Category: Activities: Local

Here’s your updated calendar for May

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What’s coming up in May? Here’s the latest calendar update. If you want to get details of any events, simply click on the colored links.

MAY

02 — Dinner meeting, 6:15 p.m., Quigley’s, East Greenbush (Topic: “Exploring Yoga,” with Becky Raymond) Note: Dinner after the presentation.
03-05 — Conference of Clubs, The Essex Culinary Resort and Spa, 70 Essex Way, Essex Junction, VT.
05 — Work day for Regional Foodbank, Patroon Land Farm, 132 Ketcham Road, Voorheesville
06 — Ramadan begins
09 — Dinner meeting, Quigley’s, East Greenbush (Topic: “An Hour of Live Music,” Phil Kellerman & Friends) Note: Pizza-and-wings member dinner from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m., concert at 6:30.
11 — 2nd annual District Peace Summit for Youth, Schenectady (details here)
12 — Mothers Day
16 — Dinner meeting, 6:15 p.m., Quigley’s, East Greenbush (Topic: “The RYLA Experience,” with several student participants)
18 —Recycling & Shredding Day, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wainschaf Warehouse, Rensselaer (details here)
18 — Annual District Day of Service, three locations
18 — Armed Forces Day
23 — Dinner meeting, 6:15 p.m., Quigley’s, East Greenbush (Topic: Peter Berry, SRC’s newest member)
27 — Memorial Day
30 — Dinner meeting, 6:15 p.m., Quigley’s, East Greenbush (Topic TBD)

 

Pre-dinner ‘chair yoga’ on Thursday’s menu

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Screen Shot 2019-04-29 at 10.38.25 AMFeeling a little stressed? Come to this Thursday’s meeting at Quigley’s and let fellow SRC member Becky Raymond, who is a yoga instructor, lead you in a brief “chair yoga” exercise before dinner. Guaranteed to make you feel a lot better.

This particular form of yoga, while less physically strenuous than what we might think of  as “traditional” yoga, is no less relaxing and can be as beneficial.

Following the session, we’ll enjoy  a hearty dinner featuring eggplant Parmesan, antipasto salad, chef’s choice of side dishes, bread, dessert, and beverages.

If your name is not on the following list and you plan to join us — non-members are, as always welcome — please be sure to email dinner coordinator Debbie Brown at mdbrown@nycap.rr.com no later than Tuesday evening so we have sufficient food and seating for all who wish to attend.

Bailey, Pat
Brown, Debbie
Brown, Peter
Dowd, Bill
Drumm, Dick
Foote, Charlie
Forth, Murray
Hannan, Ray
Kellerman, Phil
Leyhane, Jim
Martinez, Roberto
Raymond, Becky
Rodriguiz, Debbie

Thursday Special: Voting and Competing

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Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 1.45.05 PM
The top prize for Thursday’s trivia test.

We’ll be doing double duty at Thursday’s dinner meeting — voting for a slate of nominees for the 2019-20 SRC Board of Directors, and competing in a friendly battle during the “5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test.”

To accomplish the former, we need a quorum of at least 12 SRC members to be present. To accomplish the latter, the more Rotarians and friends and family the merrier to take a crack at winning the title and a special prize.

So, as always, we need an advance headcount to be sure we have enough food on the buffet and seats around the tables. Please be sure dinner coordinator Debbie Brown (email: mdbrown@nycap.rr.com) has your RSVP no later than Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, here is the slate of nominees for 2019-20, with the possibility one more At-Large nomination will be made at Thursday’s meeting as permitted by our Bylaws:

Screen Shot 2019-03-28 at 10.32.11 PMSRC BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINEES

President: Phil Kellerman

President-elect: Dick Drumm

Vice President: Terry Brewer

Immediate Past President: Andy Leyhane

Secretary: Pat Bailey

Treasurer: Murray Forth

At-Large Members: Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Dean Calamaras

 

Checking in on Augie, our Bell Top pal

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It’s been a while since we last looked in on Augie, the therapy dog SRC is helping support at the Bell Top Elementary School. It seems he has been very busy.

If you visit Augie’s blog, “Puppy With a Purpose,” you can catch up on what he’s been doing, from training sessions (see video above) to classroom and library visits, to fun times with the kids during a rather messy “color run,” to getting a haircut. In addition, you can find out how to purchase Augie T-shirts (see below) online. Soon, he’ll be celebrating his first birthday (June 8).

Here are just a few scenes of what Augie has been doing:

Library
Spot the canine in the library.
Trio
Kind of messy fun in the color run.
Writing
When you’re finished, can we play?
shirts
Auggie is selling his T-shirts. (Note the name at the top of the list!)

