Written by Patrick Hart

                   

President Greg Hill opened the meeting with a pledge and a prayer but sadly without a song.

 

BRAGS:

Elliott Pinsel has collected approximately 480 gifts for his holiday gift drive.

 

Bob Zamor took an eight day safari at Kruger National Park in South Africa.

 

Tucker Olson is looking for a volunteer to play Santa Claus (or the real Santa Claus, if you know how to locate him) at a Christmas party on Saturday December 21, which his food pantry puts on for their clients.

 

Pat Schwartz bragged that Love Inc. recently distributed over 300 coats mostly for children.  The organization is also putting on a party for needy families, this Saturday morning, December 14, which will include taking attendees shopping for gifts.  He needs volunteers to help with the shopping, so please contact Pat if you are available.

 

Tim Klein proclaimed with great pride that he has become a grandfather for the third time.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Greg Hill reported that the two club events since our last meeting namely our Christmas party and the Salvation Army bell ringing went well.

 

Jeff Harger took up an additional collection today for Christmas baskets for the food pantry and he announced that the effort produced sufficient funds for the endeavor.

 

A meeting will be held next Tuesday at the Pet Factory to help organize the winter fundraiser.

 

Sam Rinella’s wife Kim is very sick and is in the hospital.  If anyone wants to make contact, they have requested that you use the Caring Bridge Site.

 

Carol August has also been ill with a case of pneumonia.

 

Tom Zengeler is still looking to fill the board next year, and the openings include the coveted position of president elect.  If available please contact Tom.

 

This week the club formally adopted by voice vote the amendment to our By-Laws that were published on November 13, 2019.

 

 

At this week’s meeting we inducted two new members, Rob Likus and Lisa Lehman.

 

Rob Likus is a financial planner who works for Merrell Lynch in Highland Park.  He is a graduate of Libertyville High School and the University of Illinois.  He currently lives in Libertyville with his wife and their two small sons.

 

Lisa Lehman is an attorney.  She lives in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin and practices law in Lincolnshire, Illinois.  She was formerly a Rotarian for five years as a member of the Escondido club, near San Diego, California.

 

 

We had no fun and frolics today, but everyone was fined four dollars.

 

Our speaker this week was David Carlton the CEO of SamaraCare.  He is an ordained Presbyterian Pastor and a passionate advocate of extending mental health services into populations that are underserved.

 

Samaritan Counseling Center, the predecessor organization for SamaraCare began serving the community eighty years ago.  They believe in providing mental health care with a spiritual input, and Mr. Carlton is very concerned about the number of Americans who are not receiving necessary mental health treatment.

 

About 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness in any year, and for about 1 in 25 each year it is serious enough to substantially interfere with life activities.  Suicides, which our speaker referred to as “Deaths of Despair,” are growing in the United States, and he attributed this trend to a loss of a cohesive system of meaning and hope in our society.  Ninety percent of suicides show signs of mental health problems.

 

 Yet despite the growing problem only 41% of those suffering from mental illness receive treatment. 

 

One of the major obstacles to people receiving mental health services is financial.  Unfortunately nineteen percent of Americans still do not have health insurance in the states that have not expanded Medicaid, and even in the states that have expanded Medicaid thirteen percent of people remain without health insurance.

 

Another barrier to the population obtaining these services is the social stigma that attaches to receiving mental health treatment.  SamaraCare emphasizes that choosing to seek such services is a sign of strength.   They believe that the key to improvement in this area is awareness, self-care, and advocacy.     

 

John Robb won our weekly drawing of $31.00, while our progressive pot of $552.00 rolled over once more, after Pat Schwartz pulled the Jack of Diamonds out of 33 cards.

 

NEXT WEEK:

 

Fun & Frolics – Steve Risley

 

Greeter & Prayer – Tom Zengeler

 

Program: Heidi Reich -Aguilar from Winchester House

 

 

 

“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Berthold Auerbach