Orangeburg Morning Rotary News and Photos

Contribute to end polio.

2009-10-13T14:09:00.003-04:00

alt="Concert to benefit polio eradication">

Rotary Minute

2009-10-12T16:40:00.001-04:00

Duck Race--JUNE 27!

2009-06-16T17:28:00.002-04:00

We have moved into Overtime in the sale of Duck Race Adoption Tickets! BUT THEY WILL RACE ON THE EDISTO RIVER, June 27--and if the lucky duck is the first to cross the finish line, some one may get very wealthy!!

GSE Team From England Visits

2009-03-16T15:55:00.005-04:00

On their tour of South Carolina, the GSE team from England did not get to speak to the Orangeburg Clubs, but they did stop in on the St. Matthews Tuesday March 16.

Images from the Orangeburg Morning Rotary Dictionary Project

2008-11-25T15:34:00.005-05:00

...In which we gave dictionaries to all Orangeburg Third Grade Students

SCSU’s New President Urges Rotarians, Community to Support the University

2008-08-19T15:10:00.005-04:00

In a talk to the Rotary Club of Orangeburg – Morning on Wednesday morning, August 13, Dr. George E. Cooper, the recently installed 10th president of South Carolina State University, shared an optimistic vision for University’s future and an ambitious agenda focused on enriching research and educational opportunities, and upgrading the physical plant at SCSU.

Until recently, Dr. Cooper was an administrator with the US Department of Agriculture who routinely dealt with land grant institutions. He pointed out that SCSU was created as a land grant institution under the second Morrill Act of 1890, which specifically gave money to states to expand higher education access to African Americans. Between them, the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 committed states who received grants from the federal government to equal support for majority black colleges and universities. It’s a commitment, he said, which has not usually been met.

"South Carolina," he noted, "does not rank high in education." To improve, we need to educate students to compete in a global economy. "Even when they are working in Africa or Japan, they are representing South Carolina," he pointed out.

Key to improving the educational opportunities at SCSU is emphasizing research. Research not only attracts students, but "it attracts and retains the best faculty."

Despite the unwelcome news that state agencies were told of a second round of budget cuts, Dr. Cooper intends to ask lawmakers to approve 67 million to address deferred maintenance on the campus. "Students shouldn’t have classrooms where the heating and air do not work."

Dr. Cooper also said he plans to announce a major capital improvements campaign which will have an impact on the South Carolina economy extending into the hundreds of millions.

"My message to the lawmakers is that we’re going to be a success. If you want to claim credit for it later, you’ve got to support us now."

He asked local leaders in the community to support his agenda with lawmakers. "Write a letter. Better yet, get ten friends to write letters and make phone calls."

He pointed out that SCSU plays an important role in training educators throughout the state, and serves as an important resource for them. Success at SCSU will be the community’s success, he said, and an expansion of the University’s physical infrastructure would certainly benefit the local economy.

"I’m competitive in what I do, in that I want South Carolina State University to offer the best education available. When leaders in the community send their children off to college, when college professors send theirs, I want them to think of us first. That’s how we’ll know we’re a success."

His comments were well received by the audience. "It’s all about leadership ability," said Ann Hurst, president of the club, "and that’s what he showed this morning."

Club Notes:

August 20, 2008 Don Tribble, Executive Director, Orangeburg County Community of Character Also co-presenting - Orangeburg County Sheriff La Water Missions International.
rry Williams

August 27, 2008 Bill Clark, Orangeburg County Administrator
REMEMBER!
--August 28 Water Missions trip!

Character Trait for August: Self Respect

Joan Didion: "To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves--there lies the great, singular power of self-respect."

District 7770 DG Anne Walker Urges Rotarians to Work Hard, Do Good, Have Fun.

2008-08-13T16:24:00.004-04:00

July 30, we heard about our Rotary District 7770 from our District Governor, Anne Walker, who shared her personal vision of Rotary:

Reach
Out;
Take someone by the hand;
Ask service oriented people to attend;
Retain members; and remember
You (service is all about...)

She challenged all of us to invite at least one new member. She also shared D. K Lee’s challenge to Rotary Districts, that each district should aim for a 10% increase in membership, and 2 new clubs, goals our district is well on the way toward achieving.

Have you considered giving to Rotary through a bequest?

"The world is your guest." D. K. Lee

Healing Species

2008-07-23T17:16:00.010-04:00

At our July 23rd meeting, Lincoln, a white Lab, brought his friend Megan Mitchum to a meeting to talk about Healing Species;--how an abused dog later named Gravy and Cheri Brown Thompson together began an organization that would touch hearts around the country and around the world. Using dogs who have been abused and rehabilitated to health, Healing Species takes lessons of the heart to schools and Department of Juvenile Justice homes, in a curriculum they have shown decreases violence and increases attention and compliance among the students they serve. As they say on their website (http://www.healingspecies.org/),

Rescued dogs - dogs nobody else wanted - assist us in teaching children life-lessons in respect for the feelings of others. The dog is a living example of overcoming one's past, and returning nonviolent responses.

Also, President Ann and Secretary Penny told us about the July 21st board meeting. Among the decisions the board made is to hold off on RIDDE for a bit while the program is revamped. In the meantime, they discussed beginning a Rotary Reader program, in which Rotarians go into classrooms and read and discuss readings with students. Dennis Shay and Ron Lawson have been asked to head up our clubs participation in a Habitat for Humanity project, possibly in Santee, possibly in Orangeburg. Ann is also looking into ways of raising 3000 for Polio plus, possibly by organizing a Golf tournament with the help of other local clubs.

Don't miss the chance to stand and applaud the District Governor's presentation next week, July 30.

