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This Week’s Program:

Future Speakers: Chuck Gojmerac – Morrison Cove Memorial Park – Park & Recreation Director

May 4^th – TBD

May 11^th – TBD

May 18^th – TBD

May 25^th – Jennifer Knisely – Executive Director of the Altoona Library

Last Week’s Speaker: Last week our speaker was Duane Ehredt – Director of Client Care – Home Instead Senior Care. Duane is a lifelong resident of Blair County, a Penn State grad with a degree in Health Administration, and in his spare time enjoys hunting and fishing…primarily spring gobbler season. He and his wife have three children. For twenty years, Duane worked for Blair Senior Services before coming to Home Instead eleven years ago. Duane began his remarks by thanking the AMBUCS for their support we provided to one of their clients. An elderly woman in Duncansville needed repairs to a ramp that she had leading from her residence. The ramp had deteriorated to the point that it was very difficult to get her wheelchair in and out. The AMBUCS not only repaired the ramp but paid to have a contractor replace her porch roof that was one of the reasons that the ramp had deteriorated. Duane noted that both the resident and his caregivers appreciated the repairs. Home Instead is a national operation of 26 years, with 1,200 offices and employing 90,000 caregivers. According to Duane, they provide many forms of non-medical care for the elderly. He stated that they work with people to keep them safe but give them the opportunities that they desire. The local office in Duncansville, employs 120 caregivers and covers both Blair and Cambria counties. Duane referred the times to a “silver tsunami” due to the huge number of baby boomers. This large increase in clients has caused a real need for additional caregivers, causing Duane to have to quite often turn care opportunities away. Some of the services that they can provide include bathing, dressing, meal preparation, grocery shopping, laundry, and light housekeeping. Additionally, they can provide care and support to Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. In addition to their individual clients, Home Instead also has contracts with the Veterans Administration, the M.S. Society, and other local organizations. For more information on Home Instead Senior Care; visit them at www.homeinstead.com or contact Duane at (814) 693-2911.

Guests Last Week:

There were none.

AMBUCS News:

…..The AMBUCS Blood Screening is this Saturday! If you have signed up to help, please be at the Convention Center by 5:30 AM. The last we heard, we had 230 folks signed up for our blood screening, but Ed is expecting that number to grow. All members are asked to help promote the fund-raising event to your co-workers, family and friends. This is our largest fundraiser and we need to promote the event.

…..Grants chairman, Karen Lemme, announced that two Ambucs have talked with her about assisting with the grants, but as of yet, are undecided. So, we are still seeking helpers…the more that can help, the easier it will be for each grant writer. Grants have become a major part of our Amtryke and ramp building budget and several more grant writers would help those Ambucs who are currently writing them. Please see Karen if you can help.

…..News from our Regional Director Shirley Flickinger is that the Northeast Regional Spring Conference is scheduled for May 22^nd in Lititz. Registration deadline is May 15^th. The conference is scheduled from 9AM to 3PM and can also be joined virtually. Additionally, Shirley reported that the Hollidaysburg chapter of AMBUCS has decided to fold. That club was built many years ago by our chapter. While their membership was very small recently; over the years they collected canned goods for the Rescue Mission during numerous Hollidaysburg parades and they were instrumental in getting the star and cross lit atop Chimney Rocks for many Christmas and Easter seasons.

…..Coach Tony Miller informed the attendees that the date for the WeCare Softball Marathon has been changed to Saturday August 7^th. As usual, Tony stated that a after-game party is being planned for players, spectators and all Ambucs. So hit the batting cage and oil up that mitt. More details and a sign-up sheet will be distributed closer to the event.

…..Last week, our speaker, Duane Ehredt picked the winning raffle ticket of your bulletin editor, John Lloyd. . After checking out the cards, I, like so many before me, chose poorly. I was informed by President Linda that the Jack of Spades doesn’t pay jack!. The good news is the deck is now slimmed down to just 27 cards (26 cards & 1 Joker now that we are half way through the deck). The winning pot amount is now $388.

