Our speaker at our meeting on Wednesday, April 13th was Mr. Andy Shain, report and editor of The State Newspaper. For several years, Andy covered USC basketball, football, and baseball and assisted in producing GoGamecocks.com. He currently covers Governor Nikki Haley and related politics, plus the University of South Carolina. Andy earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
Ione Cockrell, an assistant governor for Rotary District 7770 in the eastern counties of South Carolina, presents a Club Leadership Citation for 2015-16 to Capital Rotary president David Boucher. The Columbia-area club was recognized for its participation in local and district community service projects and for contributions to Rotary International’s international humanitarian outreach programs.
Capital Rotary Club president David Boucher did not think of himself as a long-distance runner when he took up jogging 25 years ago – but now he has circled the globe by completing 24,902 miles (the circumference of the earth) on daily three-mile stints downtown.
It’s fitting that Boucher celebrated his last ‘round the world lap in March during the Rotary District 7770 conference at the Columbia Convention Center. Not only did he run the distance, but he also celebrated the last 900 miles by raising money for Rotary’s CART Fund for Alzheimer’s research. Using his Facebook page and club announcements, Boucher solicited sponsors at a penny-per-mile for the 900 mile finish.
He’s also collected change off the streets while jogging for the past year-and-half in Columbia – a total of $68.86 in coins of various denominations. This money, too, was donated to CART, and Boucher invited Capital Rotarians to match it by contributing $68.86 on their own.
The overall donation goal was $10,000. As of late March, Boucher’s efforts had brought in more than $7,000 with additional checks to come. The CART Fund – Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust – was started by a Rotarian in Sumter County in 1999 and has been adopted by many clubs since that time.
One-hundred percent of the money collected is used as seed money for cutting edge research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. CART has provided over $5 million in grants since its founding.
Capital Rotary was honored twice at the recent 2016 conference for Rotary District 7770. The district includes 80 clubs and about 5,000 Rotarians in 25 eastern counties of the state. Capital Rotary was named first runner-up for Club of the Year in the “medium sized” category, based on a listing of programs and accomplishments.
A past president of the club – Ione Cockrell – was presented a plaque by District Governor Rod Funderburk to recognize her selection as 2015-2016 District Rotarian of the Year. This award is given to one individual each year who has demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service and personal volunteer efforts. Cockrell was cited for playing a key role in relief efforts after many parts of District 7770 suffered significant devastation from rainfall and floods in October 2015.
Cockrell, a financial planner, joined Capital Rotary in 1993 and was its 2000-2001 president. She has been a significant donor to the Rotary Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation that supports humanitarian, educational and cultural exchange programs worldwide.
On two Saturdays in March, members of Columbia’s Capital Rotary Club joined with other volunteers to lend a hand in rebuilding a home damaged by catastrophic rains and flooding in the Midlands last October. Their work was part of a disaster recovery partnership between Rotary District 7770 and the St. Bernard Project.
The St. Bernard Project was founded 10 years ago to assist St. Bernard Parish following Hurricane Katrina’s devastating strike at New Orleans, LA. Since that time, it’s grown into a nationally-recognized leader in disaster resilience and recovery. St. Bernard Project has rebuilt homes for over 950 families with the help of more than 100,000 volunteers in five states and, most recently, in Columbia.
Capital Rotary’s volunteers painted, hung drywall, applied mud to the drywall and did lots of sanding to prep for paint at a Blythewood home suffering significant damage. Rainwater came through the home’s roof, damaging insulation and destroying the kitchen and laundry room ceilings, followed by mold. St. Bernard Project removed the ceilings and insulation and – with Rotary’s help – worked toward getting the home in good order for its owners to return after renting quarters nearby.
“It was a fabulous experience and we made a real contribution,” reported one Capital volunteer, in the true spirit of Rotary.
Capital Rotary Club members get a close-up look at Spirit Communications Park, new home to the Columbia Fireflies, the minor league baseball team opening its inaugural season here on April 14. The Fireflies will play in the Class Single-A South Atlantic League as an affiliate of the National League’s New York Mets.
The tour was arranged by Fireflies staffer Abby Naas, who joined Capital Rotary this past year. The Fireflies are the first minor league baseball team in Columbia since the Capital City Bombers back in 2004.
If you follow South Carolina football, you know Tommy Suggs. Regarded as one of the school’s all-time greatest quarterbacks who played for the garnet and black from 1968-1970, Suggs may be more familiar to generations of fans as the color analyst for South Carolina’s radio broadcast for the last 40 years. As he begins his fifth decade behind the microphone, the 65 year old president and CEO of KeenanSuggs still has as much passion and excitement for South Carolina as the student section bouncing around to “Sandstorm.” “It’s a lot of fun when you’re winning 11 games three years in a row,” Suggs said. “But it’s always fun. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of tremendous wins, gut-wrenching losses, great venues, and all the special things that keep you engaged.”Suggs and his wife, Jane, have been involved in philanthropic efforts for the university for many years, and there is a mutual respect between he and university administrators. “He’s a part of the family,” said athletics director Ray Tanner. “If Tommy wants to share something with me, question something that’s going on, or compliment something that’s happening, then I want to hear about it. It’s very much appreciated. I take the opportunity on occasion to ask him how he feels about certain things or get his perception of difference situations.”
Suggs led the Gamecocks to the 1969 ACC Championship and a berth in the Peach Bowl. He was named MVP of the 1970 Blue-Gray All-Star Classic and was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989 and South Carolina State Hall of Fame in 1983. Suggs may also be famous for something fans won’t find in any of the record books as he explains he first pitched the idea for the iconic “2001” entrance for the Gamecocks after seeing Elvis Presley enter the stage to theme music at a concert in the Carolina Coliseum in the 1970s.
Source: http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082514aae.html
Capital Rotary president David Boucher (right) welcomes retired Army and Air Force veteran Shane Lacaillade into the club following recent induction ceremonies. Lacaillade, a Maine native who spent 24 years in the military, is senior vice president of center operations for UCI Medical Affiliates, headquartered in Columbia. He formerly worked for Premise Health in Memphis, TN, and has graduate degrees in health administration, business and performance improvement. Lacaillade’s military awards include the Bronze Star and a Nation’s Gratitude Honor at the White House. He was also cited in a book – “Called to Serve” – in a discussion of PTSD and its effects on military members and their families. Lacaillade was active with an Optimist Club in Missouri and is married to the former Christine Michael. The couple has three children.
Our speaker at our meeting on Wednesday, March 2nd was Ms. Michela Schildts from the St. Bernard Project. The St. Bernard Project has been instrumental in rebuilding New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. They have now brought their efforts to the Midlands and they have partnered with a number of Rotary clubs in the area to help those in South Carolina who were affected by the October floods. Michela was a teacher and trainer with the Peace Corps for several years. Prior to that, Machela attended and graduated from the University of Florida.
For more information about the St. Bernard Project, please visit http://www.stbernardproject.org
Our speaker at our meeting on Wednesday, February 24th was Mr. Bruce Miller, President and CEO of Groucho’s Deli.
From Groucho’s website: The History of the Groucho’s name is a story unto itself, and one that can only be told as follows. Harold “Groucho” Miller came to Columbia, South Carolina in 1941 with a handful of original recipes for potato salad, cole slaw, and various salad and sandwich dressings, most of which were thought up during his childhood in a Philadelphia orphanage.
Bruce discussed this exciting 75+ year history and shared many funny stories that happened along the way. For more information about Groucho’s Deli, please visit: http://www.grouchosdeli.com
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