b'ON BRAC 2005 AND MILITARYON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATIONBASE RETENTION AND The Foundation, according to Charles, won great recognition for its EXPANSIONgoal to increase high school graduation rates, specifically for the achievement of a 9 th -grade academy to separate first-time 9 thgrade During Charles tenure, the Chamber raised the money to hire retiredstudents from the influence of often much older returning 9 thgraders. Brigadier General Tom Mikolajcik, former commander of JointThe academy offered support to first-time 9 thgraders through summer Base Charleston, to prepare the region for BRAC 2005. He served asinternships, mentoring, job shadowing and career counseling. Charles military advisor to the Chamber, continuing in the role for several yearsremembers an important philosophy of the Foundation was embedded beyond being diagnosed with ALS in 2003. The big idea here is thatin this statement: Our children are a gift we will send to a time that we considerable lobbying and legislative agenda were required to answer awill not see, and every child should have at least two adult advocates, simple question from the federal government: Why should you continueone of which is not a parent. Charles says Chamber volunteer Anita getting funding from the defense department and keep your militaryZucker was a major force during this time.assets?ON INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY In 2004, Charles continues, the county agreed again to prioritize the projects and the Chamber agreed to raise the money and manage the Van Rysselberge credits 2002-03 Chamber Board Chairman Keithcampaign. The sales tax proposal was a half-cent sales tax to generate Waring with the priceless observation of the importance and value of$1.3 billion over 25 years for roads, bridges, mass transit and green-institutional memory and tells the story of two failed Charleston Countyspace objectives. The passage was a big victory despite four wasted Vote Yes campaigns. For those that were transportation related,years of progress.Charles remembers, the path was not easy. The Chamber wanted the county to prioritize the projects and provide transparency forIn board and executive committee meetings, Charles recalls, Keith details. Elected officials, he says, refused to prioritize and designatealways had some important piece of information to impart to the group. which roads would specifically be addressed. Due to their refusal, theSometimes it was a historical fact, a commonsense observation or Chamber took a neutral position on the election, and it failed. Aftersimply a philosophy. For example, he reminded us about the importance a two-year waiting period, the county tried again in 2002, this timeof institutional memory for an organization to avoid repeating the same prioritizing the projects. The election was thrown out on a technicality. mistakes going forwardfor no one is promised tomorrow.48 CHAMBER RETROSPECTIVE250 YEARS'