Category Archives: 2. Meetings

An Epidemic of Prescription Drug Overdose

Posted on November 20, 2014 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Stan Inhorn; photo by Mike Engelberger

Teater Donald 11 19 2014On November 19, Dr. Donald Teater, Medical Adviser to the National Safety Council, provided insight into the magnitude of the drug overdose problem in the U.S. In the past 10 years, there have been 125,000 overdose deaths, especially from opioids. Every day, about 45 productive people die as a result of more morphine being prescribed. Since 2010, there have been more overdose deaths than from car crashes, and more deaths than caused by breast or prostate cancer.

As more drug prescriptions are being written, the number of patients seeking treatment for overdose is overwhelming doctors handling such cases. The primary culprit is the extract from the seed-pod of the poppy plant that yields morphine and codeine and their derivatives. Used primarily for alleviating pain, opioids are also prescribed for anxiety and depression. Although they relieve anxiety and depression, they should not be prescribed because they can become addictive.

Opioid addiction is a disease model, like diabetes or COPD. It has a genetic disposition, and it causes biological changes in the brain that damages brain chemistry. Its effects can be mediated by medication to get over an addiction. However, like other chronic diseases, it can be controlled but not cured. Unfortunately, disease flare-ups are often treated by jail, not by medical intervention.

Addiction carries the stigma of moral weakness rather than being viewed as a real disease. Narcotic addiction often results in traffic accidents, falls, and mental confusion. Furthermore, addiction often delays recovery from some medical conditions such as back pain. Opioids can even increase sensitivity to pain in these cases. For relief, other pain medications such as acetaminophen are often better.

Dr. Tester applauded several Dane County programs, including the Medical Drug Program that disposes unused pills. Others are the Safe Community Parent Addiction Network and the Health Care Task force for Safe Opioid Prescribing. The battle to control opioid misuse must be ramped up considering that the societal cost of this disease totals over $55.7 billion dollars a year.

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Posted in 2. Meetings, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker

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Rabbi Manfred E. Swarsensky Humanitarian Service Award Program on November 12, 2014

Posted on November 13, 2014 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Donna Hurd; photos by Mike Engelberger

Club President Tim Stadelman (left) presenting award to Jonathan Gramling

Club President Tim Stadelman (left) presenting award to Jonathan Gramling

Jonathan Gramling was awarded the 2014 Manfred E. Swarsensky Humanitarian Service Award, 32 years since its inception in 1982.

IMG_3317Patty Loew (pictured at left with Jonathan Gramling), a past recipient of the award and Mr. Gramling’s nominator, says of him “Jonathan Gramling has devoted his life to civil rights and promoting racial equity.  From volunteering on self-help projects benefitting African-Americans in the South, to fundraising for United Farm Workers in Madison to supporting Native people on environmental threats associated with mining.  Gramling’s service has been inspirational and exemplary.”

 

IMG_3248In remembrance of Rabbi Swarsensky, Rotarians and guests viewed the 2000 award-winning video production chronicling his life.  In addition, Rotarian Mario Mendoza (pictured at right) provided the club with excerpts of the November 22, 1967, address to the Rotary Club of Madison, entitled “Thanksgiving – Holiday or Holy Day.”  The address, by all accounts, is as relevant today as it was in 1967.  Paralleling the first Thanksgiving to that of 1967, Rabbi Swarsensky penned, “The work of the Pilgrims is no longer our world.  We could not go back to it, even if we wanted to.  But the recollection of the first Thanksgiving of 1621 can have meaning for us in 1967 [and 2014], if we learned again to be grateful for the simple things in life, which are the most priceless blessings: life and health, home and love and friendship, the privilege to give of ourselves and the determination to make our country and the work a better place so that our children and our children’s children may be proud of us, as we are proud of and grateful to those who have gone before us.”

