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1 Million Cups Meetings Boost Business

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Oct 042019

Entrepreneurs looking to start or build a business can find help (and a cup of coffee) at weekly meetings in Columbia and four other communities across South Carolina. That’s the idea behind 1 Million Cups – a Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation initiative to strengthen education and entrepreneurship. Columbia’s 1 Million Cups sessions take place at 9 a.m. each Wednesday in the Richland County Library’s main branch and are part of a network of 190 such events nationally. Capital Rotary members were briefed on the program Oct. 2 by Sergio Aparicio and Tim Bradford (shown at right and at left in photo with Rotarian Abby Naas), local 1 Million Cups organizers. They said 1 Million Cups is not a sales or investor pitch, but a chance for entrepreneurs to explain what they do and what kinds of challenges they’ve faced. Each hour-long session includes networking, coaching, mentoring and encouragement. Aparicio works in the city’s Economic Development Office and is currently pursuing International Economic Development Council certification. Bradford has over 25 years of business management, consulting and marketing experience. He’s president of The Bradford Group of Companies, LLC with offices locally and in Pittsburgh. South Carolina’s other 1 Million Cups groups meet in Anderson, Charleston, Greenville and Spartanburg.

EarlyAct Launched at St. Peter’s School

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Oct 032019

Rotary clubs in the Columbia area have launched an EarlyAct Club at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic School. EarlyAct is a service organization for elementary students ages 5 to 13. It develops character and leadership skills closely linked to the ideals of Rotary International. Capital Rotary member EJ Newby (left in photo) helped to distribute EarlyAct pins at St. Peter’s recent kickoff meeting. Each EarlyActor also received a membership card explaining the Four-Way Test used by Rotarians worldwide as a moral code for the things we think, say or do in personal and business relationships. Students will undertake various service projects during the school year and will be donating their spare change to support the CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) Fund. This initiative began in South Carolina over 20 years ago and has since been adopted by Rotary clubs throughout the United States. All of its donations go toward grants for research aimed at preventing or finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

Foundations Key to USC Support

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Sep 182019

The University of South Carolina’s Educational Foundation and Development Foundation provide key, non-profit support for the state’s flagship institution, according to Jason Caskey, a 1990 accounting graduate who oversees fund operations. Caskey (center in photo with Rotarian Matthew Pollard at right and assistant Hunter Lambert on left) was Capital Rotary’s Sept. 18 guest speaker. He said the two foundations’ assets total approximately $800 million. The Educational Foundation’s primary purpose is to accept donor gifts in the form of cash, real estate, life insurance and other valuables. It has assets of $565 million, including investments worth $478 million whose earnings are applied to scholarships, faculty/staff salary supplements, development staff support, the USC Children’s Center and foundation operations. The Development Foundation’s goal is to handle the purchase of real estate – some for operations, some held for possible future use and some to be put up for sale. Its total assets are approximately $225 million. Caskey received the 2008 Distinguished Young Alumnus award from USC’s Moore School of Business. He was a financial services practice leader and managing shareholder for Elliott Davis in Columbia before becoming the foundations’ president and CEO.

East Point Students Learning Mandarin Chinese

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Sep 042019

Columbia’s East Point Academy merges cultures, inspires minds and expands horizons for students by teaching them Mandarin Chinese, the world’s most spoken language. In the process, East Point earned an “A” ranking as the state’s 2^nd best public charter school, according to Mark Bounds (at left in photo with Rotarian Matthew Pollard). Bounds was Capital Rotary’s Sept. 4 guest speaker, tracing the school’s growth to 740 students since its 2011 founding. East Point practices language immersion – meaning that Mandarin Chinese is used extensively in academic classes schoolwide. Mandarin is spoken by over a million people and is the second-fastest growing language globally. South Carolina has an important China connection – Bounds said the country ranks 1^st among the state’s export markets while Chinese companies employ over 3,500 of our residents. East Point has classes from 4th grade kindergarten to 8^th grade middle school and hopes to add high school instruction. It offers extracurricular activities ranging from clubs to performing arts and sports. As the first school of its kind in the Carolinas, East Point has inspired two more Chinese language immersion institutions. “Together, our students, teachers, staff and parents make East Point Academy a great place to learn and grow,” Bounds said. Before becoming East Point’s head of school, Bounds worked for Lexington-Richland School District Five and for the SC State Department of Education. He served 20 years in the military prior to his education career. At East Point Academy, you can find the best essay writer service to support students’ academic success.

Sharing Hope = The Gift of Life

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Aug 282019

Organ, eye and tissue donations from a deceased loved one not only improve and save lives, but also offer hope and healing for donors’ grieving families. That’s the message Capital Rotarians heard Aug. 28 from We Are Sharing Hope SC, the state’s only organ procurement organization. Guest speakers Pamela Eyring (left in photo) and Kristine Neal came to talk about “donor heroes” who make possible the success of transplant recipients. Eyring – whose son was a tissue donor after an untimely death – said his legacy lives on in more than 300 people whose lives were touched by his gift. Neal is communications director for We Are Sharing Hope SC. She said 472 lives were saved in the state in 2018 by 181 organ donors and 292 tissue donors; a total of 550 organs were transplanted. But she noted that over 113,000 people are on the national transplant waiting list – more than 1,100 in the Palmetto State – and 22 people die daily while waiting. Any person of any age or with any medical history can register as an organ donor at no cost. All major religions support organ donation, Neal said, adding that although 95% of people say they support the idea, only about half are registered donors. We Are Sharing Hope SC focuses on educating the public about the importance that a “yes” to organ donation can make.