We’ve started the countdown to SRC’s 5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test

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Screen Shot 2019-04-19 at 1.45.05 PM

See that hefty tome above? A copy of it will go to the winner of the “5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test,” scheduled for 6:15 p.m. next Thursday, April 25, at Quigley’s. Start spreading the word!

(We were thinking of having alphabet soup and such brain-friendly foods as blueberries and avocados on the buffet table, but that might be too gimmicky. So, dinner coordinator Debbie Brown will get together with the Quigley’s kitchen staff to come up with an enticing alternative menu. Please remember to RSVP to her by email — mdbrown@nycap.rr.com — no later than next Tuesday, April 23, if you plan to join us. And remember, guests such as Rotaractors, non-SRC Rotarians, and non-Rotarians in general are welcome as well , but please let Debbie know in advance that they’re coming so we can provide sufficient food and seating for everyone.)

This year’s trivia event will see several format changes. Among them will be fewer categories, more tie-breaker possibilities, and a running-score tabulation so you know where you stand throughout the event.

Quizmaster Bill Dowd has created the categories and the questions in them to appeal to trivia players of all levels, from those who never have tried it to those who make a practice of hitting their local watering holes for trivia night competitions.

See you on Thursday. Bring a friend!

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It’s going to be a happy Easter for a lot of kids

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Screen Shot 2019-04-16 at 8.18.07 PMThe final tally has been made of how many Easter baskets SRC and its project partners at the Greenbush YMCA, Cub Scout Pack 253, and Danes Rotaract are providing.

The effort, to help make a lot of needy kids happy with traditional holiday baskets distributed by Circles of Mercy, is something SRC has been doing for a number of years, and each year we try to expand the effort to encompass more organizations performing various parts of the project, from shopping to donating to packaging to delivery.

Our pledge this year was 75 baskets, an ambitious number. How close did we come?

Drumroll please ……..

106

Thanks to all who pitched in with money, time, and hands-on efforts. You’re making a lot of kids happy again this Easter.

Brush up, our annual trivia extravaganza is near

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Screen Shot 2019-04-10 at 3.48.04 PM

How are your trivia skills? The path to the championship of this popular annual event is wide open. We have had a different title-winner in each of the extravaganza’s first four years, so obviously no one has dominated it and lots of people have a chance.

Even if you’re not interested in the competitive aspect, we guarantee you’ll have fun and a few laughs when  you join your fellow SRC Rotarians and guests as we roll out the event at our Thursday, April 18, dinner meeting at Quigley’s.

Quizmaster Bill Dowd has made a number of format changes for this year’s quiz, including fewer categories, a longer list of tie-breakers if needed, and, of course, a new set of questions.

The categories:

  • Write On
  • In the Kitchen
  • 3 Little Words
  • Royal Flush
  • Potpourri

Meanwhile, you still have a few weeks to watch “Jeopardy” — new episodes shown at 7:30 weeknights on WTEN-ABC — to help polish your trivia skills.

 

3 seats remain for Rotary Home Cooking event

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Home Cooking logoIf you’re interested in attending the Saturday, April 13, “Rotary Home Cooking” dinner being hosted by Dean and Doris Calamaras, time is quickly running out to reserve a seat, and only three openings remain.

The menu features a Hungarian beef entree, plus all the appropriate sides, dessert, and beverages. The RSVP deadline is this Wednesday, April 10.

You can save a seat at the table by e-mailing the Calamarases or calling them at 518-477-4694.

All proceeds from such dinners go to the SRC general treasury to support a variety of community service endeavors.

 

SRC hosting benefit concert May 9

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Screen Shot 2019-04-05 at 1.02.22 PMSRC will host a benefit concert on Thursday, May 9, at Quigley’s to benefit the Oley Foundation, a national nonprofit that provides education, advocacy, and networking opportunities to people living on home IV nutrition and/or tube feeding.

The hour-long concert will feature music from a new CD titled “One Step Forward,” produced by guitarist/singer Michael Francis McCarthy and lyricist Phil Kellerman, an SRC member. McCarthy’s music blends Delta blues, bluegrass, old country, folk, and rock. McCarthy, who resides in Kingston, Ulster County, frequently performs in the Capital Region. Also featured will be flutist Deb Reep MacLeod of Albany, playing on two of six songs.

Opening the show will be international independent music artist Mario Sevayega, playing five original songs. His music weaves many genres of music including rock, reggae, jazz, disco.

After a Rotary members dinner from 5:45 to 6:10 p.m., doors will open to the public at 6:15 pm. The concert will begin at 6:30. Suggested donation to the Oley Foundation is $10. To RSVP or for information, email Kellerman, or call him at (352) 262-5421.