The Bluffton Rotary Club’s Annual Sandbar Party is Saturday, September 7th from 2:00pm until the tide says to come in. We’re looking forward to a great end-of-summer Sandbar Party!

For those who need to be picked up, Michael Reeves has once again graciously offered his dock, and we will have club members with boats to ferry you across to the sandbar.  Michael’s house and dock  is located  at 944 May River Road.  A signup sheet will continue to be circulated at our meetings, but if you have any questions or want to confirm your attendance, please feel free to contact Gwynn Baker or Patrick.

Tray Hunter’s now famous BBQ, delicious Chicken Piccata, fixins, beer, wine, sodas and water will be served, so please make plans to come out for a few hours and enjoy the beautiful May River and the fellowship of our club on Saturday, September 7th!

Veterinarian Ben Parker says that 90 percent of his Bluffton practice involves working with dogs and cats.  It’s the other 10 percent that allows him to explore his wild side.

Parker’s Coastal Veterinary Clinic sees about 10 injured or sick wild animals a week, including squirrels, raccoons, deer, alligators, herons, hawks, owls, ospreys and bald eagles.  But unlike the dogs and cats who are brought in by their owners, the wild animals don’t have owners who can pay for their treatment.  He’s not paid for helping them.

“I really enjoy working with wildlife,” he says.  “I sort of consider it my way of performing community service.”

A native of Kentucky, Parker has been practicing in the Lowcountry since 1989, when he graduated from Auburn University’s veterinary school.

Since coming to Bluffton, he was worked with a three-legged deer, a coffee-drinking squirrel that preferred French vanilla to hazelnut, and a pelican that nearly put out Parker’s right eye with a well-aimed beak strike while he was closing a wound with several dozen stitches.

Five years after releasing that injured pelican into the wild, the story took an amusing turn.  Parker was at Hudson’s restaurant on Hilton Head Island when a young boy noticed an odd-looking bird on the restaurant’s waterfront.  The boy turned to his father and said, “Dad, that pelican has stitches!”

Parker says that Bluffton-area wild animals continue to be displaced by construction of new homes and businesses in the fast-growing area.

He cautions people to avoid handling sick or injured wild animals.  “That’s a good way to get yourself hurt,” he says.  “If you find yourself in that situation – particularly with larger animals – you need to find somebody who knows what they’re doing.”

The fledgling Hilton Head Island Institute is promising a line-up of world-class speakers to headline its inaugural “Imagination 2013” event this fall.

John Shkor, who moved to Hilton Head in 2003 after a 35-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard and now serves as the Institute’s secretary, told Bluffton Rotarians that the first Imagination 2013 speakers would be announced when marketing for the October 23-26 event begins later in June.  A smaller-scale “Community Series” event will be held October 6-7.

“We’re known for our beaches, tennis and golf, but we can be known for so much more,” Shkor said.  “

The Hilton Head Institute was an outgrowth of the Mayor’s Vision Task Force, a panel of 13 community leaders brought together by then-Hilton Head Mayor Tom Peeples to help plan the island’s future.  Among the task force’s recommendations was the formation of an organization designed “for the study of community health, wellness, lifestyle, ecology, planning and design where experience, theories and knowledge are shared and leveraged for the benefit of this and other communities. An institute, dedicated to enhancing communities, would, by association, elevate Hilton Head Island’s reputation as an extraordinary and desirable place to live and visit. But, more importantly, it would institutionalize the island’s leadership in community planning and keep ‘Quality of Life’ in the forefront of island thinking.”

Among the Institute’s first goals, Shkor said, was to create a high-profile signature event designed to lure some of the nation’s most creative thinkers.  Imagination 2013 will bring speakers and thinkers with diverse areas of expertise, he said.

The Institute was initially boosted by a $65,000 grant from the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry and is also supported by the Greater Island Council, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, the University of South Carolina-Beaufort, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Island School Council for the Arts and the Hilton Head Choral Society.

The Institute will resemble the Aspen Institute in Colorado and the Chautauqua Institution in New York, Shkor said.

Shkor’s Coast Guard duties saw him play roles in marine safety, environmental protection, the drug war at sea and Cuban and Haitian mass migration operations.  He served on the staff of then-Vice President George Bush and later participated in the establishment of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He oversaw counterdrug operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific as director of the U.S. Department of Defense Joint Interagency task force in Key West, Florida.  After leaving the Coast Guard, he served as chief operating officer in the nascent Transportation Security Administration. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Georgetown University Law School, and he also earned a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Bluffton Rotary Club has donated $5,000 to the Town of Bluffton’s beautification efforts, with a particular focus on improved signs and landscaping in the town’s historic district.

Club President Dot Jeger said the donation was a logical outgrowth of Rotary’s continuing efforts to enhance the overall quality of life in Bluffton.

“Our club’s members realize every day what a wonderful community we live in, and this is one way for us to make it an even better place to live,” Jeger said.

Danny Wilson, Bluffton’s growth management director, said the improved signage will be aimed at enticing tourists to spend more time in the town and at helping its economic development efforts.  Bluffton Town Council recently allocated $48,000 to beautify town entrance signs and other areas, and also to start a tree-planting program.

Another recent beautification effort involved the Arbor Day planting of new trees at seven schools in the Bluffton area.

Beaufort County Administrator Gary Kubic, Bluffton Rotary’s keynote speaker at last week’s meeting, said that beautification efforts are a key part of the county’s overall economic development efforts and factor into increased housing values and more enjoyment for residents.

A little history of the Bluffton Rotary Club and how we came to be chartered:

• The first Rotary Club was founded by Paul Harris & the first meeting was held in Chicago in 1905
• Rotary came to SC in 1915 when the Greenville and Spartanburg Clubs were formed
• The Columbia Club was chartered in 1916
• In 1920, the Columbia Club sponsored the Charleston Club
• In 1934, the Rotary Club of Charleston sponsored the Beaufort Club
• In 1967, the Rotary Club of Beaufort sponsored the Hilton Head Island Club
• In 1988. The Hilton Head Island Club sponsored and assisted in the formation of the Bluffton Club

And so on April 25, 1988, 29 men – all distinguished citizens of Bluffton – celebrated the first Charter Night of the Bluffton Rotary Club. Their first project was a community Thanksgiving Dinner and an oyster roast. The oyster roast has become one of the major fund raisers and a signature event of each Rotary year.

On Saturday, May 18, members from the Bluffton, Okatie and Hilton Head Island Rotary Clubs came together for a work day at the Bluffton Boys & Girls Club. Approximately 15 members or friends of the three Rotary clubs worked on some needed projects, including dismantling about 30 old bicycles, crushing oyster shells and making an oyster shell path to the new garden, painting bathrooms, organizing the library and painting outside safety posts. This is a true example of Service Above Self and working together to accomplish a shared goal.

Underage drinking can lead to behaviors that are dangerous to teens, but less well-known are the physical damages that also can result.

One in three South Carolina teens has had a drink within the past month, Dr. Loretta Novince told Bluffton Rotarians.  And one in five has engaged in “binge drinking” by having more than five drinks in a row.

Novince works with the Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth, a community prevention coalition encompassing Bluffton and Hilton Head.  The organization was created in 2012 in response to alcohol-related tragedies involving local teens.  The initial meeting was organized by former Beaufort County School Board member Julie Bell, Hilton Head High Principal Amanda O’Nan and Hilton Head High parent Roberta Foss.  The goal was to organize a coalition representing the entire community: schools, parents, law enforcement, government, faith-based and civic groups, youth groups, social service agencies, media, health care professionals, senior citizens and businesses.

According to a national research study, the 2011 cost to South Carolina, in terms of youth violence, car accidents, crime, injury, poisoning, teenage pregnancy, fetal alcohol syndrome and teen alcoholism treatment, topped $1 billion.

Brian Julius, a native South African entrepreneur who now calls Hilton Head Island home, is on a mission to bring health education to low-literacy communities around the world.

“Speaking Books,” which feature colorful illustrations accompanied by simple spoken text in 27 different languages, are designed to get critical health information into communities where few people can read and where mass media and technology aren’t readily available.

“We can create all of these wonderful medicines, but that’s only half the job,” Julius told Bluffton Rotarians.  “For example, all sorts of health complications result when people can’t read label instructions.”

People with low health literacy are 12 to 18 times more likely not to understand, ignore or confuse medical treatment and preventative measures, Julius said, and so they’re at much higher risk.  Life expectancy is lowest among illiterate people, he added.

