Newton Rotary Gear 10.8.13
Mary Kern called the meeting to order at 12:30PM.
The pledge was led by Bert Martinson
The invocation was given by Mary Kern
The song was led by Chris Chu
Announcements:
Ed Casavant - the student of the month for all the months are scheduled. They've got NNHS and Mount Alvernia in the queue already and spots for the other schools. Tony Bibbo is helping us with NSHS.
Tom Keery - He announced the "return" of the Newton Has Talent Poster; He is looking to see if we can package sponsors between our Death by Chocolate fundraiser and our Newton Has Talent fundraiser. He's asked for Mary's help.
Death by Chocolate fundraiser: It was announced that the hotel we usually have the event at is going through renovations and therefore, we can't have it there this year. So the committee is looking for a new venue and possibly a new date.
Thanksgiving luncheon: Tom Keery said he was going to meet Braeburn today with Jeff Tucker but given Jeff was not in attendance then maybe Mary Kern could step in afterwards. She agreed.
Marie: Apologized for the multiple emails that were sent out this past week with the club bulletin. She is figuring out the technology of how to include and exclude past bulletins and therefore sent out the first one with lots of past bulletins at the bottom. It should be better this week. :)
Mary Kern announced for the last time the Rotary Polio fundraiser at the Providence Hockey game this Friday night. Anyone interested in still going should email her right away. There are still tickets available and a percent goes to the International Polio fund.
Mary announced that monday is Columbus Day. Therefore, next week we will NOT meet on Tuesday but instead we will meet on WEDNESDAY. Please don't show up on Tuesday or you'll be alone here eating leftovers from the weekend.
Happy Dollars:
Chris Chu: for Karen Douglas, the Newton North 18 year old girl who went missing for several days and whose body was found over the weekend. Editor added the following excerpt from the Newton Patch today
(Relatives and friends are invited to attend Karen’s Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. in St Patrick Church, 44 East Central St. (route 135) in Natick. Visiting hours are Friday, Oct. 11, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street on the Natick Common. Public services will conclude following the Funeral Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.medainc.org.)
Sue Peghiny: for her trip to visit her son in Boulder Colorado. She went to the CU football game where they were slaughtered by Oregon Ducks 57-16 . The following day she did a day trip to top of Pikes Peak where for history buffs was where Catherine Lee Bates wrote "Oh Beautiful". See below for cool pics. Another happy dollar for our guest Ron Hoffman from the ALS community who Sue invited to speak to us today.
Mark Nicholas: step daughter coming to visit. first grandchild due in January.
Tom Keery: Suspense dollar. It could be happy or it could be sad. He got a voicemail from his daughters boyfriend and hasn't listened to it yet. He has suspicions that it may be that she might get engaged... stay tuned...
Ed Casavant: for BU who beat St. Francis this past weekend.
Peter Mahler: He gets to sit next to Bert Martinson today and hasn't seen him in a while.
Paul Stone: For the Red Sox winning two games. Sad dollar for them losing last night.
Dick Bowen: Red Sox go all the way.
Justin Sallaway: he is just happy to have a dollar. (Aren't we all... )
Marie Presti: for our guest Ron Hoffman and learning about the ALS non profit and for the weather today given its better than its been all week with the rain we've had.
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Mary picked Justin's ticket. 6 Diamonds. too bad... Sue clapped :)
Sue introduced our speaker:
Ron Hoffman, Compassionate Care ALS. Sue got involved because her brother's best friend got ALS and past away. He was an incredible composer. Did a CD of Sue's brother's friend's compositions. 100% goes to compassionate Care ALS. Sue and her husband are singing on the CD. Still for sale if anyone wants to still buy it. They sell them on the website below.
Since 1997, Ron got into this type of work by accident. Ron worked for Gordon Heald who was a caterer and worked in Worcester. Gordon was diagnosed with ALS. His speech was off. Ron started driving Gordon because his wife asked him to help Gordon so he wouldn't get any more speeding tickets. One night at 1:30 AM Gordon called Ron needing something but couldn't put it into words. Ron went over, Gordon was on the floor. His wife Betsy, then asked him to move in with them to help Gordon live his life.
Ron and Gordon's wife asked Gordon whether to fund in Gordon's name? Gordon said yes. They agreed to make the premise to help people. Gordon T. Heald ALS Fund. MA ALS chapter asked Ron to merge the organizations and join their board. He stayed for 1.5 years then separated and brought the original organization with him. They support individuals living with ALS. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Don't tell families what they don't want to know. He doesn't tell them what he thinks they should know. Family Dynamics. Each one looks different. Ron's group tries to figure out whats going on inside the home. Then they provide things that are not paid for by the medical benefits. Education is a big piece. Nursing students and medical students sometimes say too much to ALS families and the families are not ready to hear that information. Ron goes beyond just the ABC's.
Its a relational model. Sometimes it is just "Thank you for the ramp". Other times, its more of a relationship.
They will drive across the state to help families. Sometimes its telling families how bad it can get.
Counseling, equipment (wheelchair), ramps, vertical lifts, shower accessories, chairs on wheels, reclining stand up chairs, psychotherapists, grieve and trauma specialists, 450K people are diagnosed with ALS worldwide. 3-5 years is the normal lifespan once diagnosed, there are 35K diagnosed in the US. There is a registry but its difficult to track.
Visit
www.ccals.org for more information or to buy a CD. 100% of the proceeds of the sale of the CD goes towards
this organization .
Sue Peghiny, Ron Hoffman, and Mary Kern.
Mary adjoined at 1:27pm.
Respectfully submitted,
