Louise Beckerle Rourke and Bridget Simpson are two people who should be on your radar.

Besides their other accomplishments in life, they are planning to raise funds for Rotary’s ongoing global fight against polio by doing something few people have done: Swim the 32-mile length of Lake George!

They’ll do it by swimming a two-person relay in five-mile increments over 24 hours, sharing the first and last miles on their way to Diane’s Rock. The event is weather dependent, so the swim will take place either July 30-31 or August 1-3.

Donations are being sought, either from individuals in any amount, or from clubs and organizations at various sponsorship levels from $100 to $1,000. Proceeds will go to Rotary International’s global polio eradication program. (Click here for details.)

Meet Louise

Louise is a retired teacher from Porter Corners who contracted polio at six months of age, resulting paralysis of her right leg.  Her family was fortunate to have a camp on Lake George where she spent every summer swimming and enjoying the beautiful lake. She has always been a swimmer, feeling more graceful in the water than on land.  However, she didn’t let the effects of polio prevent her from pursuing any interests. For example, she learned to alpine ski using outriggers.

Louise  remembers that when she was just four years old she learned of Diane Struble’s swim of Lake George and dreamed that perhaps someday she could do the same. She has been preparing for the swim throughout the year by swimming at the Saratoga YMCA.

Meet Bridget

Bridget has been an open water swimmer since 1999, and has participated in swims in Lake Champlain, the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River, the Hudson River, and off the Caribbean island of St. Croix, and supported many causes. Through teaching swimming, coaching and leading group fitness classes, Bridget has encouraged and been inspired by swimmers of all ages and skill levels for 28 years, and she has many more goals in mind.

She swam Lake George to celebrate turning 50. People told her afterward they could not imagine swimming for that long. She told everyone that we all need to find our own adventures that bring a sense of accomplishment.  We all get to set our own goals and we get to decide how we define success.

Once again, we are working on a summer drive to collect school supplies for needy area students returning to class in the fall. However, this year the drive, which ends August 18, has expanded.

As announced earlier, rather than limit our efforts to the Rensselaer City School District — in partnership with Circles of Mercy — we also are teaming with the Greenbush YMCA to aid students in the East Greenbush and Schodack districts.

Here are the dropoff sites and dates. The drive ends on Saturday, August 18. Note: For those who have not kept track of the suggested shopping list, it follows:

• Any weekday or Saturday — Greenbush YMCA, 20 Community Way, East Greenbush (just off Luther Road/Route 151).

• Thursday July 19 — 6 p.m., at the “Cookout By the Pool I,” Jim Leyhane’s residence.

• Sunday, August 12 — 4 p.m. at the “Sundaes on Sunday” event, Debbie Rodriguez’s residence.

• Thursday, August 16 — 6 p.m. at the  “Clubhouse Get-Together” event, the clubhouse at The Spinney at Pond View complex, 2500 Pond View Drive (off Miller Road), East Greenbush.

THE PREFERRED SHOPPING LIST

• Pencils (Regular Lead #2 and Color)
• Pencil sharpeners
• Erasers (for pencil work)
• Pens (black or blue)
• Markers (dry erase and color)
• Pocket Folders (Assorted Colors)
• 3-Ring Binders (in 2” and 3” Sizes)
• Loose leaf paper (college ruled)
• Graph paper
• Spiral subject notebooks (1-, 3- and 5-subject, college ruled)
• Subject dividers
• Pencil cases / boxes (plastic, zippered)
• 3”x5” index cards
• Highlighters (yellow)
• Rulers (regular with metric)
• Kleenex tissues
• Hand sanitizer (small bottles)
• Post-It Notes
• Backpacks (no rollers / no wheels)
• Ear buds (inexpensive, for computer use)
• Flash drives (all sizes)
• Scientific calculators (Texas Instrument TI-84)
• Hole reinforcement labels
• Combination locks (for gym lockers)
  

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Here’s the latest SRC “Summer Casual” calendar for July and August. No more open dates exist. Please keep an eye on the RSVP deadlines as we regularly update this lineup of family-friendly social events:

Thursday, July 12 — “A Mediterranean Sitdown Dinner”

5:30 p.m. appetizers, 6 p.m. dinner (limited to 18 guests) at the Calamaras residence. Please RSVP by phone to 518-477-4694, and specify names of all guests. Donation to the club treasury is suggested at $15 per person. RSVP deadline: 8 p.m., Tuesday, July 10.

