Sand Point Block Party 2019

Our annual block party for residents at Magnuson Park was last night and over 300 people attended, laughed, ate, danced and played. Oh, and we lucked out with beating the rain later that night, too! Fun for one and all — fostering community for everyone!

Trail Clean Up/Saturday 4/13


Who:  Members and friends of University Sunrise Rotary Club

What:  Most of the clubs in District 5030 are teaming up to clean a large section of the Interurban Trail.    University Sunrise has been assigned Section 7 on this map.   The section is basically the trail along Dexter Avenue from the Fremont Bridge south to a pot shop on Hayes Ave.    The entire section is about a mile each way, so 2 miles of cleanup.

Where:   Meet at Thomas C. Wales Park.    This is a pocket park at the intersection of Dexter and 6th.    There are only about 2 parking spots at the park, but plenty of street parking within a block or two.   Recommend parking on Dexter between Halladay and Wheeler.   This is about a block away.

When:  9 AM Saturday April 13.   Rain or shine.  We will probably finish in 1 hour.

What everyone should Bring:  One garbage bag, gloves, reflective vest.

What to Wear:  Reflective vest.  Rain coat,  Rotary jacket, etc.

Group Gear:   There isn’t much group gear necessary.   Lee Raaen will bring 4 garbage picker-uppers (not sure what the technical term is for these devices).    We could also use a couple of brooms and dust pan for dealing with broken glass.


RSVP: ryan@seattletech.com 
 

End Polio Night – Mariners versus St. Louis Cardinals

Seattle Mariners have designated their July 3rd game night against the St. Louis Cardinals as “End Polio Night”!  Special blocks of seats have been set aside and a portion of the ticket proceeds and additional funding will go towards the fight to end polio…estimated proceeds for the evening are over $30,000!  And, this will be matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation!

Some other fun things about the evening:

  • Our own and Rotary International’s Vice President, John Matthews, will be throwing out the first ball!
  • Following the game, there will be fireworks presented by T-Mobile!

A lot of work has gone into this by our own district PolioPlus Committee Chair, Steve Crane, and a host of others. I encourage you to get the word out to your club members, families and friends and support this great event and the fight to end polio.  Tickets are $25 each for View Level and $45 each for Main Level seating and are only available on line at Mariners.com/Polio<http://Mariners.com/Polio>.  Please share the link.  

Elmer James White, Jr: RIP

Jim White

Jim attended Stanford University for one year. He transferred to the University of Washington where he majored in engineering. Upon graduation in 1955, he took a job with Northern Pacific Railroad Bridge Department in St. Paul Minn. He had relatives that lived in Northfield, MN. and he was a regular weekend visitor. It was in Northfield that he purchased his first automobile and continued his relationship with the dealership throughout his lifetime.

In 1956, he entered the Air Force and was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was trained in Cheyenne, WY to be a supply officer which he continued during his duty in the Air Force. Jim took flying lessons getting his pilot’s license for small planes and played tennis and golf in his spare time. He married Margaret (Marge) Karkow and after leaving the Air Force, he was hired on by Skilling, Helle Structural Engineers. Skilling sent him to Birmingham, Michigan as a resident engineer in the Minuro Yamasaki office. After years in Michigan, Jim was transferred to the New York City office to work as a structural engineer on the World Trade Center Project. Jim attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, getting a Master’s of Science in Civil Engineering in 1959. Over the next 25 years he traveled around the world working on buildings from the Bank of China in Hong Kong, to the Meadowlands Stadium, Oberlin School of Music, the Conservatory at Carlton College, along with many other major projects. Jim and Marge raised their two sons, John and Walter in Connecticut. He was a dedicated father who enjoyed family time outside of his long hours at the office in Manhattan, making time to coach the boy’s baseball teams and taking boating trips on Long Island Sound. After supporting her through a long illness, Marge passed away in 1995.

Jim ran the Mobile Crane Company for twenty-two years after taking over the company from his ailing father in 1993. Although Jim closed Mobile Crane in 2015, he was still involved in the crane business, maintaining connections with former clients and co-workers as he valued those relationships and was in touch with them right up to the end. Jim loved engineering, whether cranes or cars and his worldwide contacts were a conduit of information. He and Colleen were in Germany just this past November visiting clients, discussing cranes, and touring Mercedes and the AMG factories.

Jim remained active as a member of the Seattle Yacht Club, chairing the Men’s book Group and served on several other committees. He was also involved in University Sunrise Rotary Club, the Seattle Tennis Club, a long-standing University of Washington Tyee Member and a member of the United States Power Squadron.

A private family Burial will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery in Seattle and a Celebration of Life will be held at the Seattle Yacht Club on Sunday, March 31 at 1pm.

