August 27, 2004

Posted August 31, 2004

 

IN GEAR—August 27—Joy Menius’s fingers were shooting fire on the piano today.  Her spirited playing got hands clapping.  After exchanging greetings around the room and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Rob Reese united our thoughts with the invocation.  He thanked God for today, for Rotary activities, for abundance and he asked blessing on our endeavors, on the poor, and on those who have much but who do not share.

            President Mary Joan Pugh called the meeting to order. Ed Clayton did his best to wreak RI Foundation dollars out of people who did not wear their Rotary pins but he didn’t catch anyone today.  Stiffer fines were threatened in the future.  Ed introduced guests.  Dr. David Jones, Owen George and Karen Auman were guests of Mary Joan Pugh; Trudy Jones was guest of Rebecca Redding; Pam Russell was guest of Jim Foster; Stacey Walker (candidate for GSE team) was guest of Jaci Betts; Hanna Cockburn and David Smith were guests of Talmadge Baker; Russ Kenney, guest of Candie Rudzinski; J.D. Walker guest of David Renfro; Doug Knowles guest of Ed Clayton, and Mayor David Jarrell, Hal Johnson & George Gusler were guests of the Club.  The lone Randolph Rotarian was City Manager John Ogburn.

            At the head table with our speaker NC Secretary of Transportation Lyndo Tippett were Tim Johnson, G.R. Kindley and Ashley Memory .

            Student guests were from Asheboro High School.  Robert Cox, son of Ricky and Sarah Cox has lived his entire life in Asheboro.  He is Student Council President, active in Cross Country, theater, music and Scouting.  He plans to study architecture in college.  Caroline Thore is the daughter of Rev. Chris and Rebecca Thore.  She has had various offices in Fellowship of Christian Athletes as with History Club.  She has been in Key Club all four years of high school.  She is the Captain of the Varsity Cheerleaders.  Caroline participates in a broad array of church and community activities as well.  Her educational goal is to pursue a course of study leading to medical school.  We heartily welcome all our guests.

            President Mary Joan asked the membership to observe a moment of silence honoring Hank Weiler and Garner Sizemore who both died this week.  Jaci Betts asked Rotarians to keep GSE team applications coming in.  George Bain reported that his book signing was well attended.

            Rotary Question:  Who in Asheboro was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar?  Answer:  Owen George.

            President Mary Joan called Gale Thomas to the speaker stand.  Gale, through his daughter Ashley Memory, was responsible for obtaining Secretary Tippett as a speaker.  Ashley works for Sec. Tippett as a speechwriter and program coordinator.  Gale introduced our distinguished speaker.

            Secretary Tippett received his appointment from Governor Easley in 2001.  He had served on the Transportation Board since 1976.  Mr. Tippett was a CPA in private business.  He has created a culture of change at the NCDOT by the use of innovative and constitutional solutions to transportation problems.  His boldest initiative has been the NC Moving Ahead Program which is a broad-spectrum safety and mobility program.

            Secretary Tippett began by introducing G.R. Kindley and Tim Johnson and praising their work in Randolph County.  Kindley, a member of the NC Transportation Board, is a Randolph County native.  Johnson is the head of the DOT office that oversees Randolph County.

When asked by friends and neighbors when he is going to pave their driveways or improve their home streets, he tells them, “I don’t do anything less than four lanes.”

            He made an announcement important to our area, that of the beginning construction of twin visitor centers in the Seagrove area on I-73/74.  The project will be complete in 2006 at a cost of $8 million.  This aid to regional tourism will embody green roof technology, will include water recycling, and the latest storm water and drainage technology as well as the amenities that travelers expect, clean restrooms, vending machines and travel information.

            Secretary Tippett informed us that the NCDOT is concerned with anything in the state that moves the public or that the public moves on.  It includes the DMV as well as the ferry system.  His department engages in 10 million transactions a year, so that it touches almost every household in the state.

            He added a bit of description to NC Moving Ahead.  Through this program turning lanes and widening will be added to existing highways.  Roads designed for hundreds of cars each day, are actually used by thousands.  Moving Ahead, a $700 million dollar program will be accomplished with no tax increase, using existing authorization.

            A more general statewide improvement program with a price tag of $75 billion will take twenty-five years to complete.  Gasoline taxes fund this plan.

            He mentioned the Highway 64 Bypass project.  It will be complete in 2009.  Such large-scale plans take 10-12 years from inception to completion.

