June 30, 2020:
It was a bittersweet end to our Centennial year as we looked back on a year filled with celebration and challenges. Our leader during our milestone 
100th year as a club, Sandy Morckel, passed the torch to incoming president Lisa Van Bergen who will lead us into Year #101 of Charleston Rotary. Sadly, the Covid-19 situation kept us all from gathering and celebrating Sandy’s great year and welcoming Lisa to be our new leader.
At this week’s virtual meeting, our new officers for the 2020-2021 Rotary year were officially installed. It was also a chance to reflect on the many achievements of the President and Board in 2019-2020.
President Sandy Morckel shared the 100th Anniversary video that was put together this year for the gala. She then thanked and recognized all the 2019-2020 Board Members. She refenced a Charles Dickens quote to summarize the past year – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Assistant District Governor Rob Rosul inducted new President Lisa Van Bergen. He then inducted the new board members, many of whom were present for the swearing in at Hall’s Signature Events.
Lisa presented Sandy with a plaque and Past President Pin and thanked her for her service during a special and challenging year.
Lisa joked that this was also going to be an “interesting year” to be president! She presented her goal for this year is for the members to be “more connected to each other”. These personal connections strengthen our commitments to the club. She talked about how her father was a Rotarian and, after they relocated to Atlanta, many of their closest friendships were formed through Rotary. She told of how Paul Harris started Rotary because he felt disconnected from a community because he was starting a career in a large city. Her goal is for everyone to be more connected and committed to the club. We will have networking meetings once a quarter. We will still have plenty of service opportunities, and Lisa encouraged members to ask how they can serve and be more involved. In the question and answer session after her speech, she pointed out that there are 7 new member inductions upcoming. This is great news for the club, especially considering the circumstances of Covid-19. Digit Matheny reminded us that although he and Charlie Palmer are leading the Membership Committee, that every member is on that committee. Lisa reiterated that point prior to adjoining the meeting.
Submitted by Jeff Webb, Keyway Committee
IN OTHER MEETING NEWS
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- Marjorie Hanger gave the Invocation and led us in the pledge.
- President Sandy welcomed all visiting Rotarians & guests.
- President Sandy Morckel presented Health and Happiness.
- Assist. District Governor joined us for our Presidential & Board Installation. President Sandy recapped our Centennial year and President-Elect Lisa Van Bergen introduced her goals for this coming Rotary year.
MORE IN THIS WEEK’S KEYWAY
July 7, 2020 | Issue 4969| President: Lisa Van Bergen
COMING EVENTS
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- July 7 – No Meeting (4th of July week)
- July 14 – Barbara Melvin, COO, “SC Port Update, Covid-19”
- July 21 – Officer Matt Tulla, CPD’s Response to Critical Incidents
- July 28 – Rotary Q1 Networking
NEWS BRIEFS
Important COVID-19 Message from the District
We wanted to share the below from outgoing District Governor, Johnny Moore. This will be part of our club’s COVID procedures going forward. We do not have any scheduled in-person Rotary gatherings until August, but please keep this in mind when we begin in-person meetings.
It has come to my attention that we need to set some ground rules for dealing with Rotarians who contract COVID-19 and how we deal with this in our clubs. First, for the Rotarians themselves. We MUST maintain absolute confidentiality for ANYONE who tests positive for COVID-19 unless they give us permission to share their information. That said, we MUST also ask, even require, that any Rotarian who has been to an in-person Rotary meeting or other function and later suspects they have COVID-19 report this to their Club President as soon as possible. This could be due to being in close contact with a person who tests positive or that they show symptoms. And, they absolutely must let the Club President know immediately if they test positive. Then, keeping confidentiality, the Club President MUST let all who attended that event know that there was someone at the event or meeting who came down with symptoms or tested positive. This will, at least, give all those notified the option of being tested immediately. And, it gives them warning that maybe they should limit their contact with others until it is proven that they are not infected.
