• In preparation for writing a proclamation by the New York State Legislature to be read at their June 13 gala dinner at which SRC will be honored, the folks at Circles of Mercy asked us for a brief statement covering the history and work of our club.

That’s not an easy request to fill, given the broad mandate and reach of Rotary and the many, many initiatives we undertake each year. But, since we are asked that same question quite often, here was our reply. Feel free to use it when needed. (By the way, the legislators who will co-sponsor the proclamation are Senator Neil Breslin and Assemblyman John McDonald.)

The Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club, founded in 1960, is one of 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries comprising the 1.23-million-member organization called Rotary International, now in its 113th year of public service.

The men and women of Rotary are volunteers working together in an inclusive manner in many fields to improve the lives of people everywhere.

Locally, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club regularly provides assistance in the categories of youth scholarships, leadership training, and foreign exchange study; aid to military veterans and families; curriculum and supplies for schools; food pantries; holiday adoptions of children and families in need; recycling and conservation; athletes with disabilities, and organizations such as Circles of Mercy, Ronald McDonald House, the YMCA, and Scouting, plus many more initiatives.

Globally, the club supports lifesaving pediatric cardiac surgeries through the Gift of Life program; aid to victims of natural and other disasters through the ShelterBox relief program; ongoing vaccination efforts through PolioPlus that have nearly eradicated the once-prevalent disease from the planet; hygiene and medical training programs for women in African nations through the Freedom From Fistula Foundation, plus other initiatives.