Visiting with the North Spartanburg Rotary Club

We enjoyed meeting with the North Spartanburg Rotary Club today and had a lively discussion with the board. I consider a major portion of my job is to help educate and share ideas learned from other clubs. I was pleased that the board had so many questions as well as ideas to improve the club and especially to enhance membership. PDG Bill Monroe (1994-95) came to hear my presentation and enjoy a great meal and fellowship at the Clarion Hotel. Bill served as the District Governor the year that I joined Rotary, so he has heard a few DG presentations! Bill was very complimentary today, but I want to see if he comes back tomorrow for his club's official visit in downtown Spartanburg! 

The Notable Rotarian for the North Spartanburg Rotary Club was Markus Bolliger. Markus was a charter member and actively involved in the club since 1966. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and Sustaining Member. During his term as club president, he doubled the club's membership! Markus was named the Rotarian of the Year in 2002 and has served as the club's historian. He was the first club president to attend the RI International Convention and establish this as a tradition. I remember several years ago when Markus was instrumental in organizing the first Spartanburg High School band tour of Europe and an Interact Club. The club is blessed to have you, and I hope you can generate some ideas to allow the club to grow at least 10% net this year!

 President Wilton Jordon has a well organized team for the 2011-12 year, and I can see that he is planning to have a great year with strong membership growth and support of The Rotary Foundation. I challenged the club to bring in some New Generation members and consider new fund raising ideas. Thanks for providing us with such a great first day in Spartanburg! 

Rise and shine in the Electric City!

 After waking up early on Friday morning to travel to the Electric City Rotary Club in Anderson, South Carolina, I arrived well before the club members at the Golden Corral Restaurant. The club meets in a private room at the back of the restaurant. The restaurant server told me about how the last speaker with slides arranged the room, and I managed to get everything set up before the members and guests began arriving. I was pleased to have PDG Carol Burdette, Tom Faulkner, and AG Bill Harley come for the meeting. After a very long week with several hundred miles of travel throughout the district (Walhalla, Fair Play, Winnsboro, and Lancaster on the far extreme ends of District 7750), I was hopeful that my presentation would have an impact on the club and be pleasing to these distinguished district leaders. 

I try to read something about each city visited and learned these facts about Anderson. Anderson is the smallest of the three primary cities that makes up the Upstate region and is nicknamed "The Electric City" and "The Friendliest City in South Carolina." Anderson's spirit and quality of life has earned national recognition as Anderson County was named an "All-American City" in 2000. I have always wondered why Anderson was called the "Electric City" and found this explanation in Wikipedia: " Due to the innovation of Anderson engineer William Whitner, electricity could be conducted by wire to mills throughout the county. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power, which was supplied by a water mill located in the high shoals area of the Rocky River in Anderson County. The first cotton gin in the world to be operated by electricity was built in Anderson County in 1897. Several areas of Anderson are named in Whitner's honor, including a downtown street. Anderson became known as "The Electric City," a nickname that it still holds today."

The club members were very warn, welcoming, and genuinely enjoyed seeing each other. I saw lots of hugs, warm greetings, and energy in the room as club members began arriving. We had a great breakfast off the Golden Corral buffet, and President Michael Cunningham did a great job in moving through the agenda. I was pleased that they provided a children's book in my honor for the club's school reading project. The club has also been very supportive of the Anderson Free Medical Clinic. The three Anderson clubs (Anderson, Greater Anderson, and Electric City) are purchasing a stone with the Four Way Test inscribed for a new memorial for 9/11. Although the Electric City Rotary Club is relatively small, they accomplish a great deal in their community and world. They are a very hands-on club and also generously contribute to The Rotary Foundation. I have no doubt that they will see membership grow this year and their good work continue in the community. 

