MEMBERS ATTENDING (13): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Pat Bailey, Kevin Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Dean Calamaras (by proxy), Doris Calamaras (by proxy), Carol Orvis (by proxy), Tony Morris (by proxy).

GUESTS: None.

President Debbie Rodriguez called the meeting to order via Zoom, noting the presence of a quorum. (Plus one cat and one duck. Don’t ask if you weren’t there.)

MEETING MINUTES:

• Debbie reported her delivery of a check for $250 to the Greenbush YMCA in support of its annual Community Thanksgiving Basket drive. She said Y Director Shannon Romanowski, an SRC member, has been preempted from attending meetings because of working with two Y facilities, but hopes to soon rejoin us.

• Debbie provided a summary of last week’s SRC Board meeting that included approval of our Y contribution; approval of a continued alternating of meetings between Zoom and dinner meetings at Moscatiello’s, and a fundraising proposal by Pat Bailey (see next item).

• Pat Bailey supplied more details of her fundraising proposal presented to the Board, which would combine a raffle and public appearances to tell people about Rotary and its many community service activities. She has a four-person committee — Pat, Becky Raymond, Peter Brown, Phil Kellerman — assembled to brainstorm and plan the 2022 event. She is looking for a fifth member.

• Several programs have been lined up, including an Iranian travelogue by Dean Calamaras; a talk by Assemblyman Jake Ashby, and the almost-annual trivia quiz by Bill Dowd. (See our website calendar page for details.)

• A fundraising letter, crafted by Bill, has been sent over President Debbie’s signature to all members as a way to help underwrite various projects in lieu of some of our traditional activities derailed by the pandemic.

• Bill reported that the latest incremental “bank” total in our ongoing Clynk recycling project is nearing $400. Jim Leyhane said he has received a $60 check from non-Clynk recycling from Ron Annis. Treasurer Murray Forth will send a check from the club to ShelterBox for $400, and we’ll immediately begin rebuilding the total for additional contributions.

• Bill also reported that he has made some inquiries of Circles of Mercy, asking for details of which families we will have for the “Adopt-a-Family” holiday project. The information was promised by this Wednesday, but still has not been sent. He will inform members of details via email as soon as received.

• Phil Kellerman, a member of our Foundation Advisory Committee along with Murray Forth, Andy Leyhane, and A.J. Amato, was asked if the group had met yet, as had been asked at previous meeting and at last week’s Board meeting. He said it had not, but he hoped to convene a meeting in January to reply to a list of questions from members in recent weeks.

• NEXT MEETING: We are off next week because of Thanksgiving. We will meet at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, December 2, at Moscatiello’s when Richard Zazycki, executive director of Circles of Mercy, will be our guest speaker.

Members Attending (18): Debbie Rodriguez, Kevin Leyhane, Pat Bailey, Bill Dowd, Terry Brewer, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Tony Morris, Becky Raymond, Dick Drumm, Murray Forth (remote), Carol Orvis (proxy), Dean Calamaras (proxy), Doris Calamaras (proxy), Charlie Foote (proxy), Ray Hannan (proxy).

Guests (1): Debbie Morris.

President Debbie Rodriguez presided, at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, and noted the presence of a quorum.

Meeting Notes:

• Members were reminded that the Greenbush YMCA’s annual “Community Basket Brigade” for Thanksgiving is under way. (Details here.) The deadline for making donations of money and/or basket items is Monday, November 15. (Update: At the Board meeting following the regular meeting, it was decided to make a $250 club contribution to the drive in addition to anything the individual members may contribute.

• President Debbie reminded attendees that proceeds from the annual “Pocket Change Jar,” the recipient of which traditionally has been designated by the club president since April Dowd created it in 2013, this year will be given to Unity House of Troy Inc., the only licensed domestic violence shelter in Rensselaer County. Since we currently meet in-person only biweekly, it was suggested that members may want to double their donations at dinner meetings to make up for the off-week.

• We had five proxies submitted for this week’s meeting. Debbie asked that anyone who wishes to submit a proxy in lieu of attending a meeting email her no later than each Wednesday so they are not overlooked because of a last-minute email. Several members have emailed her their “enduring proxies,” which means she can count them any time they are not in attendance without having a proxy submitted each time.

• Members were informed that former member Julius Frankel and wife Effie have relocated to assisted living in the Boston area. We will try to get their new address for any members who wish to send them cards or anything else. (Update: The Frankels’ new address is Evans Park at Newton Corner, Apt. 208, 430 Centre Street, Watertown MA 02548.)

• Treasurer Murray reported that the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) — our new financial unit, officially designated The Dr. Richard Drumm Fund (details here) — now stands at $22,600+. That money has been invested via the Rotary Foundation. However, it was noted that our Foundation Advisory Committee (Murray, Phil Kellerman, A.J. Amato, Andy Leyhane) has not yet met. Debbie asked that the committee do so, and report back to the club about our investment status and any other questions that have been raised.

• We have plenty of open dates to schedule speakers or present our own members’ programs. Anyone looking for an available date can simply check the spreadsheet that is part of our website calendar page, then submit their program details to program coordinators Kevin Leyhane and/or Becky Raymond. They will share them with Bill Dowd who will publicize the programs on all social media.