2nd Row Left Box » Capital Rotary Club

Our speaker on Wednesday morning was Major General Bradley A. Becker, the Commanding General, U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson. General Becker was commissioned in May 1986, following graduation from the University of California at Davis. From June 2012 to August 2013, General Becker served as the Deputy Director for Joint Training, Joint Force Development, Joint Staff J7, where he worked closely with NATO’s Allied Command Transformation and other multinational partners. Other joint assignments include a tour as Chief, Commander’s Initiatives Group, U.S. Forces – Iraq, from June 2009 to July 2010; and special assistant to the Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea, from November 2008 to June 2009. General Becker also served as the Deputy Commanding General – West, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Division – Center, during Operation New Dawn, Iraq, from December 2010 to December 2011. From July 2007 to October 2008, General Becker served as the Commander, 3rd Battlefield Coordination Detachment, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea. General Becker also served as commander of 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington, and led that unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Parachutist and Air Assault identification badges, and is Ranger qualified.

In my 25 years as a Rotarian, I observed that there seem to be two primary reasons that people become Rotarians. Some join because they see it primarily as a networking opportunity, and they accept that there is a service obligation that comes with membership. Others join because the ideals of Rotary – integrity, compassion for others and service above self appeal to their core being, and to them, the networking is secondary. Don Babb is clearly one of the latter. He epitomized these ideals long before becoming a Rotarian, and his membership was simply another way of doing what he already did.

More often than not, the first word that will be used to describe Don by anyone who knows is integrity. While I have been blessed to know many people whose values were strong, many in the Capital Rotary Club, there is no one whose integrity and personal values are more evident than Don’s. Because of this, his wisdom and his generosity of spirit, I asked him to be the only outside board member of my company years ago. During the years, when we had difficult issues to deal with, Don would always, in his subtle way, bring clarity by asking the fundamental question of “What is the right thing to do?” Pretty simple – just the Four Way Test boiled down to seven words. It is who he is.

Don and Carolyn’s compassion and generosity has long been evident through their becoming Rotary Foundation Major Donors, through the fact that they are both multiple Paul Harris Fellows and by their unselfish giving and leadership in the charitable projects that the Capital Rotary Club has undertaken.

For all of this Don, we thank you, we appreciate you and we are thankful to have had you in our lives.

– Ancel Hamilton

Our speaker on Wednesday was Mr. Andy Demetra, the radio Voice for USC’s Men’s Basketball and Baseball games.

According to the USC Sports website, “Demetra is a familiar name to those who follow Gamecock Athletics closely. He served as the play-by-play voice for Carolina women’s basketball and selected men’s basketball games from 2003-06. He was selected from a pool of approximately 250 applicants for the position.

“Since his time in Columbia, Demetra has worked for ISP Sports in Winston-Salem, N.C. He has done basketball play-by-play for the Big East National Game of the Week, football play-by-play for the ACC National Game of the Week and baseball play-by-play for the 2008 and 2009 ACC Tournaments for XM Radio. In addition, he has provided play-by-play work in basketball for the University of Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Villanova, UCF and Furman. He has also done play-by-play broadcasting for the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A baseball affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Demetra, who graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University, was the 2005 and 2006 South Carolina Broadcasters Association Radio Sportscaster of the Year. He was the youngest recipient of the award in the organization’s 60-year history.”

Quote of the Week: “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way” – Babe Ruth

Photo courtesy of WLTX

Today, Dr. Richard Conant was the guest speaker at the Capital Rotary Club. The meeting began with Dr. Conant singing the Star Spangled Banner. Dr. Conant is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at USC, founder of the Carolina Alive singers and an opera/concert singer. He is well-known for his rendition of the National Anthem at University of South Carolina football and basketball games and has sung for numerous political leaders and celebrities including Presidents Reagan, Bush Sr. and Nixon, as well as Pope John Paul II.

He has sung around the world, from Bulgaria to China and has performed as a soloist in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Dr. Conant was involved in police work as a State Constable for 35 years, is past President of the FBI Citizens Academy, and is currently working with the Red Cross as Government Liaison, in Public Affairs and with Disaster Relief. He also directs the Chancel Choir at Trinity United Methodist Church in Blythewood.

Our very own, Jimmy Gibbs, joins Dawdy Mercer Plank on WIS-TV to discuss the Capital Rotary Club and how our donations are helping research a cure for Alzheimer’s disease through Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART).

Capital Rotary Club

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Commanding General visits Capital Rotary

A tribute to Don Babb, long-time Capital Rotary member

Radio Voice of Carolina Baseball and Basketball visits Capital Rotary Club

Distinguished Professor Emeritus speaks to Capital Rotary Club

Jimmy Gibbs on Capital Rotary Club’s CART for Alzheimer’s