September 24, 2004

Posted September 28, 2004

 

IN GEAR—September 24—President Mary Joan Pugh struck the gong with real Rotary enthusiasm.  Her first official act was to lead a round of applause for the piano performance of Joy Menius.  After greetings were exchanged and after the Pledge Of Allegiance, Elizabeth Mitchell gave the invocation.  She asked remembrance for those who serve in our military and for those families who have experienced loss during the war.  She continued with a Gaelic prayer that urged us to “Find the joy everywhere.”

            Sergeant at Arms Carole Gilliam introduced guests.  Past President Mike Freeland brought Kim Mroski, the new director of the American Red Cross office in Asheboro.  H.R. Gallimore brought Shaun Hayes.  Visiting Rotarians were Randolph Rotarian Susan Milner and Phil Morris of the Furnitureland Club.  Phil is District Governor Elect.  He will follow DG Don Allred in that office.

            Carole reminded quarterly payers that payment is due next week.  $186 for the quarter.

            Harold Holmes gave a new member talk.  He was born in Franklinton, in Franklin County.  His family moved to this area when he was twelve years old.  He and his wife Joanne live in Ramseur in a house build on her father’s farm.  He began his working life as a teacher/coach.  Then he worked for J. Hyatt Hammond’s architectural firm.  He was hired as Randolph County’s first County Manager.  After that he was introduced to banking by Jim Culberson.  Harold opened the FNB branch in Ramseur.  He now works for Randolph Bank in Asheboro.  He has begun thinking about retirement.  In 1994 Harold was elected county commissioner for the northeast quarter.  He presently serves as Chairman of the County Commissioners.

            Quarterly Board Meeting, Monday, September  27, noon, Wachovia Board Room.

            Membership Seminar at Pinewood Country Club coming up soon.  Carole has the signup sheet at the rear table.  Also see Carole to sign up for the UNC vs. WF Rotary football outing.  $30 bucks for ticket, parking and food.

            The club received a note from the RCC Foundation letting us know that the $1,000 scholarship donation we made went to radiography student Tracey Hollingsworth.

            Happy Birthday! to Bill Batten, Jerry Hill, John Toledano, Jr., and Lee Phoenix who drew a round of applause for admitting to 86 years.

            President Mary Joan asked all to wear our Rotary pins on October 8 when DG Don Allred speaks to us.  She reminded of us courtesy due the visiting DG, even in his home club.

            The Latin Connection will perform in Bicentennial Park next Thursday beginning at 5:30.  Food will be available.

            Rotary Fact:  We have pledged $25,000 to share in the cost of a roof for the stage at Bicentennial Park.  The District is contributing $2,000 to this amount because we give in excess of $140 per person each year.  The Rotary Fact is that this is our money coming back to us.  The Randolph Club will be contributing $15,000 to the roof and the remainder will be paid by the City of Asheboro.

            Green Talk: Fit everything on one page.

            Elizabeth Mitchell, filling in for World Service Committee Chair Diane Frost, introduced our speaker, Joy Hamlin the Education Curator at the NC Zoo.  She is a certified NC Environmental Instructor.  She taught in Davidson County Schools for more than fifteen years.  Joy was named Regional Teacher of the Year in 1991 and has been with NC Zoo education since 1992.  As Curator of Education she is responsible for visitor education, teacher education, Volunteers, the copy for signage, outreach programs and special programs.  She conceived UNITE, about which she will speak today.

            UNITE stands for Uganda & North Carolina’s International Teaching for the Environment.  It is an international conservation project.  Joy introduced Randy Fulk who explained the Zoo’s connection to Africa.  Because the Zoo emphasizes the wildlife of Africa, the Zoo wanted to pay the country back by making a difference there.  Two countries were picked, Cameroon and Uganda, and a series of joint ventures have been entertained.  Randy said that the work in these countries is with people, because the people are the conservators of their resources.

            In Uganda people were taught how to take good advantage of Eco-Tourism, that is how to use the environment to make a living without destroying the environment by hunting.

            Joy more fully described the goals of UNITE.  To establish national and international partnerships; to develop curriculum; to improve teaching methods; to engage in acts that benefit the environment.  Why UNITE?  To value biodiversity.  To make thinking globally come alive.  To prepare future decision-makers.  To support conservation and education.  To motivate individuals to care.

