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Editor, Paul Rosenberger

Editor: Paul Rosenberger

May 10, 2013

Diana Knaebe

Heritage Behavioral Health Center

I introduced Diana Knaebe, CEO of Heritage Behavioral Health Center, located next to the Lincoln Theater on North Main Street in the former Quigles Department Store since 1997. She told us her roots were in Central Illinois, because she was born in Tuscola. She received her Masters Degree in San Diego and worked for a while in Kalamazoo, Michigan before coming to Heritage in Decatur to work for Grady Wilkinson, the previous CEO, in 1993.

Diana then gave a brief history of Heritage, noting that Judge Gus Greanius was the founder of this mental health operation in 1956 because he had observed that so many court cases involved persons with mental health issues. Nancy Rude became the manager of the small office on North Main Street near Garver’s, that evolved into the Oasis Day-Care Shelter now in the former Easter Seals building on West Cerro Gordo since then. In a typical year the Oasis sees nearly 2000 individuals, although on a typical day about 150 drop in. There they can maintain a mailing address, a locker for valuables, take a shower, wash clothes, or see a nurse practitioner once a week. Not all patrons are actually homeless, but they need temporary safe respite. Heritage became the fiscal oversight organization in 1999.

Diana then told of their current funding problem. The Oasis lost some state funding in 2007, and WSOY’s Brian Byers led a fund-raiser that helped keep the operation open for a year. In 2008 they received a non-renewable three-year state grant that expires this year on June 30. They get a small annual donation from the United Way and from the 708 Mental Health Board, but they need over $300,000 more per year to keep the facility open 365 days a year from 8:00 to 5:00 as they do now. The city has no extra funds, so it appears Heritage needs some way to tap the downtown businesses that have been the beneficiaries of the adult Day-Care Center because it keeps homeless from loitering downtown. Other community fears include more potential crime, more illness, and increased service needs in other agencies. Thanks for the enlightening but sobering report on a great program in need of help, Diana.

I AM PROUD TO BE A SERTOMAN

MEETING SCHEDULE

May 17– Regular meeting at 7:00 a.m. at Scovill Golf Course

May 24 - Service To Mankind Committee breakfast meeting at 7:00 a.m. at Scovill

June 4 – Board meeting at 6:50 a.m. at Perkin’s

July 3 – Midnight Bingo Project at Majestic Bingo Hall in Mt. Zion

SOCIAL REPORT

VP Hugh Rowden had no report.

May 10, 2013 MEETING REPORT

19 Breakfast Sertomans, including George Batson from the Noon Sertoma Club, came to Scovill on a cloudy spring morning for the usual fellowship and hearty breakfast. President Steve Hager conducted the meeting and reviewed last Tuesday’s board meeting.

SHERIFF’S ACTIONS

Sheriff Mike Borders fined many members not wearing their Sertoma pins – this is important because if somebody notices your pin during the day and asks what it represents, you can explain Sertoma, and perhaps invite that person to a meeting. Mike then checked to see if we read the Herald & Review by asking a tough trivia question, “What percentage of the average food intake of Americans is sugar?” After a few incorrect guesses, Alex Prather, knew it was 13% - that number may help to explain the obesity problem in this country. Then Mike asked our speaker, Diana Knaebe, to pull out badges for three bags of his fresh-cut asparagus plus the 50/50 cash prize. The three healthy veggie winners were George Batson, Jack Smith and me (I gave mine to Diana). Larry Fouste accepted the rolled-over 50/50 cash prize.

PROGRAM REPORT

VP Norm Jensen announced that next Friday Elmer Turner will bring a speaker and on May 24 we will host the annual joint-club Service To Mankind Award Breakfast. On May 31 we will enjoy a social meeting.

SPONSORSHIP REPORT

VP Chuck Shonkwiler reported that we approved two applications for hearing aids at the board meeting. Steve Hager noted that at our board meeting we held a discussion about the possibility of changing our midnight Bingo project location to Galaxy, a new Bingo operation near the Chevrolet Museum on East Highway 36. For now, the board consensus was to remain at the Majestic in Mt. Zion.
I reported that joint-club Service-To-Mankind Award Committee has completed the write-up about our award recipient, James Wills, a Workforce Investment Solutions Counselor and minister, and now will send out invitations to former recipients and speakers for the May 24 awards breakfast at Scovill.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

VP Duane McCoskey would have given us his best advice: “BRING MORE GUESTS.”

MOTHER’S ADVICE

PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER: "I don't care where you think you have to go, young man.
Midnight is past your curfew!"

MONA LISA'S MOTHER: "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that's the biggest smile you can give us?"

HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER: "Humpty, If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!"

COLUMBUS' MOTHER: "I don't care what you've discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!"

MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER: "Mike, can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"

NAPOLEON'S MOTHER: "All right, Napoleon. If you aren't hiding your report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!"

CUSTER'S MOTHER: "Now, George, remember what I told you -- don't go biting off more than you can chew!"

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER: ”Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"

BARNEY'S MOTHER: "I realize strained plums are your favorite, Barney, but you're starting to look a little purple."

BATMAN'S MOTHER: "It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?"

GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER: "I've got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"

LITTLE MISS MUFFET'S MOTHER: "Well, all I've got to say is if you don't get off your tuffet and start cleaning your room, there'll be a lot more spiders around here!"

I AM PROUD TO BE A SERTOMAN