March 14, 2008

The Tar Wheel: March Madness Edition

There he was, Billy Packer, larger than life, present at an Asheboro Rotary meeting! Our speaker? A guest of the club? Not exactly: but we had him on TV, anyway. That’s 21st century technology bringing the ACC tournament to the Rotary meeting; when Chapel Hill plays Florida State starting at noon, we either have Mike Lee’s projection TV going, or half the club would be elsewhere! At least we were able to watch until our speaker needed the TV for his powerpoint show…

Not so many regular guests, probably for the obvious reason; Jim Campbell was visiting from the Wednesday club, and Jerry Haywood from the Sandhills club. Bill Batten brought along his business associates from Mexico, Andres Tostado and Hugo Matamoros. But we had double the usual student guests: Elizabeth Johnson, daughter of Duffy and Donna, is the editor of the Ash-High-Chat, plays for the varsity golf team (would we expect less in that family?), and will be attending Phifer this fall to play gold and study Public Relations and Journalism. Kathryn Lail, daughter of Dean and Kay Lail and grandaughter of Jack, is in the band, plays tennis and piano, and will be attending NC State to study “museum work,” or what they officially call in academic circles “Public History.” Julie Sheffield, guidance counselor at Southwest Randolph, was here to shepherd her students. Selection seems to have been based on (1) size and (2) last name: Elton Dale Cranford is the son of Scott and Kenna Cranford of Seagrove, is VP of the SWR FFA, plays baseball, likes fishing and NASCAR, and attends Trinity Wesleyan Church. He’ll be attending NC State to study engineering. Sam Cranford (no relation, but he has our sympathies for being burdened with the name of our PDG) is the son of Tony and Sheila, plays basketball and golf for the school and attends Oak Grove Methodist Church. He’ll be going to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall.

President HR started us out with a moment of silence to honor the passing of our own Don Durham, a member of the club since May, 1960, when he was sponsored by Barron Mills. Don died March 13th, survived by his sons Carey (former president of this club) and Rick (still running the family business, Durham Printing, now in its 61st year in operation. See Don’s Courier-Tribune obituary here: http://www.courier-tribune.com/articles/2008/03/21/obituaries/293obits031408.txt

Richard Garkalns reminded us that the Human Race tomorrow will benefit the Volunteer Center. President HR reminded one and all that there will be NO ROTARY next week, Friday being Good Friday. He went on to read us Tar Wheel History from January 31, 1973, where former president John O.H. Toledano was presiding over an Honest Count of the votes for new officers, and someone stole his pencil.

Owen George (star of the District 7690 TV commercial now popping up at odd times on cable TV), introduced our guest Kevin Redding, executive director of the Piedmont Land Conservancy, based in Greensboro. (Us oldsters remember several years ago when Kevin came to talk, representing the competition: he was formerly in charge of the Asheboro/ Uwharrie office of the Land Trust for Central North Carolina, based in Salisbury. Kevin has a degree in Natural Resource Management, is married to Lori, has a son Boone aged 2 1/2, and a daughter on the way.

PNC does a lot of work in central North Carolina, such as preserving the 1,000-acre Saddle Mountain tract on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Mitchell River, cleanest stream in the Piedmont, both in Surry County. They’ve also been adding land to Hanging Rock State Park, and preserving Emily Allen’s wildflower garden in Winston Salem, where 7200 varieties of flower will be in bloom around April 12th (not coincidentally, the date of their open house, from 2-5PM : call 691-0008 for reservations).

In Randolph County Kevin and PNC have cooperated with the Zoo in the preservation of the Ridge’s Mountain tract (which, BTW, ought to have 2 or 3 times as much property included for real protection, but we’ll take what we can get since there’s no county parks department). Their primary focus in Randolph has been in the northeast corner of the county, where our so-called Agricultural Preservation District is located (so-called because it’s just a label on a map when developers want to situate a subdivision there- editorial comment). Former Olympian Col . Guy Troy was one of the first to convey an easement to PNC which preserves his family farm for agricultural uses. Since then, the Williams Dairy, the Goat Lady Dairy, and other farmers have donated or sold such easements to PNC. It’s part of the “slow-food” movement to protect family farms and promote the growing of local produce and livestock; it’s also, as Kevin points out, a national security issue, at a time when we should be concerned about food contamination in products being shipped from half a world away.