Each Speaking Book consists of 16 pages of colorful illustrations supported by straightforward and easy to understand text frequently read by a well-known local celebrity. For each page there is a corresponding push button that triggers a soundtrack of the text, so no matter the level of reading comprehension, the information can be understood.

The battery-powered Speaking Books are self-contained and user driven, Julius said, so the messages can be listened to in any order and as often as necessary.  They provide cost-effective means to present complex health care issues by adapting to cultures and needs of individual communities.

Bluffton knows how to throw a party. And the 35th annual Bluffton Village Festival won’t disappoint.

The festival, coordinated by The Rotary Club of Bluffton, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mother’s Day weekend Saturday, May 11 in Old Town Bluffton. The street fair is truly “a celebration of Bluffton life,” filled with all things quirky, eclectic and family friendly.

This is a day for locals and visitors to enjoy art, music, food, kids’ activities and celebrate all the beauty and charm Bluffton has to offer!  Admission is FREE. 

The Bluffton Village Festival, commonly known as Mayfest, was created to give Bluffton residents and visitors a chance to have some hometown fun and be exposed to the amazing craftsmen, artists and musicians in our region.  

“To me, the festival captures the essence of what makes Bluffton so special,” says Patrick Wright, the Rotary Club of Bluffton’s president-elect and this year’s BVF chairman.

The Rotary Club of Bluffton assumed responsibility of this hometown favorite five years ago. The club’s goal is to maintain the unique spirit of the festival, while continuing to offer more ways for locals and visitors to get
involved. The club, which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year, provides the necessary manpower to run and manage the Old Town Bluffton street party.

The event is managed by dedicated business people and community leaders who live out the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self.”  As Wright says, this is the club’s gift to the community it serves so lovingly.

On the big day, Calhoun Street is full of electric energy and Southern hospitality. Close to 200 vendors from across the South will be selling jewelry, flowers, antiques, print and original artwork, quilts, glass art, pottery and more. The 10,000 or more guests in attendance will have their choice of savory Lowcountry favorites such as the festival’s famous shrimp salad sandwiches from The Church of the Cross along with barbecue, funnel cakes, seafood, smoothies and lemonade. This event is the “epitome of quintessential Bluffton culture.”

As Wright says, “If someone had one day to spend in Bluffton, I would recommend they come to the Bluffton Village Festival. It’s the single best time to experience what Bluffton is all about.”

New this year, in honor of the Festival’s 35^th anniversary, will be the Pie Eating Contest. Contestants will race to see who can devour a tasty strawberry pie the fastest. The mouth-watering pies will be prepared by local bakery, The Sugaree.

Scott Keith, program director and on-air personality for 103.1 The Drive and AM 1130 and FM 93.5 The Island, will act as emcee for the event. What’s more all-American than watching friends, neighbors and total strangers stuff their faces and make a huge mess? “It certainly should be a Pie-a-Palooza, so better keep some antacids on hand for that post-pie recovery,” Keith says. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.

And be sure not to miss the 25^th annual Ugly Dog contest at 1 p.m. on the Main Stage.  This zany and unpredictable event is sponsored by Richard Coeffield of May River Realty. All ugly dogs are welcome to enter! And the “top” three dogs receive a coveted trophy by local potter, Jacob Preston. “We appreciate all the support and people who enjoy the silliness with us,” Coeffield says.

Happy May Day! May Day is celebrated on May 1 and traditionally included a dance around the May Pole. I tried to garner some enthusiasm for a May Day Dance at Rotary this morning…but was unable to get much support! Ah well, I guess the breakfast was more enticing!

One of the really nice parts of being President this year has been to get to know all of the club members a little better and to meet more Rotarians outside our Club. Working with different Rotarians from other clubs this year had allowed me to see that while we are all Rotarians, we do things differently. Some clubs are larger than ours, some more formal, some older…we are all different. The common thread though, when identified as part of the Bluffton Rotary Club, the response is always: “Oh, you’re part of the fun club”.

District Governor Ed Duryea attended and spoke during our 25^th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, April 28^th. He acknowledged our many accomplishments, past, present and on-going, and spoke very highly about our club. In the end though, Ed said we are hard-working and do a tremendous amount for our community and abroad, all while having fun. Not such a bad brand to have for our Bluffton Rotary Club, I think…to be respected for all the good we do and have fun at the same time. I hope you are all having fun this year. I am.

Many thanks again to Barry Connor, Mary O’Neill, Cindy Owens and Deb Karambelas for organizing such a nice, befitting event for our 25^th Anniversary Celebration and to Mary Connor for lovely flowers.  It was a wonderful and special evening.

Many thanks to Laphanie Banks, Mary O’Neill, Sandy Graves and Rodney Vaughn for organizing and creating our first ever Bluffton Rotary Business Connection & Networking Event on Wednesday of last week. Once again, it was a fun, festive and productive event! Everyone had a chance for networking and discovering what different members of the club do, in addition to some wonderful refreshments! This will surely be an annual or semi-annual event going forward!

The 35^th Annual Bluffton Village Festival is right around the corner, Saturday May 11, from 10:00am – 4:00pm. This has grown to be a major fund-raiser for us. Once again a fun event and raising enough money to do some real good in our community! We hope everyone will come on out and enjoy the day and help with the Bluffton Village Festival too!

So, in closing: we have accomplished so much in 25 years. The demographics of the Bluffton Rotary Club and our community have changed. Through it all, we continue to put “Service Above Self”. Bring on the next 25 years!

Thanks for your continued support of our club!

Yours in Rotary,

Dot

The Bluffton Village Festival is celebrating 35 years. In honor of this anniversary, the Rotary Club of Bluffton festival committee is planning its first pie-eating contest and looking for contestants. Contestants will race to see who can devour a tasty homemade strawberry pie the fastest. The mouth-watering pies will be prepared by local bakery, The Sugaree. This is a free event, to begin at 11:30 a.m. on the main stage area. All registered, participating contestants will receive the new 2013 Bluffton Village Festival T-shirt.

There will be three pie-eating heats, held in groups of five each. The winner of each heat will perform again in the championship “pie-off.” The goal of each heat is to eat the pie the fastest, which means the first contestant to finish his/her entire pie down to the tin and stand up will be declared the winner. The judges will decide if the pie is actually finished before ending the contest.

Prizes, including gift certificates to The Sugaree, will be awarded for first, second and third place.

For more information, call 843-815-2277. Visit blufftonvillagefestival.com and click on the “forms” tab to find the rules and registration form. Final deadline for registration is May 1, 2013.

Bluffton Village Festival has a Facebook page...we ask all members active on Facebook to LIKE our Bluffton Village Festival page and invite your friends to LIKE us too!

The recent high-profile success of Bluffton High School’s football team has attracted considerable acclaim, but Principal Mark Dievendorf says that the school’s rapid and dramatic academic improvements should be getting attention, too.

Dievendorf, who is completing his third year at the high school, told Bluffton Rotarians that student achievement has increased across the board over the past two years. And although he believes a data-driven improvement plan he implemented in 2010 has spurred many positive changes, he is quick to credit others for those changes.

“I didn’t teach one lesson,” Dievendorf said. “I didn’t take one test. Our staff and our students have done this.”

Bluffton High has:

· Improved its rating on state-mandated Report Cards from Average to Excellent in just two years.

· Significantly increased students’ state high school exit exam and end-of-course test scores.

· Significantly increased students’ scores on Advanced Placement exams that award students college credits for advanced high school coursework.

· Earned a state 2012-13 Palmetto Gold Award for Academic Performance.

· Earned a South Carolina Department of Education Magna Cum Laude Award for Excellent Performance and Rapid Improvement on the ACT college entrance exam.

· Earned a South Carolina Department of Education Magna Cum Laude Award for Excellent Performance and Rapid Improvement on the SAT college entrance exam.

· Received national recognition by the Washington Post’s High School Challenge Program as one of “America’s Best High Schools,” placing Bluffton High in the top 3 percent of high schools nationally.

· Doubled participation in student activities in the past two and a half years.

Bluffton High’s plan, which Dievendorf said is currently in the third of five phases, relies heavily on the use of data to drive decision-making.

“When I started out in education a long time ago, I wasn’t a data geek,” Dievendorf said. “But I certainly have become one. Any plan you put forth needs to be measured so you can eliminate the strategies that aren’t working and emphasize the ones that are working. The ultimate goal is preparing our kids for life after high school.”

