JAN 09 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Posted by Tom Kolepp 
on Jan 09, 2015
 

President’s Message for January 15, 2015

Those “hearty” Rotarians who braved the sub-freezing weather on Thursday January 8 were treated to a primer on Takotsubo cardiomyopathy by Dr. Deborah W. Sundlof. Takotsubo is a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (CM) featuring a sudden temporary weakening of heart muscles and a dysfunctional change in the shape of the ventricles. Since it can be triggered by emotional stress, such as the death of a loved one, a break-up, or constant anxiety, it is also known as stress CM or “broken-heart syndrome.” As an expert in non-invasive cardiology with a passion for female cardiology and heart health, her engaging presentation with well-designed slides was exemplary. How many speakers would inspire Ron Helmuth to ask how to read an electrocardiogram? Her enthusiasm was infectious and the good doctor was the first guest during my Presidency to want to ring our Rotary bell – and so she did to end our meeting.

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Thanks to Charlotte and Tore Hartmann-Hansen for introducing Dr. Deb Sundlof and to our Program Committee for making all the arrangements. We were also happy to host Anne Marie Crown and Michael Cirroco who comprise part of Dr. Sundlof’s LVH support team.

We welcomed four other guests to our meeting. Visiting Rotarians were MSR Past Treasurer Michael Joyce who currently lives in Richmond, VA and MSR Past President Diane Donaher from our colleague club in Bethlehem. Diane brought Guy A. Catalino as a visitor and Annika, our own Miss Finland, successfully made it back from her trip to South Carolina with the Mohrs.

There are a lot of club and District events coming up, so put them on your calendar and find additional details on the MSR website or District 7430 website:

  • MSR Board Meeting: Meets this Wednesday January 14 in the Moravian Village Board Room.
  • Four Way Speech Contest: Wednesday March 18 6PM at Bethlehem Town Hall
  • MSR 25th Anniversary Celebration: Saturday March 28 in the evening – details coming soon
  • MSR Spaghetti Dinner: Friday May 1 at East Hills Moravian Church
  • Golf Tournament: It’s coming in June, 2015

Here are District events of interest:

  • District Foundation Recognition Dinner: March 23 at the William Penn Inn
  • Friendship Exchange from Wales: April 21-April 30. Seeking Host clubs 3 day rotations. If we hosted on the front end of their trip, then we would have instant new friends to enjoy at the District Conference. Contact President Tom if interested.
  • District 7430 Conference: April 24 – 26 in Gettysburg
  • District Training Assembly: Saturday May 16 starting 7:30 AM at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell
  • Camp Neidig (RYLA) 2015: June 19 – 22 with closing ceremony & dinner on June 22

I love it that our friend Diane Donaher brought a guest to visit Morning Star. Please follow her lead and invite a friend to an upcoming meeting. Start with our January 15th meeting when we will hear from Rachael Scheffler of the Lehigh Valley Hospital Network. She will tell us about the “Community Canvas” which we helped fund through a Morning Star Community Grant. Come and learn more about how our philanthropic work in the Lehigh Valley makes a difference.

If you are visiting Bethlehem or our website or want to learn more about Bethlehem Morning Star or Rotary International, please contact Tom Kolepp via email at tkolepp@gmail.com or via mobile phone at 484-241-1251.

Let's continue to "Light Up Rotary". Regards. President Tom

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