Sistercare Takes Aim at Domestic Violence

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Aug 212019

Freeing families from fears of domestic violence is the mission of Sistercare, a non-profit agency serving Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Newberry and Kershaw counties, according to Cherisse Branch, guest speaker for Capital Rotary’s Aug. 21 meeting. Branch (shown with club president Abby Naas at right and member Mike Montgomery) noted that South Carolina ranks 6^th nationally in domestic violence homicides and that 15 million children across the country live in homes affected by violence. Sistercare’s services include (1) individual and group counseling; (2) community support groups; (3) career development; (4) teen outreach and youth development; (5) community education and training about domestic violence; (6) advocacy in court; (7) emergency shelter for victims and transitional housing; and (8) a 24-hour crisis hotline. Branch said that in the past year, 354 adults and 196 children were served in shelters, 3,713 crisis line calls were received and 8,384 individuals took part in community-based programs. Branch is a native of Brooklyn, NY, and a 1998 graduate of Benedict College.

USC Student Gets Global Grant Scholarship

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Aug 212019

University of South Carolina senior Grace Cooney (shown with Mark Bokesch of Capital Rotary Club) has been awarded a Rotary International Global Grant scholarship to pursue a Master’s of Science Degree in Migration, Culture and Global Health from Queen Mary University in London next year. Cooney’s career goal is to become a physician practicing internationally, working with underserved and vulnerable populations abroad. The Greenville native’s scholarship application was sponsored by Capital Rotary, with Bokesch serving as advisor. Global Grants support graduate-level study in one of six areas of focus: peace, disease prevention, water and sanitation, maternal/child health, education and economic/community development. The minimum Global Grant scholarship award is $30,000 to fund coursework or research for one to four academic years.

Technology Changes Real Estate Trade

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Aug 142019

Over the past 20 years, technology has spawned widespread changes in real estate buying, selling and closings, according to lawyer and broker Gary Pickren, guest speaker at Capital Rotary’s Aug. 14 meeting. Here is a company that offers the best deals on buying one of the finest property which is situated around a beautiful natural scenery. You can also visit https://ohiocashfairoffer.com site to learn more about the current scenario present in the field of real estate and also to get opinion on investing on the right property. Pickren (in photo with Rotarian Gloria Saeed) detailed changing roles for agents and attorneys in today’s electronic-driven marketplace. Agents – once seen as advisors, counselors and advocates for their clients – now chiefly provide emotional support and keep a transaction’s progress on schedule. In the future, Pickren sees agent compensation moving to a sliding scale instead of percentage commissions, or becoming an ala carte system based on flat fees plus extra “menu options.” You can also check out this blog post as he said real estate attorneys’ offices today function more professionally because of consumer protection laws, while lending a marketing and social experience touch for closing transactions. Technology will continue making inroads, leading to more online documents and electronic closings. In short, Pickren said, “it’s not your grandfather’s law firm anymore.” Pickren grew up in Spartanburg and graduated from Wofford College. Since 1995 he has performed real estate closings, taught agents and advocated for all South Carolinians in changing the state’s real estate laws.

Welcoming USC Rotaract Leader

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Aug 082019

Sophia Bertrand (right), new leader of the University of South Carolina’s Rotaract Club, is welcomed to a Capital Rotary meeting by president Abby Naas (left) and Neda Beal, liaison to the USC group. Bertrand, a senior studying experimental psychology with minors in Spanish and neuroscience, plans a career in occupational therapy. She’s involved Mind and Brain Institute research and takes part in the Capstone Scholars Program, Capstone Connectors Mentoring Program and Peace Corps Prep Program, plus Off Off Broadway Amateur Theater. She’s a Freshman Seminar Class peer leader and is active in church groups. Rotaract clubs are open to adults ages 18-30 interested in community service, in developing leadership and professional skills, and who enjoy networking and social activities. USC Rotaract was formed in 2010-2011 under the sponsorship of Spring Valley Rotary; Capital Rotary assumed sponsorship in the past year.

Rotarians Hear VA Benefits Advocate

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Aug 072019

Navigating the Dept. of Veterans Affairs paperwork maze is daunting, but it can pay off for those willing to stake a claim for benefits due as a result of military service. That’s according to Cristy Bradley of Elgin, Capital Rotary’s Aug. 7 guest speaker, who is a paralegal accredited as a claims agent by the federal agency to assist vets in need. Bradley (shown in photo with Rotarian and Navy veteran Bob Davis) said only 90 days of service are needed to qualify for VA benefits that range from compensation to guaranteed home loans and from medical treatment to life insurance and burial assistance. She noted that vets judged to be 30% or more disabled may be entitled to additional compensation for a spouse, dependent parents, unmarried children or a child incapable of self-support. She said about half of VA disability claims involved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Vets seeking benefits must have (1) a diagnosis of PTSD; (2) symptoms must be tied to a traumatic event, or “stressor,” that occurred during service; and (3) there must be documented medical evidence from a medical professional that the in-service stressor is what caused the individual’s PTSD. For more information, click here.

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