A Twitter post that actually may draw people closer together

June 15, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

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Twitter and its incessant tweets seem to have helped the world devolve into two opposing camps capable of little more than self-fueled indignation. No longer is rational discourse the norm. Now, if you disagree with someone, it is not a matter of philosophy. It must only be that they are evil.

However, this comment tweeted at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta that wrapped up on Wednesday should be something that resonates positively with most people.

Rotary International President-elect Ian H.S. Riseley, who will become RI president on July 1, presented his case that protecting the environment and curbing climate change are essential to Rotary’s goal of sustainable service. Riseley, a member of the Rotary Club of Sandringham, Victoria, Australia, will preside under the 2017-18 presidential theme “Rotary: Making a Difference.”

He also urged clubs to improve their gender balance and lower the average age of their members. Only 22% percent of Rotary’s members are women. Although that is well up from 13% a decade ago, Riseley said at that rate it will take another three decades for Rotary to achieve gender parity.

(Note: SRC membership is 26% female on the overall roster, although that percentage spikes much higher among our truly active, involved membership.)

Riseley also said he believes it is imperative that clubs find ways to attract and engage younger members. Today, only 5% percent of reported members are under 40, and a majority of members are over 60. “Consider what Rotary stands to look like 10 or 20 years from now if we don’t get very serious, very soon, about bringing in younger members.”

SRC grant delivered to Freedom From Fistula Foundation

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-15 at 11.36.33 AM — **Debbie Rodriguez and Becky Raymond pose with Freedom From Fistula Foundation official Angela McCabe (far left) opposite the United Nations building.**

Screen Shot 2017-06-15 at 11.53.26 AM Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club President Debbie Rodriguez and club member Becky Raymond traveled to New York City this week to present a grant from the club to the Freedom From Fistula Foundation.

Angela McCabe, the Foundation’s development director, accepted the $1,800 check, and the trio discussed various Foundation projects being started or already under way in the African nations of Sierra Leone, Malawi, and Madagascar. (Click on the links to get updates on the work in each country.)

They also had the opportunity to have lunch at the United Nations, located across United Nations Plaza from the Foundation office. Each January, the UN hosts “Rotary Day at the UN.”

McCabe will be supplying further details, and Becky and Debbie will head up exploration of potential partnerships with Rotary Clubs in the aforementioned countries. They then will report back to the club with an eye on possibly applying for a Rotary Global Grant with a focus on fistula prevention.

If you need to have your knowledge of the fistula problem refreshed, just click here to see the 2016 presentation Becky made to the club to heighten our awareness of the need for assistance.

June breakfast meeting cancelled

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 6.51.12 PM This week’s Third Thursday breakfast meeting has been cancelled because of low reservation numbers.

Meeting coordinator Terry Brewer thanked Shannon Romanowski for co-hosting the monthly meeting series at the Greenbush YMCA. He will let SRC members know when the series will resume.

For those Rotarians who usually attend only the monthly breakfast meetings, a reminder that we hope to see you at our annual Presidential Changeover Dinner. It is being hosted by Debbie and Peter Brown at their Castleton residence at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29. Please be sure to let Debbie know if you plan to attend.

RI, Gates pledge $450M more to fight against polio

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 3.48.18 PM — **Philanthropist Bill Gates (left) and RI President John Germ announce more global anti-polio funding.**
*(RI photo)*

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 5.49.04 PM As the world inches closer toward eradicating polio, Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will spend nearly a half-billion dollars more in an effort to eliminate the disease over the next three years.

Bill Gates joined Rotary President John Germ to announce the pledge at the annual Rotary International Convention that concluded today in Atlanta. It drew nearly 40,000 Rotarians from around the world to a four-day schedule of workshops, panel talks, discussions and reports on Rotary’s various worldwide public service efforts — human trafficking, clean water, education and others. However, it was the latest commitment to polio eradication that made the biggest news.

Beginning July 1, the start of the 2017-18 Rotary Year, the Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s commitment to raise $50 million annually over the next three years on a 2-to-1 basis. That means another $450 million could be added to funds already committed to support efforts to eradicate the disease by 2020.

