District Governor Dayle Quigley addressed the club on why she joined Rotary, why she stays, and where she sees Rotary going.  She began by saying that she learned some of the tenets of Rotary growing up in Baltimore. One of her grandmothers taught her by example that one is never too old to make changes and do new things; and she told Dayle that when someone tells you that something can’t be done, it is a challenge.  Her other grandmother raised 3 boys on her own and taught her that what you leave behind at the end of life isn’t important; it’s what you give to others while you’re alive.  Dayle’s grandmother had little left of value when she died, but it turned out that she’d given much to many in the community where she lived.

Amber Hahn, Assistant Corporation Counsel for St Croix County, provided an overview of the county’s adult protect services.  When she took the position in 2022, Amber found that doing guardianships was an important function that she had to investigate and learn in depth.  As Amber said, she finds learning new areas exciting, and that makes her eager to share the knowledge.

 

Two main functions of her position are: 1) to investigate elder and at-risk adult abuse and neglect, and 2) to establish guardianships.  Elders 60 and over can be considered at risk, and at-risk adults are individuals 18-59 with a diagnosed mental or physical impairment.  Risks can be abuse, neglect, self-harm, or financial exploitation.  Self-neglect comprises a high proportion of the work.