1/21: Mac Hodgson: GEL – Rotary Club of Charleston

January 21, 2020:

This week we welcomed our Rotary colleague Mac Hodgson, who serves as president of the Breakfast Club of Charleston. Mac is also CEO of GEl, a multifaceted engineering services firm based here in Charleston and he described that company’s business to us.

Mac Hodgson, President of The GEL Group spoke to our club last Tuesday giving us an overview of the GEL Group, their history in the Lowcountry and services they provide. Prior to joining GEL in 2013, Mac spent 10 years at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey in Atlanta, GA, where he was a Director and Senior Analyst in the Equity Research Department. In that capacity, Mac was a research analyst covering approximately 25 small-to-mid cap financial institutions in the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest United States.

Mac earned a B.S. in Business from Wake Forest University in 2003. In 2006, Mac received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. After meeting at Wake Forest, Mac and his wife, Kathleen, married in 2005, and they have two daughters, Mae and Penny. Mac is currently a Rotarian and Board Member of the Rotary Club of Charleston – Breakfast, and a member of The Trident CEO Council.

GEL was started in 1981 by George and Molly Green and is currently located on Savage Road in West Ashley. George and Molly ultimately founded Water Missions that our club is thoroughly familiar with. The GEL Group is made up of 3 family owned businesses, GEL Laboratories, GEL Engineering, GEL Solutions and Cape Fear Analytical. GEL currently has 11 offices in 5 states and 350 employees. 60 employees have been with the company for over 20 years and another 180 have been there 10 years or more.

The GEL Group seeks to improve the quality of life of this and future generations by helping people protect and be good stewards of the environment.

GEL provided service to over 400 clients last year. Those services include Air permitting, environmental due diligence, analytical testing, environmental consulting, emissions testing, engineering and surveying civil engineering and survey and subsurface utility engineering, geophysical services and utility coordination. GEL has the largest mixed waste lab in the country.

Mac concluded with the commitment the GEL has to the community with employees participating in the Walk for Water every year, the United Way Day of Caring as well as Blood Mobile that comes every 8 weeks.

Submitted by Don Baus, Chairman, Keyway Committee

IN OTHER MEETING NEWS

- Marc Howard gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- Barb Walters welcomed all visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness.
- Tom Leonard welcomed and introduced our guest speaker, Mac Hodgson, who is President of GEL, who discussed GEL and the Lowcountry. Mac is also President of the Rotary Club of Charleston-Breakfast.

MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY

January 28, 2019 | Issue 4954 | President: Sandy Morckel

COMING EVENTS

- Jan. 28 – No Meeting
- Feb. 4 – Darrin Goss, Coastal Community Foundation
- Feb 11 – Bob Smith, CEO, Goodwill
- Feb. 18 – Charleston Police Department, Active Shooter
- Feb. 25 – No Meeting
- Feb. 29 – 100 Year Gala

NEWS BRIEFS

Rotary Club of Charleston History Moment

At each meeting, President Sandy plans to share some of the snippets of our club’s amazing 100 year history and our impact on Charleston and around the world. It will be a fun trip down memory lane and will also be shared in the Keyway.

The 70s (1974-77)

We were the instrument that started the Trident Community Foundation (Coastal Community Foundation) by donating $9000 and providing its first Chairman Jim Bagwell, a past President and District governor. We awarded our first Paul Harris Fellow from the Club and the first in District 7770 to Buddy Thornhill a charter member of the Club. Several Rotarians were invited to fly in the new C-5A transport plane from the air base. Speakers included two congressmen Bryon Dorn and Mendel Rivers. The Charleston and the North Charleston Rotary Clubs purchased a new bus for the Cripple Children’s Center. Our bylaws were amended to allow elections of our officers in December. Incoming Mayor Joe Riley, Jr. spoke to the Club. We attempted to start a Rotaract Club at the College of Charleston but failed. We ended 1977 with 197 members.

50/50 Raffle

The 50/50 Raffle continues at our weekly meeting. This Tuesday members will have a 1 in 6 chance to win. The pot will start at $585. Bring your cash and let’s grow the pot. You do need to be present to win. Tickets are available at meetings – 1 for $5 or 3 for $10.

Update on Global Grant – Peru

Dr. Bill Greene of the Daniel Island Rotary Club joined us this past Tuesday to update our club on the Global Grant in Peru, which our club supported with a monetary contribution from the RCCF. The Global Grant involves a partnership with 11 of the LowCountry Rotary Clubs with contributions totaling $28,000. Thru District and International matching, we have a total project of $104,000. To date, 20 Latrines have been completed and $40,000 disbursed. The goal is for a completion date in the Spring and hopes are to send a local team to Peru for the final celebration.