The family has requested lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Hospice of the Valley, Eckstein Center 9808 N 95th St Scottsdale, AZ 85258, the University Coop School 5601 University Way NE Seattle 98105 or a charity of your choice

Published in The Seattle Times from Feb. 24 to March 10, 2019 https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=elmer-james-white-jr&pid=191648296

Christy Goff Health Express

The Christy Goff Health Express made another stop at our station, this time bearing tidings about some fall-winter assaults upon the erstwhile immune system. To encapsulate:

  • The Cold, aka (military) Nasopharyngitis, acute, severe, catarrhal, cause undetermined. It is difficult to treat, except for symptoms of runny nose and dry or productive cough. It is of gradual onset, with little or no fever or aching. It is caused by one of several viruses.
  • Flu. It is caused by the influenza virus and is contagious before the onset of symptoms. It reigns mainly between November and April and attacks the most vulnerable, namely infants and the aged. Involvement of the throat and lungs is a threat. Contrasted to viral colds, it is of sudden onset and features fatigue, fever, aching, and a dry cough. It is treated with Tamiflu and antiviral Rxs. General treatment (and this is also appropriate for colds): rest, fluids, avoidance of alcohol and tobacco.
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder. This occurs in the fall and winter and is typified by excess sleeping, anxiety, depressed mood, lower energy, and irritability. Treatment consists of regular exercise, exposure to the outdoors light, or even use of a light box. Vitamin D levels should be checked. These are normally highest at the end of summer and lowest by March or April. Vitamin D and calcium aid the immune system.

In general, whole foods (vegetables, grains, fruits) are beneficial. One should limit sugar, alcohol, and smoking, which abet inflammation and compromise the immune system. Fermented foods, i.e., yogurt, sauerkraut, have a probiotic effect. Adding “zing” in the form of herbs and spices is of anti-inflammatory value. 

For the holidays, choose only one sugar and savor it. Garlic and onions are antibacterial and antifungal. Supplements and herbs: Echinacea vs. colds; Elderberry vs. flu. Zinc, Vitamins C & D mitigate vs. flu and cold

The immune system ages. In the elderly, consider as serious shortness of breath and fever of over 100 that persists

2018 Poinsettia Sales

University Sunrise is again selling poinsettias and wreaths.   This is an excellent opportunity to provide poinsettias for your office, home, and gifts to neighbors.    Our club keeps part of every sale.   This has been an excellent and important fundraiser for the club. Poinsettia & Wreath Order Form 2018

 We appreciate Tim Lenihan organizing this again this year!

 

Ryan Hamilton
President
University Sunrise Rotary

 

Erin Kershaw, Concierge Care Advisors

Erin Kershaw

Last week, we heard from Erin Kershaw of Concierge Care Advisors. This is a group that concerns itself with the inevitabilities that beset the aging. The two main issues concern housing and the management of one’s personal affairs. She stated the sobering fact that. sooner or later, a person will need help. Dementia, illness, or injuries will bring a person to this point. Dementia is extremely prevalent and at times may afflict even the relatively young. This said, what are the options, both for physical care and for the setting of legal and financial matters in order?

The domiciliary levels of care, tailored to the individual situation, are these:

–The home. If it is elected to keep a person at home, it may be feasible if private duty nursing care is in place and if medical care is gotten from the outside. It is to be noted that this is an expensive way to go, probably more so than another type of residence. 

–Retirement and assisted living. This has the advantage of community, a social life, a common dining room, a bus for transportation, and a feeling of security. One must, however, bring about one’s medical care independently. Medicaid is generally not accepted.

–Adult family home. In such a facility, occupancy is limited to six. State guidelines prevail. If money runs out, transition to Medicaid occurs and the resident is not forced to move. These facilities do not accept Medicaid on a person’s arrival.

–Memory care. This is a type of facility that is attached to assisted living. It will not do Medicaid.

–Skilled nursing facility. This is more clinical and has similarities to a hospital. Physical therapy and short-term rehabilitation are offered here. While people rarely would choose such a place in which to spend the rest of their days, some have to. The cost is high. Medicare will not cover this when physical therapy and other modalities can no longer result in progress. 

  • The financial aspects involve methods of paying for these levels of care. Such as–
  • Savings and other assets
  • Pensions
  • Medicaid
  • Veteran benefits. This is geared to one’s income and whether one has been in actual combat. One who is married to a veteran may receive assistance under certain circumstances. 

It is well to make one’s plans, prior to any crisis. These include–

  • Will
  • Advance Directive
  • Power of attorney, given to one who can make decisions.

The speaker concluded with the matter of “tough conversation” with one needing help or one who makes the decisions for such a person. It entails wishes versus reality. A person’s wishes may be to remain at home, pass assets on to family, and maintain independence. Quite often the reality is that the individual and family are in denial about health care needs. The family cannot provide it. The home is not adequate for safe living.  There will be social isolation. 

And, she finished, correctly, with, “The TV is not your friend.”

Comment:  ‘Tis always the other guy, till ’tis oneself.