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 22, 2008

Joy Menius was doing double or triple duty today- providing not only our piano accompaniment, but hopping up to the head table and introducing our program by Tonya Hayes and Allison Dark, with the Children’s Home. Not only that, she brought her mother-in-law Henri Menius as a guest (something which actually got John to the meeting early and sitting beside her on the dias). Daughter Amanda was with Dad Dale Lambert. Jim Campbell, visiting from the Randolph club, was our only Rotarian guest.

Our student guests were both from Asheboro High: Elizabeth Blakely, daughter of Kelly and James Chriscoe, is in the band and on the tennis team, and plans to attend ASU and become a nurse. Joe Boyle, son of Michael and Gayle Boyle, is also on the tennis team, runs cross country, and is in the band. He plans to attend NCSU and study engineering.

Richard Garkalns was at the back table hawking the Human Race sponsored by the Volunteer Center. Register with Richard and win a a 19″ HDTV.

Condolences to James Gouty on the passing of his mother. Break a leg to Phil Shore, starring this week at the Sunset Theater in Harvey.

Carol Matney introduced new member Christy Smith, who lives with her husband Greg on an 80-acre produce farm near Ramseur. She is the daughter of Allen nad Brenda Flow ers, attended UNC-G, and runs Horizon Consulting Services. President HR welcomed her to the club and awarded her our usual bundle of paraphenalia.

Tar Wheels Past: Red wrote on September 23, 1965, about John Bunch’s four boys. Ed was leaving the scene, and Bill’s response to “Who Started the Fight?” was “the nearest one.”

Joy Menius rose to introduce our speaker Tonya Hayes of the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, who lives in Level Cross with her family. Allison Dark, their Director of Development, ran the powerpoint show. Joy noted with emotion that both of the Meius children were adopted through the Children’s Home.

The Children’s Home is 105 years old. It was started by Greensboro businessmen (the same ones who founded the Chamber of Commerce) in order to keep orphans off the streets. Child Abuse and neglect is still a big problem in North Carolina, says Tonya, with children under age 4 the most vulnerable. A child dies every 9 days in North Carolina from abuse and maltreatment. The state has 100,000 children in foster care, with 3,000 of them having been permanently separated from the biological parents. Most of these kids are between the ages of 6 and 16, and most of them wait an average of 3 years for adoption. Of the kids older than 16 who age out of foster care on their 18th birthday, 70% end up homeless, and 76% end up in prison.

Since its founding in 1902 the Children’s Home has placed more than 13,500 children for adoption. In FY 2007 they served more than 6200 families and children, providing more than 40,000 total days of foster care. But even at that level, Children’s Home Society could find homes for just 36% of the children referred for foster care. Between 1940 and 1970, CHS placed an average of 350 kids per year with adoptive parents, but in 2007 they placed just 200 (46%) in adoptive homes. The reason for the decline in placements is that they receive fewer infants– most available children are “older”– more than 5 years old.

CHS spends about $15,000 per adoption in finding and preparing the families and counseling the children. Their annual budget is over $8 million, of which more than 85% goes to client services. They are a United Way agency, too!

[Editorial note: the good-looking couple who flashed past in the CHS video were Eric and Christy Luckenbach of Asheboro, who have adopted their two children through CHS. Your Scribe would point out that CHS (while top quality service) is not the only provider of foster care or adoption coordination in the Piedmont. I am actually now licensed as a foster parent through the Randolph County Department of Social Services, and there are other options even beyond that.]

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 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.

November 30, 2007

Joy was in honkey-tonkin’ piano mode today, which gave a lively and festive atmosphere to our proceedings.

Josh Strickler appeared as the guest of James Gouty; Little Miss Nikki was the guest of godmother Elizabeth Mitchell at the Scribe Table; Carla Hughes was ostensibly the guest of husband Foster, but mysteriously seated at their table was Foster’s boss John Ogburn, member of the Wednesday club but here today as guest of Jaci Betts (of which, more later). Ed Bunch made up from the Randolph Club. Our student guests from AHS were Loren Moles and Emily Koch. Loren, daughter of Carla and Kenny, is on the school and YMCA swim team, a member of the Mock Trial team and President of the National Honor Society. She plans to attend UNC or NCSU and become an orthodontist. Emily is the daughter of Kris and Ken Koch; she rides horses A LOT and plans to attend St. Andrews college in Laurinburg where she will major in equine business.