The Sanitary Latrines are not an old fashioned outhouse. A pit is dug by the recipient family. It is lined with brick as a holding tank that will later be used as compost for fertilizing crops. A reusable aluminum form is bolted together to create the mold to contain the cement which is poured in. There is an S shaped valve like our modern toilets which seals the waste and prevents odors and flies. Family members wash hands after use and then use that water to flush.

RCCF Grant Applications Being Accepted

The Rotary Club of Charleston Fund (RCCF) is accepting requests for grants. Interested organizations are required to submit a Letter of Inquiry and complete a grant application prior to March 1 to be considered. The application and other details regarding the grant process can be found on our club’s website — www.charleston-rotary.org. For more information, please contact RCCF Chair, Alissa Lietzow (alissaclietzow@gmail.com).

International Project Grants

The International Committee of our club is now accepting grant applications for international projects that you may be involved. Grants will be made to build international relations that improve lives and create a better world to support peace efforts and end polio.

Areas of Rotary focus are promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies. Please reach out to Karl Riner, Committee Chair should you want to participate or receive more information.

Get Your Rotary 100 Anniversary Apparel

Rotary 100th Anniversary Commemorative gear is now on sale! Don Oswalt and our PR Team showcased a golf shirt and tee-shirt in varying colors and sizes, along with a baseball cap, all with our 100th anniversary logo. We encourage every Rotarian to purchase one or more of the special merchandise and wear it proudly at every Rotary function or volunteer activity in which we participate. Golf shirts will be available for $45, tee-shirts for $20 and hats for $20. You can purchase these items online here or at the Rotary Meetings over the next 2 weeks. We will place the group order for all items at the beginning of February.

January Dues Statements

January dues statements were distributed via email to all members the second week of December. Payment is due 30 days from receipt. We realize the holidays are a busy time, so if you have misplaced your statement or don’t remember receiving one, please contact Carroll.

International Project Grants

Boat Raffle tickets now on sale

The annual Boat Raffle has begun! Tickets are now available for all Rotarians to help with our major fundraiser of the year. The prize is once again a beautiful Sea Fox boat valued at $40,000. And a cash equivalent prize of $15,000 is also an option for the winner. Tickets are $100 and no more than 1,000 will be sold – great odds!

Please get out there and sell tickets to family, friends and colleagues. This is the primary source of revenue for us to fund all the great work we do all year long. This year its even easier to sell tickets. In addition to the traditional printed tickets, which you can get from Doug Holmes, you can direct people to buy tickets in other ways.

By Text: simply text BOATRAFFLE to 44-321 and tickets can be purchased through a mobile device.

By web site: Log on to the Rotary web site at www.charleston-rotary.org and click on the link at the top left of the page to go to a secure web page to buy tickets

In person: at one of several Rotarian businesses selling tickets including

- ERA Wilder Realty, 122 Coleman Blvd. Mt Pleasant.
- State Farm Insurance: 3750 Savannah Highway, John’s Island
- NV Realty, 91 Broad, St. Charleston

The winning ticket will be drawn at our 100th Anniversary Gala Event on February 29, 2020.

Become a sponsor of the Rotary 100th Year Anniversary

As we gear up for our 100th Anniversary celebration there are are some great sponsorship opportunities to give businesses visibility and the excellent PR that come along with being associated with Rotary. Sponsorship packages range from $250 to $10,000 and include participation and visibility at our 100th Anniversary Gale Event on February 29. Go here to see the sponsorship options and you can pay for the package you chose right on the web site. And share this with other businesses or potential sponsor you think would benefit from this great marketing and community support opportunity. Remember, this is part of our fund raising effort and most of the funds will go directly back into the projects and organizations we support throughout the year.

If you want an electronic file of the sponsorship packages to email around or print out, contact Lisa Van Bergen lvanbergen0530@gmail.com

Gala Event Tickets on sale now!

Mark you calendars and get your ticket now for the event of the year: The Rotary Club of Charleston 100th Anniversary Gala Dinner event. The event will be held February 29, 2020 at the Francis Marion Hotel.

Tickets are $100 and there will only be 300 sold, so act now.

To purchase tickets, go here

Featured keynote speaker is Past Rotary International President John Germ, Moderator/Host PJ Browning, Publisher of The Post and Courier, along with highlights of our 100 years of impact in Charleston. Black tie optional.