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Pictured above from left: Club President Tim Stadelman, Carol Toussaint, Mercile Lee, Sr. Mary David Walgebach, Sr. Joanne Kollasch, Melanie Ramey, Andy Davison and Mitch Javid

The Club was privileged to host 11 past recipients of the award: Sr. Mary David Walgenbach & Sr. Joanne Kollasch, Patty Loew, Richard Davis, Mitch Javid, Rotarian Carol Toussaint, Rotarian Bill Rock, Rotarian Andy Davison, Norval Bernhardt, Rotarian Melanie Ramey and Mercile Lee.

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In addition, we were honored that Rabbi Swarsensky’s daughter, Sharon Swarsensky Bilow and her husband, Paul Bilow, were able to join us for this celebration.  They are pictured above with Jonathan Gramling.

The Manfred E. Swarsensky Humanitarian Service Award was established in 1982 and identifies individuals who have, through their voluntary efforts, made a particularly outstanding contribution to the humanitarian service in the greater Madison community, in the tradition so well exemplified by the life of Rabbi Swarsensky.   The award-winning documentary video, “A Portrait:  Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky,” that was created and produced by Rotarian Dick Goldberg with assistance by Wisconsin Public Television, provides background on Manfred Swarsensky and can be viewed on YouTube, and the Rotary office also has a copy of the video for any member wishing to view it.

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Posted in 2. Meetings, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker, Swarsensky Humanitarian Award Committee, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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Going Green & Second Century Fellowship Groups Mix It Up at Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Posted on November 10, 2014 by | Leave a comment

October 22, 2014.
–submitted by Karen Kendrick-Hands

From left: Bob Miller, Joanna Burish, Dick & Nina Rieselbach and Nino Amato

From left: Bob Miller, Joanna Burish, Dick & Nina Rieselbach and Nino Amato

Twenty members  accepted President Tim’s challenge to commingle our two fellowships when we met to tour the Aldo Leopold Nature Center [ALNC]. We shared hefty snacks, and hot cider as we made new friends, networked and found common ground.

We were greeted by the announcement screen gently celebrating our club’s vote to help RI dialogue about climate change.  Rotarian Bob Miller welcomed us to the Center in his role as ALNC’s new Executive Director, as well as to Monona, in his role as Mayor.

Bob shared how ALNC came to be an oasis of wildness: prairie, wetland, woodlands, with nature program for kids, just off the beltway. Director of Community Engagement Sierra Munoz gave us a tour of the Climate Science Education Center where thousands come annually to learn about climate, weather and earth science using high-tech interactive features found nowhere else in the region.

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(Photo 1: from left: Philip Petrowski, Mike Kosolcharoen, Michelle McGrath, James Tye, Larry Hands & Paul Riehemann; Photo 2: from left: Ellsworth Brown, Becky Stienhoff’s Mom, Kris Ashe and ALNC’s Sierra Munoz; Photo 3: from left: Lee Schwartz, Rob Ringeisen, Nick Curran and Tim Stadelman)

We were all intrigued with the “Science on the Sphere,” – the only one in Wisconsin – on which we watched NASA film clips of global storm tracks, night lighting patterns, jet stream waves and so much more.

Great minds are already pondering holding a  “family friendly Rotary event” at this hidden treasure.

We more than fulfilled District Governor Dave Warren’s wish that we have 10% more fun!

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Posted in 2. Meetings, 4. Fellowship Groups, 5. Members, Going Green Fellowship Group, Second Century Committee

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Community Dialogues: Science and Practice

Posted on November 6, 2014 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Kevin Hoffman; photo by Mike Engelberger

Steve QuintanaUW-Madison Professor Steve Quintana of the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology shared interesting and practical insights into the value of community dialogues to address issues in the community such as race, ethnicity, and nationality.

He started by discussing whether racial bias is innate or learned by studying children as young as 3-6 months.  What he found was that there is an Other Race Effect (ORE) that occurs when a child is exposed to a face from an unfamiliar race.  Through brain imaging, ORE was determined to be a neurological response such as a flight or fear response.  So, even from a young age we are conditioned to react to that which is different.

