If you’ve been wondering when our Third Thursday breakfast meeting series will resume, wonder no more. We’ll be gathering at 7 a.m. this Thursday at the Greenbush YMCA for a one-hour session.

New President Roberto Martinez will speak on what’s in store for us in the 2017-18 Rotary Year. As always, host Shannon Romanowski will provide a continental breakfast, and attendees’ $5 fee will go toward supporting YMCA camping scholarships.

Please be sure to email Shannon or Terry Brewer no later than this Tuesday evening if you plan to attend, and feel free to invite a guest who you think may be interested in learning about Rotary.

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The final picnic-and-pool-party of SRC’s “Summer Casual” season was held under friendly skies Thursday night, co-hosted by Jim and Andy Leyhane at Jim’s East Greenbush residence.

A nice turnout with plenty of kids frolicking in the pool and hot tub, adults frolicking through the beverage bar, family and guests mingling with Rotarians, and a dinner of barbecued chicken, mac and cheese and broccoli salad plus a lineup of member-contributed appetizers and desserts filled the evening and our bellies. Many thanks to the Leyhanes for their hosting skills and energy.

Next Thursday will be our visit to the Mac Haydn Theatre in Chatham for a performance of “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Then, on Thursday, August 24, Ray Hannan will host a picnic at Eastwyck Village. If you haven’t yet let him know whether you will or will not attend — and how many will be in your party — please email him no later than Monday, August 21 at ray110b@yahoo.com one way or the other.

Meanwhile, here are some images from Thursday night’s event, courtesy of Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, and Carol Orvis.

The second and final cookout and pool party combo on our SRC “Summer Casual” calendar is set for 6 p.m. this Thursday at Jim Leyhane’s East Greenbush residence, hosted by Jim and Andy.

It’s a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring the kids, friends, etc. The only requirement: email Jim at Leyhane@aol.com by Tuesday evening to let him know if you plan to attend and how many will be in your party or even to inform him if you do not plan to join us.

(The latter request is to help us be assured all SRC members are receiving our periodic electronic communications and not missing an opportunity to socialize with fellow Rotarians and friends.)

Jim and Andy are taking care of the bulk of the meal, but we do ask attendees to bring a small appetizer or dessert to fill out the menu.

PLUS …
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If you have not yet made your contributions to our annual school supplies drive for needy kids in the Rensselaer City School District, you can give them to project coordinator Andy Leyhane at Thursday’s social event.

(If you need a reminder of the shopping “wish list” items, check the club website for a complete rundown. Please remember we need plenty of backpacks so the volunteers at Circles of Mercy can package the supplies for individual students,)

This is a major annual effort that fits into Rotary’s avenues of service mantra — education being one of them. We encourage Rotarians to get their kids or grandkids involved in the shopping for supplies to encourage a mindset of “kids helping kids.”

If for some reason you’re not involved in any of your club’s “Summer Casual” activities but nevertheless would like to contribute school supplies, please contact Andy for pickup. Couldn’t be simpler.

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SRC’s latest “Summer Casual” event went off beautifully when more than 30 people showed up Thursday evening at Roberto Martinez’s residence for a picnic-style meal and a lot of socializing.

In addition to many of “the usual suspects,” we also had an international flavor to the evening when we welcomed former Rotary Exchange Student Jasmine Bromberg of Denmark who spent the 2011-12 academic year here. Jasmine was in town for a visit, and presented a Rotary pennant from a Danish club to us. And, we heard from Michaela Rossetti who recently returned home after spending the academic year in Italy under the Rotary Exchange Student program.

Our thanks to host Roberto for all his efforts, and for everyone who contributed food as well as donations to our annual school supplies drive.

The next “Summer Casual” event is a pool party and cookout — guaranteed family friendly, so bring the kids — to be co-hosted by Jim and Andy Leyhane at Jim’s East Greenbush residence, 6 p.m. Thursday, August 10. Look for details in an upcoming email.

Here are some scenes from the Casa Roberto event:

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• This note went to all SRC members on Sunday:

Dear Fellow Rotarians, Families & Friends:

Our next “Summer Casual Event” is scheduled for 6 p.m. this Thursday, August 3, at the East Greenbush residence of SRC President Roberto Martinez.