Thursday July 19 — “Cookout By the Pool I”

6 p.m. Leyhane residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Jim Leyhane at 518-428-1732 or leyhane@aol.com. Guests are asked to bring an appetizer for 6; please bring donations for our “School Supplies Drive.” RSVP deadline: 6 p.m.  Tuesday, July 17.

Wednesday, 25 — Pavilion picnic and New York-Penn League baseball game (Tri-City ValleyCats vs. Auburn Doubledays)

6 p.m. Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Troy. Tickets $26 (includes meal and reserved game seating). Please make your reservations with Terry Brewer at 518-221-4050 or tlbrewer12piseco@gmail.com. Registration closed. Anyone interested in obtaining tickets should contact the ValleyCats box office directly.

Thursday, August 2 –– “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

8 p.m. curtain, Mac-Haydn Theatre, 1925 State Route 203, Chatham. Tickets $39.50. Please make your reservations with Debbie Brown at 518-441-8579 or
mdbrown@nycap.rr.com. Registration closed. Anyone interested in obtaining tickets should contact the Mac-Haydn box office directly.

Sunday, August 12 — “Sundaes on Sunday”

4 to 6 p.m., Rodriguez residence. Please make your reservations with Debbie or Pat Bailey via email at debannrod@yahoo.com or pbailey7@nycap.rr.com or call 518-766- 0215 for this family-friendly event. Please bring donations for our “School Supplies Drive.” RSVP Deadline: 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 7.

Thursday, August 16 — “Clubhouse Get-Together”

6 to 8 p.m., Ray and Lois Hannan will host us at the clubhouse at The Spinney at Pond View, 2500 Pond View Drive (off Miller Road). Details to come. Please bring donations for our “School Supplies Drive.” RSVP deadline: 6 p.m. Monday, August 13.

Thursday, August 23 — “Cookout By the Pool II”

6 p.m., Forth residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Murray or Maggie Forth at 518-441-8783 or mmforth51@gmail.com. RSVP deadline: 6 p.m. Monday, August 20.

We already have a contingent of 34 SRC Rotarians, family, and friends signed up to participate in our annual pavilion picnic and ValleyCats pro baseball game at Bruno Stadium. If you want to join that group, time is running out.

Terry Brewer, who again this year is coordinating this “Summer Casual” event for us, plans to purchase the tickets tomorrow — Monday, July 9 — so he needs to hear from you no later than noon on Monday.

The tickets are $26 per person, which covers the picnic, reserved game seating, and a souvenir baseball cap. (Parking is free.) The pavilion opens at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25 —  note, that’s not our usual Thursday event day — for the picnic.

The ValleyCats will be hosting the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League. The ValleyCats currently are in first place in the league’s Stedler Division. Auburn is in second place in the Pinckney Division.

Here’s who Terry already has signed up:

Jim Leyhane – 8 tickets
T.erry Brewer – 5 tickets
Mike Dewey – 2 tickets
Becky Raymond – 2 tickets
April & Bill Dowd – 2 tickets
Dick & Mary Drumm – 2 tickets
Phil Kellerman – 1 ticket
Murry Forth – 3 tickets
Peter & Debbie Brown – 2 tickets
Roberto Martinez – 1 ticket
Ray Hannan – 6 tickets

PAYMENT NOTES: If you order tickets you will be responsible to pay for them even if you are a no-show.  You will need to pay SRC Treasurer Murray Forth prior to the game.
Make checks payable to “SRC Rotary.” Terry will distribute tickets near the stadium entrance at about 5:45 p.m. on game night.

