Sunday, July 13, 2008

Greetings World!


It's been a little while since this was updated, and I'm excited to finally bring you some news about GSE Team England. This is team member Mary Dolan bringing you the latest.

Our team of four, our fearless team leader and our alternates have now had three meetings, during which we've plotted, planned and gotten to know one another in preparation for our trip to England on Sept. 13.





And, for the first time, we'd like to introduce ourselves! Above: (back row) Joe Fortune, employed by the University of South Carolina; Dr. Bill Greene, retired urologic surgeon; Eric DiLorenzo, sergeant with the Mytle Beach Police Department (front row) Colette DeGarady, conservation ecologist; Mary Dolan, journalist


We met for the first time on May 31 in Myrtle Beach at Eric's workplace, the city's police headquarters. We had an excellent first meeting, featuring two exciting team-building activities: a police car driver training course -- complete with us squeeling tires and screeching around cones! -- and a simulated virtual weapons exercise. It was a long day, filled with getting to know one another, the receipt of some great first words of guidance and well-wishes from outgoing District Governor Mary Martin and past District Governor Bob Squatriglia.


Our second meeting was hosted by Joe at his stomping grounds, USC, and we advanced even further in the planning process, beginning to really nail down our departure time and place, what we'll be wearing as team uniforms while we're abroad and crafting the PowerPoint presentations we'll deliver to Rotarians across the pond. Perhaps most enlightening during this meeting was a pretty well-rounded mini boot camp in etiquette from Harriett Showman. We learned a little about the dos and don'ts of conversation and table manners, and I think we all were thankful for the crash course.


We just completed our third meeting, which was held yesterday in my hometown of Sumter. I work for a small daily newspaper, The Item, and we set up camp in the conference room for another day of planning. Unfortunately, we couldn't be joined by Colette or Eric, but we know their thoughts were with us, as ours were certainly with them.

Small in numbers this go round, we still managed to be very productive. Joe, Dr. Greene and I were joined once again by our awesome alternates Bentham Reed and Chris Tilley. And Foundation Chair Kay Oldhouser-Davis and District Governor Anne Walker joined us as well. They both shared with us some much-appreciated information about Rotary, the foundation, what's expected of us and tips for what we need to be planning.


Australia GSE team member Shannon Mewborn was kind enough to stop by and share some about her trip last year to Western Australia, and her encounters with snakes, gigantic spiders, and some of the kindest people she said she's ever met.




Dr. Green, finagling with a PowerPoint presentation.

I gave Dr. Greene, Bentham and Joe a tour of the newspaper.


Kay Oldhouser-Davis, Shannon Mewborn, Mary Dolan, Chris Tilley, Joe Fortune. Shannon filled us in on her trip last year to Australia.

It was a great group discussion.