Club Business
Today was our first meeting at Burlington Beer Works. The room quickly filled up as a large percentage of our membership showed up. Today BBW served a buffet consisting of baked chicken, barbecued pork roast, broccoli, mac and cheese, and a salad. Cookies were served for dessert. An assortment of beverages were also provided. The new location was a big hit, judging from the nice hum of laughter and conversation.
President Mary Thomas Gilbert brought the meeting to order. Pete Beck led us in prayer and the pledge of allegiance to the US flag. Philip Smith introduced our guests: Bill Scott, president of Alamance Foods and Scott Nance. Next week Don Jennings will have the program.
Click here to see all scheduled program dates and responsibilities.
October Birthdays and Anniversaries
7 | Brooke Carpenter | 12 | Randy and Reida Perkins |
13 | Mary Thomas Gilbert | 12 | Stuart and Betsy Sioussat |
19 | Sid Little | 21 | Mark and Carolyn Rhode |
20 | Micah Fox | 24 | Chuck and Debbie Porch |
Happy Dollar Announcements
- Susan Watson paid a dollar to say how happy she was to be in our new venue. She recognized Carolyn Rhode who has been nominated for the Leading the Way award sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center, which Susan directs.
- Mary Thomas Gilbert thanked the group assembled for making our first meeting at BBW a big success.
- Carolyn Rhode also recognized that our attendance was way up this week. (36)
Program: Sharing by each member…
President Mary Thomas Gilbert asked each member present to share. Below is a summary of remarks in the order of presentation.
- Rodney Councilman is an agent for Farm Bureau Insurance. John Beshel sponsored him. The reason he joined was to be more involved in the community.
- Susan Watson is the director of The Women’s Resource Center. Randy Perkins sponsored her. She loves the opportunity to make friends and serve the community.
- Bonnie Whitaker is branch manager at Truliant in Burlington, where she has worked for 29 years. Don Jennings sponsored her. She said she is excited to be at a new location and plans to attend more regularly.
- Dick O’Donnell is the owner of Man in Green, Inc, which sells phone and credit card services to local businesses. He has been a Rotarian off and on since 1978 in three different clubs in Oregon, Hawaii, and with our club, which he joined nine years ago. He is the president-elect and loves our new location. He likes Rotary’s community service.
- Don Jennings is a Market Executive at New Republic Bank. He has been in Rotary since 1983. He was sponsored at our club by Deva Reece. He particularly likes our weekly programs.
- Debbie Porch has been a member for ten years. She was sponsored by Rob Vivian. She works for Randy Perkins at Prime Personnel Resources, where she has been for the last six years. She said she was excited to be at BBW.
- Pete Beck is the pastor of Life Community Network, a small group based church. Sam Powell was his sponsor. He is a past president and says serving in that capacity was one of the highlights of his Rotary career. He said the teamwork on the current board is amazing. Pete does the website and club communications. He particularly enjoys the fellowship at the meetings.
- Philip Smith has been in the club for ten years. He works for Apple, Bell, Johnson. Mike Dunning was his sponsor.
- Phil Brown spent his career running a LifeCare community care facility. After retirement his wife encouraged him to rejoin Rotary, at which time he joined our club, where he serves as treasurer. He likes to rub elbows and to be involved in the community. He served as a District Governor in a previous club.
- Deva Reece said he joined Rotary as a much younger man in the late 1970s in Asheboro. At that time no women were allowed. When he moved to Burlington he joined the Breakfast Club, where he served as president. He looks forward to meeting at BBW.
- David Moore owns his own insurance consulting firm. When he aged out of the Jaycees, Julian Griffin invited him to join Rotary. He is a past president and one of the longest tenured members.
- Micah Fox joined our club ten years ago. He was asked by his boss at Northstar Marketing to get involved with Rotary. Pete Beck was his sponsor. He is one of our past presidents and still serves on the board and at the district level. He joined Rotary for the networking but quickly realized that the mission and vision provide an ongoing reason for being a member.
- Jeffrey Smythe introduced himself as Burlington’s new head librarian. He police chief’s uniform told a different story, however. Jeff was a member of Rotary in Arizona before moving to our area. He joined our club several years ago and applauded our efforts in literacy and youth leadership training, saying that both positively affect the community and lower crime.
- Chuck Stedman is our sole remaining charter member. He is an attorney with Stedman Law. He has enjoyed watching the evolution of Rotary’s mission and vision over the years. He also mentioned that he enjoys the weekly programs where we learn about other businesses and groups in the area.
- Trip Durham has been a member for about a dozen years. He own 2D Consulting. He said he thinks of Rotary as a set meal every week where he is guaranteed good fellowship.
- Betty Andrews is the owner of Betty Andrews Investment Management. Jerry Cobb invited her to attend the lunch meeting.
- Brooke Carpenter works for Betty. She invited him to one of our meetings. After seeing so many old friends, he wanted to join. He works with our Youth Services committee and loves the Rotary Reads program. He hopes that we expand that.
- Ed Woodall has been a member for twelve years. Carolyn Rhode was his sponsor. He has been a banker since 1992. Serving as president gave him a new appreciation for Rotary. He thanked the current board for their leadership in moving to BBW.
- Cliff Parker is employed by the Alamance County Sheriff’s Department. He was drawn to Rotary’s “Service above Self” motto and said that it is great to be part of the club, where he is able to meet new friends and community partners. Randy Perkins was his sponsor and Ed Woodall mentored him in youth services. He remarked that Western Alamance High School’s Interact club is still going strong. He was part of launching that group.