President HR recognized the bronzed and rested Leo Derrick, back from a birthday trip to the eastern Carribean. In honor of his recent 80th natal anniversary, we all sang Happy Birthday.

November may be Foundation Month, but we can donate to the Rotary Foundation all year long, and the End of the year is an especially good time for tax deductions. That’s why we can expect to see Bill Batten at the Back Table for the next few weeks, where he’ll be collecting money for the Foundation. Bring your checkbooks!

Speaking of the Foundation, a photo of Owen George and his GSE team in Taiwan was featured prominently in the most recent GSE alumni newsletter.

Update: a recent column by Chris Fitzsimons, one of the speakers at our “Lunch and Learn” meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, mentioned the meeting and the speakers with approval.

Jaci Betts rose at HR’s request to explain her brooch, the Paul Harris pin with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and oak leaf clusters. It starts out as a little blue button, and the more one gives, the bigger and more elaborate it gets. Bill Batten and Wilbert Hancock have similar boutonnieres, and you can too. Major Donors give $10,000 and up; the Bequest Society is for gives of $10,000 from your estate (Bob Bunker was one of those). Today Jaci was pleased to honor Foster Hughes with a Paul Harris Fellowship (there’s no telling how many of those Jaci has distributed; even Your Scribe was an honored recipient of her largesse). So Carla Hughes and John Ogburn were actually in on all this, and were present to see Foster get pinned and photographed.

The Tar Wheel read by HR dated back to January 8, 1959, when Red Underwood passed along a joke about a Rotary Member who owned a coal yard. The punch line involved the Four Way Test and the term “Additional Active Member,” which you young whipper-snappers probably never heard before. Back In The Day, there was an actual limit (2) on how many Rotary members could be from the same profession. Once a member had been a member for some time (I think 10 years), he could become a “Senior Member,” and a third “Additional Active Member” could be added in that category. It was all very complicated, and lead to job title hair-splitting and Jesuitical decision-making from the Membership Committee. Just Remember: We don’t do that any more. Bring all your friends.

State Representative Harold Brubaker was our speaker, as he was about 90 days ago, when he spoke to us about his trip to Taiwan. This time he was pinch-hitting for HR to report on his recent weeks in Rome and Berlin. Harold is the chairman of the NC General Assembly’s “International Committee,” and chairman of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Committee. This time,they went on an “Atlantic Exchange,” where Harold spoke to the Italian parliament and spoke to people you don’t find in the local Republican party, like The Baronness Billingham, a Life Peer in the British House of Lords and a regular on Sky News. (Her quote on the British Parliament: “We fight like dogs, but after the election we get together like cats.”

Harold spoke with many European politicians and was amazed at some of the comparisons to American practice. For instance, the cost of campaigning for a seat in the Italian Chamber of Deputies (their Senate) is 300,000 Euros (about $450,000). In America, the cost of a senate campaign is $10 Million. In Europe candidates run as a party slate, and the seats are apportioned according to the percentage of the vote won by the party. An Italian Deputy is paid 14,000 Euros per month (about $30,000) and they must pay for any staff support out of their salary.

Harold hung out with Archbishop John Patrick Foley of Philadelphia, who is now Cardinal Foley; in Berlin with an Irish politician named Deith O’Ceallaigh (O’Kelly), and toured around Checkpoint Charlie (it looked like an old telephone booth) and the site of the Berlin Wall, now transformed into a modern shopping district.

Harold’s number one lesson: People are people no matter where you go.

Sad News: This week two of our long-time members passed away, Fred Kearns and Dr. Ken Gobel.

Fred’s obituary is here.

Ken Gobel’s is here.

We will miss them!

