CART BUCKETS COLLECTED:  $140.09  MATCHED BY Jim Puryear  TOTAL FOR OCT $280.18

 

1 - Join us at the Westin on Tuesday, November 8th to hear from Harry Lightsey, SC Secretary of Commerce

Mr. Lightsey was appointed by Governor McMaster to serve as Secretary of Commerce in June 2021. A fixture in South Carolina’s business community for decades, Lightsey served in top executive leadership roles for major corporations in South Carolina and across the nation. Notably, he served as the president of BellSouth Telecommunications for South Carolina prior to the company’s merger with AT&T, afterward becoming president for AT&T’s Southeast region.

Following his 26 years in the telecommunications industry, Lightsey joined the General Motors Corporation where he directed the legacy automaker’s federal government affairs operation, as well as the emerging technologies, OnStar and infotainment divisions. Lightsey most recently served as a principal with Hawksbill Advisors – a subsidiary of Hawksbill Group. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, Virginia.

Mr. Lightsey is a 1978 graduate of Princeton University, and a 1981 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law.

2 - Welcome new member & returning member!

Jeff Cox comes to us from Cantey Technology Consulting & is sponsored by Terry Weaver. Welcome to the club Jeff!

Cory Harrison returns to our club. Cory is the Executive Director at the YMCA Greenville.
Glad to have you back Cory!

Alexander Elementary Thankful for You Teacher Treat hand outs 11/4 : sign up here


*Thanksgiving break is approaching for students at Alexander Elementary School. This means no access to free/reduced meals for breakfast and lunch when there is no school. Our club will be preparing food boxes for the school to hand out to those families that they identify as having a need.

Suggested items to bring to the Westin on 11/8:
Peanut butter
boxed macaroni and cheese (or quick cook mac and cheese cups that just need water)
poptop cans - chef boyardee meals and soups
Anything else that is shelf stable and easy to prepare

Can't make it to the Westin but still want to donate? Email Jeni

Assemble & hand out Thanksgiving boxes at AES on 11/17: sign up here

4 -  Kringle Holiday Village Sponsorships still available. Details here.

Mingle @ Kringle: 5pm-9pm
Meet your friends, coworkers, or just that special someone to enjoy a cup of Holiday Cheer on District 356 at the first-ever Mingle at Kringle!  The great sounds of Steel Toe Stiletto, fun Biergarten games, warm Gluhwein mugs, food with a European flair, dancing, and holiday shopping will replace the stress of the holidays with Fun! Fun! Fun!

Glühwein  is a "must-have" at Rotary's Kringle Holiday Village!
 
Nothing says it's Christmas time quite like drinking that first Glühwein from a mug whilst strolling among the candy-striped tents at a German Christmas Market.  You can have the same experience at this year's Kringle Holiday Village, happening December 9th-11th at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC!
 
Glühwein is closely likened to mulled wine, something that exists as a cheery warming agent in plenty of cultures during the dark and chilly winter months.  The German word itself directly translates to mean "glow wine" in English.  This name was derived from the red hot irons used to heat the wine across the Germanic cultures when the drink first became popular hundreds of years ago.  The recipe has remained the same since the drink's early days where a base of red wine is combined with popular spices of the season.
 
This annual event is quickly becoming a great Christmas tradition for "young and old alike" here in Greenville!

5 - Don't miss our great upcoming meetings & time to network with your fellow Rotarians!

Nov 8 -Luncheon at the Westin with Harry Lightsey, SC Secretary of Commerce. RSVP

Sunday afternoon SWAMP RABBITS discounted tickets -Tickets Here.

Nov 17 -Coffee & Conversation, a chance to meet up with fellow Rotarians from our club. 10AM at Chestnut Coffee House & Local Market, 325 Rocky Slope Rd, Ste 101.  BRING: Money for a beverage of your choice & the readiness for connection.No need to RSVP, you can just show up.

Nov 18 -District 7750's Rotary Foundation Celebration & Dinner  - RSVP

Use the links above to register.  (We don't require registration for lunch meetings, but it's appreciated.)