In Closing:

This Week’s Program: Duane Ehredt – Director of Client Care – Home Instead

Future Speakers:

April 27^th – Chuck Gojmerac – Morrison Cove Memorial Park – Park & Recreation Director

May 4^th – TBD

May 11^th – TBD

Last Week’s Speaker: Last week our speaker was Joe Murgo – WTAJ Chief Meteorologist. Dave Aikens introduced Joe and stated that the two of them became acquainted when Dave gave Joe a ride home from the Pittsburgh airport one evening when Joe’s connecting flight to Martinsburg was cancelled. Joe is a native of New York City and said that his interest in weather began after experiencing the 1978 blizzard in New York and later severe weather in Tulsa Oklahoma. While attending Penn State for his BS degree in Meteorology, he began weather forecasting for AccuWeather in his sophomore year. He began his professional forecasting in Steubenville Ohio and then later in both Washington D.C. and Norfolk Virginia. About twenty years ago, Joe interviewed and secured his spot at WTAJ in Altoona. He said that he enjoys this area because of its interesting weather patterns and the outdoor activities that he partakes in such as skiing and kayaking. Joe said that the history of meteorology can be traced back to 52 BC when Aristotle wrote about weather. In the 1700’s, Benjamin Franklin wrote about the weather when he felt that a lunar eclipse was weather-ruined. In the early 1900’s there was no effective way to tell if a hurricane or other severe weather was approaching. During WWII, radar was developed that began to be used for weather predictions. In the 60’s, satellites were becoming a part of weather forecasting and then in the 70’s and 80’s computer analysis became the norm. Joe stated that while weather forecasting is much more accurate, that long range forecasting becomes less accurate as projections are made further into the future. After fielding numerous questions from the attendees, Joe concluded his remarks talking about his interest in curling. Joe is a both an instructor and team member of a league based at Galactic Ice. He said that beginners are encouraged to take lessons and get involved and he suggested that our club consider a curling social event.

Guests Last Week:

There were none.

AMBUCS News:

…..Michele Lloyd reported that after her Amtryke building team of Ed Farabaugh and Ryan Graham were finished assembling an Amtryke for 30-year-old Erica Chilcote of Hollidaysburg; it was delivered to Erica’s daycare facility, ACEL, last Tuesday morning. At the request of the family, no pictures were taken at the presentation. According to Erica’s therapist, former Ambuc Kristan Zolnoski, Erica will use the Amtryke to provide exercise to combat the loss of motion in her knees.

…..Ed Farabaugh checked with UPMC and so far, we have 230 folks signed up for our blood screening on Saturday May 1^st. All members are asked to help promote the fund-raising event to your co-workers, family and friends. Blood Screening posters are now available for you to take for your office, church, or anywhere they will be seen. Event Co-Chair, Michele Lloyd, will have the posters at club or if you can’t make a meeting, call Michele (695-6753) and she will get them to you. This is our largest fundraiser and we need to promote the event.

…..Our attendance is picking up as more and more members are getting vaccinated. Some faces in the crowd that we haven’t seen for a while included Dave Aikens, Karen Lemme, and Spencer Wiggins. Remember, if you can’t attend one of our meetings in person, we are continuing to broadcast the meetings on ZOOM. The link for these meetings is the same each week. So, tune in at:

https://zoom.us/j/96543904501?pwd=TWdLWjRBakI0Nk54cmdwZnNlbTZqQT09

Note: Since our time is limited on ZOOM, the meeting video each week will begin at 12:30 PM.

…..Grants chairman, Karen Lemme, is looking for an Ambuc willing to write a few grants for the club. Grants have become a major part of our Amtryke and ramp building budget and one more grant writer would help those Ambucs who are currently writing them. Please see Karen if you can help.

