Club History
MECKLENBURG COUNTY - SOUTH ROTARY CLUB HISTORY Club Formation In early January 1997, District 7680 Governor Jim Stump commissioned a new club feasibility study in Mecklenburg County. Chaired by David Archer of the District’s Membership & Extension Committee, the study demonstrated that the demographics for the Southern part of the county could support a new Rotary Club. The Charlotte-South Rotary Club was approached to become the sponsoring organization and Rotary International was notified that new club formation activities had commenced. With prospects identified by the District Extension Committee and Charlotte-South Rotarians, the first organizational meeting was held on Friday, January 24, 1997 at the Hilton Hotel on Tyvola Road in South West Mecklenburg County. Although the decision to create a breakfast or luncheon club would ultimately rest with the members of the new club, it was hoped that the new club would be a breakfast club, and all organizational meetings were held during the traditional breakfast hours. Speakers for the organizational meetings of this new “provisional” Rotary club included past Rotary District Governors and officers from Charlotte-South Rotary. Along with the Rotary District officials, Charlotte-South club President Scott Van Der Linden took an active leadership role in establishing the new club. By April, twenty five prospective members were identified. In early May, Governor Stump secured the “blessings” of the other Rotary clubs in Mecklenburg County to share their territory with the forming club and a formal Charter Application was presented to Rotary International. Rotary International Service Supervisor Roger Staedtke worked closely with Governor Stump to secure the approval from Rotary International’s Board of Directors. The members of the provisional Rotary Club of Mecklenburg County-South approved the following slate of officers: - President Nels W. Falk
- President-elect Nancy Minskoff
- Secretary Sherry McLain
- Treasurer Rodney Holtzmuller
- Director Jason M. Baker
- Director Wil E. Brooks
- Director Michael J. Miller
- Director Patricia S. Stump
The membership also voted to seek formation as a breakfast club. Courtney’s Restaurant in Pineville was selected as the first designated home for the club. Club Chartering Governor Stump received word from Rotary International that the Charter application had been approved with an official chartering date of May 20, 1997. A Chartering Banquet date of September 20, 1997 was selected. The CHARTER MEMBERS for the club were: Jason M. Baker Wil E. Brooks Robert W. Bugg Robert M. Cannon John F. Cantrell Gregory W. Dostall Nels W. Falk Laura Gibson Rodney Holtzmuller Steven Johnson Sean E. Kilmartin Michael J. Miller Nancy Minskoff T. Kelly Muse Patrick J. O’Brien M. Clayton Payne Joe Saunders Scott E. Schneider Patricia S. Stump Merrill F. Tibbals Kenneth L. Wittenauer Betty J. Womble - B. Douglas Youngblood
The official chartering occurred on September 20, 1997 with the chartering service occurring at the banquet. Charter President Nels Falk and Immediate Past District Governor Jim Stump presided at the banquet, which was attended by the Charter Members and spouses, Rotary dignitaries, and Rotarians from Charlotte-South Rotary club and City of Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory. The Chartering Banquet was held at Ballantyne Country Club with almost 100 individuals in attendance. The new District Governor of District 7680, Lois Crumpler, officially welcomed each member of the new club into the fellowship of Rotary International. Past District Governor Stump was the keynote speaker and encouraged the new club to become a “Great Rotary Club.” 
District Governor LoisCrumpler welcomes new Meck-South Rotary members, Michael Meehan, Kelly Muse, Sean Kilmartin, Mark DeMeo, Scott Schneider, and Greg Dostal at the Charter Banquet, September 20, 1997.(Meehan and DeMeo joined the club after the charter application but before the Charter Banquet.) Many other Rotary Clubs from the area, donated items including the club’s bell, gavel, flag, banners, and cash for its treasury. A special recognition for the supportive efforts of the Charlotte-South Rotary club was presented. The memorable evening closed with all attending, pledging to honor the Four Way Test of Rotary International. 
First Club President Nels Falk accepts the Club Charter from Past District Governor Jim Stump with District Governor Lois Crumpler looking on at the Charter Banquet, September 20, 1997. Early Club History “Meck-South,” as the club soon became known, started its first meetings for breakfast on Fridays at 7:30 AM. As the club grew, it moved from Courtney’s Restaurant in Pineville to the International House of Pancake on Hwy. 51 in Pineville. IHOP segregated a private room for the club and the food was great but eventually the club also out grew the IHOP facility both in numbers and in its need for a more upscale location. Raintree Country Club was identified as the new meeting location and the club has met for breakfast at Raintree since the Summer of 1999. As the average age of the charter members was younger than most clubs, the first board decided that service projects should focus on children’s causes. Meck-South quickly became known for being one of the most active clubs in the district both in terms of district participation and service to the community. Meck-South also developed its reputation for being a spirited, fun loving club almost from its inception. Although some would label the club almost irreverent, no one could question the high activity level and growing leadership of the club in the district. 
