2007-2008 Club Assembly

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."

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

Dr. Smoak's Presentation To Rotary

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

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

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05/09/2007 Speaker

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

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