 MARCIE
KELSO
PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM...
ANOTHER CHARLOTTE TREASURE
By Marilynn Bowler
With the sparkle and shine of
an old-fashioned flash bulb, Marcie Kelso lit up when she spoke of
the fabulous business of photography and film in the Charlotte
region, and she captivated our Rotary members with her vision and
excitement.
A native Virginian with a double major in government and theatre
from the College of William and Mary back in the days when film star
Ronald Reagan brought the glamour of filmdom to the White House,
Marcie headed straight to California to begin her career as a
freelance film production assistant. Moving rapidly up the ranks and
into the field of economic development for Charlottesville,
Virginia, she combined her strengths and became the marketing
director - and subsequently the Director - for the Virginia Film
Office. (The latter in spite of the rather disconcerting experience
during one of her more memorable presentations of seeing her OB-GYN
seated near the front of the audience).
Arriving in Charlotte in 1996 when our city was awakening and hungry
for more-and-more creative arts, Marcie began the Film Division of
the Charlotte Regional Partnership, quickly recruiting over
twenty-one full-length productions and numerous commercials to the
area. Six short years later, she was named Executive Director of The
Light Factory, a non-profit arts center dedicated to exhibitions and
educational programs; a hot spot widely recognized as a leading
innovator for photography and film. Her goal was- and is, today - to
continue to grow the photography and film market to impressive
proportions in Charlotte and surrounding areas.
The Light Factory has as its mission, Marcie told us, "to promote
the power of image." Its lofty goals include "the nurturing and
exhibiting of the work of regional filmmakers and photographers;
presenting cutting edge work by artists from around the country and
the world; creating an exhibition venue that is one of the top
fifteen tourist destinations in the Charlotte Region (over seventy
thousand people attended The Light Factory's exhibitions and films
last year;) and educating Charlotteans on how to use film and
photography to tell the story of our region and communicate" via
those art forms. Educational Outreach is key to honing and
developing the business of photography and film. Between school
programs, media literacy, dialogue to promote cultural tolerance,
and ESL family stories told through film and photography, The Light
Factory is teaching and training young people and older ones for
jobs in today's market.
A prime example of the incredible talent that The Light Factory
brings to Charlotte is the highly anticipated arrival of Jonathan
Taplin, 2006 Power of Image Award Winner, for a screening of Martin
Scorsese's The Last Waltz on Wednesday, October 25th at 8:00 p.m. at
the Ballantyne Village Theatre, followed by a Q&A with Mr.Taplin.
Earlier that same day, Mr. Taplin will present "Crouching Tigers:
Emerging Challenges To U.S. Entertainment Supremacy" at the
Charlotte City Club from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Tickets may be
purchased by calling The Light Factory - 704/333-9755. If you love
art and photography auctions, catch The Light Factory's 25th Annual
Auction the next day at the Knight Gallery in Spirit Square.
Head Table:
Dee Dee Murphy, Hershel Sanders, Luther Moore, Pam Meister, Jim
Adams, Michelle Fish; Invocation: David Barnhardt
Visitors &
Guests:
Jeff Triplette; Health &
Happiness: Phil Volponi; Song: Meg McElwain; Piano: Thomas Moore
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CHARLOTTE
FIREMEN TRAVEL TO AREQUIPA, PERU |
During Rotary's Centennial
celebration in 2005, RI encouraged clubs to participate in the
Twin Club Program that would link two clubs from different
countries. Because of the very long history of international
work done with Arequipa, Peru, a club there was approached and
eagerly agreed to link with the Rotary Club of Charlotte. Katie
Tyler chaired a group that set up a program to help Arequipa
volunteer firemen learn the modern techniques of firefighting in
the USA. The exchange was kicked off last October when a team of
nine Arequipa firemen arrived in Charlotte. October 2-17, a team
of four firemen from the Charlotte Fire department will be
traveling to Arequipa to complete the exchange. This is the
first time Charlotte firemen will be traveling abroad, although
they have hosted many firefighters from all over the world.
