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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. OCTOBER 8. 2009 — PAGE 15A
Rotary Club discusses health care
By Ellen Cowne
Correspondent
Health care and the new bill
is on everybody’s mind and on
many people’s tongues. But all
ears were listening when Wayne
Douglas talked to Rotary about
health care on Friday.
Douglas is the patient account
manager at the Ty Cobb Hospital
and a former member of the
Rotary Club. Everyone wanted
to hear what he had to say. But
it wasn’t good news. He talked
about the Medicare problem
that was implemented in 1967
saying it was a good program
when implemented. The prob
lem came when the cost of
living increased, but there was
no increase in Medicare. The
average reimbursement is about
82 percent, Douglas told us, and
hospitals have to come up with
the difference. The moment a
patient walks through the door,
the price to be paid per day is
determined. Then if the cost of
care increases, hospitals have to
find a way to make up the differ
ence. Reimbursements are being
reduced now, and small hospitals
are having to deal with it. When
they can’t make it financially, they
have to cut down on beds. When
ROTARY
®CLUB®
►
4
Wayne Douglas, patient account manager at the Ty Cobb Hospital, talked to Rotary about
health care on Friday.
they cut down on beds, then the
cost per bed goes up which makes
general costs rise.
Douglas also told the group that
hundreds of dollars - 57 million
in Georgia - were allocated for
undocumented alien care. People
tend to use emergency rooms
mostly, rather than going to the
doctor. But the emergency room
care is the most expensive care
that a hospital can give. Hospitals
get reimbursed for emergency
room costs, but that is only about
10 percent of the total cost. Since
many people can’t pay for emer
gency room care, this too drives
up the cost.
It would be simple to say, “We
won't treat undocumented aliens.’’
But the law says hospitals have
to treat them and treat them just
like everyone else. This drives the
expense for the hospitals up and
thereby drives the price of hospi
tal care up. One Rotarian asked
Douglas if health care in Georgia
would be failing even without
the undocumented aliens, and he
agreed that even without this one
group, health care in Georgia is
failing.
In 2012, there will be changes
in Medicare regulations. Some
providers will stop being provid
ers for Medicare. Though the
American Medical Association
supports the new health care bill,
Douglas said he didn’t think it
would help hospitals.
With his position, Douglas is
able to answer several questions:
however, health care is a compli
cated issue that affects everyone
and we’ll all have to wait to see
the outcome of a situation that
affects us all.
Ellen Cowne provides news
from the Rotary’ Club of Madison
County.
Animal shelter announces October events
The Madison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter
has announced several events for the month
of October. Call the shelter at 706-795-
2868 for more information on any of these
events:
•Saturday, Oct. 10 - the shelter will host
a "two-county yard sale,” A space fee of
$10 will be charged. “Please call the shelter
if you want to come and join us,” shelter
officials said. Typical yard sale items may
be sold and participants are responsible for
removing any items not sold from shel
ter property. Bring your own table (and
canopy, if you wish). No electricity will be
available.
•Friday, Oct. 30,6:30-8 p.m. is the date
of the second annual “Frightening Feline
Festival.” Shelter officials say there will be
fun games for children ages 12 and under.
More information on this event will be
forthcoming, shelter officials said.
REESE KILLS HOG
Wyatt Reese, 11, shot this wild boar in his yard in Hull
near CVS on the morning of Oct. 2. Reese shot him once
with a Ruger .22 caliber rifle from approximately 65
yards. He is the son of Johnny and Ann Reese.
BURROUGHS NAMED PILOT CLUB
2009 SWEETHEART
Chris Burroughs, immediate past president, was voted
the Pilot Club of Madison County’s Sweetheart for 2009
by her fellow Pilot members. Burroughs was recog
nized for serving as president and her support of the
BrainMinder Project which promotes brain safety edu
cation for young children and older adults. Current
president Joyce Fleeman presented Burroughs with a
certificate and a dozen yellow roses.
Madison County library announces October news, events
The Madison County Library has
announced its news and events for
October:
•The Fall Book Sale made over
$4,000. "Many thanks to Ann
Davis and Sara Carter for organiz
ing, and all the volunteers who
set up, packed away, manned the
sale and kept it in order,” library
officials said. "Continuous thanks
to the donators of the books and to
Baker & Taylor for providing qual
ity hardbacks.”
•The Friends General Meeting
Oct. 25 will include special guest
speaker western author Dac
Crossley. Library board chairman
Mike Moak will give a presentation
on the upcoming expansion and
renovation. The Friends Executive
board will meet Tuesday, Oct. 13,
at 6 p.m.
•Family Matinee: Friday, Oct. 9,
at 2 p.m. “We’ll be showing a
G-rated film for all ages,” organiz
ers said. The program is free.
•Native Animal Hibernation with
the Georgia Reptile Conservancy:
Who hibernates in the fall? Where
do they go and why do they do
this? Meet some native hibernat
ing reptiles Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2
p.m. This program is open to all
ages, is free, and you don't have to
pre-register.
•Infant Storytime: Monday, Oct.
