U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Coming to North Carolina
By: Matt Joyner
    
                          
Lace up your skates, because the U.S. Figure Skating Championships are coming to Greensboro in January, 2011. Mike Crum introduced speaker Hill Carrow, CEO of Sports & Properties, Inc., the producer of the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and chair of the local organizing committee for the event. Carrow, a Triangle businessman, is an experienced sports impresario having previously led the U.S. Olympic Festival in Charlotte as well as the State Games of North Carolina. Appearing with Carrow was Paul Wylie, U.S. mens figure skating legend, a former U.S. Mens' Champion and honorary chair of the upcoming Championships. Wylie was the winner of the mens' figure skating silver medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.
 
Held annually since 1914, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships is the premier event for skating in the United States. It involves 1,500 competitors, coaches and officials in addition to 500 volunteers. The 97th edition of the Championships will be held at the Greensboro Coliseum on January 22-30, 2011. During the eight day event 12 different championships will be decided: four disciplines (Ladies, Men, Pairs and Ice Dancing) at three different divisions (Novice, Junior and Senior). The recently-refurbished Greensboro Coliseum will host the event with three different rinks under one roof: the competition rink in the arena, an additional practice rink in the special event east area and a "FanFest" rink in the west area of the Coliseum.
 
Carrow said that figure skating is the most popular Winter Olympic sport in the world and is the most popular sport of all among American female sports fans. He said that the Championships will be covered by NBC television for 10 hours, an additional 15 hours on cable television, and 24/7 on the internet "Ice Network."
 
The Championships are expected to be the biggest event in North Carolina in 2011 and the projected economic impact on the region is huge. Carrow anticipates that the Championships will bring in visitors from at least 41 states, Canada and Japan and result in 10,000 room nights in Triad area hotels. In all, the event is expected to bring in up to $30 million in revenue into the area. Tickets are available in a variety of packages and can be purchased through the Championships website www.NorthCarolina2011.com.
 
Paul Wylie followed Carrow at the podium and confirmed that the U.S Figure Skating Championships coming to North Carolina, "is a big deal." Growing up as a young skater in Dallas he looked forward to the Championships and won his first nationals at 13 in the Novice division. He went on to win again in the Novice division, then twice in the Junior Division and no fewer than 11 times in the Senior Division. Wylie said the Championships are a great opportunity to see the up and coming talent before they become famous. Wylie originally came to Charlotte with the Billy Graham organization and now lives here with his family and coaches the next generation of skaters at the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail.
        
Head Table: David Tobin, Dusty Holcomb, John Snyder, Mike Crum, Brad Crotts;
Invocation: Meg McElwain;
Visitors & Guests: Carroll Thomas; Health & Happiness: Trent Merchant; Song: Matt Ryan; Photos: Bert Voswinkel

•  Condolences are extended to the family of Jay Deyton, who passed away on March 28, 2010. Jay was a member of Charlotte Rotary for 28 years until his resignation in June, 2009. Memorial services are private and a memorial donation will be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church.
    
• Mindy & Alan Adler and Leland Park attended the VIP preview of the "Beneath The Badge" exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History; Ken Poe's newly refurbished Lake Wylie home was featured in the Charlotte Observer's Home section; Terri DeBoo was recognized as one of the 50 Most Influential Women at an awards presentation on April 23; the Benton Bragg family participates in a research project with UNC Charlotte by monitoring a female barred owl via a memory chip from a solar-powered unit that fuels a motion-activated camera inside the nest box located on the family's farm in Huntersville; the Raleigh News & Observer has a very nice article on how Jim Woodward led NCSU out of crisis…citing Jim's ability to calm the chaos with his experience and enormous personal skills and leadership ability that moved the University forward; updated email contact for David Tobin: tobin@tobinstarr.com.
     
• International House has several hosting opportunities for High School German students participating in the Citizen's Diplomacy Program. Ten students will be in Charlotte between April 3 & 9 and help is needed to facilitate dinner, transportation, business or home hosting. Contact Beverly Grant-Turner at 704-372-2247 or visit www.ihclt.org for additional information.
   
• October 5: Mecklenburg County Joint Rotary Club Annual Meeting at the Blake Hotel. David H. Murdock, Billionaire, Chairman of Dole Foods, and Founder and Visionary of the North Carolina Research Campus, will be the keynote speaker.
       
• The next Flight of Honor is scheduled for April 10th. For those not familiar, FOH is a District-wide project to fly WW II Veterans to Washington on a day-trip to visit their memorial. Charlotte Rotary was a generous supporter of two previous flights. Anyone wishing to make a personal donation to this project can make their check payable to Rotary Flight of Honor and send to the Rotary office.
  
• ROTARY DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2010 will be held in Wilmington April 23-25. All Rotarians and their families are invited to attend. Reservations can be booked at the Hilton Riverside, 910-763-5900. Prior to March 22, the rate will be $169 per night. Conference registration rates for Rotarians: $175 (by 2/23), $195 (by 3/22) or $225 (by 4/16). Guest registration: $155 (by 2/23), $175 (by 3/22), $195 (by 4/16). The registration covers 4 meals: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast & dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Registration can be handled on the District database (www.dacdb.com) 

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 4/05/2010.

Attendees to the District Conference in Wilmington are asked to participate in a project to help supply reading material for schools and libraries. To support the District's effort, Charlotte Rotary Club will be collecting new or gently used book for all ages - children's books, educational books, fiction, non-fiction, picture books, travel books, etc. Books may be dropped off at a club meeting over the next few weeks.