November 9, 2007

If you weren’t there (and if you weren’t, only Neal and Rebecca would know), you missed quite an amazing show last Friday. A normal Friday Asheboro Rotary meeting was scheduled, but a blockbuster community event broke out. Thanks to a harmonic convergence of great topic, dynamite speakers and lack of available space, the Asheboro-Randolph Chamber of Commerce provided us with one of our most impressive programs ever. “The Impact of Mental Health Reform in North Carolina” was the topic at what was the big finale of the Chamber’s “Lunch and Learn” series, and we were lucky to get both the program and more than a hundred extra guests at lunch. Your scribe has been around since 1994, and has only seen that number of people present at a Rotary meeting at a District Conference. In order to accomodate the overflow crowd, lunch started at 11:30, and the actual program began just after noon and went until 1:15. Amazingly, very few people left before the end, a tribute to the quality of the program. But, I get ahead of events.

We tried to bring a semblance of normalcy to a atypical meeting. Joy provided our usual piano accompaniment. Jaci Betts provided world-class table arrangements in honor of the Rotary Foundation, whose scheduled program this originally was. President HR began with a rueful acknowledgment that the club and the chamber were juggling a lot of things to weld the meetings together, and warned us that it could be either ‘lunch and learn’ or ‘crash and burn.’ Luckily it was the former. Past President Ed Clayton taught the crowd the Four Way Test, and led a Prayer. Rebecca Redding recognized a few special guests (not counting the hundred or more Chamber attendees): Debbie Cole, guest of Jerry Hill; Rob Wilkins and wife Cindy, with Elizabeth Mitchell; Matt Culberson, with dad Jim; Joyia Clayton, with husband Ed; Dr. Charles Betts, with wife Jaci; Christie Smith with Carole Matney; Sean Carter with Lynn Dodge; and from the Randolph Club, Sheriff Maynard Reid and Helen Keyes. Student Guests from AHS were Steven Buhrman, son of Bill and Karen Buhrman, an active young man who rock climbs, plays rugby and is a member of the Downtown Fencing Club in Greensboro. He plays to major somewhere in engineering, with an interest in nanotechnology. Clay Long is even bigger and more active as #74 on the AHS football team, and is the son of Chief Superior Court Judge Brad Long, and Reena Strickland. Clay is 17 years old and about 6′4″, it appears, though Your Scribe remembers clearly when he was born and was little enough to carry in the one-armed football clutch. Clay has 3 sisters (one of whom is just about a year old) and hopes to attend NCSU to major in mechanical engineering where he can pursue an interest in biodiesel production.

Past President and current Assistant District Governor Mary Joan Pugh stood to start the program. She recognized Bill Batten, our Foundation Chair, who had been recognized the night before as a Major Donor at the District Foundation Banquet. Then she went through a quick recounting of Rotary’s commitment to international peace and development, for the benefit of our visitors. She then introduced local banker Tina Crutchfield, head of the Chamber Lunch and Learn program, sponsored by Chandler Concrete and RBC Centura. She introduced the Master (mistress?) of Ceremonies Ann Shaw, our late lamented Randolph County Register of Deeds. In her very active retirement, Ann now serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Randolph County Mental Health Association, a private advocacy agency funded in part by the United Way. [Chris Corsbie is the Executive Director of the Association; you could spot him pacing around the hall wearing a worried expectant father look.] Ann went down the dias to bring up the three speakers: Chris Fitzsimons, Executive Director of NC Policy Watch; Michael Watson, CEO of Sandhill Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; and Anthony Pugh, a Board member of the local MHA and a mental health services client.

