Rotary Club of Eureka, California

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka
October 28, 2013

Pat Folkins, wearing an American Flag Tie, lead us in the flag salute.  Greg Williston started his invocation by quoting Winnie the Pooh.  “What’s your favorite day?” he was asked.  “Why, Today, of course!”   It was noted that Elmer Haskins Jr, a former member, had passed away.  He was Sales Manager of KIEM for many years and Congressman Clausen’s Northern California Campaign representative.   

Announcements
Pat Folkins related his experience accompanying the recent Honor Flight to Washington D.C.  They were met at the airport and treated to a motorcycle escort that cleared traffic for them as they visited the various monuments.  In a touching moment, Mac Gardner admired an airline pilot’s flag tie, and the pilot took it off and gave it to him.  Then he admired the Pilot’s wallet, but nothing came of it.  Everyone who hasn’t been to Washington DC recently should go and visit the new monuments.   

Mike Cunningham reminded everyone of the Rotary Christmas party to be held at the Ingomar Club on December 14^th.  Music is by Holbrook and Bear and also by the Limited Edition.   

John McBeth was recognized for being retired.  He complained that he was on a fixed income, so  Ziggy cut back on the size of the Rotary T-shirt, giving him a medium. 

Al Crnich was fined because Ziggy sent him an email, and it was returned asking him if he was sure the name was spelled correctly.  Then the recognitions became fast and furious.   

Brian Papstein was dinged for carrying Raiders games.  Ziggy was going to give Brian a t-shirt, but realized he’d have to cut the bottom off one and sew it to the bottom of another to cover Brian’s capacious midriff.   

Richard Boroughs was fined $50 for occasionally writing a column in the Times-Standard.   

Keith Crossley paid for his Wife’s Open House at the Eureka Inn.   

J. Warren Hockaday was penalized for having caused a traffic jam in front of Ziggy’s house when The Chamber of Commerce had its open house at Coast Central Credit Union.  He doesn’t work there anymore, but it was easier and cheaper not to complain.   

Tom Schallert was drained of  $50 for having personalized license plates since 1959.   

Finally Ziggy produced a blue raffle ticket that someone had mistakenly put in the lunch ticket basket instead of the green receipt.  Burt Campton got up first, but then he noticed that he still had both his ticket and his receipt.  The culprit turned out to be John Bradley.  He not only had to pay $50, but also his ticket was a loser.   

Program
Our program was Nancy Stipe from the Department of Health and Human Services.  Her topic was The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  One out of five people in Humboldt County have no health insurance.  Under the Act 7,000 will now be eligible for Medi-Cal and 13,500 will be eligible for tax credits or subsidies through Covered California.  The Affordable Care Act will not affect those already on Medicare.  It will not cover undocumented individuals.  Those who want to opt out of insurance can choose to pay a fine instead. To learn more, go to www.coveredca.com.   

Then she opened it up for questions.  A very tall person asked her if she knew how many physicians and other health care professionals would quit their practices and move away in the next several years, thus leaving us with no health care at all.  “Of course I do even though I’m just a lowly assistant from County Health,” she said. “ It’s 82 Physicians, 3 Surgeons, 2 Proctologists, 208 Chiropractors and Podiatrists, 78 RN’s, 2 hospital janitors and three seeing eye dogs.” Next some one asked why we should be like 99% of all civilized countries and offer low cost health care for everyone?  Oh, wait.  No one asked that question.   

The meeting ended at 1:10 pm.

Written in haste and regretted at leisure by Hank Ingham