Some of you already have RSVP’d your intentions to attend, but we’re asking for something slightly different this week as far as communications are concerned:

Roberto is requesting that you reply — no later than Tuesday — whether you will or will not attend. (And, if you will, how many guests you plan to bring.) This not only will help us get a more accurate headcount for purposes of food ordering, it also will assure us all SRC members are receiving our regular communications and are not missing an opportunity to socialize with their fellow Rotarians. (Our host’s email address is rrmtz@aol.com.)

Please plan to bring a small appetizer of dessert to help supplement the fare for this family-friendly get-together. And, if you missed last week’s event — a picnic and baseball game at Bruno Stadium — go to the club website or Facebook page for photo coverage.
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A SCHOOL SUPPLIES REMINDER — If you have not yet made your donations to our annual school supplies drive for needy student in the elementary and high school grades in the Rensselaer City School District, time is growing short. Please bring your contributions to the get-together at Roberto’s home, or contact project coordinator Andy Leyhane if you need pickup service. (Don’t remember the shopping list? Click here to have your memory refreshed.)

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A contingent from the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club braved threatening skies to attend the club’s annual outing to Bruno Stadium on Thursday evening for a pavilion picnic and ValleyCats baseball game.

The ‘Cats won, 5-2, on a grand slam home run by first baseman Colton Shaver, appearing in his first game with the team, defeating the visiting Staten Island Yankees who lead one of the New York-Penn League’s three divisions.

Several youngsters were selected to throw ceremonial “first pitches” before the game, among them Jim Leyhane’s grandson Ryan Malone, who looked particularly strong given the distance from mound to home plate in the professional game is 60 feet compared to the 46-foot Little League distance he is used to.

Here are a few scenes from the evening, courtesy of Bill Dowd, Terry Brewer, and Roberto Martinez.

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Southern Rensselaer County Rotary’s  first pool party and cookout of our “Summer Casual” season went off in fine fashion Thursday evening at Canadian Meadows, otherwise known as the Forth residence in East Greenbush. Many thanks once again to hosts Maggie and Murray for their generosity.

We have several other family-friendly events scheduled before the second pool party and cookout (August 10 at Chez Leyhane). Next up is our annual outing for a picnic and ValleyCats pro baseball game at Bruno Stadium next Thursday. All tickets in the reserved block have been sold, so if anyone else wants to attend they will have to obtain tickets for that date on their own. Then, on Thursday, August 3, we’ll be having a picnic at Roberto Martinez’s residence. Check the club calendar for the other events on the August schedule.

Meanwhile, here are a few scenes from Thursday’s get-together.

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Event coordinator Debbie Brown today issued a last call for reservations for SRC’s excursion to the Mac Haydn Theatre in Chatham to see  “Monty Python’s Spamalot” on Thursday, August 17.

If you would like to join us for this date on our “Summer Casual” schedule, Debbie needs to know by this Friday so she can arrange the tickets. Senior tickets are priced at $33, and general admission at $36.

Here are the people whose reservations have been received so far:

Pat Bailey
Debbie Brown
Peter Brown
April Dowd
Bill Dowd
Jeremy Forth
Maggie Forth
Murray Forth
Jim Leyhane
Roberto Martinez
Bonnie Nasca
Phil Nasca
Chuck Rodriguez
Debbie Rodriguez
Carole Spencer

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​1. Are you planning to attend this Thursday’s “Summer Casual” 6 p.m. pool party and cookout at Murray and Maggie Forth’s residence in East Greenbush?

2. Are you planning to bring guests to this family-friendly event?

3. Have you let the Forths know you’re coming and how many will be in your party?

If you answered “yes” to the first two questions, but “no” to the third, tonight is the reservation deadline, so please call the Forths ASAP so they can get a proper headcount. And, please plan to contribute a small appetizer or dessert to the festivities.

FOOTNOTE– As everyone has been notified several times, our annual school supplies drive for needy kids is under way. Please check the shopping list posted on the club website and bring your tax-deductible donations to one of our summer get-togethers. Thank you.

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