 MARIA
DE LA CARRERO TOVAR
"Paz" - 2005-2006 Exchange Student
By Matt Joyner
Charlotte Rotary's revived Youth Exchange
activities were front and center on Tuesday as members of the
Student & Group Exchange committee presented a program showcasing
the Club's commitment to international student exchange. Many guests
and visitors were on hand to participate and be recognized by the
Club, including our current Rotary Youth Exchange student from
Colombia, Maria De La Carrero Tovar, a/k/a "Paz". Paz was the
featured speaker of the program.
First, Matt Joyner recognized the representatives from area schools
involved in assisting Charlotte Rotary in reaching their respective
students for the purposes of recruiting outbound participants in the
Rotary Youth Exchange program: Beryl Ierardi and Millie Cox from
Charlotte Country Day School, Anna Wilbanks from Providence Day
School and Heidi Carpenter from Charlotte Latin School. These school
liaisons are critical connections between Charlotte Rotary and
potential outbound students and are highly appreciated. Next, Joyner
called to the microphone three local students who will be traveling
abroad this Summer through the program: Greg Wadsworth, son of Club
member Ed and his wife Ruth, attends the Cannon School and will
travel to Finland. Stephen Temple, a CCDS student, will spend the
summer in a village in Normandy, France. Anna Zimmer will
participate in an exchange with a family in Madrid, Spain. In these
Summer exchange programs, Greg, Stephen and Anna will spend half of
the Summer abroad with a native family and then bring home with them
to Charlotte a brother or sister from their host family to spend the
rest of the Summer in Charlotte with their families. Also in
attendance from CCDS was Douglas Gledhill, a rising sophomore
interested in participating in a future exchange in China.
Ed Wadsworth introduced the families also in attendance who has
served as hosts for Paz: the Christenburys, the Hicks-Dunns and the
Blacks and thanked them on behalf of the Club for opening their
hearts and homes to Paz during her stay in Charlotte.
Lee Tabor, this year's Club Counselor for Paz, introduced our
featured speaker citing Paz's courage in coming to Charlotte on her
own without knowing anyone, and remarking at what a fine ambassador
she has been this year on behalf of her native country, Colombia.
Paz presented a slideshow introducing the Club to her family, home,
school and friends in Colombia, recollecting her arrival in
Charlotte and subsequent participation in the Rotary Eastern
Adventure sightseeing trip to cities on the U.S. Eastern Seabord.
With regard to her life in Charlotte Paz remarked upon her warm
welcome by new friends, and her participating in CCDS prom and
homecoming dance ("Just like in American movies!"). Paz extended
special, heartfelt thanks to her three host families for their
hospitality and care, particularly through an illness and brief
hospitalization this Winter. Paz closed with a warm thanks to
Charlotte Rotary "for the best year of my life."
Club member Sammy Black responded on behalf of his family with
regard to their great experience with Paz and Rotary Youth Exchange
and how proud he is to be part of an international service
organization that does such a fine job in advancing international
understanding through youth exchange programs. Todd Stevens came
forward at the end of Sammy's comments, and, in a surprise move,
presented to Paz a Paul Harris Fellowship funded by the Black family
in her honor and thanked Paz for touching so many lives during her
year in Charlotte and the Blacks for the lives they have touched
around the world through their gift to the Rotary Foundation. When
President Herb rang the bell to conclude this special meeting of
Charlotte Rotary, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Head Table:
Sammy Black, Sherry Black, Herb Harriss, Lee Tabor, Ed Wadsworth,
Lamar Thomas; Invocation: Jim Kelley
Visitors &
Guests:
Roger Sarow; Health & Happiness: Don Steger; Song: Gregg Walker;
Music: Thomas Moore
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NEW MEMBER
PROFILE |
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Marcus S. Lee
Helms, Mulliss & Wicker, PLLC
Classification: Law, Corporate Acquisitions and Funding
201 N. Tryon St, Ste 3000 (28202)
marcus.lee@hmw.com
704-343-7203 |
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Marcus is a partner with the law
firm Helms Mulliss & Wicker. His legal practice focuses on
helping businesses with acquisitions, contracts, raising capital
and software licensing. Marcus was born and raised in Charlotte.
