HERE’S A PUBLIC SERVICE EFFORT TO GET BEHIND. TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
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.
Club makes history with first-ever virtual meeting
Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061 Virtually
Members Attending (17): Phil Kellerman, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Bill Dowd, Terry Brewer, Geoff Brewer, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Kevin Leyhane, Ray Hannan, Becky Raymond.
THERE’S ALWAYS A FIRST TIME: Sixty years into its existence, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club is always looking for something new to do. This week it did something it has never done before — met virtually.
With the current social distancing rules preventing in-person meetings (our last dinner meeting was held on March 12), we met today via the Zoom video conferencing system, with 17 members participating. We will hold another such meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15. Members will be sent an email containing the meeting ID number. (Meanwhile, keep an eye out for information to come about a virtual cocktail party at 6 p.m. next Thursday.)
MEETING NOTES: President Phil Kellerman called the meeting to order, thanked Peter Brown for making the Zoom arrangements, and asked everyone to let us know what has been going on with them since March 12. … Although we have not been formally meeting, some club business has been taking place behind the scenes. For example, several members have participated in virtual District training events, and Phil, Murray Forth, and Terry Brewer have been working on our application to the Internal Revenue Service for reinstatement of tax exempt status. The latter is a detail-intensive effort Terry estimates has already consumed an estimated 60 manhours. Phil said he expects to share the details with the Board via a password-protected website page Bill Dowd is creating, then submit the application within two weeks. …
The Board, via email discussions, approved a $500 grant to the East Greenbush Central School District to aid in the purchase of masks for employees during the pandemic. … Terry reported that Columbia, Maple Hill, and Rensselaer high schools have verified they received our letters concerning scholarships of up to $1,000 for a graduating senior at each school. Depending on social distancing recommendations at the time, we will either have the checks available for presentation in June or will simply mail them to the recipients. …
It’s nearly Club election time. We will be emailing to members a slate of candidates for SRC Board seats for the 2020-21 Rotary Year. According to our Club Bylaws, a new slate must be approved at least a month before the June 30 close of the Rotary Year. Practically speaking, we need to have it done before then because we cannot submit applications for District Grants by the June 1 deadline if we do not have the slate in place.
How to join Rotary’s COVID-19 live telethon
Our Rotary meetings may be on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines, but you still can be in the loop through Rotary.
Join the #RotaryResponds “COVID-19 Livestream Telethon” at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 2 to hear stories of hope, inspiration and gratitude from Rotarians, Rotaractors, and friends of Rotary from across the globe as they share what they are doing to help their communities.
Just click on the special link — https://on.rotary.org/fb2may — to RSVP.
Mac-Haydn Theatre cancels summer season
One activity that traditionally has been on SRC’s “Summer Casual Calendar” will not be found there this year.
Among the many arts organizations cancelling their scheduled summer seasons is the Mac-Haydn Theatre. The Chatham institution had been planning a seven-production lineup for what would have been its 52nd season.
John Saunders, Mac-Haydn’s producing artistic director, said in an announcement today that the plays planned for this summer will be moved to 2021: “Pippin,” “Urinetown,” Man of La Mancha,” “42nd Street,” “Parade,” “Rock of Ages,” and “The Sound of Music.”
“This decision did not come lightly and has weighed heavily upon me since this crisis began,” Saunders said in his announcement. “I am nothing if not an optimist, but I have realized that the most important thing is the health and safety of our audience, artists, volunteers and staff.”
Also Thursday, the company announced a fundraising campaign to offset projected financial losses from canceling the season. Called the Bright Future Fund, it takes its name from what was the theme for the 2020 season: “Bold Vision, Bright Future.” The $250,000 campaign represents 20% of Mac-Haydn’s annual operating budget.
Patrons who have already paid for this year’s subscriptions may visit machaydntheatre.org/tickets for refund, postponement or donation options.
Other artistic organizations in the region that already had cancelled or delayed their seasons:
CANCELLATIONS
• Dorset Playhouse in Dorset, VT
• Opera Saratoga in Saratoga Springs
• Jacob’s Pillow dance festival in Becket, MA
• Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA
• Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, MA
DELAYS
• Berkshire Theatre Group in Pittsfield and Stockbridge, MA, delayed until August.
CHANGES
• Park Playhouse in Albany has canceled its main summer production. “Evita,” but currently plans to present “Matilda: The Musical,” performed by Park Playhouse students, in August.
Joint statement from RI and other service groups
Woven through the fabric of virtually every community on Earth, service clubs of Rotary International, Kiwanis International, Lions Clubs International, and Optimist International are working safely and diligently to maintain connections with each other and our neighbors so we can cope with and overcome the effects of COVID-19.
We are leveraging the strength of our combined networks of 3.2 million members to provide comfort and hope to those feeling the effects of isolation and fear. And, we are focusing our collective skills, resources and ideas to support frontline health workers and first responders as they battle this disease and save lives.
In these times of uncertainty, your local service clubs remain committed to meeting the challenge of finding innovative ways to take action together to help communities around the globe heal and thrive — and become more united than ever.
“The global effort against COVID-19 depends on actions taken in every country. As people of action, this is our time to connect with each other to offer immediate help to people in need,” says Mark Daniel Maloney, RI 2019-20 president.
“The scale and magnitude of this global pandemic requires our world’s citizenry to heed the advice and cautions of the experts. The work and plans of our collective members and volunteers must not cease. Our immediate response after the crisis will be necessary to support local Governments respond to the many social and economic challenges that will ensue in its aftermath,” says Adrian Elcock, Optimist International president for 2019-2020.
