Last Summer exchange student Stephenie Camborne aged 16 visited California, USA on a Rotary family-to family Youth Exchange.

Stephenie and her mum Paula introduced to the meeting by Norman Holding

Stephenie came to the Club meeting to tell us that during her visit  in August 2012 to Yreka, CA, she lived for a month the life of a typical American teenager, even to attending the local school as a senior student.

She explained that Yreka township was formed during the American Gold Rush in the 1850′s, when miners flocked to the area to test their the luck. In more recent times with a population of 7765 Yreka is a small township in the County of Sisiyou, California with the nearest Rotary Club in Montague to the east.

Stephenie’s  American experiences included eating out at KFC and Taco Bell, but found it difficult to get use to a local climate that was often in temperatures above 40 deg.C. She did enjoy the day trips out, with the American family she stayed with, to the Sisiyou County Fair, the Medocino National Forest and San Francisco. Stephenie said she had enjoyed the experiences and learned a lot about life in the USA.

We are sure she has made many friends in Yreka whilst acting as an Ambassador for her own country. The Club Members wish her well in her future studies.

Speaker Professor John Somauroo a Consultant at Countess of Chester Hospital gave members a most interesting talk on the present “Prepartition screening and sudden death in Athletes”. Within the UK this screening is a lifesaving and cost effective strategy in professional sport especially in young athletes(aged 17-35 years old) in whom sudden cardiac death is mostly caused by ECG detectable heart muscle diseases.

Professor John Somauroo

Also John told us that research is also looking at cardiac disease in Primates such as Bonobos, Orangatans, Chimpanzees and Gorillas, as heart disease is the main killer in Primates.

In Mid- December Club Members invited the seven elderly ladies, who have been attending the afternoon teas held each month throughout the year, to a Xmas Party.

This year Susan kindly acted as host to these ladies and some of our members who had acted as transport drivers for our guests.

In the Photo Rotarians Gerry and Ian were laughing, as they had just  had their dance cards marked by all the ladies, although Joyce sitting between them perhaps did not share the joke.

Susan our host had set a good Christmas atmosphere, excellent refreshments, seasonal music and all was much appreciated by our guests. The engaging conversations set everybody up for a fun packed Christmas.

The Rotary Club of Chester Deva, will  be continuing its monthly tea parties for the Elderly, during the year 2013.

Our Rotary Club Members responded at short notice to a plea from Greenland, for help at the Gordale Garden Center on the Wirral, as there became an unexpected shortage of Father Christmas helpers in the Center’s Grotto just before Christmas.

Here Alison jumped at the chance of being a Grotto Elf, although growing those ears for the part must have been difficult.  Ian stood in for the real Santa and we think red suits him, but obviously he did not have time to get to Spec -Savers! (Does Santa wear glasses?)

Their efforts were much appreciated, by the Children who visited the Grotto and also by Santa who had a day off due to illness.

In party mood the members, partners and friends met up at the Royal Oak in Kelsall to celebrate Christmas. Arriving on a very frosty evening, the open fire and warm welcome inside the Royal Oak soon made for a relaxing atmosphere.

Following an excellent meal the evening entertainment was provided by individual members with jokes, magic tricks, monologues, puzzle dance, all rounded off with music by Ray on the Keyboard and Judith on the Saxophone.

Thanks go to Ann and Norman who had arranged the evening.

All members, partners and friends are wished a Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

Chester Deva Rotary club members, together with friends of  Countess of Chester Hospital, continued the series of bag packing days for the Public in M & S Food Store in Chester.

Funds raised by this will be used to purchase a V-Scanner for the Cardiac Department at Chester Countess Hospital

.

Chester Deva Club members are keen to raise funds to purchase a V-Scan for the Countess of Chester Hospital Cardiac department. As the equipment is expected to cost £5000 members are busy fund raising, together with friends of the Hospital, by bag packing in local Supermarkets.

Speaker Professor John Somauroo a Consultant Cardiologist at the Countess of Chester Hospital, gave the Club members and guests an interesting insight on the heart monitoring system called Echocardiography. He explained how this system gives ultrasound  views of the heart and hence a better understanding of the various problems that can exist with in the Human heart.

He also explained how the V-Scan would be an additional mobile scanner, which gives clear , high quality images to help visualize the cardiac anatomy with ease. This will allow doctors early diagnoses of heart problems with patients in the hospital, so reducing patient wait times and faster more efficient patient care.

Members were joined at our evening  club meeting by two visitors Jouko Pakarinen and Vesa Keltamaki from Finland in Chester for a Business Congress.

Jouko Pakarinen is a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Tornio (Area 1400) in Northern Finland, South of the Arctic Circle (Known as Santa Claus Land) and approximately 5 Km from the Swedish border.

President Ken Salter was pleased to swap Rotary pendants with Jouko and sent greetings to his Rotary Club in Finland.

Rotary Members, Partners and  friends spent a great social evening at The Bickerton Poacher in Broxton, Cheshire with a meal and a few games of  traditional Skittles.

The games of  Skittles proved to be very entertaining as we saw many different styles of bowling, especially as the wooden bowls were not exactly circular, resulting in many adopting a bounce off the alley sides technique to knock down the Skittles.                               Whilst none were sure how President Ken’s team won the games of Skittles, all agreed they had enjoyed the evening of Club fellowship.