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President Nick called today’s meeting to order at LCC’s Michigan Room and led everyone in reciting Rotary’s 4-Way Test. For today’s reflection, Katie Krick asked everyone to take a moment to remember those who have passed recently in recognition of the work our speaker does through hospice at the end of life. John Dale led in the singing of the National Anthem. Lisa Smith passed the microphone around to introduce our visiting Rotarians and Guests. Dan Alyward introduced a student from LCC and Sexton High School studying business who wanted to learn more about Rotary. President Nick announced there will be a Membership Committee Meeting after the Club meeting on Friday, August 18. All are welcome to assist with upcoming membership efforts related to recruitment of new members and membership goals. President Nick introduced Heidi McNaughton to present our special music. Heidi introduced Meghan Woolsey who is the choral director at DeWitt High School and also performs at many shows at Riverwalk Theater. Meg directs six choirs in DeWitt and is working with the students to present Oklahoma as the fall musical in the first week of November. Meg was accompanied by John Dale Smith who works with Meg at DeWitt High School. They performed Many a New Day from Oklahoma and The Wizard and I from Wicked. Thanks to Andi Earl for serving as Chair of the Month and as Chair of the Day! Andi introduced us to Heather Vida, the Director of Fund Development for Hospice of Lansing  Stoneleigh Residence. Heather is a fellow Rotarian in the Delta Waverly Club. Before Heather began, Andi gave us some background on Hospice of Lansing which provides end of life care to make the most of those days together for the families they serve. They were founded in 1979 and are one of three non-profits in the area providing hospice care wherever home is for those they serve. Heather spoke of the growing need for hospice care. Data shows the number of Medicare recipients accessing hospice services has doubled and continues to grow. Hospice of Lansing has to turn away 100 families annually due to space constraints. Currently, there is a fundraising campaign underway to increase capacity from 8 private suites to 12 as well as the addition of administrative space to consolidate their team needs to one facility. Hospice care is provided once a terminal diagnosis is made and the diagnosis is for six months until the end of life. Hospice care can be provided for a few hours or for a few years depending on the needs of the patient. They also serve the whole family and provide counseling and grief support. Heather told some heartwarming stories about the affect hospice care has provided at end of life for many families including companionship, dignity, specialized care and a peaceful environment with ponds and deer right outside the facility. Thanks to Heather and Andi for this insightful presentation and a donation in their name will be made to our foundation to do good works in the community! President Nick announced our next meeting will be next Friday with Dottie Fuller as our featured speaker on the topic “Healing and the Human Experience”. See you then! Julie Pingston's email is jpingston@lansing.org |
Dottie began her healing practitioner and spiritual path in 2008, just a few years after moving to Michigan from Tennessee. In addition to her education as a nurse, Dottie has spent the last decade and a half in self-study about energy, intuition, chakras, benefits of alternative healing modalities, various religious beliefs, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, mediumship, the human body, nutrition, and the human experience of transition from life to death.