            How?  International teacher workshops.  Curriculum development and implementation.  International teacher exchange.  On-going student-teacher communication through email and letter writing.  Student projects.  Student internships.  Future student exchange.   “And we raise funds,” Joy said.  It is a grassroots effort and has to be done because the work exceeds what the NC Zoo Society can support over time.

            A NC team of teachers visited Uganda in 2002.They found poor facilities, overcrowded conditions, inadequate curriculum resources and a general lack of basic supplies.

            But the team also found great potential in the enthusiasm of the students and teachers, in their desire to improve.  Joy encouraged us to contribute to UNITE because the future depends on funding.  Through a video of the 2002 teachers trip, proof was given of what Joy had told us.  Wattle and daub buildings containing too many smiling eager students.  The classroom equipment amounted to a raggedy blackboard.

            Laura Hendrix, a teacher at Greensboro Day School, who will be leading a group of students to Uganda next year spoke briefly about the value of UNITE and its worthiness for support.  As Laura finished, President Mary Joan announced that the Board of Directors had voted to raise $1,500 at club level to support the building of a chemistry lab.  The District would match and Rotary International would match 1.5 times, making a total of $5,250 to which UNITE would add $1,000.

            Before thanking our guest and adjourning the meeting, President Mary Joan requested that we each give $10 toward this project.

Philip Shore, only on one page.

September 15, 2004

Posted September 21, 2004

 

IN GEAR—September 15—Our joint meeting was held on a day when Rotary Presidents fear to tread.  The sky was overcast and one hurricane (Ivan) and one tropical storm (Jeanne) were hovering offshore and no one knew who was going to take the hit.  The unease of the situation always affects here as rain, but the rain turned tragic in Western North Carolina during the last storm and people, in the wake of that, look with uncertainty to the heavens.

            But what we got was a variant of a beautiful day.  The sky was not blue, but we received no rain and the temperature was very comfortable.  It was a good day to be at the picnic shelter at Lake Lucas.  Presidents Steve Rumbley and Mary Joan Pugh made an excellent call not to bed fooled by early spritzes of precipitation.

The meal was fun: new potatoes, corn on the half cob, beans of different colors and one could have a serving of chicken casserole or a pork ka bob or two with a lemon square for a sweet.

            Many of us sat with Randolph Rotarians.  You know, they’re not half bad.  Some of us found our usual seatmates and had our regular good time.  Don Durham and Lee Phoenix who both have a talent for taking the seat at an AVS table that has a leg to bang into were amazed not to have that problem at the picnic tables.

            Randolph Rotarians were in charge of the meeting.  President Steve called us to order and called upon Mike Ayers for the invocation.  Mike thanked God for the beautiful facility where we had gathered and he asked blessing upon servicemen and women in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Following the invocation both clubs joined in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.  After a moment for Rotarians to greet one another we took our seats and listened as guests were introduced by their hosts.  David Whitaker brought John Richards; Susan Milner introduced Kim Price of RCC; Linda Brown brought Tammy O’Kelley of the Tourism Development Authority and also her son SP4 Ray Spaulding.  Specialist Spaulding is a clean-cut young man with a healthy appetite.  He was also very modest.  His mother told the people at his table that Ray was just back from Iraq on a two week R & R. 

            He lives in an air-conditioned three-man trailer.  Although his descriptions of daily life, meals, duty, and recreation were matter of fact, the fact of the matter is that life for troops is rather primitive by our ordinary standards.  Ray received a spontaneous standing ovation from all Rotarians present in appreciation for his service

            President Mary Joan introduced two very special visitors.  They were Dr. Ndam and Comforts Ndom from Limbe, Cameroon.  They both work at the Limbe Botanic Gardens are studying at the NC Zoo.  Comforts exchanged a Limbe Rotary Club banner for an Asheboro Rotary one.

            Candie Rudzinski introduced student guests from Southwestern Randolph High School.  Our friend Judy Freeman escorted the students.  Betsy Browne is a member of FCA, Beta Club and she enjoys making pottery.  At this point she is not sure what she wants to major in in college but she wants to join the Peace Corps.  Christie Deaton plays basketball, softball and volleyball.  She is treasurer of Beta Club and is also in SADD, NTHS and FCA.  She plans to attend UNC-Wilmington to major in radiology.