            Secretary Tippett noted that the I-73/74 project is on schedule.  (Rotarian Talmadge Baker was instrumental in that plan.) He plans to continue bringing Highway 220 up to Interstate specs.  South Carolina has now identified funding for their portion.

            As a part of environmental awareness and the push to emphasize tourism in North Carolina, Secretary Tippett remarked on DOT’s contribution to the restoration of the Pisgah Covered Bridge.  To the $80,000 raised locally for the project, the DOT added $20,000 initially and made a later donation of $5,000.  He added that the Ecosystem Enhancement Program has won two national awards.

            One of the main points the Secretary wished to make today was to let us know about the 511 Travel Information Line.  By dialing 511 a caller can find out, 24/7, about current travel conditions, emergency travel messages, and weather-related travel information.  Since it’s first public announcement Wednesday of this week, the line has logged 10,000 calls.

            After a question concerning studies in paving technology and a word of thanks from Hal Powell of the Tourism Development Authority, Dr. David Jones presented Secretary Tippett and G.R. Kindley with framed drawings of the Pisgah Covered Bridge in thanks for their efforts in its rebuilding.  President Mary Joan then adjourned the meeting.

It’s not the asphalt, Philip Shore

August 20, 2004

Posted August 24, 2004

 

IN GEAR—August 20—We are all mixed up!  The Social/Fellowship committee grabbed us before we could get to those places of habit where we usually sit and told us where to go.  Some went unwillingly but once there we all found the pleasant Rotary companionship we expect from each meeting.

            Joy Menius filled the air with dinner music.  Thank you, Joy!

            After President Mary Joan Pugh called the meeting to order, we shared greetings around the room and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  Richard Pugh gave the invocation.  He thanked God for being free people and having so many opportunities.  He asked forgiveness for our not using all the opportunities presented to us.

            Kathy Homiller was drafted by Sergeant at Arms Carole Gilliam to be honorary SAA.  Kathy said she was no Ed Clayton, a remark which provoked at least one Hallelujah from the membership.  She introduced Susan Yow, guidance counselor at Southwestern Randolph High School, guest of the Club and Dr. Mark Key, guest of Jaci Betts and all the other Central United Methodist sheep.  From the Randolph Club we had Garland Ferguson, Reid Pollard and Ed Bunch.   Kathy then brought Candi Rudzinski to the podium to introduce student guests from SWRHS.

            Stephanie Kiser is involved in girls tennis, Beta Club, FCA, Girl Scouts, FTA, and the Flag Springs UMC Youth.  After high school she intends to major in elementary education at a four-year college.  Erika Littman is President of SADD, President of Pep Club, a member of FCA and Honors Chorus.  She runs, plays violin, sings.  Her future plans include traveling overseas, majoring in music and peace and conflict studies at college.  We welcome all our guests and hope they return to see us.

            MJ thanked Linda Cranford and the Social/Fellowship Committee for creating Fruitbasket Turn Over today.  Committee members are Linda Carter, Steve Eblin, and John Menius.  As part of this promotion a sheet on each table asked what Olympic event we would enter or cause to be a part of the Olympics?  The answers were either ribald or piebald or bald-faced exaggerations:  Mud wrestling, Bubba Horseshoes (with commode seats), Competitive Gargling, Power Pole Shucking, watermelon seed spitting, hog calling.  Someone slipped in a serious one: racquetball.  The student guests answered “Paint ball”.

            Gene Johnson of Piedmont Natural Gas, it was announced by President Mary Joan, has donated $4000 to the Centennial Project of buying a cover for the stage at Bicentennial Park.  Enthusiastic applause denoted the appreciation and pleased surprise of the membership

            The District Governor of Florida District 6960 has sent a general call for donations through DG Don Allred.  Funds will be used to assist hurricane victims.  Checks should be made out “Rotary District 6960”.

            Other items: September 1, Foundation Seminar, AVS, 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Last week to sign up.  September 9, District Golf at Tot Hill.  Quoth John Menius, “Bring me a check!”  We are the host club and need one more team.

            Happy Birthday Kelly Garner and Cooper Thornton!

            Next week:  Secretary of Transportation Lyndo Tippett along with G. R. Kinley.  This program comes to us through Gale Thomas whose daughter is a speechwriter for Sec. Tippett.  Bring a new-member prospect to this fine program.

