May 9, 2008

It seemed like a big crowd today, but that was probably the 25 members of the AHS jazz band, who not only took up 3 tables, but a lot of floor space for instruments. Doesn’t it seem that young people take up more space generally than older people? Has anyone ever done a study about that?

And we had other guests, too. Shell Kellam was the guest of Jaci Betts (Shell is a caterer, d/b/a “Sav-the-flavor,” I’m told). Pamela Vuncannon was visiting with Henry Trollinger. From the Randolph Club we had a full contingent: Tom Barton, Rob Wilkins, Maggie Stevens and Harold Brubaker. Alan Pugh introduced our regular AHS guests Jessica Gage and Clara Lennon (who were mysteriously attracted to Philip Shore, as you see in their photo. Do you think it’s because they both work at Chick-Fil-A?). Jessica is the daughter of Millie and John Gage, spent last summer in Spain, played four years on the AHS tennis team, and will be attending UNCW this fall. Clara is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Yates Lennon. Last year she went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and her hobbies are cooking, ballet, and playing the piano. She plans to attend Meredith next fall, study nutrition, and own her own restaurant some day.

President HR reminded us of Farm-City Day on May 13th, where we’ll be able to participate in the annual “Farm-City Pig Pickin’” sponsored by the Randolph Livestock and Poultry Improvement Association.  It is Tuesday May 13th at 6PM at Allen’s Dairy Farm on Osborn Mill Road.  DIRECTIONS:  Take NC 42 south about 6 miles and turn right on Olc NC Hwy 13.  Go about one mile and turn left on Kemp Mill Road.  Go about half a mile and turn right on Osborne Mill Road.  Farm is about  a mile on the right.  Watch for signs and bring your lawn chair.  Here’s a map.

Also, TOMORROW is the first outdoor festival on Sunset and Church streets, from 9AM to 6PM. Foster Hughes and the Asheboro Parks and Rec department are sponsoring, so check out their website at www.asheboroparksandrecreation.com .

The Club will meet OFFSITE on May 23rd for a picnic at the Rotary Shell in Bi-Centennial Park. Afterwards we’ll walk over to the “A Statue” beside City Hall (which we helped purchase, with the Randolph Club) for a dedication ceremony.

Tar Wheel History, July 20, 1955: A story about Cherokee Bill, and his hanging, where the punch line was “I came here to be hung, not to make a speech.” Several people asked me if this were true, an Indian hanged in Randolph County. All I can say with certainty is that I assume it’s meant to be a joke, and therefore isn’t really history. The clue is that Red writes that he fears that the story “will not be verified by Dr. Jess Pritchard.” Dr. Pritchard was considered to be one of my predecessors as Randoph County historian in the 1930s and 40s (it’s an inherited title, you see).

Phil Homiller rose to introduce the Asheboro High School Jazz Band, a crew 25 strong who meets at 7:30 each morning (“Zero Period”) to play for 45 minutes. Here’s the roster (first names only- it’s a miracle I could write THAT fast-) On Sax, Kirby, Julia, Matthew, Caleb, Cody and David; Trumpet: Tyler, Taylor and Alex; Clarinet: Kirstin, Corbin, Billy; Trombone: Will, Reuben, Chris (and coming after his AP exam, Nash Dunn); On Piano, Catherine; tuba, A.J.; Guitar, Jesus; Bassoon, Emily; Piccolo, Sarah Elizabeth; Drums: Steve, and last and late but still good enough to solo at a moment’s notice, Richard Trotter.

The crew played (1) “If I Only Had A Brain,” dedicated to the space cadet Miss Teen South Carolina; (2) Harlem Nocturne; (3) Groove Merchant; and (4) some Afro-Cuban Latin Funk, with roots in 70s rock and roll.
Maestro Homiller reminded us that jazz is improvisational, but it’s the solo instruments who improvise. The rest is entirely notated. And he pumped for attendance at their concert “2 weeks from yesterday”, where the band director at UNCA will make a guest solo appearance. Phil says there will be concerts every Tuesday and Thursday night for the next two weeks. That’s part of the run-up to graduation, which one of the band reminded us is in “22 days!”

By the way, the trombonist, Reuben, that Phil introduced as “my son”– that’s because he lives with Phil and Kathy, and in pretty much every way has been raised by Phil. The result: Reuben is president of the student body at AHS, and will be attending NC Central next fall to study in their jazz band program with Branford Marsalis.

Phil said in closing that the musician’s way to damn with faint praise is the compliment “Well, at least your horn is shiny!” I think we all agree they exceeded that in every way.

May 2, 2008

[Thanks to former Zen Master Editor Phil Shore for this haiku report of Friday's meeting. Sorry we don't have pictures of the scholarship winners, but it looks like you either get instant gratification from Philip or pictures, bells and whistles from me, but after a longer wait. Nifty Illustrated Tar Wheels about the GSE team visit and the high school musical are coming up, really, I promise. -Mac]

It was a day of young people and scholarship.

The first order of business was to introduce the student guests. We welcomed Dorothy Wollaber and Kirstyn Harmon from Asheboro High School as well as Jake Routh from Randleman High School. Dorothy’s interests are singing, school musicals (notably Children of Eden which is being performed this weekend), playing tuba and dancing. She plans to attend Appalachian State University to major in secondary English, minoring in opera vocal performance. Kirstyn has similar talents and interests. She participates in the Honors Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, the Park Street Players and the Art Club. She is off to UNC-Greensboro to study business then transfer to a culinary arts school. Jake Routh plays football, basketball, runs track and is a member of the debate team. He will attend Guilford College on a football scholarship this fall.

Our “real” guests as our unmentionable immediate past president used to term them were Jennifer Smith, guidance counselor at Asheboro High School, Rachel Hayes, guest of Elizabeth Cox, and Randolph Rotarian Jim Campbell.