The Notable Rotarian for the Electric City RC is Faith Line. Faith has been a member since January 11, 2008. She has served as club president (2010-11) and is a Paul Harris Fellow and Benefactor. Faith served as the Director of Sumter County Library (SC) for 21 years prior to becoming the director of the Anderson County Library System in September of 2007. She is a Past President of the Southeastern Library Association, the South Carolina Library Association, and the South Carolina Association of Public Library Administrators. I could not help but notice how she humbly accepted the Notable Rotarian recognition. Faith, your club is very proud of you, and I am pleased to recognize you as a great Rotarian in our district! 

I returned to Greenwood after the club visit to attend several meetings, see my private patients all afternoon, assist in hosting a party at our home for the Greenwood Christian School faculty and family members that evening.

Good times in Lancaster with the lunch club!

My visit to the Rotary Club of Lancaster was a joy today! After a beautiful drive to Lancaster from Greenwood, I met with President Jodie Plyler and a large number of board members who were very excited about their club. Strengths of the Lancaster club include their fun meetings with lots of jokes, pokes at other members, and even friendly competition with the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary Club. We spent a great deal of time talking about membership, and I encouraged them to give generously to the Rotary Foundation. I was so sorry to hear that they had lost 5 members last year who passed away. They have a unique program called the Fishnet program in which members donate dollars in a large fish net for local charities. This net had large enough holes in the net that coins would not work! Maybe we should make the CART buckets with holes large enough that only bills or checks could be inserted and held! 

Our Notable Rotarian for the Lancaster club was Rev. Dr. Bert Welch. The club gave him a standing ovation when he was recognized. As the Immediate Past President, Bert brought a great deal of organization improvements in the club. He is a distinguished pastor in the Lancaster area that exemplifies Service Above Self in his Rotary, personal, and professional duties. For the first time in several years, the Lancaster Rotary Club earned a Bronze Award from the District Governor under Bert’s leadership. 

My presentation went well and we even finished a few minutes before the meetings was supposed to end. Several members came up after the meeting was adjourned to express their thanks. I can't tell you how uplifting these comments are to me. Today was my 20th club visit, so we are approaching the half-way point on official club visits!

Lancaster, SC -- The "Red Rose City"

Kathy and I traveled about 45 minutes up the road to Lancaster, SC where we located Franklin Sparkman, President of the Rotary Club of Lancaster Breakfast in his office in downtown Lancaster. For some reason the Garmin GPS device does not take you to the correct address in Lancaster. Fortunately people know each other well and can direct you to the correct building.  History is alive and well in Lancaster, South Carolina, the Red Rose City.  Established in the mid 1700's by Scotch-Irish and English settlers from the region of the famous House of Lancaster, this area was viewed as a "Garden of Eden."  Over the years, the area has hosted two wars on its soil and has nutured several famous native sons, Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, and William R. Davie, ambassador to France and founder of the University of North Carolina. Lancaster, South Carolina, the county seat of Lancaster County, is a charming historic southern City that, while proudly recognizing its history, is a service-oriented community focused on the future.

After spending the afternoon cleaning up e-mail and working on future club visits, I met with the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary Club board. The board is excited about enlisting new club members and plans many local projects this year. The loss of several key industries in the area during this economic downturn has been difficult for this area. President Franklin has some great ideas about helping club members to know each other better and encourage members to eat at different tables. The club favors spending most of their funds on local projects due to the current economic conditions. We departed the board meeting en route to Franklin and Aliene Sparkman's home located about 30 minutes outside Lancaster. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and their beautiful home for the evening before waking up at 5:30 AM to prepare to head back to Lancaster for a 7 AM meeting. 

The Lancaster Breakfast club is a lively group of about 80 members that have fun in the meeting. I was introduced to a table of Rotarians who have been around for many years and arrive about 6:15 AM each Wednesday morning. I had the honor of presenting Assistant Governor Sharon Novinger with her Paul Harris Fellow certificate and pin. My presentation seemed to go well and elicited several positive responses after the meeting and a few questions. I was pleased to hear that the club was making a contribution to The Rotary Foundation in my name.

