May 5, 2026
Our guest this week was Jimmy Story, a long-time U.S. government foreign services official and, most recently, former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. Jimmy gave an insightful and informative discussion on his experiences in Venezuela and what it was like to be on the ground during the Maduro regime. He had a wealth of entertaining stories and insights into life as a diplomat in many countries and conflict zones, and offered his views on the process for making decisions and policies.
Jimmy also thanked Rotary, since he was a recipient of a graduate scholarship that allowed him to study in Costa Rica. It paved the way for his diplomatic career, which has included a variety of assignments overseas.
More fun on tap at the Riverdogs for our May social this week and two big fundraisers in the works – the Duck Race and our Far, Near and Here raffle – our biggest fundraiser of the year. Check out the Keyway for details on these and other upcoming events and schedules.
To join an upcoming Zoom meeting, use this link and the passcode: Rotary.
To see a replay of the meeting on Zoom, go here
Passcode: Z%ef6Yhz
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
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- Cody Callarman gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Robbie Nichols introduced our visiting Rotarians & guests.
- Leslie Fellabom introduced out guest speaker, Ambassador Jimmy Story.
- MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
May 12, 2026 | Issue 5192| President: Karla Combs
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 5/12 – CCSD Teachers of the Year & Rotary Scholars
- 5/14 – (Social) Riverdogs sign up
- 5/19 – Speaker TBD (11am – New Member Orientation)
- 5/26 – NO ROTARY (Happy Memorial Day!)
- 5/30 – Duck Race
NEWS BRIEFS 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 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.
May Social – Rotary Night at the Riverdogs
Join us at the ballpark for our May Social – Rotary Night at the Riverdogs on Thursday, May 14. First pitch is at 7pm. The club bought 50 tickets for the game; members can sign up using the link below, first come, first served. Members can reserve a maximum of two tickets. Historic Rotary Club of Charleston: May Social – Charleston RiverDogs Game
Calling All New Members – New Member Orientation on 5/19
Our club is hosting a new member orientation on Tuesday, May 19 from 11am to 12pm at Halls Signature Events (upstairs)! It will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more regarding club structure, committees, and values. The orientation is a requirement on the Blue Badge Checklist. All newly inducted members should plan to attend if they have not already attended a session. This meeting truly gives you all the tools to optimize your involvement in the club.
Far, Near and Here Raffle: buy tickets now!
Back by popular demand, our Far, Near, and Here raffle is up and running. We’ve got four great prizes that are available to win by purchasing tickets in each individually priced draw. We’re limiting the number of tickets sold for each so the odds are very good and the prizes are even greater. So pack your bags and buy some tickets. And its even easier to buy a tickets by going to this web site https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/historic-charleston-rotary-spring-and-summer-raffles This is our clubs biggest fundraiser of the year so lets all support this effort to keep our RCCF fund plentiful to help so many great local causes. Drawing will be held at our Skyline Social event on July 9 On offer this year are:
- Far” Escape Raffle Ticket: Turks & Caicos Caribbean Getaway (Ticket: $100)
Enjoy a 5-night stay at a luxury 2-bedroom condo at The Sands Resort on world-famous Grace Bay Beach. This unforgettable experience includes a welcome cocktail, dinner for four at Hemingway’s beachfront restaurant, and admission to the Rotary Club of Providenciales weekly meeting. Relax, recharge, and take in one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful destinations. Dates subject to availability; excludes Christmas and New Year.
- “Near” Escape Raffle Ticket: NC Wine Country Weekend (Ticket: $75)
Adopt a Duck
Our Rotary club is teaming up with the Daniel Island Rotary Club for this year’s Duck Race on May 30. You can support both our club and the RCCF by adopting one or more ducks. To participate, simply click the link: https://charlestonduckrace.com/participating-clubs/historic-rotary-club-of-charleston/ ! 
Volunteers are also needed to work at the Duck Booth at the RiverDogs Stadium on April 30 and May 14 from 5:30-8:30pm. Free entry into the game is included. Please click on this link to volunteer. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4AA2AA7F5C52-63352850-duck Member Spotlight Member Spotlight provides you with the opportunity to share your background, work and hobbies with our membership. It’s a great way for other members to learn more about you. You can be a long-time club member or a new member to participate. Please review the available slots below and sign up to secure your spot. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4AA2AA7F5C52-60923410-member
Continue to Support Polio and By Becoming a Polio Plus Society Member
All Rotarians are encouraged to continue to support Rotary International’s efforts to take action and end Polio for good. You can support our efforts to end Polio by becoming a Polio Plus Society member by donating $100 through this link https://raise.rotary.org/Sandy-Morckel/fundraiser987.
Club Service Team Needs Meeting Day Volunteers
We are always looking for Greeters, Invocation & Pledge presenters, as well as volunteers to introduce our visiting Rotarians & guests at weekly meetings. Please contact Club Service Chairman, Sgt. Cody Callerman at [email protected] if you would like to volunteer at a weekly meeting.
“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.
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 a new 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 applied and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Brian Cummings – sponsor: Michael Smith; classification: Financial Planning
In the event you know Brian, please tell a member of the Board how he will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Sean Holleran
Sean Holleran gave us a glimpse into his background. He was born Hodgenville, Kentucky which where where Abraham Lincoln was born. And Sean’s home was on lands given to his family by George Washington. So no surprise that his “presidential roots” keep him involved in historical organizations and activities like the Sons of the American Revolution and America 250. After graduating form University of Louisville, Sean entered the banking and financial services industry, in Louisville, then Savannah, before finally landing in Charleston ten years ago. In addition to diving into the local business community, he is active in his church and plays the pipe organ.
Birthdays
- 5/7 – Dave Echols
- 5/8 – Cody Callarman
- 5/11 – David Cohen
WELLNESS TIP
Prioritize Mindfulness and Mental Well-Being
Spring invites new beginnings, making it an ideal time to focus on mental wellness. Simple mindfulness practices, such as meditation, deep breathing, or journaling, can help you reduce stress and gain clarity. Taking just a few minutes each day to practice gratitude can shift your mindset and improve emotional well-being.
OTHER AREA MEETINGS
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: Karla Combs
Executive secretary: Carroll Schweers, [email protected]