ABSENT WERE: SUZANNE deKOZAN, KAREN LOVVORN, PHYLLIS SANDS, ART ROSENBLUM AND DANA MAY CASPERSON. VISITING WAS MARC ALEXANDER.
CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Parkinson’s Support Group of Sonoma County (PSGSC) was called to order at 10:05 a.m. by Chair/President Kathy Osbun.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the Board Meeting of October 17, 2012, were approved, by consensus, as read.
After paying out $105.68 to ship and repair the PSGSC’s troubled sound system, the repair company returned the equipment as is and reimbursed PSGSC $60.00, the original repair estimate. Additional repair costs were declined by the Board, which opted instead to convert an existing separate amplifier to a wireless system.
Kathy Osbun announced that a donation of $1,000 has been made to PSGSC by her mother, a resident of Springlake Village.
BROCHURES: Ann Walker reported that 110 PSGSC brochures are remaining. Printing of a new batch is awaiting contact names for leaders of satellite support groups. This led to discussion of financial reporting practices for satellite groups and their relationship to the larger non-profit group. More information will be sought.
AWARE IN CARE OUTREACH COMMITTEE: Kathy Osbun, reporting for Suzanne deKozan, said the committee continues working with Sonoma State graduate student Ryan Roberts on revisions to the outreach program.
DATA BASE: Board members contributed suggestions for what to include in a printed form being used to enhance the PSGSC data base. Barbara Stiling will incorporate the questions in an Excel format and copies will be made to distribute at Saturday meetings.
PROGRAMS: Arlene Irizary reported that the Saturday program for December will be a holiday party with finger foods brought by members and entertainment by the River Choir directed by Sonia Tubridy. Sonia’s husband is an artist with PD. That meeting will be Dec. 8, the second week in December, rather than the usual first Saturday.
There is no meeting in January. The Feb. 2, 2013, meeting will feature Dr. Matthew Arnold, a movement disorders Neurologist with a practice in Berkeley.
Other 2013 programs include March 2, a panel of professionals on community resources for home care and other options; April 6, Movement Disorders Neurologist Dr. Lin Zhang of UC Davis Medical Center; May 4, Dr. Alan Bernstein, Sebastopol neurologist and Parkinson’s researcher; and June 1, Casey Kho, of California Telephone Access Program, to demonstrate telephone equipment available for free to California residents who have difficulty moving, speaking, remembering, hearing or seeing.
MOVEMENT DISORDERS SPECIALIST FOR SONOMA COUNTY: Kathy Osbun reported that two neurologists with specialties in movement disorders may be interested in working with Parkinson’s patients in Sonoma County if the administrative and billing functions were handled by other entities so that they can focus their work entirely on treatment.
LIBRARY BOOKS: On the motion of Sandy Grant, seconded by Ann Walker, the board unanimously approved the purchase of two copies of “Navigating Life With Parkinson’s Disease” for the PSGSC library. Arlene Irizary said the books cost $19.95 each. Ann Walker volunteered to help Phyllis Sands set up and take down the library display at Saturday meetings.
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS: Gloria Stubbs reported on her research so far on availability of transportation for people with Parkinson’s. She said Santa Rosa Para Transit charges a fee of $3.00 one way ($6 round trip) for city residents. Completion of a six-page form and an interview with city transit personnel is required to get on the program. Kathy Osbun said PSGSC will continue to explore ways of getting people to our meetings. Gloria will also contact Volunteer Wheels, the Sonoma County Para Transit program.
BOARD INTENTIONS: Kathy Osbun reported that to date only one current board member, Barbara Stiling, has decided to not run for re-election in January, when terms of office and Board membership expires. Arlene Irizary commented that some Board members miss a number of meetings and questioned whether parameters on attendance should be established. No action was taken. Davis Brown asked whether somebody not on the Board could be on a committee set up by the Board. Sandy Grant said she would check on that when she meets with a consultant on other matters.
LETTERHEAD: Barbara Stiling will work on designing a letterhead for formal correspondence such as acknowledging donations.
CARE KIT HELPED: Davis Brown reported that during a recent hospital experience he took with him an Aware in Care kit to alert staff to his medical and drug requirements, including taking pills ‘on time.’ “They knew we were on top of it,” Davis said.
MEETING ADJOURNED: The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 noon by Kathy Osbun. The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 19, 2012, at Brush Creek Senior Living off Hwy 12 east of Brush Creek Road. The above minutes are subject to approval at the December meeting.