Meck-South Past Presidents (Left to Right): Rodney Holtzmuller, Joni Stanley, Robert Bugg, John Perry, Tenny Shifley, and Clayton Payne at the club Christmas Party, December 12, 2003. Club Growth and Awards In 2002, immediate Past President Jim Hayes was appointed to a District role as District Trainer. At that point, the club began to grow as it was exposed to all of the resources of District 7680. In Rotary year 2003-2004 and again in 2004-2005, the club earned the coveted Mark Markanda award given to the best Rotary Club in District 7680 with under 50 members. In Rotary Year 2005-2006, the Mark Markanda trophy was retired and a new program of Gold, Silver, Bronze pennants was implemented to recognize clubs of excellence. Meck-South would go on to win the Gold club of excellence pennant four years in a row. Meck-South Members have consistently held District leadership positions with Charter Member, Clayton Payne and Past President Tenny Shifley serving as Assistant District Governors and Past President Robert Bugg serving as District Conference Chair in 2006. Club Awards Summary - 1997-1998 - Membership Growth Award
- 2000-2001 - Membership Growth Award
- 2001-2002 - District Conference Attendance Award
- 2003-2004 - Mark Markanda Trophy
- - Vocational Service Award
- 2004-2005 - Mark Markanda Trophy
- - Charles M. Grier Youth Service Award
- - International Service Award
- 2005-2006 - Gold Club of Excellence
- - District Conference Attendance Award
- 2006-2007 - Gold Club of Excellence
- - International Service Award
- - District Conference Attendance Award
- 2007-2008 - Gold Club of Excellence
- - District Conference Attendance Award
- - Four Avenues of Service Citation awarded to Past President Robert Bugg
- 2008 - 2009 - Gold Club of Excellence
- - District Conference Attendance Award
Charter Member Patsy Stump accepts Meck-South’s first district award from District Governor Lois Crumpler. Fund Raisers and Club Projects Fundraisers over the years have included: - A silent and live auction at Raintree Country Club. With the help of a generous donation of a new PC, by Charter Members Scott Schneider and Mark DeMeo, the first year’s auction raised over $7,000.
- The sale of coupon books
- In 2004, a Rubber Duck raffle in conjunction with Mecklenburg County Partners for Parks and the Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department. The first year the duck race was conducted at Ray’s Splash Planet, a local Charlotte indoor water attraction run by the County. The second year, the Duck race was held in conjunction with the opening of the new Little Sugar Creek Greenway with the ducks being released in the actual stream. From the monies that Meck-South raised through ticket sales in 2005, $8,276 went to Partners for Parks, Inc. to help with the Little Sugar Creek Greenway restoration project.
- The club’s Christmas Wreath sale which was first began in 2003 allows the club to continue to support various charities surrounding children’s causes.
Club Service Projects have included: - Bringing weekly snacks and annual school supplies to A Child’s Place for homeless children that attend the Charlotte Mecklenburg public school system
- Annually providing labor and funding to Habitat for Humanity for the District 7680 Habitat House.
- The Cystic Fibrosis walk-a-thon suggested by Past President Robert Bugg who lost his daughter to CF.
- Multiple construction projects at Elon Homes for Children including landscaping, building benches, and sponsoring a new sibling house on campus in conjuction with Habitat for Humanity and the Union-West Rotary Club.
- Each year in early December, Meck-South rings the bell on behalf of the Salvation Army in front of the Harris Teeter at the Arboretum shopping center. Teams of two Rotarians as well as family and friends cover one-hour shifts from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
- Multiple construction projects at Thompsons Children’s Home and Alexander Children’s Home.
- With the help of Charter Member Doug Youngblood, Meck-South was the first sponsor of a greenway trail with Mecklenburg County’s Partner’s for Parks and has provided quarterly clean ups of the trail system starting on Hwy 51 near Johnson Road since 1999. Additionally, Meck-South donated and installed the benches near the parking area of the greenway.
- Rotary International Matching Grants have been awarded to the club for projects with Elon Homes for Children, Holy Angels, The Rainbow Express Camp, and Camp Boomerang.
- Meck-South has provided volunteers since 2005 for the annual Oktoberfest sponsored by the Charlotte Brewmasters. Since 2007 some of the proceeds have been directed to one of our many charities, A Child’s Place.
- Elon Homes Christmas Project. Since 2004, Meck-South has seen to it that the children of Elon homes get stockings and gifts for Christmas. In 2005 our Interact Club at Charlotte Catholic joined us in the project. Gifts are purchased using the children’s wish lists as a guide, are wrapped, and delivered to Elon Homes in person.
