Due to the weather conditions rapidly decreasing, we will be switching our meeting tonight to Zoom at 6:00 pm. The link is on the calendar page. Since we are unable to meet in person and collect the last of the raffle tickets, we will have to postpone our raffle drawing until next week’s meeting on January 26, 2023 at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s. Please stay safe if you are out traveling this afternoon and tonight.
On Thursday, January 10, 2023, Southern Rensselaer County Rotary member Phil Kellerman was a guest speaker at the Scotia Glenville Rotary Club’s lunch meeting. Phil provided the members with an update on the current state of immigration in the United States. Following his presentation, Phil stuck around to spread fellowship and answer several interesting questions for the group. Thank you Phil, for visiting and supporting other local clubs.
Important Business:
Tomorrow is the drawing for our Cafe Capriccio raffle to benefit our Community Youth Initiatives. Please make sure to bring, or make arrangements to deliver any additional sold tickets along with the money from those sales. Unfortunately the weather may not be cooperating.
In the event of inclement weather: If we feel the weather is unsafe to meet in person we will still meet virtually using the zoom link on the calendar page. If we switch to a virtual meeting I will send out a Remind Text alert along with a quick post on the email. In this scenario we will have to postpone the drawing until the following weeks meeting on January 26, 2023 at Moscatiello’s. Looking forward to hopefully seeing everyone tomorrow.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (11): Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Becky Raymond, Pat Bailey, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Phil Kellerman, and Dick Drumm. By Zoom: Kevin Leyhane.
GUESTS: None
President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.
MEETING NOTES:
Theme for the Year: “Growing Fellowship and Service Locally and Globally.”
Hybrid Meeting: Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.
Zoom: The Club voted last week to purchase the business level zoom account (Zoom Pro) to be used by the Club President,
Proxy Votes: If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to Kevin Leyhane. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.
Dues: We have reached the midpoint of the Rotary calendar year and second payment is due now, please send your payment to Murray.
Guest Speakers and Calendar: The calendar has been updated and we are looking to book speakers for the rest of this year: If you know someone that would be interested, please reach out to Kevin Leyhane, Peter Brown, or Becky Raymond.
Cafe Capriccio Raffle: Tickets are still available from Andy Leyhane. All members were asked to sell ten raffle tickets for $20 each. All tickets are due by January 19 (next week) at the start of the meeting before the drawing. The dinner will be held sometime in February on a date mutually agreeable with the Restaurant and the raffle winner. Raffle proceeds will be used to fund the Student Exchange Program and student scholarships.
Clynk: Please keep contributing, Kevin Leyhane has the bar codes for the bags. The bags can be purchased at your local Hanniford store. This is an easy way to raise money for the Club’s projects.
Iron Giraffe Challenge: This is the Maple Hill International Club fundraiser for Water for South Sudan. Their fund raiser runs through April. The International Club is willing to have a few students attend a SCR Rotary meeting to speak about their fundraiser.
Student Exchange Program: Peter Brown and Jim Leyhane met last week with Jeff Simons, Superintendent of the East Greenbush Central School District. They want to continue with discussions on the Exchange Program. Per Peter Brown, there may be opportunities for a summer exchange program. The School District also wants to explore ways that they can collaborate with Rotary. Jim Leyhane, Peter Brown and Kevin Leyhane will join the District’s Global Committee planning meeting on January 17th.
Support Your Fellow Rotarian: Becky Raymond will be singing with the Rock Voices at their concert this Saturday at 7 pm at Shaker High School.
Next Meeting: Thursday, January 19, dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. Also, you can join the by Zoom using the link on the websites calendar page. The winning ticket for the Cafe Capriccio dinner for 12 will be drawn.
Entree choices will be Chicken Caesar Salid, Baked Sausage and Peppers and Manicotti.
This week we return to Moscatiello’s for a general club assembly. We will reviewing and updating on current and upcoming programs and projects, as well as discussing new ones. We are looking for input from all club members, so please try to join us tomorrow night at Moscatiello’s at 6:00pm. If you are unable to attend in person, you may join us remotely using the link on the calendar page. There will be a board meeting immediately following the conclusion of our regular meeting. Any board members who can not attend may also join us remotely for the board meeting using the same link on the calendar page.
Dinner Choices for this week: Chicken Ceasar Salad, Chicken Marsala, or Baked Ziti
Other Club Business:
The raffle drawing is during next week’s (1/19/23) meeting, please continue to sell tickets. If you have any unsold tickets, please bring them tomorrow night. We have some members who have sold out and are looking for more to sell.