SafeKids Super Saturday is Sept. 6

2008-07-23T17:14:00.001-04:00

July 16, Kathy Funderburk stopped by to tell us about her work with SafeKids. Did you know more children ages 1 to 14 die from accidents such as motor vehicle crashes, fires, drowning, poisoning and falls than any other cause? Accidents kill one million children each year around the world and permanently disable many more. Almost all of these injuries are preventable
Safe Kids was founded in Washington, DC in 1987 by Children's National Medical Center with support from Johnson & Johnson. In the United States, Safe Kids has contributed to a 45 percent reduction in the child fatality rate from accidental injury – saving an estimated 3Safe Kids has distributed more than 2.5 million bike helmets and 250,000 smoke alarms and has checked more than 740,000 car seats.
Saturday Sept 6 will be the 13th Safe Kids Super Saturday event in Orangeburg. Hundreds of children will participate!
Interested? Call Kathy at 803-395-2822

ROTARY RELIEF EFFORTS IN CHINA

2008-07-16T09:04:00.003-04:00

In 1919, Roger D. Pinneo, the past president of the Rotary Club of Seattle, established the first Rotary club in Shanghai on 17 July 1919 with 35 charter members. Rotary admitted the club on 1 October 1919. The club met regularly until WW II. In 1951, the club was formally disbanded, as were all mainland China clubs by the end of 1952.

More than half a century later, in 2006, the Rotary Club of Shanghai returned along with the Rotary Club of Beijing (originally chartered n 1924; chartered again in 2006). Due to government restrictions, only foreign nationals may join.
Since the May 12 earthquake, Bill Chiang, a resident of Chengdu and an honorary member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Golden Gate has been coordinating Rotary related relief efforts. Thanks to the efforts of Chiang and other Rotarians, ShelterBox and LifeBox, two disaster relief organizations with Rotary ties, have been able to ship aid containers to the region
The Rotary Club of Beijing raised US $8,600 to purchase baby formula and received $14,400 worth of additional baby supplies for an orphanage in Chengdu.
The Rotary Club of Shanghai plans to donate $21,000 raised from its annual charity golf tournament to earthquake relief projects.
Read more @
http://www.rotarychina.org/earthquake/earthquake.html

No Meeting July 2

2008-06-24T16:15:00.001-04:00

Make Dreams Real

2008-06-24T16:08:00.005-04:00

"When choosing our service projects, we do our best to work in ways that will have the most positive, and most lasting, impact. But to ensure a better world formany generations, we must begin by taking care ofour youngest generation. This is why, in 2008-09, I will ask Rotarians everywhere to focus on the mostprecious resource of every community: our children.

"Every child deserves the chance at a healthy life.

"If we take full advantage of our own resources, and those available to us through other clubs and our RotaryFoundation, then we will have the potential to make a real difference — and to Make Dreams Real for theworld’s children."

Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee,

President, Rotary International, 2008-09

Orangeburg Morning Rotary in the News, and the Newsletter

2008-05-10T11:08:00.004-04:00

This item ran in the Times and Democrat on May 7, and was reprinted in our District 7770 Newsletter.

The Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning presented a$5,000 check to Buster Smith, director of the City ofOrangeburg Parks and Recreation Department, on April 3 tohelp pay for improvements to the dugouts at AlbergottiBaseball Field.

The renovation of the dugouts is part of an overhaul of thecity’s oldest recreational field, with the field also receivingnew fencing, renovations to the concession stand andscorer’s table, a new batting tunnel and bullpens.

“Our club has always had a focus on youth and on improvingthe community, so this was an excellent opportunity topartner with the city to greatly improve Albergotti field,”said Mike Dennis, district foundation advocate of the RotaryClub of Orangeburg-Morning.“Hundreds of kids will benefit from the improved field andthe city will also have a great place to potentially host DixieYouth tournaments in the future. Our RotaryDistrict 7770, which encompasses the majority of South Carolina, makes available, each year, grant money that can be used for local projects.

"We applied for a grant of $2,500 which we matched with $2,500 from our club for this effort. Overall, Rotary District7770 has given out $80,000 this year alone, which was matched dollar for dollar by other clubs to enhance their local communities.”

Clich HERE for the entire newsletter.

Edisto United Way Welcomes New Board Members

2008-05-08T20:44:00.003-04:00

At our May 7 breakfast meeting, Howard Hill was thanked for his service in helping to revive United Way in the Edisto region. Outgoing board members were thanked for their service, and incoming board members were welcomed aboard. Go to Bill Carter's photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/billcarter393/UnitedWay2008 for more views.

Officers Honored for "Service Above Self"

2008-05-02T14:14:00.002-04:00

On April 29, the Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning honored three police officers for Service Above Self: Senior Patrolman Shawn R. Hallingquest (far right); Department of Public Safety Detective Sergeat Cindy Smith (center) and Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department Investigator Anthony Craft (second from left)

Rotarian of the Year: Mike Dennis

2008-04-30T14:47:00.001-04:00

At our annual "Service Above Self" banquet last night, Mike Dennis was chosen as Rotarian of the Year of Orangeburg Rotary Morning. A former club president, Mike was also recently chosen to succeed Mary Scarborough as District Assistant Governor.

About this great honor, Mike says:

I want to make sure you know how much this means to me. We have a wonderful Club with active members who are so deserving of this award so it is meaningful and a surprise to receive it this year. I can think of many of you who do so much to help the Club and community and want to thank you for what you do and ask that you keep up the good work. Getting involved with Rotary has been a blessing for me in that it has opened up my eyes to the collective power we can garner and the impact we can have on the lives of people we do not know and will never see. To me that IS Rotary!

As seen in The Rotarian...

2008-01-29T16:09:00.000-05:00

At the end of a month which has highlighted public education issues in South Carolina, I was interested to see this in our Rotarian and our Rotary website

Rotary's Wide World of Books!