Before letting Rebecca Redding leave the rostrum, President H.R. read a Red Underwood passage from 1962 about Frank Redding III being the only third generation in the club. Frank III was Rebecca’s father and much applause resulted because she is continuing the line.

District Assembly takes place next Friday on the campus of Guilford Technical Community College. Upcoming officers are encouraged to attend.

President H.R. turned the program over to Past President Jim Rich, Chair of the scholarship committee. Jim began by reminding us that a portion of our dues goes to the Educational Foundation. This year the club is distributing $7600 in scholarships to seniors at Asheboro, Randleman, and Southwestern Randolph High Schools and one scholarship to a second year, full-time student at Randolph Community College. The RCC scholarship pays for two semesters tuition.

By presenting these scholarships Asheboro Rotary emphasizes the importance of further education. The first RCC scholarship was presented in August of 2007 to Charleen (“Sherry”) Holt. The criteria were: (a) Student must be a second year associate degree candidate; (b) Student must have a GPA of 3.0; (c) Student must be enrolled in 12 hours of credit courses; and (d) Financial need must be evident.

Sherry spoke to us of her thanks to Asheboro Rotary and the experiences she has had because of the scholarship. She is preparing to receive her Associate Degree in accounting and business administration this May. She has become a member of a professional organization, Phi Theta Kappa. She works on several community projects including those which involve working to a cleaner environment, volunteering to supplement the food banks at CUOC and the Salvation Army, and working with the compensatory education program at RCC, a program we have supported in the past.

The high school scholarships were awarded on the bases of a. academic achievement b. citizenship and community participation and c. demonstrable financial need.

Bethany Underdonk, guidance counselor (with Jennifer Smith) at AHS spoke of the accomplishments in academics, athletics and community participation. She was especially proud of Zoo School.

AHS recipients were Meleah Faucette who will attend UNC-Chapel Hill as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow this fall to pursue a Spanish major with a minor in dance and Samantha Lovin who will also attend UNC-Chapel Hill to major in Political Science with an eye to law school.

RHS guidance counselor Jill Hayes spoke with pride about her school and its students. RHS received a beautification grant which supported the creation of a nature trail between Randleman High and Randleman Middle School. She introduced the RHS award recipients Ashley Evans and Patricia Pirelli both of whom will be attending UNC-Charlotte.

SWRHS guidance counselor Teresa Burton remarked about Southwestern’s being chosen as one of Newsweek Magazine’s top schools in the nation. She introduced Elton (Dale) Cranford, who will go to North Carolina State University in engineering; and Caroline Sheffield who will also go to State but major in Agricultural Education.

Each of the scholarship recipients spoke to the club briefly and expressed their thanks in a most mannerly way.

President H.R. gave the gong a mighty whack and we were adjourned.

March 7, 2008

LOTS of GUESTS at today’s Asheboro Rotary meeting! Most of them were here as guests of the Club, honoring Lib Cox, who is the prime mover behind today’s program. At Lib’s table were Eugene Cox, Noralene Cox, son Jeff Cox and daughter Julie Stickler. Sara Beth Gallimore was a guest of Papa President H.R. Gallimore; Lauren Ingold attended with April Thornton; and Anthony Pugh (who made such an impact as a panelist during our Lunch and Learn event on the Mental Health Crisis) came with Mazie Fleetwood. Waving the flag of the Randolph Club were Archie Odell, Vickie Gallimore, and Rob Wilkins.

Gloria Cheek, Randleman High guidance counselor, was here to accompany RHS student guests Frank Magnotto and Kelsey Whatley. Frank is president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a member of the Key Club and the Golf team, and will be attending ASU in the fall to study Business. Kelsey competes on the soccer and cross country teams; is academically ranked #1 in the senior class, is Vice President of the student body, and was elected Homecoming Queen. She is also the daughter of my cousin Danny Whatley, so she obviously comes from good stock. She’ll be attending UNC Chapel Hill this fall.

Michael Smith proudly announced that Adam Glass of Asheboro High, who honored us as a student guest earlier this year, this week was offered both the Morehead-Cain scholarship from UNC-CH and the Parke Scholarship from NC State. Both are full rides plus lots of extras, so Adam has quite the choice to make.

Jaci Betts presented the club with a banner from a club she visited on her recent trip to Guatemala- thanks Jaci!

President HR read us a Tar Wheel Classic from November 15, 1944, where the inimitable Editor Red Underwood described Bob Wood as “the Club’s only real honest-to-stogie cigar smoker– President Vance [Welborn] being classed as a Beaver, or cigar-gnawer.”

Our program today featured Kyle McCleod, speech pathologist of Randolph Hospital, speaking about aphasia (was Your Scribe the only one who noted that as an oxymoron?). April Thornton introduced Kyle, who is a proud graduate of both NC State and App State, and came to Asheboro from Moses Cone hospital last July. The Aphasia Support Group he started at the hospital, at the urging of our own Elizabeth Cox, is the only such program in central NC. Kyle strongly praised Lib and daughter Julie for being such staunch advocates for people with aphasia, which is defined as any interruption in the ability to communicate, especially as it shows up in one-third of all stroke victims. A stroke victim with aphasia usually has his or her intellect and thinking abilities intact, but just can’t communicate effectively, as the stroke has damaged the left hemisphere of the brain. One million people in the US have it, and this is the position Lib found herself in after her stroke two years ago.

