Okra Strutt 2006

Thanks to our Rotarians for volunteering at this year's Okra Strutt.

Governor Sanford visit Sep 20

Governor Mark Sanford shared some wisdom about our State Government with us. Introduced by Stan Bugner. Pictured above with the Governor are President Molly Cousins, Dutch Fork Interact Club with Kelly Payne, Joel Collins, Suzie Hamm, Patty Cavanaugh. Full meeting report to follow. (photos by John Adair)


Last Week
September 20, 2006
Reporters: Blount Shepard & Ginny Barr
HONORING THE OCCASION: Following the invocation by Harold Crawford, the Birchwood High School JROTC Honor Guard from DJJ Posted the Colors. Seated at the head table where Governor Sanford, President Molly, and Stan Bugner. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Ms. Laura Adair (daughter-in-law of John Adair) sang the National Anthem accompanied by Matthew Jones on the snare drum. Needless to say the meeting was off to a rousing start!
INTRODUCTIONS: Sgt. at Arms, Harvey Hoots had multiple visiting Rotarians and guests to introduce. The Interact Club members joining Kelly Payne for breakfast this morning were too numerous to count.
IN OTHER ACTION: Ginny Barr announced that the Club had awarded our first DJJ Scholarship. She read the application letter from the scholarship’s first recipient, Tyrone. Tyrone will be attending Denmark Technical College where he plans to study to become a barber. The scholarship monies will be used to purchase the barbering tools he will need. Tyrone is a former JROTC Cadet from Birchwood High School at DJJ.
Michael Seguin made an appeal for Okra Strut volunteers to assist the late shift for ticket sales and Okra Man. The late shift work ends at 10:30 pm. Please sign up! Michael has planned a coordinating meeting for next Monday, 6:30 p.m., at Carolina Wings.
GUEST SPEAKER: The Honorable Mark C. Sanford, Jr., Governor, South Carolina
Stan Bugner introduced Governor Mark Sanford, saying that has a record of reducing government growth. The Governor quickly stepped up deliver an overview of his administration’s approach regarding the interests of our State.
The Governor discussed several issues to include the state’s economy and spending, school choice, government structure, and giving citizens a voice. Regarding the economy, he said that he agrees with Thomas Friedman’s book "The World Is Flat." Technology has forever linked the world in such a way that we, South Carolinians, are in constant global competition. He said that whenever possible his administration is trying to create a "soil" rich for the sustained growth of industry. He remarked that by changing certain business conditions affecting the movie industry, the state is now seeing a return of that industry throughout the state. Regarding our government structure, Governor Sanford stated that the executive branch of state government controls 16% of the state agencies. He believes this is an area in which the structure of state government should be changed. He sited the changes that have taken place at the DMV as example.
Governor Sanford opened the floor to questions. One question was asked regarding the impact of early childhood education and the importance of this component to the educational process. Governor Sanford assured the group of his administration’s commitment to the First Steps Program begun by the previous administration.
Another question was asked regarding how, without disrespect our culture, we can change to be more visioning toward the future, rather than only relishing how things were in the past. The Governor said that our heritage and much of where we came from is what folks like about our state and gives us a unique identity. However, he said that his administration is nudging the culture in our state government to try to create brighter prospects of the future.

September 13th

Our speaker, Dr. Keith Benson, from Riverbanks Zoo talked to us about the Flamingo project at the Zoo. Here he demonstrates his "air guitar"

Interact Club Members join us for breakfast.

Patty Cavanaugh presents our speaker with our unique Rotary Pin

Two Lynns enjoy a joke at breakfast


Last Week
September 13, 2006
Reporter – Blount Shepard
INTRODUCTIONS: Sgt. at Arms, Harvey Hoots had multiple visiting Rotarians and guests to introduce, and started the CART Fund Coins for Alzheimer’s Research. President Molly said that Harry Hafer is a Rotarian relocating to Columbia and has expressed an interest in joining our club. Please seek him out in the following weeks and make him feel at home (i.e. sign him up to help with the OKRA STRUT!). Ten Interact members joined Kelly Payne for breakfast.
IN OTHER ACTION: Lyman Whitehead shared some good humor during Health and Happiness. Ervin Ott is celebrating becoming 6’-4" on Friday, September 15th. Skee’s son is on his way home from Iraq!
Jim Jeffers held the Four Way Test which Bill Danielson passed with flying colors. I wonder if Jim knows that the Four Way Test was introduced to Rotary through industry when the President of Club Aluminum in Chicago brought it to RI from his company when he served as RI President.
Chuck Larson’s speaker for the Irmo Chamber lunch today is Sonny White, Midlands Tech President. Also, the Miss Greater Irmo pageant is this weekend at the Irmo Elementary auditorium.
President Molly gave last call to sign up for the Rotary Foundation luncheon with RI President, Bill Boyd, at the Radisson Columbiana (Bush River Road & I-20) on 9/22. Attendees should be there by 11:30 a.m. Lunch starts at 12:00 p.m. sharp. The next Club Board meeting is at Three Rivers Medical on Thursday, 9/21.
GUEST SPEAKER: Eddie Robinson introduced our guest speaker, Dr. Keith Benson from Riverbanks Zoo. Dr. Benson livened up breakfast with a power point presentation on the Flamingo Colony at Riverbanks.
Flamingos are an interesting bird with a name derived from "flame" to match their salmon pink coloration. With a history dating back 60 million years these creatures are survivors, but six known species are nonetheless extinct. There color is from eating caratenoid pigments that naturally come from shrimp and algae. They range from the Caribbean to Chile, SA. They are just like South Carolina tourists; they love to be in a crowd near shallow estuaries. Similarly, this setting seems to enhance the potential for breeding.
Riverbanks received 20 eggs this year from a flamingo colony in Hialeah, Fla. of which 13 have survived to adolescence. The highly informative and entertaining presentation ended when Chris Joye asked Dr. Benson if the flamingos would turn blue if they were fed blueberries. Dr. Benson was sorry to disappoint Chris saying that they would not, but he wished they could so they would be able to distinguish the boys from the girls!