GO, PANTHERS!!!
By Marilynn Bowler
        
We were a room full of Carolina Panthers fans … we might just as well have been decked out in blue and black, all of us! When the introduction of the speaker generates applause at the mere mention of our favorite NFL team's name, it means we're truly hard-core Panthers supporters. And proud of it!
 
Riley Fields, Director of Community Relations & Cheerleader/Mascot Programs for the Carolina Panthers, held us in the palm of his hand during his beautifully organized, interesting and refreshingly witty presentation. His topic focused on the value of the Panthers team and organization to our community and to communities reaching throughout North and South Carolina.
 
We heard about the new big guys - "serious beef" - who will be running onto the field at Bank of America Stadium when the season starts. We were told about the vibes and energy that veterans like Jake and Moose will continue to bring to the team. We learned a bit about the youthfulness, excitement and exuberance that the new, young players will add to the mix. And we can expect leadership in the locker room. It sounds like a playoff team to us!
While we fans have been lolling around during the off-season, the Panthers have been busy upfitting the Stadium and Riley assures us we'll like what we see. The $15 million scoreboard project has had a major facelift, the sound system will be better than ever, the North and South gates have been beautifully restored to look as they did during the stadium's first years, as part of a two-year+ exterior refurbishment project.
 
Then Riley turned his comments toward food which he advised us is one of his favorite hobbies. There will be an additional barbecue stand on the 100 level and they'll serve hush puppies … "my favorite seafood!" he proclaimed!
 
Moving into more serious subjects, Riley talked in depth about the many community relations projects in which the Panthers are involved. Focusing on education and youth health & fitness, the Panthers are heavily involved in a myriad of community and civic programs. Classroom Central (which was met with applause); Keep Pounding (for cancer research); and the Panthers Courage House (for boys in crisis) were just a few of the seventy programs each year which reach over 250,000 people in North and South Carolina. He spoke of Junior Training Camp which "goes on the road" to schools and playgrounds across two states, thanks to Panthers Charities.
 
"Our Panthers" (as we like to call them) are league leaders in a program initiated here but is being adapted by the NFL to inspire kids to be healthy and stay fit, and the Panthers Fit Squad keys in on getting elementary school children to be active each day. The latter is particularly appealing to teachers who have a state-ordered mandate in that regard. The Panthers have actually created curriculum kits and provide them free of charge to teachers who have registered to participate. "We had stacks of mail from teachers from Murphy to Manteo wanting to be part of our program," Riley said. Currently, there are over 3,500 registered teachers in the program.
 
He went on to talk about the NFL Play 60 program and the Challenger Flag Football League … the latter designed for kids with disabilities which the Panthers produce in partnership with the County and Pop Warner football. "It's amazing to see the coordination and social skills developed by these great kids who have played in that League," he said. He proudly spoke of the Panthers' "Highlight Heroes" youth football program from which highlights are shown on the "big screen" at BofA Stadium during the first timeout in the third quarter of each home game. We were especially touched by the incredible video piece that ESPN superstar Stuart Scott broadcast on Sports Center after dubbing in the announcing of the game, himself, and paying tribute to Charlotte and the Panthers.
 
Good job, Riley. You told the Panthers' story to an eager audience who is now even more proud of our home team. If you play your cards right, a big box of Count Chocula cereal just may appear on your doorstep!
        
Head Table: Martin Grable, Jessica Brasington, Mac McCarley, Marilynn Bowler, Tom Cottingham, Roger Sarow;
Invocation: Michael Elder;
Visitors & Guests: Tom Bartholomy; Health & Happiness: David Anderson; Song: David Erdman; Piano: Thomas Moore

• David Anderson profiled club member Tony Lathrop's service to the community: UNC Charlotte's Board of Visitors, President of the Mecklenburg County Bar in 2006-2007, Wildacres Leadership Initiative Board of Advisors, Paul Harris Fellow and has maintained 100% attendance in Charlotte Rotary.
    
• Erskine Harkey was the recipient of a signed Panthers helmet; Thomas Moore was photographed while attending the 35th anniversary of the CPCC summer theatre; Elsie Garner has been elected Secretary of the Board of Directors at the Urban League of Central Carolina.
   
• John Cantrell placed the winning bid of $1250 for the "Rotary Ransom" concierge golf cart (includes a foursome). Marilynn Bowler and Jessica Brasington will cater a special golf cart that will follow John's foursome around providing luxury treats to eat and drink throughout their round of golf at the Rotary Scholarship Golf Classic, which will be held October 7th.

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 7/21/2008.