Kyle uses the LPA (“Life Participation Approach”) in treating aphasia. Communication involves talking, listening, reading and writing, so an undiminished strength in one category is used to rebuild the patient’s weaknesses in another. He encourages them to communicate in every mode, drawing, writing, gesturing, facial expressions- anything that conveys a message simply and effectively. Kyle used Ed Clayton to demonstrate communication (this was like demonstrating the proverbial shipment of coal to Newcastle). The worst effect of aphasia is the sense of isolation, which results in depression, and a sense of hopelessness. Victims must remain active to stimulate brain activity and help recover their lost abilities. What’s really needed, he says, is patience- give them the time they need to communicate. What victims really want is to regain their simple functioning, rebuild their lives- remember names of friends, go back to Rotary meetings.

The first aphasia treatment program began at the University of Arizona, and patients there agreed with Lib: “We didn’t really start recovery until we became acquainted with other people with aphasia.” The program at Randolph Hospital is free, because insurance coverage has limits on the amount of time and number of visits patients can spend, so his discussion groups and activities are promoted by volunteers like Lib and Julie. In Q&A, Don Allred related that, after his mother’s stroke, she could no longer talk, but could SING very well. Kyle said that’s because the stroke affected the left side of her brain, and singing is controlled by the right side, the nonlinear artistic side.

The Randolph Hospital Aphasia Puzzle Program meets each second Tuesday of the month, starting at 6PM. For more information, call Kyle at (336) 625-5151, extension 5109.

February 29, 2008

 [Thanks to Scribe Emeritus Phil Shore for jumping in today, while Mac was legally working- working legally?- over in sunny Salisbury. Out topic today is taxes, and the illustrations are courtesy of Google Images.  I personally totally agree with Richard about the need to invest public money in infrastructure.  It's a crime against posterity that Randolph County hasn't done better about this in the past.

However, let me just point out the interesting difficulty of finding PRO-tax increase images on the internet. Out of 50 pages of google images, the ones you see here were the least partisan or most neutral.   Believe it or Not.  Richard: get some county employees to post some positive spin out there. The anti-tax stuff will write itself.

The following illustration had nothing to do with sales tax, but I couldn't resist it:  ]

Joy Menius, at her usual high standard, accompanied the chaotic gnashing of our teeth and the clanking of our flatware against china with the sublime, well-organized sounds of music. Thank you, Joy.

President H.R. welcomed us with a bit of information about leap-Fridays. What are the chances of having five Fridays in the month of February? One in twenty-eight. The last one occurred in 1980 and the next one will visit us for the Rotary meeting in 2036. Mark your calendars now and plan to bring a friend!

The Prez was cranking the meeting out today. He and Vickie Gallimore had a plane to catch.  To Las Vegas. Will the Co-Treasurers please check the Foundation Account?

Our adult guests were all visiting Rotarians, save one. Richard Wells (our speaker), Jim Campbell, Gail Moore, Maggie Stevens and Mrs. V. Gallimore all came from the Randolph Club. Jeannine Thompson, our frequently visiting friend from the Bakersfield, CA, club, joined us today. Teresa Burton, the Southwestern Randolph High School Guidance Counselor, came as escorts to her students.

We hosted four student guests today. Maria Perez and Alyssa Koehler came from SWRHS. Kayla Davis and Kirby Micka came from Asheboro High School.

Maria is president of the Beta Club, the Chief Junior Marshal, and serves on the Student Advisory Board. She is also Hospitality Minister and an interpreter. Her college plans are not definite yet, but they include work in graphic design. Alyssa plays varsity tennis, performs in the marching band, the wind ensemble, and the Asheboro Flute Choir. She is a member of FFA, Science Club, Beta Club, among other clubs. She plans to major in bio-agricultural engineering at NC State University.

Kayla is a member of the National Honor Society and the Girl Scouts (she has completed the Bronze and Silver Awards and is completing the Gold Award). Another of her major interests is dance, which she takes and teaches. She is headed to Guilford College to major in forensic science with a minor in dance. Kirby is an Eagle Scout and a member of the band, the Jazz Band and the Latin Club. He intends to take a degree in pharmacy when he goes to college.

 Next week’s program will be a very interesting one—Concerning Aphasia. April Thornton has arranged this for us.

H.R. handed the podium to Greg Spainhour to introduce our speaker, County Manager Richard Wells. Richard is well known to the Asheboro Rotary Club. He is a past-president of the Randolph Club, the former head librarian of the Randolph County Library System, the former Head Librarian of Randolph Community College, and a man who loves cars. Richard has brought innovation and political savvy to each of his positions.  

After first asking who was packing heat legally or illegally, Richard announced his topic: the county-wide referendum on a quarter-per-cent sales tax increase.    

On May 6 Randolph County voters will voice an opinion about an increase in sales tax from 6.75% to 7% on goods and services. Richard said he knew very well that no one likes to discuss raising taxes in any form.  

Why do we need to raise the sales tax? Because school construction and infrastructure improvements (such as extending water and sewer lines to more parts of the county) require funding as simultaneously the County’s bill for Medicaid continues to rise. He reminded us that although the state is providing relief from the Medicaid bill, the state is also taking a larger portion of the sales tax.  Thus, infrastructure needs still suffer.

This method of taxing is fairer than simply socking it to property owners.  We all buy things and pay a sales tax almost without thinking about it.  It would require a 2.5 cents per $100 valuation increase to equal revenues earned by the quarter per cent sales tax increase. In promotion of the referendum, which Richard stressed, must be presented in a neutral fashion, not telling voters how to vote, the County has adopted the slogan, “Everybody benefits, so everybody pays.”  

One advantage of the sales-tax method of gathering revenue is that out-of-county residents help us along everytime they buy something in Randolph County.  The tax is not applied to gasoline, groceries, medicine. The revenues earned will support the construction of our two newest high schools (coming in at around $30 million each) and the $20 million bill for extending the water lines.

Richard left a generous amount of time for questions—of which there were really very few. Within his presentation he covered most of the things people may have had on their minds. There were several comments of support for the referendum and the method of gaining revenue.

