Weekly Newsletter | September 5, 2018

September 5 – Salem Convention Center

Program – Friendship Brigade Nursing Home Visitor Program

 

Center 50+ Salem Senior Center has formed a new community care and nursing home visitation program called the Friendship Brigade. Its goal is to help seniors connect and build meaningful relationships no matter their age or circumstances. Heidi Wold Miller will tell us about this meaningful new program and its aim to train and connect caring volunteers with isolated seniors  living in area care and nursing facilities – one encounter, one friend at a time. Recent research indicates that 17 percent of US adults age 65 and older are living in either social or geographic isolation, or both. Although surrounded by nursing staff and other residents, many elders and disabled adults living in care and nursing facilities feel set-apart from the outside world and disconnected from friends or family. Many have no one at all. The Friendship Brigade program is going to change all of that.

Message from President Rus

Happy September fellow Rotarians! Rotary International recognizes this month’s theme as Basic Education and Literacy Month. We embrace that along with celebrating another area. More on that later. On the education front, school is back in session, marking the return of students to our weekly meetings. Our club sponsors both Salem North and South high schools and we will hear from their ASB presidents later this month. On the literacy front, what an incredible effort by our club, funding and labeling dictionaries for our community’s fourth graders. Next comes the distribution and by the show of hands last Wednesday, our club is very engaged in impacting these young lives.

Before I get to that other area of celebration, a quick thanks to the Lulays for hosting last week’s Fireside. This is an opportunity for Rotarians, new and not so new, to just sit around and have a great conversation. Last week was no exception and the attendance was phenomenal. I think I counted 20 Rotarians just having a great time.

The other theme for our club in September is recognizing and supporting our very own Salem Rotary Foundation [SRF]. This foundation is a key in funding our financial support to many activities in our community. The SRF board has scheduled some special activities this month with something each Wednesday followed by a party Friday, September 28. More from them will follow.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

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