Lt. Governor Walter Dalton
By: Ellison Clary
    
                          
In wide ranging and sometimes humorous remarks, Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton told members of the Charlotte Rotary Club why North Carolina's prospects are bright, even in a stressful economy.
 
Dalton quoted beloved baseball catcher and philosopher Yogi Berra, who said, "Making predictions is hard, especially when you’re talking about the future." Yet he listed many reasons he feels North Carolina and Charlotte can be optimistic.
 
He cited a state fund that helps small businesses bridge the gap between paychecks and bills in a time when their bigger clients are taking longer to pay invoices. The small business owners pay back state-loaned money once they’re on stronger financial footing.
A state jobs commission is performing well in connecting businesses and schools, he said. An innovative program has created scores of Early College High Schools where students can learn trades on the job while they complete high school and earn two years of college credits, usually at a community college. It’s an important way North Carolina is adapting to changing times, he said as he praised the community college system and our own Tony Zeiss, president of Central Piedmont Community College.
  
Dalton shared a wealth of heartening statistics, such as North Carolina is the top state in business friendliness, according to "Site Selection" magazine. Charlotte ranks in the top five cities for reaching out to foreign businesses. The Queen City is also third in corporate headquarters for Fortune 500 companies and it is the nation’s 14th most educated metropolis.
  
Leading the economic recovery, he predicted, will be several fields with names that sound novel to many. They include climatology, gerontology, nanoscience and regenerative research. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is making impressive strides in biotechnology, he said, and he praised the public-private efforts of David Murdock at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis.
  
Rather than a stop sign, Dalton said, the financial situation is showing North Carolina a detour marker. He reminded his audience that the state retains a Triple A credit rating. Dalton acknowledged that this is the toughest economy since the Great Depression, but then issued this caveat. "Out of chaos comes opportunity."
  
Dalton was accompanied by his wife Lucille, who was the first woman elected to the board of education for the Rutherford County Schools. She served on that body for 12 years, four as its chair. The Daltons have two children. Dalton's father was a civic leader and a state senator who had attended a Rotary meeting the day he died in 1957.
     
  
Head Table: Charlie Williams, Joel Ford, Pender McElroy, Luther Moore, Natalie English, Jill Santuccio; Invocation: Alice Harrison; Visitors & Guests: Steve Eanes; Health & Happiness: Jessica Graham; Song & Piano: Thomas Moore; Photos: Bert Voswinkel

•  Lauren and Bradford Picot have a new son, Sterling Bradford Picot. Daughter Olivia is elated to have a new baby brother; continue to keep John Johnson in your thoughts; President Pender recognized the Reporter committee for their outstanding work that provides a real archive of the club. Thanks to this talented group chaired by Henry Bostic: Suzanne Bledsoe, Marilynn Bowler, Ellison Clary, Sheila Cottringer, John Galles, Rick Handford, Jim Kelley, George MacBain, Jill Santuccio, Ed Wadsworth and Paul Wyche.
      
• Golf Classic: Alan Adler reminded club members that the Rotary Scholarship Golf Classic is just nine weeks away and there are 75 golfing slots available. Please get your registration forms turned in.
   
• Team 7680 at Work: The Board approved the District’s request for Charlotte Rotary to start up a new Rotary Club that will meet on Thursday evenings, probably at the City Club. Jill Santuccio is spearheading this effort and will provide additional information at next week’s meeting; Wells Van Pelt will be working with PDG Graham Wilson to raise Polio awareness. Wells reminded club members that Rotary’s commitment to eradicate polio is literally inches away. Stay tuned to learn how you can do your part to ensure the $350M challenge grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a reality.
 
• School Tools Campaign: Bill Allen is coordinating an effort to collect school supplies that will benefit Classroom Central. Pens, pencils, paper, rulers, glue, notebooks, etc. may be dropped off at the August 3 and August 10 Rotary meeting. Checks work as well and should be payable to Classroom Central.
 
• Meeting at the Blake Hotel: The August 10th meeting will be at the Blake Hotel (Crowne Plaza has another booking). The Blake utilizes caterers because they do not have a full service kitchen. The day’s meal will be a Taqueria Bar with ground beef, chicken breasts, black beans, Mexican vegetable rice, salsa, chips and all the fixings for a taco or salad.

• If your email address is on file at the Rotary Office, your 1st quarter INVOICE was EMAILED. If you have not received the invoice, please contact Sandy immediately and a copy can be re-sent.

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 8/02/2010.

GSE is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 who have been fully employed with at least two years of work experience in their chosen field. The program provides travel grants for teams of participants to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For four to six weeks, team members study the host country’s institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas. Team members can come from corporations, small businesses, community organizations, medical and educational facilities, government offices, and nonprofit agencies. Note: spouses of participants may not accompany teams. In addition, the following are ineligible: a Rotarian, an employee of a Rotary club, district, other Rotary entity, or RI; any Rotarian’s or Rotary employee’s spouse, ancestor (parent or grandparent by blood), lineal descendant (child or grandchild); or a spouse of a lineal descendant.
 
The 2010-2011 exchange with Istanbul Turkey will take place in the March/April timeframe and Charlotte Rotary’s coordinator is Paul Schmidt. Applications for team members will be needed within the next month or two and Charlotte Rotary has always been a leader in identifying qualified team members. Share this information with a young professional and encourage them to apply. Applications and more detailed information on GSE can be found at rotary.org.