  Then H.R. hustled us out of there so he could get to the airport. Tune in next week for what didn’t stay in Vegas.

February 8, 2008

    This week’s entry was writ by the practiced pen of Scribe Emeritus Philip Shore.  Sorry, but he didn’t draw any pretty pictures….

When Joy Menius dusted the piano your humble scribe thought she was going to launch into ”Kitten On the Keys”.  Instead she provided our chatter with a background of sunny songs including “I Got Rythym” and who could ask for anything more?

            President H.R. called the meeting to order with a stoutly rung gong.  Prior to the Pledge of Allegiance he announced three serious occurrences: that we hold in sympathy the family of Elizabeth Cox in the death of her mother; that Sandy Grey had sustained a fall that required surgical treatment of his arm; and the news that Father Jay Hobbs formerly of the Church of the Good Shepherd and a former Asheboro Rotarian had died just this morning.

            Rebecca Redding introduced our guests.  Christie Smith, guest of Carol Matney, has been circulated and will not be a guest much longer.  Carol made her pay for her meal.  Now that is serious.  Cindy Wilkins, guest of James Gouty, made an announcement about the Randolph Historical Association Valentine’s fundraiser.  Gale Thomas brought Lee Lennon and Henry Trollinger brought Pan Vuncannon. President H.R. had to behave today because Vickie Gallimore was the lone Randolph Rotarian present.

             The Sergeant-at-Arms team asked the scribe to note the receipt of a lovely thank you note from H.R.’s family expressing appreciation for the concern and sympathy expressed at the death of his mother last week.

            Henry Trollinger introduced two Asheboro High School student guests.  Hal Davis wants to be an English teacher.  He is co-editor-in-chief of The Ash Hi Chat and technical editor of Ash Hi Life.  He plans to attend UNC-G to study English education and then to return to Asheboro to teach.

            Lauran Breedlove is the Spanish Club treasurer; she is a Girl Scout and a member of the Key Club.  Her sport is golf.  Lauran plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

            Absentee Linda Cranford sent word for us not to miss next week’s Valentine’s program—she has arranged for Leslie Cooper, a real, live, and local choclatier.  Bring your sweetie!

            Rob Reese introduced our newest Rotarian: Shawn Mabe.  Shawn is the city officer at RBC-Centura.  President H.R. welcomed her into the club with her pin and other Rotary regalia.  Welcome, Shawn!

            Our program had a Rotary Foundation Theme.  Bill Batten let pictures do the talking.  He chose three stories of the great changes brought about by the Polio Plus campaign.  The stories were included in a recent issue of The Rotarian Video Magazine.  All three focused on India. After asking for a show of hands of those who participated in the first Polio Plus fundraising, Bill said that what we were going to watch should be considered to be a big THANK YOU.

            The first story was called The Last Hurdle.  It concerned the ongoing effort to eliminate polio in the state of Uttar Pradesh.  This presentation showed international cooperation of Indian nationals and visiting Rotarians from Georgia, USA, in a week long push to administer doses of polio vaccine to the children of the state.  After one day 17 million children had been treated but that was only half of the target population.  After a week 136 million doses had been given nationally.  It was stated that in some areas 3 doses were needed to prevent the return of polio whereas in other places as many as 17 or 18 were required—this latter was true of the Uttar Pradesh region.

            The second story was called From Crawling To Walking.  It was a case study of a boy named Asif who had had polio.  He was able to walk if he held his left leg with his hand.  Asif was a candidate for a surgical cure.  The surgery was one of 550 such cases sponsored by a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant.  The story showed the problem, the treatment, and the resultant beginning of a new life, much improved, thanks to Rotary.

            The final piece was called Success Stories.  One aspect of Polio Plus that we don’t think of immediately is the care and support needed by those who missed the preventative care and suffered the disease.  Rotary serves these people also with the opportunity for rehabilitation and, then, job training.  This article showed several young adults in physical therapy followed by classroom training in useful, gainful occupations.

            Altogether the three short films gave an impressive overview of the gigantic successes of Polio Plus with a realistic survey of what is left to be done (with the encouragement to get out there and finish it!).

            Bill asked what the original local goal of Polio Plus was—the answer $20,000.  And how much was raised?  $80,000.  Eloquent testimony of organization, effort and generosity of spirit, don’t you think?

February 1, 2008

Unbeknownst to Your Scribe, Febuary First was National Wear Red Day to create awareness of women’s heart disease. A good many of our tribe did get that memo, however, and were appropriately attired, starting with Steve Eblin and April Thornton at the head table. Others were scattered out amongst the crowd, but I think the red on Tom Hansen’s jersey had more to do with the Super Bowl than with heart disease….

John Grey opened with a prayer, and we pledged and tested and etc. as usual. Mini Singh introduced guests David Harrington , with Jaci Betts, Emily Ledwell with Jerry Hill, and Jim Campbell of the Randolph Club. Alan Pugh introduced student guests Alexandria Smith and Bryce Duncan from AHS. Alexandria is the daughter of Todd and Marquita Shrewsbury; she plays varsity soccer, is active in many other areas, works at Zeko’s and plans to attend UNC to become a pediatric dentist. Bryce, sporting a natty bow tie, is the son of Elyse and William Duncan, runs track and cross country, is an Eagle Scout, has been accepted at Southern Wesleyan University but is currently looking into joining the Air Force.  He has also been trained to cook barbecue at Zack’s out in Tabernacle, so his future appears to be assured.

President HR thanked the Club for its support after the passing of his mother last Friday, and noted that Elizabeth Cox’s mother also passed away this week.  He read to the Club from the Triad Business Journal, which had articles about the Zoo School, Bob Morrison and the hospital expansion, and a little article quoting Keith Chrisco entitled “Asheboro Confronts Liquor Divide.”  Dipping into the historical well, he read from the Tar Wheel of December 6, 1944, where a kindly parent offerred a $50,000 incentive for the first grandchild, and cleared the dinner table.

