We have scheduled an interesting mix of in-person and virtual programs for the coming weeks. Here’s an excerpt of the lineup from our website calendar page. Note the open dates, ready for you to supply a program or speaker. Just let Becky Raymond and/or Kevin Leyhane know which date you would like to reserve.
Well, at least those who attend this Thursday’s dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s will be.
Peter and Debbie Brown are scheduled to make a presentation on “Iceland In the Off-Season,” an illustrated travelogue on their visit to the distant island nation.
Join us from 5:30 on for a social period (cash bar) until the 6:15 p.m. dinner. Or, if you can’t make it, please email your proxies to President Debbie no later than Wednesday so you can be counted toward a quorum.
The menu will be your choice of Chicken Caesar Salad or Spaghetti & Meatballs. Attendees now will be able to order a la carte salads for $3.49 each, the same as they order beverages — from the waitstaff.
See you then!
MEMBERS ATTENDING (19): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Murray Forth, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Charlie Foote, Phil Kellerman, John Justino, Dick Drumm, Pat Bailey, Becky Raymond, Andy Leyhane. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Ray Hannan, Tony Morris.
GUESTS: None.
President Debbie Rodriguez called the meeting to order, noting the presence of a quorum.
MEETING NOTES:
• MEDICAL UPDATE — Dean Calamaras informed the club that Doris was discharged from the hospital this week and now is in physical rehab.
• 3/10 BOARD MEETING– Terry Brewer submitted his resignation as vice president, while remaining a member of Rotary. Pursuant to the Club Bylaws, the Board elected Jim Leyhane to fill the position for the remainder of this Rotary Year. The resulting At-Large vacancy will go unfilled until the 2022-23 Rotary Year. … The Board approved an expenditure of $500 a year for three years to help underwrite the Viking Outdoor Gym project in Schodack. … The Board approved Jim Leyhane’s motion that we spend up to $5,000 annually from our current $20,000 general fund on grants and projects approved by the club. Among the first expenditures is up to $1,000 to the local Boy Scout troop to help offset the withdrawal nationally of Elks Club funding for Scouts.
• IMPACT COMMITTEE MEETING — Chairperson Pat Bailey reported that the committee has scheduled a 5 p.m. Zoom meeting for Tuesday, March 22, to discuss plans for its raffle fundraiser.
• GRANT MANAGEMENT — Three volunteers are needed to participate in the Saturday, April 2, District Grants Management Seminar, a two-hour commitment. Unless we have a minimum of two participants, we will not be eligible to apply for District Grants. Anyone interested is asked to contact President Debbie ASAP.
• ROTARACT UPDATE — John Justino reported that as of March 28, UAlbany will lift all mandatory masking requirements. The CDNY Danes Rotaract club we sponsor will take advantage of that policy change to schedule a number of in-person activities for April and beyond.
• EASTER BASKET PROJECT — Debbie Rodriguez reported that non-member Lois Hannan is coordinating this year’s club involvement with Circles of Mercy’s “Cate’s Kids Easter Basket Program.” She will work with Shannon Romanowski’s effort at the Greenbush YMCA which also is again involved.
MEETING MENU — Beginning with our 6 p.m. dinner meeting next Thursday, attendees will be able to order a la carte salads for $3.49 each, the same as they order beverages — from the waitstaff. That week’s entree choices will be spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Caesar salad.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (18): Debbie Rodriguez, Roberto Martinez, Ron Annis, Phil Kellerman, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Kevin Leyhane. By proxy — Bill Dowd, Carol Orvis, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Charlie Foote, Ray Hannan.
GUESTS (2): Debbie Morris, Monika Annis.
President Debbie Rodriguez called the meeting to order at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, and noted the presence of a quorum.
MEETING NOTES:
• EASTER BASKET PROJECT — A coordinator is needed for our portion of the Circles of Mercy annual “Cate’s Kids Easter Basket Program.” Debbie Rodriguez will check with Executive Director Shannon Romanowski about partnering with the Greenbush YMCA again this year. Easter is on April 17 this year. Circles of Mercy would like all donations delivered to their offices by the week of April 4 to allow time to assign baskets and deliver them to families in time for the holiday. Anyone interested in coordinating SRC’s effort should contact Debbie ASAP.
• DISTRICT CONFERENCE — Registration is now open for the event, scheduled for the weekend of April 29-May 1 at the Great Escape Lodge in Queensbury. There are several registration packages available and information has been posted on the website. All business will be conducted on Saturday but the District is encouraging everyone to come and enjoy the entire weekend of Rotary fellowship and fun.
