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Steve Hale - 2020 Census

The first US census was taken in 1790, one that has been required every ten years by our constitution. According to Rotarian Steve Hale, a Senior Partnership Specialist for Kansas for the US Census who addressed our group, the results of each census determines the representation of each state in the US House of Representatives. It also determines the amount of Federal programs for which different geographical areas qualify. Kansas received $6 billion from the top five Federal programs as determined by the census. Lyon County gains (or loses) $48,500 in Federal funding for every 2.5 people counted (or not counted) in the 2020 census. The objective of the US census is to count every person living in this country on Census Day (April 1, 2020). For the 2020 census, each person is encouraged to complete the census form online...if not online, then by phone...and if not by phone, then by mail. Those hardest to count are children under five years old and people over 65 years old. Homeless people have also proven to be a challenge to get an accurate count. Kids attending college are counted where they live in college as of April 1. Those living in group quarters, like college dorms, are usually done with the cooperation of the administrative body in charge of each group quarters, and is usually taken using the records maintained by the administrative body.

Steve shared a website that anyone can use to monitor the census process: www.census.gov/roam.

Barbara Wry PHF + 8

Barbara Wry was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow + 8 for her generous contributions toward the great causes of The Rotary Foundation. Great job, Barbara!

Bob Wright - Newman Regional Health

Rotarian Bob Wright, CEO of Newman Regional Health, provided our Rotary Club with an update on NRH as a critical access hospital, one of 1,350 critical access hospitals in the United States. Critical access hospitals represent a Medicare reimbursement category for small hospitals with a much smaller economy of scale than non-critical access hospitals, and the acute-care beds are reduced to a maximum of twenty-five. If Medicare expansion is approved by the Kansas Legislature, NRH's situation will be helped. Eighteen percent of NRH's patients are on Medicare, which is the highest percentage of hospitals between here and Wyandotte.

Other information provided by Bob:

The new Express Care + ER is operationally working very well for NRH patients. There is additional privacy for patients, making it one of the best facilities around.
The pharmacy renovation/expansion at NRH is getting started in the location of the old ER.
The Corona virus has been around for 10-15 years. What we are hearing about now is a new strain.
Cardiology - NRH is trying to recruit two more general cardiologists.
High deductible insurance plans is one of NRH's biggest challenges.
New anesthesia equipment from funds raised at a recent Denim & Diamonds event - Five were purchased, and are going online now.
The next Denim & Diamonds event is raising funds to help with the PT renovation.

Dan Robertson, Paul Harris Fellow + 3

Dan Robertson was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow + 3 at our Rotary Club meeting for his significant financial contributions to the work of the Rotary Foundation.

Hetlinger - Planting Hope Initiative

"An investment for our community" is what Leonard Dieker called Hetlinger Developmental

Service's 30 x 70 greenhouse expansion and horticultural therapy program. Leonard is Chairman of the Board for Hetlinger, and whose daughter is one of the clients served. Rotarian Alex Mosakowski, Hetlinger's Development Director, explained that Hetlinger serves 75 clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The work that each client completes for the businesses that they serve provide a sense of pride and worth for each of them. This new greenhouse will further provide a sense of responsibility, reduce stress, and provide an emotional uplift as well as life-long skills development. Still probably one to two years out, this new facility will cost approximately $400,000, which includes part of the cost of hiring a new horticultural therapy position at Hetlinger. A capital campaign is going on now to raise the funds needed to complete this project. If you are interested in contributing, contact Alex Mosakowski.

Alex reported that there are 4,000 people across Kansas on a waiting list for the type of services that Hetlinger Developmental Services provides. A facility like this is one more reason to have a sense of pride in our community.

Legislative Preview

Our own club members Senator Jeff Longbine and Representative Mark Schreiber

provided a legislative preview of what to expect to be debated during this year's Kansas legislative process.

Scientist, farmer, innovator, Rotarian

A plainsman with a PhD, Bob Quinn uses his 4,000-acre Montana spread as a laboratory to revive an ancient grain, rethink agricultural practices, and reinvigorate rural communities

Exodus

Since 2015, more than 4 million people have fled an economically devastated Venezuela. Tracking the stories of three who left puts faces on that staggering statistic.

More than a library

After the genocide of 1994, Rotarians led a successful campaign to build Rwanda’s first public library.

International delegation of Rotary leaders visits Pakistan in support of polio eradication

International delegation of Rotary leaders visits Pakistan in support of polio eradicationMeetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Minister of Health Zafar Mirza and other

Our world: Halfway around the world in 36 days