Our program, introduced by Steve Eblin, was Asheboro Police Chief Gary Mason.  Gary, the son of former APD officer and late High Sheriff of Randolph County Bob Mason, himself joined the APD in 1978.  He received his BA from Guilford College, attends Crossroads Baptist Church, and coaches just about every youth league imaginable.  He has been married to Joanna for 20 years, has a 17 year old daughter and a 13 year old son.

Gary started on the bottom rung of the police department and after 21 years, rose to the top.  Twenty years ago he was offered a year for more money in Alamance County, but stayed in Asheboro and was promoted to sergeant a week later.  He has been Chief since 1999, and says his bad habits have gradually dropped away to one:  he doesn’t drink, smoke, dip or chew to relieve stress, but he does admit to overeating.

Chief Mason gave the club an overview of crime and crime prevention in our community.  Something new is theft of valuable metal, which people sell to recyclers.  There have been thefts of catalytic converters from cars, copper piping from home plumbing, and wire and cable from the telephone and power companies.  Gary also warned against leaving your broken-down car along the interstate- people will drag it off to crush it for the metal.

In narcotics, there has recently been a epidemic of fake dope being sold- the flow of cocaine is so restricted that pushers sell just about anything white and powdery.  In 2006, more than 5 million grams of cocaine were seized; in 2007 that declined by more than half, indicating the flow was being cut off at our borders.   3600 pounds of “Gold Leaf” marijuana was recently seized in an Asheboro warehouse, and it was estimated to be worth about $6.5 million.   The amount of methamphetamine seized has tripled, but the street price has declined- this is due to an increase in the huge amounts coming in from other places.  Heroin has never been popular in Randolph County, but there is a significant market for it in High Point and Greensboro.

Asheboro still has prostitution on the East Side, and minimal gang activity– the Chief thinks gang members like here, but are more active in Durham and Greensboro, which have regular gang-related club shootings.  Gangs do control drug traffic; “Sir13″ controls up to the southern side of Asheboro, and the Latin Kings from Greensboro control from the north down.  There was recently a hit on a leader of the southern gang at his home in a gated community in Seven Lakes, in Moore County.  Gary thinks AHS is as drug-free and gang-free as any school in the state, thanks in part to its two SROs.

The APD is currently in a generational transition, Gary says.  Out of the 82 people in the department, many of the Chief’s generation are reaching employment maturity.  Just yesterday Timmy Lee retired after 30 years working the streets, vice, and the detective bureau.   Major Tony York, his “right hand man,” retired last summer after 32 years.  And Gary is looking at the day when he too will retire- perhaps within the next couple of years!

January 25, 2008

[The management is happy to reinstate Tar Wheel Publisher Cooper Thornton into the writing rotation.  The following is all his fault.  Now he just has to learn to take pictures like Yours Truly.  Besides the  generic crowd scene, the mug shot of our speaker is from his blog, which can be found here: http://community.myfoxwghp.com/blogs/Neill_McNeill/ ] 

Well, well, well. And so we meet again. Scribing for the first time in many months, I am reminded of the Pearl Jam lyrics, “I just wanna scream, ‘HELLO! My gosh it’s been so long, never dreamed you’d return, but now here you are and here I am. Hearts and thoughts, they fade away…’” Maybe they do, but I’m happy to report that mine have never drifted too far from yours, Rabid Readers, and it feels good to tickle the keys once more.

Your Scribe sat with the formidable table of Steve Eblin, David Renfro, Diane Frost, April Thornton, Rodney Mason, Elizabeth Cox, and Phil Koonce. Someone complimented Diane’s red overcoat, which Diane has coined her Marlo Thomas coat. “I just think it looks like something she’d wear,” explained Diane, and it did. April was also cloaked in red, but I was too busy scribing (scribbling?) to ask if her coat has a namesake. No one else was brightly lit, although Rodney was still wearing the purple and yellow bruises of his healing black eye. “No more bar fights,” I teased Rodney.

“Bang!” went the bell, calling our meeting to order. President H.R. Gallimore began by thanking Joy for tickling the keys of a different sort. We took time to greet one another, exchanging smiles, handshakes, and other pleasantries. Russ Williams led the 4-Way Test, and H.R. the Pledge. Don Allred said a simple, but thoughtful prayer for nourishment, sustenance, and hope. Amen to that.

Mini Singh introduced Alan Pugh who introduced his own guests, the only guests of the day. His was a political round table consisting of N.C. Senators, Jerry Tillman and Fred Smith, and Smith’s Chief of Staff, DeVan Barbour. Alan joked that Jerry attended college at Elon for two reasons: He could throw a baseball 93 mph and could spell Elon. Whether he could do both at the same time wasn’t addressed, and with no student guests on hand, our introductions were concluded.

Back at the podium, H.R. bragged on some of our members for their recent recognition at the annual Chamber meeting, held last weekend. It was a red-letter day for Duffy Johnson who was inducted into the Chamber’s Red Jacket Club, and whose company, Carolina Bank, was awarded Business of the Year. Harold Holmes was named Citizen of the Year, and Kaye Bryant is this year’s Chamber President Elect. Congrats, hats (off), and pats (on the back) to you all.

“Won’t You be Mine Sweet” Valentine’s Day is just around the bend, and Russ Williams invited all of us to attend the Family of Rotary’s “Valentine’s Night” in Greensboro, fittingly held on Valentine’s night. That’s February 14^th to me and thee. Festivities to be the Greensboro Symphony’s Pops Concert, and Club members can purchase tickets from Russ for the discounted price of $15. Reception and dinner tickets are also available for $25, but you’ll have to ask Russ for more details about that.

