President Beth opened the meeting promptly at 12:30 p.m. on Zoom.  She acknowledged November as American Indian Heritage Month, and how we conduct Rotary meetings on Indigenous People’s land. Thanks to Faith Ireland, Beth found out about the book, The Code Talkers (25th Anniversary Edition) about the important role of Navajo Indians using their native language to help win World War II (www.amazon.com/Navajo-Code-Talkers-25th-Anniversary).  Mary Goldie introduced visiting Rotarians and guests.

Past Rotary President, Bill Center, delivered the day’s inspiration about his list of regrets including not having been kinder, more tolerant, or poor choices he made. “It’s not too late to make some changes,” he said. “It only takes 30 days to replace a bad habit with a good one. It would be satisfying to discover the only serious regret is that I did not try harder to deal with bad habits so late in the game.” 

 

The day’s short program featured James Amadon, Executive Director, of Circlewood, a quasi-faith-based non-profit organization, based on 40 forested Camano Island acres, and dedicated to helping people lead a more sustainable way of life, while accelerating the greening of faith.  

 

He described plans for Circlewood Village, envisioned on ten of the forty acres, as a place of hope and a place where people could come together to be better stewards of the environment.  He hosts a podcast, edits an online journal, and sees different programs of immersive education about understanding the world and how to care for it. 

 

“We want Circlewood Village to become a place for innovative ideas and to develop them together in a spirit of collaboration<, he said. He showed an architectural design of the village that will be used to promote a more sustainable way of life and, in collaboration with the Northwest Natural Resources Group, created a 30-year conservation plan.” 

 

“To feel at home in the natural environment, Circlewood Village will host up to 40 people to gather and discuss ways of sustainable living,” he continued.  “We are imagining short workshops, weekend and weeklong events and accessible to everyone at different levels. “   Circlewood Village will be a place to learn and practice earth keeping skills, as an innovation hub for leaders in their fields about ‘how to make our world at bit greener’?   For more information about Circlewood email James.Amadon@circlewood.com  or talk with President Beth who serves on the Circlewood Board of Directors.

 

President Beth introduced the day’s long program presenter, Cassie Sauer, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) that represents all Washington State hospitals – working to improve the delivery, quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care.

 

She said the WSHA wanted Rotarians to support their 2023 Legislative priorities, by describing the challenges hospitals face including the capacity crunch  related to delayed care, the intense respiratory season, difficulty finding places for patients leaving the hospital, and how hospitals are struggling financially.

 

“It is not a great time for hospitals in our state with low capacity and overwhelming demand for care, rising costs and below cost reimbursement from government  --the aftermath of the pandemic is worse than a hurricane…hospitals in crisis,” she began.  

She said Washington was “surprised by COVID” but reacted quickly and resulted in the state having the nation’s fourth lowest death rate in the country.  Cooperation among the state’s hospitals also prevented any one to become overwhelmed.    

She said things are getting worse in hospitals with increased pressure, as respiratory conditions from the RSV pediatric crunch  to bad early Flu and delayed care with patients stuck in hospitals with nowhere to go for extended care such as nursing homes.

“Hospital occupancy, including ICUs,  in Western Washington is 94% full with many people stuck in the hospital with no place to go for extended care,” she said. “Nursing homes can’t afford to take patients who need specialized care, including folks with dementia.”  

She described the financial challenges hospitals are dealing with as costs go up faster than revenues.  Such as supply and labor costs rising along with pharmaceutical costs.  Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement caps remain, so hospitals don’t have the availability to raise prices.  Total operating expenses up 11% while revenue went up 4%.

She described the WSHA 2023 Legislative policy priorities to help hospitals --
Increase Medicare hospital payments
Invest in long erm care system capacity
Oppose hospital staffing mandates (ratios)
Pursue proactive nurse staffing

 

The pressure on hospitals goes beyond seasonal respiratory illness, she said as Harborview has up to 50 fireworks related injuries every year. Hospitals are asking for help, while searching for solutions such as immigrant doctors and nurses, medical interpreters, and increasing the number of care team members, from certified nursing assistants to allowing nursing homes to conduct their own training programs.

 

Fellow Rotarian David Bobanick and Executive Director, Seattle’s Harvest Against Hunger, came to the podium for the impressive results from the recent bowling event, Strike Against Hunger, which raised $70,000 for local hunger relief organizations.  He called out Seattle Rotary 4 teams and their captains: Bowling Stones (awarded the most extroverted team) with President Beth as team captain, Wright Team with Mark Wright as team captain (apparently broke his bowling ball) and the Seattle Rotary Rollers with team captain, Cathy Gibson.  “Hunger relief efforts are challenging with more people in need, and higher impacts on staffing,” he said. “Harvest Against Hunger focuses on fresh produce to help people in need gain access to nutritional food.  The Hunger Strike will help support all of these efforts.” 

Donations are welcome at https://www.harvestagainsthunger.org.  Save the date for Harvest Against Hunger’s annual Hearts & Wine Event February 24 at the Foundry in Seattle with more information to come.

 

Seattle Rotary Service Foundation Fundraising Committee Chair, Jon Bridge, concluded the meeting with an update on the annual campaign that has reached about 25% of its $250K goal.  Young Leaders are asked to give $150, regular members $400, those who want to be Pinkham & Steel contributors at $1000 and President’s Circle contributors at $2500 or more.  With 325 members he asked all Seattle Rotary #4 members to participate.

 

In place of the traveling Ken Grant, Jenn Gladish reminded Rotarians about coming meetings:
1.         Dec 7 - Mike Hatzenbeler, President & CEO PROVAIL with Emily Cantrell, COO of PROVAIL (Westin/Zoon)
2.         Dec 14 –Mayor Bruce Harrell & Salvation Army Capt. Jonathan Harvey (Westin/Zoom)
3.         Dec 21 –  No Meeting due to Seattle Rotary Holiday Party – Sue Nixon, Rotary Rogues, Jet City Improv (Queen City Yacht Club)
4.         Dec 28 – No Meeting

 

President Beth closed the meeting with a report on John Steckler’s slow recovery from back surgery, that was far more challenging than he anticipated; but he hopes to join us at the holiday party on John Steckler is continuing his recovery from back surgery…far more challenging than anticipated and finally coming …join mid-December. 

 

President Beth concluded the meeting with a rapid fire Seattle Sports update -- PAC 12 season concluded with the Huskies Apple Cup win and possible Rose Bowl appearance --  WSU looks to be headed to a bowl game -- Seahawks are in second place in the NFC west in spite of the recent loss --  Kraken remain in second place --  Mariners are in the free agency hunt – the Sounders announced new president and 2022 world cup with the U.S. Men’s Team winning their match against Iran and going for it against the Netherlands on Saturday at 6 a.m. 

 

Thanks to meeting reporter Pete DeLaunay for another great meeting report!