Trevor had been struck by the loneliness, due to isolation, of a friend at Living Choice. We should be looking at ways to fill such voids and connect with the local community. Opportunities could also include providing food for the workers at Detmold preparing the millions of face marks or being at Woolworths with Reno early in the morning wiping down trollies.

Rhonda Hoare felt that the sending of cards to needy people, particularly those in nursing homes, would be well received. Brendan Kenny suggested a morning tea at Detmold.

Trevor and Rhonda will together look at opportunities for connecting with the community through providing food (eg biscuits) and cards. Jerry will check opportunities with Detmold. Reno related that eater eggs he supplied  to a nursing home for Sunday were not delivered until Wednesday…...the bunny must have been in quarantine.

 

 

Pam suggested that renovating the back room while the shop remains closed makes sense and the meeting concurred. She needs about 5 able bodied people (or, more realistically, vaguely in good shape) and will liaise with Jerry to organise for next week if possible.

 

The Pink Ribbon account has a credit of $4068.41. The meeting agreed (moved by Stephen and seconded by many) that $4100 be paid to Pink Ribbon and the account closed.

 

 

Jerry, Brendan and John K joined an Australian optometry team led by Jason (including a number of his students) to Nepal in February. Jerry showed two videos, the first being about the country:

It has the highest mountains and arguably toughest terrain in the world; the people are poor, mainly Buddhist religion and peaceful; politics is unstable; and the country is prone to earthquakes. It is an adventure playground, invented elephant polo and produces much black cardamom. 

 

The second, Welcome to Panauti, showed the team in action testing the eyes of the local population, providing glasses and organising surgery for the more serious cases. It was well organised with each team member playing an important role (and suitably adorned with bindi).......the team comprised 29 Australians and 23 Nepalese. During the trip it was estimated that about 6000 people were tested, of which 731 required glasses or surgery. Arrangements had been made with another team for the surgery, mainly cataract, and by the time of departure 128 of the 150 cases referred had received their operations.

 

 

John Kikkert and Jerry expressed appreciation for their outstanding experiences (notwithstanding the cold showers and vegetarian food) and lauded the team. 

 

Rotary Australia’s Donation in Kind (DIK) program in South Australia is working with SA Health with preparations for the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past two months, DIK has taken delivery of 140 beds from the old Calvary Wakefield and Rehabilitation Hospitals as they move to the new Calvary Adelaide Hospital. SA Health is opening parts of the Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital (now ECH College Grove facility) at Walkerville, the old Calvary Wakefield Hospital and, later the Repatriation Hospital in Edwardstown as specific facilities to handle potential mild-case coronavirus patients and to support non coronavirus sub-acute patients, what is missing in these two hospitals is beds! DIK has consequently been asked by SA Health for the Calvary beds for this, as most of the beds are still at the DIK warehouse facility at Edinburgh Parks. The setting up of these facilities in these hospitals frees up beds in other State hospitals, with serious cases still to be handled by the major State hospitals.

 

So far, 108 beds and mattresses have been moved to the old Calvary Rehabilitation Hospital. In addition to the beds, SA Health are also looking at a range of other equipment for the pandemic contingency that DIK can supply to be transported immediately. These include ventilators, monitors, drip stands, bedside cabinets, trolleys and over-way tables.

 

DIK gets a lot of donated goods, mainly medical and schooling, the bulk of which is destined for needy communities throughout the world. The program likes to be able to assist those in need locally, so it is especially pleasing for this Rotary program to be able to provide a substantial contribution to the local community in this time of unprecedented community health need.

 

Loading Calvary Hospital beds at DIK warehouse, destined for coronavirus isolation hospitals.

 

 

Biomedical equipment at Donations in Kind warehouse earmarked for coronavirus facilities