            President Mary Joan reminded us that Asheboro’s community service project—participating in Big Sweep—takes place Saturday, September 25.  Our club is concentrating on the North Asheboro Park area and the Cedar Falls/Franklinville Greenway (Mac Whatley will be on site for that one; MJP will be at North Asheboro.)  All supplies are provided—wear long pants and be there at 9 a.m.

            DGE Phil Morris sent a message to all clubs saying that only ten more applications were needed to set gear wheels in motion to get a Rotary License plate.  You can contact Phil at rotary7690.org to register.

            President Steve turned the podium over to Allen Oliver of Asheboro Parks and Recreation to make a few remarks about Lake Lucas Park.  The lake was built in 1944-45 when the City Fathers had great foresight to recognize the need for a better water supply.  The project was controversial at the time.

            In 1947 the lake became a recreation site.  Although improvements came along as needed, no major changes were made until 1998 when the city adopted the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Using grant monies from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund improved docks, pier fishing, picnic and playground were created.  The Trust Fund is funded by a one dollar per hundred-dollar contribution when deeds are registered.

            The City staff did most of the work.  Talented crews with the sense of investment a home group can feel working on a home project did the grading, paving, assembly and construction.

            The facility has rental berths for 60 boats.  Boats are available for hire.  Everything is handicap accessible, including the fishing pier.  Playground equipment, a stylish picnic shelter and a quarter-mile walking trail are also among the amenities.

            Asheboro P&R has programs for the whole family including a fishing derby for kids and a loan program for kids to give them free access to tackle while in the park.

            Before enjoining us to spend the rest of the meeting time to enjoy the park, he reminded us of Park hours.  6:30 a.m. to sunset six days a week, March through November and five days a week, same hours, December through February.

            Allen made one last comment in response to the question, Is the roof over the stage at Bicentennial Park like the on over the picnic shelter at Lake Lucas?  The stage cover will be a laminated wood kit as was the picnic shelter, but it will be a ten to thirteen foot curved structure. 

            We were adjourned with the reminder from Mike Ayers that a National Car Show will take place in downtown Asheboro on Saturday, September 25…

Fish tales by Philip Shore

September 10, 2004

Posted September 14, 2004

 

IN GEAR—September 10—President Mary Joan Pugh led us in a round of applause for Joy Menius who entertained us so delightfully with her pianistic art.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited emphatically despite the absence of a flag.  Janet Harllee’s invocation asked that God be with friends, family, and neighbors in Florida as they recover from two hurricanes under the threat of a third.  She asked for a hedge of protection around the men and women serving their country.

            Sergeant at Arms Carole Gilliam introduced our guests: David Smith with Allen Oliver and Julie Rowland with Jaci Betts.  Julie is a candidate for the GSE team to Germany. 

            Lee Malpass introduced our student guests from Asheboro High School, Arissa Cooper and Joe Milner.  Arissa participates in Varsity Cheerleading and is a member of FCA, Young Life, Spanish Club, SAVE Club, the National Honor Society.  She is the sports writer for the Ahs Hi Chat and the Senior Class Vice President.  Arissa plans to attend NC State University to major in architectural engineering.  Joe Milner is the son of Past President Bill Milner and wife Susan.  He is active in Mock Trial, cross-country, tennis and Boy Scouts.  Joe plans to study international policy and work in the Department of State     Announcements:  Take your pick for Big Sweep, Saturday, September 25!  President Mary Joan’s group at Haskett’s Creek at North Asheboro Park or Mac Whatley’s team at Franklinville/Cedar Falls.  Beginning at 9 a.m. each group will work no later than noon picking up litter.  Gloves and bags provided—be there for this our Community Service project.  Carole has signup sheets at the rear table.

            District Membership Seminar, September 30, Pinewood Country Club.  It’s fifteen bucks to go but the Club will pay.  Sign up with Carole at the rear table.

            District Football on November 11:  UNC vs. WF.

For $30 you get a ticket, a parking place and food.

            President Mary Joan reminded us about the joint meeting with the Randolph Club next Wednesday, September 15 at Lake Lucas.  NO meeting next Friday.  (Coming to an empty AVS does not constitute a makeup.)

            Wednesday, after the joint meeting the Club Bulletin Committee will have a brief meeting. (Philip Shore, Chair, Allen Holt, Mac Whatley, Bob Walker, Denny Jennings, Kemp Foster)

Duties for the remainder of the year will be assigned.

            Happy Birthday!  to Gale Thomas, Doug Pugh, Patrick O’Hara, and Kathy Homiller.

