Capital Rotary Club

At the annual club assembly to review Capital Rotary’s accomplishments for 2015-16, president David Boucher lauded the team effort that led to what he described as “a tremendous year.”  The highlights included:

• Earning first runner-up status for “Club of the Year’ among medium-sized clubs in District 7770, which includes 80 clubs in 25 eastern counties.
• Raising over $13,000 for the CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) Fund that seeks prevention of or a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Working with other clubs to donate $12,000 for disaster relief after local flooding in October 2015, plus taking part in rebuilding a home damaged by heavy rains.
• Inducting nine new members and getting them involved and engaged early in club activities.
• Sound fiscal management that resulted in a net gain of almost $9,000 above budget for the year.
• Donations of $12,400 to The Rotary Foundation, the international charitable arm that funds programs for world understanding and peace. Foundation giving amounts to $220 per capita for the club.
• $1,500 in support for PolioPlus, a worldwide initiative to eradicate polio with the backing of more than 1 million Rotarians here and overseas.
• Delivery of 637 dinners as part of the Meals on Wheels program that delivers hot food to the elderly and home-bound in Richland County.
• Scholarships totaling $17,000 to four exemplary college students from the Columbia area. The club raises some $20,000 in scholarship money by selling Christmas wreaths annually.
• Holding a summer blood drive that exceeded goals by attracting 71 potential donors with 67 pints collected.
• There have been 5,985 visitors to the club’s website. Of these, just over 78% were new visitors.
• The website has featured 65 stories including club and member accomplishments, community service acknowledgements, and notable speakers at club meetings.
• 149 people currently “Like” or “Follow” our Capital Rotary Facebook page.

Our speaker at our meeting Wednesday, June 1^st was Ms. Kelly Moore, Account Manager with the American Red Cross.  Prior to joining the ARC, Kelly served for nearly 3 years as the Director of Business Development with MedCare and for almost 4 years as the Development Officer with Columbia’s Ronald McDonald House.   Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Our speaker at our meeting Wednesday, May 25^th was Mr. Bryan Stirling, Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Governor Nikki Haley appointed Mr. Stirling as Director of the D.O.C effective October 1, 2013. He is responsible for a staff of over 5,700 employees at the Department of Corrections that operate 24 penal institutions across the state incarcerating more than 21,500 inmates.

Prior to joining the correctional system, Director Stirling served Governor Nikki Haley as her Chief of Staff from October, 2012 to September, 2013. From January, 2006 to October 2012, Director Stirling was a Deputy Attorney General for the State of South Carolina. He served as a Legislative Liaison reporting directly to the Attorney General.  Director Stirling entered public service after working as a lawyer in the private sector. From March, 2005 to January, 2006, he worked with McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC in Columbia, S.C. His areas of emphasis included Government Affairs, Civil Litigation, and Real Estate.  Director Stirling received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina Law School in 1996 and previously received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from USC in 1991.