MINUTES: January 10, 2017
Posted by Brooks
President Jaclyn Adams presided over the meeting. Thanks to Mike Ratliff who gave the invocation and to Bill MacLauchlan who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thanks also to Brett Phillips and Ben Donald who served as our greeters today.
Sean Priebe filled in for Tracie Fowler and noted that we have no visiting Rotarians. Taylor Backstrom is a guest of Jaclyn Adams. Jaclyn also noted that Taylor has submitted a membership application which has been approved by the board. He will be installed in the near future.
Wes Brooks noted that nominations are...
...now open for the Leadership Pinebelt program. Nominations will close on January 20. If you are interested in being nominated or know someone who would be qualified, please let Wes know before that deadline.
Jaclyn noted that, due to the bad weather last weekend, our club’s delegation was unable to attend the District Mid-Year Check-up Meeting. However she shared some of our club’s accomplishments during the past six months. We raised more than $13,662 for the disentangled AD project throughout Bike-a-Thon. We hosted a supply drive for the local Domestic Abuse Shelter and collected an additional $500 for the Shelter’s use. We implemented the Rotary Meals on Wheels Program. We sponsored one RYLA scholarship. We collected and distributed disaster relief supplies for the Louisiana flood victims. We have pledges and collections for $4,032 toward our Rotary Foundation goal of $5,600. We have six new Paul Harris Fellowships. We have a net gain of five new members. We sponsored a toy drive for Christian Services’ Christmas event, assembled gift baskets for Meals on Wheels recipients and we collected bears for Kids Hub.
The One-Hundred-Days-of-Service project is now underway. The committee is putting together a reading program for 100 students at a local public school. We will set up drop boxes for Kids Hub where supplies can be dropped off for their emergency supply pantry. We will again partner with the Children’s Center and help them with their annual event. The Fleet Market dates will be either February 18 or March 4. We will also put together a 50/50 split project that will end on April 20 to conclude the 100 days of service.
Ryan Kelly then introduced today’s guest speaker. Debbie Mason is the Volunteer Coordinator for the St. Luke Home Health & Hospice. Their services aim to provide patients with quality medical care in the comfortable, familiar environment of their home or wherever the patient may be. According to Debbie, everything they do centers on the patients' well-being. She says they work hard to ensure that their patients have access to safe, therapeutic environments. St. Luke services a major portion of southwest Mississippi, including the Greater Hattiesburg area.
According to Debbie, hospice recognizes life and accepts that death is a part of life. They offer a variety of services and therapies to help their patients die with dignity. They also provide services to improve the patient’s quality of life when possible as well as services and support to caregivers.
As St. Luke’s Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie asked Rotarians to consider becoming a volunteer. Even if you only have time to write a note of encouragement to a patient, your assistance would be appreciated. Volunteers must be 18 years of age. They will undergo a TB test as a background check. They are also required to take a training course and continue their training throughout their service.
Hospice patients are those who have been diagnosed as terminally ill by a doctor. Hospice expenses are paid for through Medicare and Medicaid and sometimes through private insurance.
Debbie encouraged each of us to “make a difference in someone’s life”. To reach St. Luke in the Hattiesburg area, call (601) 296-1862.
Congratulations to Brett Phillips who won the door prize.