News of this New York State club that practices "Service Above Self"
Author: SRCrotary
A volunteer service club located in Rensselaer County, NY, that is part of Rotary International, the 1.23 million-member international organization of men and women serving their community and their world.
We now have events scheduled for the first two Thursdays of our annual “Summer Casual” schedule.
The Leyhanes — Jim, Kevin, and Andy — and Roberto Martinez have set Thursday, July 21, as a jointly sponsored pool party and cookout at Jim’s East Greenbush residence. It’s a family-friendly event with kids welcome and encouraged.
See the schedule below for remaining July-August dates for you to host or plan field trips. If you want one of the dates locked in, please contact the club at SRCrotary@gmail.com.
When you think of Rotary, do you think of PMS? You know, Pale, Male and Stale?
When you visit a Rotary club, maybe thinking about joining or coming as a speaker or friend and you cast your eye around the room, what do you see? A mix of younger and older Rotarians, maybe a couple of different colors, and a nice male/female balance? Certainly, if you are a younger visitor, you expect to see a mix. If you don’t, it will stand out in your mind.
All of us who are members of this great organization of Rotary understand that to survive we need to attract new and younger members to our ranks. Yet, one of the attraction strategies we often overlook is integration with Rotary’s youth programs.
Rotary has a built in ladder of development in the organization that allows us to engage young members at all ages. EarlyAct, InterAct, and Rotaract can engage young potential members from grade school through college and early adulthood.
Part of our goal to get new young members is to get the word out of what Rotary is, what it does, and the impact we have on our community locally and globally.
I recently spoke with a friend who did not know what Rotary was all about, so I showed him the “Four-Way Test,” explaining how this guides what we think, do, and say. We chatted about it and he said: “Yeah! That is really good!” My friend then went on to donate to Rotary and is looking at clubs in his area to join.
We need to live and talk Rotary and encourage young people to join us in whatever capacity. Then it’s much easier to encourage them to become members. All of us know and interact with younger people — our kids, our grandkids, and people at our workplaces. As people see how they can join with us to help their communities and at the same time enjoy the fellowship of like-minded individuals, they will be much more likely to commit to membership.
Think about visiting your local high school and inviting young people, maybe the student government leaders or the international club to join Rotarians in your next community project. How about the various youth levels at your church? Is there a solid after school program in your nearby diverse neighborhood? Consider coordinating through them to clean their park, and then ask them to help clean yours.
For young folks to believe in us, we have to live Rotary not just talk Rotary. Because Rotary is a way of life, not another activity or thing to do. We need to get Rotary into individuals, not just individuals into Rotary.
RI President Shekhar Mehta’s primary theme this year is “Be one, Bring One, and Serve To Change Lives.” At your next club meeting ask the person next to you if they can think of a way to engage with youth and change a life or two. We can do this!
A late withdrawal by our scheduled speaker has created an opening for a program presenter for our Thursday, June 2, dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s.
If you have a program yourself or can supply a speaker, please contact Kevin Leyhane or Becky Raymond ASAP.
As always, the meeting will begin with a 5:30 p.m. social period, then a 6:15 call to order. The entree choices are linguine with white clam sauce or the ever-popular chicken Caesar salad. And, of course, the cash bar is always open.
We are looking into the possibility of sponsoring a one-day driver training workshop this summer. We need a minimum of 20 participants (non-Rotarians may sign up as well) to qualify.
Below are potential dates. If you (a) are interested in participating, and (b) prefer one of these specific cates, please respond to this email ASAP with that information.
P.S. As anyone who has availed themselves of this opportunity in the past knows, successful completion of the workshop qualifies them for a discount on their auto insurance.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (16): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Kevin Leyhane, Charlie Foote, Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Tony Morris, Becky Raymond.
GUESTS: None
President Debbie Rodriguez called the Zoom meeting order and noted the presence of a quorum due to the number of proxies.
MEETING NOTES:
• SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS — We have received the names of graduating seniors from Rensselaer, Maple Hill, and Columbia high schools who each will receive a $1,000 SRC Rotary Scholarship. The students have been invited to join us at our June 9 dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s. The club will pay for meals for each student, one parent for each of them, and one representative of each school. All others guests will be asked to pay the same $25 dinner fee as members. Our thanks to Terry Brewer for coordinating the program.
• SUMMER CASUAL SCHEDULE — We have one event scheduled so far for our July-August informal period — a picnic on July 14 at the Browns’ residence in Castleton. Anyone else who wishes to host or arrange an event is asked to select a date from the club calendar then email the club at SRCrotary@gmail.com to lock in the date and details.
• IMPACT COMMITTEE — We finished our series of appearances at Kristy’s Barn in Schodack to meet the public and get out the word about Rotary. Thanks to Becky Raymond, Jim Leyhane, and Roberto Martinez for volunteering on Saturday. We now switch to appearances at the Town of Schodack’s “Music In the Park” Tuesday series on June 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. (Rain dates are Wednesdays.) Anyone who can volunteer to staff the table is asked to contact Pat Bailey ASAP.
• DRIVER TRAINING — We are polling members to ascertain interest in having a summer session of training by a professional (and getting an auto insurance discount in the process). The potential dates are July 9 and 23 and August 6. Interested members are asked to email the club at SRrotary@gmail.com with the preferred date. (Rotarians may invite non-members to participate.)
• NEXT MEETING — We will host local business owner Dan Welch of Sweater Ventures at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at Moscatiello’s.
You probably know that SRC’s Presidential Changeover dinner is scheduled for Thursday, June 30. But, two days before that you can attend a Rotary changeover picnic.
That event is the transition of the District 7190 leadership team for the new Rotary Year 2022-23. The family-friendly event is scheduled for the Orenda Pavilion at Saratoga Spa State Park. Here are the details:
Debbie and Peter Brown are planning to host a picnic at their Castleton residence on Thursday, July 14. It will kick off our “Summer Casual” schedule of events that traditionally substitute for formal meetings in July and August.
Details will be provided closer to the day of the event.
Meanwhile, take a look at the calendar below (it’s regularly updated on the club website calendar page) to find available “Summer Casual” dates if you’d like to host or arrange a family-friendly event.
Over the years, we have enjoyed such events as professional summer theater performances, group restaurant visits, ValleyCats baseball and picnic at Bruno Stadium, a vineyard wine tasting, several pool parties, ice cream socials, and various cookouts and picnics on our schedule.
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.
A note from Rotary Impact Committee chair Pat Bailey:
“The Rotary Impact committee is looking for additional members to assist Becky Raymond and me this Saturday (May 21) at Kristy’s Barn.
We would appreciate at least one other member to join us to greet customers, explain a little about Rotary, collect donations for the Troy YWCA women’s shelter, and local food pantries.
Time would be about 10 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. Please contact me or Becky if you can help. Thanks so much!
A combination of factors has prompted a change in this Thursday’s meeting schedule.
Jamie Crouse
• Rather than a dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s, we will meet via Zoom, beginning at 7 p.m. The usual protocol: gain access via the link posted on SRCrotary.org/calendar
• Our scheduled speaker, Jamie Crouse of the Troy YWCA, will present the program via Zoom.
As always, keep an eye on the club calendar on the website for any and all updates. And, feel free to claim a July or August “Summer Casual” date to host or arrange a family-friendly event.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 