Well, Your Scribe took 18 little note cards full of notes, but frankly I can’t do justice to the excellence of the program in the time I have available to write this newsletter. Here’s the link to the Courier-Tribune article about the meeting; you can read that. Let me just say, however, that Chris Fitzsimons did a masterful, rapid-fire history of our disastrous attempts since 2001 to “reform” mental health care in North Carolina. All agreed that we’re in worse shape now than we were then, and privatizing what amounts to a vital service has just resulted in the clients who have the ability to pay being skimmed off the top of the heap, and the rest are left to struggle for the minimal level of public services that have managed to survive. Sadly, the hospitals, jails, prisons and homeless shelters have been having to deal with the rest. I’d love to do justice to Chris’s talk, but here’s just one paraphrased quote: the bureaucrats in Raleigh who are supposed to be responsible for mental health care are playing a ’shell game of blame’ trying to shift responsibility away from themselves while the system is in a state of collapse and public hospitals are a mess. ‘What happens after hospital discharge is not our fault,’ says Michael Moseley, director of state Mental Health services. ‘It’s due to the lack of services on the local level.’ [Which the state used to support and basically starved to death. It's the old cry of the guy who killed his parents: don't blame me, I'm an orphan!] Chris said the2001 reform was”basically well-intentioned” but the rank-and-file mental health professionals aren’t so sure, and the public has gradually lost all faith in a system in crisis. The biggest problem he sees is the lack of outrage from politicians (this he directed toward Rep. Pat Hurley and Rep. Laura Wiley of High Point, both of whom were present). A study commission recommended that $100 million would be necessary to fix the system, and the most recent legislature appropriated just $3 million over the last budget. There is a complete lack of leadership from the people whose job it is to make sure people are served, and a growing feeling that politicians at the highest levels of government just don’t care. Micheal Watson had equally blunt comments about his organizations forced privatization, and the upheavals local mental health professionals have endured through 3 separate “catastrophic reorganizations.” And Anthony Pugh provided a fascinating first-hand account of a mental health service “consumer.”

So, punches really weren’t pulled. It was disturbing, but a great program. If you weren’t there, you missed a really great event!

I’ll upload more photos later…

October 19, 2007

District 7690 Governor Dave McCoy Comes To Visit.

Special Guest at the Scribe Table today was April Mahan Thornton, work widow of Cooper Thornton (missing since last spring in the horrifying First National File Avalanche you probably heard about). April is the President Nominee of the Asheboro-Randolph Chamber of Commerce, meaning she will be the President in 2009-10, after our own Kaye Bryan is Chamber leader in ‘08-’09. That was the big news, which soon devolved into a discussion of what she was wearing– faux leopard skin, with some kind of color-changing holographic jewel… she was sitting right beside of me, it was hard to miss. Just happening to have a camera at hand, I took a picture… I have seen the future of the Chamber of Commerce, and it is twinkly-faux-leopard. Really.

On another note, I told the Presbyterian table that I had referred a reference question to them from a very nice young lady who contacted me from UNC-Chapel Hill. Sarah McNulty is a senior there, and is writing her senior paper about the history of her family’s restaurant in Asheboro. Her late grandparents Burrell Hopkins and Ermalee Luther Hopkins started Hop’s Restaurant in the former bus station on Sunset Avenue in 1954. Sarah is researching the whole story of eating out in Asheboro, as well as the role of Hop’s in local desegregation. [At a sit-in at Hop's on January 25, 1964, sixty African-Americans were arrested and jailed. The Courier-Tribune article only lists the names of about 30 of them, since "the remainder are juveniles." Her grandmother didn't understand what all the fuss was about; black people could order anything they wanted at the take-out window...] Sarah is the daughter of Cheryl Hopkins McNulty and Joe McNulty of Greensboro; Joe is the older brother of Phillip McNulty, a member of the AHS band who was killed in a car accident on Dixie Drive in the mid-1960s (a band award is still named after him). She is also the neice of Sandra Hopkins Thomas and her husband Paul Thomas, of Thomas Tire. If you or anyone you know wants to talk to her about the history of eating out in Asheboro, or about desegregating Hop’s, call her at 336-314-0243 or email her at sem1129@email.unc.edu .

There were enough District Governors on the dias to induce a Harmonic Convergence, but HR got us going dispite all the excess leadership capacity. After the usual Meet and Greet, Sam Cranford led the Four Way Test, HR led the Pledge, and Phil Shore (moonlighting in a coat and tie) took care of the Prayer. Mini Singh introduced guests Pamela Voncannon, with Henry Trollinger; Pat Allred, connected to yet eating separate from Don Allred, and Maynard Reid, High Sheriff of Randolph County and member of the Randolph Club.

