At the Nov. 11 Lions meeting, Randy Lebahn introduced guest speaker Tim Burchill, CEO of Ava Maria Village, Jamestown. Ave is part of the SMP Health System which operates five nursing homes and four hospitals in North Dakota and Illinois. Burchill has been CEO since 2007 and has been a health care administrator since 1982.
Burchill spoke about the challenges of managing a facility during a time of a pandemic. He said COVID issues were more manageable prior to September but since September the spread of the virus has created major problems. Funds from the CARES Act helped but those funds have been spent and more are needed. Staffing is also an issue and for the first time Ave has had to rely on hiring nurses and staff from out of the area. Most of all, it’s the loss of lives that puts an emotional burden on the staff and dealing with those emotions is so important, he said.
In other business, Kathy Boe opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and Glen Nagel gave the table prayer. Meals on Wheels delivery will be Friday, Dec. 4, and the club will be hosting a blood drive on Dec. 1-2 at the North Dakota Farmers Union Office. The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 25, at Sabir's Buffalo City Grill. Guests and prospective members are welcome. For information on membership, contact Randy Lebahn, 701-320-1678.