Rotary Dues:
If you chose to pay your Rotary Dues in two yearly payments, your second payment is now due. Please bring a check to this week’s meeting or mail your payment to Murray. Any questions please contact Murray Forth.
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (13): Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Charlie Foote, Andy Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Pat Bailey, Ray Hannan, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Phil Kellerman, and Dick Drumm, By Zoom: Murray Forth.
GUESTS (1): Richard Zazycki
President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.
MEETING NOTES:
Theme for the Year: “Growing Fellowship and Service Locally and Globally.”
Hybrid Meeting: Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.
Proxy Votes: If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to Kevin Leyhane. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.
Circles of Mercy Adopt a Family: Once again, members provided all the gifts from both family’s lists along with additional gift cards. All gifts were delivered to Circles of Mercy on December 19, 2022. We are looking forward to continuing this Holiday tradition in 2023.
Holiday Party: Thank you to everyone that invited guests and supported the gift basket auction. The auction raised $675 dollars.
Cafe Capriccio Raffle: Tickets for a dinner for 12 at Cafe Capriccio are still available from Andy Leyhane. All members are asked to sell ten raffle tickets for $20 each. The drawing is planned for January 19th. The dinner will be held sometime in February on a date mutually agreeable with the Restaurant and the raffle winner.
Student Exchange Program: Peter Brown and Jim Leyhane will be meeting with Jeff Simons, Superintendent of the East Greenbush Central School District, next week.
Guest Speakers and Calendar: The calendar has been updated and we are looking to book speakers for the upcoming year: If you know someone that would be interested, please reach out to Kevin Leyhane, Peter Brown or Becky Raymond.
Next Meeting: Thursday, January 12, dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. Also, you can join the by Zoom using the link on the websites calendar page.
Entree choices will be Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken Caesar Salad or Chicken Marsala.
Circles of Mercy
Richard Zazycki, Executive Director of Circles of Mercy, spoke about the services and programs provided to the Rensselaer Community.
During 2021, Circles of Mercy assisted “over 1,600 clients who required over 7,000 service transactions.” The thrift store Catherine’s Closet provided more than 150 grants for clothing for adults and children and for baby supplies. For every dollar donated, 87 cents go directly to programs and services. Due to COVID, they were unable to conduct the Walk for Mercy and the Irish Night Out, two of their major fundraisers.
Through the Cate’s Kid Program, Cirles of Mercy collaborate with other non-profit agencies such as the Rensselaer School District, the Rensselaer Boyes and Girls Club, the Rensselaer Street Soldiers, and the CEO Rensselaer Family Resource Center’s Head Start Program. They are able to share resources and/or donated materials.
Eight grade students from the Doane Stuart School in Rensselaer participate in the “First Friday Club” where they come to Circles of Mercy once a month to perform community service.
In partnership with the IRS, the annual VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program will begin on or after January 23rd. Low-income clients and seniors will be able to access both in-person and virtual tax preparation services. Last year “377 tax returns filed resulted in combined refunds and tax credits of $524,565.”
As we welcome in 2023, we are preparing for our first meeting of the new year. Once again we will be meeting at Moscatiello’s at 6:00 pm on January 5, 2023. Richard Zazycki of Circles of Mercy in Rensselaer will be joining us as a guest speaker. Richard will be speaking about the programs Circles of Mercy offers and how the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club has partnered with them over the years in support of these programs. The menu choices will be Chicken Ceasar Salad, Beef Lasagna, or Penne Alfredo. If you are unable to attend this meeting but would like to join us remotely you may do so using the link on the calendar page. Please let Roberto or Kevin know if you would like to join this meeting remotely. Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Thursday.
Other Business:
There will be a board meeting following next weeks meeting on January 12, 2023.
With only a few weeks left until our raffle drawing, please continue to sell raffle tickets for the Cafe Capriccio private dinner.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Please enjoy your time with your family and friends and thank you for your service.
Once again, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club partnered with Circles of Mercy to support to local families as part of their adopt a family program. Club members donated their time, money and gifts to make this time a year special for these families. Despite a small delay due to weather, all of the gifts were delivered to Circles of Mercy and our partnership continues to grow.
Quick reminder, our next meeting is January 5th at Moscatiello’s, so enjoy the time with your families and friends. As you gather with family and friends over the holidays, it is a great time to promote and sell raffle tickets for our Cafe Capriccio dinner.