He attended East Mecklenburg High School and earned his BA, JD
and MBA from Wake Forest University. He is an active member of
Bethel Presbyterian Church, is involved in several civic and
charitable causes, including the United Way, the Arts & Science
Council and the Arthritis Foundation, and currently serves on
the Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Committee of the
North Carolina Bar Association's Business Law Section. Marcus is
married to Ashley, another East Mecklenburg graduate, and has a
15-month old daughter, Savannah Jane. Marcus is an avid Panthers
and Wake Forest fan and, when not hanging out with his wife and
daughter or working, enjoys golf, reading and running. |
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Rotary Club of Charlotte
841 Baxter Street, Suite 118, Charlotte 28202
chltrot@bellsouth.net 704-375-6816 |
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Congratulations
to Kitty Stutts, who is
wearing a beautiful new diamond ring and planning a wedding
for December 16th.
þ
Charlotte Museum of History (Pam
Meister) will host its third annual World War II
encampment Saturday and Sunday, June 3 and 4. Visitors will
have the opportunity to see soldiers' tents, command posts
and vehicles, tour the Briefing Room featuring facsimile
documents, maps and oral history accounts. AND, a special
screening of local WWII oral history accounts from the
WTVI/Charlotte Rotary Club Oral History Archive project.
þ
Did you see in The Charlotte Observer: Courtroom 2205,
Judge Todd Owens presiding,
is also known as the heart chamber of justice; a room where
you face the judge, often without a lawyer, and say how you
plead. Judge Owens' goal is to help guide people toward
their own best interests and bring out their best behavior.
The article concluded with Todd saying he has an absolute
mandate that he treats all individuals equally. Jeff Elder's
column named The Touchdown Club, the Hood Hargett Breakfast
Club and the uptown Rotary chapter
as the best clubs in Charlotte.
Sherman Burns provided input in the Business
Forum section in regard to an earlier article on "How to
make a tough conversation easier."
Carol Hughes, executive director, Crisis
Assistance Ministry, expressed her dream of coming to work
to find the lobby empty, with no one seeking emergency
financial assistance or help with other basic needs of life.
þ
Charlotte West Rotary
has moved their Wednesday 12:30 meetings to the Sheraton
Charlotte Airport Hotel (Billy Graham Parkway and I-85).
þ
Anyone wishing to serve a meal at Charlotte Rescue Mission
should contact Tony Marciano
or the Rotary office. Tony wanted to get a group of six
Rotarians to serve one meal a year…we already have four
Rotarians and two family members!
þ
Michael Elder has
received Goodwill's Cornerstone Award, which recognizes
individuals and corporations for their outstanding support
of Goodwill's mission of changing lives through the power of
work.
þ
Charlotte Rotary's Scholarship Golf
Classic is scheduled for September 11, 2006 at
Cedarwood Country Club. Alan Adler
announced this year's ambitious goal of $50,000,
which will be used to provide scholarships for children of
Police, Fire, Medic, and Sheriff. There are many ways to
support the tournament: play golf or sponsor a golfer, be a
corporate sponsor or identify prospective sponsors, provide
an auction item or volunteer the day of the tournament.
Credit card payments are accepted. |
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THE
ROTARIAN MAGAZINE
features an article in their March issue titled "Tracing the
roots of Rotaract". Take a minute to read the article (page
43) and you will see that in 1968, 21 students attending the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte brought their
proposal for a college-level Rotary program to the Rotary
Club of Charlotte North. Thus, the birth of Rotaract - a
service club program for young adults ages 18-30. The
article provides interviews with the club officers at the
time, and also mentions Charlotte Rotary's own Dean Colvard,
who served as chancellor of the university in 1968. Said
Colvard, "We were looking for ways to let the students and
young faculty exercise their leadership in a positive way.
And Rotary allows that." |
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Attendance
Record |
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5/16/06 |
5/17/05 |
| visitors &
guests |
25 |
7 |
| club
members |
154 |
169 |
| total
attendance |
180 |
176 |
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New Members | Resignations |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
24 Sharon and Darrel Stephens
25 Jane and Bob Brietz
27 Sandra and Luther Moore
28 Karen and Doug Bean
28 Ann and Gregg Walker
29 Eleanor and Alan Barnhardt
29 Claire and Brent Trexler |
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
23 Bob Webb, Raleigh, NC
24 Helmut Deussen,
Moenchen, Germany
24 Lynn Johnson, Tripoli, Africa
26 Don Millen, Atlanta, GA
27 Hope Lanier,
West Palm Bch, FL
29 Leigh Derby, High Point, NC
29 Smith Foushee, Durham, NC
29 John Galles, Chicago, IL |
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