President Dick O’Donnell presided. Sid Little led the prayer and pledge. Dick announced birthdays and anniversaries, and also thanked all who participated in the blood draw.
Dick then shared about a special initiative for emergency responders at Cone Health.
There are over 200 emergency responders at Cone Health. Due to maximum capacity and staffing shortages within the hospital, these emergency responders need support now more than ever. Your Rotary Board has approved an Alamance Rotary Emergency Responder Project to provide helping hands by:
1. Donating a specified number of meals during a shift (day or night shift) at an estimated cost of $11 each. Shifts range from 10-45 people for each shift. The meals would be purchased from Burlington Beer Works. You decide how many meals you wish to provide at $11 each. Click https://alamancerotary.org/member-center/pay-online/ to give via PayPal and list “Emergency Responder Project” as the designation.
2. Gift cards or other items to show our appreciation (Mike Brown has already donated a number of rooms at the Mebane Acorn Inn). If you have a gift item to contribute, please contact Richard Atkins (336-707-3689).
Now is the time for our members to shine by demonstrating our care and concern for those who are being pushed to their limits. Please donate by February 28th if you’re able!
Ed Woodall had the member spotlight. He is a community banker and is currently feeling positive about his ability to provide small businesses PPP loans. He grew up in Reidsville and was the first in his family to go to college. He is married to Danielle, they have three kids and live in Mebane.
Program: Tim Dallas – Director at Carolina Biological Supply
Chris Jernigan introduced our speaker, Tim Dallas, a Director for Carolina Biological Supply (CBS), headquartered here in Burlington, NC. CBS is one of the oldest companies in Alamance County (93 years), it was started in 1927 by Dr. Thomas E. Powell, Jr. a science professor at Elon. (Dr. Powell is Dr. Sam Powell’s father.)
In the 1920s, Dr. Thomas Powell roamed the local woods and fields for his own specimens to be used in the classroom and began to also collect for his colleagues. Eventually, this turned into a small family-run business supplying science supplies for area teachers, instructors, and professors. Tim joined CBS some time ago when the company decided it needed some business experts in management and not just scientists. Tim’s expertise is in the areas of production, inventory, controls, and logistics.
The company is now the largest hands-on math and science products company in the U.S. (and possibly beyond). It serves K-12, colleges, and universities. The headquarters on York Road has 40 buildings and retains its campus feel just as Dr. Powell originally intended. There is also a distribution center located at Rock Creek and facilities in Texas and Louisiana. There are 400 employees now, but it remains family-owned.
Some of the unusual items CBS sells includes:
Hundreds of thousands of butterfly larvae each spring
Live spiders used in Hollywood movies
Termites
Pond scum
Acorns sold to Elon University and then given to all of Elon’s first-year students (which are picked up from the ground around the CBS main buildings)
CBS essentially supplies everything needed in a lab including furniture, equipment, and more. During the pandemic, they have greatly expanded their sales of science kits and online learning solutions.
Dick thanked Chris and Tim for the fabulous presentation.
Conclusion
Dick wrapped up the meeting with the Four-Way Test.