 

…..News from our Regional Director Shirley Flickinger is that the Northeast Regional Spring Conference is scheduled for May 22^nd in Lititz. Registration deadline is May 15^th. The conference is scheduled from 9AM to 3PM and can also be joined virtually. Additionally, Shirley reported that the Hollidaysburg chapter of AMBUCS has decided to fold. That club was built many years ago by our chapter. While their membership was very small recently; over the years they collected canned goods for the Rescue Mission during numerous Hollidaysburg parades and they were instrumental in getting the star and cross lit atop Chimney Rocks for many Christmas and Easter seasons.

…..Last week, our speaker, Joe Murgo picked the winning raffle ticket of Dave Aikens. Dave perused the cards but came up empty when he chose the Two of Clubs. The good news is the deck is now slimmed down to just 29 cards (27 cards & 2 Jokers). The winning pot amount is now over $350.

 

In Closing:

This Week’s Program: Tara Enedy – Altoona Community Theatre & a special ZOOM presentation by Garry Tom of Snap-Raise.

Future Speakers:

April 13^th – Joe Murgo – WTAJ Chief Meteorologist

April 20^th – Duane Ehredt – Director of Client Care – Home Instead

April 27^th – Chuck Gojmerac – Morrison Cove Memorial Park – Park & Recreation Director

L ast Week’s Speaker: Last week our speaker was Amy Gorsuch of the WIC Program through the Home Nursing Agency. Amy is a graduate of IUP and has been employed with the WIC program for 13 years; first as a nutritionist and now as the Outreach Coordinator. The Home Nursing Agency (HNA) is the local provider of WIC services for both Blair and Centre counties. WIC services include health screenings, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referral services for pregnant mothers. Nutritious foods are offered in food packages that range from $50 to $150/month in grocery expenses. The packages offer a variety of foods that constitute a balanced diet. Additionally, farmer’s market vouchers are available each summer to provide local fruits and vegetables. The health screenings help the mothers track their weight during their pregnancy as well as monitoring infants and children’s measurements and weights. The program’s breastfeeding support is growing as their certified counselors advise mothers of the health, financial, and emotional benefits that breastfeeding can provide. Amy also noted that referrals are also a big part of their services; as they can assist with lead screenings and assistance in arranging for day care services, and doctor and dental services. The WIC program services are available based on financial need and Amy noted that if a mother is Medicaid eligible, she will also be eligible for Pa WIC as well. For example, a family of four would qualify with a monthly income of $4,040 or less. Application for services can now be made via phone (1-800-WIC-WINS) or on-line by visiting their website at www.Pawic.com.

Guests Last Week:

There were none.

AMBUCS News:

…..During this Tuesday’s lunch (around 12:10 PM), Bill Reintgen has arranged for a special ZOOM presentation by Garry Tom of Snap-Raise. Snap-Raise is a fundraising program that the AMBUCS board is considering. The short ZOOM presentation by Garry will explain how the fundraising opportunity works. Bill will project the presentation onto the screen in our room so that those members in attendance will be able to see the details and Bill will also set up the ZOOM presentation so that members who cannot attend can tune in as well. Bill will then set up our regular ZOOM meeting around 12:30. Prior to the April board meeting, the board will be asking the membership to critique the Snap-Raise fundraising proposal so that a decision can be made if we should pursue the idea.

…..President Linda noted the good news that we will not have a participation limit on this year’s blood screening; so please sign-up and encourage your family and friends to do likewise.

…..Speaking of that, mark your calendar for Saturday May 1^st, which is the date for our annual Blood Screening at the Blair County Convention Center. All members are asked to help promote the fund-raising event to your co-workers, family and friends. Blood Screening posters are now available for you to take for your office, church, or anywhere they will be seen. Event Co-Chair, Michele Lloyd, will have the posters at club or if you can’t make a meeting, call Michele (695-6753) and she will get them to you. Michele is also now circulating a sign-up sheet for volunteers that will be needed the morning of May 1^st. Help is needed from around 5:30 AM until wrap-up around 10 AM. If you won’t be at club to sign up, call Michele at 695-6753 and she will gratefully put you on the list. This is our largest fundraiser and we need to promote the event.