6 - Discover Rotary

The evening Discover Rotary will be at 5:30 pm 11/15 via Zoom.

7 - Member News

Rotarian Josh Fowler becomes President of Davis & Floyd:

“D|F is thrilled to announce the addition of Josh Fowler, PE, to our Executive Leadership team as President. He brings diverse experience and knowledge of business operations and engineering, contributing a global reach and local focus to lead enhanced D|F growth efforts in a strategic direction. Complementing my role as CEO, he comes to us tasked with the goal of continuing to build our high-performing team grounded in our long-standing family culture.”

– Stephen Davis

Rotarian Phil Kilgore recieves Harriet Keyserling Conservation Advocacy Award:

Conservation Voters of South Carolina today announced that Commission Chairman, Phillip Kilgore, received the Harriet Keyserling Conservation Advocacy Award, during the Green Tie Luncheon on Wednesday, September 21 at Historic 701 Whaley in Columbia, SC.

This prestigious award honors the legacy of the late Harriet Keyserling, who led the charge on conservation issues, particularly while serving at the State House.

Acting in his role as Chairman of Commissioners of Public Works for the City of Greenville (Greenville Water), Phillip Kilgore has transformed Greenville Water into a leading South Carolina conservation advocate. Phillip’s vision encompasses a multigenerational commitment to natural resource protection through active partnerships with conservation advocates, community groups, and federal, state, and local agencies, for the benefit of all of South Carolina.

Most importantly, Phillip has been able to accomplish his most important conservation objectives despite the pandemic and the economic strains of the last few years. He takes pride in the fact that Greenville Water is providing the most sustainable and affordable drinking water, of the highest quality, to more South Carolina residents than any other water utility in the state.

Please email member news to Ryan Thackray:  ryan.thackray@tnc.org

8 - Trivia

Who won the trivia at the fall social?
1.Wade Kolb
2. Ryan Brown
3. Lucy Henry
4. Penny Robbins

Answer in next week's newsletter.
Last weeks trivia: What is the amount of money that Rotary International President, Jennifer Jones, pledged to the commitment of eradicating polio?
Answer: Jennifer Jones announced a pledge of $150 million toward eradicating polio.

A note about polio from our fellow Rotarian, Beth Padgett: "React calmly yet strong."

The end of polio still is within reach, but it is disconcerting to see signs that the poliovirus is being found in unexpected places. What’s going on and what can we as Rotarians do?

 

First, we can keep the news in perspective. When Rotary adopted the eradication of polio as its primary cause in the mid-1980s, there were about 350,000 reported cases of polio a year.Today, that number is in the hundreds around the world. We should celebrate our progress while we look for ways to complete our promise to the children of the world.

Second, we can continue raising the funds that it will take to continue our vaccination efforts in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan where there is limited health care, little infrastructure for reaching largely inaccessible areas, and large pockets of children who have never had an opportunity to have any vaccination.

Finally, we need to react calmly but strongly to the troubling news about a case of polio in Rockland
County in the state of New York, as well as the evidence that it is in the sewage in two other counties
in New York state. The Rockland County area is one with a large number of unvaccinated people. The county was a hotbed for measles during the 2019 outbreak with 312 confirmed cases. Countries such as the United States do not have the luxury of dismissing the value of vaccinations. Rotarians can counter misinformation and encourage vaccination againsta number of diseases that once took many younglives. Are your children fully vaccinated? Your grandchildren? If not, take action! In New York state, the governor has started a vigorous campaign to encourage vaccinations
in the three counties where there is a 60% polio vaccination rate. Those are the counties where the
virus has been discovered in sewage. The vaccine is readily available. The people have quick access to the vaccine. The issue is persuading people that vaccinations against childhood diseases is critically important.

Remember, there were about 350,000 cases of polio when Rotarians started a historic effort to
eradicate this disease. As of August 31, 2022, there were 21 cases of the wild poliovirus and 272 of the vaccine-derived poliovirus. We should celebrate our progress while we increase our efforts to completeour promise to the children of the world.