Participate in Rotary’s Wide World of Books and help a child learn to read!
LA2008 will feature an international Book Drive where Rotarians from approximately 171 countries will create a worldwide service project by giving a gift of literacy to the children of the seven Southern California Rotary Districts!
For many years, Rotary in the Southern California Districts has partnered with the Los Angeles Times and Reading By 9. This partnership will become a global initiative as every LA2008 Convention attendee brings a book to Los Angeles!
The donated books will benefit students in kindergarten through third grade in the Southern California school systems - students who rank among the lowest in the nation in reading skills.
For more details, see

http://www.rotary2008.c om/convention_project.htm

NEXT MEETING JAN 2, 2008

2007-12-19T11:51:00.000-05:00

Adults who cannot read or write nonetheless find ways to work hard, raise children, and run businesses; and sometimes, they find their way to literacy. That's the message we heard from Barbara Hilliard, who heads the Orangeburg Adult Literacy Council for Orangeburg county, currently housed at OC Tech. The County of Orangeburg is estimated to have a 37% percent illiteracy rate. The goal of the literacy program is to help clients achieve their goals.

Volunteers are needed. Can you help? Call ORANGEBURG ADULT LITERACY, (803) 268-2531.

# # #

Taylor Garrick Has co-ordinated our efforts to adult families for Christmas. Thanks to the generosity of club members, the children in three families will find a few special presents under the tree this year.

# # #

The Four Way Test

Of the things we think, say or do...

First,
Is it the Truth?

Second.
Is it Fair to all concerned?

Third,
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?

Fourth,
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?

In a surprise move this morning, president Bill Carter hit himself with a pop quiz on the four way test (can you recite it from memory?) which it took him two tries, and one generous hint from the gallery, to pass. Hank has agreed to take (and pass) this test next meeting.

What follows is a bit of the history of the Four Way Test from a Rotary website:

The test was primarily written for his bankrupt Club Aluminium Company in 1932. Herb actually gave up his job in ‘packaged groceries; house to house sales’ (his classification in #1 club) in order to join 250 other employees onboard the so-called “sinking ship”.

Rotarian Herb retold the concept of the test in his own words:
”To win our way out of this situation, I reasoned we must be morally and ethically strong. I knew that in right there was might. I felt that if we could get out our employees to think right they would do right. We needed some sort of ethical yardstick that everybody in the company could memorize and apply to what we thought, said, and did in our relations to others.

So one morning I leaned over on my desk, rested my head in my hands. In a few moments, I reached for a white paper card and wrote down that which had come to me – in twenty-four words.”

When a company advertisement was placed before Herb, declaring his aluminium product as “the greatest cooking ware in the world”, Herb simply stated “We can’t prove that”. The advert was rewritten simply stating the facts.

Herb’s heads of department belonged to different religions and all found no incompatibility with their respective faiths. Thus, the test was “for any man to take as arises”.

The most significant and practical example of the test in action concerned an incident involving a Printing contract. One local printer won an order from Herb’s company beating all other tenders. The printer, however, soon realised that he had under-estimated his quote by $500. Legally, Club Aluminium could ignore the printer’s appeals and compel him to fulfil his side of the contract. Club Aluminium was deeply in debt and had acted in good faith but Herb asked his board to reconsider and pay the printer the extra $500. Remember the second line of the test, he told his fellow directors, - “is it fair to all concerned?”

Club Aluminium’s future grew brighter and brighter and in five years had pulled itself out of the red. Perhaps, the test had real, practical benefits.

RING THEM BELLS

2007-12-04T12:40:00.000-05:00

Members of Orangeburg Rotary Morning at Wal-Mart, December 1, 2007, ringing the bell for Salvation Army.

Howard Hill and yours truly.

Bill Barret and Brenda Austin were ready to put on that red apron, but Howard was too busy catching up with the two thirds of all Wal Mart shoppers who were his former students to notice.

Wendell Davis, in a shy mood. The Chief overcame his natural reticence to allow a picture to be taken.

Loretta Davis, GSE Team In the News

2007-12-02T10:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, while some of us were ringing the bell for Salvation Army in front of Wal-Mart, readers of the Times and Democrat were learning about Detective Loretta Davis and the GSE team to South Africa. Let me quote from Richard Walker's article on the Dec 1 front page:

DPS officer experiences more than law enforcement in South Africa

December 01, 2007 One Orangeburg resident and public servant found the people of this foreign land to be little different from those people here."It was the most rewarding experience of my life," said Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Lt. Loretta Davis. "So much happened, but the people of South Africa were so wonderful."The 41-year-old Davis was part of this year's Rotary Club Group Study Exchange, a program aimed at fostering learning between different communities throughout the world.The annual exchange is sponsored through donations collected by Rotary District 7770, which encompasses roughly half of the Palmetto State, said District 7770 Assistant Governor Mary Scarborough of the Rotary Club of Orangeburg Morning.

The visiting Orangeburg officer said she saw towns as wealthy as any here in the States, particularly around the gold and diamond mining towns.But there are also entire neighborhoods consisting entirely of fragile structures that hardly qualified as shacks. Some had only three walls, some didn't have that. For others, running water is simply a luxury of the rich."It was a life-changing experience for me," Davis said. "I always thought I was a person who was humble. Seeing how people live in South Africa, and to see how we live in the U.S.? And to see poverty at that level? It made me
realize how blessed I am."

But here's the line Wendell Davis and Bill Carter may be MOST interested in:

"It's changed my life," she said of the time spent there. "I may even become a Rotarian."

"May?"

+++

Also in the news, as usual for a sunday, is Howard Hill. No Rotarian in Orangeburg, and no student, friend, or colleague of Dr. Hill, will doubt his commitment to education, so his comments on the No Child Left Behind act are well worth our consideration. Let me quote from his conclusion.