A key component of the plan is an intense focus on writing, Dievendorf said. “And not just in English classes but in all classes. Our students learn how to take a position and support it with solid writing skills.”

Dievendorf said that while Bluffton High’s academic improvements in the last two years are encouraging, there’s no sense of complacency on his team.

“Are we done? No. Do we still have some hills to climb and students who still need to be served? Absolutely. But our focus is on long-term and sustainable improvement.”

In addition to his work in education, Dievendorf is an accomplished trombone player who has recorded and performed with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations.

Before coming to Bluffton, “Mr. D” taught band, orchestra and choir in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area and was principal for 18 years at nationally recognized Jenison High School in Jenison, Michigan. He has been married to his wife Mary for 33 years and has three daughters: Kelly, Lindsay, & Katie.

BEAUFORT – A troupe of drama students from Beaufort High School is attracting growing numbers of fans who support the group’s anti-bullying show, and local Rotarians think so much of the students’ work that they are bankrolling their trip this weekend to a regional Rotary conference in North Carolina.

“If You See Something, Say Something," is a collection of dramatic sketches aimed at getting students to intervene or contact responsible adults when they witness their fellow students being bullied.

“It’s a very positive message delivered in a very powerful way,” said Bill Evans, chairman of the Beaufort County School Board and a member of the Rotary Club of the Lowcountry.  “And it’s exciting to see the production’s creativity and energy gaining a wider audience.”

This weekend’s Zone 33 Rotary Peace Symposium in Chapel Hill, N.C., will attract Rotarians from South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia.  The Beaufort High group performed last month at an Eastern South Carolina Rotary conference in Myrtle Beach, where the students also participated in a question-and-answer session and discussed ways in which the show might serve as a model for statewide Rotary programs.

Seven Rotary clubs in Beaufort County – Hilton Head, Van Landingham, Sunset, Bluffton, Beaufort, Sea Island and Lowcountry – contributed to defraying the drama students’ traveling expenses to Chapel Hill, and the school district is covering their transportation costs.

Beaufort High Drama Director LaRaine Fess and her students performed their show to sixth-graders across Beaufort County earlier this year.  Rotary Club of the Lowcountry members distributed anti-bullying activity books and bookmarkers to students as they left the assemblies, and both contained the school district's toll-free anti-bullying hotline numbers (843-322-2435 or 866-611-1102) and e-mail address (bcsdbullyinghotline@beaufort.k12.sc.us).

“Rotary’s partnership with this performance – and the club’s broader partnership with the school district to help prevent bullying – is what schools and communities should be all about,” said Chief Student Services Officer Gregory McCord.  “We continue to receive messages from middle-schoolers throughout the district who talk about how the show has helped to change their attitudes and perceptions, either as an active participant in bullying or as an observer.

“At the end of the day, we have students and the community fully engaged in support of a unified message.”

Happy April Fool’s Day! If I was better at jokes, this could be a fun President’s Pen this month…but alas, I am not!

March was an excellent month for the club. We participated in hosting a member of the GSE team from Peru and enjoyed getting to know the whole team. We had 5 Rotarians participate in the District Conference in Myrtle Beach and get some great new ideas and fellowship opportunities.

At District Conference, Tom Faber was awarded a Vocational Service Leadership Award – much deserved – for his outstanding leadership in working with youth in Interact and helping start the Rotaract Club at TCL. The Bluffton Rotary Club also received an award for Outstanding Sustained Membership Development – a testament and recognition of our success in retaining and bringing in great new members. Last, but not least, we also received recognition for achieving Presidential and Leadership Citation awards. It is nice to get recognition for the hard work of many!

We were also pleased to induct new members Quinn Baldree and Eric Eckert into the club in March. We will welcome Brad Talbert into our club as a transfer this week. We are so fortunate to get such outstanding new members in the club; thanks to all who are on the lookout for potential new members, as you go through your day to day work and play in the LowCountry!

And for the first time ever, we have planned a Business Expo and Networking Event – a chance for our members to highlight or showcase their own businesses. This is our opportunity to show other members what you do and for us all to be enlightened…plus enjoy a little fellowship, wine and snacks! Come on out on Wednesday, April 24 from 5:00 – 7:00pm and bring a friend!

April is not slowing down though. Our 25^th Anniversary is coming up…we’ll celebrate on Sunday, April 28^th. The actual charter was signed on April 18, 1988 by 29 charter members. We hope to gather many of those charter members for our celebration, as well as our past presidents. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this important milestone for the Bluffton Rotary Club.

There are lots of good things happening in our club and I hope you all feel the excitement! Many clubs are losing members and momentum and we continue to grow and make a difference in our community and abroad! Let’s all take a moment to feel proud of our 25^th Year of the Bluffton Rotary Club!

Quinn Baldree, sponsored by James Brown was inducted into the Rotary Club of Bluffton.

Welcome to the Rotary family Quinn.

Eric Eckert, sponsored by Shellie Hodges was inducted into the Rotary Club of Bluffton.

Welcome to the Rotary family Eric.

The Bluffton Rotary Club – and a dedicated individual club member – received prestigious awards last weekend at the March 22-24 District Conference in Myrtle Beach.

Tom Faber won the Vocational Service Leadership Award for his support of Bluffton High School’s Interact Club and his work in developing a new Rotaract chapter at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.

   The club itself won three honors:

· A Special Award for Outstanding Sustained Membership Development.

· A Presidential Citation for its contributions to meeting the goals of Rotary International.

· A Leadership Citation for its contributions to meeting the goals of Rotary District 7770.

Lowcountry residents en route from Beaufort to Charleston on U.S. 17 drive right through its beating heart. And although passing motorists may look quickly left or right to admire the sweeping views, most don’t fully appreciate what they’re seeing.

The million-acre ACE Basin – named for its three river systems, the Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto – represents one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast. It consists of 350,000 acres of diverse habitats ranging from upland hardwoods and forested wetlands to tidal marshes, barrier islands and beaches. Its unique estuarine system hosts such endangered species as bald eagles, wood storks, ospreys, loggerhead sea turtles and shortnose sturgeon.

Al Segars, a veterinarian for the Marine Resources Division at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, told Bluffton Rotarians that the ACE Basin’s beauty, wildlife and natural resources significantly enhance the overall quality of life for Lowcountry residents. But he emphasizes the danger of taking its gifts for granted.

“We live in a great place, and people are going to want to come here,” Segars said. “The question is how do you handle that growth and development? How do you manage it? It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not going to be cheap, but it has to be done right.”

The ACE Basin is today designated as a world-class ecosystem under the Nature Conservancy’s “Last Great Places” program.

But Segars said that tidal swamps along the basin’s three rivers were clear-cut and diked in the 1700s to develop rice farming that made coastal South Carolina one of the wealthiest places on earth. When the rice culture declined more than a hundred years later, many of the area’s plantations were purchased and turned into hunting retreats, and the new owners were able to manage the former rice fields in ways that encouraged wildlife to thrive.

The ACE Basin Task Force formed in 1988 as a local reaction to developers’ plans to build a thousand-home residential resort and marina on the Edisto River. Private landowners in the area joined forces with The Nature Conservancy, the Coastal Conservation League, Ducks Unlimited and the federal and state governments to defeat the proposed development.

Public and private interests have continued to work together since that time to preserve the area’s extraordinary resources. A key goal is to ensure that traditional uses – farming, forestry, recreational and commercial fishing and hunting – will continue.

Segars said that the ACE Basin offers opportunities for fishing and hunting, boating, hiking, bicycling, bird watching and other nature study.

A key goal for ACE Basin supporters is to make certain that future generations appreciate everything that the vast ecosystem has to offer. To reach that goal, Segars said, it’s vital to focus on young people who increasingly are growing up without being exposed to their natural surroundings.

“If you don’t even come look at it, you won’t help to protect it,” he said.

Segars said that a number of Beaufort County schoolchildren have learned about the ACE Basin from trips on the state agency’s 45-foot catamaran Discovery, as well as through land-based programs. SCDNR staff leads hands-on science activities based on the Lowcountry’s marine ecosystem and resources, and students collect data and interact with marine organisms.