The matching program adds to a pledge made in 2013, when the Gates Foundation pledged to match Rotary contributions 2-to-1 up to $35 million each year through 2018. With this commitment, the two organizations together will have raised nearly $1.5

Click here to see our new video, “Making Polio History: A Pioneer’s Story.”

billion since 2007 to fight polio.

The money will fund both the administration of oral vaccinations in countries in which children still are at risk for contracting polio, and increasing disease surveillance efforts such as testing sewage water to detect where the virus could still be circulating in communities.

Polio, once found everywhere in the world, now is endemic in only three places — Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. While the disease, which causes paralysis and even death, is is not curable, it is preventable. Elimination comes through a vigorous campaign of oral vaccine in conjunction with a series of booster doses that maintain the immunity.

Uh oh, they’re on the loose in Atlanta

June 13, 2017June 13, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

This is what it looks like when loooong-time Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club members attend a Rotary International Convention. (Dick Drumm and Jim Leyhane and might-as-well-be-a-member Mary Drumm wait on line for a beverage.)

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And, this is what you get as your next club president if you don’t pay attention. (Roberto Martinez flashes the bling.)

They all were spotted in the Coca-Cola area, a local “heritage” spot since Coke’s international headquarters is located in Atlanta. They’ll be back Wednesday night.

cocacola

‘Crisis’ on Thursday breakfast menu

June 12, 2017June 12, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-12 at 6.55.20 PM The Third Thursday of June pops up this week, and one of our own will be presenting the breakfast program. Shannon Romanowski, who is both speaker and host, will speak on “Emergency and Crisis Preparedness.”

What are your safety plans. How often do you plan for your own safety and /or business operations? Is this a good time to review where you stand in crisis management? This is an interactive conversation that will run from 8 to 9 p.m. at the Greenbush Area YMCA, so come prepared to share your plans.

If you plan to attend, please be absolutely sure to email Terry Brewer by clicking here and replying no later than Wednesday evening.

Please remember, we also have a Thursday evening dinner meeting this week at which we will have a different group of guests. Just scroll down to see the details.

RSVP by Tuesday for dinner on Thursday

June 12, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-12 at 4.37.23 PM — **Thursday’s menu entree**

Our final regular dinner meeting at Quigley’s is set for this Thursday before we launch into our “Summer Casual” schedule on June 29 with the Presidential Changeover Dinner at the Browns’ residence.

After a dinner consisting of Quigley’s popular beef tips in mushroom gravy, pasta, chef’s selection of accompanying sides, salad, bread, beverages and dessert, we’ll get right to it, although as always the cash bar will be available before, during, and after dinner.

First, we will be recognizing our annual SRC Rotary Scholarship winners from Maple Hill, Rensselaer, and Columbia high schools, students who have been nominated by their guidance counselors as exemplars of our club’s commitment to “Service Above Self.”

Then, we will hear from Joan Bishop, executive director of the Oley Foundation at Albany Medical Center. Her organization supports the lives of patients dependent on home intravenous nutrition and tube feeding. Joining her will be Mary Wootten and her daughter, Natalie.

If you have not yet emailed your reservations to dinner coordinator Debbie Brown, please do so at MDbrown@nycap.rr.com no later than Tuesday evening.

So far, the following people have said they will attend:

Joan Bishop (guest speaker)
Mary Wootten (guest)
Natalie Wooten (guest)
Burke Adams
Pat Bailey
Geoff Brewer
Terry Brewer
Debbie Brown
Peter Brown
Jim Butterworth
Dick Drumm
Charlie Foote
Murray Forth
Butterworth, Jim
Julius Frankel
Ray Hannan
Phil Kellerman
Jim Leyhane
Roberto Martinez
Debbie Rodriguez

Minutes of 6/8/17: ‘CASDA and the polio video’

June 9, 2017June 19, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
593 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY
June 8, 2017

Members Attending (17): Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Ray Hannan, Maggie Forth, Dick Drumm, Terry Brewer, Geoff Brewer, Carole Spencer, Julius Frankel, Becky Raymond, Carol Orvis, Charlie Foote.

