Since our meetings are virtual, there are various ways we can continue to participate and make an impact as Rotarians. Whether it is helping in person to keep our Centennial Park on Sand Island beautiful (stay tuned for next cleanup date), serving on a committee, and/or financially supporting our causes, we need all of you pitching in and keeping us moving forward. I am humbled by how many of you are doing a great job keeping us moving forward with our many projects, despite the pandemic.
With virtual meetings we can meet people from around the world from the comfort of our office or home. Last week's speaker hails from Minneapolis, MN and an upcoming speaker hails from Maine. This format "Opens Opportunities" for each of you to bring someone local or from afar to speak to our club. Have a friend from Oregon too busy to travel to Bethlehem with an interesting topic?? See if they can give us an hour one Wednesday to talk to us. Please contact Karley Sebia, Jack Standbridge or me for help getting your speaker scheduled. Virtual meetings can give us insights to topics we never had. I know each one of you can help with this...it's easy to do!
Remember our Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS) is sponsoring a program for Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Week on Saturday November 14 at 7PM. The virtual event will feature artwork, poetry, and musical performances by trafficking survivors & anti-trafficking advocates showing their strength and healing messages through the various art forms. Go to our website and click the box to sign up for very powerful evening showing your support for these survivors and our RAGAS committee.
In recognition of November being Rotary Foundation Month, District 7430 will be holding a Rotary Foundation virtual seminar on Saturday November 21 from 9AM to 11AM. Mark your calendar and plan to attend. Go to rotarydistict7430.org to register for the ZOOM invitation.
Monique Hammond from Minneapolis presented a program on Hearing Loss-the Silent Epidemic at last weeks meeting. A registered pharmacist who lost lost hearing in her left ear 10 years ago from a loud band at a church fundraiser and no longer able to work as a pharmacist, she spent 5 years researching the topic and wrote the book: What Did You Say? An Unexpected Journey into the World of Hearing Loss. She has served on various Hearing Loss organizations and speaks to various companies and Rotary Clubs across the US and Canada.
Her mission is to keep people hearing better and longer. A silent and invisible disability, it affects one in five over the age of 12. She talked about the quality of life issues and social and professional ramifications. She had to resign her job as a pharmacist due to the fear of preparing an incorrect prescription. And the Covid-19 pandemic mask wearing has negatively affected those with hearing loss, though she did say clear panel masks are available to help those who can read lips.
Many things can cause hearing loss, such as auto-immune reaction, cardio vascular disease, diabetes, excess noise, infections, head trauma, tumors, and she also talked about the Johns Hopkins research that ties hearing loss to dementia. Symptoms are duller-stuffier sounds, tinnitus (constant ringing in the ear), and the erosion of nerve cell connections. Monique advised that noise induced hearing loss is permanent, cumulative, and preventable and dispelled the toxic myth that one can get used to loud sounds. You don't!
Monique gave us some prevention strategies such as a free Smartphone sound meter app we can use and concluded that our hearing is a precious gift we take for granted until it is gone. Please protect yourself; wear hearing protection when around loud sounds and advise others-especially younger people to do so.
This week, since November is Rotary Foundation Month, our own Diane Donaher will present an overview of the Rotary Foundation. As they say: The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.
Over the next two weeks, Diane will be making powerful presentations on the great things the Rotary Foundation does, how it works, and how we can help make a big difference in the world. I hope everyone can attend, especially newer members, who will learn that they are part of a worldwide team of people making a difference.
See you Wednesday!