A mandate is needed for involving parents in their children's education. The reworking of NCLB legislation must have variables to ensure that PreK-12 educational outcomes will eventually rival the industrialized nations. But the U.S. Congress nor the nation's president possesses the authority to insist that parents be intimately involved in the education of children. This is a major shortcoming that, short of a fiat, might pose a dilemma for NCLB.

The heavy lifting of U.S. education policy is carried out by children. This is an incongruent picture regarding a cultural revolution that is needed to revitalize U.S. public school education. Parents cheerlead for their children; however, their roles must be more concerted for advantageous choices and decisions on their behalf to emerge. This is certainly not requesting too much of them.

Rotary International and Gates Foundation commit $200 million to eradicate polio

2007-11-29T13:02:00.000-05:00

Had you heard?

EVANSTON, Ill., U.S.A. (Nov. 26, 2007) -- Rotary International today announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that will inject a much-needed US$200 million into the global campaign to eradicate polio, a crippling and sometimes fatal disease that still paralyzes children in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East and threatens children everywhere.

The Rotary Foundation has received a $100-million Gates Foundation grant, which Rotary will raise funds to match, dollar-for-dollar, over three years. The Evanston-based volunteer service organization will spend the initial $100 million within one year in direct support of immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a partnership spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.

"The extraordinary dedication of Rotary members has played a critical role in bringing polio to the brink of eradication," says Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Eradicating polio will be one of the most significant public health accomplishments in history, and we are committed to helping reach that goal."

The polio eradication grant is one of the largest challenge grants ever given by the Gates Foundation and the largest grant received by Rotary in its 102-year history. Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top priority since 1985. Since then, Rotary has contributed $633 million to the eradication effort.

Rotary Shares

2007-11-29T11:53:00.000-05:00

Let me pass along this message from Bill Carter, OrangeburgMorning Rotary President:
We who have been blessed so greatly have the opportunity to share with those who have been less fortunate. Taylor is coordinating with the Red Cross to identify needy families with whom we can share. This year's theme is "Rotary Shares". We would like to know how many of you would like to help adopt a family by buying one gift, or even adopt an entire family by buying a gift for each child in the family. Family size range for one to five children. You can even choose you size of family. Please let Bill or Taylor know if you would like to participate and at what level. Taylor will make sure the gifts get to the right families.

The Orangeburg Clubs Prepare for their Largest Annual Fundraiser

2007-11-28T06:51:00.000-05:00

Is this the car of your dreams?

Or is this more your style?

Maybe this?

Orangeburg rotarians in both the Orangeburg Morning and the "lunch club" (Orangeburg Rotary) have tickets to the Feb 1, 2008 annual Rotary Rally at the Garden Room in the Orangeburg Mall. Purchase one, and you may win one of these vehicle, or choose from a dozen different vehicles. Second and third prize winners will also be chosen: you may win a weekend at Edistor Beach, or 2 tickets to the Heritage Golf Classic.

These prizes are our way of asking for support for our many local community programs, as well as for the opportunities we provide for students and other members of the community to grow into leaders.

Music will be profided by Riptide. The event itself is well worth the price of the admission. Tickets are $100 (a $20 spouse/guest ticket is available).

New Meeting Location

2007-09-29T14:16:00.000-04:00

Until further notice, we will be meeting at the Saint Andrews United Methodist Church fellowship hall located at 1980 Columbia Rd. That's at the intersection of Columbia Rd and Chestnut St. A special thanks goes out to Mike Dennis who got the approval for us to meet there from his Pastor, Mike Smith. Please plan to enter the building through the Church office door on the Columbia Rd side of the building.

Edisto United Way Day of Caring, Sept. 21

2007-09-19T10:57:00.000-04:00

Rotarians like me who missed the email from Ann Hurst Tuesday evening telling us that we would be meeting in the Carolina Room of the Cinema found a white board on our meeting space telling us where to go. Nonetheless, when we found it, the coffee was hot, the food was delicious, the fellowship inviting, and the speaker informative. Debra Smith of Edisto United Way was there to talk about their Day of Caring 2007, Friday September 21st, kicking off the fundraising campaign for Calhoun and Orangeburg Counties. The United Way of the Midlands serves a region in which, according to statistics Debra shared with us, over 22,000 households live below the poverty level. They support charitable organizations that are no stranger to committed Rotarians: American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Project Life: Positeen, Boys and Girls Club, among many other worthy causes. On the 21st, they are bringing Craig Melvin of WIS-TV to the Campus of South Carolina State University as a featured speaker for their day of caring (our own Howard Hill is also on the panel).

Interested in attending? Click here for more information.

Club Notes: We passed around sign up sheets for RIDDE and the Dictionary project. These are great projects to support our elementary schools, and they need your support. Please let Vernetta (dictionaries) or Wendell (RIDDE) know if you are interested, but missed your chance to sign up. . . As of 9/18, the GSE team was at their mid-tour break, at the Gallop Inn in Colesburg, South Africa, "home of the infamous Horse and Mill pub/restaurant." Check out their progress at http://www.gse7770safrica.blogspot.com/. Also, if you have not already done so, check out Bill Carter's photos of the GSE team at http://picasaweb.google.com/billcarter393. . .Congratulations to our newest Paul Harris Society Member, Beverly Gilmore.