            Our president bestowed congratulations on the Kick Off event of United Way.  She noted the significant number of Rotarians involved, Mac Whatley is the fundraising chairman; staffers Elizabeth Mitchell and Linda Cranford and David Renfro for the newspaper insert supporting the drive.

            Rotary Fact: Prior to World War II, there were 116 clubs in 9 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.  Since the demise of the Soviet Union, those numbers have increased to 439 clubs in 18 countries.

            Green Talk:  Recycling, reducing, reusing—Paper.  President Mary Joan encouraged to use both sides of office paper before shredding and reusing as padding.

            Rebecca Redding introduced today’s speaker, Hal Johnson.  Hal is the Director of Planning and Development for Randolph County.  His subject today is Randolph County Parks and Recreation Master Planning.

            Hal is a native of Asheboro and has been employed by Randolph County since 1975.  He received a BA from Pfeiffer College and attended the Graduate School at UNCG.  He is a member of the American Planning Association and the National Association of County Planning Directors.  He served as coordinator of the county’s first countywide strategic planning Project and is currently serving as the Chairman of the County Tourism Development Authority.

            Hal noted approvingly the number of Rotarians in the audience who are actively involved with the county and municipalities.  His first slide showed the language voters might expect to see on the November 2^nd referendum on a two-cent tax increase per $100 for the purpose of parks and recreation.  The referendum is necessary In order to determine how much income the County can expect to support the Master Plan.  This is called a “defined contribution”.  Some statistics:  Randolph County covers 793 square miles.  There are twelve municipalities.  Our current population 135.000, 85,000 of which live in the rural areas.

            Coming to the Master Plan was an orderly, citizen-driven process.  Meetings at RCC and the county high schools in 2003 solicited the input and opinions of the public.  Because Randolph County had never addressed the issue, everything was new ground.

            Needs discovered through this process included:

            Develop lake access at Randleman Dam Lake: Passive Parks; Multipurpose recreational center; sports fields and courts; county support for partnerships in municipal projects.

            Planning is important because if the County has a plan in place it assists municipalities in obtaining federal grants.  Randolph County’s plans will center on District Parks of 100-250 acres rather than community parks of 50 acres.  Currently Ramseur Lake is the only District Park in the county.  The Little Lakes Park and Randleman Lake are proposed for the future.

            Randleman Lake will occupy 3007 acres.  (The lake will start filling at the beginning of 2005 and should be full by the end of the same year.)  It is proposed that the county consider developing two accesses in Randolph County in addition to the access located in Guilford County.  Facilities included in the planning for this park include soccer complexes for youth and adult soccer, extensive picnic areas, a softball complex, a picnic pavilion and fishing piers, and boating access ramps.

            The expense of this project is estimated to be $29.7 million over twenty years. Jim Culberson asked how much the 2 cents per hundred tax increase would bring in.  Hal answered that it would bring in $1.6 million dollars a year.

            Hal thanked the audience for their attention and President Mary Joan thanked Hal and presented him with a pen made of recycled materials.  The meeting was adjourned.

Used on both sides by Philip Shore

September 3, 2004

Posted September 7, 2004

 

IN GEAR—September 3—President Mary Joan Pugh called the meeting to order after a splendid prandial concert by Joy Menius.  Following our weekly moments of greeting and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, Kathy Homiller raised this invocation: “Dear Lord, We are blessed to have six of Randolph County’s finest youth with us today.  They exhibit the qualities we so desperately need in order to make this world a safer and more just place.  Watch over them and guide them on their journey…”  Amen to that!

            Sergeant at Arms Carole Gilliam asked Rotarian hosts to introduce their guests today.  Jim Rich introduced Robin Overton, a longtime work associate; Dale Lambert introduced Steve Cox; Jaci Betts’s guest today was her mother, Cassandra Church.  Susan Yow, who transported student guests, was our guest. Visitors from the Randolph Club were Hal Powell, Ed Bunch, and Helen Keyes.  It was reported in the previous Tar Wheel that Hal Powell was present at our last meeting.  Hal Johnson, head of the Tourism Development Authority was the person with us.

