While I was in NYC on business, President Elect Ron Searfoss chaired our May 14 meeting where Todd Heft presented his Classification Talk and spoke about his evolution in the world.  His sponsor Ellen Roberts was in NYC, so an appropriate pinch-hitter was called-up.  Rick Santee has known Todd for a loooonggg time.  Fortunately, Rick had to be in court early and was not able to do as Todd requested … “be really cool to intro me with ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ on the accordion”. (Yes, he was serious!)  Rick, while skipping the accordion intro, Googled additional information as well. 

 

Todd proceeded to give us a great look at his younger years as he developed into a significant radio personality pursuing his dream – getting paid for doing something he really liked.  He had 3 “Nevers”, and he promptly showed why you should “Never Say Never” as he went through his career.  Having returned to the Lehigh Valley from all over the Northeast, he operates Heft Media, geared toward marketing strategies for non-profits. He is also a very skilled photographer and exhibits his diversity as the author of “Homegrown Tomatoes” on growing organic tomatoes. Todd is married to former MS Rotarian Dianne Moody. Many thanks, Todd, for your talk. We are happy to have you in Morning Star and look forward to tapping your expertise!

 

Last Saturday morning May 16, Morning Star was well represented at the annual District 7430 Training Assembly at Montgomery County Community College.  President Elect Ron Searfoss, Immediate Past President Jean Searfoss, Vice President Sharon Fontana, Treasurer Val Walk, Foundation Chairman Tom Hartzell, Assistant Governor Janet Kolepp, Alex Schnaydruk and I all attended. PE Ron completed the last of the President Elect training sessions and represented MSR in the official business session. Jean Searfoss presented to the plenary session about club membership successes and wouldn’t you know it but our fantastic “plus 10” year in 2013-1014 was one of the examples. (FYI: Jean was asked to serve on the District Membership Committee – good choice, eh?) Tom Hartzell led the Club Treasurer training session. The rest of us attended position specific training or other sessions devoted to membership, fund raising, projects and Foundation. Both Alex and Tom H. stayed for the official Rotary Foundation trainings so that MSR continues to hold our certification to participate in Rotary grants. The next large group training session will be Rotary Leadership Institute in November.

 

Reminder: Please turn in your Spaghetti  Dinner ticket sales money to Val Walk or Sue Reeps. Please help us to finish our event reconciliation by getting your money in asap.

 

The Golf Tournament Committee still needs hole sponsors NOW and foursomes of golfers by May 27, plus raffle board donations, including gift certificates, and volunteers. The raffle board has available squares to purchase for $5 per square - a great way for non-golfers to support this fundraiser, which benefits Bridges Foundation.

 

 

The final Rotary Foundation Annual Fund push is on to qualify Morning Star as an “Every Rotarian Every Year” Club. If you have not already given, please give your Foundation contribution in any amount into Tom Hartzell or the “$2 a Week” Table by May 28 so that he can assure proper credit to both you and the club for our EREY achievement.

 

Join Janet Sipple and Mike Long, May’s “Prospective Member Challenge” volunteers, and make the commitment to introduce one or two acquaintances to Rotary and share our “Service Above Self” ideals. Guests are always welcome.

 

This week’s program (5/21) features Dee Elliott and a panel she is assembling will be speaking about “Collective Impact” which is really a big part of Rotary’s gift to the community – our collective impact.

 

Looking forward, on May 28, Rotarian Terry Reed will tell us about the District 7430 medical training mission in Uganda. Terry was there recently and witnessed the outstanding work that is enabled by Club funds, Foundation funds and energetic and dedicated Rotarians. (See story below.)

 

Be sure these club events are on your calendar. See the MSR website for additional information:

 

Here are District events of interest with full details and registration information on the District 7430 website.

 

President Tom will be in South Africa from May 29 through June 12 -- missing meetings on June 4 and June 11. This is a family vacation for Janet, Tom, Carl and Katie and brings Carl’s exchange student journey full circle as he gets to introduce our family to those families and Rotarians who hosted him in 2008-09. While in Klerksdorp, we will attend a meeting of Carl’s host club - the Rotary Club of Orkney. While I’m AWOL, President Elect Ron will chair our weekly meetings.

 

Also, as approved at the March Board meeting, the June Board Meeting has been rescheduled from June 10 to June 17 as it is President Tom’s final Board meeting as President, and it is traditionally our joint board meeting with both current and new Board Members in attendance. Both current and new Board Members, please mark your calendars with the changed date and the different location – Rosanna’s Restaurant.

 

If you are visiting Bethlehem or our website or you 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

 

 

That's the statistic that struck Terry Reed when he volunteered to travel to East Africa as part of a Rotary International project.  Terry, a member of the West Reading-Wyomissing Club, led a medical team in February to Uganda to provide training to local health care professionals. 

 

 

The 11-person Volunteer Training Team consisted of OB/GYNs, pediatricians, midwives, public health, and IT professionals from Drexel University College of Medicine.  They traveled in and around the Kampala area as well as more-remote health care centers and offered advanced training to health care professionals in procedures and techniques to help mothers survive and help babies breathe at the moment of birth. 

 

 

Terry will share his experiences in the hospitals and remote community health centers where a Global Grant from The Rotary Foundation provided medical and computer equipment and training classes to help stem the mortality and morbidity rates facing the mothers and children of Uganda.  Incidentally, a group from Uganda came to Pennsylvania this month as an exchange.

 

Come join us at our May 28th meeting to hear first hand how your Rotary Foundation support is working to save lives!

By definition dry mouth (DM) is an excessive state of dryness in the mouth.  DM may be caused by medications, salivary gland disease, aging, nerve damage, alcohol/tobacco/illegal drug use/over use, health conditions, e.g. Sjögren's syndrome, HIV/AIDS, stroke, Alzheimer's, snoring, and mouth breathing. It is a nuisance for the individual that may affect one's general or dental health status, appetite, and enjoyment of food. 

 

Saliva reduces tooth decay by neutralizing acid from bacteria, reducing bacterial growth, washing food particles away, increasing taste sensitivity, makes it easier to swallow, and saliva enzymes aid in digestion.  Treatment of DM depends on the cause. Symptoms include day mouth/throat, thick/stringy saliva, bad breath, difficulty chewing-speaking-swallowing, a changed sense of taste, increased tooth decay, gum irritation and/or disease. In dialog with your health care provider, rule out disease processes that might be causing the DM. Then try the wide array of over the counter (OTC) products available such as mouth moisturizers and rinses, artificial saliva, and lubricates for the mouth. Consider with your provider a change in medications if that is the cause of your DM or perhaps consider a new medication that stimulates saliva. Discuss with your dentist the use of fluoride trays or a chlorhexidine rinse.

 

 

Lifestyle behaviors to consider include sipping water throughout the day reaching the recommended water intake on a daily basis.  Chewing sugarless gum while remembering any sugarless product most likely has xylitol which may cause diarrhea.  Use a cool room humidifier at night while sleeping and use lip moisturizer throughout the day and before sleep. Explore effectiveness of OTC products to solve the problem and become a better nose breather.  Avoid excessive caffeine, abstain from alcohol/tobacco use, OTC use of antihistamines/decongestants, and sugary/acidic foods.  Do use fluoride tooth paste and rinse and see your dentist at least twice a year.

 

Nurse Sipple