Project Life: Positeen Program

2007-09-18T17:11:00.000-04:00

Liz Zimmerman Keitt, former Mayor pro-tem of Orangeburg, and the president of the Claflin University International Alumni Association gave us food for thought on August 12. Currently, she is the founder and director of Project Life: Positeen Program, and this was main focus of her presentation. The program was founded in 1992 and is an after school program tutoring and counseling students, ages K-5 – 12th Grade. Held at 349 Summers Avenue and on the campus of Brookdale Elementary School in Orangeburg, SC, the program is designed to help students after school with reading, science, math and character building. We could use your support,” she told about 30 Rotarians and guests who had assembled to hear her. “Many of these kids have no where else to study after school.” Bernice Tribble pointed out that one of their prize students had traveled with the Orangeburg County team that competed for (and won) the All-American Town designation. “We wouldn’t have won without him,” she said. “We help them become what they can be,”Ms. Keitt said.

Special Thanks to...

2007-09-17T11:38:00.000-04:00

Mary Scarborough and Acacia Flowers. Thanks to their generous donation of roses, our club was able to raise $660 to donate to the Rotary Foundation.

Genuine Rotary Roses

Special Thanks to

2007-09-17T11:14:00.000-04:00

Bill Carter, who generously donated his time, effort, and photography skills to our second annual Youth TriAthlon. The the numbers were down from last year, there was no less heart on display.

Thanks to his efforts, and the efforts of all the volunteers, parents, participants, and sponsots, Orangeburg Striders will be able to donate $500 to combat Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy.

Still Time to Buy Roses!!

2007-08-20T17:24:00.000-04:00

Once again, Mary Scarborough has agreed to sell roses for 30/dozen to her fellow Rotarians. This, you probably know, is a tremendous bargain, and the proceeds go to support our foundation.

Don't let this opporunity pass you by! Call, email, or send a telegram to Catie McClain with your order and payment!

Edisto Youth Triathlon Returns

2007-08-20T16:55:00.000-04:00

The following is not officially a function of the Morning Club (the lunch club is backing it), but several of us (Wendell, Bill, me) are participating.

###
The course has been laid out, the volunteers (mostly Rotarians and Striders) have volunteered, and Chief Wendell Davis and his public safety officers are ready to make the area safe and secure. Everything is set for the return of the Edisto Youth Triathlon, Saturday August 25th, 8:30 am at the Family Baptist Life Center
Typically in a triathlon, the participants compete in swimming, biking, and running. In a Youth triathlon, all that changes is that the distances are adjusted to be age appropriate. Teen 13-15 will swim 9 laps, bike 3 miles, and run 1 mile; those 9-12 swim 5 laps, bike 2 miles, and run ½ mile; and the 6-8 year olds will swim 3 laps, bike 1 mile, and run ½ mile. First, second, and third awards will be given in each age category for each sex. "We want to get young people competing for fun," Orangeburg Striders President Jim Johnson said. "Last year, we had a friendly neighborhood, back yard party atmosphere, and that’s what we’re going for again."

Registration is free to all who pre-register by June 24th. For this very reasonable price–nothing–each competitor also gets a t-shirt, and a membership in the sanctioning body, USA Triathlon. "We and the USAT try to encourage young people to take up these healthy habits now, so they can last for a lifetime," Jim said.
Last year was our first year running the youth triathlon, and we learned about how to make it a smooth operation. For instance, we learned to start a each wave of athletes precisely on the minute to make the math easier when comparing scores. Addition and subtraction sound pretty simple, they can be surprisingly complex when you are subtracting seconds from minutes and you only have minutes to do so. .
Last year we held at the beginning of the summer, to mark the official kickoff of the summer season. This year, we are holding it at the end of the summer to say goodbye to the season and welcome and the fall athletic season.
Joe Bates, coming off of a successful summer with the YMCA swim team (which saw them go to the state finals) is helping out with the swim portion, and the recruitment of athletes. The Wellness Celebration is underwriting the costs of registration for all youth who preregister. Any funds above and beyond costs will be used towards our ongoing efforts to support people and their families afflicted with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy.
Volunteers will be at the Family Baptist Life Center from 5-7 to take registration and to give out packets. All athletes should plan on arriving an hour early – around 7:30-- Saturday morning for body markings and instructions. And of course, no one will be allowed to enter without a bicycle helmet.
The pool is set, the road is calling, and the trophies await. All that remains is for the competitors to show us all what they are made of.

Contact http://www.orangeburgstriders.com/ for more information.

Meet Our Newest Member

2007-08-12T21:01:00.000-04:00

LORI SALLEY-Partner with McGregor and Co., LLP.

I am a graduate of Furman University. I reside in Orangeburg with my husband, Richard Salley, and two children, Ryan, 16 years old, and Lindsay, 5 years old. We are members of First Baptist Church. I am a board member of the Maude Schiffley Chapter of the SPCA and a sustainer member of Junior Service League. Hobbies are limited to going to athletic events that my children are involved in.

