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DR. JEFFREY RUNGE
NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
By: Matt Joyner
Ed Wadsworth introduced his friend and former Barclay Downs neighbor
Dr. Jeffrey Runge to Charlotte Rotary. A Charlotte native and former
assistant chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Carolinas
Medical Center, Dr. Runge left Charlotte and his medical practice in
2000 when he was appointed by President Bush to head the National
Highway Safety Administration. Prior to his appointment Dr. Runge
had earned his reputation in the area of traffic safety as a
prominent advocate of motorcycle helmet laws.
Dr. Runge first recognized in the audience Police Chief Darryl
Stevens, Fire Chief Luther Fincher, “national treasure” Joe Penner
of Charlotte EMS and Paul Jones, Dr. Runge’s senior advisor who he
took with him to Washington from Charlotte to “watch his back.”
Focusing the group’s attention on the nation’s highway safety
priorities, Dr. Runge said that President Bush emphasizes a
results-oriented approach to regulation and surveyed the national
and state statistics in the traffic safety areas NHSA has targeted
for impact.
Interesting statistics:
- 6.4 million auto crashes in the United States per
year
- For age groups 4 through 34 auto crashes were the
number one cause of death in 2001
- From 1966 to 2002 the number of miles traveled by
car in the U.S. tripled, but the death rate decreased
- 64% of preventable auto deaths are attributable to
impaired driving and failure to use seatbelts
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Consequently, NHSA focuses its efforts on increasing
the use of seat belts, decreasing impaired driving as well as
minimization of rollover accidents.
Dr. Runge noted that North Carolina’s auto accident mortality rate
was above the national average, higher than Virginia, but lower than
South Carolina. With “52” being the worst (due to including
Washington DC and Puerto Rico), North Carolina ranked 30th in the
nation in auto fatalities while Virginia ranked 9th and South
Carolina ranked 49th. Dr. Runge correlated South Carolina’s standing
with its high alcohol-related fatality rate and a seat belt usage
rate under 70%.
Within North Carolina, the highest crash rates and highest number of
speeding-related crashes occur in the state’s most populous counties
along the I-85 corridor, while the state’s alcohol-related crashes
are concentrated in the mountain and coastal counties. Dr. Runge
cited Charlotte for keeping constant its total number of annual
crash fatalities despite rapid population growth since 1998 and
achieving an actual fatality rate decrease in that time period.
Dr. Runge encouraged the audience to support safety belt use and DWI
enforcement, to buy safer vehicles (and use NHSA’s www.safecar.gov
website) and to implement employer traffic safety programs for
company employees driving company-owned vehicles.
Head Table:
Phil Volponi, Rusty Brink,
Catherine Browning, Ed Wadsworth, Joe Penner, Herb Harriss;
Invocation: John Stedman
Visitors and Guests:
Ken Poe; Health & Happiness: Fred
Lowrance; Song: Gregg Walker
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GUIDELINES FOR REQUESTS FOR GRANTS |
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Charlotte Rotary has a long history of providing funding for
local, regional, national and international causes. In order to
fund a project, the request must (1) fully or partially fund a
specific project, or help initiate a new program and (2) a
current member of Charlotte Rotary must sponsor your request.
This member’s responsibility is to personally vouch for your
organization and the need for funding. All requests are to be
submitted by September 15th to the appropriate Avenue Chair.
Application forms are available in the Rotary office. |
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9/11 Scholarship
Golf Classic: |
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Everyone’s help is needed to
ensure a successful golf tournament at Raintree Country Club on
September 21st. We are in need of goody bag items: note pads,
pens, key chains, “stuff” – and we are also in need of
volunteers to help with logistics: check-in, placing tee signs,
selling raffle tickets and mulligans, running prizes during the
dinner hour, etc., and GOLFERS. The tournament should wrap up
around 6:00. The meeting and dinner will begin around 6:30.
Remember – there WILL NOT be a lunch meeting on tournament day.
All members are encouraged to come out to the golf course to
Celebrate Rotary and be part of the fellowship of the 2nd Annual
9/11 Scholarship Golf Classic. |
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A warm welcome is extended
to new member Ruth Castleberry,
who was introduced by Frank Martin
on Tuesday.
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Pender McElroy provided an update on the good
works of The Rotary Foundation and recognized long-time
member, Powell Majors, for his continued support to the
organization.
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Sheriff Jim Pendergraph was on hand to encourage
participation and involvement in the club’s 9/11 Scholarship
Golf Classic., scheduled for September 21st at Raintree
Country Club. Enrollment and pledges are running slightly
behind last year’s tournament. In order to continue
providing the much needed scholarships to children of our
first responders, Sheriff Pendergraph extended a challenge
to everyone to support this worthwhile cause.
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Fred Lowrance discussed a book held in esteem by
the Lowrance family, The Five Love Languages, by Gary
Chapman, and encouraged club members to pick up a copy and
read as a family.
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President Catherine expressed her thanks to The
Salvation Army for the fine work they are providing to
hurricane victims and reports
Michelle Matthews has traveled to Florida to
assist with the restoration efforts.
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Jerry Walters has joined Littler Mendelson, P.C.
in its Charlotte office. Littler Mendelson (
www.littler.com)
employs 400 attorneys with 28 offices in 17 states. They are
the nation’s largest labor law firm dedicated exclusively to
the representation of employers in labor and employment
matters.
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Correction to email address
reported for Jay Westmoreland:
jdwestmoreland@leggmason.com
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Even the resident office
cats, Tiger and Lilly, must sense the excitement in the air
at The Printing Office (Ed
and Keith Nowokunski)
in Charlotte, as the company officially changes its name to
integraphx and relocates its headquarters. The company has
moved from its present 16,500 sq. ft. facility on Clanton
Road to a 24,000 sq. ft. building at 656 Michael Wylie Drive
in Charlotte.
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Charlie Pitts, UnitedHealthcare Carolinas, is
among the recently named 12th class of Leadership North
Carolina.
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SUPPORT THE 9/11 SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC – September 21st
at Raintree Country Club. Contact Chip Scholz for info.
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New Member Approval |
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The Classification
and Membership Committee recommend and the Directors approve for
consideration for all members, the following NEW MEMBER. Should
you question the eligibility of any nominee, please call the
Rotary Office by September 14th. You will be contacted by
a member of the Board. Otherwise, no reply is necessary and
election will proceed according to our bylaws. |
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Proposed Member
Company
Classification
Sponsor
Endorsed |
Dr.
Jim Pughsley
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Education, Public Schools
Tom Robertson
Tony Zeiss and John Lassiter |
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Attendance
Record |
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9/07/04 |
9/09/03 |
| visitors &
guests |
12 |
10 |
| club
members |
193 |
195 |
| total
attendance |
205 |
205 |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
25 Pam and Ambrose Dittloff
25 Amy and Jimmy Flowers
26 Robin and Todd Stevens
27 Linda and Billy King |
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New Members | Resignations |
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| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
21 Chris Kemper,
Greensboro, NC
21 Janice Stevens,
Salisbury, NC
21 Kitty Stutts, Lawton, OK
22 Joey Godbold, Mobile, AL
24 Joe Penner, Reedley, CA
25 Julius Melton, Jackson, MS
26 Tom Burgess,
Tallahassee, FL
26 Barbara Price, Denver, CO
27 Harriman Jett,
Millersville, GA
27 Tim Newman, Danville, VA |
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