Rotary Shares

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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.