Oct. 7, 2021 Meeting Summary

 

Rotarian of the Week: Steve Morgan nominated Caitlin White for the Albany County Public Library Storywalk project; Steve Morgan nominated Todd Pearson for his work on new member orientation.   

 

Songs: It’s A Small World

 

 

Introduction: Amy Aldrich

 

Ryan Rauch manages the Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources program at the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, as part of the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences.

 

This program is more community facing and provides services for the entire state of Wyoming. It is a free resource for all Wyoming residents. The program works closely with schools, teachers, hospitals, and rehab facilities.

 

There is a similar program in each state to help increase access to assistive technology. This technology includes hearing aids, vision magnifiers, other communication devices, and computers with eye gaze.

 

These devices can help people participate in everyday tasks in their lives.

 

The Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources program provides device demonstrations and open lab times. Lab times are regularly Wednesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., either on Zoom or in person.

 

The device loan program has about 1,200 items available and works like a borrowing library.

 

This allows people to try before they buy. Often this technology is very expensive, so trial runs are important. It is not uncommon for an upfront expense for an item to be around $4,000.

Items are checked out on a 4-6 week period.

 

The program also offers device acquisition assistance. They will help people find the right products and help find financial assistance for acquiring devices.

 

The reutilization part of the program is designed to repurpose gently used items and get them in other people’s hands. They are also working to find partners for financial loans to provide more manageable monthly payments.

 

Rauch told the club about the WyRamp Project. This is a temporary ramp loan program for residents in Laramie, Lander, and Torrington. They hope to expand the program to other areas of Wyoming depending on funding and ability.

 

These ramps are for people who are in the process of getting a permanent ramp installed. The loan program is for four months.

 

This is an important project because it gets people home from the hospital or skilled nursing facilities sooner. Veterans have been helping with the project by donating used ramps.

 

Response: Jaime Stine

 

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

•FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

•SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

•THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;

•FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service

 

Of the things we think, say, or do

•Is it the Truth?

•Is it Fair?

•Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships?

•Will it be Beneficial to All Concerned?

 

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Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org