Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (9, no quorum): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Debbie Rodriguez, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Phil Kellerman, Charlie Foote, Kevin Leyhane, Pat Bailey.

GUESTS (1): Tony Morris.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed the attendees and guest. He asked if anyone in the club had participated in the initial virtual Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) session last Saturday. No one had. … Debbie Rodriguez reported that the Danes Rotaract is hoping to host a viewing of the World Polio Day streaming event on Saturday, October 24. She will provide details as they become available. …

A brief discussion was had among members who participated in the ZOOM workshop on virtual fundraising hosted by District 7190 earlier this evening. (Bill Dowd, Dick Drumm, Debbie Rodriguez, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Charlie Foote, and Murray Forth attended the workshop on behalf of SRC). It appears SRC may not be eligible to participate in the program because the club’s IRS status has not yet been resolved by the IRS. Phil Kellerman, who headed the team submitting our application for reinstatement of tax-exempt status, said he would contact the IRS to ascertain the progress, if any, of that request submitted several months ago. …

Jim and Roberto have kicked off a sale of custom-made soaps ($7 per bar, three for $20) as a club fundraiser. The soaps, which comes in seven different scents, are made by a nurse at Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital in Syracuse. Since she sells them to us for $3 a bar, the profit margin could be very healthy for the club. Jim and Roberto, who underwrote the initial purchase, will provide marketing materials and details in the near future, although several members immediately put in orders. … Guest Tony Morris, who owns a CBD retail business in Columbia Plaza, introduced himself as someone interested in Rotary. He had attended a dinner meeting in March just before the pandemic shutdown, and reconnected with us recently. …

Kevin Leyhane offered a brief report on the hybrid teaching now going on in the East Greenbush schools. He said as of today three high school students and one elementary student have tested positive for COVID-19. …

This was our first ZOOM meeting using the club’s new, free organizational account. It is limited to 40 minutes and 100 participants. Our virtual meetings have been running just shy of 40 minutes, so we will continue to see if that level of membership meets our needs or whether we need to move up to the $20-a-month level that greatly expands the time. … Our next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, October 8.