• SHELTERBOX — The international Rotary-affiliated relief agency is helping refugees in Ukraine, as well as continuing to aid civil war refugees in Yemen and climate disaster victims in numerous spots around the globe. As noted at last week’s meeting, a former SRC member has donated $1,000 to the agency, and a number of smaller member donations have been made. Anyone wishing to help can get details on the club website.
• BOY SCOUTS — Jim Leyhane spoke about funding for the local troop we have been supporting for decades. Attendees approved providing up to $1,000 this year because one of the troop’s usual sponsors may not be available.
• ROTARACT UPDATE — The CRNY Danes Rotaract Club we sponsor at the UAlbany School of Public Health plans two events in April — a demonstration of ShelterBox and its components and services as recently presented at an SRC meeting, and activities marking Public Health Week.
• VIKING OUTDOOR GYM — Ron Annis provided an update about the renewal of the Viking Outdoor Gym we co-sponsored with his Top Form company and the Town of Schodack several years ago at the Town Park. Deterioration of the rugged materials over the years has resulted in the need for a complete overhaul.
Ron presented a proposal to the Town Board two weeks ago. He hopes to place three pieces of outdoor fitness equipment in the park this year and add equipment in subsequent years. Attendees approved a plan for the club to provide $500 a year for three years to help fund the project. The original installation was helped along by a Rotary Grant secured by SRC,
Ron proposed a sectioned area for the equipment and that the town would maintain the area after the installation. The proposal includes seeking joint sponsorship with the town, a Rotary Club in Sweden, SRC, and local Boy Scouts, Elks, and Kiwanis organizations. The hope is that SRC’s financial commitment would inspire the other partners to follow suit as more equipment is installed.
• NEXT MEETING — We will meet via Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17.
Your club is looking for a volunteer coordinator for our annual participation in the Circles of Mercy “Cate’s Kids Easter Basket Program.”
Club President Debbie Rodriguez will be asking at Thursday’s dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s for people to work on coordinating our effort to provide baskets for needy kids in Circles’ area of service in Rensselaer County. It’s a short-term but important role that will allow people to continue Rotary’s community service component.
Easter this year falls on Sunday, April 17. We hope to have completed baskets delivered to Circles no later than Monday, April 4, so they can be assigned and delivered to client families the week before the holiday. That also provides sufficient time for Circles to spend any monetary donations to fill the recipient families’ needs.
We will be publishing on our club website and Facebook page a shopping list for the project. Meanwhile, please consider your level of participation in this very worthwhile undertaking.
Reservations now are being taken online for the annual District Conference, this year scheduled for Friday, April 29, through Sunday, May 1, at the Great Escape Lodge in Queensbury.
For those unfamiliar with District Conference protocol, the first day is a sign-in/social/cocktail reception day, the second day is for all district business to be addressed and for the gala dinner, and the third day is for a breakfast buffet and all the goodbyes.
You can attend Saturday-only if you wish. If you plan to stay overnight(s), you may make a room reservation at the Lodge: 518-824-6000, extension 0 (use code: ROTARY). Hotel fees are NOT included in the registration fees shown below.
Interactive games and activities throughout the weekend. Saturday night dinner’s theme is “Let’s Make a Deal!” Costumes or themed attire encouraged!
Families are welcome to attend. Family and friends are eligible for discounted waterpark day-tickets ($34.99 + tax), Birch Bark Grill and Johnny Rocket’s vouchers; available at the Rotary registration table.
Guests who would like to participate in the official dinner and activities on Saturday evening must register for the Saturday evening meal (adult and kids options available).
After President Debbie adjourns the regular meeting, the club’s board will go into session to discuss a variety of topics. If you have items you’d like placed on either meeting agenda, please be sure to email them to Debbie no later than Wednesday.
P.S. We’re still looking for speakers to round out the remainder of the Rotary Year, mostly by Zoom but with a few dinner slots remaining. Take a look at our schedule below to see which dates are available. If you want to use one for a program, please contact Kevin Leyhane or Becky Raymond.
As we change seasons, most of us sort through our clothing closets and drawers to see what we can do without. So, if you find unwanted clothes you’d like to get rid of, may we suggest one of the Gift of Life dropoff boxes?
The one closest to our area of service is behind the Mobil station just off Exit 10 of I-90 — near the Top Form facility.
GOL, the childhood medical relief organization, has many locations throughout District 7190 for its clothing donation bins. There are several in the immediate Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club area, but for those of you who live or work elsewhere — or want to encourage friends, relatives, and co-workers to drop off their unwanted items to help GOL, there are plenty of other options as well.
These bins are placed in conjunction with American Clothing Recycling Company, a Glens Falls business, with profits going to Gift of Life.
Since GOL’s 7190 chapter was formed in 1984, it has been responsible for 355 life-saving surgeries, 200 catheterization procedures, and 17 medical mission trips to six different countries.
Here are the most convenient clothing bin locations (the list may change from time to time):
In the immediate SRC area:
Elsewhere in the region:
MEMBERS ATTENDING (20): Debbie Rodriguez, Becky Raymond, Bill Dowd, Terry Brewer, Phil Kellerman, Pat Bailey, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Ron Annis, Charlie Foote, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Andy Leyhane, Tony Morris, John Justino, Murray Forth, Kevin Leyhane, Carol Orvis (by proxy), Dean Calamaras (by proxy).
GUESTS: None.
President Debbie Rodriguez called the Zoom meeting to order and noted the presence of a quorum.
MEETING ITEMS:
• PROGRAMS — Several presenters have been added to the schedule. June 2, Dan Welch of Sweater Venture; June 16, a representative of Unity House in Troy; a representative of the Oley Foundation will speak on a date to be determined. All programs and other information are available on the club website’s calendar page.
• SHELTERBOX — Bill Dowd reported that we received a $1,000 donation check from April Dowd that will be sent to the emergency aid agency and credited to SRC. He also reminded members that the process for contributing and receiving credit and tax deductibility is explained in a website post titled “Why ShelterBox needs you right now.”
• DAF UPDATE — Phil Kellerman reported on the recent Zoom meeting of the club’s Donor Advised Fund (DAF) committee. He said that the fund — invested through the Rotary Foundation at a risk level we decide on — stood at $22,200 through July 21, 2021, but had dropped to $22,048 at last report several weeks ago. The operational consensus is to exercise patience and wait until the fund level reaches at least $25,000 before we consider making any grants. The committee also includes A.J. Amato, Murray Forth, and Andy Leyhane.
• NEXT MEETING — Thursday, March 10, at Moscatiello’s, 6 p.m. Ron Annis will provide an update on the Viking outdoor gym. The menu entree choices: chicken Caesar salad, chicken marsala. Open bar as always.
Any Rotarian who is not familiar with ShelterBox hasn’t been paying attention.
Luckily, members of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club have paid attention in a big way. In the past decade, the club and its individual members have contributed more than $25,000 to support ShelterBox’s global emergency services to people hit by tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, revolutions, and other insurrections.
Well, no good deed goes unpunished. ShelterBox needs you now more than ever.
Weather-related emergencies in Haiti and the Philippines and Africa, civil war casualties in Yemen, and now the horrors of the Russian invasion in Ukraine have been added to the seemingly endless stream of emergencies worldwide. What to do? You supply the funds, ShelterBox supplies the first-strike aid — getting there long before governmental entities are able to grind through the red tape to do so.
SRC already had donated hundreds of dollars in the 2021-22 Rotary Year to ShelterBox, and will continue to do so through the Clynk recycling program we are involved in as a steady stream of modest but regular support. However, we now are asking for your individual generous donations to ramp up support during this particularly trying period.
Each ShelterBox — as described by District 7190 ShelterBox liaison Larry Jones at a recent SRC meeting and as found on our club website — costs $1,000, and is tailored to the geographic and cultural needs of the hard-hit areas with a tent habitat, tools, solar lights, water purification items, etc.
We’re hoping to buy several boxes in addition to those we already have paid for. And, the process is simple — and tax deductible.
All you have to do to make your deductible donation is:
• Write a check in any amount — from $5 to the full $1,000, and anything large or small in between — made payable to “ShelterBox USA.”
• In the memo line, enter “Southern Rensselaer County Club #4919.”
• Give the check to Bill Dowd, SRC’s ShelterBox liaison, who will collate SRC funds and get your contribution to the right people.
You eventually will be informed where your donation went as part of ShelterBox’s global efforts. In any case, your contribution is deductible.
So, we thank you for your consideration, and hope you will respond in a timely fashion since, as we tell incoming Rotarians, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 