Rotagram for Wednesday, Dec 4, 2019

Elections for Our Rotary Board:
For Director for 2020-2022: Christian Estaban, Glynnes Speak and Karen Xie
For Club President 2021-2022: Zoot Velasco

President Mike Cochran called our meeting to order at 12/30 p.m.

He told us a story about people getting stranded in our snowy mountains. So, if you’re going to visit the snow (seriously, why would you do that?) be equipped and careful! We love you! (Even you, Mike Oates!)

REMINDER—No meeting on Christmas Day (I’m available! My work is done the night before!) or New Year’s Day (to keep your drunk self off the road.)

A few things in our world:

1903 English physicist Cecil Frank Paul discovered the pion. A pion consists of a quark and an anti-quark and is, therefore, a meson. If you know what this means, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee at our next meeting.

1998—The space shuttle Endeavor and a crew of six headed out!

Pledge—Randy McFarland

Invocation—Leland Wilson

Guests—Missed that, someone was talking to me. Rats.

Announcements:

Dan O.—Board vacancies are coming. Qualifications included, well, nothing.

Zoot V. went to Paris, so he gloated a little.—He swapped Rotary banners with the Paris Académie club. Also, a lovely Bordeaux.

Ken K.—Trepidacious is not a word. But, you’ll be a great president and lots of people are going to want to do fun stuff with you.

Dan O.—January 17-18, 2020, there’s a Rotary International event here in our area. “Peace Begins With You.” Check it out online.

Recognitions: (Leland Wilson)

Zoot—Trip to France is $2.

Bob J.—Wants more people in the club whose last name begins with J. $2 for a sympathy groan.

Mike C.—December 6th birthday, 70th.

Bob J. (again)—December 7th, Taking his wife to Club 33. $2.

Paula F.—December 8th, birthday. David Gillanders paid my fine.

Kathy G.—December 9th, birthday.

Mike O.—Fined for making Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe that no one can resist.

Jim W.—$2 for something that I could make neither head nor tail about.

Carl C.—Good business opportunity, $2.

Jeff H.—Retired as of two days ago. Her daughter is having her third grandchild. So, another “great” for Jeff!

David G.—Pathways of Hope got a $2.5M grant to leverage into affordable housing.

Ken K.—Bought a new dog over the Tgiving holiday. Thankful they got out of northern Utah alive before the snow got insane.

John T.—Also to have gotten home safely, left the car. Ask him.

Leland quoted the District Governor—There’s a place in Rotary for doing business. He had everyone who has done business with a club member this year to stand up. Way more than half of us stood. I did business with Marty Burbank and it was great!

Program:

Mark Odom, LCSW, speaking for Alzheimer’s OC.l Some key take-aways—

AlzOC has joined “Dementia Friends” in an international initiative to de-stigmatize dementia.

“Dementia” is an umbrella term. Numerous types of dementia out there. Alz is the most common and most well-known. There are plenty of others. Lewie-Body; Vascular dementia; Parkinson’s related dementia and on and on.

He noted some differences between normal aging and dementia. Example: difficulty seeing due to cataracts. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.

Five key messages:

1. Dementia is not a normal part of aging. Not everyone who grows old will develop dementia.
2. Dementia is cause by diseases of the brain.
3. Dementia is not just about having memory problems.
4. It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia. Most dementias are progressive, so a good life is possible in the early and middle stages.
5. There’s more to a person than the dementia.

Biggest mistake in communicating with someone with dementia is correcting them. It is discouraging to the person who already knows they’re having trouble. Being supportive, reassuring. Avoid criticizing or correcting. Avoid arguing.

Not “How are you?” Rather, “You’re looking good today!” Not “You forgot your coat again.” Rather, “It’s cold out, let me get your coat.”

Go out and be good people and even better Rotarians.

Respectfully submitted,

Paula Ferris