Weekly Bulletin - January 12th Meeting

Posted by Rich Garcia on Jan 31, 2017
 
Our Speaker, Rebecca Stadolnik, of the Medical Reserve Corps of Stow
 
 
Guests:
  • Rebecca Stadolnik, Speaker
  • Kathy Miles
  • John Erb,  Maynard club
 
Happy/sad fines:
  • Don: celebrated his 40th anniversary, and spent it skiing in Boulder.
  • Bob: happy for the beautiful weather and for his new glasses.
  • Ray: appreciates the weather, which enables great cross-country skiing.
  • Kathy: happy for the great weather, despite what it does to downhill skiing.
  • Mary: had a “kick-ass” holiday, and loves teaching.
  • Laura: spent a wonderful week in Wareham.
  • John: grateful that Dean didn’t answer his phone, so he had to come to this meeting.
  • Dean: glad he didn’t answer the phone.
  • Nancy: now has Bridget as her general manager of the restaurant.
  • Chris: grateful that his son’s car passed the California smog test.
 
Announcements:
  • Rotary magazine mentioned our club a second time in the five years we’ve been in existence.
  • Checks for our global grant totaling over $12,000 have been received.
  • The board voted to change our morning meeting place to Emma’s in Stow.
  • January 21, we’re having a repair café at the Sawyer School in Bolton.
  • January 23 is the third annual Power of Change event: this year our club will recognize Budget Buddies. This is an opportunity to talk about Rotary, and to be part of making a change in the lives of others.
  • January 24 is our membership night Meet and Greet.  There will be no program; it’s an opportunity for others to get to know us. The event will be at Slater’s in Bolton from 6 to 8 P.M.
 
Program:
 
Our speaker was Rebecca Stadolnik of the Medical Reserve Corps of Stow.
 
The medical reserve corps in each community is a volunteer group created by the community. Its funding comes through the Department of Public Health. Stow has one of most solid corps, with some 70 volunteers. They help the board of health and emergency planning committee, to promote education and preparedness. One of the chief responsibilities is to assess emergency shelters, using a tool created by the state.
 
Medical training and skill is not necessary. A  CORI check is required, though, and two online courses must be taken. Opportunities then exist for more training in first aid, sheltering, bombing response (as in the marathon bombing), and active shooter response.
 
Because everyone is a volunteer, some coordination is needed. The fire chief has an app that calls everyone, and he gauges what to do, what shelter or warming center to open, arrange with restaurants to feed those in need, and work out transportation. When weather is awful, snow plows will pick people up; otherwise they work with the Council on Aging. They run ten drills a year.
 
Locally, Medical Reserve Corps are active in Acton, Boxborough, Concord, Littleton, Carlisle, Sudbury, and Weston. If none is active in the town you live in, go to the nearest town that has one. It isn’t necessary to be Stow resident to receive help, or to help out.