Month: June 2016

Today in history

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On June 26 in …

1483 — The 12th of 13 children of Richard Plantagenet, the 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, is crowned Richard III, King of England.

1804 — The Lewis and Clark Expedition — also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition — reaches the mouth of the Kansas River after completing a westward trek of nearly 400 river miles. The group was the first American expedition to cross what now is the western portion of the United States, departing in May 1804 from near St. Louis and making their way westward through the Continental Divide to the Pacific Coast.

1844 — John Tyler of Virginia weds Julia Gardiner, thus becoming the first U.S. President to marry while in office.

1945 — The United Nations Charter is signed by 50 nations in San Francisco. One of the major non-governmental organizations (NGO) assisting in the creation of the organization is Rotary International.

1997 — J.K. Rowling’s book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” is published in the United Kingdom, the first in the Harry Potter series. (It later was released in the United States under the title “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”)

 

Party! Party! Plus, prizes and a new prez

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We’re gearing up for our annual “Presidential Changeover,” a special major event set to begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at the Forth residence in East Greenbush.

(And, the pool will be open, a nice touch since the long-range weather forecast is for temperatures in the mid-80s.)

Terry Brewer will be welcoming the 2016-17 Board and presenting several awards before handing over the presidential reins to Debbie Rodriguez. Then, we’ll all chow down and socialize till the Forths get tired of us and turn off the lights.

We are hoping for an excellent turnout — particularly from among our newer members who have been self-limiting themselves to just our monthly breakfast meetings.

We’d love having you join us to become more involved as Rotarians who make a difference in the world rather than just being members of a club.

This event, plus our “summer casual” July-August schedule of family-oriented events, outings, and service efforts, is intended to help you get to know your Rotary family and serve your community in a much more satisfying way. Spouses and kids are always very welcome, and so is your participation.

Here’s the deal. The meal will be a cooperative one. Hosts Murray and Maggie Forth will take care of entree and salad, plus beverages. Appetizers and desserts will be brought by the guests.

Murray’s & Maggie’s Rule: If your surname is A-K you bring an appetizer suitable for 6 people; L-Z brings a dessert suitable for 6. (Each member is asked to bring something; so, member-couples each should bring a dish.)

Here’s who we have so far, and what they’ll be bringing. (If your dish is not listed, please reply to SRCrotary@gmail.com to let us know what it will be so we can avoid duplications.)

And, please, please, please, RSVP to SRCrotary@gmail.com in response to our request for reservations — specifying how many in your party — NO LATER than Tuesday evening, June 28. We need a very accurate headcount for planning purposes, as we’re sure you can understand.

ENTREE/SALAD

• Murray Forth — Antipasto salad
• Maggie Forth — Pasta Alfredo

APPETIZERS (Surnames A-K)

• Pat Bailey —
• Debbie Brown —
• Peter Brown —
• Jim Butterworth —
• Bill Dowd — Mixed tomato basil salad
• April Dowd — Honeydew/Virginia ham bites
• Dick Drumm —
• Charlie Foote
• Andy Leyhane
• Jim Leyhane

DESSERTS (Surnames L-Z)

• Len Leonidas —
• Roberto Martinez —
• Debbie Rodriguez —
• Rommel Tolentino —

If your name isn’t here, we need to know your intentions. Thank you!

Today in history

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On June 25 in …

1788 — Virginia ratifies the U.S. Constitution and becomes the 10th state.

1876 — The Battle of the Little Bighorn (popularly called Custer’s Last Stand) is fought on June 25-26 near the Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory. Combined forces of the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes killed Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and virtually all of his forces.

1947 — “The Diary of a Young Girl,” better known as “The Diary of Anne Frank,” is published in London.

1950 — The Korean War begins with the invasion of South Korea by Communist North Korea.

1991 –- Croatia and Slovenia declare their independence from Yugoslavia.

 

Meeting of 6/23/16: ‘Members & Honors’

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SRC Minutes LogoMeeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
593 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY
June 23, 2016

Members Attending (16): Terry Brewer, Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Geoff Brewer, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Carol Orvis, Ray Hannan, Becky Raymond, Phil Kellerman, Stewart Wagner, Dick Drumm, Julius Frankel.

Guests (5): District Governor Milan Jackson, Shiela Jackson, Fred Daniels, Mike Stangl, Chuck Rodriguez.

MEMBER INDUCTION & AWARDS PRESENTATION

Newbies
New Rotarians (from left), Phil Kellerman, Becky Raymond, and Julius Frankel.

Tonight we welcomed our 13th, 14th, and 15th new members of the 2015-16 Rotary Year, a club single-year record.