…..Our attendance is picking up as more and more members are getting vaccinated. Remember, if you can’t attend one of our meetings in person, we are continuing to broadcast the meetings on ZOOM. The link for these meetings is the same each week. So, tune in at:

https://zoom.us/j/96543904501?pwd=TWdLWjRBakI0Nk54cmdwZnNlbTZqQT09

Note: Since our time is limited on ZOOM, the meeting video each week will begin at 12:30 PM.

…..It’s the beginning of a new month, so here are the April birthdays and club anniversaries:

Birthdays: Club Anniversaries:

4^th – Lynn Lee-Alexander 1981 – Bob Reffner – 40 Years!

11^th – Renee Pullen 2002 – Lynn Lee-Alexander

13^th – Alex Seltzer 2018 – Jim Berkhimer

20^th – Stan Wicks 2018- Chris Shirock

21^st – Bob Reffner 2018 – Rudy Turco

30^th – Jim Huff

Club Anniversaries:

1981 – Bob Reffner – 40 Years!

2002 – Lynn Lee-Alexander

2018 – Jim Berkhimer

2018- Chris Shirock

2018 – Rudy Turco

…..Michele Lloyd reports that she has received an Amtryke, ordered for 30 year old Erica Chilcote of Hollidaysburg. According to Erica’s therapist, former Ambuc Kristan Zolnoski, Erica will use the Amtryke to provide exercise to combat the loss of motion in her knees. Michele will have the Amtryke built this week and then contact the family to make arrangements to present it to Erica.

…..Last week, our speaker, Amy Gorsuch picked the raffle ticket of Bob Fiore. After studying the card array, he chose the Eight of Spades, making him another non-winner! The good news is the deck is now slimmed down to 31 cards (29 cards & 2 Jokers). The winning pot amount is now over $335.

In Closing:

When: Saturday, June 5th, 2021
Time: 9am -12 noon
Where: Station Medical Center Parking Lot
Rain Date: Saturday, June 12th, 2021

• Learn about bike safety
• Practice Bike Skills
• Bring your own bike

Staff from UPMC Altoona, Altoona Police, Altoona Fire Department, AMED, and Stat MedEvac will be present to assist with helmet fittings & activities. Information on concussions will also be provided.

Free bike helmet while supplies last.

This Week’s Program: TBD

Future Speakers:

November 3^rd – Charles Prijatelj – Superintendent AASD

November 10^th – TBD

Whacha’ May Have Missed Last Week:

…..Our guest speakers were Ambucs Dean McKnight and Ken Decker, who spoke about their hobby of kite flying. Dean began by showing a video that his brother made that showed shots of many of the kites that Dean flies at Myrtle Beach. He then showed the first kite he ever bought, a black and red 4’ kite that the shopkeeper told him was guaranteed to fly. Dean said that he and his wife made yearly trips to the beach and while Elsie enjoyed sitting on the beach for hours, Dean did not. He would often go back to their room and read. While driving by a kite shop near the beach, Elsie suggested that getting and flying a kite might interest Dean. As they say, the rest is history as Dean’s collection now has around 360 kites and 400 windsocks. Dean’s kites include some unique ones including a shark, scuba-diver, soccer-kicking legs, and some large kites with wing spans of 16’, 18’ and even 20’. The 20’ kite was on display at the back of the room and Dean explained to fly it you needed 350lb test line! He informed the group that delta style kites are the easiest to fly for a beginner and he also warned that the sun is your enemy so protect yourself with a hat and sunscreen when flying. Next up Ken showed some of the kites that he likes to fly. He enjoys two-line kites, which as the name suggests are controlled by two lines that attach to the kite and have a handle for each hand. This style of kite is often called stunt kites that can flip, spin, and dip in the hands of a skilled flier. Ken got into kites the same way that Dean did; by not enjoying just sitting on the beach. Ken flies his kites at Canoe Creek State Park and on a hill on his property. A very interesting hobby that these two Ambucs enjoy and that can be done by anyone, often shared with children and grandchildren.