Group Study Exchange, and Basketball

2007-08-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

At our August 8 meeting, we had two speakers. Lt. Loretta Davis, who our club supported to be on the GSE team to South Africa, used our club as a practice session for the presentation she hopes to give to South African Rotary clubs. In a brief five minute tour, she took us through the brief slideshow of her life and her work in law enforcement that she’ll be showing to South African Rotarians. Quite obviously brimming with excitement, she thanked us for supporting her and promised a full report when she gets back.
There will be an official send-off on August 30, at the State room in the Columbia Airport. Any Rotarians interested in attending should let President Bill know.
Afterwards, Catie McClain introduced our main speaker, Tim Carter, the new Men’s basketball coach at South Carolina State University. A practiced and polished speaker, Coach Carter filled us in on some of the highlights of his career as a coach. Of the 12 years he spent as a head coach, Coach Carter saw virtually all his athletes graduate, with the exception of one young man who opted to go into the NBA instead.
In a climate which often rewards programs that have an 80 % graduation rate, this is a tremendous accomplish. "The secret," he said afterwards, "is recruiting athletes who want to succeed," both on and off the court.
He is proud of having taken two teams to the NCAA tournament, and equally proud of having achieved the winningest record of any coach in the league when he was head coach of the University of Texas at San Antonio. He expressed optimism for the season upcoming, though he came on board later than he would have liked. "It’s hard to believe, but by May, much of the recruiting is over. Still we’ve had success. Whenever you can recruit an All-American to your team, you’ve got to be pleased."
At the heart of his talk, though, was an inspirational story of a young man who had to have a serious operation. Realizing he’d never told his mother he loved her, he called her before the operation to tell her just that. Of course she assured him he was going to be all right and not to worry.
He was. She wasn’t. Just a short time after his operation, his mother died. "That young man was me," he said. "Can you imagine that if I hadn’t had a life-threatening illness, my mother might have died without my ever telling her I loved her? God is good! If you have any family members you haven’t said ‘I love you,’ to recently, what are you waiting for? Tell them you love them."
Club Notes
Did you know that our district now has 863 Paul Harris Fellows? According to an announcement made by Catie McClain on behalf of the district, members donated $861,463 to the Paul Harris Foundation, a district record.. . . Do you have any news that you want in a club bulletin? Let President Bill know. . . Apparently, some of us still haven’t paid our dues. Remember the four way test: Is it true that you owe Rotary Dues? Is it fair to pay them? Will it build Goodwill and better friendships? Is it beneficial for all concerned? Please, please, please get in touch with Frank McLeod with your payment.

Are our Kids Safe Online?

2007-07-26T08:38:00.000-04:00

That’s the question our speaker, Jennifer Greene, explored July 25. A self confessed technophile, Jennifer laid out the hazards for kids and their parents in life online. Young people tend to be trusting of people they meet online, and may not understand the hazards of posting personal information about themselves; –To illustrate this point, she used the example of a parent who confronted her daughter with personal information (including her bra size!) that the young lady had posted on her personal site.

But there are other hazards lurking online. Googling innocent sounding terms (she used the examples "shrimping" and "doggy") can quickly lead to links inappropriate for young people. We also have to be alert for cyber-bullying, in which normal online interaction is met with swear words, "flaming," and other aggressive behavior. Over 50% of teens surveyed admitted to having been bullied online; almost as many admitted to having bullied someone else, and most did not tell their parents.

She urged that young children’s internet and gaming use should be strictly monitored and limited. If you want to buy a game, rent it first to make sure it's appropriate, and don't be afraid to set limits. "One hour has got to mean one hour, not four when she tells you, ‘Aw, you’re mean.’" Young people should use the internet in a public room, but do not be fooled into thinking that contols them. "A lot of this bullying behavior goes on right in front of parents," who aren’t reading every word. She urged that young people should set up an account under an assumed name, and learn early on never to give out personal information. "And keep your own passwords secure." She used the example that her niece was asking for her password because she wanted to buy some outfits for a cyberbeing she had created. "Who knows what kind of charges I would have found?"

She showed us her own Myspace and Bebo pages, which featured youngish pictures of her. "I love these sites, I keep track of friends two or three times a day, but every day I get hits from men trawling for underage women."

Club notes: Chief Wendell Davis will be heading up the RIDDE program this year. Look for sign up sheets next week. . . If you are hosting speakers for a month and are looking for suggestions, let Dr. Anne Hurst know. Also, if your speaker needs a projector or sound equipment, let her know in advance. . . If you haven’t paid your dues yet, it’s down to the final hours!
Mike Dennis adds: President Bill has mentioned at the last two meetings we are again joining Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in helping to provide "Back 2 School Baggies" for indigent youth. Some of you have already given me items to donate and I want to thank you for this. For those who have not contributed but want to, the following items are included in every baggy given to indigent youth: one package of #2 pencils, one pack of wide ruled paper, 2 two-pocket folders, one pack of colored pencils, 2 glue sticks, one pack of tissue, one 12" ruler, one box of crayons, one pair of blunt end scissors and one marble or spiral bound composition book. These items are truly needed and provide a great help to the students and the teachers. As many of you know my wife is a teacher at Mellichamp. Annually she spends over $1000 of her money to buy supplies needed for her kids. These baggies are very much welcomed as it alleviates some of their needs.The deadline for contributing to this effort is August 3rd. If you'd like you can turn the supplies in to me and I will take to CEF. They are having a bus stationed at Wal-Mart this Saturday if you want to purchase and take to the bus. You can also give me or Frank McLeod money for this effort and we'll make sure it gets to CEF. Remember that our focus and Rotary's focus is on youth. Let me know if you have question/concerns.

Rotary is Everywhere

2007-07-24T21:14:00.000-04:00

Perfect Attendance!

Did you know that the Chancellor of UNC-Greensboro has perfect attendance at her Rotary meeting? I have it on good authority that she does.

Let me explain. This Saturday past, July 21, Mary and I drove up to Greensboro to attend the Eastern Music Festival (held annually in Greensboro around Mary’s birthday to celebrate the time she spent there earning an M.F.A.– or so an unimpeachable source claims). After the concert–which was wonderful–we were sitting outside the concert hall waiting for our ride. A group of very young teenagers were hovering in the background singing the brass section from Dvorak’s New World Symphony, which had closed the show. A woman carrying a viola walked by.

"It was wonderful," Mary called out to her.

"It was, wasn’t it? I don’t know how we’re going to top that."

We got to chatting. She asked if we needed a ride. At first we refused out of politeness. Her name was Stefanie Cordick, and she turned out to be the director of the music festival, so this was a very busy time for her. "You know what’s humbling?" she asked. "The Chancellor of UNC-Greensboro is in my Rotary club, and she has perfect attendance every year. She’s in charge of 13.000 students; if she can get there, you'd think I should be able to as well."