Linda Cranford and the Social Committee are still taking-up surveys regarding your personal preferences about social meetings and activities attended by spouses. “I’m against them,” quipped someone from the table over, but I couldn’t tell who over my own chuckles. If you haven’t filled one out, pick-up your survey at the Back Table or see Miss Linda.

H.R. concluded the business end of our meeting with a stroll down Tarwheel Memory Lane. The year was 1943, the clever-as-ever Red Underwood was scribing, but Your “out-of-practice” Scribe missed the rest of the best while looking back through his notes for clarification on another subject. Pitiful. No excuses and no disrespect intended to the late, great Mr. Underwood or to our esteemed President. Red could play a tall, cool typewriter (or maybe he liked to write by longhand like me) and reminds us that it’s not always the tale, but he who tells it.

Mr. Leo Derrick provided an introduction of our Guest Speaker that belonged in lights. Neill McNeill started working at WGHP in 1983. That’s 25 years ago to you and me. It was around that time he did a story from the fire tower on the top of Dave’s Mountain, and I was nothing short of astounded when he knocked on my parent’s door to borrow our telephone. “Mom! Neill McNeill was in our house today!” Neill has worked in almost every on-air news position since joining the station, and has co-anchored morning, noon, nightly, and weekend broadcasts. In the 1980s, Neill helped develop the investigative franchise now known as “FOX 8 On Your Side”, and currently co-anchors the FOX 8 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 News. I once told an out-of-town friend of mine that our local news anchor was named Neill McNeill. He was so amused by the name he started saying, “Hi, I’m Phill McPhill. Hi, I’m Bill McBill.” And so forth. I guess maybe you had to be there, but I thought it was hysterical.

Curiously, Neill chose not to talk about his career as a TV newsman, broadcast journalism, or even television in general. Instead he spoke about the characteristics and merits of being a good leader. Quoting from the popcorn movie, “Night at the Museum”, Neill recited a key line from the film: “Some people are born with greatness, others have it thrust upon them.” He mused about being unprepared for the spotlight in 2001 when Fred Blackman retired. Despite all of his years of grooming for lead anchor, Neill felt the full weight of the station on his shoulders. He was 40 years old and unhappy by what had been “thrust upon him.” It was then that things changed for the better. Upon attending a leadership seminar for TV news anchors, Neill received an epiphany in the form of 10 Questions that changed his life. Will they change yours? Well, that’s a question only you can answer. In no particular order, here are 10 questions to becoming a better leader:

1. Am I sharing the BIG PICTURE, and including my employees in it?

2. Have I specifically defined my expectations of my employees?

3. Do I provide frequent, specific praise?

4. Do I hold everyone on my team accountable, myself included?

5. Have I set a tone of optimism?

6. Have I set a tone of creativity?

7. Have I set a tone of integrity?

8. Have I provided my employees with the tools they need to do their jobs?

9. Have I encouraged the value of learning?

10. Am I listening?

Upon completing his list of questions, Neill opened the floor to further ones. Keith Criscoe asked if Neill had any sage advice for politicians who aspire to greatness for the greater good. Neill suggested a person can’t be elected without emotionally connecting with voters. Privthi Hanspal hit a nerve when he asked why most news is negative. Neill protested that many news reports are positive, but that uplifting stories are largely ignored.

He might of said more, but for the second time that day, I wasn’t listening.

January 18, 2008

Cold weather threatened, but didn’t cancel this week’s Rotary meeting. President H.R. warned the members to check the online Tar Wheel for the final word, in case of possible cancellation due to bad weather. I guess that’s a first- we really are in the 21st century now!

We’ve had a couple of bouts with snow this week- here a couple of shots of it coming down in big puffy white kleenex flakes in Franklinville. That was pretty, but it melted too quick and turned to ice; then there was a half inch on top of that. But this is our first real snow on the ground in how long? Years? I know we had nothing but a flurry last year; Roman thought this was Florida compared to Russia. At least this year it was enough to close school and scare off our student guests….

Phil Shore invoked the divine ear and preached a sermonette on Wintry Mix, and the fact that Rotary is the answer to eliminate those wintry mixes of the Soul.

Alice Cook was a guest at the Scribe Table; her host Kathy Homiller is now officially the new CFO of Randolph Bank. Alice was actually the very first employee hired by Randolph Bank, and is still going strong at the old stand. Emily Ledwell sat with her host Jerry Hill; Emily is the interim director of Merce Clinic of which more later. Madison Cox came with grandma Elizabeth Cox; President Bob Shackleford of RCC visited from the Randolph Club, and Past District Governor Jack Green of the Furnitureland club in High Point was visiting to inform a post-meeting meeting on the subject of a new Rotary breakfast club in these parts. Not a guest but back for his second meeting in a row was Tar Wheel Publisher and Corporate Overlord Cooper Thornton. Note: we peons want health insurance: see below.

Notices: There will be a special Valentines Day program sponsored by the Greensboro Symphony. Here’s their website but I don’t see specific info about that http://www.greensborosymphony.org/ .

Owen George brought us up to speed on many different activities planned for Monday’s Martin Luther King Day celebration. The breakfast at Central Gym starts at 8AM; at 11:30 there will be a special commemoration of Leo Luther by Trees Asheboro near the junction of Salisbury Street and Old Cedar Falls Road. He promised Japanese “tycho drumming” and a speech by the Rev. John Gullett.

President H.R. shared with us the Tar Wheel of August 21, 1958, from the Presidency of Bob Bunker, who reported the disappearance of the club’s original framed charter, last seen during the presidency of John Bunch in 1955-56. Be ware: H.R. is determined to get ‘his’ charter back!

