The Ken - July 18
The Ken July 18, 2016
Attendance: Audrey Meyers
Split Club: Sue Jandzinski
Invocation: John Coogan
Fine Master: Paul Chisholm
The Ken: Jeff Markarian
Tom Lang stepped in for Mike today and started our meeting a tad early. We said the Pledge, Bryden headed us in singing “God Bless America” and John Coogan gave a wonderful invocation without any previous notice he was to do it.
Visitors today were John Dunn, an Elderwood administrator, Joe DiPaulo from Buffalo Rotary, Dr. Werner with Donna and our guest speaker, Jim Millard.
Announcements today: Tom Lang is lining up a couples event sailing on the Moon dance for the end of August. Moon Dance is a Buffalo Harbor cruise on a catamaran. It enables you to see the sky line of Buffalo. Tom was asking if anyone could help man the eighth hole at Sheridan after our meeting for the hole in one contest. I think there were some takers. Bryden asked us to be thinking of charities that would be interested in our contributions. The application forms are on our website. Holly keeps pushing Sunshine Day at Cradle Beach August 17. Newer member Brian Ahern asked what this was. This is a hands on project where we go to Cradle Beach Camp for the underprivileged and handicapped children. We set up games, have horse rides and a dunk tank. We play with these kids for 2 hours. It means a lot to them. They get tickets they can turn in for candy and other prizes .For some of these children, this is the only time they get out of their homes. Let’s all support this. Final announcement was from Brian who is hosting the Presidents picnic August 2. We are up to 24 people. Please RSVP by 7/28.
Paul Chisolm was the fine master today. First were confessions. Brian confessed he just didn’t want to get up early and play golf with Paul. Mike Ford played in the Fallen Warriors football tournament. He lost in the last second. Way to go Mike. Paul fined everyone without a pin on. Tom Lang was fined for mocking Paul. Mark Tramont paid for not being around much. Ted was fined because he tried to sit at another table. John Coogan would have been fined, but because he stepped in for the invocation, the fine was waived. Paul proceeded to test us on our Buffalo trivia.
The split club was won by Rick Graham and Jim Logan missed on the Ace of spades.
At this time Tom introduced Jim Millard, president and CEO of Kenmore Mercy Hospital. In 1941 Reverend Tim Ring and Dr. Stedemamm asked the Sisters of Mercy to raise money for a hospital. Sister Matilda and her friends went door to door and held fund raisers to create the capital nesseccary. In 1951, Kenmore Mercy Hospital was opened. The hospital did many upgrades through the ‘60’s, ‘70’s not so much in the ‘80’s, and more in the ‘90’s. In 1998, Bishop Mansell urged all the Catholic hospitals to merge into the Catholic Healthy System. This year they added a new ambulatory center. They are working on a new recovery room. Later this year they will make renovations to the lobby. Next year, a new MRI center will be created where the old ambulatory unit was. 2013 they opened a Tim Hortons in the hospital. All hospitals need to be ready for any catastrophic event, which Kenmore Mercy is. Health Grades rates hospitals and ranks Kenmore Mercy in the top 100.
Jim gave an informative talk that held our attention right up to 1:30. Jim’s charitable contribution will be Kenmore Mercy Foundation. Sue J made certain of that.
Meeting adjourned.