I held up my copy of The Rotarian which had come in the mail that morning as we were leaving.

"You sure I can’t give you a ride?" By now the mosquitoes were chomping at Mary’s feet; we called the hotel and told them we didn’t need the ride they were sending.

Rotary is everywhere

Update on the District

2007-07-20T17:19:00.000-04:00

At our July 18 meeting, the District 7770 Assistant Governor–our own Mary Scarborough–gave a presentation on the District 7770 strategic plan. As she said at the outset, “The most important thing about a strategic plan is that you have one, and that everyone knows what it is.” Among the key goals for the district plan Mary set out:

–Increase membership by about 11% to 5000 by 2011;

–Increase giving to the Rotary Foundation by 10%;

–At least one Paul Harris Fellow at each club;

–Participation by all clubs at District Conferences, and greater participation from each club at all district events;

–Increased participation in the Rotary leadership training program, so more people will be skilled and knowledgeable in Rotary leadership;

–Increase the grant writing activity throughout the district; and

-Submit names for Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships;

Although our club is smaller and younger than some, we’re doing our part to meet all of these goals. Mary encouraged us all to be on the lookout for ambassadorial scholarship candidates. If we put a name forward, we really need to work with this young person to make sure they pass all of the interviews.

Do you know of a young person you’d want to nominate? Let Bill or Mary know.

CLUB NOTES

President Bill announced the results of the last board meeting. Rotary International has asked each club to vote to rescind a feature of the new by-laws which they realized was unworkable. The motion carried without dissent.

John Till has requested a withdrawal from the club. He sent a nice letter explaining his reasons–family and work obligations–and thanking the club for the fellowship and friendship he found here.

Also, Treasurer Frank repeated his call for all members to please, please pay their dues, and don’t be shy about contributing to the Rotary Foundation. Remember, this is OUR charity.

Lee Kuck catered for the second week, and breakfast was even better than the first week!
Happy Birthday to Mary C. (Satuday, 7/21).

Learn more about our district.

Habitat Update at our July 11h Meeting

2007-07-20T16:54:00.000-04:00

With our meeting place temporarily moved to the Carolina Room of the Cinema, Jamie Bozardt of Edisto Habitat for Humanity stopped by our meeting on Wednesday, July 11 to update us on her work and the work of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. At present, Habitat is building a home in Cope, but when that project is completed, there are three more lined up for Orangeburg, near some other homes Habitat has built. “We don’t just build homes,” she stressed, “we build neighborhoods.”

Ms. Bozardt attributed the remarkable success of the local Habitat efforts in part to the rigorous screening process their clients go through. They will work with clients who have imperfect credit histories, but they help to clean those records up before breaking ground. Once they accept a partner, they work hard to structure payments that are affordable; payments can be as low as $250 a month. As a result, of the 40 homes that Habitat has built, only 2 have resulted in foreclosures.

Not only do clients have to show an income and a credit history, but a willingness to work on building their own home. “We require a certain amount of sweat equity from our partner families.” Sweat equity hours include attending budgeting and home-owner classes, and helping to build not only their own home but the homes of other families. “We’re hoping to build a pride of ownership and community.”

Bozardt stressed that they are always looking for volunteers who can commit their saturdays to building a home, but even those who can’t can help out by donating to the Habitat Home Store. “If you have any gently used furniture or major appliances from when you renovate your kitchen, please give us a call.”

President Bill Carter noted that our club gave $2000 last year to Edisto Habitat for Humanity, money well spent.

Ms. Bozardt ended with a locally produced DVD of Partner Families in the Orangeburg area showing off their new homes, gleaming with the glow of new home ownership, and thanking Habitat for the hand up.

CLUB NOTES

Thanks to Lee Kuck for agreeing to cater. Breakfast was delicious!

2007-2008 Club Assembly

2007-06-21T10:11:00.000-04:00

6/13/07 Club Assmembly

President Bill Carter Lays Out Agenda for the Year Ahead:

"More Members. More Rotarians."

At our club assembly meeting June 13, 2007, Bill Carter, the incoming president of Orangeburg Morning Rotary laid out his agenda for the year ahead. On the membership front, he declared the goal to increase membership by at least one before June 2008. "This won't be easy. We already know that some members are moving away. We'll have to replace them and then bring in more."More importantly, Bill stressed the need for members to become Rotarians. "As we say when we swear them in: "I can make you a member today, but only you can make yourself a Rotarian". This starts with attendance at meetings. "My goal for myself is 100% attendance". I can't make every meeting, but I can do make-ups when I miss a meeting." He pointed out that at 60 minutes, our meetings are shorter than many Rotary meetings. "If we all come in at 7:45, there's not much time to socialize and meet, and we have to have time to meet. I know we can't always be here early, but if you can, please be on time (7:30). "But it's more than attendance, Rotarians give their time and money. "Can we all participate in at lease three Rotary events outside of meetings?" he asked the club. And Rotarians need to support the foundation. The goal of "Every Rotarian Every Year" means that each member donates $100.00 each year to the Annual Fund (Paul Harris). But the lesser goal of 100% participation means that we all donate something. "–And get our dues paid on time, right? "Key to the success of the year ahead will be successful implementation of the new by-laws, which were passed out at the meeting and will be voted on in the last meeting in June. Among many other details, the new by-laws lay out the functioning of the committees. For the year ahead, the Foundation Committee will be chaired by Catie McClain, the Administration committee by Howard Hill, the Service Projects committee by Labrena Aiken-Furtick, the Membership committee by Sam Reid, and the Public Relations Committee by Alicia Smith. Bill indicated that the chairs had each been issued a set of guidelines. Very few members of the club raised a hand when asked who had visited the club website, and only a scattering of those hands remained raised when he asked who had updated their profiles for the club's on-line directory. "This is a task we can all tackle in June. Let's update our profiles."