“Great challenges test us, but they also bring us together. Lions are finding new ways to safely serve. Our Lions Clubs International Foundation has granted over one million dollars to help communities facing extreme rates of COVID-19, and additional grant requests are being received daily. Our communities depend on service clubs, and we will be there, supporting and strengthening them just as we always have together,” said Dr. Jung-Yul Choi, Lions Clubs International president for 2019-2020.
“During these difficult times, we’re seeing everyday heroism across the globe. I encourage us all to recognize the health and safety professionals who are putting their own health at risk for the greater good. To the educators, grocery workers, delivery drivers and the countless professionals who can’t stay home, the Kiwanis family thanks you. We all play an important role in keeping our friends and neighbors safe. Please follow the advice of the World Health Organization, your local health agencies and the instructions given by your Government. Please, stay safe,” said Daniel Vigneron, Kiwanis International president, 2019-2020.
Our 7190 DG says: ‘Rotary now more than ever’
From Larry Jones
dglarry2019@gmail.com
District 7190 Governor
In just the last few weeks, we’ve all added new phrases to our everyday language: Flatten the curve, social distancing, and high risk behavior (not staying at home). Our society is in upheaval, but for now we all seem to be taking things in stride. Our attitude toward our own health drives every decision we make.
Rotary clubs have stopped meeting everywhere, except online. In fact, most clubs that have figured out how to use tools like the online conferencing service called Zoom to stay connected. Clubs are learning and adapting to this new reality.
While the obvious choice of clubs is to use social media and digital platforms to stay in touch, clubs increasingly are finding new service opportunities and developing deeper connections to their communities via the worldwide web. In the spirit of Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris, clubs must “evolve to stay relevant.”
For instance, one Rotary club organized a fundraising effort so service people from the restaurant where they take their weekly meal received extra funds to see them through.
Many clubs are donating restaurant-prepared meals to first responders at hospitals, nursing homes, police and fire stations, and in so doing they are helping to keep restaurants cooking.
Other clubs are organizing efforts to provide concierge service to seniors concerned about grocery shopping. Another club has organized members to reach out to 3 to 5 isolated senior citizens each day to ascertain their health and provide emotional support.
Globally, the Rotary Foundation has opened up special grant opportunities for COVID-19 related funding, and the partnerships and decades of technical work that has been done to surveil the polio virus are being marshaled to help track and defeat the coronavirus.
In Bangladesh, Rotarians have organized to create 10,000 units of hand sanitizer which were distributed free to the communities they serve.
In every community, in more ways than you can imagine, Rotarians are making a difference during this extraordinarily challenging time.
It’s simple, really. If you belong to an organization modeled on the principle of “Service Above Self” it is not surprising to find Rotarians running toward a disaster with innovative ideas and boundless energy.
More than ever, perhaps, the world needs Rotary, and Rotary needs you. If you think what we do is important, please reach out to me. Let’s talk about getting you involved.
How much good does our CLYNK effort do?
Here’s a periodic update on the environmental impact our club is having on the environment through the bottle- and can-recycing effort called CLYNK.
Missing Rotary Thursdays? Tune in tonight
The Capital Region Rotary Club will host a 30-minute “Facebook live” meeting tonight (Thursday) with the intent of sharing tips on how to stay sane and in control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To participate, all you have to do is tune in at 7 p.m. on the Capital Region Rotary Club Facebook page to hear from licensed psychologist Dr. Mary Berge.
Meanwhile, keep checking back on SRC’s website and/or Facebook page to stay up to date. Just because we’re staying home doesn’t mean Rotary is slumbering.
Gift of Life child’s stay extended by COVID-19
Batnasan, our latest Gift of Life child from Mongolia, is doing well after his recent cardiac surgery at Albany Medical Center.
However, he and his mom still are here a month after surgery, sort of stranded because of the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.
Dean and Doris Calamaras, our SRC liaisons to Gift of Life, on Easter Sunday dropped off some holiday baked goods for them and their host family. They sat them on the ground by the mailbox and the family later retrieved them.
Dean reports, “All doing well in that household, they said. No telling when mother, child and interpreter will be able to go home.”
Hannaford still accepting CLYNK recycling
Are those returnable beverage containers piling up on you? Some businesses that usually accept them and return your deposit money have put a hold on the practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
That’s because many don ‘t have enough people to handle the volume now that store personnel are being used for other tasks. But, there is one way to be sure to recycle those containers and raise some money for ShelterBox: use CLYNK.
Some SRC members have been diligent in bagging, tagging, and taking their CLYNK bags full of returnable glass, metal, and plastic containers to Hannaford supermarkets. That’s because Hannaford has stopped accepting other containers, but not Hannaford. There is no store employee involvement because you self-scan the bags, drop them in the receptacle, and CLYNK’s own employees pick up the bags and take them to the company’s recycling center in Maine.
Those of you who didn’t pick up the official bags and tags — both of which are required to participate in the program — before we put a hold on our weekly dinner meetings — can get them once we resume. Meanwhile, don’t despair. Just put your returnables in regular plastic garbage bags until you get a supply of the proper CLYNK bags. Then, simply slip the others bags into CLYNK bags and head for your nearest Hannaford. All the proceeds from our club’s CLYNK participation go to suipporting ShelterBox worldwide.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 