            John Toledano introduced our student guests from Asheboro High School and Southwestern Randolph High School.  From AHS, Matthew Leach is President of the National Honor Society, participates in scouting and Mock Trial.  He went to Governor’s school this pas summer.  Matthew plans to attend college in a pre-law program.  Also from AHS, Theresa Loflin is a member of the swim team, plays tennis and holds membership in the National Honor Society and Student Council.  She intends to become a physical therapist.  From SWRHS Zack Ziegler plays football and basketball.  He is a student pilot, President of the Student Council.  He plans to enter the US Air Force Academy and become a military pilot.  Alecia Overton attends SWRHS.  She is also one of our speakers today.  She lists Beta Club, Independent Film Club, painting, costume design and reading as her activities and hobbies.  She plans to attend Meredith College with a major in fashion design.

Welcome to all our guests.

            Rotary Notes of Note: Mac Whatley announced the kickoff of the United Way Campaign on Wednesday, September 8, from 8-9 a.m. at The Exchange.  Jerry Hill announced training for church coordinators of the Room At The Inn program.  Contact CUOC for details.  A round of applause went up for Diane Frost, Denny Jennings, and Cindy Schroder for the rise in SAT scores locally. Rotary Football November 13, UNC vs. WF.  Big Sweep (our Community Project)—September 25—Carole Gilliam has sign-up sheets.  Pick from eight locations to clean up.

            Happy Birthday to Mini Singh and Lynn White!

            Peggy Morrison has invited the Fundraising Committee to her house for a meeting, 5:30 Tuesday.  Joint meeting with Randolph Club, September 15—NO MEETING, Friday, September 17.

            Rotary Fact:  The Foundation Seminar this past week was attended by DG Don Allred, President Mary Joan Pugh, Bill Batten, Ed Clayton, PDG Wilbert Hancock, and Jaci Betts from our club.  What does the Foundation do (besides ask for an annual donation)? Provides support for numerous domestic and international projects.  Group Study Exchange, for example.  This year our club will apply for a $2000 grant to support our Centennial Project.  Just formed—The Paul Harris Society of 7690—for those who will pledge to give $1000 to the Rotary Foundation each year.

            Green Talk: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle: Using e-mail to send out our newsletter will save almost $5000 annually on labor, materials, and postage.  To be included on the e-mail list give your e-mail address to Philip Shore.

            President Mary Joan called Kathy Homiller to the podium to present our program.  Kathy first recognized the outgoing Rotary Youth Leadership/Student Guest/Interact Committee for their work in 2003-04: Sam Cranford, Richard Pugh, and Candie Rudzinski.  The Committee for 2004-05 is Candie Rudzinski, chair, John Toledano, Jr., Lee Malpass, and Mini Singh.

            “Rotary International is committed to helping young people prepare for the future…Rotary Club members support a variety of youth-oriented service projects and programs that include mentoring, leadership development, and local and international scholarships.  Through these projects and programs Rotary provides (1) opportunities for education, (2) provides basic health care for needy children (3) helps to build future leaders and (4) promotes peace by preventing violence towards young people by addressing urban issues…

            “Today’s program focuses on leadership development…. While Rotary International established the basic framework for the Rotary Youth Leadership program, local Rotary Clubs and districts were encouraged to set up programs based upon the particular needs of the participants…in this district…the Greensboro Rotary Club working with the Center for Creative Leadership developed such a program.”  Chris Akins from AHS, Brittany Atkinson from AHS and Alecia Overton from SWRHS attended Rotary Youth Leadership Camp this summer.

            Chris thanked the Club for the opportunity to attend RYLC.  He was impressed that the camp emphasized service.  Other camps equate leadership with influence, he noted.  At RYLC he learned trust through the ropes course.

            Brittany stated that she would be a better leader because of the camp, not the least because of taking the Myers-Briggs Test, a personality and interest inventory.  She received a boost in confidence and has already begun to put information gained at camp into practical use.

            Alecia thanked the Club.  She was apprehensive but once put into the group of 54 people, she made 53 friends.  She learned how to impact others and the world.

            In response to the question “What was the best part?”  Chris answered “Relating to other people”  Brittany:  “Interacting with businesspeople.”  Alecia: “1. Learning to rely on others and 2 taking the Myers-Briggs test.

            Biggest Surprise?  Alecia: The people weren’t stuck up.  Brittany:  Freedom to interact.  Chris:  The hospitality of students and staff.

            Question from DG Don Allred:  What did you learn about Rotary?  Alecia:  It’s there for you.  Brittany:  Giving back to the community.  Chris:  Ethics.

Philip Shore