6 pm: Cocktail Reception with live music
7 pm: Dinner and program
8 pm: Dancing and entertainment with Zandrina Dunning Experience

You won’t want to miss this fantastic celebration of Rotary’s 100 years of Service Above Self in Charleston.

District 7770 All Club Conference

The 2020 District 7770 All Club Conference will be held March 27-29 at Hilton Columbia Center. Registration is now open and the deadline to get the “Early Bird” rates is January 31. Our club will pick up the conference registration fee for any member who would like to attend on a first come, first serve basis. You can attend one day or the entire weekend. Throughout the weekend, you will enjoy learning more about Rotary and meeting other Rotarians from around our District. You will also have the opportunity to participate with other Rotarians in two service projects. Rotarians are responsible for their own accommodations. If you are interested in attending and need help registering on the DACdb, please let Carroll know. Members can find more information and register themselves on the DACdb database under the “Calendar” tab. Please be sure to select “Pay by Club Check” as method of payment and send your confirmation to Carroll. You don’t have to be a Board Member or even a committee chair to attend – all Rotarians are invited.

Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI): Feb 15

Would you like to learn more about Rotary? If you have never been to an RLI, or if it has been a while, we have the perfect opportunity for you.

When – Saturday, February 15, 2020 from 9:00 am to 3:45 pm. Doors open at 8:00 am for registration, coffee and mingling.

Where – Trident Technical College, Building 1000, SC Aeronautical Training Center, 7000 Rivers Road, North Charleston, SC 29406.

What – Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is frequently referred to as the Rotary Learning Institute. It is a series of fast-paced, interactive, one-day courses offered to refine a Rotarian’s leadership skills and increase their base of knowledge in Rotary. Courses are fun, topical, interactive, and geared toward busy business and professional persons who want to be more effective leaders in their vocation and club.

Why – This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this ever-evolving organization that we are a part of. Participants will not learn everything about all of Rotary’s programs, but they will gain a greater appreciation for the avenues of service and programs of Rotary International. We believe that RLI will help you to help your club to improve and grow and stay vibrant.

Join us on February 15^th. Registration can be accomplished by going here: Register NOW for RLI – Charleston, SC – D7770

You can also register on the district calendar, or at www.rli33.org.

Rotary District 7770 Cruise for CART

Rotary District 7770 is sponsoring a cruise in October 2020 to support the CART Fund. $100 of each ticket will be donated to CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) to fund research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. We are inviting every Rotarian regardless of club or district affiliation to join in this opportunity to raise money for CART. Since its inception, the CART Fund has given $8.2 million in research grants. Children and non-Rotarians are also invited to participate in this cruise.

October might seem like a long way off, but deposits are due by February 10, 2020. The final payment is not due until June 25, 2020. Pricing is dependent on your choice of cabin. Every Rotarian should have received an email with an attachment with detailed information. The District website also has listed the pricing as well as the information sheet which needs to be included with your deposit.

The cruise will depart from Charleston the afternoon of Saturday, October 17, 2020 and return to Charleston the morning of Saturday, October 24, 2020. The ship will be the Carnival Sunshine, which is new to Charleston. The ports of call will be Bermuda and Princess Cays. On one of the nights at sea, we will have a party for those participating in the fundraiser.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to have a great time, enjoy the fellowship of old friends, meet new friends and support the CART Fund.

Outbound Youth Exchange Students Needed for 2020-2021

Our District’s Youth Exchange Program needs your support. The District would like to be able to send between 15 and 19 Outbound students a year on Exchange and receive the same number of Inbounds coming into our District. To do that, the District needs clubs, members and local schools to get involved that have not previously been involved. Children of Rotarians are eligible for this wonderful opportunity.

Preliminary Outbound applications are now being accepted for the 2020-21 year. Everyone’s help is needed to keep this program strong and change the lives of young people. Please contact Karl Riner, Karen Clark or Richard Sidebottom of our International Committee, if you have any questions or know of someone interested in participating.

Corporate/Family Membership

District Membership Committee Member and Past President Digit explains the new membership options for friends, family and work colleagues

As we strive to expand our membership, the Board has discussed and approved a new membership category. We are now able to offer Corporate/Family Memberships for members of the same business, organization or family. The primary member will pay full club dues of $550 every 6 months. Associate members can also join at a fee of $225 every 6 months including a one-time $100 initiation fee. Associate members will be responsible for paying the $25 meal fee for lunches attended unless the primary member is not in attendance then there is no charge for their meal. Associate members will have all of the benefits of being a Rotarian as the primary member. If you have a co-worker or immediate family member who would like to be a part of Rotary and join as an Associate member, please contact one of our membership chairs – Digit Matheny digitrm@gmail.com or Heidi Finniff heidifinniff@gmail.com to see how they can join.

