June 27, 2019: Presidents Farewell
Head Table: Our President Paul Roulston, invites all major chairpersons, to join him at the head table.
Today at Rotary: Our Rotary meeting was a visit to the very new Rotary Hospice Stratford. just two days before the official opening. This was a cleverly planned meeting as it took advantage of the tent which was installed to help accommodate guests to the opening and it provided an opportunity for Rotarians from Stratford and Perth County Rotary clubs to tour the facility. A good number of Rotarians and a good number of Rotary partners took advantage of this opportunity. Our meal became a bag lunch - also cleverly planned and managed.
President Paul chaired a time for introductions. He introduced Rotarian Harry Brightwell who six years ago brought forth a proposal to the club to start making a plan for a hospice in Stratford and also Rotarian Linda Bathe who became our club's hospice committee leader, Andy Werner, who became the Stratford Perth Hospice Foundation Chair and Rotary District 6330 Governor Jim Schlatman and partner Audrey.
Governor Jim praised the Rotary Hospice Stratford and the work of our club to help bring it to completion. He saw this as an example of this year's Rotary theme "Be the inspiration".
Groups of about 15 visitors each were then given a tour of the facility. Tour leaders were: Andy Werner, Foundation Chair, Anne Fontana, chair, Hospice Care, Avon Maitland (operators of Rotary Hospice Stratford), Katie Jervis, Co-ordinator of Volunteers.
There are two wings of five patient rooms each. Rooms are equipped with an excellent patient bed (some had a patient lift device), a two piece washroom and a fold out couch that can become a queen bed for a family to stay over. The patient can be moved (bed and all) outside for an experience closer to nature.
There are rooms for family and children to go to. There is a spa that provides a supervised tub bath or shower. There is a shower room for family members who are staying over and going directly to work.
We saw the pharmacy where prescribed medicines are stored and dispensed, the central area where staff have a work station each, and we saw the thoughtfully designed food service area providing food for patients and providing for the needs of family members.
We were impressed! This is a first class facility built to a first class design and backed up by a first class of staff.
Scribe: Norm Bird
Make-ups: No report.
June’s Attendance Committee: Dave Scott (I/C), Gary Lingard, Paul Siberry, Pat Shewen, Doug Page, Pat Feryn, Jerry McEwin, Lisa Breault, Kevin Silver.
