Illinois State Women's Basketball - August 30 Meeting

Illinois State Women's Basketball Stephanie Glance was named the sixth head women's basketball coach in Illinois State history April 20, 2010. Glance brings a tremendous pedigree into her first head coaching job, as the only coach to work with Hall of Fame women's basketball mentors Pat Summitt and the late Kay Yow. Today, coach Glance talked a bit about her background and more about her coaching philosophy. She sees her coaching role far beyond basketball, as it is teaching opportunity about life through basketball. It's about relationships, and challenges of life. Today will be the first day "on the floor" with the team, which is something that she and the staff are really looking forward to. Stephanie has been here for four months, partly spent recruiting, but also a great time to meet team members and build a foundation of trust and relationships. Glance was appreciative of the good conditions that she inherited from Robin Pingston and her staff. She talked about starting with four ACES. Attitude, Commitment, Enthusiasm, and Service. She has tried to teach these Aces to her team, before getting on the floor today.

Steve Wannemacher, President Heritage Enterprises - Speaker August 23

Steve talked to us in plain terms, about State of Illinois funding and its challenges. Nursing homes have three revenue streams: Private pay, Medicare, and Medicaid. Medicaid payments are $19 to $28 per patient day, under funded. These costs are made up by charging more to Medicare and Private payers. Medicaid is a combination of State and Federal Funds. Rates have essentially been frozen since 1992. Historically, the Federal/State ratio was 50/50, however under the stimulus package, the Feds are contributing 62.38%. This is now due to expire, after extension, on June 30 2011. This will be a severe impact on an already struggling State Budget. If the above revenue problems were not great enough, the State General Assembly has passed bill 326 which mandates staffing levels and nursing hours, increased fines, and changed other regulations. These added expenses will add to the income problems above. The Patient Protection Act or "Obama Care" raises lots of questions about this subject too. What does it mean? I Don't know. It makes the future a difficult plan. Heritage is committed to finding solutions for quality care for Seniors.

August 16 Meeting - Big Brothers Big Sisters Program

Jill Young and Corey Burrows presented information about the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program nationally and locally. The organization is the largest non-profit memtoring organization in the United States. Their purpose is to provide caring relationships to youth through mentoring. Corey has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters from its 1996 beginning in McLean County when they started by pairing 11 "Big" and 11 "Littles". In 2009 there were 259 matches and today there are 60 waiting for mentors due to lack of staff. Corey, who knows the value of mentors from his own personal experience, says his grand parents provided the love, stability, guidance and someone he could count on and receive support. He says, "We need to help these kids." Mentors are not parents, or substitute parents, but a friend, someone who will listen, help navigate rocky waters, someone to instill importance of education and help to avoid high risk behavior. We were challenged by Jill Young to get involved as a mentor, board member or sponsor through our businesses.

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Eliminate - Speaker Diana Hauman - August 9 Meeting

The ELIMINATE Project was introduced at the 2010 Kiwanis International conference in June. This project focuses on maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT). In the industrialized world, tetanus is often thought of as a thing of the past. In developing countries, it's a killer. What should be a joyful day welcoming a newborn into the world can become a wrenching tragegy with tetanus. Every nine minutes a newborn dies from tetanus; each year about 30,000 mothers and 60,000 babies die from tetanus.

The leading causes of MNT deaths are inadequate immunizations, limited or absent clean delivery services and improper postpartum cord care. Tetanus spores are found in the soil everywhere in poorer communities where women lack healthcare. Tetanus enters open cuts during childbirth as a result of unsanitary conditions. Between 1999 and 2009, 90 million women were immunized and MNT was eliminated in 18 countries. However, there are still women and babies in 40 countries at risk.

Kiwanis International is partnering with UNICEF to provide immunizations to women of child bearing age to eliminate tetanus from these countries by 2015. Over the next few months we will be learning more about our responsibility to raise the need funds to make this goal a reality. For now, we are being asked to prepare, educate, advocate, invest to eliminate. Prepare by growing our club to take on the challenge of this campaign. Educate ourselves about MNT and share what we learn with our club, community, family and schools. Advocate and let the world know that the poorest, most vulnerable babies and mothers need our help. (Think Facebook and other social networking sites.) Invest by being one of the first to invest in this global campaign for mothers and children by making an initial donation after October 1. For more information, including a video from the convention by Tea Leone, go to www.TheEliminateProject.org for more information.

August 2 Meeting - Downtown Bloomington Strategy and Plan - Speakers: Erika Kubsh, Executive Director Downtown Business Association (DBA) and Karen Schmidt, Bloomington Council, 6th Ward

Karen Schmidt presented background information on past and current plans for the Bloomington downtown that are being discussed currently. a draft plan is on the DBA website. Some of things going on include a market assessment, rehab apartments, and condos in a historic downtown. There is need for a retail anchor downtown, a cafe culture, increased parking, a clean and safe environment, and the need for a downtown hotel. Erica Kubsh presented the DBA efforts, including the Special District Financing idea that began with a 2009 feasibility study and a May 2010 survey and open forums in June and July. The objective is to create a private / public partnership that can work together on issues such as, sanitary and enhanced maintenance, lighting and landscape amenities, economic development, marketing and image events. The Bloomington City Council will be dealing with proposals in the next few weeks.