Our Club is on Social Media

Members are encourage to follow all of our social media channels 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, mikesottak@gmail.com, or Rob Byko, rob@bykorealty.com.

Member News

We welcomed two new members into our club – Phoenicia Miracle and Rosalinda Loredo. Phoenicia is long-time Rotarian joining us from the Downtown Savannah, GA Rotary Club, where she was a member for 14 years. She was introduced and sponsored by Heidi Finniff and joins us with the classification of Non-Profit/Consultant. Rosalinda was introduced and sponsored by Kay Minson and will hold the classification of Construction/Masonry.

Proposed New Members

The following membership candidate has submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:

Kimberly Crain – sponsor: Ruthie Ravenel; classification: Real Estate

In the event you know KImberly, please tell a member of the Board how she will serve the ideas of Rotary.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Phoenicia Miracle

- - JOINED: Historic Rotary Club of Charleston: 1/21/2020; Downtown Savannah, GA Rotary: 2004. Member in Savannah until my classification (Public Hospital) ended in 2017 when the hospital was sold.
  - SPONSOR: Heidi Finniff
  - MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: TBD – Interested in 100th Anniversary Gala; Fundraising and Senior Aging projects.
  - CLASSIFICATION: Marketing & Development (Fundraising Consultant)
  - PROFESSION: I own a fundraising and marketing business – Miracle Strategies, LLC opened in 2017. For 18 years prior to opening my business, I raised funds across several non-profit sectors until Memorial Hospital, where I served as VP of the Memorial Health Foundation, sold to HCA and could no longer raise money due to the transition from non-profit to for-profit.
  - SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: In 2015, I presented a TedX Savannah on a topic of great interest to me as a native of Harlan County, KY: Appalachian Dialect. I taught secondary English before moving into fundraising and marketing.

Birthdays

- 1/30 – Debbie Barton
- 2/1 – Bob DeGraff
- 2/3 – Skip Fink
- 2/6 – Tom Leonard

By the numbers

- Attendance on January 21, 2020: 68
- Not in attendance: Altman, Baggs, Berry, Carico, Ceccato, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cole, Cook, Crouch, Deavenport, DeGraff, Drafts, Echols, Fink, Frume, Hanger, Husser, Jones, C., Jones, Z., Kaynard, Lucy, Mitchell, Moring, Patrick, Ravenel, Raver, Rust, Sidebottom, Smith, H., Strickland, Sullivan, Taylor, Tecklenburg, P., Teller, Vanek, Webb
- Out of Town Make-ups: None

WELLNESS TIP

Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt

It’s creamy smooth, packed with flavor — and just may be the wonder food you’ve been craving. Research suggests that that humble carton of yogurt may:

- Help prevent osteoporosis
- Reduce your risk of high blood pressure
- Aid gastrointestinal conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation

Ready to take home a few cartons of yummy yogurt? When buying think low-fat, make sure the yogurt contains active cultures and vitamin D, and keep tabs on sugar content..

AREA CLUB MEETINGS

Mondays

Summerville – Oakbrook: 7:30 a.m., Monday, Westcott County Club, 5000 Wescott Club Drive, North Charleston
North Charleston: 12:30 a.m., Monday, Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Blvd, North Charleston.
Summerville Evening: 5:30 p.m., Monday, Montreux Bar and Grill, 127 W. Richardson Ave., Summerville

Tuesdays

East Cooper Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Cooper River Room at Waterfront Park, Mount Pleasant
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

Wednesdays

Daniel Island: 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Daniel Island Club, 600 Island Park Dr., Daniel Island
St. John’s Parish (John’s Island): 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, 2817 Maybank Highway, Unit 1, John’s Island
Mount Pleasant: 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Harbor Breeze Restaurant, 176 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant
Summerville: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sticky Fingers, Summerville

Thursdays

North Charleston Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Embassy Suites, 5055 International Blvd., 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: 7:30 a.m., Friday, Harbour Club, 35 Prioleau St., 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: Sandy Morckel
Keyway editor: Don Baus don@sgaarchitecture.com
Executive secretary: Carroll Schweers, carrollschweers@gmail.com
Mailing address: Rotary Club of Charleston, P.O. Box 21029 ,Charleston, SC 29413-1029