While we seem to be hard-wired to react to the “other” we are also capable of change.  We often have conflicting feelings about the implicit response of ORE versus our explicit attitudes (“I don’t see race!”).  This causes cognitive dissonance that can be handled by avoidance of the “other”, rationalization (believing in stereotypes), or by actively working to change our implicit attitudes to match our explicit attitudes.

How do we effectively promote understanding and positive values?  Professor Quintana found that the most effective methodology was through experiential learning in a structured, safe and open environment (dialogue).  This means that participants agree that all members have equal status, cooperate by listening and disclosing, have a shared goal of greater understanding, and have the support of an authority such as a government, university, military institution or neighborhood.

This is the process of community dialogue:  Listening carefully enough to be changed by what you hear.  Specifically, sharing heartfelt disclosures to engage the understanding of others, respectful listening and openness, avoidance of trying to persuade or teach, and humanizing the “other” through first-person stories and experiences.

Professor Quintana has studied and used community dialogue for reconciliation and understanding in a wide variety of situations and topics, and encouraged us to find opportunities for dialogue in Madison to engage the community in improving inter-racial understanding and connection.

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Posted in 2. Meetings, Rotary Club of Madison, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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Culinary Arts Fellowship Group Enjoys Harvest Meal at The Madison Club

Posted on November 4, 2014 by | 1 comment

–submitted by Patty Struck; photos by Paul Hoffmann

Madison Club’s Chef Andrew Wilson gives a demonstration in preparing trout piperade for Rotarians and their guests.

Madison Club’s Chef Andrew Wilson gives a demonstration in preparing trout piperade for Rotarians and their guests.

A group of 25 Rotarians and guests gathered at The Madison Club for a Rotary Club Harvest Menu dinner organized by the Culinary Arts Fellowship Group on Monday, November 3.

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Following some time for socializing, we enjoyed a cooking demo by Chef Andrew Wilson in the Madison Club kitchen. Chef Wilson demonstrated his knife-wielding skills in the preparation of the fish course, trout piperade.

 

 

The evening concluded with a four-course meal – with appropriate wine pairings –  featuring sunchoke soup, trout piperade, gnocchi with beef, and brown butter cake with poached pear slices. Delicious!

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(Photo 1: Cindy Durham & Cathy Durham; Photo 2: Martha & Chuck Casey; Photo 3: Valerie & Andreas Kazamias)

To wrap up the evening, we toasted Valerie Kazamias for planning this delightful event!

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Posted in 2. Meetings, 4. Fellowship Groups, Culinary Arts

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“Service Before Self”

Posted on October 30, 2014 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Bill Haight; photo by Pete Christianson

Weigand Jeff“Service Above Self” is the Rotary motto. “Service Before Self” is the motto of the Air National Guard. In noting the similarity, Colonel Jeffrey J. Wiegand, commander of the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, emphasized the role of his organization within the community.

The unit is composed of over 1,100 men and women, including 445 full-time employees .The rest are “citizen airmen” who live and work within the community 28 days a month, and train for two days. The total payroll is $58.2-million.

The 115th Wing has 35 pilots averaging about 2,000 hours of total flying time each and adding about 150 training hours per pilot annually. Maintaining flying hours is a major measure of a unit’s size and strength. Colonel Wiegand noted that his unit, as a joint state-federal entity, is less susceptible to “sequestration” which calls for the full-time Air Force to cut costs ten percent annually.

Colonel Wiegand said he strives to assure that the unit is a valuable resource to the greater Madison area. In addition to being called for overseas missions, the ANG can provide domestic assistance such as mobile medical facilities, search and rescue, drug surveillance, and bomb disposal.

The 115th  Fighter Wing is a tenant of the Dane County Regional Airport, paying part of its “rent” by providing fire and rescue services for the entire airport. His pilots also work closely with the airport to minimize noise complaints.

Colonel Wiegand sounded as much like a business leader as a military commander when he talked about his desire to maintain strong relationships within the community and provide a good place to work so highly skilled personnel can be retained after their minimum six-year reserve duty is finished. That retention rate currently stands at an admirable 60 percent.

 

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Posted in 2. Meetings, Networking, Rotary Club of Madison, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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