Rotary FLASH of 02-14-2006
Greensburg Rotary Club FLASH – Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2006

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. --George Sand

The Valentine’s Day meeting of the Greensburg Rotary Club was called to order by President CATHY BAUMANN with the Pledge of Allegiance, “God Bless America” and an Invocation led by JOHN DICKSON.

Sgt.-at-Arms BILL McGRATH announced an attendance of 52 members, a membership total of 107 plus 2 new memberships pending. Among those attending the day’s meeting were guests GEORGE ROSS (John Kline), BILL FERGUSON (Dave Delisi), DOUG MARKS (Mark Barnhart), GLORIA RUANE (Sue McFarland), BEN POLICASTRO (Bill McGrath) and Exchange Student JORGE GARCIA.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

CESARE MUCCARI invited members to a talk to be given by GUY DAVIS about his tour of active duty in Iraq. Call the library to make reservations for 2PM, Saturday, February 18.

A meeting of the Dr. Rutter Scholarship Committee was called to immediately follow the day’s club meeting.

JEFF MALLOY’s new office phone # is 724-289-1041. Please change in your membership directory.

CHARLES ANDERSON requested a reminder/repeat of the Golf Outing information: This scholarship fund-raiser will begin at 11:00AM on June 5 at the Greensburg Country Club. Needed – sponsors at $2,500.00 each and the donations of prizes. The golfers fee is $150.00 each and ALL members are encouraged to come out and be involved whether golfers or not, and help build this Outing into an annual event. Dinner at 6:30PM is open to members and their families at (PLEASE NOTE A CORRECTION) $50 each.

President CATHY reported on the final distribution of dictionaries by CATHY BAUMANN and MARY CLYMER to Aquinas Academy and presented thank you’s from them: A framed document of appreciation that included a quote by St. John Aquinas and an oversized valentine, hand-made by the children.

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Visiting senior students JESSICA BAIR, OLIVIA WILLIAMS AND HELENA TZOU from Hempfield Area High School (driver JOHN KLINE) spoke of their current activities and future plans.

The membership was led in a New Member Induction Ceremony for GEORGE ROSS, First Commonwealth Home Mortgage, by JOE PELUSO. George’s membership sponsor was JOHN KLINE.
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PROGRAM-OF-THE-DAY:

CHARLES ANDERSON introduced a Valentine’s Day appropriate topic “Surviving a Heart Attack” and our speaker, DR. RICK KUNKLE. Dr. Kunkle is the retired director of the Latrobe Area Hospital ER and founder of a cave and mine rescue group that has rescued underground trapped and injured around the world. He was the on-site command physician during the successful mine disaster rescue at Q Creek. Dr. Kunkle is currently working with St. Vincent College and Kennametal on applying the Toyota Production System to the healthcare field – a model of efficiency known world wide for how to best provide a quality product, at the lowest cost and shortest lead time through the elimination of waste.

The survivor of a 2004 heart attack himself, Dr. Kunkle shared the following statistic: Coronary artery disease struck 1.5 million people last year, of whom 1/3 die and 1/3 survive with congestive heart failure, which is, in itself, a life-altering aftermath.

Avoiding coronary artery disease is the best way to avoid a heart attack. The coronary arteries, about the size of a piece of spaghetti, carry the necessary oxygen and nutrients to crucial organs in the body. Fatty deposits in the coronary arteries are known to begin to develop at a very early age, having been discovered in military veterans as early as age 18. As a result of that early age, one’s decision to alter his life-style in the 30’s may already be too late. Coronary artery disease is increasing in women, in whom it was once common. Suspected factors are the rise of women in male-dominated careers, resulting in stress, increases in smoking and drinking alongside their male counterparts.

Risk factors include genetics (having long-lived parents without heart disease is like winning the genetic lottery), diet (on-going studies favor diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats), amount of exercise ( best prevention is regular, 2-3 times per week), weight ( fat cells demand for oxygen from the blood is as great as the rest of the body), and one of the worst risk factors is smoking.

Deposits, known as plaque, in the coronary arteries increase over time, gradually become unstable and begin to break apart, resulting in a tear in the artery which bleeds. If the clot that forms to stop the bleeding is small, there is no problem. However, a larger clot will clog the artery, cutting off oxygen to that area of tissue. Without oxygen and vital nutrients, the tissue begins to die and the heart cannot continue to carry on normal function. The result is a Heart Attack.

The coronary artery must be cleared by means of either medication or surgery to restore oxygen and circulation, allowing those damaged tissues to recover. Of the medications, statins help modify and balance good cholesterol/bad cholesterol and stabilize plaque in the coronary arteries and there are drugs for high blood pressure and hypertension that are very effective with no side effects. While new tools and variations for treating a heart attack continue to be developed, all are TIME DEPENDENT. While a heart attack treated within a 6-hour time frame can allow for recovery, treatment within the FIRST hour is most favorable.
Heart Attack symptoms and how to respond: #1 – Primary classic symptom is a heavy pressure type of chest pain that progressively radiates into the right or left arm or into the neck. #2 - May be light-headed, experience shortness of breath, nausea and sweating. #3 – An irregular heart beat. It’s important to know that women rarely present classic symptoms, but more likely have pain in the neck, jaw or in the back between the shoulder blades, experience general non-specific malaise.