2007-06-21T09:55:00.000-04:00

Dr. Howard Hill was selected Rotary of the Year by the Orangeburg Morning Rotary Club. Howard examplifies Rotary.

Dr. Smoak's Presentation To Rotary

2007-06-21T09:43:00.000-04:00

Our speaker for June 20, 2007 was Dr. Robert Smoak who spoke of his missions work in various countries. Dr. Smoak has been traveling to underdeveloped countries since 1999 when he started volunteering with a group called United Methodists Volunteers in Mission. This group was actually started in Bamberg by Dr. Mike Watson and Rev. George Strait. It is now nationwide and looks to send groups of professionals to help underdeveloped countries with medical care, agricultural issues and access to water and nutrition. This past February Dr. Smoak went to Nicaragua with a group out of Illinois and was struck by the number of times he saw trucks with the Rotary International emblem and the work being done with those trucks. Many times he saw those trucks pull into a village with food to feed the residents. He also saw the Rotary truck pick up a truck full of kids and take them to school. He thanked Rotary for the work being done internationally and encouraged the Club to continue to think both locally and internationally in terms of helping others. At the conclusion of the meeting President Matt Way presented a check to Dr. Smoak in the amount of $610 half of which was collected from individual members and half coming from the Club. This donation will help pay for medications for Dr. Smoak to take on his next trip to Nicaragua in August. Our speaker for June 20, 2007 was Dr. Robert Smoak who spoke of his missions work in various countries. Dr. Smoak has been traveling to underdeveloped countries since 1999 when he started volunteering with a group called United Methodists Volunteers in Mission. This group was actually started in Bamberg by Dr. Mike Watson and Rev. George Strait. It is now nationwide and looks to send groups of professionals to help underdeveloped countries with medical care, agricultural issues and access to water and nutrition. This past February Dr. Smoak went to Nicaragua with a group out of Illinois and was struck by the number of times he saw trucks with the Rotary International emblem and the work being done with those trucks. Many times he saw those trucks pull into a village with food to feed the residents. He also saw the Rotary truck pick up a truck full of kids and take them to school. He thanked Rotary for the work being done internationally and encouraged the Club to continue to think both locally and internationally in terms of helping others. At the conclusion of the meeting President Matt Way presented a check to Dr. Smoak in the amount of $610 half of which was collected from individual members and half coming from the Club. This donation will help pay for medications for Dr. Smoak to take on his next trip to Nicaragua in August.

Mike & Jennifer Coaxum

2007-05-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Coaxum joyfully attending the 2007 Claflin Commencement. Mike is currently on leave and will be returning soon. Let's congratulate Mike and Jennifer and wish them a happy and successful future together.

Bill Carter

How to post to OMR Blogger

2007-05-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

You may contact me at billcarter393@sc.rr.com for authorization to post or just email your articles to me and I will post them for you. If I have photos of the event I will add them.

I hope everyone would learn to use site and post their own articles.

05/09/2007 Speaker

2007-05-10T06:54:00.000-04:00

The speaker for our May 9, 2007 meeting was Christine Wallace, Program Manager for Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Project with the Children’s Law Center of the USC School of Law. Ms. Wallace detailed that the DMC Project is designed to explore and create awareness that African-American teens disproportionately come in contact with law enforcement and juvenile justice agencies than do their Caucasian peers. The DMC Project’s goal is to disseminate factual information about this phenomenon and to work with local communities to address why this occurs. Ms. Wallace stated that although African-American youth make up only 38% of our state’s population, they account for 58% of all juvenile arrests, 60% of youth in detention and 69% of youth in correctional institutions. Alarming numbers! When looking in our own backyard of Orangeburg County, African-American youth are roughly 2.2 times more likely to be arrested than their Caucasian peers. Though seemingly high, this number is below the state average of 2.44. Ms. Wallace further indicated that one of the keys to preventing African-American involvement in the juvenile justice system was to have well-coordinated after school programs, such as The Boys & Girls Club, for youth to attend. As she stated, there is a high incidence of both poverty and single parent families in the African-American community, the after school programs play a big part in helping keep the youth in structured and nurturing environments.

As you know our own Club does support our local Boys & Girls Club and will continue to do so. Our very own George Bradley will be on the Board of the Boys & Girls Club and President-Elect Bill Carter has indicated he plans to make youth a priority for the coming Rotary year. Take time to think about what you and your business/organization can do to help with this issue.

Mike Dennis

2007 Rose Festival

2007-05-10T06:31:00.000-04:00

A special thanks to all those who participated in the Turkey Leg Sales at the 2007 Orangeburg Festival of Roses. We are especially grateful to Mike Dennis and Brian Szakovits for faithfully being there from bell to bell to set up, cook and clean up both Saturday and Sunday.

Our club has become known throughout the community for these delicious smoked & grilled turkey legs. This fundraiser began under the leadership of Cathy Hughes, the club’s first President, and continues to be a mainstay of the Rotary Club of Orangeburg-Morning. For those of you who missed out this time, be sure you sign up early for the Taste of Orangeburg on October 28th. Bernice Tribble

Coaching the Rose Festival

2007-05-09T21:19:00.000-04:00

The coach is back and coaching the Rose Festival

OMR Club Blogger Introduction

2007-05-09T19:51:00.000-04:00

This is the beginning of the Club Blogger (Orangeburg Morning Rotary Blogger Site). The Club Blogger is tool for the Club communication. This is a quick and convenient way to post and receive information about club activities instead of the time consuming preparation of a newsletter. Any club member can request and received authorization to contribute to the Club blogger.

The Club blogger can be accessed from a link on the Club's website "Welcome" page.