The Rotary Star

By:  Vicki Haugen

Cindy Wade, President of Lincoln Health

Cindy Wade, President of Lincoln Health joined us last Thursday for a very detailed and informative review of the changes and challenges in providing care in Lincoln County currently. 

Cindy, with nursing in her background is from Lincoln County as well as family for generations preceding her. She is passionate about providing the best of care in these difficult times. 

She first reviewed our St. Andrews campus health center offering primary care where the goal remains local access to care. New physician specialties have been added such as dermatology, cardiology, and urology providing closer more accessible contact. The Coulombe center and Wellness Rehab offers PT, OT, Speech with added specialties of pediatrics and difficult to access care such as lymphedema treatment as well as dementia care provider support. 

St. Andrews Village continues to focus on quality safe care and carried a non-Covid status for almost 2 years. 

Yet many challenges face our care systems including loss of work force, especially nursing, and diminishing financial reimbursement. Long term care, rehab, assisted living, and memory care bring in only about 25 cents on the dollar. The need to use larger institutions where higher patient numbers (approximately 102 beds), financial income, and consolation of managerial staff could help to offset these challenges. That is why the Lincoln health is currently partnering with Sandy River an outside company to build a larger facility on the Damariscotta campus to meet these needs. Current use of our Saint Andrews Village may include hospice and respite care. All these changes are still in process and if indeed a new facility is built it would not be available for 2 to 3 years. 

Halloween with the Interact Club 

Next week the Interact Club is joining us for our Annual Halloween Party and first ever Pumpkin Carve off.  Deb has ordered a million pumpkins, we'll maybe thirty.  We'll divide into teams and carve away.  Tory has prizes for costumes,  best pumpkins and who knows what else.  Costumes encouraged.   Bring any pumpkin carving utensils you have at home.  Will be fun to meet the Interact Club students,

The Interact Club is going strong this year thanks to Sarah Clark (Deb's daughter) and President Bruce.  They recently did a mini project of making small bags of pet food for furry friends of Food Pantry.

Club News

The Board of Directors met last week and accepted two new member applications rom Eric Wilts and Elaine Gabrielli. We look forward to welcoming them into the club.  Not sure they have a truck though. 

At that meeting the Board voted to double our annual donation to the Student Aid Fund to $8000.00.  Along with the four other scholarships we support we donate $16,000 yearly to scholarships for students seeking vocational training or college degrees.

Chip Griffin provided us motivational talk on why our goodwill and better friendships is most important to him as we continue to build our club through solid friendships.

The barn is continuing function with much success. Today, a trailer was restored and sold for $850!   

Oct 24th. is world polio day. We are encouraged to promote with our international gifts, articles in the newspaper, as well as the “lighthouse’ will be set out again. 

Interact kids with be paired with adults for a “carve off” on Halloween. 

Oct 29th Rotary table at the Railway Village Spooktacular, wear a costume, sign up,  help is still needed. 

Start planning as this year’s Christmas party will include an ugly sweater contest!

The Big Gray Rotary Barn is still open every Saturday from 8:30 to 11:00.  We are accepting donations of gently used furniture,  boats, pots/ pans, anything,  even Trailers.  Call or text Deb at 207-380-3550 for pick up or drop off plans.

Community members,  visiting Rotarians, family and friends are welcome to our weekly meetings every Thursday at 6pm at our Clubhouse at 66 Montgomery Rd, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.