In additional to Segars’ work with SCDNR, he previously owned a private veterinary practice in Hartsville. Segars also works with the state agency focusing on the health of aquatic animals like shrimp and loggerhead turtles, and also on marine mammal standings’. He is also involved in the mariculture industry to help set protocols for shrimp catches and health criteria for imported seafood. Segar assists DHEC with the West Nile virus cases as well. Go to http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/turtles/ for more information on the SCDNR marine turtle conservation program.

A five-person delegation of Rotarians from Peru is visiting the Lowcountry this week, staying in the homes of local Rotarians between Bluffton and Hilton Head.

The Group Study Exchange team members, who made a presentation to Bluffton Rotarians on Wednesday, are studying how their individual professions are performed here in the U.S. While in Bluffton and Hilton Head, they will spend one day with professionals in their respective fields.

The five are: Patricia Alvarez (a restaurant owner from Iquitos), Ana Rimachi (a pharmacist from Iquitos), Agueda Vasquez (a LAN Airlines employee from Iquitos), Dr. Juan Pinto (an endocrinologist from Chimbote), and Percy Castro (a journalist at Tribuna Abiei in from Piura).

The visiting GSE team is from Rotary District 4460 in Peru, which comprises more than 1,000 Rotarians in 44 clubs. While in South Carolina, the group will spend one week each in Charleston, Bluffton-Hilton Head, Georgetown and Columbia.

The GSD team members said Rotary’s service priorities in Peru are clean water, better education and improved public health.

Last week during Rotary, we witnessed a special event as Becki Hale was honored for her Benefactor gift to Rotary International. Beck is the wife of Jim Hale, whom we lost last year. Jim was a long-term Rotarian, past president and a Paul Harris Fellow. Deborah Burt was also recognized for her decision to become a Paul Harris Society Member. We have had Paul Harris Society members in the past, but Deborah is our only one at this time. Past District Governor and currently in charge of Fund Raising for our District, Bernie Riedel did a wonderful job in recognizing both Becki and Deborah.

Sandee Brooks, our Assistant District Governor, was also on hand to present banners for achieving 100% Sustaining Members and Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) for 2012. These flags were given to Jim Hudson, our past president, and Mary O’Neill, Foundation Chair last year and this year.

Even though we have four months to go, the end of year activities and planning for next year are in full swing. District and Presidential Citations were completed and submitted last week. These represent a series of goals that we accomplished this Rotary year, or will accomplish by the end of the year, and takes commitment and planning from the whole board. This weekend, March 1 – 2, Patrick is in Charleston receiving President Elect Training (PETS), so he’ll be prepared to take over in July.

In other news for February, we joined the Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. The board approved a $1,000 donation toward the new children’s playground for the Hilton Head Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Project. The Leadership class is building a shrimp boat in DuBois Park, which will be a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren. We can all be proud of this contribution to the Town and park!

Coming up in March, we have District Conference in Myrtle Beach, March 22 – 24; Laphanie, Megan, Mary, Patrick and I will attend. The Group Study Exchange (GSE) team from Peru will be visiting March 10 – 16 and we will help house two members of the team. They will attend our meeting on March 13, so we’ll all have a chance to meet them.

We’ve made it through the rainy season of the last couple of weeks…looking forward to sunny and windy days of March…and the time change in just another week! Remember Service Above Self every day!

Yours in Rotary,

Dot

Bingo is an intrinsic part of our Wednesday mornings at Rotary. We go for weeks and months and years without a hitch and then…BAM! Because of the “hitch” in December, we asked our Sergeant At Arms, Rodney Vaughn, to record the Bingo rules as we are in play today. These written rules have been reviewed and approved by your Board of Directors and are hereby declared to be the “official” Bingo Rules for the Bluffton Rotary Club. Please take a few minutes to review Bingo Rules. Thank you!

People over 50 have probably heard it a thousand times: Exercise is a vital part of staying healthy and preventing heart disease. But what they may not know is that regular exercise can also serve as an early warning system when heart problems develop.

“Think of it as a self-stress test,” cardiologist Dr. John C. Sharp Jr. told Bluffton Rotarians. “If exercise is part of your routine and if your heart is accustomed to handling the increased workload from exercise, then your regular workout can help you identify problems early from symptoms like chest pain, fatigue and shortness of breath.”

Dr. Sharp, who has practiced in the Lowcountry for 13 years, cited heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American men and women and also the nation’s No. 1 health care expense.

Dr. Sharp said that aging inevitably brings on an increased risk of blocked coronary arteries – and heart attacks.

“The heart is a pretty miraculous machine,” he said. “But 50 percent of Americans over the age of 50 have some sort of heart condition, and it’s not something that can be ‘cured.’ ”

Dr. Sharp said that the key to healthier aging is preventive maintenance, and for people with risk factors for heart disease – he cited examples like poor diet, smoking and a family history of heart problems – the priorities should be on cholesterol management and aspirin therapy.

Statins – drugs such as Lipitor and Zocor – can lower cholesterol levels and help to keep arteries from becoming clogged. And Dr. Sharp said that 40-45 minutes of exercise, four to seven days a week, can reduce cholesterol levels by as much as 15 percent.

For patients with risk factors, taking 81 mg “baby aspirin” every day can inhibit clotting from blood platelets. “Aspirin is possibly the most important weapon we have in guarding against a heart attack or stroke,” he said.

In a heart-related crisis, Dr. Sharp said, the critical factor is time.

“Time is muscle,” he said. “We can open up coronary blood vessels within 60 minutes through catheterization, and by doing that we can save heart muscle that a blockage will permanently destroy without a fast response. If you notice the symptoms, don’t mess around

Our famous Bluffton Rotary Oyster Roast was a huge success, enjoyed by many locals and visitors to the area. Weather was absolutely perfect, as was the music, brats, hotdogs, chili, oysters and beer! Many thanks to Scott, Tray, Michele, Lisa, Bob, Mike and all the many volunteers required to make this a great event that the community looks forward to each year! And a reminder from our diligent Treasurer: if you sold tickets and have not turned your money in, please bring money to the meeting on Wednesday. We need all ticket revenues in before we can declare the final net proceeds from our event.

We started out January on a high note with our Denim and Diamonds themed Holiday Party on January 12 at the Rotary Community Center. This was loads of fun for all…and great entertainment from our DJ, as well as many talented Rotarians trying out for karaoke! Thanks to Dan, Rodney, Deb, Cindy and Mary for great planning & execution!

With February, we start looking ahead to some Rotary District level events. The annual District 7770 Conference is being held in Myrtle Beach this year, March 22 – 24. This conference is open to any Rotarian (and guest). For more information, check out: www.rotary7770.org.

Laphanie is starting to work on our first ever Business Expo, tentatively set for April 24. More details to follow, but start thinking about what you’d like to do.

We are also starting to look forward to the Bluffton Village Festival, to be held Saturday, May 11. This will be the 35^th Anniversary of this great, down-home event. Jared and his team have put together a new logo and great-looking website! Check it out at www.blufftonvillagefestival.com. If this is a project you are interested in, talk to Patrick…there is plenty of need for creative ideas and hard work to go around and he is already gathering committee members.

And speaking of anniversaries…our 25th Bluffton Rotary Club Anniversary is in April…so watch for more exciting news of celebrations in the weeks to come!

As we roll into the spring months and longer days, we have much to look forward to and many things to be proud of already this year. Thanks for your continued support and dedication to Rotary! And don’t forget the BOGO for RI donations this month.

Yours in Rotary,

Dot

Photo by: Ron Roth

Fewer Americans these days understand the basics of business, and Junior Achievement wants to change that from the ground up – starting in elementary school.

“Our mission is to empower students to own their economic success and make wise decisions about their financial futures,” said Chad Vail, a member of the Daniel Island Rotary Club and President of Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina, Inc.  “We want to introduce young people to the world of business.”

Junior Achievement describes itself as the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to make smart academic and economic choices.  JA programs, which are delivered in schools by corporate and community volunteers, provide hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.

Vail told Bluffton Rotarians that Junior Achievement provides age-appropriate, “turn-key” classroom lessons to volunteers who use those lessons to help make classroom learning more relevant to students.

Vail’s passion for Junior Achievement originated when, as a young entrepreneur running his own business in the Charleston area, he found that young job applicants had little knowledge of business operations and a poor grasp of personal financial literacy.

“Our classroom lessons provide students with real-world experiences that they can build on as they make decisions and move forward with their lives,” he said.  “And isn’t that a wise investment of time for us as Rotarians?”

Nationwide, Junior Achievement reaches 4.2 million students per year in more than 120 markets across the country, with an additional 6.5 million students served by operations in 117 other countries worldwide.

