Newsletter Content » Capital Rotary Club

Time Poses Problem for Setting Boundaries

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Feb 202019

David Ballard works for the state’s Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office as a professional land surveyor examining county boundaries, but the passage of time can complicate that job. Ballard (shown at left in photo with Rotarian Mike Montgomery) was Capital Rotary’s Feb. 20 guest speaker. He explained how the South Carolina Geodetic Survey determines county lines even when many of the border landmarks of the past – like trees, roads and bridges – no longer exist or have been altered by history. Researchers may use colonial records, old maps, plats, land transfers and deeds to help determine boundaries. Fixing exact and proper borders can affect property taxes, fire departments, EMS and police services, schools, enforcement of property rights and election of public officials. It can also involve time and expense, Ballard said, noting that it took 20 years for the states of North and South Carolina to research and agree on the 337-mile border between them.

Community Service for Rotaract

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Feb 132019

Members of the University of South Carolina’s Rotaract Club got hands-on community service experience Feb. 13 when they joined other volunteers from Capital Rotary at Harvest Hope Food Bank for an hour of packing groceries for distribution to the hungry. Taking part were (from left in photo) Kara Owens, sophomore in marketing; Tina Sorensen, freshman in nursing; Alex Stevens, sophomore in biomedical engineering; Gioia Chakravorti, sophomore in international business/supply chain and operations management; and Rotaract president Joel Welch, a senior in accounting/finance. Also present but not pictured were Angie Church, freshman in international business/accounting and Mandy Spiegel, freshman in international business/finance. 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.

Capital Rotarians Hear Mid-Year Highlights

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Feb 072019

At a mid-year assembly Feb. 6 to review Capital Rotary’s accomplishments to date in the 2018-2019 Rotary year, president Philip Flynn shared highlights that included:

Making $1,500 in charitable contributions to Rotary districts hit by natural disasters, including those affected by Hurricane Florence locally, by Hurricane Michael in Georgia/Florida and by the California wildfires.
Donating 741 dictionaries to third-graders in 16 Richland District One elementary schools.
Creation of a new Codified Policy for the club that’s a “standard operating procedure” resource for future leaders and committees.
Collecting 58 units of blood at the annual Red Cross Blood Drive, each donation helping to save the lives of up to three people.
Assisting five local college students with scholarships – current enrollees at the College of Charleston, Claflin University, the University of South Carolina, North Carolina State and Anderson University.
Adopting a local family and providing gifts for the holiday season as part of the 2018 Midlands Families Helping Families Christmas program.
Continuing community service projects with weekly Meals on Wheels delivery and annual volunteering at Harvest Hope Food Bank.
Supporting The Rotary Foundation with $242 per capita member giving that ranks among the top 10 clubs in District 7770.
Serving as lead club for a Global Grant Project, partnering with the Rotary Club of Sunyani East in Ghana, Africa to construct the Nkrankrom Elementary School. Our club donated $2,500, District 7770 raised more, and with a Rotary Foundation match, Sunyani East was awarded about $94,000 to build the school.
Publicizing our activities with 39 club website and social media posts; reaching over 2,700 people through social media; 1,643 website users; 38 postings on District 7770’s website and newsletters; 53 press releases posted by local media; and six monthly club activity recaps e-mailed to members.

Rotarians View Nephron Expansion

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Jan 302019

Capital Rotary members got a firsthand look Jan. 30 at Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s expanded facility in Lexington County. The $125 million investment adds 36,000 square feet of manufacturing space to the company’s West Columbia campus located off 12 Street Extension near the Amazon distribution center. Nephron is a leading maker of respiratory and other sterile medications for hospitals, retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, home care companies and long-term care facilities. Nephron announced plans to move to the Midlands in 2011 and relocated its headquarters from Orlando, FL. Capital Rotary first visited the campus in October 2014. The club tours various points of interest throughout the community as part of its Fifth Wednesday program that substitutes field trips in place of a regular weekly breakfast meeting.

Human Trafficking is Modern-Day Slavery

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Jan 162019

Human trafficking is a growing multi-billion-dollar crime worldwide. Victims include children, the homeless or people from difficult family situations, undocumented immigrants and the disabled. Capital Rotarians heard details from Jan. 16 guest speakers Sherri Lydon (left in photo) and Elliott Daniels (right in photo). Lydon is US Attorney for the District of South Carolina, while Daniels is an Assistant US Attorney. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery – using force, fraud or coercion to exploit victims. They can be manipulated physically or psychologically and pressed into domestic service, commercial sex trafficking or forced labor. Victims may be exploited by employers, family members, caregivers or intimate partners, friends or acquaintances. In 2018 South Carolina had 127 human trafficking hotline reports, mostly for commercial sex or forced labor. Incidents were most numerous in Richland, Horry, Greenville and Charleston counties. Daniels said more citizen awareness combats human trafficking. He urged support for non-profit organizations that help and shelter victims, plus offering them job opportunities. To keep children safe from being lured into trafficking via the internet, he said parents need to “know who your kids are talking to online” and set social media boundaries. Lydon is a Clemson and University of South Carolina Law School graduate who was appointed the state’s US Attorney in May 2018. Daniels has undergraduate and law degrees from George Washington University and studied international law at Oxford University.

