The Renaissance Recorder Lifelong Learning

California State University, Satcramento

May 2019 Lifelong Learning for over 30 years Issue 184

President’s Corner By Doris Keller

By now, most members know Therese Ruth our long-time, dedicated Office Manager has

retired and her replacement, Shari Lowen, has taken over. Therese and Shari had worked together for a few weeks, and the change worked very smoothly. She had the position for 19 years and, Therese, we will miss you in the office. However, we know you will be happily digging in dirt, the “master gardener” you are! Shari, you have made the transition very smooth; and we hope you like being with us as much as we like getting to know you. Thank you both!

During the next 14 months or more, many of our members will be celebrating and hon-oring the 100th year of the 19th amendment, which passed Congress June 4, 1919,; allow-ing U.S. women voting rights. Wyoming was the first to ratify, and the Western states were right behind. It took 14 more months for all the states to ratify, with Mississippi finally ratifying on August 18, 1920. This was a big deal for all women. This was a big deal for all men, as well. Most men would want women to have an opinion and a vote. My mother was 7 when Congress voted for the 19th Amendment and 8 years old when it was ratified. She never failed to vote, and every vote date she asked me if I had vot-ed. My mother I continued to take my daugh-

FORUM Friday at 3 pm, Del Norte, Room 1004

May 3: The Honorable Kim Mueller, Judge, U.S. District Court. “A View from Chambers: the Mean-ing of Judicial Independence.” President’s Corner continued on Page 2

ter to vote until she moved out on her own. I have authorized a Renaissance Society ad hoc committee to celebrate and honor the 19th Amendment. The committee (women and men) is hard at, working with presenters, searching for 1920s period clothing to wear, and finding and gathering people to help out. Don’t be surprised to see women, and men too, in 1920s garb walking around cam-pus or in front of a seminar or presentation.

As always, please do stop me if you have a question, or a concern.

Doris

***REMINDER***

Renaissance Spring Luncheon

and Scholarship Awards Presentation

May 6, 2019 - 11:30 am until 3:00 pm DoubleTree Inn by Hilton,

2001 Point West Way

$30.00 per person No Host Wine Bar

DEADLINE for Reservations: Monday, April 15, 2019**

Look for reservation form in the March issue of The Recorder (page 7) or download the form from the March issue on our website. Additionally, you will be voting for BOD for 2019-2020 and Members-at-large for 2019-2021. **deadline changed from April 26.

May 2019 Page 2

Member Profile Nursing Has Shaped Dolores Eitel’s Life

By Judy A. Lewis

Dolores’ introduction to nursing began when she had the opportunity to tag along with her older cousin, an R.N. who worked at a hospital. Her par-ents, immigrants from Germany, had completed only a fourth grade education, but were eager to learn. Dolores tutored them in reading and writing in Eng-lish by giving them lessons from her classwork and homework. The majority of Dolores’ life was spent on the East Coast. Her educational background includes a diplo-ma from Presbyterian School of Nursing, Newark, New Jersey; BSN and School Health Certificate from Fairleigh Dickson University, Rutherford, N.J.; Fami-ly Nurse Practitioner from Cornell University New York Hospital; MA in Education and Counselor Prep-aration for Nurses from Seaton Hall University, New Jersey. Her post-graduate certifications include Adult Nurse Practitioner, American Association of Nurses; Forensic Nurse: Sexual Nurse Examiner, Rutgers University, N.J.; M.A. Mediator: Conflict Resolution, Boston University; Hospital Administration, Yale University; Clinical Nurse Specialist in Critical Care and twelve specific clinical practice certificates. She has served on the faculty at Columbia Universi-ty, New York; Pace University, New York; New York University, Sacred Heart University and the University of Connecticut, Union County Community College and Bloomfield College, New Jersey. Among Dolores’ accomplishments were serving as an adviser on New York Governor Cuomo’s Health Advisory Committee, a consultant on the Karen Ann Quinlan New Jersey Supreme Court Case: first “Right to Die” in the USA and the subsequent appointment by the New Jersey Commission on Health to the first Hospital Ethics Committee. In New Jersey she tack-led such challenging issues as deciding who would receive lifesaving renal dialysis when only two ma-chines were available. She was appointed and served on various national health care boards including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Associa-tion and the American Association of Nurse Execu-tives. Dolores was a founder of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She authored some of the questions on the first Na-tional Certification exam for critical dare nurses. As a hospital administrator in Connecticut, she estab-lished a dental health clinic in collaboration with the University of Connecticut’s Dental School and a mo-

