DeWitt F. (Mac) McCarley
President, 2008-2009
By Henry Bostic
        
DeWitt F. (Mac) McCarley became the 92nd president of the Rotary Club of Charlotte, and then endeared himself to the membership with one of the shortest inaugural addresses in many years. In his brief remarks, new President Mac emphasized three topics.
 
He called on all members to increase their support of the work of The Rotary Foundation. President Mac noted that although Charlotte Rotarians had substantially increased their gifts, there is still room for improvement, because there is still important work to be done.
 
Noting that the Rotary district in South Carolina just south of Charlotte has the highest Foundation support in the Rotary world, President Mac said that Charlotte Rotary is "still not very high up the ladder."
 
He called out Rotary's 23-year project to eradicate polio in the world. When the project began, there were some 350,000 new cases of polio in the world each year. Last year, there were only 1,313. Cases of the disease were reported in only four countries - the result of logistics, politics and war: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and some remote parts of India. "We can't stop now, when we're this close." The new president also mentioned the challenges of extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
 
Two of the topics dealt more closely with club meetings. He announced that Health and Happiness meeting reports will change from jokes, which sometimes go "up to the line" and leading to "discomfort" for members and guests, to an emphasis on highlighting positive things that members of the club are doing.
 
President Mac noted that the new District Governor wants to insure that club invocations are "inviting to all and exclude no one. We want to ensure that all members and guests are comfortable with the invocations. I don't know what the answer is," but he announced that the Invocation Committee, chaired by Tony Marciano, along with the District Chaplain, will study the issue and bring the club a recommendation later in the year.
 
The new president thanked Immediate Past President Luther Moore and President David as well as Club Executive Secretary Sandy Osborne for prepping him for the job. "Now, you do all the work and I get the credit."
 
When asked if he'd do the job, President Mac said, he had only two questions: Would Sandy remain as executive secretary and would Alan Adler head the golf tournament again. When the answer to both was positive, he was good to go.
 
President Mac said his toughest decision will be to decide when to call the meeting to order. He noted the tension between the members who like the fellowship, those who favor the projects and want plenty of time for announcements and members who like the great programs. ("CEOs who don't make speeches to civic clubs because there are so many of them make an exception for this club!")
 
"I haven't worn a watch in 25 years so I have no idea what time it is," Mac said.
 
Former President and Current Assistant Governor Tom Robertson lead the formal installation of President Mac. Tom noted that he checked to see if there was a formal Rotary way of installing a new president, and Sandy said she found a suggested oath on the RI Web site.
 
"We're not going to do that," Tom announced. Instead, he had out going President David put the Rotary President's pin on Mac, then Tom pinned the Past President's pin on David.
 
Health and Happiness Chair Cecily Durrett gave the club a taste of the new format when she reported that Past President Catherine Browning, founding chair of Good Friends was giving up her leadership role after 20 years and more than $2 million raised. She praised Jeff Searcy's leadership role with the The Job Hunters Group at St. John's Episcopal Church. The group helps individuals who have been laid off, dismissed, or are seriously considering changing jobs. And Cecily called attention to the fact that Program Chair Shannon Young is back from maternity leave.
 
In honor of the Fourth of July, David Erdman (on the guitar) and Thomas Moore performed a duet of Lee Greenwood's God Bless the U.S.A.
     
Head Table: Ron Kimble, Luther Moore, David Zimmerman, Mac McCarley, John Snyder, Tom Robertson, Shannon Young;
Invocation: Tom Bartholomy;
Visitors & Guests: Sheila Cottringer; Health & Happiness: Cecily Durrett; Song: David Erdman, Thomas Moore

• Kurt Waldthausen's daughter, Vicky, was Valedictorian at Charlotte Country Day; Charlotte City Council member Anthony Foxx and wife, Samara Foxx, were among "young leaders" honored at the Maya Angelou Women Who Lead Luncheon; Dr Richard Reiling was an advocate for SmokeFree Mecklenburg in last week's Observer; Spencer Williams was named President of the Charlotte American Marketing Association; Lynn Wheeler made her 17th Chamber inter-city visit last week; Queens Road Small Cap Value Fund, managed by Bragg Financial Advisors (Benton Bragg) was awarded four stars by Morningstar; Greer and Walker LLP (Charlie Greer) shared their secrets to success: start small, get involved (in the community or industry), commit resources on it.
    
• The club's project to provide books, computers, furniture and reference materials for the children and teachers of St. Xavier's Godavari School (Kathmandu) was featured in the Spring issue of The Southeastern Librarian. Dr. Carol Jordan, Dorothy Colmer Bailey Librarian of Everett Library at Queens University of Charlotte, spearheaded the Matching Grant made possible through The Rotary Foundation, District 7680, Nepal Rotary and Charlotte Rotary.
   
• Chaperone Needed! The District is in need of a chaperone for a weekend trip to Ohio, July 11-13, with the outbound youth exchange group. If you are able to help out, please contact Lamar Thomas, 704-372-8615, immediately.
   

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 7/07/2008.