With the increased number of cases being reported, this becomes even more critical to the health and welfare of our fellow Rotarians and their families. Please, join me in helping stop the spread of this nasty bug. If we are all vigilant and responsible, it can and will make a difference.
Meetings on ZOOM Thru July
With the recent spike in COVID cases in our area, the Board decided this past week to cancel our in-person meetings through the end of July. We will continue to meet on ZOOM during this time with plans of returning to in-person meetings at Hall’s Signature Events on Tuesday, August 4th.
We hope members will continue to log in to ZOOM and enjoy meetings from the comfort of their home or office. No yummy lunch by Hall’s or the in-person camaraderie of your fellow Rotarians, but it is the next best thing to stay engaged and be connected to your Rotary family. And as we know, the impact of Rotary is felt through our volunteerism and support of one another and the community, especially during trying times.
Rotary Happy Hour Hop
The last two of our Tuesday Rotary Happy Hour Hops in support of small businesses on King Street have been postponed until later this summer.
Official Rotary Club of Charleston Statement on Racial Inequity and Business Support
The Rotary Club of Charleston Board of Directors met prior to our meeting this past Tuesday and adopted an official statement on Racial Inequity and Business Support in light of the recent unrest in our community and across the nation and the world. Rotary International had adopted an official statement on June 1, and we felt it was important for our Rotary Club to take a stand to condemn racial injustice and also show support for our small businesses who were affected during the recent rioting. While this has been a very challenging year for our community and our members with this pandemic and the resulting economic effects, we feel hopeful that a shift is occurring for the pandemic that has plagued our country for 400 years. In both our words and our actions, we have a chance to be a part of changing our future to one that allows all of our citizens to have a chance to live up to their fullest potential. With all the amazing and transformative impact the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston has had on our community and milestones that we have celebrated throughout this 100th anniversary year, you can be proud to be a part of an organization that lives up to our vision of uniting to create lasting change in our world, our communities and in ourselves.
The statement in its entirety can be found on the lead page of our club’s website.
July Dues Statements/Payment Options Expanded/Meal Fee Increase
In your Inbox this week will be your July-December dues statement, please be sure to make payment promptly. To assist you, we have expanded our payment options and you now will be able to also pay via ACH and PayPal. Please note that there will also be a 3% convenience fee added to all credit card dues payments.
Another IMPORTANT change: Starting in July 1, meal fees will increase to $30 for both excused members and guests. We will also ask that meal fees (Excused & guests) be paid at the door. We will no longer bill.
Global Grant Scholar – Madison Davis
Our Club is sponsoring Madison Davis, a junior at the College of Charleston, for this year’s Ambassadorial Global Grant Scholarship.
Rotary Foundation Global Grants are used to fund scholarships with sustainable, high impact outcomes in one of Rotary’s six areas of focus: peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development. Madison is planning to attend the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine pursuing an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health. Madison will be in competition with a number of other candidates within District 7770 vying for a cash grant of up to $50,000 to attend graduate study for one academic year abroad. Good luck Madison!!!
Volunteer Opportunities
Rotary sponsored volunteer opportunities have been suspended until further notice due to the spike in COVID-19 cases in the area. We will start scheduling again when it is safe to do so.
Volunteers Needed for Club Committees
Interact Club – This club meets at Charleston Charter for Math and Science, and helps promote Rotary values and volunteering with high school students. We co-sponsor the club with the Charleston Breakfast Club. The club meets Wednesdays from 11-11:30 am, and will continue to meet in the coming year, though as sponsors we might Zoom in depending on CCSD guidelines. The volunteer usually attends meetings once or twice a month. There is a Teacher sponsor who does the bulk of the work. I personally have volunteered with this group, and truly enjoyed the young people. Jack Mitchell was doing this but has moved to Atlanta. One to two volunteers needed. Contact Lisa Van Bergen at lvanbergen0530@gmail.com
Social Committee – This group coordinates social events for the club. We need 1-2 people to chair the committee, and more volunteers are always welcome. Contact Lisa Van Bergen at lvanbergen0530@gmail.com
Zoom Committee – Past President David Burt has done an outstanding job serving as our Zoom host and bringing you our meetings via Zoom each week. We will continue to offer meetings on Zoom for the foreseeable future. In order to do this, we need a few additional “Zoom-savvy” Rotarians to assist David with this task as there will be meetings that he will be unable to attend. If you are interested, please reach out to David at davidburt@ls3p.com.