Vail said that Junior Achievement’s ability to help students is limited only by the availability of community volunteers to deliver the organization’s pre-packaged classroom lessons.  Persons interested in volunteering can contact Vail at Chad.Vail@ja.org or by calling him 843-745-7050.

Vail is a native of Summerville and a graduate of Summerville High School and the College of Charleston with a degree in Corporate Communication, with International Business and German minors.  He is also a graduate of the South Carolina Economic Development School.

Our District 7770 is looking for Rotary Clubs to sponsor an Ambassadorial Global Grant Scholar. The District and Rotary International fund one year scholarships for graduate study abroad, with sustainable, high-impact outcomes in one of Rotary’s six areas of focus: peace and conflict prevention/resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development.  

Ambassadorial Global Grant Scholarships are for study during one academic year abroad and provide funding by a cash grant from which the applicant must provide for round-trip transportation, tuition and fees, room, board and language training (if necessary) and living expenses.

Back by popular demand is our District Foundation BOGO Event!!! Yes, we are again offering the Buy One, Get One Free deal where for every dollar you contribute to Our Foundation, the District will match it (Minimum $100.00 contribution). 50,000 Points are available!

So, if you need $800 for your first/next Paul Harris Fellow… You put in $400 and we match it with 400 points and you have made it. Need $200? Put in $100 and we match it… Done! It is that simple. A Win… Win!

A Southern Beaufort County organization that serves intellectually and developmentally disabled adults worries that it may be fighting a losing battle over the long term because the area produces more clients that it can serve – and its funding is shrinking.

Hal Wieland, business manager of Programs for Exceptional People, told Bluffton Rotarians that the organization currently works with 45-50 disabled adults between the ages of 18 and 84.  And each year, local high school special education programs add about 30 “new” disabled adults to the populations of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.

“The schools do a terrific job with their special education programs,” Wieland said.  “But after disabled people leave high school, where do they go?  If it wasn’t for PEP, these folks would be propped up at home watching TV.

“We’re the only adult day program for our clients in southern Beaufort County.  We not only give them constructive and interesting things to do, we also help family members who often are the primary care-givers.  Without PEP, they might have to quit their jobs to provide care.”

The Rotary Club of Bluffton will hold its famous 23^rd annual winter Oyster Roast from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Bluffton Oyster Factory Park in Old Town Bluffton RAIN or SHINE. This is a highly popular event that brings out area residents and visitors to enjoy the oysters, entertainment, bonfire and the beautiful May River scenery at sunset.

This year’s event chairman, Scott Mutterer, says the annual oyster roast is one of those laid-back Lowcountry traditions. “It’s a way to reconnect with friends after the hustle of the holidays. What could be better than great food, great music and all your friends cozied up by the fire?” Mutterer says. 

Guests can shuck and dip all the salty, steamed, freshly picked May River oysters they can handle. For the non-oyster lovers, the event will offer chili to warm the soul; tasty steamed hot dogs and brats; and the famous, homemade Rotary hand-cut fries. Soda, beer and wine will be available for an additional cost. Local favorite Low Country Boil returns to entertain the crowd with their bluegrass sound.  

Several Rotarians will also volunteer their time to serve food and drinks to the masses; 600 tickets are available and usually sell out. Bluffton Rotary President Dot Jeger says, “It’s just a good time… a time when the community comes together to enjoy each other and the local favorites Bluffton has to offer.”

Come experience a Bluffton tradition, dig into tasty May River Oysters and help support the Bluffton Rotary’s efforts in the community and around the world. Advance tickets are $25 per person, $30 day of the event. This event often sells out so call for tickets at 843-815-2277, go online at www.blufftonrotary.org or ask any Bluffton Rotarian for tickets. For the latest event updates, like the Bluffton Rotary Annual Oyster Roast on Facebook.

Coming up: in January we have our Denim and Diamonds themed Holiday Party on January 12 from 6:00 – 10:00 at the Rotary Community Center! This is sure to be fun…and a relaxing evening with friends, after the holidays...hope to see you all there!

Also in January is our famous Bluffton Rotary Oyster Roast, on Saturday January 26^th. We hope you’re all planning to come out, join in the fun…and help with this very special event. This is our only “operations” fund-raiser, to raise money for our club expenses versus contributions accounts, where the money goes to some charitable group or event. Don't forget to invite all your friends and give money (cash or checks) to Michelle Cleland as you sell your tickets. Thanks for your help and support!

December seemed to fly by…a very busy month with several service projects underway! We started the month with the Bluffton Christmas parade, where our past (and present) Rotary Presidents scooped poop behind the horses. After helping with this activity, I have added it to the service project list!

We adopted families through our Christmas Angels project again this year; in all, we helped feed 38 people and provided Christmas gifts for 19 children! Special thanks to Sarah, Megan and the entire Bluffton Rotary Club for making this happen!

We rang the bell for Salvation Army in front of Kroger’s grocery store on Saturdays in November - December, raising money for the many local projects and good things Salvation Army does for our community.

In honor of family month and the support of our family members for Rotary and our many projects, we hosted a family breakfast in December with special entertainment by the Singing Eagles from MC Riley Elementary School. The music was perfect for getting us “in the spirit of Christmas and such talent!

We had a little spill in the Rotary storage facility over the holidays…many thanks to Wil Saleeby, James Brown, Scott Mutterer and Jared Jester for helping clean up, take inventory and restack everything! Getting a good inventory will help us in better managing expenses for the oyster Roast…and insure we have less waste going forward. And while we are thanking folks, let’s not forget Barry Connor who lets us use his storage facility year after year, without charge…a great big THANK YOU to Barry for your generosity!

We hope everyone had a special holiday and wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

Happy 2013!
Dot

Congratulations 2013-2014 Roatary Board Members !!
Photo by: Ron Roth

Thank you all for your dedication to the Rotary Club of Bluffton and Service above Self!!

President: Patrick Wright, President Elect: Steve Miller, Vice President: Jim Hudson, Secretary: Sandy Graves, Sgt. at-Arms: Megan Mack, Membership: James Brown, Club Administration: Tom Faber, Youth Services: Mike Sands.
Not shown in the picture: Treasurer: John George, Public Relations: Jared Jester, Rotary Foundation: Mary O'Neill, Service Projects: Sarah Reed, Past President: Dot Jeger.

Rotary Club of Bluffton Rotarians, Sean Doran and Steve Miller, and many other Rotarians “rang the bell” outside of Kroger to raise money for the Salvation Army.  It has been a long standing tradition for the Rotary Club of Bluffton Rotarians to volunteer their time from November thru December to “Ring the Bell” for the Salvation Army. This is just one of the many fund raisers the Rotary Club of Bluffton is involved in to support our community. 

Photo By: Ron Roth

Eighteen years after ethnic genocide resulted in the murders of as many as a million Rwandans, the landlocked central African nation is making slow but steady progress toward improving the lives of its people.

Peace Corps volunteers from the United States are doing their part to help, said Whitney Goldman, who spoke to Bluffton Rotarians this week. Goldman, whose parents live on Hilton Head Island, was home on a break from her work in Rwanda, where she lives with her husband and fellow Peace Corps volunteer.

Considerable international aid came to Rwanda after years of spasmodic violence between the country’s majority Hutu and minority Tutsi boiled over in 1994. After 100 days of horrific violence, the number of dead was estimated to be between 800,000 and 1 million.

A period of national reconciliation began when the violence ebbed, and for the past decade Rwanda's economy and tourist numbers have grown slowly but steadily. The country has low levels of corruption, and Transparency International ranked Rwanda as the eighth cleanest out of 47 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. But Goldman said that despite the improvements, much work remains to be done.

“There’s virtually no private-sector industry in Rwanda,” Goldman said. “The people survive mostly with subsistence farming. They can’t exchange agricultural products because there’s no infrastructure.”

The Bluffton Rotary Club, with the generosity and support of its members, is making many local children and families feel the “merry” in Christmas this holiday season!

In just three weeks, Bluffton Rotary Club members donated $653.15 toward the Christmas Angels fund, which the club then matched for a total of $1306.30. Add to that total the Bingo donation of $2717 and Sarah Litchfield and Megan Mack, chairs for the event, had over $4,000 to work with!

