Bland who gave us an informative and entertaining talk on his career. Notably, Eric got involved in the Murdaugh legal drama when he represented the Satterfield family that Murdaugh had swindled out of insurance claims and payouts, a crime that eventually landed him in prison even before any murder convictions. Eric fielded questions after his talk, and also kindly brought along copies of his book Anything But Bland and signed them for Rotarians
Don’t forget our August Social on August 28 at Edmunds Original on Morrison Drive. Lots of great stuff going on the community and a couple of service opportunities coming up. Check the Keyway for more info.
Our next round RCCF Rotary grant applications are now open. If you know a worthy local cause, encourage them to apply here. 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: $3z@Q+K!
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
- Channing Proctor gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Jennifer Flanagin welcomed our visiting Rotarians and guests.
- Riana Brennan introduced our speaker, Eric Bland, who spoke about the Murdaugh case, leadership and his book, Anything But Bland.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
September 2, 2025 | Issue 5178| President: Karla Combs
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 9/2 – NO MEETING (Labor Day Holiday)
- 9/9 –Coach Chris Mack, College of Charleston (Board: 11AM)
- 9/16 – Dr. Benard, Operation Footprint
- 9/20: Service Project: Star Gospel Mission (9am-12:30) Sign up
- 9/23 – Chris Crolley, Coastal Expeditions (11am Book Club)
- 9/24 – September Social; Bat Street Biergarten: 5:30PM
- 9/30 – TBD (11:15 am New Member Orientation)
NEWS BRIEFS
NO Meeting this Tuesday, 9/2
We will NOT meet for lunch this Tuesday, 9/2. Enjoy the Labor Day Holiday weekend!
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.
Chess Club Needs Volunteers
Be A Mentor is a Charleston-based non-profit that partners caring adults with local youth to build supportive, one-on-one relationships that inspire growth, confidence and brighter futures. Through this program, Rotarian Cody Callerman has started a youth chess club to help students develop critical thinking, patience and a sense of community. Please contact Cody Callerman at [email protected] if you would like to be on our club’s Chess Team!!
New Member Orientation – Sept. 30th
The next new member orientation session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30th at 11am. All new members who have not attended a previous session are encouraged to attend. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about our club, our Rotary District and Rotary International. It is also a requirement on the New Member Check List.
RCCF Grant Applications Being Accepted Through Sept. 1
The Rotary Club of Charleston Fund (RCCF) grant application period is open from August 1 – September 1. Interested organizations are required to submit a Letter of Inquiry and complete a grant application prior to September 1 to be considered. The first 12 eligible applications will be accepted and considered for a grant. Local non-profits can find more information on eligibility and how to apply here: https://charleston-rotary.org/guidelines-for-grant-applicants/. RCCF Grant guidelines have been recently revised by the committee and the following changes are effective with this grant period. A Rotarian can only sponsor 1 application per grant period. The number of applications has been restricted to the first 12 eligible applications received. Only projects located in Charleston County will be considered. Any application submitted that is not complete or does not include the required attachments will be rejected. For more information, please contact RCCF Chair, Paul Stoney at [email protected]
Club Seeking Outbound Exchange Student for 2026/2027 School Year
Our club is currently accepting applications to sponsor a local high school student for an outbound exchange for the 2026/2027 school year. The Rotary International Youth Exchange Program offers teenage high school students ages 15-19 an opportunity to make new friends, learn new ways of living, open themselves up to different ideas, a new culture, traditions, experiences, and to adapt and gain fresh perspectives while attending high school in another country and living with 2- 3 host families arranged through the local Rotary Club. Typically, the exchanges offer the same benefits to host families. The parents of sponsored outbound students for the exchange program will need to be one of the hosts for the Charleston Rotary Club’s sponsored inbound students (for 3-6 months), while their children are overseas on their exchanges. The students selected for sponsorship will go overseas in August 2026, for the 2026/2027 school year, attend high school and will be hosted by 2 to 3 families and the local Rotary Club in the host country. The Charleston area family of the sponsored student will need to be one of the hosts for our sponsored inbound student that will arrive in August 2026. CCSD currently supports this program and is accepting inbound international exchange students at various Charleston County high schools for the 2025/2026 school year and has done so for many years. The following is a website link for additional link formation: Rotary International Youth / Student Exchange Information:
Youth Exchanges | Rotary International . Interested students and families will need to complete an application, engage in an interview process, and attend online and in-person training before the exchange year begins in August 2026.
“Birthday” Blue Bucket Donations
President Karla plans to announce all monthly member birthdays at the first meeting of every month. Blue Buckets will for the first meeting of the month will be “Birthday” buckets and all donated contributions the first meeting, unless otherwise announced, will go to support BabyBLOOMS, which is a program at the Ronald McDonald House Charleston. This new program offers support and resources designed to strengthen and assist families as they journey from the hospital to home. Through weekly learning and activity sessions, BabyBLOOMS seeks to enhance the parenting experience using evidenced-based practices, while creating an opportunity to enrich bonding, infant care, and development. On the other Tuesdays of the month during July and August, Blue Bucket donations will go to the Kerrville, Texas Rotary to support flood disaster relief in their area.
July – December Dues 2025 Past Due
July-December 2025 dues invoices have been distributed via email and are now considered PAST DUE. Past due statements were emailed this past week to all those who haven’t made a payment. Payment is due promptly and partial payments are accepted. Please note that payments can easily be made 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.
Be “Spotlighted” at a Meeting
The Rotary Club of Charleston will continue to highlight members twice a month. Members who are interested in being spotlighted should let Julianne Farnsworth know of your interest and she will assign you a date. 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 2025/2026 Theme: Unite for Good
The 2025-26 presidential message, announced at the 2025 Rotary International Assembly in February, will remain Unite for Good, which calls on Rotary members to be a force for unity in a world increasingly divided by politics, geography, and ideology. Through service projects, Rotary brings together people of every background — across races, religions, and professions — in a shared mission to do good in their communities.
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 Jason Noble, jnoble @primefinancial.com
MEMBER NEWS
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
- Robbie Nichols – sponsor: President Karla Combs; classification: Banking
- Jimmy Hyams – sponsor: Michael Smith; classification: Banking/Community Development
- Nicholas Pavia (“Nick”) – sponsor: Michael Smith; classification: Wealth Mgmt.
In the event you know Robbie, Jimmy or Nick, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Rotarian Owen Clary, who has 50 years of service under his belt (including 49 with perfect attendance) gave us a colorful account of his life’s journey. While he has a razor sharp memory, it doesn’t hurt that he’s been journaling every day of his life since he was 13, accumulating hundreds of notebooks that contain his thoughts and observations throughout his well traveled adventures. Owen, whose family has been in South Carolina for more than 300 years, dating back to their migration as Huguenots from France (where there is a town that bears the family name), shared a number of anecdotes and learnings that we can all benefit from. Thank you for your remarkable service Rotarian Owen, and for the entertaining talk.
Birthdays
- 9/4 – Tyler Jones & John Warren
- 9/7 – William Howle & Karl Brady, Sr.
- 9/8 – Merriweather Mule
- 9/10 – Thomas Berry
- 9/11 – Tucker O’Brien
- 9/13 – Candy Oliver & Rob Byko
- 9/14 – Alan Uram & Steve Morse
WELLNESS TIP
Consume immunity-boosting foods As the weather gets colder and flu season starts, it’s important for your immune system to be in tip-top shape. Eating healthy foods with vitamin C (like limes, oranges, and clementines) are key to fighting off infections. Garlic, ginger, spinach, and almonds are also big winners when it comes to boosting your health and immunity.
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