At our November 29th meeting, our speaker was Reverend Father Timothy Hasenecz. Father Hasenecz is the pastor of Holy Trinity Orthodox Catholic Church in North Catasauqua, and is also the Director of No One Dies Alone, a pastoral program in coordination with the Lehigh Valley Health Network.
Father Tim coordinates a group of volunteers who are thoroughly educated in the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of dying. His team is committed to providing the reassuring presence of a volunteer companion to dying patients who would otherwise be alone. With the support of the nursing staff at LVHN, the volunteer companions are able to provide that most valuable human gift- a dignified death.
In addition to the dying patients who have no family, there are many dying patients whose family cannot physically maintain the vigil, in which case they coordinate their efforts with the family to assure that someone will always be with the patient.
Fr. Tim said that the group is always in need of volunteers, and if anyone is interested or, knows of someone who is interested in serving as a volunteer, you can get more information by calling (888) 402-LVHN.
Operation Warm concluded last week with a contribution of $830 to the Boys and Girls Club for the purchase of winter coats for children who would otherwise not have access to one. Thank you to all who contributed.
50/50 drawing was the ninth week of our return to the “Queen of Hearts” style. Dee Dee Foran had the winning ticket, but didn’t pull the Queen of Hearts. There are 42 cards left in the deck, and next week’s pot will start at $250. Come and try your luck!
Announcements:
We received a thank you letter from the Boys and Girls Club for our contribution of $830 for the purchase of winter coats for children who are in need. Thank you again to all members who contributed.
Our Annual Meeting is scheduled for December 13th, where we approve the election of club officers and board for the upcoming year. We need a quorum in order to have an official vote, so please attend to cast your vote.
Should peace be left up to our politicians? Our RI President Ian Riseley thinks Rotary should lead the way. Our Zone 32, along with Zones 24, 25, and 26 has been selected by Rotary International President Ian Riseley to hold the first Presidential Peacebuilding Conference on February 10, 2018 in Vancouver, BC. If you would like more information, please contact me, or you can also go to https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50004/Stories/presidential-conference . There is also a link on the District Website.
District 7430 has announced that the District will sponsor a Rotary Friendship Exchange which will take place between April 26, 2018 and May 7, 2018. There will be 6 Rotarian couples from Sweden who will be visiting us during this time. Our District 7430 will be providing an itinerary and a van for transportation during their visit, but we are looking for Rotarians who are willing to provide the couples with a place to stay during their visit. The visiting Rotarians will be paying for all of their own activities and tours while they are here. The District expects that they will plan on the Rotarians spending between one and three days at each home, depending on the eventual itinerary. This is a great way to enjoy the international nature of your Rotary experience, that is, by getting to know Rotarians from around the world right in your own home. If you would like more information, please contact me.
Severe storms, an earthquake, and hurricanes are wreaking havoc across the globe from the United States and Mexico to South Asia and Africa. The Rotary Foundation and Rotary clubs in affected areas are helping bring emergency aid to battered communities.
From red ponchos to pub crawls, Rotary clubs are coming up with a variety of ways to promote polio eradication in October. In eastern Ontario and western Quebec, Canada, thousands of Rotary members will put on red ponchos and march through the streets of their towns to raise awareness.