Club/District Emails
As a Rotarian and a member in District 7770, you are receiving emails from our club and the District. Both the club and the District try to minimize the number of emails being sent, but in today’s world of staying at home and no contact, emails are the main way to get information out and keep Rotarians connected. Please do not unsubscribe from District emails as this also effects your ability to receive club emails. If you unsubscribe from the District emails, then you are also unsubscribing from receiving club emails.
Contribute to The CART Fund On-Line
It is now easy to contribute and support The CART Fund electronically. The CART Fund has just rolled out a 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
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
Our most heartfelt condolences to Ricky Bailey on the passing of his mother this past Tuesday. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky and his family.
Congratulations to Stavros on his contribution in a new book written for COVID-19 and World of Sport. The new book will be published on September 2020 with the title: Sport and the Pandemic: Perspectives on Covbid-19’s Impact on the Sport Industry. My contribution is on Chapter 4: Environmental Change, the Sport Industry, and Covid-19.
Best wishes for all of us to stay safe and continue to stay connected as we help those who are most vulnerable in our community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to fellow Rotarians if we can help you in any way in the days and weeks to come!
Proposed New Members
The following membership candidates have submitted an application and signed letter of agreement to the Historic Rotary Club of Charleston:
Ted Fason – sponsor: Charlie Palmer; classification: Liquor – Distillery/Distribution
Jacob Humiston – sponsor: Heidi Finniff; classification: Business Staffing/Contracting
In the event you know Ted or Jacob, please tell a member of the Board how he/she will serve the ideas of Rotary.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Allen Giles
- JOINED: 6/23/2020 (Former member of the Rotary Club of Osterville, MA)
- SPONSOR: Heidi Finniff
- MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT: New Member
- CLASSIFICATION: Renewable Energy
- PROFESSION: Business Development, Gillman Services
- SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOURSELF: Curly hair has run in my family for 6 generations
Birthdays
- 7/10 – GP Diminich & Silva Goxhaj
- 7/13 – Heidi Finniff
By the numbers
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- Attendance on June 30, 2020: 40
- Not in attendance: Allen, Altman, Beam, Berry, Bickley, Brack, Brady, Chico, Clark, Coe, Coghill, Cook, Cooper, Cooper, Coxe, Crouch, DeGraf, Diminich, Dopp, Drafts, Echols, Fellabom, Frume, Galizia, Gill, Giovanniello, Goxhaj, Howard, Husser, Jones, Jones, Kaynard, Kohli, Le, Lietzow, Loredo, Lucy, Minson, Morelli, Moring, Morse, Oswalt, Palmer, Patrick, Peters, Plotner, Ravenel, Raver, Riley, Riner, Rust, Savage, Seguer, Shahid, Sidebottom, Smith, H., Smith, Michael, Smith, P., Staley, Strickland, Taylor, Tecklenburg, John, Vanek, Walters, Weston
- Out of Town Make-ups: None
WELLNESS TIP
Keep Stress-Busting Foods on Hand
Yes, you read that correctly. Certain foods can actually have a stress-lowering effect. Warm foods like soup or tea are soothing, and the omega-3s in fatty fish may improve mood. Avocados are packed with vitamins C and B6, which are known to help reduce stress. Dark chocolate is antioxidant-rich, which is great for thwarting stress (do savor in moderation, however, as it’s a calorie-dense food). Other foods that can help include whole-grain carbohydrates, bananas, oranges, water, and leafy greens.
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
- Copyright 2018, Rotary Club of Charleston. All rights reserved