Board member Jim Leyhane performed the induction of Phil Kellerman, Becky Raymond, and Julius Frankel, in the presence of two visiting dignitaries, District Governor Milan Jackson and Fred Daniels, who will become DG-elect when the new Rotary Year begins on July 1.

Although we had a strong overall turnout, just one of the previous 12 inductees, Andy Leyhane, was in attendance.

Award MontageDG Milan, making his third visit to the club this year, presented two awards to President Terry Brewer on behalf of the club:

• A Presidential Bronze Citation authorized by K.R. Ravindran, president of Rotary International, in recognition of the many and ongoing public service efforts the club has undertaken locally and internationally in a wide range of areas.

• A special citation from District 7190 in recognition of winning its membership drive, by a large margin. We had the largest “Class of ’16” of any of the district’s 41 clubs.

 

PROGRAM: “ROTARY NEXT GEN”

Fred Daniels, who will serve as District Governor in 2017-18 and is working on membership initiatives before then, presented a program called “Rotary Next Gen,” an analysis of marketing studies of the “Gen X” and “Millennial” generations and their attitudes toward organizations and public service.

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Fred Daniels speaking to the club.

He noted that while Rotary tends toward pre-Baby Boomer and Baby Boomer generations for the core of its membership, we need to be aware of changing attitudes and desires of the estimated 126 million members of the younger adult generations — Gen X’ers (born between 1965 and 1976) and Millennials (born between 1977 and 1998).

“They, too, believe in service, but not in the same way we do,” he said. He noted that studies have shown that, rather than joining an organization then finding ways through it to serve, those generations tend to identify a need or a cause first, then join a  group that addresses it.

“So, while ‘Service Above Self’ still is good as a motto, we’d probably be more relevant to potential members by emphasizing ‘Service To Others’ as a mantra. And, we need to provide an experience that will let these people learn, network, and have entrepreneurial opportunities. Those outcomes speak more to that huge piece of the population’s values system.”

• If you missed this presentation and would like to see the PowerPoint version, go to our Program Presentation Archive.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/BUSINESS

Screen shot 2016-06-01 at 11.45.49 AMSUMMER CASUAL SCHEDULE — Terry noted we still have one summer date available — August 4 — and asked Andy Leyhane to work with other new members of the club to come up with an activity for that date. The event chart is available by clicking here. Bill Dowd will be coordinating via e-mail the attendance at the events because, as has been pointed out several times, with a much larger member base we have the potential for large turnouts and need accurate headcounts for the event hosts and planners.

PRESIDENTIAL CHANGEOVER — The 2015-16 Rotary Year will end on June 30, the same day we will hold our annual “Presidential Changeover” event, hosted this year by Murray and Maggie Forth at their East Greenbush residence. They’ll provide salad, entree, and beverages. Attendees are asked to bring an appetizer or a dessert large enough to feed six. (Those with surnames A through K are asked to bring apps; L through Z to bring desserts.) And, Murray notes, the pool will be open!

Screen shot 2016-06-23 at 3.24.45 PMOFF THE GRID — That’s the name of a new ShelterBox challenge that will take place the weekend of July 16-17. Bill Dowd, our SB liaison, explained that the relief organization is asking people to “unplug” for any 24-consecutive-hours period that weekend to gain some small insight into what happens to people struck by disasters. He said this could become an opportunity to get away from video games, cellphones, etc., and reconnect with family, friends, and neighbors. Two methods of personal fundraising (hosting a backyard cookout; collecting walkathon-style pledges) are available during that period. Full details of the program are available by clicking here.

DUES ARE DUE — The deadline for submitting dues for the new year is the same day as the abovementioned event — Thursday, June 30. Please see Treasurer Murray if you have not yet paid.

 

Today in history

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On June 24 in …

1509 — Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon are crowned king and queen of England.

1717 -– The Premier Grand Lodge of England (now called the United Grand Lodge) is founded in London as the first Masonic Grand Lodge in the world.

1844 — Charles Goodyear is granted U.S. patent #3,633 for vulcanized rubber.

1916 –- Mary Pickford becomes the first female film star to sign a million-dollar contract.

1964 — The Federal Trade Commission announces that, starting in 1965, cigarette manufacturers will be required to include warnings on their packaging about the harmful effects of smoking.

RI unveils changes in dues, rules, procedures

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Screen shot 2016-06-23 at 5.10.01 PMRotary International’s Council On Legislation has made a number of changes affecting individual clubs in a variety of ways.

A few examples:

• Clubs now may hold fewer meetings, but no fewer than twice a month.
• Dues have been increased by $4 per member for each of the next three years, a $12 total increase.
• The distinction between regular clubs and e-clubs (those that meet exclusively or most of the time online) has been removed. Each is equal to the others.
• Clubs can have in-person meetings, online meetings, allow online participation in an in-person meeting, or switch between any of these formats.

