District Governor Karen Shore Speaks
By: Matt Joyner
  
                        
Immediate Past President Mac McCarley introduced Karen Shore, Governor of our Rotary District 7680 as our speaker. A Durham, NC native and graduate of Appalachian State University, Shore is President and CEO of the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce, and past President of the Mooresville-Lake Norman Rotary club. In the words of Mac, "She is the most Rotary-knowledgeable Governor in the history of our District."
 
Noting that this year's Rotary theme, "the future of Rotary is in your hands," is "right on, exactly what we need," Shore quoted current Rotary International President John Kenny of Scotland further, "In Rotary, everything we are and everything we aspire to become, lies in the hands of Rotarians in their clubs." Shore said that, "We in Rotary have potential that is unmatched by any other humanitarian organization in the world. We can bring health to the sick, education to the illiterate, water to the thirsty and sustainable livelihood to the poor and hungry. We can help those closest to us and those in the farthest corners of the earth. All of this, we can do, if only we choose to."
 
Shore said that she has asked each president of all of the clubs in District 7680 to acknowledge one Rotarian who makes a difference in the lives of others in a humble and ethical manner to become the recipient of the "Governor's Starfish Award," named after the sea creature that represents salvation, vigilance, guidance and inspiration. Shore then presented Charlie Williams with the Governor's Starfish Award and congratulated him for being selected by President John on account of Charlie's special leadership.
 
The goals established by RI President Kenny for this year are basic: membership, Rotary Foundation, public awareness and youth services. Shore exhorted the group to invite ethical community leaders to join Rotary, to publicize the club's activities, to expand leadership development opportunities and to support opportunities for youth and young professionals such as Interact, Youth Exchange and Group Study Exchange. She endorsed the Rotary Foundation and the Paul Harris Fellow program and announced a district-wide campaign to raise funds for polio eradication, to be highlighted in during the week of February 21, 2010 as Polio Awareness Week. Finally, Shore asked us to mark our calendars and attend this year's Rotary District conference to be held in Wilmington, NC on the weekend of April 23, 2010, because, "the future of Rotary is in your hands!"
 
Also at Tuesday's meeting we welcomed our two new Rotary Youth Exchange students, Leo Delvinquire from France and Anna Skalicka from the Czech Republic. Leo is attending Charlotte Country Day School and Anna is attending Myers Park High School. We are grateful to Leo's first host family Judi and Dan Foy and Anna's host family Alina and Duncan MacNichol for their hospitality to our students, as well as to the families of Rotarians Charlie Bones, Terri DeBoo and Todd Owens who will be serving as host families later this year. Rotary Youth Exchange is a cultural exchange intended to further world peace and understanding by introducing international youth to American life and building relationships across borders. If you can include Leo or Anna in an activity of your family in the coming year, please contact Mary Ciminelli (for Anna) and Chuck Cocke (for Leo) to make arrangements. Thanks!
    
Head Table: David Zimmerman, Matt Joyner, John Snyder, Mac McCarley, Pender McElroy, Tom Robertson;
Invocation: Budd Berro;
Visitors & Guests: Kemp Dunaway; Health & Happiness: Phil Van Hoy; Song: Pam Jefsen; Piano: Thomas Moore

• John Greer introduced the club's newest member. Lee Teague is a broker with Vantage Real Estate Advisors and can be reached at lteague81@hotmail.com. Welcome to Charlotte Rotary!
             
• There are a few club members under the weather… Herb Harriss has been battling an infection; George Robinette has started his chemo treatments; Jim Adams took a fall a month or so ago and is in the process of lining up surgery on his knee.

An auction for a private wine tasting of five high-end wines and a five course gourmet dinner for three couples will be conducted during the September 8th Rotary meeting. The wine is provided by Vintage Wine Cellar and Bistro; Kevin and Ingrid Howard & Chef Tom will prepare the gourmet dinner; and proceeds will benefit the Rotary Public Safety Scholarship Fund. Auctioneer Chip Scholz would like you to know the fair market value for this gourmet package is $400. There is no minimum bid.

There is still a need for auction, raffle and goody bag items. Please note September 22 is the deadline to sign up to play golf. Non-golfers are encouraged to attend the wine tasting (4:30) and BBQ dinner and awards (5:15). October 5th, Cedarwood Country Club.

Can you imagine what the world would be like if the Allied Forces had lost WW II? What would your life look like? Tom Brokaw named them "The Greatest Generation." Consider these facts: WWII ended 64 years ago; 1200-1500 WWII veterans die every day; total service members (worldwide): 16,112,566; battle deaths: 291,557; other deaths in service (non-Theater): 113,842; non-mortal wounded: 671,846; living Veterans: 2,306,000; estimate of Veterans in the state of NC: 61,135.

Rotary District 7680 is sponsoring the "Flight of Honor" program. FOH is designed to take the surviving veterans of WWII to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. Rotarians are asked to participate in this once in a lifetime program to honor members of the group that fought to save our country. Please consider raising money or making a personal donation that will help fund the 2 flights already scheduled for September 19 and October 20. Your tax deductible donation should be made out to Rotary Flight of Honor and mailed to P.O. Box 495, Gastonia, NC 28053. Tom Burgess, who serves on the District's executive committee, Sandy Osborne or John Snyder would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your consideration.