March 25

By: Clark Kent
Special Reporter for the Daily Planet

Our guest speaker was Roi Canty from Ascension Hospice & The Lodge at Ascension. Ms Canty, the Hospital Liaison for Ascension, described this Irmo business as being only one of two in-patient Hospice facilities in the Columbia market and the types of care and service offered by her company. Ascension moved last year to their new facilities on Woodrow Street. Ms Canty explained the various levels of Senior care that her company provides from the entry levels of Assisted Living at their facility known as The Lodge at Ascension to end-of-life services in their adjoining 14 bed Hospice facility. In addition to the Irmo facilities, Ascension offers in-home Hospice care throughout parts of South Carolina with offices located in Florence and Rock Hill.

The Lodge at Ascension provides 24 hour skilled care as well as having a medical doctor on staff. She stated that a majority of their patients are “private pay” and the average cost runs about $2400 per month depending on the level of services provided to the individual. Ms Canty indicated that the demographics of the “typical” assisted living resident was an 80 year old widowed female who may end up being a resident for a number of years. However, this is much different with their Hospice in-patient care unit where the stay is much shorter…10 days to two weeks. Ms Canty invited individual Rotary members to visit the Ascension facility for a private tour.

In other matters to come before the Club, President Eddie gave an update on the District Conference that was held in Columbia last week. He described the various events held over the two day period and thanked the members who attended. The Lake Murray-Irmo Rotary Club was the recipient of three awards; The Governors Citation, the Presidents Citation, and the silver Literacy Award were proudly accepted by President Eddie. Our Club was also recognized for sponsoring two of the three current Ambassadorial Scholarship students studying abroad at this time. President-elect Ginny Barr discussed the picture display board that chronological the Club’s recent past events. She thanked Debra Bailey for her work in putting the display together which was one of the better displays that was exhibited. Next year’s district Conference will be held in Myrtle Beach.

We also had two “classification” presentations. Michael Cromer, one of our newest Club members is the Commercial Banking Manager at First Community Bank on Lake Murray Boulevard. Originally from Chapin, Michael holds a degree in Finance from Clemson University, is married with two children (ages six and nine). Rod Funderburk, a Charter Member of the Lake Murray Rotary Club in 1989 spoke about his long professional career at the former Allied Chemical plant on St. Andrews Road, which according to Rod, has undergone 19 different name changes over the years. Rod held numerous mulit-plant managerial positions with the company and its successors over the years before retiring. Rod is now an energy management consultant with Resource Supply Management Rod is a former President of the Lake Murray Rotary Club and has done about everything at the club and district level over the years. Needless to say that this column would be too long to even attempt to list the numerous contributions to Rotary that has been unselfishly been made by Rod as he has exemplified the true meaning of “Service above Self”.