You can click here to see the full set of changes. Many have to deal with administration at the district level.

ShelterBox challenge: Can you go ‘Off the Grid’?

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Screen shot 2016-06-23 at 3.20.15 PM• Scroll down to see invitations and sponsorship forms.

Many of us joke that we know people who can’t be parted from their many electronic devices for even a minute. Are you one of those electronic slaves?

Screen shot 2016-06-23 at 3.24.45 PMThere’s a way to find out on the weekend of July 16-17. Take the “Go Off the Grid for ShelterBox” challenge.

This could be an interesting family experiment, seeing that even though you’d have no power you still would not be powerless. By taking part, you’ll get a sense of what life is like for families who lost everything when disaster struck — the kind of people your ShelterBox contributions help around the world. They are forced to live  without electricity, no light, no safety, no place to cook and keep warm. No shelter over their heads.

If you, or you and your family, decide to “Go Off the Grid” it will mean no texting, no downloading, no videos, no tweeting, no music, no TV, no video games, not even lights, for a period of 24 consecutive hours during the designated weekend. But, that doesn’t mean you’d have to sit around like stunned sheep. You can download tips or order an “Off The Grid Survival Box,” packed with BBQ recipes, games, activities and other ideas from the folks at ShelterBox to keep the whole family connected — to each other.

The intent of the challenge is to raise awareness of just how difficult life is without the many everyday things we take for granted, and in doing so to increase interest in donating to ShelterBox. Of course, you can always do that without taking the challenge, but it’s a fascinating idea that your entire family will remember.

You don’t have to be a Rotarian to support ShelterBox. Throw a backyard cookout — call it an “OFF THE GRIDdle BBQ”), invite friends and neighbors (be sure to tell them no phones, tablets, etc., allowed.) Here’s an official invitation …

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… and, you can download free copies of it by clicking here. Then, simply send the donations along to ShelterBox. (You also can direct your invitees to our website where they can find details on what ShelterBox is all about.)

Another way to raise funds for ShelterBox is to use the 24-hour event the same way you would a walk-athon, a bike-athon, etc. Get sponsors. Here’s what the official pledge form looks like …

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… and, you can download free copies by clicking here. Then, just as you would with cookout donations, send the money along to ShelterBox.

July Rotarian magazine looks ahead and back

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The July issue.

The 2016-17 Rotary Year, which begins on July 1, will have a distinctly American look to it.

The annual Rotary International Convention will be held in Atlanta, GA. The Rotary Foundation, which was created by an American — RI President Arch C. Klumpf, will celebrate its 100th birthday. And, an American will become RI president for the first time in many years.

The current issue of The Rotarian magazine, which should have reached your mailbox in recent days, is tracing a major chunk of Rotary history with a fascinating timeline on the Foundation and what it has accomplished over the decades; is providing a look ahead in its cover story on John Germ, the Tennessee Rotarian who will become president;  and, is presenting a lot of other interesting articles, photos, and reports.

 

Today in history

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On June 23 in …

1314 — In the First War of Scottish Independence, the Battle of Bannockburn is fought near Stirling Castle, with Scottish forces defeating the English.

1683 — Founder William Penn signs a friendship treaty with the Lenni Lenape (a/k/a/  Delaware tribe of Indians) in the Pennsylvania colony.

1912 — Alan Turing is born in London. The English mathematician and computer scientist became a leading member of the Bletchley Park team of cryptographers that cracked the Germans’ Enigma coding machine, a turning point in World War II.

1926 — The College Entrance Examination Board conducts the first Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

2013 -– Nik Wallenda becomes the first man to successfully walk across the Grand Canyon on a tight rope.

 

Are you ready for ‘summer casual’ fun?

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SRC Summer Chart

This week, we will induct three more members of Rotary. Next week, we will complete the 2015-16 Rotary Year when we gather at the Forth residence for the annual “Presidential Changeover” event.

After that, we’re on to our usual busy summer schedule of picnics, cookouts, baseball, wine tasting dinner, summer stock theater, etc.

For your planning purposes, the chart shown above has one open slot left. Anyone interested in hosting an event or coordinating a field trip should contact incoming club president Debbie Rodriguez ASAP.

For each event, it is absolutely imperative that we have a correct headcount for planning food, seating, etc. To accomplish that, Bill Dowd will be handling the summer reservations schedule. He’ll be sending out regular requests for RSVPs, with a deadline based on what we’ve had throughout this Rotary Year. As always, guests are welcome, especially for these family-friendly events, but WE NEED YOUR HELP in keeping track of the headcount.