With funds in hand, we were able to adopt ten children from Bluffton Self Help, so they will have presents under the tree this year. We also adopted five children for presents from Beaufort Memorial Hospital HealthLink.; these children are currently undergoing therapy for physical disabilities. Michele Cleland helped identify a family in need, which gave us two more children to adopt for presents.

In addition, we adopted eight families (38 people) through Family Promise of Beaufort County; these families will receive food for a Christmas Dinner.  One of these families was also adopted for gifts along with food.

Altogether, we are helping feed 38 people and providing Christmas gifts for 19 children! Special thanks to Sarah, Megan and the entire Bluffton Rotary Club for making this happen!

Here's a wonderful way to support Rotary!  You can help Rotary win up to 10 million United Airlines travel miles.  It won't cost you a penny - and the miles will be used to help numerous Rotary projects.   

Rotary won 2.5 million miles last year in this event. In the past Charity Miles have provided transportation for Rotary International's Gift of Life surgical teams. Last year these teams traveled to Haiti and El Salvador, where volunteer doctors and nurses from the United States performed life-saving heart surgery on many children and provided important training for local doctors. Charity Miles have also helped Rotary International transport Iraqi children with birth defects to U.S. hospitals for treatments they cannot receive at home.  

Charity Miles are also used to send volunteers to help immunize children during National Immunization Days. And, Charity Miles provide airfare for financially disadvantaged Rotary youth exchange students so they may live and study overseas for one school year, enabling 8,000 secondary school students to study abroad in 80 countries around the world.

All you have to do is go to  Charity Miles and vote for Rotary International.  You can vote once a day until December 25th.  Rotary is neck and neck with the Shriners - your vote may just make the difference!

And don't just vote yourself!  Share this message with your network of friends. If you are a Facebooker, a Twitterer or a Texter - get cracking and spread this message.  Remember, by winning these Charity Miles, we can bring smiles to the faces of thousands of underprivileged children! 

November has come and gone. If you’re like me, you ate enough for Thanksgiving to be able to skip Christmas altogether…but what fun would that be?

This is a wonderful time of year, a time full of hope and generosity as evidenced by the Bluffton Rotary Club members deciding to give the Bingo pot to the Christmas Angels fund. Because of your generosity, 40 children will have a Christmas this year!

Also in the spirit of giving, we continue working on Saturdays to “Ring the Bell” for the Salvation Army and all the good works they do. And in November, we had a tremendous turnout of almost 150 children from Red Cedar, MC Riley and Bluffton Elementary Schools. Happy Feet is a special project allowing children in need to pick out a new pair of shoes. Many of these children have never had that privilege before and it is fun to see their excitement and pride.

In November, we welcomed two new members: John Anderson and John Beiler! We bowled with other Area 4 clubs for some fun at Station 300. We gave to the American Red Cross and sent money to Rotary Clubs in the northeast to help with support for victims of Superstorm Sandy. And with November being “Foundation Month”, we heard from our Foundation Committee each week and we made the first half of our payment for our Annual Programs Funds (APF). The Annual Programs Fund helps fund Happy Feet each year.

Looking forward, December is “Family Month”. In honor of the support and hours of help from our family members, we invite them to partake of our delicious breakfast on December 12 as a guest of the club and enjoy the special Christmas melodies of the Singing Eagles from MC Riley.

In closing, let’s all stay in the wonderful spirit of the holidays that we experienced last week and enjoy the festivities of the season. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all!

The Bluffton Rotary Club has been playing Bingo with the same deck of cards since October 2011. The pot started at zero and steadily grew as the cards slowly dwindled. Week after week, a member drew a card…every card but the joker. The pot grew to $1,000 and interest increased, as did attendance. And still no winner. Then there were 10 cards left…then 5…and finally only two cards left, with still no winner. Suspense increased, as did attendance. We could all feel the excitement in the air.

On November 14, with only the Joker left, the drawn ticket produced a winner. But alas, the ticket had been purchased for someone not present and the rule “must be present to play” made the ticket invalid. The board met and decided on two proposals for moving forward. The two proposals were emailed to membership. Options were presented to the members for a vote at the Bluffton Rotary Club meeting on November 28. A third option was added from the floor, then a fourth option added from the floor. The fourth option was to give the bingo pot to the holder of the winning ticket, even though he was not present to play.

At the last minute, our ticket holder, Pike Jones, made a motion that he wanted his name removed from option 4, as he was not there and should not win. Instead, Pike reminded us all that there are many people in our community in need, as evidenced by the almost 150 children we just bought shoes for at Happy Feet and the number of families and children we are adopting for our Christmas Angels projects. Pike then asked for option 4 to give all the money to our Christmas Angels fund.

In the vote, the club resoundingly voted to give the bingo pot (an amazing $2,717) to the Christmas fund! The Christmas spirit and Rotary 4-way test were truly with us on Wednesday morning! I am proud of each and every member in our club and proud to be a member of the Bluffton Rotary Club. Thanks for all you do, your generosity and caring spirit! And thanks to our real heroes, John George who bought Pike’s ticket for him, turned it back in and upheld the 4-way test on November 14 and Pike for his generosity and understanding! With this generous gift from the Bluffton Rotary Club, 40 local children will have a Merry Christmas!

The Rotary District 7770 Online interactive auction, to benefit polio and local Rotary causes is open for bidding, November 14 - 18! There are lots of great "local" auction items, including gift certificates for local restaurants, spas and gift stores. We have "Shop & Dine in Old Town Bluffton", paddle board tour & lesson, Hula Hoop lesson, haircuts, hydra-facials, golf packages, timeshare condos, Wyndham Crowne Resort package and even some property to auction! And that's just in our lowcountry area.

Other donations include some pretty exciting options such as: an Argentina Dove Hunt, Charleston Harbor Sailing, tickets for shows at the Carolina Opry, Oak Ridge Boys Christmas show tickets and numerous getaways (Charleston, Edisto Island, mountains)...something for everyone!

Think Christmas shopping or something special for yourself...or just help Rotary with our goal to eradicate Polio! Go online and sign in today to bid on your favorite items...but don't forget to check back again to keep up with the bidding! GOOD LUCK!

To see these and many other auction items, check the website below.

District 7770 Online Auction

Our own Rotary member John Kinzer is coming home. John has been in Scotland these past few weeks, recuperating from an illness. However, he has been given the okay to come home and will be arriving late Wednesday, November 14th. He will go to NHC's Rehab Center, to help with his recovery. John will be happy to receive cards or visitors after a couple of days to recover from jetlag, so call and stop on by NHC.

Welcome back, John!

Thanks to all that participated in our first bowling event on Sunday! Bowling was fun…camaraderie, fellowship and competition…what more could you ask for? We hope this is the first of many outings!

For the friendly competition (scores based on first two games only): High scorer was John (Jack) Mosca, from the Okatie club…170 and 167. Way to go, Jack! Low scorer was Maud, our exchange student from France…23. But she kept on trying! High team average, Okatie Rotary: Jack & Joy at an average of 125.75 for the two games. 2^nd place: Van Landingham team of "Stud, Big Mann and Yeager" with a team average of 110.16. Low Scoring team, from our Bluffton club: average 85.75. Our Bluffton high scorer was Karen Lavery with a high score of 148!

We’ll try to organize again in the new year, on a Thursday after work…let us know if you are interested!

Update from John's daughter, Mary Herbkersman: John is improving a "WEE" bit.  He is determined and working hard daily. At the end of this stay, be prepared...he may have a Scottish accent!

Thanks to all Rotary members for your support. John really enjoyed the (first) card from the Rotary members.  It meant so much to him.

The S.C. Department of Revenue announced on October 26, 2012 that approximately 3.6 million Social Security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers have been exposed in a cyber attack . Anyone who has filed a South Carolina tax return since 1998 is urged to:

Visit www.protectmyid.com/scdor and use the activation code SCDOR123

Under a deal negotiated with a credit monitoring agent, South Carolina citizens whose tax returns were hacked will be eligible for fraud resolution for life.

Experian’s ProtectMyID™ Alert is designed to detect, protect and resolve potential identity theft, and includes daily monitoring of all three credit bureaus. The alerts and daily monitoring services are provided for one year, and consumers will continue to have access to fraud resolution agents and services beyond the first year.

Please go to the State of South Carolina's website and protect yourself from possible identity theft.  http://governor.sc.gov/Pages/default.aspx

For complete information read the October 26, 2012 Press Release

October has been a beautiful month…making us all remember why we choose to live in the SC LowCountry!