What to do? #1 Call for help – alert someone nearby; #2 – take one of the still real “miracle drug,” aspirin (it does not matter if it is chewed or swallowed with water, must not be Tylenol or Advil or other alternative analgesics), and #3 - call 911 ( DO NOT ask a friend of family member to drive to the ER!). Also important – do not wait to see if it’s the really a heart attack. Waiting means irreversible heart damage!

President CATHY adjourned the meeting in the usual manner with recitation of The Four Way Test.

Rotary FLASH of 02-07-2006
Greensburg Rotary Club FLASH – February 7, 2006

In honor of Super Bowl XL Champion Steelers: "Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on! Ride on over all obstacles, and win the race!" –Charles Dickens

The February 7, 2006 meeting at University of Pitt/Gbg. was called to order by President CATHY BAUMANN. Following “God Bless America,” the invocation was led by BILL McGRATH.

Sgt.-at-Arms DENNIS CREMONESE announced an attendance of 60 including Latrobe Club member TIM DINGMAN, guests 1970’S Rotary Exchange Student to England PAUL HERRINGTON (Ted Herrington), BEN POLICASTRO (Bill McGrath) and Exchange Students Jorge Garcia and Julie Mala.

President CATHY thanked student-guests driver PETE DOCHINEZ and introduced Greensburg-Salem High School seniors SAMANTHA BATOS and BARTHOLOMEW MARSH-SLAVIN.

MEMBERSHIP PROPOSAL PUBLICATIONS
The Board of Directors has approved the following for publication. Any objections to the following being inducted into the Club must be submitted in writing to the Secretary within 7 days.
Ben J. Policastro, Jr., CEO of Age-Craft Manufacturing, Inc. of Greensburg. Ben resides in Youngwood. Bill McGrath proposed him for membership.
Douglas R. Marks, owner of A Perfect Image of Greensburg. Doug also resides in Greensburg. Mark Barnhart proposed him for membership.

Announcements:

· President CATHY announced a brief meeting of the Board immediately following the Club meeting.

· The next Club meeting will be held at the home location of Four Points Sheraton, with the next road trip scheduled for March 14 at the Greensburg Country Club.

· CHARLES ANDERSON shared additional Golf Outing information: This scholarship fund-raiser will begin at 11:00AM on June 5 at the Greensburg Country Club. Needed – sponsors at $2,500.00 each and the donations of prizes. The golfers fee is $150.00 each and ALL members are encouraged to come out and be involved whether golfers or not, and help build this Outing into an annual event. Dinner at 6:30PM is open to members and their families at $30 each.

· CARL ROSSMAN announced a meeting February 25 of the Program Committee and requested an e-mail response.

Program:

President-elect MARY CLYMER introduced the speaker-of-the-day, PATRICIA DUCK, Director of the Univ. of Pitt/Gbg. Millstein Library and Coordinator for Regional Campus Librarians, who has been with the University of Pittsburgh for 25 years, 6 at the Oakland campus and 19 at Greensburg. Pat holds a BA degree from George Washington University, a MLS and PhD from University of Pittsburgh.

Pat’s topic “Marketing the Millennia’s: What They Expect from Their Library Experience” introduced a generation term new to many. “Millennials,” students born after 1981 (also known as Generation Y, Echo Boom and 14th Generation) number more than 80 million. The following sample of true answers to a short quiz quickly put this generation of young people in context:
· Huckleberry Finn has always been a “banned book.:
· Somebody named George Bush has been on every national ticket, except one, since they were born.
· A “45” is a gun, not a record with a large hole in the center.
· Three Mile Island is ancient history.
· Woodstock is a bird or a reunion, not a rock concert.
· The Kennedy tragedy was a plane crash, not an assassination.
· “Spam” and “cookies” are not necessarily foods.
Meeting the library facility needs of these students (currently about 1900 in 20 majors at the Greensburg campus) presents challenges, something the Millstein Library has been doing through assessments of services and marketing tactics since 1986. Some characteristics of Millennial youth are: confident, optimistic and intelligent, team and rule-oriented conformists, ethnically diverse, visually oriented, easily bored, prefer active learning exercises, demanding with high expectations. Accustomed to having the best of everything, they have many of the following academic expectations: subjects in which they can measure progress such as technology, economics and social sciences, cutting edge facilities and are geared toward Internet only research.
An important tool for Millstein Library’s carrying out a program directed toward the best possible services to the students was a student-generated survey carried out by senior psychology students in 2003 which identified commuters vs. residents, age range, numbers using library facilities and for what kinds of study and research. Some of the new initiatives that have resulted from that survey include: introduction of the search engine Zoom, virtual intranet access to all materials from off campus, installation of a pop machine, hosting campus events in the library, better instructions for using online databases and the establishment of a wireless network.

The meeting was closed in the usual manner with the recitation of The Four-Way Test.