bile health clinic van, bringing her practice as a Fami-ly Nurse Practitioner to migrant farm workers and their families. She provided clinical practice experi-ence for graduate students in the Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of Connecticut. Dolores was a Mediator/Conflict Resolution volun-teer for the Union County, New Jersey Small Claims Court. She reports that she was able to resolve all of the cases that came before her, preventing the parties from having to go before a judge. At Union County College in New Jersey, she pioneered the role of liai-son to the Senior Continuing Education program. She also served an elected position on the Board of the State Nurses Association. In 1997, Dolores was diagnosed with colon cancer, and given a 15 percent chance of living another five years. This was preceded by breast cancer and then melanoma and a skin sarcoma. .She reports that she has been living an anti-cancer lifestyle and using the mind-body connection practices she was introduced to in the 1970s. After her home in New Jersey was flooded twice, including by Hurricane Sandy, Dolores decided “this is enough.” Her son, Steven Maviglio, encouraged her to move to Sacramento. Her son had worked on several Democratic campaigns, and an offer from Governor Gray Davis brought him to Sacramento. Steven has been a Renaissance forum speaker twice. Shortly after arriving here, one of Dolores’ neigh-

bors introduced her to the Renaissance Society. Be-fore long, she found herself involved with a variety of committees. She led an “Aging Well” seminar and

currently leads the “Planning the Journey to the End of Life” seminar. Now she says she’s slowing down. She volunteers for the AARP organization on health

care legislation and is on the access team for “Compassion and Choices”, giving “End of Life Plan-ning” presentations to various groups. She continues

to prepare the “Clinical Pearls” articles for the Re-naissance Recorder. Twice weekly she cooks meals for a group which she describes as “homeless old la-

dies” who congregate near the Carmichael Library. And she enjoys exploring California via day-trip ex-cursions and spending time abroad at her son’s villa

on the Adriatic Sea and visiting their large Italian family.

May 2019 Page 3

Travel & Adventure ‘Morning has Broken’ 10:00 to 11:35 am, Library 3021

‘Afternoon Delight’ 1:00 to 2:30 Library 3021

Richard Fuller—916.409.920 (am and pm) Terry Moss—916.783.3895, Tom Dole—916.442.2744 (am)

MORNING SEMINAR: May 3 - Bob Martin - Traveling the Bernese Ober-land in Switzerland Names like Interlachen, Grindelwald, Lauterbren-nen, Wengen, & the Eiger evoke images of some of Switzerland's MOST spectacular scenery, with stun-ningly steep mountains, gorgeous green meadows, and terrific tiny trains that burrow through cliffs, plus they give us fabulous photo opportunities for Bob to share with us! AFTERNOON SEMINAR: May 3 - Brady & Tony Torres - visiting family at their beach home in Ecuador Where is Ecuador? This small country on the west coast of South America aspires to be an eco-tourism power. Let's explore its spectacular geography, poli-tics, and expatriate community. Brady and Tony, her Ecuadorian husband of 41 years, travel there every four years, visiting family and enjoying the lifestyle.

Mini Seminars 10:00 to 11:35 am, Benicia 1025

Ed Speegle, Seminar Leader

May 5: Scott Perry, “Climate Science.” Since the 1960s there have been many scientific advances that shine new light on our planet and its history. In that time we’ve stood upon our moon, discovered plate tectonics, observed the death of stars that have shaken our world and learned a great deal about what gener-ated and sustains our atmosphere. Can we, or do we, need to take effective actions to protect our home planet? Given that physics can be quite abstract and remote from direct human experi-ence, how can we trust and utilize modern scientific knowledge to inform our policies and sensibly guide us into the future. Current scientific understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and such questions will be dis-cussed.

DINING TOGETHER Our Dining Together Group will meet on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at 5:30 PM at

Thai Chef House, located at 2851 Fulton Ave. ( just south of Marconi). taichefhouse.com. Individual checks will be provided. Parking is available. Please contact hosts Garey or Pat Young at gareyyoung@sbcglobal.net or call 916-363-0839, no later than May 5, 2019. We can take a maximum of 30.

Farwell Therese!

Renaissance Society celebrated Therese Ruth’s retirement as our Office Manager at a luncheon in March. Members were treated to daffodils, and included Therese’s plaque (right). Guests included Don Gerth (a found-ing member) (lower right). Thank you to Jeff Hendy for the photos.