After 12 months of hard work from the Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival committee members and lots of extra volunteer hours from the Bluffton Rotary Club members, the Arts and Seafood Festival is another successful memory! The Arts & Seafood Festival started as a Rotary event, the brainchild of past president Dan Wood. When the festival continued to grow, it was spun off into its own entity with its own set of volunteers, committee members and executive board officers. The Arts & Seafood Festival is not designed to make money, but to “raise awareness that fosters protection of the May River and the rich culture and history of our area for the enjoyment of generations to come”. Because we supply the bulk of volunteers before, during and after the festival, the Bluffton Rotary Club has been given the “beverage” sales. We are still waiting for the final tally, but we know we made money on the beverage sales, plus had some fun enjoying and working the festival. Thanks for your continued support of this important festival – for our Club and the community of Bluffton!

November is around the corner now. November is Foundation Month, so expect to hear from the Foundation Committee on exciting things going on.

Looking forward, we have a fellowship outing with a friendly bowling tournament at Station 300 on November 11, Happy Feet on November 17^th and the District Online Auction benefitting Polio Eradication and local charities with bidding opening Nov. 14 – 18^th. Ringing the bell for Salvation Army begins in November as does planning for our Christmas Angels service project, providing a little Santa help for families in need.

The excitement continues with our Bingo each week…soon, very soon, we will have a winner! I’m sure we will all cheer for the winner too.

Let’s remember our Rotary families and the many blessings we have in being able to put Service Above Self as we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday. Also please continue to keep John Kinzer and his family in your thoughts, as we pray he will be home soon.

Peace Through Service,

Dot

We hope your solicitation efforts are well underway for our new, exciting District Fund Raiser to support Polio and YOUR local Rotary Causes.  Our deadline is NOVEMBER 1, so be sure to get your items submitted (details and submission instructions are listed below).

Here is a sample of what has already been submitted:

• Charleston Harbor Sailing
• Sublime Prime
• Artist Uncorked Art Class for 2
• Gift Certificate to Tabby Chic
• Cut & Color, Larry's Hair 4 U
• Hair style, cut and color, Style It Salon
• Two Clubhouse Badges - RBC Heritage Golf Tournament
• Fender Acoustic Guitar
• Carolina Opry - 2 Season Passes
• Golf for Four at Sea Pines Country Club
• Spa Pamper Sampler
• $25 Gift Certificate - British Open Pub
• Gift Certificate $100 at Pretty Papers & Gifts
• Golf for 2, Diamond Back
• Golf for 4, Eagle's Nest  
• Myrtle Beach, 2 night stay  
• Charleston Townhouse, 3 nights   
• Daniel Island Audio Video  
• Tax Return Preparation  

IT ONLY TAKES 15 MINUTES
Get started now – take just 15 minutes to call a few contacts who can take advantage of this unique avenue of exposure.  Ask your favorite restaurant, golf course, dry cleaner, hair salon, etc. Consider creating a vacation package or party package.  Request tickets to sporting events or local festivals. The possibilities are endless!

This is a great opportunity to showcase businesses and products throughout the State of South Carolina.  Donors receive a detailed listing with photographs and a link to their website so interested bidders can find out more information.

Forms can be submitted to Click Event Production by Fax, Scan/Email or mailed:
info@clickeventproduction.com 
843-785-2163 (f) 
CLICK EVENT PRODUCTION
55 NEW ORLEANS ROAD #205
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29928

Rotary District 7770 has a long-term partnership with District 4460 in northern Peru, and the  four-week GSE service mission last May, funded by the Rotary Foundation, was a joint service mission of the two districts.  Accompanying team leader Hunt were engineers Tricia Kilgore and Seth Womble, University of South Carolina College of Education student Whitney Waites, Charleston City Planner Stephen Risse and Erin McClam, a farmer from South Carolina’s Midlands.

“The Rotary Foundation is working on building long-term relationships,” Hunt said, “and our partnership with Peru is a terrific example of that.”

The GSE team’s first visit was to Iquitos, the largest port on the Amazon River, which could be accessed only by boat or plane.  More than 200,000 people had been displaced by widespread flooding, and the GSE team worked with local Rotarians to deliver food, clothing and supplies to victims of the high water. 

After leaving the low-lying, jungle-like environment of Iquitos, the GSE team visited several towns in arid, desert-like conditions: Piura, Sullana and Chiclayo.  Sullana had a very active Rotary Club, Hunt said.

Key issues at all stops were education concerns and pollution issues revolving around clean water and sanitation and septic systems.

We are three months into the new Rotary year and it is so gratifying to see the excitement and enthusiasm from our members each week, along with record attendance! Oh wait…that’s not because of the New Year or anything to do with me…but because of the Bingo pot?? Oh well, $1900+ is a lot to get excited about and we are glad to see so many smiling faces each week, regardless of the reason! Thanks for “rising & shining” so early on Wednesday mornings…and thanks to Jane and her team for continuing to give us such delicious reasons for getting here too!

This has been an exciting month in Rotary. Patrick Wright, Mary O’Neill, Deb Boshaw, James Brown and I attended the Future Vision Conference in Sumter SC and got some great ideas and insight into what Rotary is moving toward in the next year! We are now certified as a Future Vision Club.

Our new District Governor, Ed Duryea joined us with a wonderful and personal talk on September 19^th, followed by a quick meeting with the Bluffton Rotary Club Board of Directors. We should all be looking ahead to the District Conference next year and hearing more from Ed and his vision in Myrtle Beach, March 22 – 24, 2013.

Special congratulations to Wil Saleeby for receiving the 4-Way Test Award from DG Ed Duryea! Wil’s nomination came from our members and was well deserved. Wil serves as a great example of what living the 4-way test is all about!

At the Future Vision Conference, we received a challenge for all Rotarians to participate in the new District 7770 Online Interactive Auction. This new fund-raising event includes all Rotary clubs in the district and each Rotarian is being challenged to donate goods or services of at least $100 in value. Let’s put our thinking caps on and find some great donations for Bluffton businesses or your own business or service! More details and forms are available at www.district7770auction.com.

Congratulations to Laphanie Banks for leading the charge with World Changers team to help raise funds for NAMI. With Laphanie’s efforts, they raised $355 on her website, members donated $168.46 through CART fund donations and the club matched $500, for a grand total of $1,023.46! Way to go Laphanie and kudos for you all in helping make us a World Changing team!

Don’t forget Bowling at Station 300 on November 11, from 3:00 – 5:00. Wil is working on rounding up some teams, but plan to come out even if you don’t bowl. All Area 4 Rotary Clubs have been invited, so we are expecting good fun and fellowship for the whole family!

Enjoy this fall weather and continue to be mindful of our 4-Way Test. Of the things we think, say or do:
            1. Is it the truth?
            2. Is it fair to all concerned?
            3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
            4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Thanks for your support and keep the suggestions coming! Peace Through Service,
Dot

District President Ed Duryea presented the banner to Past President Jim Hudson, President Dot Jeger and Mary O'Neill. 

Achieving this honor entails all dues paying members to be a Paul Harris Fellow. Becoming a Paul Harris Fellow requires a donation of US$1,000.00 or more to Annual Program Funds, PolioPlus or the Humanitarian Grants Program, or people who have had that amount contributed in their name. Congratulations to all of the Rotary Club Of Bluffton Rotarians for all of their hard work and dedication.  

District President Ed Duryea presented the Four-Way Test award to Wil Saleeby. The Four-Way Test was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932, it is a code of ethics that 11 years later the Rotary adopted. 

Rotary District Governor, Ed Duryea, shared with the Rotary Club of Bluffton some events that helped shape his life. At age 10, Ed would visit his bed ridden grandmother at a nursing home. After spending time with the aging who knew their time was limited, he soon noticed so many of them were sad for what they had not accomplished in their life. It was then Ed decided “I’m not going to reach the end of my life living with regrets”.

In 1975 Ed was asked by 3 Star General George Forsythe to join the Beaufort Rotary Club. Ed felt this was his “opportunity to half way make something out of his life and make his life count”. Ed served as club President 1978-79 and in 1980 was a founding member of the Sea Island Rotary Club. He is a major donor, Ten Star Rotarian, a member of the Paul Harris Society and the Bequest Society. Ed is also an RLI graduate and was a polio NID volunteer to Nigeria. He also obtained his RN degree to utilize during his short mission trips.