Guests (9): Dr. Martha Lepow, John Mucha, Nina Mucha, John Justino, Edward Koller, Namita Modesra, Roshni Modesra, Jay Steele, Jerry Steele.

PROGRAM: “Making Polio History: A Pioneer’s Story”

Screen Shot 2017-05-24 at 3.08.40 PM — **Martha Lepow as a young 20th Century polio researcher.**

With the attendance of Dr. Martha Lepow, certain SRC members, District Governor John Mucha, and a contingent from CASDA, all but one person who worked on the video project were gathered tonight.

We began with a screening of the 20-minute video. Dr. Lepow of the UAlbany School of Public Health then explained her role in early polio research and how the virus was known to be in the areas of Cleveland, Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River when she began as a young doctor.

She also decribed how the earliest vaccines were administered, and how current research and distribution methods are made to continue to improve the vaccine and reach all areas of the globe. She said we still do not know exactly how the virus works, though we know how it gets into the body.

John Mucha noted that so far this year only five new cases of polio have been reported in the world, a huge change from recent years. He thanked everyone in the club as well as CASDA for their efforts.

President Debbie presented plaques to videographers Edward Koller and Jay Steele with our thanks for their help and expertise in putting the video together. It is on our club website and the District website, and it is going to the Rotary International convention in flash drive format.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & BUSINESS

GRANTS DISTRIBUTION– Terry and Geoff Brewer presented a check for $600 from SRC to Namita and Roshni Modesra from the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center, a non-profit agency in Albany. The DSAHRC provides, among other things, parent-to-parent support to parents/caregivers and other family members dealing with the syndrome. Details are available by clicking here. … President Debbie Rodriguez and Becky Raymond will travel to New York City next Tuesday to present an $1,800 check to the Freedom From Fistula Foundation (FFFF). Becky reported that there is a Rotary International collaboration in the works with the Peace Corps, and she will be presenting our partnership with FFFF at a meeting in Denver.

MEDICAL UPDATE — Roberto Martinez reported that Bill Dowd successfully underwent triple cardiac bypass surgery today, and is doing well.

CHANGEOVER EVENTS — We are nearing the end of the 2016-17 Rotary Year. Registration for the District 7190 changeover event may be handled via the District website. … The SRC changeover will be hosted on Thursday, June 29, at the Brown residence. Please be sure to let Debbie Brown know well in advance if you plan to attend. Guests are welcome.

NEXT MEETING — 6:15 p.m. Thursday, June 15. Joan Bishop of the Oley Foundation will be the speaker.

Farewell notes from the District Governor

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2017-06-06 at 6.29.43 PM — **John Mucha during a visit to SRC early in his presidential year.** *(SRC archival photo)*

• John Mucha will finish out his year as District 7190 Governor at the end of this month. Here, he shares a few notes.

It’s been a great year and has gone by very quickly. The clubs and the District accomplished a great deal, and we have wonderful leadership chosen for the next three years with DGE Fred Daniels, DGN Tammy Heckenberg, and DGND Larry Jones.

Please remember to send in your PolioPlus and Rotary Foundation donations. We have a way to go to meet our goals, and traditionally many clubs wait until June to send in their dollars. Please try to do so by June 15 at the latest so your contributions will be counted against your current goals. It’s the Rotary Foundation’s Ccntennial year. Let’s do our best to make it special.

Please continue to work on membership for your club between now and the end of this Rotary year. Every club can use new members with enthusiasm and dedication to the great work they do. Many clubs have held membership events over the past few weeks. Now is the time to follow up with those prospects and, if they are interested, add them as members.

The Rotary International Convention in Atlanta is shaping up to be a great event with speakers like Bill Gates and Jack Nicklaus. For those attending, we will be having a district social event there on Monday, June 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. We have almost 50 Rotarians and guests registered. We hope to see many of you then.

And, remember the District Changeover that will be hekd at River Stone Manor in Scotia on Sunday, June 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Time to change the guard and start a new Rotary year.

It has truly been a privilege to serve you and your Rotary club. I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing summer and a great 2017-18 Rotary Year. As always, thanks for all you do for Rotary.

Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club

News of this New York State club that practices "Service Above Self"

Author: SRCrotary