May 2019 Page 4

Clinical Pearls

By Dolores J. Eitel, BSN, MA, NYc Family Nurse Practitioner

GET NAKED AND CHECK YOUR SKIN Melanoma/Skin Cancer

Detection and Prevention Month Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of the body? Did you know that skin cancer is the most common preventable and curable type of cancer in the USA? Prevention and skin screening, for early detec-tion, results in successful treatment of this disease. PREVENTION: Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to UV Radiation (all year around). In the USA, late spring and early summer, between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm are the most hazardous. To prevent exposure, stay in the shade, wear protection that covers or shades the face, ears and neck, if possi-ble. Wear protective clothing and sunglasses. Avoid indoor tanning beds or lamps. Use sunscreen. Read the label. The American Cancer Society recommends using a sunscreen with “broad spectrum protection with sun protection factor (SPF) values of 30 or high-er.” SKIN SCREENING: Check skin for new or changed lesions particularly the following: a change in size, shape, color of a mole; a red flaky patch; a sore that doesn’t heal; a flesh-colored firm bump; or any unusual unexplained rash. Report these to your primary healthcare provider. Whole body screen: The best time to examine your skin is after a shower or a bath. Use one or two hand mirrors and a full length mirror. Examine head, face and neck. Examine scalp (a blow dryer may help). Check neck, chest and torso. Examine arms (front and back) elbows and underarms. Check hands and nails. With your hand mirrors, examine your shoulders, back, buttocks and legs . Check feet, be-tween the toes, nails, soles and heels. Examine geni-tals. There are more than 100 different skin tumors and various causes. In addition to self screening, it is rec-ommended to have a head-to-toe skin screening per-formed by a dermatologist or dermatology nurse prac-titioner once per year and more often according to individual risk factors as recommended by the derma-tologist. Be vigilant. Resources: cdc.gov., nih.gov., ncl.gov. reference: cancer.org.

Reprints may be made with the permission of the author. Please contact Dolores Eitel at doloressurvived@gmail.com

Photographic Memories By Ruth-Marie Chambers

New Member Luncheon Pita Kitchen. February, 2019

Kristen Dahl and Allan Keown at the Pita Kitchen (top). Ginger and Jeff Rubin right).

Social Events Chair, Maryellen Burns, coordinates activities at the New Mem-ber Luncheon (left).

Sigrid Bathen and Jan Summers (Nominating Committee, Chair) enjoy the luncheon’s fare (right).

Come Join Us!

‘First Friday’ Happy Hour

(held the first Friday of each month during the semester)

At 4:15 p.m. (after the forum)

Round Table Pizza in the Student Union

The Membership, Diversity and Community Engagement Committee (MDCEC) invites you to a ‘no host get-together. Visit, meet new

members, make new friends.

May 2019 Page 5

The Renaissance Nominating Committee, following the Bylaws of the Renaissance Society, is pleased to present the following slate of eligible candidates for the 2019-2020 Board of Directors. The elec-tion will be held on Monday, May 6, 2019, during the Renaissance Spring Luncheon and Scholarship Awards Presentation at the Dou-bletree Inn, 2001 Point West Way. Additional nominations for any of these positions may be taken from the floor before the vote is called.

If there are no additional nominations to the Nominating Committee’s slate of candidates, vot-ing will be conducted by a show of hands. If there are additional nominations from the floor, then the voting will be conducted by casting a ballot. (Ballots will be provided at the election.)

PRESIDENT: DAVID ABELSON The Renaissance Society is a great learning organization that has grown rapidly to over 2,400 members today. This past year, we offered more than 150 seminars at various loca-tions throughout the Sacramento regions. This dynamic organization requires constant commitment from those in leadership positions. I have served on the Board of Directors for four years, and as Vice President for two years. I have led several seminars and presented off-campus talks as well.

I am seeking your support to serve as President of the Society. My skills include working with large, diverse groups; thinking and speaking clearly about challenging issues; and providing leadership and direction when needed. As President I will ensure that the Renaissance Society remains a vital and out-standing organization.

VICE PRESIDENT: JOANN YEE Since its inception in 1986, the Renaissance Society has grown from a small group of founders to more than 2,400 members. I have been involved in the RS’s long-range plan-ning process almost from the beginning. I served on the Long-Term Planning Committee which developed the RS Strategic Plan, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Governance, serving currently as the Chair. Since the adoption of the Strategic Plan, the RS is already changing, shifting from being a

network of committed volunteers to functioning more like a formal non-profit organization. The purpose of these planning efforts is to ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of this valuable peer-to-per learning program. I’ve been involved in this process from the beginning and I believe I can help steer RS through the next critical steps.