The Lancaster Breakfast Notable Rotarian is Michael Clancy. Michael has been a member since October 1, 1998 and is the past club president (2006-2008), club Foundation chair, and now serves as the orientation officer. He supports The Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellow and Benefactor. Michael is married to Patricia and has two sons Drew and Blake. Other outside interest include singing in the 1st United Methodist church Chancel choir, Worship Committee chair, and Chair of the Church Council. He also Sings with Chamber choir, serves on the board for the Lancaster Community Playhouse, visits Morningside Convalescent home where he sings and entertains the residents, and has participated with the Junior Achievement program for many years.

We needed to return to Greenwood today for a few meetings at the hospital, but I will be back in Lancaster tomorrow for the lunch time meeting of the Lancaster Rotary Club at the same location.

On to Winnsboro, SC --" the Charleston of the Upcountry"

Kathy and I loaded our Suburban later referred to as "Big Bertha" and head two hours up the road to Winnsboro that is apparently often referred to as the “Charleston of the Upcountry” according to the city's web site.  Winnsboro, located in the upper Piedmont region of South Carolina, was named in honor of the Winn family, whose members fought in the Revolutionary War, and abounds with historic and architecturally interesting homes and buildings. Winnsboro’s entire central core is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sites to see in Winnsboro include the Greek Revival Fairfield County Courthouse, designed by South Carolina’s Robert Mills. The Town Clock, modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, is believed to be the longest continuously running town clock in America to colonial buildings. The Fairfield County Museum houses collections spanning the area’s pre-history through to the early twentieth century.

 The board and club met at the Fairfield Motel located near the Fairfield Memorial Hospital. Larry Dozier, the CEO and President at Self Memorial Hospital in Greenwood, when I first arrived in 1994 later served as CEO of Fairfield Memorial Hospital and a member of the Fairfield Rotary Club. Club President, Arthur Lathan, was very welcoming and assembled a large board to discuss their plans for the year. The clubs plans modest membership growth and continued involvement in the local community. The club has done a great deal to support the local school system with scholarships and hands-on projects. I encouraged the club to increase their donations to The Rotary Foundation so we could make a bigger impact in the world. 

The Winnsboro Notable Rotarian was Tony Perez. Tony, a member since August 15, 2006, epitomizes the theme of Rotary of "Service above Self". He is the current treasurer and past president of the Winnsboro Rotary Club and can be counted on to be directly involved in Rotary club projects and take leadership roles. He takes a very active role in the community and has responded with tremendous kindness and cooperation over the years. Tony serves as a Board member and secretary of Palmetto Health Cancer Center, a board member of the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce, and served four years as chairman of the Fairfield County United Way Campaign, each time exceeding the goal of the campaign.

 I had the opportunity to present the Past President plaque to Rotarians William Frick who did a great deal to better organize the club last year. Kathy and I were very impressed with the club's diversity, great meeting place and food, and a welcoming spirit throughout the meeting. I have great faith that the Winnsboro Rotary Club and President Arthur Lathan are going to have a great year as they seek to have "20/20 Vision". 

Spreading out to the edges of District 7750 - Fair Play, SC

My new blog posts slowed down considerably yesterday with our extensive travel from one end to the other of District 7750 (Fair Play, Winnsboro, and Lancaster) and no time to write. After leaving Walhalla, Kathy and I traveled to Lavonia, Georgia to spend the night prior to visiting the Fair Play Rotary Club. Fair Play is located very close to the Georgia-South Carolina border and has no hotels or traffic signals. In fact the town of Fair Play also has no people according to information from the SC Home Town Locator.  "Fair Play is a community or populated place located in Oconee County at latitude 34.511 and longitude -82.985. Fair Play had a population of 0; a land area of 6.74 sq. miles; a water area of 0.02 sq. miles; and a population density of 0.00 people per sq. mile according to the US Census Bureau estimate of July 1, 2009."