Social Factors Influence Your Health

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Dec 062018

The United States trails its peer developed countries in life expectancy and other health outcomes, despite spending more on healthcare. Some of this difference is due to genetics and behavior, but social factors are contributors, too, according to Dr. Sarah Gehlert, Dean of the University of South Carolina’s College of Social Work and Capital Rotary’s Dec. 5 guest speaker. Dr. Gehlert (at left in photo with Rotarian Katherine Anderson) said research shows genetics and behavior help determine about 70% of a person’s health risks and outcomes. The “social factors of health” – things like lifestyle and social stressors – can have an effect up to 15%. Dr. Gehlert said social factors helping men live longer include being married, participating in religious activities and being affiliated with clubs or similar organizations. For women, longevity social factors include being married, frequent social contact and taking part in religious activities. Dr. Gehlert in November received the Insley-Evans Public Health Social Worker of the Year award for her leadership, advocacy and commitment in focusing on social environmental influences on health. The award was presented in San Diego by the American Public Health Association.

CarolinaTIP Seeks Teacher Retention

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Nov 302018

The University of South Carolina collaborates with school districts to keep new teachers on the job – hoping to resolve a staffing crisis in public education. So says Dr. Jon Pedersen, dean of USC’s College of Education and Capital Rotary’s Nov. 28 guest speaker. Dr. Pedersen (at right in photo with Rotarian Trey Boone) touted the Carolina Teacher Induction Program, known as CarolinaTIP. It’s a three-year “bridge of support” for recent graduates moving from college student to successful schoolteacher. CarolinaTIP includes group workshops and experienced educators acting as the new teacher’s confidant, coach and mentor to promote “practical application of teaching theory in the classroom,” Dr. Pedersen said. The goal is better student learning, increased teacher efficacy and teacher retention. Dr. Pedersen said the rising tide of teachers quitting the profession causes not only staffing vacancies but also costs districts $23 million yearly for additional recruiting, hiring and training. A 25% boost in retaining teachers would equal $11 million in savings. CarolinaTIP’s outcomes are impressive: (1) 100% of participating teachers in 2017 came back to work for the 2018-19 school year; (2) they reported job stress went down and job satisfaction went up; and (3) 100% said the program had positive impact in their classrooms and on their decision to continue teaching. Dr. Pederson said USC’s College of Education is the state’s largest teacher preparation school and CarolinaTIP, the only program of its kind, demonstrates the university’s commitment to graduates’ success.

Rotarians Hear ‘Bulls and Bears’ Forecast

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Nov 142018

Capital Rotary members got a “bulls and bears” look at the economy and stock/bond market when Nicole Dill (in photo with Rotarian Stephen West) was the club’s guest speaker Nov. 14. Dill, a Chapin resident, works with JP Morgan Asset Management and has 20 years of experience in financial services. In her briefing she said (1) the US economy has not had problem inflation for 30 years, a trend that will continue; (2) another recession is expected in the future, likely 2021or 2022; (3) 1,300 “baby boomers” will be retiring each day for the next decade, helping to fuel labor force needs that could keep the nation at or near full employment; (4) the Federal Reserve Board is predicted to raise interest rates in December 2018 and March 2019, and perhaps in June 2019, but probably not in September 2019; (5) the US has a consumer-driver economy, with 70% of our growth due to consumption: people buying things; (6) recent mid-term elections helped restore a more balanced government divide between Democrats and Republicans, which has been the nation’s norm 61% of the time; and (7) investors need to rebalance their accounts yearly because of national and international economic change.

Ice Cream’s A Treat for Epworth Home

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Nov 072018

Epworth Ice Cream Co. – a business launched just four months ago – is already proving to be a sweet success for Epworth Children’s Home, a Methodist-based institution housing about 70 youth at its Columbia campus. Company president David Mackey (shown at left with Rotarian Jim Potter) was Capital Rotary Club’s Nov. 7 guest speaker. Mackey said his star product – peanut butter ice cream – is based on a recipe created by Epworth Home in the 1930s. Today’s premium-brand Epworth Ice Cream comes in three other flavors as well. It’s made by an artisanal firm in Georgia and sold in pre-packaged cups, pint containers and in bulk to local restaurants. All profits go to the children’s home, and Mackey envisions a future where expanded local, statewide and regional sales might not only generate a healthy income, but also raise awareness of Epworth’s history and mission. A Richmond, VA native, Mackey graduated from Randolph-Macon with a BA in economics and from Wake Forest with an MBA in business/marketing. He created a business plan and raised funds critical to Epworth Ice Cream’s start-up over the past year.

Rotarians Visit Columbia College

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Oct 312018

Capital Rotarians went to historic Columbia College on Oct. 31 for a tour and briefing from president Dr. Carol Moore. She outlined plans to promote entrepreneurship and workforce development, noting that 51% of new business startups are headed by women. The college’s Institute for Leadership & Professional Excellence houses a McNair Center for Entrepreneurism – one of six such centers across the nation – for undergraduate and graduate students. Moore envisions a “consulting agency” approach where students with proper faculty guidance would work with businesses, combining academic knowledge and real-world job experience. Moore also spoke about plans for redevelopment projects at college-owned properties in adjacent neighborhoods, noting these would benefit students and nearby residents alike. Columbia College senior Marisa Thornton (left foreground) led Capital Rotary’s campus tour. Also pictured are club members (front row, from left) Mark Timbes, Ione Cockrell and Andy Markl; (back row, from left) Abby Naas, Philip Flynn, Paul Gillam, Daniel Moses and Austin McVay. Capital Rotary’s visit was part of the club’s Fifth Wednesday program featuring local field trips in place of a regular weekly meeting.

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