If you miss tomorrow’s reservation deadline but still would like to participate, you are on your own to make arrangements through the ValleyCats box office. Click here for contact information.

We’ve just added another event to our “Summer Casual” calendar, and it’s not on our usual Thursday.

Debbie Rodriguez and Pat Bailey will co-host “Sundaes On Sunday,” an event that’s sure to be an attraction for our younger members looking for family-friendly Rotary socializing.

It will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 12, at the Rodriguez residence, 121 Lape Road, Nassau (that’s the postal address; it actually is in Schodack).

It’s a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar to help initiate Debbie and Chuck’s new porch. Various flavors of ice cream with all the toppings, as well as other dessert offerings, will be available for all ages. Beverages also will be provided.

And, if you or your little ones would like, you can go for a dip in the pool (see photo above with Chuck testing the waters.)

Deadline for reservations is Tuesday, August 7. A $10 individual donation (or $15 per family) will go toward our ongoing support of the Freedom From Fistula Foundation. Please make your reservation by emailing Debbie (debannrod@yahoo.com) or Pat (pbailey7@nycap.rr.com) or by calling 518-766-0215.

CALENDAR NOTE: We still have open dates for August 9 and 16 (both are Thursdays). If you want to host or suggest an event, please contact President Andy Leyhane ASAP.

Here’s the latest updated summer calendar:

Thursday, July 12 — “A Mediterranean Sitdown Dinner”

5:30 p.m. appetizers, 6 p.m. dinner (limited to 18 guests) at the Calamaras residence, Please RSVP by email to dcalamaras@verizon.net or by phone to 518-477-4694, and specify names of all guests. Donation to the club treasury is suggested at $15 per person. RSVP DEADLINE: Tuesday, July 10.

Thursday July 19 — “Cookout By the Pool I”

6 p.m. Leyhane residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Jim Leyhane at 518-428-1732 or leyhane@aol.com.

Wednesday, 25 — Pavilion picnic and New York-Penn League baseball game (Tri-City ValleyCats vs. Auburn Doubledays)

Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Troy. Tickets $26 (includes meal and reserved game seating). Please make your reservations with Terry Brewer at 518-221-4050 or tlbrewer12piseco@gmail.com. RSVP Deadline: Noon on Monday, July 9.

Thursday, August 2 –– “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

8 p.m. curtain, Mac-Haydn Theatre, 1925 State Route 203, Chatham. Tickets $39.50. Please make your reservations with Debbie Brown at 518-441-8579 or
mdbrown@nycap.rr.com.

Thursday, August 9 — Open

Sunday, July 12 — “Rotary Sundaes on Sunday”

4 to 6 p.m., Rodriguez residence. Please make your reservations with Debbie or Pat Bailey via email at debannrod@yahoo.com or pbailey7@nycap.rr.com or call 518-766- 0215 for this family-friendly event. RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, August 7.

Thursday, August 16 — Open

Thursday, August 23 — “Cookout By the Pool II”

6 p.m., Forth residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Murray or Maggie Forth at 518-441-8783 or mmforth51@gmail.com.

Coming out of the Fourth of July break, we’ll enter our “Summer Casual” schedule in earnest when Doris and Dean Calamaras host a special Mediterranean-tinged dinner on Thursday, July 12.

The present heat wave will somewhat abate by then, but temperatures still are expected to be in the mid-80s. Because of that, and some major renovation work being done on their deck, Dean and Doris will host the event indoors — with air conditioning. (Thank you!)

It’s a sit-down dinner limited to 18 people. Our hosts will provide the customary social hour refreshments and some appetizers for guests arriving at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 or 6:30.

Please RSVP by email to dcalamaras@verizon.net or by phone to 518-477-4694 no later than 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 10. Please specify names of all guests. Donation to the club is suggested at $15 per person.

The menu:

Boeuf a la Corse — Corsican beef tips in a delicate wine sauce, with macaroni (see photo above), accompanied by green beans a la Grecque, and corn on the cob.

Beginnings & Endings — Guests with last names beginning with A through M are invited to bring an appetizer serving 4-6 persons, and those with surnames beginning with N through Z a dessert serving 4-6.

