The Westerner for July 19, 2010
Meeting: chair, Mike Ryan; music, Jerome; grace, Bob Lamoureux
Attendance/Guests: 37 including Melissa Maier, club guest; Dr. Kerry Pawluski, guest speaker
Group Study Exchange: 6 week visit to Australia in February, 2011; nominations for Rotarian leader or young adult participants due in early August
Cheryl Bauer: welcomed to membership in our club via transfer from Rotary Club of Edmonton
50/50: Bill Storoschuk and Doug MacDougall did not match cards
Finemaster: Jennifer, due to leave for Belise in 2 weeks for teacher education workshops as part of Rotary District 5370 program to move the Alberta Education Curriculum to Belise, fined Mike Ryan for NEWBY comments, Jim Spalding for fine looking Rotarian comments re table introductions. Then she asked table questions: who won British Open - Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa by 7 strokes; who came second - Lee Westwood of England; where is next British Open - 2011 will be at Royal St. George in Sandwich, Kent; why does Belise stand out re Central American countries - English is the first language; then, to get everyone to $2 fine levy she fined if no Rotary pin being worn or if the table did not have a lady present.
Club Fun Golf: August 16; Victoria Golf Course; tee times 1:00 pm; steak dinner, 6:00 pm (not 7:00 pm, as previously reported) - come to dinner even if you don't golf
Advertisers: Thanks to Zen Moisey and Joe Lizotte for adding their advertisements to the Westerner and the Club Website. Please note that if you click on any of these adverts, your computer will immediately be taken to the advertisers website where you will be able to get all kinds of good information. Please give it a try.
Guest Speaker: Al Sanderson introduced Dr. Kerry Pawluski, a family MD who also works at the Royal Alex Hospital in orthopedics and trauma.
Kerry started Angel Flights for Northern Alberta in 2006. The idea was to provide a shorter timed trip to Edmonton for people in the rural northern areas who had to come to Edmonton for medical problem solving. Bus trips of over 12 hours tend to be debilitating.
Kerry has worked in Manitoba, as well, which is another province that needs help for rural patients to travel for medical help. There are very few medical specialists in northern Alberta although there are plans to set up oncology specialists in Grande Prairie and Peace River.
The Alberta charity was based on Angel Flights Vancouver Island which was started in 2001, did 30 flights in the first year and usually does 175 flights per year, now. Angel Flights Alberta has had trouble getting donations, partly because it was started just as the recession was coming and partly because Kerry used possible referal sources that did not produce the desired effect. The social workers at Stollery Hospital and doctors in general have not spread the word.
Although the Edmonton Journal, Global TV and rural newspapers have tried to help, there has not been enough money to get flights going - only 10 flights in 4 years. Flights, using aircraft similar to Beach Bonanza, have ocurred for Grande Prairie, High Level and Stoney Rapids SK. Currently there is a skeleton board of directors and few volunteers. The hope is to increase awareness with the subsequent increase in donations. There are 18 interested pilots but most are based in Edmonton - not ideal as that doubles the number of flights to move the patients. Kerry also needs the Muni Airport to stay open - only 8 minutes from Royal Alex Hospital.
Current items, other than awareness and donations, that are being dealt with - permanent location, involvement with Air Care Alliance which provides a seminar and good data on the subject arena, purchase own aircraft, recruit more rural pilots. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Kerry was thanked by Bill Buckham.