Family Support Center Receives Rotary Donation

From left:  FSC board chair Kerry Prince, Roger Nelson,
Pdt. Janet and Chris Nelson

TODAY IN ROTARY we heard from social workers Chris and Roger Nelson about the Family Support Center and remembered our friend and fellow Rotarian Shar Heitkotter who was a strong supporter of the local non-profit children’s crisis and respite care nursery.

"She wasn't easy on us," noted Chris Nelson, speaking about her organization's former chairman of the board.  "But she was our biggest cheerleader and brought balance to our organization, always making certain we kept our finances in order and paid attention to the smallest details of our FSC operations."  Chris also noted Shar's favorite things to do included ringing the Salvation Army bell during the holidays, gift wrapping in the mall and providing company sponsorships wherever she worked - all in support of FSC.  

The Family Support Center, located at 310 W. 200 North in St. George, serves children, ages newborn to 11 years old on a first come, first-served basis or by appointment, although the organization's crisis nursery and emergency respite programs are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.  The Family Support Center, in a clean, safe homelike environment, provides parents with a little break, a little help and a little support in challenging times ... and provides children with fun, structured activities; nutritious meals and a place where they feel safe and comfortable.  

Their list of available services include a crisis nursery, respite, visitation exchange, resource and referrals, parent support, foster care and adoption support respite.  

A check in the amount of $424 was presented to the Nelson's.  These funds raised during April's Horseplay activities will be used to cover costs for drop-in childcare services for families in crisis.  In accepting the check, Roger and Chris noted they also need volunteers, board members and support for their fundraising events, including a mini-golf tournament generally held annually in April.

For more information, call 435-674-5133 or on the internet see www.thefamilysupportcenter.com. 

Allred Makes Plea for Organ Donations

David Prisbrey and Brandon Staples, both sponsored by Jim Coleman with a classification of Escrow were inducted into SGR today bringing our total membership to 72 which means "more Rotarians, more service!"

Our program featured Roger Allred, one of SGR’s newest members, shared his amazing experience as a heart transplant recipient.  In 1996, he was in excellent health when he climbed Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the “lower 48” at 14,505 feet at the summit, with one of his three sons.  Two years later, he experienced a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or mini-stroke, which doctors determined was the result of a heart which was not beating hard enough and allowing blood to puddle in the life-giving organ.  His doctor recommended a pacemaker which sent a small electronic impulse to his heart “when it needed it to stay in rhythm,” but his medical team soon found out “my heart constantly needed to be paced.”

Roger noted his life in 1998 was a continuous round of “work, church and sitting on the couch” suffering from extreme fatigue, caused by cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease of the heart muscle (literally “heart muscle disease”). Doctors implanted an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) which would shock his heart back into rhythm, similar to the paddles used in hospitals,  if he were to experience ventricular tachycardia or “sudden death syndrome.”  “But, it wasn’t just a simple shock … it was as if someone had picked up a baseball bat and hit my chest as hard as they could,” said Roger.  It happened 11 times, but “I never knew when it would happen so I lived with that anxiety for about 5 years.” 

In April 2011 he was told, “you’re dying” because the doctors had done everything they could with drugs and devices.  Roger’s name was then added to the national transplant program list managed by UNOS (which now includes over 100,000 waiting for an organ donation) while doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital worked to keep him alive until an organ became available.  Only 18 days later, he received the heart of a 22-year-old man killed in an accident in Northern California.  He left the hospital with 17 prescriptions, but is now taking only two immunosuppressant drugs.  He also undergoes an angiogram every year to monitor his health.  To celebrate his "brand new life" Roger and all three of his sons climbed Mt. Whitney only 16 months after the transplant.

He closed his presentation with a plea for organ donation to provide others with “a brand new life” who would otherwise live a compromised life or die from a variety of diseases.  Roger's daughter created a touching video to promote organ donation.  See it online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocr9q0kqmN8 or register to be an organ donor when renewing your driver’s license or by going to www.yesutah.org. 

4-Way Test Essay Contest Winners

From left:  Timothy Isom, Kristine Sewell, Kamille Finklea, Addilyn Walker, Emily Gomez, Ellie Coder, (back) Kristie Wheeler, Elle Melo, Jonathan Naylor, Sydney McCaul and WCSD Superintendent Larry Bergeson.

“It’s a good way to trick students into loving to write,” said Kristie Wheeler, 6^th grade language arts teacher at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School, speaking about St. George Rotary Club’s 10^th annual 4-Way Test Essay Contest.  “And, its good for these kids to know someone thinks what they have to say is important.”

At the recent weekly meeting of the local service club, Wheeler and two other language arts teachers, parents and members of St. George Rotary Club heard the seven 1^st and 2^nd place winning essays in this year’s competition from among more than 300 entries this year. 

To participate, students in four intermediate schools in the Washington County School District were invited by Chairman Durant McArthur and his committee, to put their thoughts in writing about someone they know who best exemplifies Rotary’s 24-word test of ethics in all aspects of life:  is it the truth?  Is it fair to all concerned?  Will it build goodwill and better friendship?  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Awarded a $50 first prize at Fossil Ridge Intermediate School is Addilyn Walker, daughter of Rachel and Jacob Walker, who wrote about her own father.  A second place prize of $25 went to Emily Gomez, daughter of Adriana and Rodrigo Gomez, who shared respect and admiration for her dance teacher.

At Lava Ridge Intermediate School, first place honors went to Jonathan Naylor, son of Merry Kay and Cordell Naylor, who wrote about his best friend. Sydney McCaul, daughter of Joe and Andria McCaul, was the second place recipient for her essay about her mom, who she said “is a perfect example of Rotary’s 4-way test.”

Ellie Coder, daughter of Shana and Zach Coder, a student at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School, was recognized for her well-written thoughts about her mother who lives both the letter and the spirit of the 4-way test.  Also at Sunrise Ridge, Elle Melo, daughter of Katie and Iuri Melo, showered praise on her language arts teacher, whom she reports “works us hard because she loves us and wants us to succeed.”

Timothy Isom, the lone participant from Tonaquint Intermediate School, took home the 1^st place award for his insightful essay about his father’s influence in teaching him the principle of honesty.

Language arts teachers in the WCSD, with at least a 30% participation in the contest, were also awarded $200 to use in whatever way the teacher deems appropriate.  Recipients included Kristie Wheeler from Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School with 100% participation among her students; Kristine Sewell from Fossil Ridge Intermediate School, who had 119 of her 139 students participate and called the exercise “an opportunity to have a little glimpse into their personal lives”; and Kamille Finklea from Lava Ridge Intermediate School, who noted, "sadly, for some of these children, finding a positive role model in their lives was the hardest part of this assignment."