Henry introduced our student guests from Asheboro High: Meleah Faucette, daughter of Rich and Toni Nelson, is one of five children. She is a member of the band and captain of the varsity cheerleading and colorguard teams. She has been trained in dancing since age 4, and plans to open her own dance studio after majoring in college in English and Spanish. Tyler Pollard, son of Dean and Dianna Pollard, is also a member of the band, where he leads the trumpet section. He attended Governor’s School, plays on the Varsity Golf team, and is a Park Street Player. Sadly, he is a Teenage Republican, but on the bright side he intends to attend UNC-Chapel Hill, so he may outgrow all that. He plans to major in biology and study medicine. In his “spare time,” he says, he works 25 hours a week at America’s Road House. I’m not sure Ed Clayton and Phil Shore put that much time on the clock each week…

Richard Garkalns has returned from his European tour, and he brought us a flag from Nuremberg, Germany. It looks pretty nifty. Foster Hughes presented the club with plaques won by the team we sponsored in the Asheboro Parks and Recreation Tackle Football League– our team won both the regular season and tournament championships. Next Week: Don’t come to AVS. Instead, go early to REMC on McDowell Road across from K&W cafeteria. Dale Lambert is hosting the club there, and promises outdoor excitement: a pole-climbing exhibition and a pole-top rescue, if they can just get some dummy 25 feet up in the air to rescue. Any volunteers?

HR read us a Tar Wheel excerpt from November 3, 1960. City School Superintendent Guy Teachey spoke to the club, where he said that Asheboro Rotary “ranked near the top” of service clubs in Asheboro. Mr. Teachey was a past president of another club known only as “that broom salesman club.”

Past District Governor Don Allred introduced current (not so “new” anymore, since we are his 49th club visit!) District Governor David McCoy. Dave is from Philadelphia, met his wife Linda at Catawba College in Salisbury, and has two daughters and two grand-daughters. They live in High Point, where he owns a furniture rep firm and is a member of the High Point club. Don says Dave is “a great guy doing a great job.”

Dave thanked all the people on the podium, which took a while, as it included  PDG Wilbert Hancock, DG-elect Charles Allen, Assistant DG for District 8 Mary Joan Pugh, PDG Don and PDG Sam Cranford,  not to mention Prez HR, and Past Prez Phil Shore. Dave also acknowledged his wife Linda,  to whom he has been married for 42 years, since the week after college graduation. For good measure, he called club Executive Secretary Elizabeth Mitchell forward,  so the club could sing Happy Birthday to her in advance of her 50th, tomorrow.

I won’t repeat Dave’s entire biography, because you can read it yourself off the District website at <http://www.rotary7690.org/2007-08/2007-2008-District-Governor-Bio.shtm .  [However, I will note that he and Your Scribe are undoubtedly related back in the misty dawn of Scottish history, as "McCoy" and "McKay" are essentially the same transliteration of the Gaelic name "MacAoidh", meaning "son of Morgan."  "McCoy" is how all my grandmother's relatives in Harnett county pronounced "McKay," anyway.]

Dave grew up in a Rotary family in Philly, where both his father and grandfather were Rotarians.   Dave himself was 42 before he joined the High Point club in 1986, basically because no one ever invited him to come, and it never occurred to him to seek it out.  He said he joined the 200 member club for the business contacts, for the fellowship and friendship and community involvement, but also basically thinking that with so many people in the club, he could hide form additional commitment.  Luckily, he says, High Point has a strong orientation program and demands strong involvement, so the club wouldn’t let him hide.

Dave says our challenge is to put the lie to the old joke, “Rotary is for old men- and their fathers.”  In 1976 the average age of a Rotary member was 45; in 2005 it was 62.  We must reverse the trend, and open up our clubs to the transformative impact of younger people.   One difference each member can make is to introduce one person to Rotary– maybe they’ll be the one to change the world and make an even bigger difference.

In closing, Dave explained why we have ice cream for dessert today.  Last year DG Mitzi’s theme song “Country Roads” said West Virginia was “almost heaven.”  Since there’s no song about Philadelphia that’s worth singing, Dave asked for what is really close to his heart- ice cream.  “I’ve had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he says.  “THAT’S Heaven!”

H.R. presented  Dave and Linda with a piece of Phil Morgan pottery as a gift of the club, and adjourned by telling us a little about the dictionary giveaway (see last week’s post) and reminded us that next week is AT REMC.