Al LaPrad introduced our program from Randy Swing, the new (since December) Outreach Facilitator of MERCE Clinic. MERCE- which is sort of an acronym for “Medical Resource Center”, doesn’t appear to have its own website, but here’s the United Way page it’s on, as a member agency: http://www.uwrandolph.org/partners.html .  The federally-funded clinic provides health care and dental care for uninsured and low income residents of Piedmont North Carolina. It has 2 doctors, 2 dentists and 17 service staff members. It is supported by the Federal Quality Health Care Center to accept medicaid under the “STAR” program, which determines co-pays from $20-$50 based on household income. The United Way partially supports the prescription drug program, where recipients can obtain generic equivalent prescriptions. Clients order meds at $3 for a 30-day supply, which arrives within 6-8 weeks. No antibiotics or narcotics are available; those referrals are made to Walmart, where generic antibiotics are available for $4.

The dental clinic on Brewer street is a purpose-built, state of the art facility with plenty of room for expansion; they would like to begin a pediatric dental program there soon. The dental clinic was built with funds from the Kate B. Reynolds and Cannon Foundations.

The MERCE patient load is 24 patients per day per doctor. Eligibility workers screen potential patients within 2 days of application; doctors see 2-3 new patients per day per doctor and are currently booked a month in advance. Merce takes a big load off the Randolph Hospital emergency room by serving the indigent and low income patients who have no health insurance. They work closely with CUOC, where Jerry Hill expressed an interest in becoming a dentist. Who’d volunteer to have Jerry’s big ol’ hands in your mouth?

Next week: Neil McNeil, of Channel 8 Fox News.

January 11, 2008

{No photos today… you’ll just have to picture the meeting through the eyes of special guest correspondent, Phil Shore:} 

 Although the sun was mightily shining as we began our meeting, Joy Menius regaled us with a batch of rainy day songs that bolstered our spirits and upholstered our conversation. The chatter at my table mostly had to do with a bunch of Carolina sports fans declaring it unfair to allow giants to play basketball.

Mini Singh introduced our guests.  Jim Biggers, Jackie Biggers, and Ann Grey were guests of Sandy Grey.  Carol Matney brought Christie Smith.  Emily Ledwell was the guest of Jerry Hill.

We hosted two student guests from Asheboro High School.  Brandie Tew is a varsity cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society and the Key Club.  Her hobbies are photography and laying out in the sun.  She plans to attend either East Carolina, Western Carolina or Appalachian to major in physical therapy or exercise science. With her was Eric Araj.  Eric belongs to the Board Game Club.  He enjoys cycling, racing, soccer, and football.  He will pursue a major in engineering at a yet undetermined institute of higher education.

President H.R. noted that Carole Gilliam’s two daughters had written a note of thanks to the club for its concern and caring after Carole’s death.  They included a $300 donation to the Rotary Foundation with their message.  This was much appreciated by the membership.

Russ Williams called an area Rotary event to our attention.  There will be a Valentine’s Day dinner and concert offered shortly in Greensboro.  Stay tuned for more details.

We will have a vist from the Taiwan GSE team in April.  They will be in our area April 16-19.  Two host family homes are needed.  If you care to open your home to these exciting visitors, please let Rob know.

Our speaker today was Dr. Larry Simpson, a history professor from High Point University.  Jamie Stitt asked him to return to bring us up to speed on events and causes in the Middle East.  Ladies and gentlemen, your humble scribe did not understand what he heard.  This was not the fault of Dr. Simpson whose presentation was brief, factual, and well organized.  It is the fault of too much information attempting to enter a much too inferior brain.  Dr. Simpson presented a paper to us on the underlying causes of tension between the US and Iran.  In his last visit, Dr. Simpson emphasized his opinion that there is a high likelihood of conflict between these two nations.

Today he delved beneath the surface to the economic and political reasons.  This has mostly to do with Russian and Chinese (PRC) support for Iran.  These three less than democratic entities have aligned their needs to form strengths.  China needs oil and is willing to invest in Iran’s production infrastructure.  Russia as an oil producer  seeks to stabilize prices and keep business flowing.  Beneath these subterranean currents, deeper still, there is trade in weapons and equipment to make weapons that may or may not be those of mass destruction, but who can tell?  It was a gloomy picture in any case, one of nations playing hegemony cricket, rugby rules.

I have feeling that the powers, thrones and dominions of the world would benefit from a copy of the Four Way Test.

January 4, 2008

There was joy at Asheboro Rotary last Friday, but no Joy- mainly because the piano was a couple of soirees away. The RCC Foundation employee appreciation brunch took up most of AVS and squeezed us into the southwest corner. It was cozy and turned out to facilitate the comraderie of our program. But it also has us better appreciate the fact that we’re not squenched together like sardines most Fridays. How did the club manage Back in the Day when the entire assembly shoe-horned itself into Red’s Chicken Hut, or the Kiwanis Teen Building? Our modern club has found itself in tight quarters even with the entire AVS building available– as at last year’s Mental Health Forum with the Chamber, for example. Is it just that modern Americans are bigger all the way around and require more liebensraum?

Elizabeth Mitchell, program-presenter-to-be, led the 4WT, and Phil Shore thanked God for cold weather that kills bugs. {I must also say, that when we all “exchanged pleasantries,” Phil said he wanted his back. Indian giver, indeed!}

Rebecca Redding welcomed guests Amy Byrd, with Dame Elizabeth; Christie Smith and Art Martinez with Carole Matney; and Linda Gunter with Owen George. Rodney Mason introduced our student guests Jill Allen and Ryan Lassiter. Jill, the daughter of Doug and Donna Allen, is up to a lot at AHS, plays trombone with the band, and intends to study nursing at UNC-W. Ryan, son of Bill and Sheila Lassiter, is on the varsity soccer team among many other things, and will be studying engineering at NCSU.

