Mercy Health - St. Rita's Medical Center has had a busy year.
COVID has been keeping Mercy Health - St. Rita's Medical Center busy for nearly two years. "Last fall, at our peak, we hit 99 patients," says President Ronda Lehman. "That was about half of the census of the hospital at that time." During this second wave, the hospital peaked at 70 earlier this month, and was at 52 when Ronda spoke to us. Not only is the influx of COVID patients keeping them busy, but they are having staffing issues like everyone else is and are currently down 95 nurses. She says the patients are all ages and, "The majority of patients on ventilators and critical are unvaccinated."
On a happier note, St. Rita's Graduate Medical Education Center is open and doing well. "Last year we had 24 spots open, we had 2,300 applicants. There are not enough spots in the country. Having a place for people to train is a phenomenal opportunity." Ronda says of the six physicians graduating in June, three of them have decided to stay in our community and have taken jobs with local hospitals. St. Rita's has also converted the office building at the corner of Market and West Street into a Community Impact Center which now houses related agencies like Help Me Grow and Activate Allen County. They are also demolishing and rebuilding westside urgent care and the 718 building and renovating eastside urgent care.
Monday was the last meeting for Roy and Esther Baldridge who are moving to Michigan. Roy joined the Lima Rotary Club in 1995 and Esther joined in 1996. Roy and Esther have been very active in the Lima Rotary Club with Roy chairing the Riverwalk and Chaplain Committees and playing Santa at the Special Needs Christmas Party. Esther was club president in 2014/2015 during which the club celebrated its 100th anniversary and donated $100,000 to help build the Abilities Field at UNOH. She was also Assistant District 6600 Governor, chaired the Special Needs Christmas Party and the 4-Way Essay Contest. Roy and Esther were also very generous with their giving and at Monday's meeting, both presented with their Paul Harris +7 pins. "We all thank you for your friendship and your leadership, all your help and all your years of service," said President Jeff. "It has been our privilege to know you and work with both of you. You are surely leaving a lasting legacy. We surely hope you will come back and visit," We will miss you!
Also at Monday's meeting, Dick Schroder presented the Paul Harris +1 pin to Jim Chiles and Chad Hughes exchanged his red badge for a blue badge. Congratulations!
We want to thank each of you for your continued support of Rotary’s PolioPlus initiative. We are making incredible strides in eradicating this horrible disease, but we need your continued support! Even a small contribution can help protect many children from this disease.
$30 - provides 200 children with this lifesaving vaccine
$60 - provides 400 children with this lifesaving vaccine
We are asking every Rotarian to consider donating at least $50 in our efforts to eradicate polio. Every dollar donated will be matched with an additional two dollars by the Gates Foundation.
Visit the link below to donate and don’t forget to share this donation page with others. Together we can eradicate polio and save numerous children from this disease!
The Lima Rotary Club's Fall Blood Clinic is Saturday, November 6 from 6:30-9:30am. This is a great opportunity to get health screenings at a low cost. Download the registration form here, fill it out, and bring it with you to the clinic.
The Lima Rotary Annual Blood clinic is taking place November 6th after a year off due to COVID. As in the past, this event will be held from 6:30-9:30 at the Senior Citizens Services, 3400 W. Elm St. Furthermore, we will continue to partner with Lima Memorial for the blood draw and testing.
A huge thank you to the 18 Rotarians who are volunteering for this community service event. This is one of our biggest fundraisers for the Lima Rotary Foundation, so we need a good turn out. Reports as of late indicate that this year's blood clinics around our region have had very low turnout, so encourage all Rotarians, friends, family co-workers and neighbors to come that more to have tests done at a reduced price.
Masks are not required but optional. Social distancing is in place for those worried about coming out. Drinks & donuts will be to-go this year!
Register now for Rotary District 6600's third annual peace conference on October 30.
The Sixty-three Rotary Clubs of District 6600 seek to foster peace and understanding in the region and beyond by sponsoring their third Peace Conference on Saturday, October 30 in Elyria, Ohio. Rotary club leaders, young people, and interested individuals throughout the area will join in conversations and hear proposals about unique solutions. “There is no question that we face enormous challenges in today’s world. If we don’t act now to build the conditions for a sustainable peace, the problems will only increase,” says Jeanine Donaldson, Rotary District 6600 Peace Conference Chair and the Executive Director, YWCA of Elyria. Distinguished keynote speakers are Xavier Ramey, Founder and CEO of Justice Informed and a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago, Dr. Akram Boutros, President and CEO of the Cuyahoga County’s MetroHealth System, and Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. of the Mount Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland.
By Hiya Jain, member of the Interact Club of Birla Vidya Niketan
Interact clubs are a window to the world that lies beyond the reach of our limited access to society’s abundant elements. This resonates with all the community-based exposure Interact has given me. For the past couple of years, Interact has acted as the push for me to explore social welfare more. My experience working with people with disabilities and those in rural and suburban areas has been eye-opening.
For most Interactors, our involvement begins at school or at the community-level. Coming from a relatively small club, my team and I often stumbled upon the question of what comes next. The people we come across make it easy to answer this. Interact is not just about uplifting others, but it is also about developing oneself, making connections, and maintaining them. All sorts of projects, whether in-person or virtual, make service accessible in the modern day. Volunteering is essential . Moreover, the lessons learn along the way reveal a new outlook towards the different lives that encircle us.
In retrospect, volunteering plays a crucial role in holistic development. Instead of trying to find the next step, we have learned to immerse ourselves in the process and craft our own paths naturally. Interact and Rotary are platforms to engage young minds and nurture their passion to do good. Student life is the best phase to start, and Interact clubs are the best way!
