Posted by Liz Nichols on Aug 15, 2017
The speaker was Jason Miller, the Project Manager for the new Stead Children's Hospital at UIHC.
Guests and Visiting Rotarians
 
Jason Miller-- Speaker
 
Announcements
 
Congratulations to Vernette Knapp for reaching Paul Harris + 6 status.
 
President Peterson passed out perfect attendance awards for 36 of our members based on attendance throughout 2016-17.  Liz Nichols pointed out that the attendance award is for consecutive years of attendance, which makes the achievement even more significant for those 4 charter members with 28 years if perfect attendance.  Make-ups count in the attendance record, so be sure to turn in make-up slips to Jack Cameron or Liz Nichols for Rotary extra activities and for volunteer work with other non-profits, as well as blood donations.  Make-ups count for up to 366 days.
 
Casey Cook gave a report from the Grants Committee where 3 non-profit organizations have been ranked highest to receive some portion of the funds available from a combination of the Community Foundation endowment and our current budget. Particular consideration was given to programs that have some relationship to Rotarians and we have a history of supporting, those with an intention to support literacy and child learning, and those newer programs with less established funding sources. The Board will ultimately decide on the amount available and the suggested recipients.  The Community Foundation endowment is now large enough to use $3100 of the earnings of our endowment for grants this year.
 
At least 10 people made Happy Buck comments.  Deb Ockenfels and Mike O'Leary have donated $58 from the produce market sales to members in Happy Bucks and the remainder of the produce is going to the Crisis Center.
 
Speaker
 
Kathy Bowers introduced Jason Miller who gave an update on the Stead Children's Hospital and how it fits into the overall long term plan for UIHC growth.  It is the first of 3 oval towers to be built in front of the current UIHC buildings that will be used specifically for in-patient care.  It is displacing the above ground parking ramps.  The work on the Stead Childrens Hospital included digging out enough room underground for 650 parking spaces, making the new underground parking lot the largest of its kind in Iowa.  The supports are already there for the two additional towers. 
 
Stead is the tallest structure to date in Johnson County and the largest Iowa Regents project at 12 stories above ground and 2 stories below ground.  UIHC managed all 30 prime contractors on the job from all across the world.  Design principals were for safety, family-oriented design, age appropriate design, flexibility and growth potential, efficiency, facilitation of collaboration and teamwork, and to foster research and education.  The way-finding features in the building are based on Iowa themes and colors.  The patient rooms are built for quiet, light, optimal air-exchange, and optimal location of all equipment used in each room. Each room is designed exactly alike.  Patient rooms are on the outer ring of each floor while the inner core is for staff functions.  The facade and structural components are built and tested to withstand an EF3 tornado.
 
To comments concerning the high cost of this project and the many advanced design features Miller commented that Stead is quite possibly the most advanced children's hospital in the world right now.  The costs were primarily absorbed through private gifts and patient fees.  The need for advanced features and equipment was considered critical to attract high quality staff and faculty who might otherwise prefer to go to hospitals in larger cities, especially on the east and west coasts.  Primary consideration also was on creating an environment for optimal care of the children who sometimes spend months inside the hospital.