Guests Last Week:

Guests of Dean McKnight included Barb Stubbs and Nancy Deffenbaugh.

Guest of Alex Seltzer was Tricia Meyers of the Home Nursing Agency.

AMBUCS News:

… ..At last Tuesday’s meeting, we had the privilege of presenting an Amtryke to 23-year old Angelo Morelli of Huntingdon. Angelo was joined by his parents, who informed the membership that this was actually Angelo’s third Amtryke. He received his first one at age four. His father said that he rides with his nieces and nephews and that as a family they ride the Rails-To-Trails in Williamsburg. Angelo took to the larger Amtryke right away and began pedaling in the room and then down the hallway. This presentation was the fourth one in about a week as we delivered three Amtrykes to three Owens at WeCare, where all three boys take therapy.

Angelo & Ambuc Tim Parnell Owen Kiser & Mom Beverly Owen Shatzer & Mom Erica

…..President Linda attended an after-event get-together at the U.S. Hotel in regards to Pumpkin Day that the AMBUCS participated in several Saturdays ago. At the event, Linda accepted a check for the club in the amount of $415, our share of the event’s sponsorship money. This check will be added to the profit from our candy that was sold that day…making for a profitable fundraiser!

…..Remember that Mark Ford’s wife, Cathy, owner of The Body Shop at Home, is offering to donate her commission on all sales of her products. You can visit Cathy’s website at www.CathyFord.shop. Her products include makeup, haircare, and skincare products, as well as men’s fragrances and gift sets. Please go on-line and peruse the many products Cathy offers. This is a great opportunity to get some quality products and help AMBUCS at the same time. Just include the word “AMBUCS” in the customer name on the order so that Cathy can know which orders are eligible for her very generous donation. Please pass this offer along to all of your family and friends as well. Thanks Cathy, for this great fundraiser!

…..This weekend is the 7th week of the N.F.L. season and our annual AMBUCS “33 Club”. Since there were no 33’s scored the previous 2 weeks, the pot has grown to $90/$30 for this week’s games. On Sunday, the 49ers (Vic Gioiosa) scored 33 against the Patriots (Bob Fiore). If no one scores 33 on Monday Night’s game, Vic will win $90 and Bob $30. If someone does score 33 on Monday, the pot will be split.

…..Hopefully you’ve had a chance to sell or purchase some goodies for our annual AMBUCS Christmas Candy Sale. Candy princess, Kathy Storm reminded everyone that orders must be turned in by next Tuesday, November 3^rd and the candy will be distributed on Tuesday, November 17^th. Please do your part by selling some candy for this annual fundraiser. If you prefer, you can assist the club financially by considering a fair-share pledge of $200; which is the approximate profit on the sale of $500 of candy. For those members who sell $500 of candy or make a $200 donation or some combination of the two that nets the club $200…you will become a member of the $500 club.

…..Wanted: A Grants Chairman for the 2020-21 club year! Grants make up such an important portion of our Amtryke and Scholarship monies and right now the club is in dire need of someone to chair the Grants committee. We have two Ambucs, Emily Sollenberger and Jim Berkhimer who have been busy writing grant requests, but the chairmanship role is currently open. The chair does not necessarily have to help write the grants, but instead coordinates the grant schedule calendar and reminds the grant writers of when the grant applications are due. This individual also serves on the board which meets the last Thursday of each month at noon. Please give this needed board position some thought and let President Linda know if you have any questions or would be able to chair this vital committee.

…..Last week, Dean McKnight pulled the winning ticket…that of Ken Decker. Ken gave it a good shot but came up empty when he chose the four of spades. That means the deck is now down to 48 cards (46 cards & 2 Jokers). The winning pot, prior to ½ of this week’s proceeds, is at $95.

In Closing: