Thanksgiving: grateful for YOU!

Happy belated Thanksgiving!  Vacation and the Thanksgiving holiday combined this year to provide a much needed time to relax, think, unwind, and unplug, things I don't do as often as I probably should. So here is a partial list of things I'm thankful for, in no particular order:

• Family
• Friends
• Work
• Family Medicine
• Sunshine
• Rainbows & butterflies (we saw lots of those while in the BVI's!)
• and YOU!

I hope you know we value your efforts to care for Kansans and though we don't say it often enough, thank you for your support for KAFP!

Celebrate Rural Health!

Nov. 11 - 17 is National Rural Health Week 

Thank you to all the terrific rural health providers we have in Kansas, especially family physicians!   Here are some ideas on how you can celebrate National Rural Health Week:
  

 

Answer your phone on November 15, 2012 by saying “Hello … Happy National Rural Health Day”

Wear a National Rural Health Day T-shirt to work or school

Plan a group run or some other kind of fitness activity

Do something “healthy” that day – eat more vegetables, bike instead of drive to work, get your blood pressure or cholesterol checked, etc.

Write a letter to the editor or contact a local legislator to stress the importance of addressing the health needs of rural communities

Participate in one of the FREE Rural Health Week webinars noted below

Thank a rural health provider for all they do!

 

WEBINAR SCHEDULE:

The  Kansas Office of Rural Health is publicizing a national series of free webinars highlighting the good work being done to address rural health concerns.

All webinars will be recorded and made available to the public at www.celebratepowerofrural.org
Monday, November 12, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST
The Basics of Rural Health
Kristine Sande, Program Director, Rural Assistance Center
Rebecca Davis, Executive Director, National Cooperative of Health Networks
Mike Shimmens, Executive Director, Rural Recruitment and Retention Network (3RNet)
Teryl Eisinger, Director, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health

Tuesday, November 13, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. EST
Cultural Awareness While Serving Rural Veterans
Jay H. Shore, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, University of Colorado Denver
WJ "Buck" Richardson
 
Tuesday, November 13, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST
Exploring Rural Health Policy Issues
Bill Finerfrock, Legislative Liaison, NOSORH

Wednesday, November 14, 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. EST

HRSA Rural Health Update
Mary Wakefield, HRSA Administrator

Thursday, November 15, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ESTHRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy - Celebrating 25 Years and theRural Assistance Center - Celebrating 10 Years
Tom Morris, HRSA Associate Administrator for Rural Health Policy
Kristine Sande, Program Director, Rural Assistance Center

Friday, November 16, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ESTLooking Towards the Future of Rural Health Care
Randall Longenecker MD, Project Director, Rural Training Track Technical Assistance Program
Jim DeTienne, Supervisor, Montana EMS and Trauma Systems; President, NASEMSO

For additional information, contact: Stephanie Hansen 208.375.0407
steph@nosorh.org
Click to register for a webinar - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NRHD2012

100 years of women's voting rights in Kansas

Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society,
Lawrence, KS, circa 1911

I am grateful today for the right to vote. 

Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote in Kansas.Women in Kansas fought for equal rights since the earliest days of statehood. They won the right to vote in municipal elections in 1887.  

On Nov. 5, 1912, the Kansas amendment giving women full voting rights in state elections passed by a vote of 175,246 to 159,197.  Kansas was the 8th state to do so.  Two earlier attempts to pass a voting rights amendment had failed in Kansas in 1867 and 1894.  However, Kansas women were allowed to vote in school elections from the start of statehood in 1861, and they were allowed to vote in municipal elections in 1887. In fact, Susanna Salter was elected mayor of Argonia in 1887, becoming the first female mayor in the nation.

Read more here: http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/#storylink=cpy

Eight years after passage in KS, the 19th amendment was adopted nationally, which provided the right for women throughout the US to vote. 

Women in some other parts of the world suffer the lack of many rights. So get out there and vote, EVERYONE! (If you haven't already.)