The remainder of our “Summer Casual Calendar” is as follows. Please email or call in your RSVPs as soon as possible to help the planning go smoothly. Note that we still need several someones to host or coordinate two remaining open August dates:

Thursday July 19 — “Cookout By the Pool I”

6 p.m. Leyhane residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Jim Leyhane at 518-428-1732 or leyhane@aol.com.

Wednesday, 25 — Pavilion picnic and New York-Penn League baseball game (Tri-City ValleyCats vs. Auburn Doubledays)

Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Troy. Tickets $26. Please make your reservations with Terry Brewer at 518-221-4050 or tlbrewer12piseco@gmail.com.

Thursday, August 2 –– “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

8 p.m. curtain, Mac-Haydn Theatre, 1925 State Route 203, Chatham. Tickets $39.50. Please make your reservations with Debbie Brown at 518-441-8579 or
mdbrown@nycap.rr.com.

Thursday, August 9 — Open

Thursday, August 16 — Open

Thursday, August 23 — “Cookout By the Pool II”

6 p.m., Forth residence, East Greenbush. Please make your reservations with Murray or Maggie Forth at 518-441-8783 or mmforth51@gmail.com.

In a letter written on July 3, 1776, to his wife, Abigail, founding father John Adams of Massachusetts predicted:

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

Well, he was only off by two days.

While the Second Continental Congress in assembly in Philadelphia actually voted on July 2, 1776, to sever ties with Great Britain, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4. From that time on, the Fourth became the day commemorated with all the hoopla Adams envisioned.

A few other facts about the momentous day:

• A formal call for independence actually had been issued on June 7, when Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion in the Congress to do so. Twelve of the 13 colonies represented there eventually voted in favor; New York abstained, then later cast a “yea” vote in favor.

• The Declaration of Independence was written by a congressional committee consisting of Robert R. Livingston of New York (who later would administer the presidential oath of office to George Washington), Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Acknowledged as the strongest writer in the group, Jefferson created the majority of the wording.

• In 1781, several months before the key American victory at Yorktown, VA, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday.

• The Fourth of July was not designated an official national holiday until 1870, which was 94 years after the fact.

• Held since 1785, the Bristol Fourth of July Parade in Bristol, RI, is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.

 • Since 1868, Seward, NE, has held a celebration on the same town square. In 1979, the little town of 6,000 residents was designated “America’s Official Fourth of July City-Small Town USA” by resolution of Congress.

The Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club is primed to enter its 59th year of public service on Sunday, July 1, when Andy Leyhane takes the office of president for the 2018-19 Rotary Year.

The transition was begun at Thursday’s Presidential Changeover Dinner, hosted by Debbie and Peter Brown, with outgoing president Roberto Martinez passing the figurative baton after an extremely busy and productive year.

Rain cleared in time for event to be held outdoors, so some visitors toured the extensive gardens while others took advantage of the pool.  Rotarians and guests were welcomed by President Roberto, and he thanked the Browns for hosting. Dinner was catered by a local service — kabobs, pork, salad, breads, cheeses (a gift from Cabot), and beverages, plus a special themed Rotary cake (see above).

After dinner, Roberto commented on the fine year the club had, and thanked everyone for their efforts in helping make it so. He also recognized a number of Rotarians for their special efforts in the 2017-18 Rotary Year via support of our club’s activities, a commitment to involvement, and some giving to the Rotary Foundation.

He presented Paul Harris certificates and pins to Phil Kellerman (fundraising, the Oley Foundation,  volunteering), Debbie Rodriquez (immediate past president, volunteer, Rotaract  initiator and liaison), Dean Calamaras (hosting events, Foundation support), and Debbie Brown (hosting events, coordinating meals at Quigley’s). Because Ray Hannan (vice president, volunteer) donated his refunded Rotary International Conference fees to the Foundation, Roberto awarded the gap points to also make him a Paul Harris Fellow. In addition, Roberto awarded 200 Paul Harris Points for their work with the creation of the Rotaract club at UAlbany to Phil Nasca, Becky Raymond, and John Justino.