12 at 10:30 a.m. "It is never too
early to introduce your child to
books and the joys of reading,”
organizers said. “Rhymes and
songs done with your little one are
a great way to bond and exercise,
too.”
•Books and Bites: "After Hours
for Teens Only!” organizers said.
"Here’s your chance to read undis
turbed for hours and eat pizza: and
you don't have to use your library
voice!” The library closes at 6 p.m.,
Friday, Oct. 16, but will re-open for
books and bites at 8 p.m. Plan to
be picked up by 10 p.m. You don’t
have to wear your pajamas.
•Spooky Candy-Skulls: In
Mexico they celebrate Day of the
Dead on Nov. 1st, and honor their
ancestors with special decorated
candy skulls. The library will pro
vide the solid sugar skulls and peo
ple ages 9 and up can personalize
them Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10
a.m. to noon.
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your
meeting time, place and date in...
• The Jackson Herald
• The Commerce News
• The Braselton News
• The Banks County News
• The Madison County Journal
JEFFERSON
'AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 .no
VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4thTuesdasy, 7:00 p.m.
Jason Mergele, Commander
Phone 706-367-7237 263
UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
BANKS COUNTY
(AMERICAN LEGION
Riders Post 215
Meets each 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 pd,o2/io
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pa.-07/io
St. Catherine Laboure
Catholic Mission
Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m.,
Sun. 11:00 a.m., Thurs. 12:10 p.m.
First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org
706-335-2622 „
BANKS COUNTY
AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 Pci.06/10
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m.-(706) 367-1109
Gina Mitsdarffer, President
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. -(706) 387-1156
Mack Cates, President
Georgia Real Estate Investors
TTIFVS Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
6:30 pm at the UGA Conferen ce Center
1197 South Lumpkin Street,
Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
thewlettl@charter.net
Pd. 12/09
NORTH EAST GEORGIA
AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
Meets the 1st Thursday
each month at the
Commerce City
Public Library
1344 South Broad Street
www.ne4ga.org pd 12
•Spooky Candy-chocolate
eyeballs: "The most delightful
Halloween snackimaginable: bright
red eyeballs (cherries) covered in
chocolate!” organizers said. People
ages 9 and up can come Saturday,
Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon and
make a pair to take home.
•Young adult book discus
sion: This month they will meet
Wednesday, Oct. 28. at 4:30 p.m.
They are reading Vampire Knight,
volume 1. “It’s MANGA!” said
library staff members. Check the
front desk for copies.
•Pajama Storytime: On Thursday,
Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. "Miss Jennifer
will have gentle stories and songs
for children of all ages,” organizers
said. A bedtime snack will also be
provided as a special treat.
•Music. Art and Drama: "Miss
Debbie will conduct a creative free-
for-all in two sessions,” organizers
said. Sessions will be held Friday,
Oct. 30, from 11:30 a.m. to noon,
when she'll have age-appropriate
activities for toddlers to kindergar
teners. Then, from 1 to 1:30 p.m.,
children and teens can act, paint,
and explore their talents in a sup
portive environment.
•Homeschoolers Chapter Book
Revue: On Thursdays at 1 p.m.,
homeschooled kids gather at the
library to read a book together and
talk about it. After the book is
finished, they have a party related
to the story: togas and snacks for a
book about Cleopatra, for example.
This is geared towards elementary
school-aged children, but experi
enced readers of any age are wel
come.
•Preschool and toddler story
time: Your child's first introduc
tion to reading: read with them
and watch them succeed. Story
time includes stories, finger-plays,
songs and crafts for literacy-based
fun. It is open to children ages 2
to 5. This month’s themes are:
Banned Books, Author Kate and
Jim MacMullan, Monsters and
Halloween. Open play with lots of
toys and a guest reader will be Oct.
16 this month.
•The library sewing group is
working on different techniques
of quilting. “Please join this fun
group and learn a new trick or two,”
organizers said. They meet every
Wednesday 1-3 p.m. in the general
purpose room.
•Computer Classes: “Alisa
Claytor, the nicest computer spe
cialist in the world, will be offer
ing an Introduction to computers
series,” organizers said. The ses
sions will include introduction to
keyboard and mouse; introduction
to computers, making files and
folders and fun with Publisher.
Three meeting times are offered:
Tuesdays from 2 to 3 p.m., or 7 to
8 p.m., and Wednesdays from 11
a.m. to noon. Please pre-register as
this is not a drop-in-style class. Call
706-795-5597 to register or stop by
the library.
Anne Hansen and Gaylene Ward,
breast cancer suvivors and organizers
of the 4th Annual "In Their Shoes" /
13.1 mile walk, have helped raise
over $342,000 in three years.
\ shoes
Breast cancer survivors Anne Hansen and Gaylene Ward began
the "In Their Shoes" 13.1 mile one-day walk to recognize those
who have lived with cancer and to raise funds for the Loran Smith
Center for Cancer Support, a facility that was integral to their
personal battle with cancer. To find out how to participate in this
year's event on October 17th, please contact the Athens Regional
Foundation at 706-475-3301 or visit intheirshoesathens.org.
CJLAZ-
www.armc.org
All walkers are asked to raise a minimum of $1,000. Sign up today to begin fundraising and training!