Renaissance Society Board of Directors Nominees 2019-2020

May 2019 Page 6

CONTROLLER: JACK JENNINGS Last year I volunteered for the Controller position because I was interested in the financial planning and management of the organization. After learning the procedures for working with UEI, processing check requests, and reviewing the RS financial reports, I implemented a plan for a budget for the coming fiscal year 2018-2019. I began by forming a Finance Committee to analyze our past performance. Seeking input from Committees as to their spending, I realized they had never been in-

volved in the budgeting process. The Finance Committee and I helped present a workshop for the Board ex-plaining how our finances were handled. I clarified our need for an increase in dues in 2018-2019. Based on past experiences and anticipated need, the Budget Committee and I are planning the 2019-2020 budget. I be-lieve that my experience as Controller is needed to ensure continuity of the budget process and to assure mem-bership that our finances are in order.

SECRETARY: BOB BENEDETTI I have led or co-led three seminars in Renaissance as well as attended three others as a par-ticipant. This year I served as Secretary of the Society. I am seeking an additional term to continue work with the Board and its committees on institutionalizing the Society’s practic-es and strengthening the relationship between the Society and CSUS. I have learned much about the Society’s culture which would guide me today and in the future. I believe the So-ciety has opportunities to increase its impact through programs at area institutions including libraries and retirement communities. Equally, I believe that seminars are at the heart of

the organization’s mission, and the current high standards should be maintained while the number and diversi-ty of offerings grow.

MEMBER-AT-LARGE: KAREN MARTIN Since joining Renaissance 7 years ago, I have enjoyed a range of activities, from attending seminars and Forums, to leading a seminar. Getting involved with leadership is a way to enrich my connections with this great learning community. I was an elementary teacher for 30 years and an instructional coach for 10, designing and delivering meaningful learning for students and teachers. Membership on our school site leadership team afforded me training and experience in effective decision-making strategies

that ensure all voices are heard. I look forward to bringing those career experiences, as well as my enthusiasm and reflective attitude to the work of leadership as Renaissance evolves.

Members-at-Large (MAL) Nominees (two-year term) July 1 2019 to June 30, 2021

May 2019 Page 7

MEMBER-AT-LARGE: JEFFREY RUBIN I have served as the volunteer President of the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library non-profit organization. I participated as a member in the MDCE to develop a PowerPoint presentation to inform the community about the many benefits of Renaissance membership. I assisted in bringing Renaissance seminars into the community through a pilot partnership with the Sacramento library system. As a Member-at-Large I will bring my organizational, leadership, and communication

skills to spread the value and visibility of Renaissance through my interest in community engagement, espe-cially through partnerships with diverse civic and service entities.

MEMBER-AT-LARGE: NORV WELLSFRY Throughout my career, I have been effective in helping organizations identify and imple-ment projects to accomplish their mission. I look forward to contributing my energy, per-spective and experience to Renaissance. I have been a board member and officer in several community and professional organiza-tions. I understand the skills and attitudes needed to make an organization like Renais-sance strong and relevant to its members. During my two years as a member of Renais-

sance, I have made a seminar presentation, developed and led a seminar on the Middle East, and am serving as a member of the Seminar Committee. I also volunteer with several community organizations.

Members-at-Large (MAL) Nominees (two-year term) July 1 2019 to June 30, 2021 (continued from Page 6)

Want to donate to the Renaissance Society

Scholarship Fund?

Donations are tax-deductible Donations can be made in memory of someone

Currently we take only checks (however on-line donations will be available soon). Make out your check to: “Renaissance Society” and include the notation “Scholarship Fund” at the bottom of your check. Send the check to:

California State University, Sacramento The Renaissance Society

6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6074

Renaissance Recorder Editor

For Submissions, use this contact: Cheryl Huffman, chuffman79@aol.com, Phone: 530-708-0499 DEADLINE for next issue (June 2019 mailed mid-May) is April 20, 2018.

Renaissance Society ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

E-mail: rensoc@csus.edu Website: www.csus.edu/org/rensoc

(916) 278-7834 Office: Adams Bldg. Room 106

Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30-noon Friday 10-1

As the Society continues its use of Constant Contact for messaging to members, plus online sign-up for dues and parking fees, please make sure that your e-mail is set up to receive Renaissance Society messages. Some internet carriers are likely to reject messages without the Society’s e-mail address added to their ‘Contact List’. All Renaissance Society e-mails come from: Renaissance Society [ren-soc-qaire@csus.edu] Please add this to your contact list. Check your SPAM folder as well.

Once you receive our e-mails, we urge you to open and read the Society’s e-mails as there is a lot of good infor-mation in them. Friday forum announcements, room changes, special events, and other timely information are included in these e-mails.

California State University, Sacramento The Renaissance Society 6000 J Street – MS 6074 Sacramento, CA 95819 80700128