Community Service Avenue
David Zimmerman, Chair

Environmental, Al Allison, Chair (Budget $6,000 Expenditures $5,100)
Three projects completed or near completed:
1. Hands on Charlotte, a community effort to improve the appearance of community public areas thru the clean up of the areas and the planting of plants and trees. The effort consisted of hundreds from the community who worked a specific weekend. Provided $2,000 towards the purchase of plants and materials.
2. Children’s Garden Project, a project where children from the public and private schools, under the leadership of Wing Haven are taught via a hands-on effort the benefits and beauty of gardening. Supported this substantial effort with $1,100 for sponsor/materials.
3. Barred owl survival project, with the Raptor Center, through Alan Barnhardt provided funding of $2,000 for support of this project. This continues several years of support for efforts at the center. (Alan earlier indicated hope to have the owl at the club assembly).
 
Youth Programs, John Synder, Chair (Budget $4,000 Expenditures $1,075)
1. The major effort of the Youth Program has been to re-associate the Rotary Club of Charlotte with a local senior high school to establish an InterAct Club. This has been done with Myers Park High School and all expectations are for a club, with our support to be established there for school year 2004-05.
2. Pathways to Employment, a community-based initiative linking CPCC, the Department of Social Services, community businesses, and other organizations to move participants from welfare to work, was supported with a donation of $1,07.
 
Salvation Army Bell Ringing, Herb Harriss, Chair (Budget $00.00 Expenditures $00.00)
During the month of December 2003, sixty (60) members of the club rang the Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell at the square from 11:30 A.M. until 1:30 P.M. each weekday, raising approximately $1,500 for the SA.
 
Habitat House, Ken Samuelson, Chair (Budget $15,000 Expenditures $15,000)
Along with ten other Rotary clubs, the Rotary Club of Charlotte with 55 members participating built a Habitat House over 9 days in February and March, 2004. In addition to the budget expenditure below, the club was credited with another $5,000 from the family of Ralph Howey (deceased), a long time member of our club. This was given last year towards the house Rotary built in Ralph’s name, but carried over to this year. Also, our Mike Wilkinson provided in-kind roofing materials and labor. In total we were credited with approximately $21,000 to the project.
 
High School Senior Awards, Gary Scott, Chairman (Budget $12,500 Expenditures $7,000)
On May 18, 2004 the club recognized 23 outstanding graduating seniors from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and private high schools. Recognitions were made by CMS’s Superintendent Dr. Jim Pughsley and Providence School Headmaster Gene Bratek. A $500 college scholarship goes with this recognition.
 
WWII Project (Centennial Project), Richard Bailey & Tom Burgess, Chair (Budget $00.00 Expenditures $00.00)
This major project began in Rotary Year 2002-03 in conjunction with WTVI continues on a high pace, and will be completed in Rotary Year 2004-2005, the 100th anniversary of RI. Over 100 WWII veterans and others have been interviewed/videoed by Dr. Dan Morrill in the studios of WTVI. These will be turned into documentaries for schools, libraries and other institutions; and ultimately into a PBS documentary for probable syndication. A major sponsor provided funds for the first stage and further major sponsors are being sort for the second phase. No funds were budgeted from the club for the project in 2003-04.
 
9/11 Scholarship Golf Classic, John Lassiter & Jim Adams, Chair (Budgeted Undesignated Funds $ 11,367.00 Expenditures $5,000.00)
On September 16, 2003 the inaugural 9/11 Scholarship Golf Classic was a huge success. The funds from this event, being handled by the Foundation for the Carolinas, will be used to provide college scholarships for children of public safety employees (Police, Fire, MEDIC and Sheriff). The net for the first Classic was approximately $36,000. The board voted and provided $5,000 from budgeted undesignated benevolence funds to the Classic.

College Scholarships to Children of Public Safety Employees, John Lassiter, Chair (Budget $00.00 Expenditures $00.00)
With their families present, on June 1, 2004, John Lassiter presented the first 4 Public Service Scholarships awarded to 4 college bound children of public service employees from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Department. This all made possible by the 9/11 Scholarship Golf Classic.
 
Annual Clothing Drive/for Crisis Assistance, Jim Adams, Chair (Budget $00.00 Expenditure $00.00)
Seventeen car loads of clothing, blankets and kitchen utensils were collected by Rotarians during the months of November and December 2003 and provided to Crisis Assistance. This was the fourth year of this effort. This effort was so substantial and meaningful it was recognized by our District 7680 and the Rotary Club of Charlotte was awarded the prestigious Community Service Award for 2003-04.
 
Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc., Katie Tyler, Chair (Budget $2,500 Expenditure $2,500)
Club member Katie Tyler is a trainer of pups for 14-20 months for guide dogs for the blind. The club provided $2,500 to sponsor a puppy for this training. In the near future, Katie will receive the dog to begin its training. The club has the naming rights for the dog, which we’ll let Katie tell you about when she brings it to the club for presentation.
 
