OF THE PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP OF SONOMA COUNTY
MEETING DATE SEPT. 15, 2010
PRESENT: Facilitator Patricia Staudacher, Aletha Christianson, Bud Suiter, Arlene Irizary, George Irizary, Douglas Schwartz, Davis Brown, Kathy Osbun and Joe Hootman.
The meeting was called to order at 10:15 a.m. by Pat Staudacher. The minutes of the last meeting, July 21, 2010, were approved as mailed with the change, at the request of Davis Brown, that the subject of the Movement Disorders Clinic proposal be placed earlier on the agenda, rather than at the tail end.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Pat Staudacher announced that Mike LeMole, who has been treasurer for two years, has resigned and that Sandy Grant, an accountant and caregiver member of PSGSC, will take over the treasurer’s position. The change was unanimously accepted on the motion of Kathy Osbun and the second of Bud Suiter. The board also approved the purchase of a Quicken or appropriate computer bookkeeping program to track our funds, prepare a budget and generate monthly financial reports.
In the absence of Mike, George Irizary reported that the group’s checking account balance as of August 31, 2010, was $1,761.56, and that reconciliation was made in July 2010 to align the ledger running total with the bank statement total. The PSGSC savings account as of August 2010 was $15,014.16, including sixty-four cents interest earned in August. The group’s business certificate of deposit, opened in October, 2008, has a balance of $10,225.74, with an interest rate of 0.15 percent. It matures on Nov. 27, 2010. Arlene Irizary offered to explore interest rates at other financial institutions.
PROGRAMS: Kathy Osbun reported that the speaker for the Oct. 1, 2010, general meeting will be Neurologist Dr. Allan Bernstein, formerly of Kaiser Permanente, now practicing in association with Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol. “Among other possible topics,” Kathy writes, “(Dr. Bernstein) will be addressing how the Parkinson’s community can work more effectively with the medical community so Parkinson’s patients can properly receive their medications and other necessary treatment for their Parkinson’s conditions in a NON-Parkinson’s medical situation/emergency in the hospital. This affects everyone with Parkinson’s, but even more so for those with Parkinson’s and other medical conditions.”
Davis Brown added to the topic the question of whether Parkinson’s meds can be administered intravenously, since hospitals usually don’t allow patients to bring their own pills for a hospital stay.
For the November meeting, Kathy has arranged to have as guest speaker Susan Wiegman, physical therapist and leader of the Memorial Hospital-sponsored exercise class for patients with PD.
After a lengthy discussion it was decided to ask at the Oct. 2 meeting attendees for a show of hands whether members wanted the Trad Jass Jammers Dixieland Band to return as entertainment for the December Holiday Party. Some members, including some board members, voiced a preference for a quieter event more conducive to friendly conversation.
EXTEND MEETING TIME: On the motion of Kathy Osbun and second of Bud Suiter, the board voted unanimously to extend the Saturday meeting closing time by 15 minutes to 3:15 p.m. instead of the current 3:00 p.m. The extra 15 minutes provides a little cushion of time for announcements and speaker presentations.
ADDITIONAL MEETING ROOMS: It was decided to hold off renting more rooms at the church for the time being and to monitor room usage.
MEET MONTHLY: On the motion of Joe Hootman, seconded by Kathy Osbun, the decision was made for the board of directors to meet once every month so as to keep up with board business on a timely basis. In the past, the board did not meet in June, August and December.
BOARD MEMBER COMMITMENT: Pat Staudaucher said she would check with board members who have been absent from meetings to determine their availability. She said she would like to see a one-year commitment to board directorship.
“PRACTICAL PLOYS”: Joe Hootman brought to the board two master copies of the 60-page Practical Ploys for Parkinson’s Patients, which he edited. It covers everything from pill boxes to balance issues and how to travel with Parkinson’s. Joe wanted the board to look it over prior to a larger printing run. George Irizary and others will proofread the text.
SCHOLARSHIPS: Davis Brown moved and Doug Schwartz seconded a motion unanimously passed to sponsor scholarships to a November 13 conference and resource faire at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park. It will be sponsored by the Parkinson Association of Northern California (PANC), with whom we are affiliated.
Cost: In the case of a couple or family, one attendee must be a member of PANC before being able to sign up ($15 per attendee) for the day. Membership dues for PANC are $9.00 prorated for the rest of 2010. See next item for conference scholarships.
SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarships to the Nov. 13 PANC conference and resource fair will be available at the Saturday, Oct. 2 support group meeting. The PSGSC is offering scholarships to pay for both the PANC membership dues and the $15.00 fee for any person with Parkinson’s and their caregiver who needs the financial help in order to be able to attend the Resource Fair. Applications for both PANC membership dues and registration fees will be available at the October meeting. It will be necessary to fill out the form at this meeting in order for PSGSC to get attendee names in to PANC. “All we need is the attendance form filled out, and we will take care of the rest,” says Vice Chair Kathy Osbun.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m. The above minutes are subject to approval at the next board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 20, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., at Brighton Gardens, 300 Fountain Grove Parkway, Santa Rosa.
Respectfully submitted,
George Irizary
Board Secretary