Two SRC members who already were Paul Harris Fellows were recognized as PH+1 Rotarians (additional PH level): Murray Forth (fundraising, hosting events, Foundation support, sponsor) and Bill Dowd (volunteering, web and social media support, Foundation support, sponsor).

Andy presented a gift of craft beers and a V Twin Motorcycle Engine model to Roberto with the thanks of the club for his efforts in this Rotary Year.

Roberto and Jim Leyhane gave a quick summary of the Rotary International Convention they attended this week in Toronto.

It was noted that  starting at the member level and branching out, it all adds up as we really do great things in the world.  Being surrounded by 18,000  other Rotarians from around the world, sharing ideas and stories was a truly great experience.  When they traveled with the same shirts (see photo below), people would ask if they were brothers. Then they would see the name tags saying they both are physicians and Jim couldn’t help but say, “We are a pair of docs: i.e., paradox.” At the Host Hospitality, our SRC freezer bags of New York State craft beers, whiskies, and Death Wish Coffee were auctioned off at $100 apiece.

Some other scenes from the Presidential Changeover event

A group of Columbia High School students created and unveiled this mural encouraging positive traits and thoughts to nurture in the school experience.

The Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club supplied a $150 grant to the school to purchase paint for the project.

The photo of the mural was sent to us by CHS senior Jess Winter, along with a note saying, “The mural is finally complete! Thank you for your donation. This wasn’t possible without your help! I will definitely be looking into the Rotaract club at UAlbany in the fall.”

Staying involved with the educational community is a good way to grow future Rotarians.

Yes, local schools have just closed for the summer, but we still have some homework to do.

Today is Day 1 of our “5th annual School Supplies Drive,” a club-wide effort in support of Circles of Mercy’s push to help supply needy kids in the Rensselaer City School District in time for their return to school in September. But, there’s a twist: We’re combining our effort with a similar one by the Greenbush YMCA, which means we also will be helping to provide supplies for students in need in the East Greenbush and Schodack school districts.

For those unfamiliar with our drive, we undertook this project in keeping with Rotary’s pledge to foster literacy, encourage education, and improve communities. Each year we encourage Rotarians to get their kids or grandkids involved in shopping for the supplies as part of a “Kids Helping Kids” experience.

Here’s how Richard Zazycki, executive director of Circles of Mercy, describes the needs of the Rensselaer kids we have been supporting:

“Of the approximately 1,100 Rensselaer students who attended school this year, 46% qualify for either free or reduced price lunch program. We continue to be surprised to learn that so many children — 1 out of 3, or 33% — live near or below the federal poverty level, which is much higher than the national average of 23%. Due to the high cost of preparing a child for school, Circles has a program available through which low-income parents may come in and get free school supplies for their students. This project is known as ‘Cate’s Kids Back to School Program,’ and we need your assistance again to help us help others.”

Put another way, the number of Rensselaer kids on assistance is about five times the average figure in other districts in the SRC service area. However, there are students in need in other districts in that area as well, thus the expansion of our effort this year.

Here are the details of SRC’s effort:

— Items may be donated until Sunday, August 19. Project coordinator Bill Dowd will deliver them to Circles of Mercy on the August 20 deadline. That will give the folks at Circles a week to divide and pack donations into backpacks for parents to pick up just before school starts.

— We ask each member of our club to purchase one or more items on the following shopping list, and bring them to any of our club get-togethers so Bill can begin collating the collection. Those events begin this week — Thursday, June 28 — with the Presidential Changeover picnic at the Browns’ residence. Or, if it is more convenient, you can drop off donated items at the Greenbush YMCA, where SRC member Shannon Romanowski is executive director.

— If for some reason you do not plan to participate in any club activities through August 19, you still will be able to contribute. Simply contact Bill to arrange pickup of your items or, as noted above, you can drop off donated items at the Greenbush YMCA.

— Please stick to the following shopping list. It contains the most-needed items for grades K-12.