Next week is the annual meeting required by our bylaws. In addition to announcing the results of our election (see related story below), we'll be finalizing the details for our holiday luncheon (see another related story below). Join us Tuesday at noon on Zoom!
Innovating for Our Holiday Luncheon
Usually we invite spouses and are entertained by one of the schools' musical groups at our holiday luncheon. While spouses are still welcome to attend by Zoom, the pandemic precludes the usual musical entertainment. However ... we've got some new fun in mind!
First, we'd like members to send Mary Moe a digital photo of your Christmas card or just one of you and/or your family that you particularly like. She and Art Taft will use them as illustrations for a holiday video. You can send your card or photo simply by replying to this bulletin and attaching it.
Second, remember that 3-minute talk that first introduced you to the club? We'd like you to prepare a 1-minute talk on any one of the following topics. Feel free to suggest others at this Tuesday's meeting!
show-and-tell on your favorite Christmas ornament
your favorite holiday memory
a gift you've received that couldn't come in a box and can't be wrapped
Finally, Art and Mary will be revising a couple of Christmas carols to suit current events and will be entertaining us with those. et ready for Ho-Ho-Ho!
Up Next at Camp Rotary ...
With the bridge to Camp Rotary successfully addressed, John Juras updated the club last week on the next problem facing the camp: the road. It’s in pretty bad shape.
Hopeful that the club could secure funding for road repairs from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), John recently consulted with the United States Forest Service’s engineers. While the GAOA does award money for such projects, we have missed out on this year’s round of funding applications. The USFS suggested an alternate road rework option through the USAF active duty or guard Red Horse units. Red Horse would do the work, but can't purchase materials. They could get the job done more quickly, leaving the club only the materials costs to shoulder.
John and Ken Munski estimated that the materials costs would range from $50-100,000. “It’s a lot of money,” John conceded, “but we’ve raised that kind of money before.” The Forest Service has indicated that USFS may be willing to assume half of those costs. John asked for feedback from the club.
Rotarians had questions about the number of culverts required and the possibility of materials donated or offered at reduced cost from the gravel pits along Armington Junction. The Camp Rotary Committee will meet on the issue soon; your input is welcome.
Vote on New Officers Before Tuesday
In an email to be sent Sunday, Dec. 6, you will be presented with the following slate of candidates for office in Rotary Club of Great Falls. Their terms of office, if elected, begin July 1, 2021.
President-elect Nominee: Tom Nelson
Director-at-Large: Bill Bronson
Director-at-Large: Marshall Knick
You will be asked to accept or not accept the slate. Your electronic vote must be returned as a reply to that email by Tuesday, Dec. 8, at noon. Those who attend the meeting on Dec. 8 may also vote on Zoom, although the secrecy of your vote cannot be assured.
Thanks to Tom, Bill, and Marshall for your willingness to serve!
Last Week at Rotary
Last week on Zoom, we were treated to fascinating information on TMJ-related sleep disorders by Dr. Schuyler VanDyke. In addition to her dentist credentials, Dr. VanDyke earned a diploma from the American Board of Craniofacial Pain and is diploma-eligible with the American Board of Craniofacial Dental Sleep Medicine. She is the only doctor in the State of Montana who carries this status. She practiced dentistry in Conrad for 25 years before moving this specialized practice to the Northwest’s Physicians Building in Great Falls.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and muscle disorders are problems that affect the chewing muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. You can feel the joint in operation directly in front of each ear. For many people with TMJ disorders, the cause is unknown. A bad bite, orthodonture, and stress and tooth-grinding are some speculative causes. It has long been known that TMJ disorders result in headaches and jaw pain. It is not as well known that TMJ can cause sleep apnea.
TMJ obstructs the airway, which interferes with sleeping patterns. This in turn leads to daytime drowsiness, poor concentration, and other problems related to sleep deprivation. There are palliative measures that are not as drastic as a CPAP, but the first step is to have a sleep study done.
The best sleep study would be done in a medical lab by a medical doctor. A less expensive alternative that will identify sleep apnea, if that is the problem, is a home study. If you just want to do a consultation, Dr. VanDyke has begun doing those by telephone. They take from 15-30 minutes, are free, and don’t require a doctor’s referral.
Art Taft is a patient of Dr. VanDyke’s who came to her with concerns about sleep apnea. He has nothing but high praise for the help she has given him. In fact, he has been so impressed with her knowledge on the subject that he asked her to come share it with Rotarians. Thank you, Art, and thank you, Dr. VanDyke!
Milestones
Happy birthday on Sunday to one of our oldest and one of our newest club members: Ian Davidson and David Cameron! December 6 has been very good to Rotary Club of Great Falls. Best wishes to both of you for a happy day tomorrow and more of the same in the year to come.