Representing Charlotte firefighters will be Juan Pablo Soto
(native of Guatemala, Station #8), Fangui Eduardo Medina (native
of Colombia, Station #32), Chief Benjamin Rhett Mahaley, Sr
(Station #10), and Timothy Brown (Station #13).
The Charlotte fireman will be taking equipment worth a few
hundred dollars, such as defibulator pads and disposable gloves.
The Peruvian fire departments are allotted only 1 million per
year for their entire budget. Each fireman going to Arequipa
brings a unique skill to the table: Brown and Soto are HAZMAT
technicians and Soto is also trained in rescue; Chief Mahaley
has been chief for a long time. Funding for the trip was made
possible by the Rotary Club of Charlotte, Chief Luther Fincher
and the Charlotte Fire Department, and Charlotte Sister Cities.
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TWIN CLUB COMMITTEE
Katie Tyler
Colleen Blanchard
Neil Burkhead
Bob Elliott
Luther Fincher
Carlos Sanchez
Gregg Walker
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Rotary Club of Charlotte
841 Baxter Street, Suite 118, Charlotte 28202
chltrot@bellsouth.net 704-375-6816 |
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þ
Wes Clark introduced and
welcomed Cindy Wolfe as
the club's newest Rotarian. Cindy is an Executive Vice
President with Bank of the Ozarks. Contact her at
704-714-7919, or
cwolfe@bankozarks.com.
þ
From the papers: Thomas Moore's
article in the Observer encourages you to make the effort to
meet and listen to people from other backgrounds;
Sammy Black gives an
overview of progress made at Bank of Granite;
Sam Woodard of Parker
Poe Adams & Bernstein is included in The Best Lawyers in
America 2007; the Public Relations Society of America has
named Tony Zeiss the
winner of its 2006 Pegasus Award.
þ
Rich Campbell has
suffered a very severe break in his arm and expects to miss
the next several weeks of Rotary;
Dot Waters (Martin's wife) had surgery on Tuesday
to repair a broken hip. Martin says the surgery went well
and Dot is doing ok; Condolences are sent to
Sally and
Fred Lowrance upon the
death of Sally's mother, Virgilia Cole Moore. You will
remember Mrs. Moore's husband, Joseph D. Moore, was a member
of Charlotte Rotary and a past District Governor;
Fred Clarke Hobson
passed away September 18th. Mr. Hobson was a member of the
club from 1957 to 1989; Marilynn
Bowler recognized and awarded 1st Qtr Membership
Drive winners: Cynthia Marshall,
Powell Majors, and Ron
Campbell.
þ
David Anderson has done
a good job recruiting members for the Peru trip in January.
Confirmed are Carol Hughes, Frank
Martin, Ed Wadsworth and his son
Greg, Warren and Amy Kean, Lamar
Thomas, and David Anderson. More to come…
þ
The District's Group Study Exchange team headed for London
over the weekend. Assistant Governor Rebecca Wallace-Aktas
is leading the group, and reports the Golder's Green Club of
London will be planting a tree in honor of the Rotary Club
of Charlotte. To get the team in the London spirit,
Peggy Wesp helped
coordinate a "high tea", complete with the silver tea
service and advice on proper tea etiquette. |
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Attendance
Record |
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10/3/06 |
10/4/05 |
| visitors &
guests |
10 |
22 |
| club
members |
163 |
182 |
| total
attendance |
173 |
204 |
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New Members | Resignations |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
10 Tracey and Rich Campbell
10 Joan and Jim Kelley
10 Laura and Charlie Pitts
10 Jane and Chris Thomas
12 Amy and Edwin Peacock
13 Elaine and Bill Stegelmeyer
13 Martha and Jim Woodward
14 Christine and Todd Smith
14 Pam and George Wilson
15 Michelle and Robert Fish |
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
12 Chuck Woodyard,
Shelby, NC
14 Gib Smith, Charlotte, NC
15 Joni Davis, Charlotte, NC
16 Tom Barnhardt,
Charlotte, NC |
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