            World Community Service Committee (Diane Frost, Chair, Rob Reese, John O.H. Toledano, Elizabeth Mitchell, Pat Kilpatrick, and Mike Miller) will meet after the regular meeting next week to discuss a new international project in Uganda.

            Green Talk—Utility companies are developing alternative energy sources through NC Green Power—wind, solar, biomass.  MJ will have sign-up forms to request being billed for a monthly $4 contribution to this program.  September 25—Big Sweep in Randolph County.  This will be our community project.

            Kelly Garner gave her new member talk.  She earned a degree in marketing and management from UNCG in 1996.  She and her husband Eric built a log home from antique logs (She did the chinking).  Her farm connection is that she has chickens and a tractor.

            For the program Allen Oliver, Chair of the Rotary Information Committee gave us a re-orientation into Rotary Lore.  Founded in 1905 by Paul Harris and three other men of different businesses and different religions, the organization we enjoy today consists of 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide, in 30,000 clubs, in 165 countries.  There are 50 clubs in District 7690 governed by our own DG Don Allred.  Our zone is 33.

            Highlights in Rotary History:  First club in 1905, 1912—Rotary magazine, 1947 Paul Harris dies, 1962—creation of Interact, 1968—creation of Rotaract, 1985—Polio Plus begins global eradication of polio.

            Mottoes:  Service Above Self.  He profits most who serves best.

            Four Avenues of Service: Club, Vocational, Community, International.

            Rotary International Foundation funds worldwide humanitarian programs and projects including Ambassadorial Scholarships ($25,000), Group Study Exchange (400 paired teams), and Grants for University Teachers.

            Allen described how a person becomes a member of a Rotary Club and how the classification system works.  He emphasized the importance of the materials available to members such as the directory of clubs, Rotarian magazine, Objects of Rotary and the Four-Way Test.  In closing he said that the mission of Rotary, in short, is to bring unity to people all over the world.

            There was little time for questions, but Tom White announced that it is now possible to make up a meeting on line, by studying for half an hour and paying a fee the size of a meal price.

            President Mary Joan adjourned the meeting.

Philip Shore wrote this.

August 10, 2004

Posted August 17, 2004

 

IN GEAR—August 10—President Mary Joan Pugh led the applause for Joy Menius whose return to providing music for our mealtime is most welcome.  After Rotarians took a moment to greet one another President Mary Joan led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Doug Pugh, chairman of the Athletic Committee raised the invocation in which he thanked God for true friendships.

            Sergeant at Arms Carole Gilliam introduced our guests.  Today Donny Baxter was the guest of Doug Pugh, Matt Bailor was the guest of his grandfather Ed Clayton, Doug Knowles was guest of Maxton McDowell.  Visiting Rotarians were Frank Sofeik from the Randolph Club and Larry Campbell from the Rockingham Club.  A grand Rotary welcome to all our guests!

            George Bain will have a book signing at the Asheboro Public Library at 7 p.m. on August 26.  He has written a memoir of his growing up years in rural West Virginia.  The book is titled Barefoot In Paradise. 

            Get ready for the District Golf Tournament at Tot Hill Farm on September 9.  John Menius is putting our team together.  Want to play?  Call John.

            The District Foundation Seminar will be held at AVS on September 1 at 3:30. If you want to attend—the Club will pay for it—tell Carole Gilliam at the back table.

            District Football Outing will feature Wake Forest versus UNC-CH on November 13.  Reservation forms are on the back table.

            Happy Birthday to Ken Gobel and Shiv Harsh.

            At next week’s meeting, don’t count on sitting where you want to.  Linda Cranford’s Social Committee has some mischief in store.  Just go gracefully.

            On August 27 NC Secretary of Transportation Lyndo Tippitt will be our speaker.  Bring a prospective member to this special program. Ed Clayton, as Sergeant at Arms for the day, will be enforcing the Last Friday Rotary Pin Rule.  No Rotary pin—fork over $2 plus $2 for last month when he knows you didn’t wear your pin

            Rotary Fact:  The Four Avenues of Service.  International Service, Club Service, Community Service, Vocational Service.  The traditional four have a new addition that will become the Fifth Avenue, Family of Rotary Service.

What avenues are you going down?

