Sept. 22, 2026, SRC Rotary Minutes

Attendance: P. Kellerman; R. Martinez; J. Leyhane; M. Forth; C. Foote; D. Drumm; L. Pferr; P. Brown; D. Brown; C.Heaney; A. Leyhane; L. Pferr, J. Bishop, D. Rogriguez

Guest: Simona Fish, MPH, Tobacco Free Community 

Simona Fish presented on behalf of Capital District Tobacco-Free Communities, discussing efforts to reduce tobacco use, prevent youth initiation, and limit exposure to secondhand smoke. She reviewed trends in cigarette and e-cigarette use, the environmental impact of tobacco products and disposable vapes, and concerns related to tobacco marketing and accessibility, particularly among youth. The presentation also highlighted local examples from Rensselaer County and community-based strategies such as smoke- and vape-free parks, housing, and worksites. Fish also introduced Reality Check, a youth leadership program that educates communities about the effects of tobacco use, industry marketing, and tobacco waste.

Action: Carole will reach out to Simona to consider possible collaborations with SRC and other CNY clubs and report back to Rotary. 

Business: 

Global Grant Update:

Kenya WASH Project: P. Brown reported that the project elements are complete, and we are awaiting a report on education/training completion and water sample test results. There has been some frustration with scheduled meeting attendance due to a few Kenyan partners’ availability. 

Action: Send a progress report to the Board on steps left to close out the grant. P. Brown 

District Grant Update: The club must front $2,500 for the Flutter Club project; only $1,250 is reimbursable, and only if the grant is approved. Grant status remains unconfirmed per Carole. 

• Bake sale viability: The bake sale and coffee station depend on sufficient donated goods.

• Table logistics: Ensuring enough tables (target: 12–15) are delivered to Laurie’s home by Wednesday evening or Thursday and returned to owners after the sale. Please label tables with your name. 

Action: Contact Laurie, Carole, or Phil about table delivery and baked goods. 

Minutes: Volunteer for minutes October 13th

Take and submit meeting minutes for the November 13th meeting; senddraft to Phil, Roberto, and Kevin for review before posting. 

Action: Andy Leyhane agreed to do the minutes for our next meeting. Thank you, Andy.

Meeting Schedule:

Next Club meeting: American Legion, East Greenbush, on October 13^th at 6:00 pm. This will be a club assembly meeting to discuss club business, membership, and new business. Members thanked Phil, Roberto, and Jim for their efforts in securing the American Legion as our new meeting location. Meals and service were rated very positively. 

Action: Send any items or discussion topics to Phil Kellerman to add to the agenda. 

Board Meeting: October 8^th, Carole Heaney’s home, 6 Oakwood St., East Greenbush. 

Submitted: Carole Heaney

Members present: Andy Leyhane, Kevin Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Carole Heaney, Laurie Pferr, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Pat Bailey, Dick Drumm, Jim Leyhane, Roberto, Mary Alice and Murray Forth.

Guests: Tom Burdick (speaker for Gift of Life), Lorraine McConnelee (area representative) and Bruce McConnelee (Past District Governor)

President Phil called the meeting to order and the pledge and blessings were given. This was our first meeting at Melvin Rhodes Post American Legion, 200 Columbia Turnpike in Rensselaer. This will require a change from Thursday to Tuesday meetings, but still the 2^nd and 4^thTuesdays of the month. The meeting was buffet style, and the Club was introduced to Class Act Catering who welcomed everyone. Going forwards we will need to let the Caters know a head count Friday for the numbers attending the following Tuesday. This will be a work in progress, but for those who are regular attendees, we would like to assume a yes unless they contact Phil. If you consider yourself a regular, then let Phil know so we automatically include you in the count. If not a regular we will assume you will let Phil know when you are coming. The idea is to reduce the admin burden for the club.

Business:

Garage Sale: Our Club will be holding a garage sale to benefit the Flutter Express which transports patients to medical appointments in NYC and Boston. This in part of a Rotary District Grant for 26-27. The sale will be held at Laurie’s house and is scheduled for 9-3 on Friday, September 25 and from 9-2 on Saturday, September 26. Volunteers were solicited of course donations of items for sale. If you want to volunteer, please contact Phil or Laurie.A formal brochure is located on our website should people want to print. An article on the garage sale is included in the September Our Towne Magazine.

Speakers: Phil is looking for speakers and anyone with additional speakers should contact Phil. Please on our SRCRotary.org for calendar openings. 

Club Operations: Phil is looking for someone to help with the minutes of our regular meeting.  Carole Heaney if looking for Rotary Photos to be used on our website and for a posterboard for the garage sale.

Nassau Free Public Library Pie Fundraiser. Pat announced a date of October 24^th.  More information to come. 

Our next meeting will be September 22 at 6pm.  Simone Fish will be speaking on “Capital District Tabacco Free Communities”.  

Gift of Life (GOL): Speaker Tom Burdick, President of the CNY District Chapter.       Tom started the presentation speaking of the contributions given to GOL by our Club. Dean and Doris Calamaras are both on the Gift of Life Board. Initially, the idea was to have kids come to Albany to have congenital heart defects repaired. Now the effort has expanded to have personal from Albany go to other countries to educate hospital staff on performing surgeries in countries such as Romania, the Philippines, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Tom showed an 8-10 min video of recent success stories going back several years with updates to their conditions post-surgery.  The last recipient was a child from Mongolia who was at the District Conference. Her name was Bayarchimeg. GOL also gets assistance from Samaritan’s purse. The GOL raises funds via donations and fundraisers. The next fundraiser is the Annual GOL Golf Tournament. It will be at the Fairways of Halfmoon, 17 Johnson Rd, Mechanicville, NY 12118 on September 24^th.  Thanks to Tom for visiting our club and the work Rotary is doing for these children.

