MEMBERS ATTENDING (16): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Pat Bailey, Ray Hannan, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Kevin Leyhane, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Dick Drumm. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Tony Morris.

GUESTS (1): Matt Krouner.

President Debbie Rodriguez called the Zoom meeting to order and noted the presence of a quorum.

MEETING NOTES:

• BOARD ELECTION — President Debbie presented the slate of candidates for the SRC Board for the 2022-23 Rotary Year as drawn up by the Nominating Committee. She asked for any additional nominations; none were forthcoming. Jim Leyhane moved and Charlie Foote seconded a vote in favor of the slate, which was elected without objection. As of July 1, the Board will consist of President Kevin Leyhane, Immediate Past President Debbie Rodriguez, Vice President Jim Leyhane, Treasurer Murray Forth, Secretary Pat Bailey, At-Large Directors Roberto Martinez, Dean Calamaras, and Becky Raymond.

• IMPACT COMMITTEE — Chair Pat Bailey reported that the next public information effort will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday at Kristy’s Barn. Volunteers for three-hour blocks are needed. … We also will work on selling rechargeable lanterns as a ShelterBox fundraiser. Roberto Martinez will obtain details from District 7190’s Larry Jones, our ShelterBox liaison, on fundraiser guidelines.

• SCHOLARSHIPS — Maple Hill High School reportedly has selected its recipient of one of three SRC Rotary Club $1,000 scholarships in June. We’re awaiting similar word from Columbia and Rensselaer high schools. We hope to have the recipients join us for a dinner meeting.

• DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS –– Save the date. Arrangements are being made to sponsor a driver safety training session for Saturday, June 18. Several locations are under consideration, and Kevin Leyhane is arranging for an instructor. Completion of the course qualifies licensed drivers for an insurance discount.

• NEXT MEETING — 6 p.m. Thursday, June 19, with speaker Jamie Crouse, director of marketing and development for the Troy YMCA.

• PROGRAM: CAMP SCHODACK — Matt Krouner, the fourth generation owner and director of the residential summer camp for youngsters, spoke to the club and showed photos of the camp through the years. Matt is a licensed psychologist, but is a fulltime camp director.

The facility, which actually is in Nassau, is built on land acquired by Matt’s Russian Jewish great-grandparents in 1908 when they emigrated from Russia to escape persecution. While the land turned out to be poor for farming, the fact it was so picturesque and varied in topography made it ideal for a seasonal hotel, and the old Krouner’s Hotel was a result of that. (The camp itself originally was known as Camp Nassau, but a division of the business resulted in part of it moving to Albany and retaining the name while the second Krouner generation gave the Rensselaer County portion its current name.)

Camp Schodack was shut down by the state during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but rebounded last summer and, thanks to strict safety protocols, had no COVID cases. It now is back to its normal size — 400 campers, 200 staffers, and programs involving the arts, sports, culture, etc.

Campers, who pay $7,750 for a 3½-week stay or $12,450 for a 7-week stay, come from throughout the Northeast as well as some from Europe and Asia. They live in bunk groups of a dozen or so with counselors, and range from about age 7 (just going into second grade) to 15-16 when they can become leadership trainees.

One of the original Camp Schodack buildings, now used as a dance studio.

A bunk house for Camp Schodack campers.