Minutes of the August 12, 2021 meeting of the Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Elizabeth Stevens at 12:15 PM.
Invocation: Bill Clark offered the invocation.
Pledge: Larry Sindel led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and song while Bob Chappelle welcomed guests of members.
Announcements: Elizabeth made the following announcements:
• Invited Claire McCarron to come forward and announce the upcoming birthdays of members.
• Invited Ernest Ladd forward to discuss the Tarpon Tournament which took place on August 7th. Ernest thanked the sponsors, especially Regions Bank. He announced that the overall winner who caught a tarpon was…Ernest Ladd. He mentioned other winners and said plaques will be distributed at an upcoming meeting.
• A board meeting will be held after the luncheon on August 19th.
• Please see our website regarding Rotary General Fund Grants for further information and applications. Deadline is at the end of October.
• An upcoming event at a downtown brewery will benefit the polio program and will be announced at a later date.
Program: Mark Nix – Mobile Infirmary President and CEO
Michael Holland introduced Mark Nix, who first recognized the historic link between the Rotary Club of Mobile and the Infirmary which dates back 90 years. The original ward for crippled children eventually became the Rotary Rehab Center at the Infirmary, he said.
Mr. Nix said that the Mobile Infirmary was created as a non-denominational hospital 110 years ago and is now the largest non-governmental healthcare system in the state, with nearly 1.4 million patient visits a year.
The Infirmary has recognized the growth areas of Saraland and Baldwin County and has built medical clinics and physicians offices in both as well as hospitals in Bay Minette and Fairhope. Another component has been free standing emergency centers.
Nix cited the importance of the Infirmary’s partnership with UAB in the area of specialized cancer treatment. While surgery may take place in Birmingham, follow up care may be handled in Mobile.
The current crisis over Covid 19 was discussed next. Hospitals are full and the emergency rooms are being over-run, he said. The large number of un-vaccinated are falling victim to this new strain which he said developed as the old strain was weakened by the vaccine. He said that a virus will morph into new strains to survive. Hospital care for other emergencies is being impacted he added.
Please keep first responders and health care workers in your prayers, said Mr. Nix. They are working 12 hour shifts and are short- handed. If you have a neighbor in that field offer he or she a helping hand.
After answering questions, Elizabeth thanked him for speaking and said that a donation to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab has been made in his honor.
Before adjourning, Elizabeth said that Barton Academy opened yesterday and that all went well. She hopes that a tour may be arranged so that members may see the facility and the classroom which this club sponsored.
The meeting adjourned at 1:05 PM.
Tom McGehee