The good news is that Kathy and I found 8 very nice Rotarians in Fair Play! As you might imagine, the Fair Play Rotary Club has struggled with membership due to a very poor economy in the area and loss of some key key club members like Charter President, Larry Dunster. I recall meeting Larry Dunster during the Charter Night Celebration in January 2004. I went back a few years later to talk with the club about Rotary Foundation grants and spent the night at Larry's lake home. The club initially met in the back of a grocery store in Fair Play that has since closed. The club now meets in an old school building that is being renovated. I noticed that the Farmer's Market, youth programs, and the Fair Play Rotary Club use the same space at different days and times. 

I met with the club's board on Monday night at the lovely home of immediate Past President and Secretary, Bengt Berg. Bengt is the father of the 2011-12 club president, Anders Berg, who wants to see the club grow and continue to be active in the community. We had lots of discussion about potential new members and the future direction of the club. Kathy and I returned the following morning for the regular club meeting that included the board members plus Notable Rotarian Pam Harrell. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by the club's literacy chair, Peggy North. My presentation went well and generated a good bit of discussion by club members.

The club's Notable Rotarian is Pam Harrell. Pam was a charter member, served two terms as president, and continues to serve as the Chair of the Community Service Committee. Her deep knowledge of Rotary, both philosophy and practical procedures, is of great help to the president and the secretary. Pam is a Paul Harris Fellow,  Sustaining Member,  Benefactor, and  RLI Graduate (3 Sections).

The Fair Play club has their work cut out for them this year! However, I'm confident that the club's enthusiastic and action oriented members will do their best to enlist new members for the club even if they have to reach into Georgia and other nearby areas with people recorded by the latest census!

Travelling to the Gateway of the Blue Ridge

We began our week with a beautiful drive to the Rotary Club of Walhalla. Walhalla is the county seat of Oconee County and began as a settlement for German immigrants. Its name means "Garden of the Gods". Walhalla is also called the Gateway to the Blue Ridge. As we drove around the town prior to meeting with the club, I was impressed with a fountain and several signs proudly displaying the Four Way Test on College Street, the main street in Walhalla. I was later told that this was the club's centennial project. 

 

Club President Mike Thorsland has a bold plan for the year that has their board and members excited! Mike will use a new fundraising idea (Scripts) to help the club make a minimum $100 per capita donation to The Rotary Foundation. Mike represents the New Generation well, and I suspect that the club will see growth with many young professionals. I was also pleased to see some old friends, Lamar and Rosemarie Bailes. Lamar has served as the Walhalla mayor for many years, and has worked with Volunteers in Medical Missions (VIMM) with me in the past. We last traveled together with VIMM to Nicaragua a few years ago. 

Our Notable Rotarian for the Walhalla Rotary Club, Jordanie Mertil, is a great example for all of us. After a difficult childhood in Haiti, she came to Miami and to Oconee County in the early 1990's. She worked diligently to earn her GED degree, obtain US citizenship, and advanced from the housekeeping department to the Catering and Production Manager at Oconee Medical Center. She is an active member of Straight Paths Church and she has been instrumental in our club’s support of Love a Child Ministry, an orphanage in Haiti.  Jordanie Mertil is truly an excellent example of “service above self.” Her initiative, positive attitude, and strong work ethic are an inspiration to the club! 

DGE Kim Gramling and AG Patrick Lee came to the meeting today.  I had the opportunity to present Immediate Past President Stan King (photo above) with the club's Silver District Governor's Award from the 2010-11 year.  Although I was a bit verbose today, the club listened carefully and even asked for a copy of the presentation. We enjoyed meeting at the restored train depot located in a beautiful park where the annual Oktoberfest is conducted. As we left one member told me that the visit today was one of the most positive in their history. Thanks for your wonderful hospitality and willingness to share your beautiful community!