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Dr. Bill Shragge - Chief of Staff, Niagara Health System
President Betty-Lou brought the meeting to order. We wobbled through the National anthem with violin accompaniment, Ross Burns offered Grace, and we toasted the Queen and Canada.
President Betty-Lou introduced the Head Table - Bala Kathiresan to introduce the speaker, speaker, Dr. William Shragge; Madam President; Sergeant-at-Arms, Larry Ross; Rotarian in the Spotlight, Dr. George Park; and this week's Registrar, Ian Ladd, who introduced our guests -
Guests - Kristy Lockyer, Murray Odesse, and Kate Verge (our GSE team), Sandy Crews (past president), The Homestead Pickers - Danny, Greg and Greg; from the Niagara Health System -Paul Leon and Christine Clarke, Bill Currie from the Standard, Dave Haddow, Pat Hoggan, and Henry Klassen; and visiting Rotarians - Jean Armitage, St. Catharines AM, and Bob Hickey from Vail, Colorado.
George Park was in the spotlight this week. George was a director and club president, and championed the career-retraining program. He served on several committees - 75 th anniversary, seniors, advisory and capital projects and several others, but President Betty-Lou says he is best known for his British wit.
Birthdays - March 16, Dave Stevenson and John Nitsopoulos
Peter Banwell is undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. He is not yet receiving visitors. Progress is slow.
From the Board Meeting - President Betty-Lou said we are the leading foundation donor in district 7090. The committee chairs met this week to discuss succession. Our President has submitted reports for two Rotary recognition awards. She reminded us that the District Conference is May 13, 14, 15 at the Chautauqua Institute. Details at www.rotary7090.org
Tuesday, Rob Reid and President Betty-Lou visited the home of Dr. Earl Hunt and presented him with a Paul Harris Fellowship. Dr. Hunt is 90 years old but still works a few hours every day. (I am told his son, Doug, drives him around to make house-calls on Saturdays.) He was very grateful and accepted the award with his wife and two children by his side.
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Betty-Lou Souter, Dr. Earl Hunt and Rob Reid |
Rick Merritt brought forward Todd Horton. Todd is the new manager of the Niagara Credit Union at Grantham Plaza. Todd is married with two children - one at Western and the other at McMaster. At one time Todd worked with Maurice Gomme at Canada Trust, and at another time he worked with Carol Stymiest at the Royal Bank. He is attending McMaster as a part time student.
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Todd Horton, Betty-Lou Souter and Rick Merritt |
John Crossingham reported on his Group Friendship Exchange to Brazil. Rotarians from Simcoe, Fonthill, Dundas and Waterdown went with John and Libby to Brazil. John reported ten days of fabulous hospitality. All the Rotarians on the trip have been involved with Youth Exchange in their club. The group was able to meet up with many former exchange students who came to Canada and have returned to Brazil. John reported that their translation ability helped enormously. John asked us to stand while he taught us the Brazilian national anthem, which looked a lot like clapping. He described this as the Reader's Digest version of their anthem. On the day of the 100 th anniversary of Rotary, John and his group went with the President of the local club to his distillery, where they ferment sugar cane into booze. John brought a signed bottle that he presented to President Betty-Lou.
The Group Study Exchange group came forward. Jean Armitage introduced three of the members - Kristy Lockyer, Murray Odesse and Kate Verge (a fourth is in Hamilton and couldn't attend.) They leave April 2 for the Philippines. The club gave each of them $200 for blazers. We look forward to their return.
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Kate Verge, Murray Odesse, Kristy Lockyer and Jean Armitage |
Dave McAdam announced the two page Rotary Awareness insert in the Standard - for $50 you get a small insert, for $250 you get a business card-size ad. (You can reach Dave with your ad commitment at jdmcadam@vaxxine.com) Dave also announced the joint St. Catharines clubs meeting on Wednesday, April 6 at the Parkway. Our club will not hold a Thursday meeting that week.
Ten Day Notices
Henry Klassen -proposed by Chris Bangham - Classification Machinery & Equipment-Design and Fabrication
Patricia Hoggan -proposed by John Crossingham, Classification - Interior Design.
Dave Haddow - proposed by Eugene Gillies - former member of NOL-Past District Governor-Classification - Finance - Banking Management
Mike Pihura proposed by Eugene Gillies, Classification- Medical - Audiologist.
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Ross Burns, Betty-Lou Souter, and John Potts with the Homestead Pickers |
In lieu of Happy Dollars, Norm Kreger introduced us to the Homestead Pickers who will perform a concert tomorrow at Club Italia on Friday night. They gave us a sample of their music with a live performance. Norm asked us to ante up a dollar each in appreciation. The lead singer introduced the boys from Arkansas. They are here to promote the Heartland Forest - which is a family retreat of prime woodlands. Three volunteers were requested, and Ross Burns, Betty-Lou Souter and John Potts stepped forward. John was given a washboard, Petty Lou a jug, and Ross a pair of spoons. Each of them did a fine job of embarrassing themselves.
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Ross Burns on the spoons |
John Potts on the washboard |
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Betty-Lou Souter on the jug |
50/50 - John Snowling helped increase the pot.
Dr. Bill Shragge - Chief of Staff, Niagara Health System
Bala Kathiresan introduced Dr. Shragge, who studied at the University of Winnipeg. In addition to being a surgeon, he is a well-known health administrator. He is the chief of staff at the Niagara Health System.
Dr. Shragge addressed the hearth-care situation in Niagara and said he was speaking on behalf of the over 500 physicians and 3500 staff in the system
He spoke of three elements - we are older, sicker and poorer than the rest of the province.
Our demographic combined with our social problems leads to increased visits to the hospital. He said there is an increased incidence of cardio-vascular problems - heart, stroke and diabetes. We also have a need for long-term care. The pressure is on the health care system.
Dr. Shragge described three health care situations that resulted in the patient being transferred out of Niagara for advanced care.
The common theme to his story is that we are blessed with an amazing team of health professionals, working beyond their capacity. We need more primary care and more specialized services to care for our older, sicker, poorer population.
Dr. Shragge suggested that we don't want to do everything in Niagara, especially very complicated surgeries, but there are areas of cardiac and cancer care that we should be able to do in Niagara and presently can't.
Health does not respect municipal boundaries. And illness does not respect political ideologies.
He urged us to speak with one voice to advocate for the resources to allow the professionals to do the job they want to do for us.
Dr. Ken Taylor thanked the speaker.
Centennial Moment - H. H. Brunnier of the Rotary Club of San Francisco said, "The things that are worth-while take time. It is not the I's of the world but we's who achieve them."
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Bala Kathiresan, Dr. Bill Shragge and Betty-Lou Souter
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Next Week- Art Weaver - Classification Talk
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