On December 15, 2022, thirty-nine Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club members, their families, and guests gathered at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant to spread holiday cheer and fellowship at our annual Holiday Party. The night featured fine dining and drinks with the occasional carol. The night was also not without service, tickets for our Cafe Capriccio private dinner raffle were sold, gifts for our Circles of Mercy Adopt-a-Family were collected, and our annual gift basket silent auction was held. The gift basket action raised $675 for our youth initiatives, and overall the night was a very enjoyable success.
The club is on holiday recess for the next two weeks, and we look forward to our return to Moscatiello’s in the new year on January 5th, 20223. Enjoy the time with your family and friends, and Happy Holidays everyone.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (13): Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Pat Bailey, Becky Raymond, Ray Hannan, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Phil Kellerman, Dick Drumm, and John Justino. By Zoom: Charlie Foote, Andy Leyhane
GUESTS (4): David Gittelman and Tim Chorba. By Zoom: Megan Keil and Ann Williams (Peace Corps Recruiter for the Capital District).
President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.
MEETING NOTES:
Hybrid Meeting: Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.
Proxy Votes: If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to Kevin Leyhane. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.
Cafe Capriccio Raffle: Tickets are now available from Andy Leyhane. All members are asked to sell ten raffle tickets for $20 each. The drawing is planned for January 17th. The dinner will be held sometime in February on a date mutually agreeable with the Restaurant and the raffle winner. Raffle proceeds will be used to fund the Student Exchange Program and student scholarships.
Circles of Mercy Adopt a Family: Most of the items have been purchased but there are still a few items that have not been claimed. Gifts should be wrapped and labeled with family member’s name. The due date has been extended to Dember 15th. Richard has accepted our invitation to the Holiday Party and will take any gifts with him when he leaves that evening.
Holiday Party: Our party is scheduled for December 15th at Moscatiellos. Dinner is $30 per person. If you have not yet done so, please let Roberto Martinez know if you are attending and if bringing a guest(s). Please bring your baskets for auction. It was suggested that the cost of assembling the baskets be $30. This has been a successful fundraiser in past years.
Next Meeting – Thursday, December 15, Holiday Party dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. There will be no Zoom option this week.
Entree choices will be Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken Caesar salad, Meat Lasagna, or Chicken Marsala plus a side salad and cookies.
Megan Keil, Peace Corps Recruiter for Main and New Hampshire spoke about recruiting for the Peace Corps and about being a Peace Corps Member.
The Peace Corps is a government agency established by John F. Kennedy in 1961. The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by meeting the needs of the participating countries for trained people, by promoting a better understanding of the U.S. and, by promoting in the U.S, a better understanding of other countries. The Peace Corps has six sectors of focus: health, education, agriculture, the environment, economic development and community development.
You must be 18 years old to volunteer. The majority of volunteers are between 22 and 30 years of age. However, there is no upper age limit. Retirees are welcome. In March of 2020. all volunteers were sent back to the U.S. because of the pandemic. Now, half of the volunteers are posted in Africa. Vietnam is the most recent post added. The first three months of the two-year deployment are devoted to training which takes place in the assigned country. Volunteers learn the language and about the country’s culture.
Megan Keil started as a Peace Corps volunteer. She was assigned to Tanzania on the east coast of Africa and taught biology at an all-girls boarding school in Njombi. During training, she stayed with a family to learn about the culture and to speak Swahili. After, that she lived in a house in the school compound. There were 600 girls attending the school and may did not have books. Megan learned how to work with limited resources. She extended her service for another year and worked in the Peace Corps main office in Dar es Salaam. When Megan returned to the U.S., she looked for ways to continue volunteering and joined Rotary.
Megan starting recruiting for the Peace Corps in 2020. She speaks to college students about joining the Peace Corps. These students must have experience as a community volunteer and have participated as a leader in activities. She directs students lacking in such experience to their local Rotary Club to obtain more experience. Megan is a member of the Peace Corps-Rotary Partnership. The Partnership promotes global development and volunteer service. “Under the Memorandum of Understanding, Rotary clubs and Peace Corps volunteers can share their resources and knowledge to boost the impact of development projects globally.”
David Gittelman, (Vice-President of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) and Tim Chorba (President of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) explained that their organization provides a social club for returned volunteers to get together. They have an advocacy component. They provide a platform for the returned volunteers to promote a better understanding of their host countries. They do some fundraising to help fund projects for Peace Corps volunteers in the field. They also help volunteers readjust to life in the U.S.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 