November 28 2007

Our newest Rotarian Dr. Balbir Minhas is inducted.
Blount Shepard with our speakers, Sanders Tate and Tom Savory.

Minutes of Lake Murray – Irmo Rotary Club
November 28, 2007
Reporter: Kevin Adams
After President Beetle brought our meeting to order, Lynn Campbell offered our invocation. John Hanson then welcomed our guests followed by a good dose of Health and Happiness from Lyman Whitehead.

Dr. Carey Hite with assistance from Dr. Eddie Robinson, welcomed our newest member, Dr. Balbir Minhas.

Kelly Payne, with great joy, informed the club that her Interact students, Gwendolynn and Christine, won the Allstate Foundation Scholarship First Prize of $15,000 for their "Jingle Bell Swerve" video. They submitted the video as part of the Alive @ 25 campaign Kelly has done such a masterful job of promoting. Way to go Gwendolynn and Christine!

Our own residing architect Blount Shepard then introduced our speakers, Sanders Tate and Tom Savory. Both Mr. Tate and Mr. Savory are with the American Institute of Architects award winning architectural firm of Watson, Tate and Savory.

Mr. Tate and Mr. Savory each participated in a Power Point presentation regarding the renovation of a vacant building on Washington Street in Columbia into one of the three LEED’s certified buildings in Columbia. They now call the building in question “home.” LEED stands for Leadership Environmental Energy Design and the certification is issued by the United States Green Building Council. In awarding the certification, the Council uses a point system which considers factors such as natural light usage, limited water consumption, light colored roofs, building materials used from regional suppliers and bicycle racks available for the occupants’ use.

The firm is also in the process of getting the building listed on the historical registry. If they are successful in doing so, it will be the first building in Columbia with Modernist architecture to be listed.

The architects informed us that at present, 48% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from existing buildings. Industrial activity contributes only 25% of the CO2 emissions and transportation accounts for only 27% of those emissions. The architectural industry can have a major impact in reducing these omissions and many architects are beginning to draw a significant number of “green” buildings. The industry hopes that by 2030, all new buildings will be designed as LEED’s certified buildings. It is estimated that LEED’s certified buildings will cost between 0-6% more than a conventional construction.

Road Clean Up Nov 17

Lots of Rotarians and17 Interact Students from Dutch Fork High School with their advisor, Kelly Payne, enjoyed a shrimp and grits breakfast with Blount Shepard then enjoyed a quick clean up of Farming Creek Road. Many hands make light work. Thank you Blount, Rotarians, Kelly and Students.

Nov 14 2007

Pictured: Sue McLeese, students, Brittany Starky and Phillip Levi and Chris Joye

Patty Cavanaugh was presented a plaque by Stacey Atkinson of DJJ for her interior decorating contributions at a DJJ facility.

Sue McLeese, guest speaker, shared with the club the concept of the Middle College program of Midlands Technical College. The program takes high school drop outs and lets them finish their high school education on the college campus and then prepares them for college courses.

Photos by John Adair

Reporter: Ritchie Tidwell

The Rotary Club of Lake Murray was called to order on November 14, 2007 by Eddie Robinson in the absence of President Beetle Bailey. Following recognition of guests, a representative of the Spring Valley Rotary Club discussed their fundraiser for the holidays to sell an assortment of nuts. Lyman Whitehead lightened the mood with his health and happiness report. Patty Cavanaugh announced that the holiday party for this year is Dec. 12 from 7-10 p.m. at our meeting location.
Stacey Adkinson, representing Friends of Juvenile Justice, recognized Patty Cavanaugh for her efforts in coordinating and developing the resources to support a home for girls leaving DJJ institutions. Ginny Barr announced that the club had provided a scholarship to Antonio to go to Barber School following his release from DJJ after three years and read a letter from him discussing his goals. John Adair mentioned that the annual holiday meeting of the club will be December 19.
Chris Joye introduced the guest speaker, Sue McLeese, director of the Middle School College at the Midlands Technical College airport campus. The college, which serves 16-19 year-olds in Richland, Lexington and Newberry Counties, provides an alternative educational setting with college credit for students on the verge of dropping out of school or who are not suited for the traditional high school setting. Students are not eligible if they have serious behavioral problems. Class size is about 15 students and students are provided with laptop computers when they graduate, and their diploma is from their home school. Midlands Tech has contributed $1.5 million in facilities and more than $300,000 has been contributed by the business community. The Nord Foundation has also contributed $100,000. Each school district provides $3,000 per student to attend.
Two students, Britney Starr from Dutch Fork High School and Phillip Levi from Irmo High School, discussed their satisfaction with what the school has provided for them.
Ms. McLeese pointed out that about 54% of ninth graders in South Carolina do not graduate and how important it is to provide an alternative to curb the dropout rate in the future.

Nov 7 2007

Eddie Robinson and John LaFond