- Ryan Risko introduced himself as our newest member. He was sponsored by Sang Ho Lee, who suggested Rotary as a way to serve the community. Ryan is a financial advisor who delights in helping people reach their goals in life. He says Rotary seeks to leave the world a better place. He loves our new venue and has recently agreed to serve alongside Brooke Carpenter on the Youth Services Committee.
- Matt Patel manages Microtel of Burlington. He met his sponsor, Randy Perkins, at one of the Chamber’s After Hours events. He likes the people in our club.
- Jim Cartner likes his coveted title of immediate past president. He works for the Liggett Group and is owner of the Cartner Group. Matt Patel was his sponsor. Jim said the Rotary helps us to live our passions, using the corporate strength of the worldwide organization. He was instrumental is getting our club involved in Rotary Reads which impacted six local elementary schools in our area last year.
- Mac Williams is the president of the Alamance County Chamber of Commerce. Sonny Wilburn, his predecessor, sponsored him. Rotary helps us to connect with other people and groups in our community. He recognized Rotary’s local, national, and international aspects. He is particularly impressed with Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio around the world. He wonders what our next huge project will be. He concluded by saying that our new venue should help us grow. He is a past president.
- Dr. John Beshel owns Beshel Chiropractic. He came here from Chicago by way of Jacksonville, NC. He joined the club around 2002 through Jeff Stahl.
- Francois Masuka said he first became acquainted with Rotary while living in the Congo. He came to Elon in 2006. His boss invited him to a Rotary meeting where he has been a faithful member ever since. He says that he appreciates that with Rotary we know where our money is being spent.
- Brad Moser is a CPA with Gilliam, Coble, and Moser. He was sponsored by Randy Cox. He watched presidents serve their term and afterward leave the club. (Thankfully that is no longer the case!) Brad decided to serve as treasurer, a position he has held for three different tenures. He likes the great people.
- Thomas Phelps has been a member of Rotary since 2001 in three different clubs. He works for Elon Athletics. He likes that Rotary allows him to meet new people and connect with the community.
- Brian Dement works for Diversified Testing, located only three blocks from BBW, which is convenient. He loves meeting people and the face-to-face interactions. He is a past president and was sponsored by Brad Moser. He also appreciates the Rotary Foundation and the things we do as a club.
- Randy Perkins joined Rotary in 1998. He has served as a president and is our current District Governor. He recognized Mary Thomas, Carolyn, and Micah for their efforts to move our club to our new venue. He said that meeting at BBW will allow us to grow. Randy told us that he likes the friendships, the “smallness” and the “bigness” of Rotary.
- Sam Powell remarked that this was the first Tuesday in 33 years that he did not drive to the Ramada Inn for lunch. For him the best part of Rotary is the weekly program which inform us about our community. He sold his business, MedTox Scientific, in 2012 and now manages real estate. Rotary gives him a chance to get out of the office. As an example of how Rotary helps us make an impact in the community, he shared how he loaned Sustainable Alamance the money to acquire a much needed moving van for their ministry to formerly incarcerated men and women seeking employment. He said the ministry was faithful to repay the loan of $7000 with interest.
- Sid Little has been a member of Rotary since 1981, when he joined the Breakfast Club, where he was a charter member. Beth Powell sponsored him at our club, where he as been for the last sixteen years. He likes the relationships.
- Mike Morrison manages the business end of things for the Burlington Royals. He said he has gotten more from Rotary than he has given. Jim Cartner was his sponsor.
- Joseph Williams “bellied up to the bar” to share that he is the CEO of Feed the Hunger, which provides food and Bibles for impoverished peoples. Pete Beck was his sponsor. He said he appreciates the speakers and the fellowship. In his travels he often sees adults who have suffered the ravages of polio. He pointed out the there are no children with polio, thanks in large part to the eradication efforts of Rotary International.
- Carolyn Rhode is a VP at Alamance Community College. Dr. Powell sponsored her when she first took her post there. She has long been our secretary, which she took over from Sid Little and which she claims is the best position in Rotary. She has worked with 14 different presidents, allowing her to get to know each one. She listed them in no particular order: Beth Powell, Tom Manning, Pam Duffy, Peter Barcus, Ed Woodall, Micah Fox, Sang Ho Lee, Bonnie Whitaker, Pete Beck, Brian Dement, Jim Cartner, Katie Dukeshire, Mac Williams, and now Mary Thomas Gilbert. Eleven are still active in our club, for which we are thankful.
- Sang Ho Lee own Lee Brothers Martial Arts. He has lived in our area since 1991 which he considers home with his wife and son. He joined our club in 2009. He served with the Youth Services Committee, as president, and as an Assistant District Governor. He thanked our club leadership for their efforts in leading the way to move to BBW. He also honored Randy for his dedication and service as District Governor.
- Mary Thomas Gilbert works in Advancement for Burlington Christian Academy. She heard positive things about our club from Christy Ross and Angela Parham, former club members who also worked at BCA. When the opportunity to join presented itself, Mary Thomas jumped at it. She read a card that Doris Robbins, our server at 40 West Grill, brought by BBW today, thanking our club for its generosity and saying how much she already misses us. We gave her a nice tip of $660 last week.
Conclusion
Jim Cartner held the winning ticket today but failed to draw the King of Hearts. Only 51 cards remain in the deck. Mary Thomas led us in the recitation of Rotary’s four-way test before we adjourned. See you next week.