Mark your calendars for the next Rotary After Hours on September 20th, to be held at the BNC Bank in the Wexford shopping area.  From 5:30 to 7:00, you’ll enjoy free libations and nibbles, the camaraderie of fellow Rotarians, and networking opportunities where Rotarians help Rotarians.  Our host Paul Walter and his staff look forward to having you drop in.  Please RSVP to Linda at 686-4100 or at hhrotary@sc.twcbc.com  so we can plan appropriately for refreshments.

Happy September -- fall is coming!

In August, we welcomed our new exchange student Maud Charlet from France and we heard from our 2011-2012 outbound student, Kathryn Grieg, who has returned from a year living in Oldenbourg Germany! 

We celebrated summer with our annual Sandbar Party, on a perfect Saturday in August and the highest sandbar I’ve ever seen! Thanks to Erik Olson for organizing the event, Shellie Hodges for getting food, Mike Tripka for bringing kegs of cold beer, Megan Mack for supplying the entertainment with paddleboards and MIchael Reeves for letting us use his dock for launching the party! And fun was had by all. We are now planning an Area 4 Rotary Club bowling event at Station 300…more details coming soon.

Caporale told the Bluffton Rotary Club on Wednesday that new homes in the project, known as The Glen, would be will be built in two phases on a donated 14-acre site off Marshland Road.  Engineering studies are already under way, and the project’s estimated price tag of $1.85 million would include about $600,000 for road, water and sewer connections.

Please click here to Learn more about the 15th Annual Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity Golf Tournament and Auction.

SC Johnson is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care. It markets such well-known brands as Glade, Pledge, Windex and Ziploc. Hightower explained the $100,000 grant award could be used toward a local sustainability project, and he added that more than 50 American communities are participating in the challenge.

“Some people are always going to recycle, even if they have to go out of their way to do it,” Hightower told the Bluffton Rotarians. “There’s a second group of people who are going to recycle only if it’s convenient. But there’s a third group who might choose to recycle if there were some incentives involved, and those are the people we’re targeting with this promotion.”

The focal point for the recycling challenge is a third company, Recyclebank, which has launched in Bluffton in collaboration with Waste Management. Hightower said Recyclebank is similar to a frequent flyer program, but instead of earning credits for miles flown, residents earn points for recycling household waste and for living a more sustainable lifestyle. Members can then use those points to “shop” at Recyclebank.com for rewards that include deals on household grocery items and discounts at participating national retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Olive Garden.

The key to life, Bill Roper believes, is not giving up when things appear to be at their worst.   Worry, doubt and fear never accomplish anything, he says, except limiting our connection to everything we want or need.

Roper, a Hilton Head-based motivational speaker and budding author, spoke to Bluffton Rotarians on August 1.  He served in the U.S. Army and suffered a serious brain injury when he was thrown from a jeep during the Vietnam War’s 1968 Tet Offensive.  After being quickly evacuated, he received emergency treatment from a neurosurgeon and was placed in an induced coma to allow his brain time to heal.  When he regained consciousness in Washington’s Walter Reed Army hospital, the entire left side of his body didn't function and doctors said he would probably never walk again.

As we look forward to a new Rotary year and the celebration of our 25^th year as the Bluffton Rotary Club, we also want to thank Jim Hudson for his outstanding leadership as President last year. And special congratulations to Tom Faber for receiving the honor of Rotarian of the Year, a much-deserved peer award.

Looking forward, many thanks go to fellow Rotarians who have committed to serve on the new board, as event chairs or on committees this year. We are a very active club and it takes participation from the whole club to accomplish all that we do. Our focus this year will be on our members and to have more fun! With the fun aspect in mind, make sure to mark your calendars for the annual Sandbar Party on August 18^th. This is always a fun afternoon and favorite for many members. We will also welcome our in-coming exchange student in August; she will be with host family Mary and Mike O’Neill as she settles into her first semester of school.

Photo by: Ron Roth  

Molly Smith Director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Low Country explained the main focuses of the club are character, leadership, education, career, health, life skills, the arts, sports, fitness, & recreation.  Each focus will give the children a tremendous opportunity to become productive citizens within the community.

Photo by: Ron Roth

President Jim Hudson of The Rotary Club of Bluffton presented a $10,000.00 check to Board President Peter Bromley, Vice President John Orth, and Executive Director Lili Coleman of Bluffton Self Help. The funds where raised during the Bluffton Village Festival, which is just one of the many events The Bluffton Rotary Club orchestrates to raise money for the community.  

Photo by: Ron Roth 

Hero, Scholar, Musician, Athlete, Humanitarian, Fitness Professional, Executive and much more.

 Ogie Shaw is not your ordinary man by any means. Some may say he is an overachiever, I say, more people should strive to be like him.

Photo By: Michele Cleland

The old saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” truly applies to the
Cornelius family. Bill Cornelius has many honorable achievements to add to
his history. However, none as special as a family member who follows in his
generous footsteps.

Bill's grandson and speaker Andrew Cornelius graduated from Appalachian
State in 2006. He then joined the Peace Corps and spent two and a half years in
Peru. Obviously, slowing down is not an option for Andrew, because he just
received his masters Degree of Arts in International Administration, with a
concentration in Corporate Finance, at the University of Denver. His current
title is “MA Candidate International Administration”.

Andrew explained that the individual mission statements of the Peace Corps
and the Rotary are similar, and there is a natural connection between the two
organizations. The Peace Corps can contribute to Rotary International
projects through their extensive knowledge of the people, land and
overall needs. If you have any questions for Andrew you can email
him at Andrew.cornelius@du.edu

Photo by: Michele Cleland 

As a Bluffton Town Councilman, Bluffton Township Fire District Commissioner and a member of the Bluffton Rotary, Mike Raymond stays very busy. Yet, he recently added author, editor, self- publisher, cover artist, and promoter to his many titles.

MC Riley Elementary School Gifts Bluffton Rotary with their Volunteer of the Year Award
photo by Michele Cleland

Jessica Matthews visits the club on April 20th
Photo by Michele Cleland

The Rotary Club of Bluffton has donated $1,000 to the Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine, a nonprofit organization that provides health care to the “working poor” in Bluffton and Jasper County – residents who are uninsured or underinsured and who don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare.

Rotary also donated $15,000 to the organization last year.

Only two out of every three residents in South Carolina has health insurance, according to BJVIM, which works to bridge that gap.

BJVIM is a member of the national Volunteers in Medicine Alliance, one of 90 independent VIM clinics across the country.

Family income must be at or below 250% of the Federal poverty index. We are a small local solution to a national problem. Although the Affordable Care Act has survived its latest challenge, we believe our services will be necessary for many years to come. There are so few primary care physicians available that even with mandated insurance many of our clients will still have no access to care.

Official estimates are that there are 2,300 people for every primary care physician in Jasper County and 1,000 for every primary care physician in Beaufort County (the national average is 600 to one.)  VIM’s retired volunteer physicians help to fill that gap and offer people with both immediate problems and chronic conditions – diabetes and hypertension are frequent problems – the opportunity to stay functioning members of the community.

According to VIM, most small employers do not offer health insurance and often the salaries are not high enough for the employees to purchase private health insurance.  Many people work part-time jobs that offer no benefits.  By providing primary care, VIM hopes to keep the employed healthy enough to stay working and the unemployed healthy enough to keep seeking work, thereby helping to prevent these people from requiring government assistance.

For more information, call 843-706-7090 or go to www.blufftonjaspervim.org

Dear Rotarians,

We greatly appreciate the support this new fund raising activity has been gaining throughout District 7770 in support of Polio and local causes within individual club’s communities! Complete details about the event are listed below with a link to the website with Rotarian Resources.

The time to act is NOW!
Start asking for contributions today to maximize this unique opportunity to share funds through the Online Interactive Auction. Be sure to leave time to follow up if necessary and to submit your certificates for processing.

This is a great opportunity to showcase business and products throughout the State of South Carolina. Donors receive a detailed listing with photographs and a link to their website so interested bidders can find out more information.

All item certificates must be submitted for processing no later than November 1, 2012.

Download Online Auction Form Here. Please fill out and submit to the following location:

info@clickeventproduction.com 
843-785-2163 (f) 
CLICK EVENT PRODUCTION
55 NEW ORLEANS ROAD #205
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29928

Club Member, Matt Miller, gives the club a presentation on the Boy Scouts of America.
Photo by Michele Cleland

Congratulations to our May Student of the Month, Sydney Tully
Photo by Michele Cleland