MEMBERS ATTENDING (19): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Becky Raymond, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Pat Bailey, Ray Hannan, Dick Drumm, Phil Kellerman, Andy Leyhane, Tony Morris, Kevin Leyhane, John Justino, Murray Forth, Peter Brown. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras.

GUESTS (1): Jamie Crouse of the YWCA.

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

MEETING NOTES:

• DISTRICT GRANT — Debbie reported that our District Grant application for assistance with our annual scholarship program has been submitted and accepted for consideration.

• SUMMER CASUAL EVENTS — The dates for our July-August “Summer Casual” period have been posted on the website calendar page chart. Anyone wishing to reserve a date to host or arrange a family-friendly event is asked to inform Kevin Leyhane.

• DUES — A reminder that the deadline for receipt of six-month or full-year dues is June 1. Please mail checks, payable to SRC Rotary, to the club at P.O. Box 71, East Greenbush, NY 12061. Dues remain at just $175 per individual member or $350 for “Family” or “Corporate” group memberships covering an unlimited number of members (although such entities have only a single vote on matters coming before the membership). Dues may be paid in two equal installments, no later than June 1 and December 1. The split payments are $87.50 for individuals, $175 for “Family” and “Corporate” groups.

• IMPACT COMMITTEE — Pat Bailey reported that the group will hold a public meet-and-greet event at Kristy’s Barn in Schodack on Saturday. She also is lining up volunteers to do the same for the Schodack “Music In the Park” series.

• DRIVER TRAINING — The tentative session scheduled for June 18 has been put on hold. A new date and site are being investigated.

• NEXT MEETING — We will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26, via Zoom.

• PROGRAM — Jamie Crouse, marketing development director for the YWCA of the Greater Capital Region, which is based in Troy, presented a video describing the organization’s work helping women and children in need of housing, education, safety, and counseling.

Among numerous points made in the video and by Jamie is that the YW houses more than 100 women and 50 children daily, most of them from Rensselaer County. Some are short-term residents, others longer-term, depending on their circumstances. Funding comes from government grants and donations from businesses, service organizations, and individuals

Another effort is a 14-week program preparing women for the work world, which she said has an 83% success rate of graduates obtaining long-term employment or resuming their formal education.

The YW is one of the recipients of any money raised by our aforementioned Impact Committee.