Scholarships (Foundation for the Carolinas), Andy Zoutewelle, Chair (Budget $8,000 Expenditure $8,000)
Years ago a fund was established by the Rotary Club of Charlotte, which was added to from time to time, for making loans to college students. Over the years this fund, now administered by the Foundation for the Carolinas, developed into a scholarship fund, for students at CPCC who had completed 2 years and were moving on primarily to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to complete their BS or BA degree. Competition for a scholarship is keen. Selections are made by a committee from the Foundation and our Rotary Committee Chaired by Andy Zoutewelle. Earnings from the fund held by the Foundation are supplemented by an amount budgeted in the club’s annual operating budget. This year we budgeted $8,000 and the fund in the Foundation produced $4,811, making an available total of $12,811. This total was used to continue 4 scholarships for their second year, as well as award 5 new ones, a total of 9. On May 18, 2004 Andy gave us an inspiring report on the process, the awards and the fact many of the recipients are the first member in their family to attend college.

International Service Avenue
Peggy Wesp, Chair
 
Rotary Foundation, Leland Park, Chair (Budget $600 Expenditures $118)
A few statistics are appropriate about the Rotary Club of Charlotte’s member participation in support of the Rotary Foundation: 67 members have birthday pledges; 94 members have quarterly pledges; 161 are sustaining members; 11 new Paul Harris Fellows in 2003-04, with a few more not yet presented; 2 major donors added this year, making a total of 5 in present membership. Total giving to the Foundation in 2003-04 will be approximately $27,000, leaving us a little short of the $31,000 that would have provided the request of an average of $100 per Rotarian per year. There are currently 67 members who have no participation with the Rotary Foundation.
 
Ambassadorial Scholarship, Ed Kiser, Chair (Budget $00.00 Expenditures $00.00)
Ambassadorial Scholar, Sam Barger, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlotte, is currently at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. His studies are engineering and Spanish. He visited and spoke to our club on December 2, 2003, prior to leaving for New Zealand on January 5, 2004. He will return in December 2004 after completing his year’s study experience. An Ambassadorial Scholar receives from the Rotary Foundation a $25,000 scholarship. This year, another outstanding student we sponsored, Lydia Guterman, also a Morehead Scholar, is in the incredible competition (understand all the candidate’s credentials are fantastic). It will be a few weeks before Lydia knows if she will be awarded a scholarship. It is also noteworthy that our member Pat Millen is Chair of the District 7680 Ambassadorial Scholarship Committee.
 
Student and Group Exchange, Lamar Thomas, Chair (Budget $6,000 Expenditures $2,057)
1. The Rotary Club of Charlotte will be the host club for almost 18 year old, exchange student, Damien Anciaux from Leige Belgium for the 2004-05 school year. Damien will have a full scholarship at Country Day School. Four host Rotary and non-Rotary families will be his home during his stay and study in Charlotte. Damien will visit our club during his time here.
2. Also, we are sponsoring Caroline May and Robert Wadsworth, two outstanding rising high school seniors, in a summer exchange to Spain. They will be in Spain for approximately one month and we can expect to hear from them on their return.
 
World Community Service, Pete Larson, Jr., Chair (Budget $5,500 Expenditures $7,862)
1. Victoria Hospital Project, Wynburg, South Africa, spearheaded with much hard work by Pete Larson and Carol Jordan, is a partnership with the Constantia Rotary Club there to acquire laparoscopic medical equipment for the hospital. It was brought to our attention in the Spring of 2003 by Warren Buford a District 7680 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar studying in South Africa. Warren personally contributed $750 to our club, which is included in our $6,362 given to the project. Under Pete and Carol’s leadership and with help from District leadership, this was developed into a “Matching Grants Project” that led to leveraging in the following manner: Rotary Club of Charlotte, $6,362; District 7680, $7,612; Constantia Rotary Club, $15,151; The Rotary Foundation, $17,780; making a grand total of $46,905. The project was also in the competition for the 2004-05 District Showcase Project.
2. Monkey Bay Orphanage, Malawi came to the attention of the World Community Service Committee from Biff Virkler, whose stepdaughter is a Peace Corps volunteer in Monkey Bay, working to educate people on AIDS prevention and sustainable agriculture. Malawi has the worse incidents of AIDS in the world, about 28% of population infected. The Rotary Club in Blantrye, Malawi, 3 hours drive from Monkey Bay, had no money to give but did lend $2,000 and agreed to be the sponsor to help start an orphanage for children of AIDS victims. Although we had no money specifically budgeted for this project, we had budgeted funds in others committees of the avenue that were probably not going to be spent, so gave $500 as “seed money”. This orphanage need was featured in the District 7680 Newsletter and another club sent some money (through us), while Biff personally gave substantially, as did many of his friends and associates. The result was that a total of $5,110 was handled by Sandy Osborne and sent to build the first phase of the orphanage, requiring $5,000.
3. Arequipa, Peru Daycare Center is a follow-up project that we supported last year and we again provided $1,000. The project is coordinated by three Rotary Clubs in Arequipa and includes the construction of the daycare center, meals and services for the elderly, literacy training and other basic needs.
4. Puno, Peru Playground Project is an initiative of the Concord Rotary Club to fund playground equipment for 50 schools in the Puno, Peru area. This is the 2003-04 District 7680 Showcase Project where each club in the District is requested to give $500.

Total                                         Total
Budget Total $12,100                 Expenditures $10,037