For more information on donations and the tournament, please visit the GIFTOFLIFECNY.ORG

Dear Members:

A new meeting place has been finalized that I think will suit our needs.

Every second and fourth Tuesday of each month we will meet from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at the American Legion at 200 Columbia Turnpike in Rensselaer (Rt 9 and 20). Feel free to come at 5:30 to socialize and the meal will be served promptly at 6 pm. There is plenty of parking.

The meal will be served buffet style. There will be a choice of two main entrees, a side dish, bread and butter, a side salad and dessert.  Included will be regular and decaf coffee, tea and water. For our first meeting on Tuesday, September 8 the two entrees will be chicken marsala and lemon crumb haddock.

The price will be $30 which will include tax and gratuity. Alcoholic drinks and soda may be purchased at the bar.

The caterer will need a headcount one day prior to our meeting so I need to know if you plan on attending our meeting on the 8th.

This is a work in progress but the caterer has been very accommodating and is looking forward to having us and our business.

If you have further questions please feel free to get back to me.

Sincerely,

Phil Kellerman 

Dear Members,

Some great publicity for our club in this month’s Our Town magazine.

Phil Kellerman, President SRC Rotary Club

Dear Members:

Preparations are underway for our garage sale at Laurie’s house on Friday. September 25 from 9-3 and Saturday from 9-2. We will be raising funds for the Flutter Express which transports patients to medical appointments in NYC and Boston.

Due to donated items for the sale from Carole and Tom Heaney, Lois Hannan, a friend and yours truly, I have just a little bit of space left in my storage unit.  Please feel free to bring items to Laurie’s house during set up at 8 am on Friday, September 25.  Also if you have a table or two to bring, that would be very helpful.

At our first meeting on Tuesday, September 8, I will have a sign up sheet for those who wish to volunteer at the sale.

Let’s have fun for a great cause!

Phil, President

Dear Members:

I hope you all have had a great summer.

Our last summer social will be this Thursday, the 27th hosted by Murray and Maggie Forth at their house.  Please let Murray know if you will be attending.

At our get together, Roberto and Jim will speak about an alternative meeting place. They have been working hard to locate a suitable meeting place. 

Saturday the 29th the East Greenbush School District is hosting a Summer Fun Day at Genet Elementary School from 11-3.  They have reserved a table for us. I intend on participating but I would like to have some help so please let me know if you can spare an hour or two to help out.  Also, if you have Rotary items we can distribute, please let me know.

Carole, Laurie and I have been preparing for our garage sale at Laurie’s house on Friday, September 25and Saturday, the 26th.  Please consider items you wish to donate. More information to be shared at the social at Murray’s.

Sincerely,

Phil Kellerman, President 

The latest Summer Casual Pizza and Trivia Fundraiser was at Pat Bailey’s
hosted by Phil and Pat. The event raised $220 for the Club. It was a nice
evening outside event in Pats gardens. We learned some very interesting
trivia about East Greenbush. Also shared some Woodstock history. The club
will need to find new venue since Moscatiellos is closing as restaurant. Our
club has been meeting there since September 2021 or 5 years. We thanked the
owners for all their hospitality.

The next event will be a family fundraiser at the Forths. Proceeds will go to
club activities. The date of the event will be August 27 th at 6pm. Please let
Murray and Maggie know if you will be attending by close of business Monday
August 24 th so they can notify the caterers. Price will be $30 per person/ $35
for family. The Forths will let us know if people need to bring anything.
Our Club is joining the Summer Fun Day! Hosted by the East Greenbush
Central School District on Saturday August 29 th at the Genet Elementary
School, 29 Englewood Avenue, East Greenbush, NY 12061. This is a new
event designed to keep our families connected to our schools over the
summer vacation. We would like for your organization to join us as a table
vendor or community partner for a day filled with music, food, and family
friendly activities. We are looking for volunteers. It is from 11-3pm with a
rain day scheduled the following day if needed.

Please note that we will be holding a garage sale to benefit the Flutter Express
which transports patients to medical appointments in NYC and Boston. The
sale will be held at Laurie’s house and is scheduled for 9-3 on Friday,
September 25 and from 9-2 on Saturday, September 26. We will need
volunteers and of course donations of items for sale. More details to follow.

Pat Bailey and yours truly will be hosting a pizza party and fun trivia contest this Thursday, August 13th at Pat’s home at 6 pm. This is a fund-raiser for the club. $25 per individual and $30 for a family.

Please note that we will be holding a garage sale to benefit the Flutter Express which transports patients to medical appointments in NYC and Boston. The sale will be held at Laurie’s house and is scheduled for 9-3 on Friday, September 25 and from 9-2 on Saturday, September 26. We will need volunteers and of course donations of items for sale. More details to follow.

Charlie would like to inform you that every Wednesday during August the Gent band gives a concert in the village of Kinderhook Square. It is open to all. It’s outdoors starting at seven and ending at 8:30. If someone wishes to go, they should bring their own chair. Charlie said that he went and it was a very enjoyable evening. 

Sincerely,

Phil Kellerman, President