Club Business
President Jim Cartner brought the meeting to order. Brian Dement led the prayer and pledge of allegiance to the US flag. Lee Isley has the program for next week. Penny Scott will be with us on September 14 to share more about the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. On the twenty-first, our District Governor, Claudia Canady, will be our speaker. We now have an official fundraising committee but still need to put together a projects committee. Carolyn Rhode took a few minutes to distribute copies of the revised by-laws and to comment on the proposed changes. We will make them available to members next week, too. A vote to approve will be forthcoming.
- Philip Smith announced that his third grandson just made his entrance into the world. Congrats!
Club Member Responsible for Our Program: Dale Greeson
Dale first let us know that he can verify that Assistant District Governor Randy Perkins is still alive. He’s been travelling with DG Claudia Canady recently and conspicuously absent from our meetings. (We really feel it when our members are not with us!) Dale has been a partner at Apple, Bell, Johnson and Company, a midrange accounting firm here in Burlington, since 1981. He grew up in Whitsett and is married to Ellen, with whom he has two children. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. Dale has also been on the board of the Burlington Downtown Corporation for the last three years.
Sara Beth Hardy – Director of Operations and Communications for The Burlington Downtown Corporation
Burlington Downtown Corporation (BDC), a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to promoting downtown and offering support to existing and potential business and property owners. Burlington is an accredited program of the national Main Street Center and is a North Carolina Main Street Community, designated by the NC Department of Commerce and Main Street & Rural Planning Center.
The BDC is charged with administering the program at the local level and building a public-private partnership to spur economic development in partnership with the State agency. The mission of the BDC is to create an environment for downtown redevelopment by engaging community stakeholders and partners, and to inspire investment, business development, and job growth.
As a Main Street America™ Accredited program, Burlington, North Carolina is a recognized leading program among the national
network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by the National Main Street Center.
Sara gave us a rapid overview of BDC’s purpose and function. She encouraged us to visit their website – www.burlingtondowntown.com. During the Q&A time at the end, she fielded questions about parking, the Christmas parade date, the Coop building, and LabCorp. Chief Smythe pointed out that the city is not issuing parking tickets, making Burlington downtown even friendlier.
Conclusion
Mary Thomas Gilbert represented the back left table’s buying consortium, but failed in her quest to draw the Ace of Hearts, leaving the pot to grow. Jim presented Sara with a book in honor of our emphasis on literacy. Then we all stood to recite Rotary’s four way test before Jim adjourned the meeting.
Until next time…