Rotary FLASH of 01-31-2006
The Greensburg Rotary Club FLASH – 1/31/06

If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score? -- Vince Lombardi

WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP! Go, Steelers!! – All of Western PA

The January 31st, 2006 meeting at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center and catered by Elegant Tents & Catering of Youngwood, was opened by President CATHY BAUMANN with the Pledge of Allegiance and “God Bless America.” The Invocation by TONY MARTINO concluded with a call on the Almighty to bless our Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday’s Super Bowl, followed by a hearty in-unison membership “Amen.”

Sgt-at-Arms BILL McGRATH announced an attendance of 55 which included guests BEN POLICASTRO (Bill McGrath), KAREN STEELEY (wife of Jim Steeley), JUDGE JOHN DRISCOLL (Charles Anderson), JOYCE ROSSMAN (wife of Carl Rossman), ISABEL BLOOM (wife of Don Bloom), DOUG MARKS (Mark Barnhart), DENISE SEBEK (Dave Delisi) and Exchange Student Jorge Garcia.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

REMINDER – Next week’s February 7 meeting will be held at the Univ. of Pitt/Gbg.

TONY MARTINO called a meeting of the Arts & Heritage Committee to meet Wednesday, February 1st and announced that Scholarship Applications are available online at the Club’s website www.greensburgrotary.com .

CARL ROSSMAN reminded the Program Planning Committee to meet Wednesday, February 1st at Univ. of Pitt/Gbg.

CHARLES ANDERSON announced the New Stanton/Youngwood Rotary Club’s Golf Outing to be held June 5th at the Ligonier Country Club.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS HONORED

While recognizing the birthday honorees for January, BOB HAMILTON entertained and informed the Club by incorporating Pittsburgh Steelers historical trivia with the years of the following members’ birthdays: 1930’s – BILL COURTNEY (4th), KING HARTMAN (5th), ADIB BARSOUM (18th), TOM JACHIMOWICZ (24th), JENNINGS WOMACK (28th); 1940’s – CARL ROSSMAN (3rd), BILL McGRATH (12th), GENE JAMES (14TH), CHUCK STROBEL and CHUCK QUIGGLE (31st); 1950’s – CHRIS RIZK (9th), BOB HAMILTON (17th), CHRIS DeDIANA (21st), GUS GUSTAFSON (22nd); 1960’s – SCOTT CONNER (14th), TYLER COURTNEY (16th), PAUL HOCHENDONER (31st).

In addition to a round of “Happy Birthday” sung by the membership, congratulations were offered to the following January membership anniversaries: JOHN HARMAN & ROY THOMPSON – 31 years, JOE BISS & BILL RUDOLPH – 17 years, JEFF LONG & LARRY PLUNDO – 12 years, and JOHN KLINE & SUE McFARLAND – 2 years.

PROGRAM

CHARLES ANDERSON, introduced by January Program Chair BILL McGRATH as the final of a round of medicine-related programs for the month, presented highlights of his participation in one of Rotary International's Polio Eradication teams to India, January 5 – 19, 2006. Both the presentation and the events of that trip were extraordinary and justice cannot be served in this brief summary. Thanks to the tech assistance of TONY MARTINO the membership was able to view many of the photo memories of the trip, but was spared the smells!

Following a 15-hour non-stop flight from Chicago to New Delhi, the RI team carried out its mission of administering polio vaccine in nearly unfathomable quantities during the 2 weeks. For example, in a single day, 60 million individual doses were given in more than 600,000 kiosks across India, primarily to children 1-5 years of age. In a country with a population of 1.1 billion people, that was “barely a drop in the bucket.”

In addition to the impressive nature and purpose of the India team trip, Chuck treated the membership to the visual flavor of their experiences in a country with the 2nd largest Islamic population in the world: the proverbial McDonald’s (chicken burgers only, since cows are sacred and beef is never eaten); a visit to one of the missions founded by Mother Teresa and which cares for the severely mentally handicapped; magnificent architectural sites from previous centuries alongside desperate slums; examples of construction by manual labor where automation is discouraged in order to keep the masses of population employed; cremations of the dead (remains swept into the Ganges River) alongside women doing laundry on the riverbank; countless “critters” roaming the streets or providing transportation (cattle, monkeys, camels, elephants).

Finally, masterfully making the best possible use of RI Foundation matching funds, local Rotary clubs of India include the one where the 77 members mortgaged their own homes to finance projects such as building and maintaining a school for 1800 students. 70% of those children pay $100/month and 30% qualify for free attendance because their parents earn less than $100/month. Free-of-charge clinics are operated to treat limb disabilities and provide prosthetic limbs or other devices to people of all ages who have been afflicted with polio or injuries. According to Chuck’s observations, the Rotarians of India live The Four-Way Test in ways barely imagined.

President-elect MARY CLYMER closed the meeting in the usual manner with the membership reciting The Four-Way Test.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Just a reminder that the Greensburg Rotary is the sponsor for Rotary Youth Exchange student, TODD LIERMANN in Brazil. Members are encouraged to visit www.community.webshots.com/user/kingferdinand for photos of Todd’s past 6 months and http://trippinabroad.blogspot.com/ to be entertained by Todd’s journal of his experiences.