Green Talk: Short and sweet—Lights, computer, all electrical appliances not in use—turn them off

            President Mary Joan turned the program over to Doug Pugh, Chair of the Athletics Committee.  He began by saying, “It’s hot and muggy, that means its foot ball season.”  It’s also High School Football Preview time, a much looked forward to program at Asheboro Rotary Club.  Doug thanked Donny Baxter for arranging for the County coaches come.

            Doug introduced the coaches and indicated that they would speak in that same order.  First up was Randy Miller from Southwestern Randolph High School. Randy is in the fourth season as head coach.  He began by praising his staff.  Last year he didn’t’ know what the season was going to hold.  SWRHS won seven games and went to the state playoffs.  But he is still having trouble getting kids to come out for football.  Randy said he thought he needed a psychic to get the young men to try out.

            At SWRHS 22 Seniors, 18 Juniors, and 2 Sophomores are playing this year.  Miller expects a “big exciting season.”  In conclusion, Coach Miller asked his audience of Rotarians to come out to Friday night high school football games.  With the great coaches and energetic players, a good time is assured for all.

            Next up was Burton Cates, head coach at Eastern Randolph High School.  Coach Cates thanked the Asheboro Club for the opportunity to speak.  He said that motivating the young men was the prime task of his program.  Going to the next level is always the goal.  He praised his coaching staff and cited the number of years of experience each assistant had.  To complement his own 24 years at ERHS he listed coaches with 25, 16, 12 years of experience.  Over 100 young men are out for the team this year.  His teams feature strong players who are also strong in academics.  Last season was a good one, he said, but came to a disappointing conclusion with the loss of the state championship.  He also concluded with the exhortation to support your local high schools—“Good things are going on with good people.”

            The third speaker was Asheboro High School Coach Don Murray.  He thanked the club for the privilege to speak also.  Coach Murray said that what a football program can provide is the teaching of commitment and responsibility. 

            There are a significant number of returning seniors and quite a few returning starters, but there is also a significant number of inexperienced people.

            Last year was disappointing but the players worked hard in the off-season.  AHS is having frequent scrimmages and the team improves daily.  He invited us to come next week to the Ledford game to watch the kids show what they can do.

            The final speaker was Eddie Williamson, new coach at Randleman High School (he took over the program in February).  Eddie had retired from teaching and was looking forward to golfing and fishing but he got bored and wanted some excitement.  The chance to work at Randleman was just what he was waiting for.  The program was in disarray from too many changes in leadership.  He says we have nothing to fear from today’s youth.  RHS is going to make a good showing.  They are hungry, he told us.  Plus the Randleman community is making a big effort for the success of the team with the construction of a new field house and plenty of support.  In conclusion he thanked the club for the meal.

            What kind of record are you going to have this year, President Mary Joan asked.

            RHS Coach Williamson took a stab at it: 9-2.

            AHS Coach Murray didn’t want to make a prediction, but allowed he’d be happy at 9-2.

            ERHS Coach Cates said he wouldn’t be allowed to coach the Wildcats if he turned in a 9-2.

            SWRHS Coach Miller said he had his hands full just surviving the season.

            On these words of wisdom, President Mary Joan adjourned the meeting.

Philip Shore the Scrivener

July 30, 2004

Posted August 3, 2004

 

IN GEAR—July 30—President Mary Joan Pugh brought the meeting to order and her first business was to have John Grey introduce Clarke Carriker.  Clarke, a rising senior at Asheboro High School, is an accomplished harpist who has not only gained local acclaim but also the interest of a much wider audience through an appearance on Public Radio.  After a round of applause for Clarke, President Mary Joan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Dale Lambert, before delivering our invocation, let us know that Carl Phillips is doing better and appreciates the cards and calls he received from Rotarians.  Dale called our “thankful hearts” together in a paean of appreciation for lives of service.

            Sergeant At Arms Carole Gilliam introduced special guests.  Martha Jane Ogburn, wife of our speaker, came with her father Bob Walker.  David Smith was the guest of Talmadge Baker.  Wayne Thomas brought his son Trent Thomas.  John Ogburn, Jr. and Reid Pollard were our visiting Randolph Rotarians.  Welcome to all!

            President Mary Joan expressed recognized Kemp Foster and extended the sympathy of the club in the death of his wife Barbara Foster. 

            The Family of Rotary Copperheads game was rained out but Rebecca Redding informed us that the event has been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 3.  Tickets are on sale at 6:30 and game begins at 7 p.m. at McCrary Field.

