Wednesday May 3rd

Byron Snellgrove, Kevin Adams, Patty Cavanaugh


Last Meeting
May 3, 2006
Reporter – Chip Lyerly
President Carey Hite called the meeting to order and asked Larry Stohs to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. After the introduction of our one fellow visiting Rotarian, Lyman Whitehead made an earnest attempt to be funny with his Health and Happiness, a tough job week-in and week-out.
Molly Cousins and Skey Caskey announced that our Club is going to participate in a "trial experience" as the sponsor of a fishing tournament, The Lake Murray – Irmo Rotary Fishing Classic, on Saturday, June 17th. This event will be sanctioned by the National Stripe Bass Association. (Most of you will remember the "Singing Bass" plaque sold by the NSBA several Christmases ago…mine still hangs proudly in my living room. This may be our Grand Prize.) Back to the event, anglers from all over the Southeast are expected to attend. The Club will work to earn additional funds through event sponsorships. Daily weigh in for the tournament will take place at Carolina Wings in Irmo. Members will be required to wear life jackets at all times while manning the booth at CW’s. More information to follow.
Our guest speaker, Deputy Bryon Snellgrove of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit, was introduced by Kevin Adams. It was unclear just how Kevin and Deputy Snellgrove had met. Deputy Snellgrove, a 20 year law endorsement veteran, is in charge of the Narcotics Unit at LCSD and is the Midlands Area Coordinator of a 20 agency law enforcement task force. In addition to the usual drug busts, Deputy Snellgrove’s unit handles counterfeit goods seizures and vice. Most of the unit’s efforts are expended on interdiction. Interestingly, Deputy Snellgrove’s unit checks daily incoming shipments from UPS, Fed Ex, and others with drug sniffing dogs. If a package is suspect, it is delivered to the recipient by a deputy dressed in the appropriately disguised uniform and driving a "marked" delivery truck of the carrier!
While law enforcement has reduced the number of drug busts for the manufacturing of methamphetamines (meth) by half over the past three years, "meth labs" continue to be a problem in Lexington County. Many cases are now referred to the Federal Court system where narcotics laws carry longer prison sentences. Not only is the ingestion of meth not healthy, the manufacturing process is extremely dangerous. Deputy Snellgrove related the amounts of poisonous chemicals used in the process and the likelihood of child endangerment, as most "meth labs" are found in the homes of drug dealers.
Deputy Snellgrove recently has been informed that, through his efforts, the U.S. DEA has approved the statewide training of police officers to prevent the use of meth and other narcotics.
Our meeting wrapped up with Happy Dollars and an announcement by Eddie Robinson about honoring those Rotarians who have had perfect attendance at a meeting in the near future. Attendance records are being checked, but Eddie asked that members let him know if they believe they qualify, so that no one is overlooked.