President HR congratulated fertile grandpere John O.H. Toledano on the occasion of the birth of another grandchild; that makes ten! HR then read us an excerpt from a Tar Wheel of 1948, where Red wrote about the “firehouse game” of McCrary Eagles basketball, and a question from the crowd about “the chasers”- those guys in long pants that blow whistles during the game.

The Rotary Information Committee was in charge of the program, and Queen Elizabeth was determined that we actually get a mother lode of info out of the day. Information- what is it good for? Learn from it/ file it away/ pass it along… SoLa Liz had invented “an interactive group exercise” for us. She handed out white envelopes containing a special rehetorical or philosophical question to each table; the table was to discuss the question, determine an answer, and present their answer to the group through a spokesperson.

Questions included:

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

What would you do if you won the lottery?

How to have your cake and eat it, too.

Why does a stitch in time save nine?

Why did the Titantic sink?

Who invented the internet?

What do we know about the life and times of HR Gallimore?

What happened on this day in history, January 4, 1983?

What are ten uses for a Rotary name badge?

Why is an American football called a pigskin?

What’s the Number One Word or Phrase of 2007?

Answers:

1.  The Egg, is the scientific answer; See http://science.howstuffworks.com/question85.htm ; but for the philosophical circular cause and causality dilemma first formulated by Aristotle, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken-and-egg_problem .

2.  “Give $50 to the Rotary Foundation and then move away”  was the table’s answer.

3.The phrase’s earliest recording is from 1546 as “wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?” (John Heywood’s ‘A dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue’) alluding to the impossibility of eating your cake and still having it afterwards; the modern version (where the clauses are reversed) is a corruption which was first signalled in 1812. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_one’s_cake_and_eat_it_too

4. Meaning “A little preventative maintenance can eliminate the need for major repairs later. (see also An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.) From The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

5. On the night of April 14, at 11:40 p.m., The Titanic struck an iceberg and sank just under three hours later, at 2:20 AM, on April 15, 1912. The 1,517 passengers who drowned constitute the worst peacetime maritime disaster in history. The ship was cruising at a speed of 22 knots, and after sighting the iceberg, turned in an attempt to avoid it. The turn resulted in grazing the iceberg, and opening up a gash through six of the ship’s sixteen watertight compartments. The Titantic could remain afloat with any two of the compartments flooded, but since none of the compartment bulkheads extended above the waterline, all six gradually flooded and pulled the ship under. It was suggested in the 1912 Congressional inquiry that if the officers in charge had not attempted to avoid the collision, but instead hit the iceberg head-on, the ship would not have sunk. Recently metallurgists have suggested that an inferior grade of iron was used in the ship’s construction, and that otherwise the collision would not have popped so many rivetted hull plates in the first place. The descendants of the ship’s Irish builders in Belfast vigorously dispute this assertion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic

6. Twenty-five years (this year) ago a couple of guys at a then-obscure military agency named DARPA — the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency—switched over to a new computer standard called TCP/IP. The switch suddenly made it possible for small experimental computer networks all over the country to talk to each other — and that made the Internet possible. One of those guys was Vinton Cerf, who is commonly called “The Father of the Internet,” and he is interviewed on NPR here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17872707 .

7. HR Gallimore, Jr. [Your Scribe is pledged as a member of the fraternity of Juniors not to reveal what the initials stand for, but hint: it’s the same as his father] joined us at Asheboro Rotary in September, 1995, on the recommendation of Wayne Thomas . [“What was I thinking?” Wayne has asked himself several times…] He was a member of the Asheboro High class of 1971, along with Kathy Homiller, and by all accounts was a WILD and CRAZY guy. He is married to the long-suffering Vickie Gallimore, and they own RE/MAX Realty here in Asheboro. It is reliably said by HR himself that Vickie tamed him, and that his daughter takes after her father and not her mother. His grandmother Inez Parks McMath was the first historian of Ramseur, and lived there on the corner on US 64 where Dominos Pizza is now. A high-powered car nut from a VERY early age, HR talked his loving grandmother into buying the first TransAm ever sold in Randolph County, for which Dan Thomas was grateful. Grandma went on to buy several other muscle cars, which young HR carefully looked after for her. Yes, there’s a lot more to that story.

8. In his first major speech, new Soviet President Yuri V. Andropov declared on January 4, 1983, that the Soviet economy had been hobbled by sloth, absenteeism and drunkenness, and that he was against all that. (See the New York Times for details.) Courtesy of Bonnie Renfro, a few other important milestones for that January: Tom Brokaw became the host of NBC Nightly News; the Final Episode of the TV show M.A.S.H aired on January 15, 1983; the first AEGIS class destroyer, the U.S.S. Ticonderoga, was commissioned January 22, 1983.

9. Frisbee; Paper clip; clothes pin; beer coaster; circle template; one cool earring; and 4 other things I didn’t write fast enough to record for posterity.

10. “Because calling it a pig’s bladder, which is what it actually is (or was), is a bit too real even for football players. In the days before vulcanized rubber, animal bladders were easily obtained, more or less round, readily sealed and inflated, and reasonably durable–just the thing if you wanted to play the medieval equivalent of soccer. In later years the bladder might be covered with leather (not necessarily pigskin) for added protection.” See The Straight Dope answer at http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_121.html .

11. “Don’t taze me, bro!” is the 2007 phrase of the year [http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid53162.aspx ]; “W00t!” (an exclamation of happiness and triumph used by internet and computer game players) is the 2007 word of the year [ http://www.m-w.com/info/07words.htm ]. [On the other hand, www.woot.com is a specialty shopping site, where one really awesome deal a day is presented for purchase.]