            We escaped retribution this week.  The Enforcer Ed Clayton was not present today so he didn’t’ go around collecting  $2 from each person who was not wearing their Rotary pin.  Need a pin?  Check with Sergeant At Arms Carole Gilliam.

            Peggy Morrison, Chair of the Fundraising Committee is calling a meeting to follow next week’s regular session.  The topic of discussion will be our club’s Centennial Project. 

            Happy lone birthday to Wayne Thomas!

            Rotary Facts: What was the first Rotary Community Project?  A public restroom for the Chicago City Hall in 1906. What was the first non-English-speaking country to have a Rotary Club?  Cuba.

            Green Talk:  How Not To Be a Drip, Part III

Use high pressure, low flow hoses and put a brick in the toilet tank to use less water.  The wags in the audience asked if showering with a friend had gone out of fashion?

            She called on Richard Garkalns to introduce our speaker John Ogburn, Jr.  Richard rightly said that John needs no introduction.  As City Manager of Asheboro he touches the lives of almost everyone in the room.  John is married to Martha Jane Walker Ogburn.  He has two children, Mary and Claire.  After he graduated from NCSU with a BA in political science he earned a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from UNC-G.  John was City Manager for Archdale until in 2001 he became City Manager of Asheboro.  He is a member of the Randolph Rotary Club, and serves in a wide variety of civic capacities in our area.

            His program today is about the improvements under way on Sunset Avenue in downtown Asheboro.  His presentation was a mixture of Power Point and photographs.

            Before beginning he stepped off the dais and sent two garments circulating around the room, a fireman’s turnout coat and a policeman’s body armor.  He said he’d explain about them later. 

            The downtown renewal of Sunset Avenue has a budget of $188,000.  The City’s portion of this is $113,200 while the federally sponsored part is $75,500.  The project is a broad-spectrum treatment of aging city infrastructure.  Electrical wires are put in conduit underground; light poles are to be retrofit with attractive light heads and the poles stripped and painted; sidewalks are demolished and replaced with new curb and guttering; planters are to be built; crosswalks of pressed asphalt will be created. 

            The City has been doing the demolition work.  Jobs for which contracts have been let include concrete work (by hand rather than using an extruder), asphalt milling, installation of traffic signal loop and asphalt stamping. 

            The City forces involved are the Engineering Department, Street Department, Grounds Maintenance and the Operations Department.

            John showed a series of pictures of crumbling concrete.  He portrayed these shots as among the reasons why the project was undertaken.

            One shot showed head of the water maintenance crew on his stomach eyeballing a part of the job.  John said that the City had GPS and GIS and Laser Finders but since this site may be one of the flatter places in town, the eyeball was better than all of them for determining if the concrete work would make water flow.

            He showed us the setup of proper safety zones using orange cones.  This helps keep the workers safe and drivers and pedestrians well informed about the limits of the worksite.  The City made screens from tennis court netting to keep debris from escaping the worksite and hurting someone or causing damage.  The work is sometimes very close to the fronts of buildings.

            The job has involved replacing the underground utilities.  This equipment has not been visited in a hundred years.  Handbuilt sewer boxes have been replaced with pre-cast concrete boxes.  Storm sewers and terra cotta pipes have been replaced. 

             A series of shots of the current downtown amenities along with some hopeful speculations ensued.  Signage, the Memory Walk is an ongoing project (Buy a Brick!)  The stage was shown in its current roofless condition.  Wouldn’t putting a roof on the stage be a nice Centennial project for the combined Asheboro and Randolph clubs? He asked.  The police kiosk which is currently located in Bicentennial Park will be moved to its original position at Sunset and Fayetteville.  (Does anyone know what color it was originally?)  Picnic tables in the park between the bakery and City Hall.

            City department heads Dumont Bunker, Bobby Kivett, Lynn Priest, Pete Rich, Mark Dawalt and Felix Ward, among other were commended for their work.

            John made one last point referring to the jacket and the body armor: both of them are very tightly woven and that’s what makes them effective against fire and bullets.  When they fray they cannot do their jobs properly.  It is the same with our City: over time our town frays and does not work its best.  John emphasized that by making these repairs and changes we show how tightly woven we, as a City, are.

            Mary Joan expressed thanks to John and rang the meeting to a conclusion.  

            Philip Shore the Scrivener