Guest:  Dave Brunett  (Hynek)

Members We Missed:  Blair, Dennis, Griffin, Hart, Murphy, Smith, Thrall, Whitney

During happy dollars, Bruce recounted his notable drive on the golf course at St. Andrews -- his drive being at the wheel of an automobile, apparently mistaking a cart path for a narrow road such as he had often encountered in Scotland. 

It was announced that starting this year, the proceeds from Santa Sunday at Sunday River are no longer specifically earmarked for Rotary, but go into Sunday River's Charitable Fund, to which charitable organizations may apply.  We were not made aware of this until after the normal deadline for application had passed, but have now applied and have been assured that, one way or another, we will end up getting a similar donation to previous years.

Kevin's program covered the history of the Bethel Family Health Center since its first beginning in 1979 on Main St. where Philbrook Place is now located.  The move to the present location, under the auspices of the Northern Oxford Health & Service Council, occurred in 1985.  The site previously had an IGA grocery store and a liquor store.  Shirley Powell was the first Executive Director of the new Health Center.  Kevin and Dr. DeCarolis came on board in 1992.  Operating as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), a category used for medically underserved areas, it was urged by the government to become affiliated with a larger organization, and this was done in 1999 by affiliating with HealthReach Community Health Centers.  Kevin noted that the Health Center's practice of the provider on call coming to the office after hours to handle emergencies will end November 1.  He said there are essentially no general practice groups in Maine doing this any more, and the after-hours requirement proved to be a stumbling block when interviewing physician assistant applicants earlier this year.