Tuesday January 24th Lunch Meeting

Englewood Rotary Club – January 24, 2017

Meeting Location: Crowne Plaza, Englewood

Presiding:  Jill Abbott

Recorder:  Steve Wiessner

Birthdays/Anniversaries:  None Noted

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: None besides guest speakers

President Jill Abbott made the following announcements:

 

The Fundraising Committee will meet after the luncheon today (January 24)

 

Tuesday, January 31^st will be the next evening get together for club members at Biddy O’Malley’s near BergenPAC at 5:30 pm.  This is a great time to invite prospective members to learn more about the club.

 

There will be a Fireside Chat on Thursday, February 2^nd at 6:00 pm at Jill Abbott’s home at 54C Dwight Place in Englewood.  This event is geared to newer members, but all are welcome.  Please follow up with Jill if you would like to attend or need more information.  

 

There is an Ending Gender Violence event at 6 PM January 24th in the Common

Area of Dwight Morrow High School & the Academies.  This effort is occurring in collaboration with Bergen Family Center and The Zone at Dwight Morrow.

 

The Gift of Life dinner is Feb. 9th at the Venetian. $110 per person, or discount with full tables. Contact Jill if you would like to attend.

 

Our Interact Club will organize the Senior Prom on March 10^th from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at St Paul’s Church in Englewood.

President’s Ball will be March 29th at Westmont Country Club, $125 per person

 

District Conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Maryland from April 20 to 23. Cost $749 Double Occupancy

 

It was reported that Phil Ball is recovering well from some minor surgery that he had received earlier in the day (Sorry to not have noted who made that announcement)

 

Janet Sharma noted that her daughter has a web site Thewholetruthbooth.com through which Americans can learn that they have more in common than many believe. There was a very positive response to the booth this past weekend in Washington D.C.

 

Jim Cole reported that our Interact Club needs knitting materials for a fundraiser they are conducting.  Contact Jim if you can assist.

 

Amanda Missey, Executive Director of the Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (BVMI) presented to the club.  Joining Amanda in the presentation was Linda Reiter who is also working with BVMI as their Englewood Outreach Coordinator.

 

Firstly, Amanda thanked the club for providing grant support for $3,000 last year for their Englewood Outreach Program.  She noted that the Community Chest and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center joined us in supporting the project.  She also noted her long-time career working with Janet Sharma at the Volunteer Center of Bergen County.

 

She talked initially about BVMI’s mission to provide free primary medical care and, where possible, referrals to free specialty care for working, low-income Bergen County residents who have no health insurance.

 

They have been in business for 7 years with their location in Hackensack.  BVMI was modeled after Volunteers in Medicine, which is a national nonprofit organization that has been providing free services for over 20 years.

 

Even after the Affordable Care Act was instituted, there is still a population of working people who cannot afford healthcare insurance because they can’t afford the premiums or due to their immigration status.  BVMI assists these working people by providing free healthcare for 1,000 patients per year accounting for 6,300 patient visits. 

BVMI has a team of 65 volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, dieticians and non-medical volunteers who give their time, talent and energy to the cause.  The bulk of the patients that come to BVMI have chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. 

 

Patients don’t pay anything for services at BVMI.  The nonprofit has a $1 million annual budget, but does not receive government assistance or reimbursements from insurance companies.  They rely exclusively on the support of individuals and non-government grants.

 

Amanda also noted that BVMI is moving soon to its new home at 75 Essex Street in Hackensack which will increase its total service space by about 50%.

 

Linda Reiter then talked about the Englewood Outreach Program which is just getting off the ground.  She is now meeting with civic groups, religious congregations, and at schools to spread the word of the initiative.  There is no office in Englewood yet, but they are looking for a potential space that initial health screenings could take place to be referred eventually to their main office in Hackensack.  She is hoping that organizations like Rotary can help spread the word about their free services to the community.

 

Linda also noted that they are always looking for volunteer doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists and office assistants with a specific need for Spanish speaking individuals and people fluent in other languages that they serve.

 

50-50: With 21 cards in the deck and $53 in the pot, JoEllen Knie picked the 9 of spades

 

Attendance:  22 out of 71, 31%

 

January 31   Doug & Martha Martin (Newburgh Rotary) Peace Bells Foundation

February 7   Club Assembly          

February 14 Reclassification, Scott Reddin