Rotary International Centennial Project In 2004, to celebrate Rotary’s 100 year anniversary, Meck-South took on one of its most ambitious projects by partnering with Habitat for Humanity and the Union-West Rotary Club to build two houses on the campus of Elon Homes to house siblings that are wards of the state. Meck-South contributed funds and members worked many hours through the summer to complete the homes which were opened for use in 2005. Later in 2005, the club completed a secondary centennial project planting over 100 shrubs on the grounds of the Elon Homes Magnet School. International Service Projects Meck-South’s most notable International Service Project has been working with the Rotary Club of San Salvador Maquilishuat. Meck-South member Francisco Alvarado, who grew up in San Salvador, made two personal trips to San Salvador, attended Rotary meetings at the Maquilishuat club, and selected the Hogar San Cristobal homeless children shelter as a project of interest. In January of 2005, club members Francisco Alvarado, Tennyson Shifley, Clayton Payne, and Steve Langer, traveling on a Rotary International Discovery Grant, visited several worthy San Salvador projects including the San Cristobal homeless shelter and then presented the ideas for a major service project back to the club. In conjunction with a matching grant from an anonymous club member, over $7,000 has been sent to San-Salvador under the care of the Maquilishuat club. Members of the Maquilishuat club have visited in Charlotte and reported back on the success of the projects.
Meck-South members Francisco Alvarado, Tenny Shifley, Steve Langer with Club President Gabriel M. DeZabaneh and President Elect Miguel Escobar before a Rotary Club of Maquilishuat SanSalvador weekly breakfast meeting. Meck-South Expands, Ballantyne Rotary Club Formed In early 2003, dramatic growth in South Charlotte which included the new Ballantyne area made it apparent that it was time for Rotary to expand South again. This time, it was the newly formed Meck-South club that was asked to sponsor the new club. Charter member Wil Brooks was asked to coordinate the new club start up and was loaned to Ballantyne for almost a year to help get the club off the ground. The Ballantyne lunch club is now a vibrant club with over 30 members and in its 9th year will sponsor a District Governor from its rolls. Interact Club Formed Also in 2003, Meck-South sponsored its first Interact club at Charlotte Catholic High School. Past President Clayton Payne steered the efforts in gaining school support and student members. Meck-South Celebrates 10 years Charter night celebrating the club’s 10th anniversary was held May 19, 2007 at Raintree Country Club. Charter President Nels Falk was in attendance traveling from Jacksonville, Florida and second President Rodney Holtzmuller joined via conference call from Sarasota, California to share a few remarks. South Charlotte Rotary Past President Scott Van Der Linden and Past District Governor Jim Stump also spoke to the crowd of approximately 60 people. Group Study Exchange
Over the years Meck-South has hosted visiting inbound GSE teams from India and the Caribbean. In 2008 Past President Joni Stanley was selected as GSE team leader for the outbound team that went to Taipei Taiwan. In 2009, President Elect Bill Burnham was a GSE team leader taking an outbound team to Egypt and the club hosted the visiting GSE team. Again in 2010 Meck-South has been involved in GSE through member Debbie Corbett who was chosen as the alternate team leader and by hosting the incoming team from Brazil. In the same year Joni Stanley was the Chair of the District GSE committee. Very few other clubs in the District have been so involved with GSE.
Youth Exchange
Meck-South has hosted 5 inbound youth exchange students since 2004 from a variety of locations: - Yukari Tao – Japan
- Daniele Ramos-Garcia – Mexico
- Neerja Zambari – India
- Typhanie Lefranc - France
- Yu-Chien (Sherry) Lin - Taiwan
In 2008 the club also sponsored an outbound student to Germany. Successive Club Presidents of Meck-South: - 1997-1998 Nels W. Falk
- 1998-1999 Clayton Payne
- 1999-2000 Doug Youngblood
- 2000-2001 Olivia Hopkins
- 2001-2002 Rodney Holtzmuller
- 2002-2003 Pam Santo
- 2003-2004 Wil Brooks
- 2004-2005 Greg Dostal
- 2005-2006 Tennyson C. Shifley
- 2006-2007 Joni Stanley
- 2007-2008 Clay Ferguson
- 2008-2009 Robert Bugg
- 2009-2010 Frank Henry
Honorary Members of Meck-South: · Patricia S. Stump – Charter Member · Nels W. Falk – Charter President · Rodney Holtzmuller – Charter Member & Past Pres. · Joe “Coach” White · Jim Hayes – Past President · Michael Miller – Charter Member & Past Pres. · Clayton Payne – Charter Member & Past Pres. · Jim Brown 1/25/2010
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