March 21, 2011

March Meetings – Jerry Bessette, Chairman:

Mar. 25 – Susan Mahoney, Director of Downtown Topeka

April Meetings – Tom Wigley, Chairman:

Apr. 1 – Winners of the Oratorical and Essay Contests

Apr. 8 – Marsha Pope – The Topeka Community Foundation

Apr. 15 – Gary Blitsch, Framewoods, Funding Arts in Kansas

Apr. 22 – Phil Oliver – The Capper Foundation

Apr. 29 –To be announced

CURRENT NEWS:

Art Lancaster reports that our Optimist Oratorical Contest was held on March 9 at the Topeka Public Library. The winners were:

1^st place: Paige Hughes and Ron Coyle – will receive $150.00 each

2^nd place – Mercedes Robinson and Tanner Lechner – will receive $100.00 each

3^rd place - Antwan Grier. – will receive $50.00

The two first place winners have been selected to appear at the Optimist District Meeting to be held later this year in Manhattan.

As to the Essay Contest, Misty Kruger has announced that there were three winners:

1^st place – Mollyanne Gibson – will receive $150.00

2^nd place – Lydia Gibson – will receive $100.00

3^rd place – Sophie Brunetti – will receive $50.00

All of the above winners have been invited to be our guests at our April 1, 2011 meeting.

President Ron Brown has received a note of appreciation from Peggy Ingle, Past Optimist Governor for our contribution to Camp Quality, the facility for children with cancer

Misty Kruger has received a request for volunteers to judge a home school speech and debate to be held at the Northland Christian Church on March 28, 29 and 30. Home schooled students from five states will be competing. A commitment will be for 2 to 4 hours. If you can help, please contact Misty for further details,

President Ron Brown is seeking ideas from Club Members as to what additional Youth Activities we might undertake. Some thoughts have been received. For example, it has been suggested that we might volunteer at the new Discovery Center in Gage Park .If you have another idea, please contact Ron.

Ron has also announced that our Club will once again be involved in the “Brown Bag” collection of items for the children at Camp Quality. A list of items needed is available from Rod Obermeier. Bring them to Club Friday.

Several weeks ago I told a joke about an ancestor of Senator Harry Reid of the State of Nevada. Apparently, this is a joke which has been on the internet for a number of years and has been attributed to a number of well-known individuals. It was told as a joke and should not be attributed to Senator Reid.

Meeting of March 11, 2011:

Kirk Starr, who is the Director of Radiology and Cancer at St. Francis Hospital spoke about new developments in these two Departments. Primarily, he was pleased to discuss a new Imaging Center and Medical Clinic which St. Francis recently opened at 601 S.W. Corporate View Road in Topeka. That location is west of the Tallgrass Building at 6^th & Wanamaker.

This location is patient friendly with ample parking and ground level facilities, and is the first facility in the state to offer outpatient imaging.

St. Francis now offers four machines for use in the imaging process. One is a large MRI machine which can accommodate large individuals and is somewhat quieter than older models. Then there is a CT Scanner, also known as a “Cat Scan”, as well as an X-ray machine and an Ultrasound machine. The Radiology Department also performs mammograms.

Starr also stated that St. Francis Hospital has joined the Midwest Cancer Alliance which has been formed by the K.U. Medical Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. There are some 10 to 15 hospitals in the Alliance and each can take advantage of cancer research conducted by the K.U. Medical Hospital.

With regard to cancer treatment, St. Francis has established a Cancer Center whereby cancer patients can receive assistance with all levels of cancer treatment. The Center is also able to offer radiation treatments when needed.

Speaking of the proposed new St. Francis Hospital on “Menninger Hill”, Starr said that further development has been delayed until the status of health reform is clearer. He added that future developments may dictate a different approach than is presently contemplated.

When asked about the possibility of duplication of services offered by Stormont-Vail Health Center Starr admitted that there is duplication and that in the future it would be prudent for cooperation between the two hospitals to eliminate the duplication. Which, he indicated, might be a difficult.

We had one guest, Karen Wigley, Tom Wigley’s wife. Clayton McMurray had the joke of the day. Marge Hogue, a usual member of those at “that table” won the drawing to share $22 with the OI Foundation; Clayton McMurray’s badge number was drawn allowing him to join that group of members wondering just what they did win; and Junior Elder’s sign-up number was drawn so that he won the President’s Award.

Meeting of March 18, 2011:

Chris Lipp, the Director of Cardiology and Vascular at St. Francis Hospital spoke about some of the changes in these Departments at the Hospital. His primary remarks dealt with the recent acquisition of several cardiologists, as well as other employees, the building and equipment from Cardiology Consultants here in Topeka. This has resulted in an expanding heart care facility. Lipp, who said he comes from a family of Optimists, does the recruiting of physicians, said that the new heart center is concentrating on bringing in young cardiologists who will insure reliable heart care for the next ten years. At the same time they will add an older cardiologist to help in the training of the younger doctors.

In the area of expertise, Lipp said that St. Francis is known nation-wide for its catheter care and is a leading hospital in the field of carotid artery treatment. One of its doctors is an expert in amputation prevention and PAD (peripheral arterial disease) as well as other areas of heart treatment.

One of the things he has learned that it relatively easy to recruit new doctors to Topeka. He has found a number of advantages to living in Topeka which the younger doctors find appealing.

St. Francis has also made a change in the scheduling of patients visits which are designed to make it easier and quicker for a patient to see a doctor.

We had one guest, Dwight Beltz from Los Angeles, a son-in-law of Margaret and Leland Denton. There were jokes from Ron Brown, Ted Heim and Clayton McMurray. Dean Landman, shared $19.00 with the OI Foundation. Rod Obermeier’s badge number was drawn to win the former bag of nuts prize (in time a suitable prize will be determined) and Tom Wigley won the President’s Prize.