Category: Holidays

What’s on the dinner menu for Thursday?

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We hope you are planning to join your fellow Rotarians for dinner this Thursday at Moscatiello’s? If so, you’ll have the choice of one of three entrees:

• spaghetti and meatballs with marina sauce
• chicken Caesar salad
• baked ziti

No need to reserve in advance. Just let us know your choice when you arrive. And remember, a cash bar is available to find a beverage complement to your meal. (If you’re not planning to attend, you can email your proxy to Debbie Rodriguez at debannrod@yahoo.com no later than Wednesday. You’ll be counted as “present” for quorum purposes.)

Our guest speaker will be Richard Zazycki, executive director of Circles of Mercy, who will share his thoughts on running a family aid organization under pandemic conditions.

And remember, Thursday will be one of just two drop-off days for your donations (the other is Wednesday, December 8) to our “Adopt-a-Family” holiday project. Coordinator Bill Dowd will be posted in the Moscatiello’s parking lot from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. each of those days to receive your wrapped-and-labeled donations. (Look for his white Subaru Impreza.)

NOTE: Please do not bring gifts into the restaurant, even if you plan to stay for dinner. We don’t want to intrude on other customers’ space.

Here’s the Adopt-a-Family shopping list update

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AS OF 7:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY, 12/8/21

THE LATEST:

We’re steadily adding to our pledges of “Adopt-a-Family” gifts for the Monroe family, although we still have plenty of “needs to have” shopping list items remaining to be claimed. In particular, the shopping list for the 12-year-old boy is in need of attention.

The last gift drop-off is scheduled for 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. this WEDNESDAY in the Moscatiello’s parking lot. Look for project coordinator Bill Dowd who will be there to load gifts into his car, a white Subaru Impreza. Please be sure all gifts are wrapped and tagged with the recipients’ names. If you are contributing gift cards, please be sure they are activated.

Scroll down for the latest spreadsheet update and check out what is NOT in red if you want to contribute. Also, if you’d prefer contributing a gift card, see below for some suggestions.

THE ORIGINAL POST:

We’re already doing great with our “Adopt-a-Family” effort for Circles of Mercy. As we progress, we’ll keep updating the spreadsheet below so those of you who wish to participate do not duplicate purchases.

Anyone who wants to supplement the overall gift for the Monroe family may wish to purchase gift cards for such businesses as Stewart’s, Walmart, Aldi, or any such place in the Rensselaer area.

You’ll note that only one family is on the spreadsheet. We had two, but the Greenbush YMCA is using its relationship with a local Target store to handle the other family, as explained in an e-mail sent to all members today.

Please note: Anything marked in red on the spreadsheet already has been spoken for. Please keep checking back on a daily basis to see what still is needed. All gifts must be wrapped and labeled with the intended recipient’s name. They may be dropped off to Bill Dowd in the Moscatiello’s parking lot between 5:30 and 6 p.m. Thursday, December 2, and Thursday, December 9.

Thanks to all who already are helping and those who will.

Here’s our Adopt-a-Family information

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SRC Rotary Club / Circles of Mercy


We have just received the names and shopping lists for the two families SRC has been assigned for the annual “Circles of Mercy Adopt-a-Family” project. The information is on the two spreadsheets shown below.

Here’s how we’re handling it this year in view of the fact we are not meeting in person each week

• Please select which item(s) you would like to donate, and email project coordinator Bill Dowd via SRCrotary@gmail.com to let him know your choices. He’ll continually update the spreadsheet on the club website so everyone can see it and avoid duplicating gifts already spoken for.

• All donations must be gift wrapped and clearly labeled as to recipient.

• Any monetary donations should be done in the form of gift cards placed in envelopes marked with the name of the intended recipients.

• Donations may be brought to our dinner meetings at Moscatiello’s on either December 2 (when Circles Executive Director Richard Zazycki will be our guest speaker) or December 9. Those are the only dropoff dates.

NOTES: 

• Bill has to inventory and deliver all donations to Circles by December 15, so your dropoffs in a timely fashion are very important. 

• Even if you don’t plan to stay for the dinner and meeting on those two dates, Bill will be available in the Moscatiello’s parking lot at the side of the building from 5:30 to 6 p.m. to accept your donations.

As always, thank you for your generosity. In these unusually trying times you’ll be helping needy families have a holiday they otherwise might not be able to imagine.

How are your raffle gift baskets coming along?

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After a COVID-induced break in our annual Holiday Party & Gift Basket Raffle last December, we’re back on schedule with a 3B (basket bidding battle) dinner at Moscatiello’s on Thursday, December 16.

We’ve been dropping large hints on how to come up with a theme for your baskets (in the $35-or-so range to create) to help jump-start your imaginations. Here are some more.

To begin with, “baskets” can be any type of container, such as these:

Then, of course, the contents are up to you. In the past, we’ve had wine baskets, candy collections, cheeses-and-crackers, movie-and-popcorn combos, children’s toys, soaps and lotions, craft beers and munchies … It’s limited only by your imagination. And, if you feel particularly creative, don’t feel constrained to creating just one basket. The more the merrier!

For those new to the process, it’s a simple one. Baskets are arranged on tables with bidding sheets next to them. Party-goers jot down their bids, with the highest bidder winning the basket. All proceeds go to the club’s general treasury to help support our community service initiatives.

So, be sure to mark December 16 on your calendar and plan to join your fully vaxxed fellow Rotarians and their guests at Moscatiello’s to ring in the holiday season in fine form.

Wine treat basket

Green thumb collection

Bloody Mary in a basket
Italian dinner in a colander
Something to satisfy the sweet tooth

YMCA’s Thanksgiving basket drive under way

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SRC President Debbie Rodriguez (left) presents a club check for $250 to SRC member Shannon Romanowski, director of the Greenbush YMCA, to help support the Y’s annual “Community Basket Brigade” for Thanksgiving.

The event feeds local families in need for the holiday, and the Y is accepting donations of money and basket items through Monday, November 15. Go here for details on the event and how you can participate.

YMCA’s ‘Basket Brigade’ Thanksgiving drive opens

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The Greenbush YMCA is seeking monetary donations to help underwrite its annual “Community Basket Brigade,” now under way.

“We would be grateful for any contributions to help fill our Thanksgiving baskets this year,” said SRC member Shannon Romanowski, director of the Y, adding, “We certainly could use the food donations. Donations can be dropped off at the Greenbush YMCA any time during our operating hours: 5:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:45 am/ to 7 p.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.”

Here is the flyer containing details of the drive. Note that the deadline is this coming Monday, November 15:

Have you started work on your themed baskets?

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After being forced to cancel our annual “SRC Holiday Party & Basket Auction” in December 2020 because of you-know-what, we’re planning to resume the event that has always provided us with good food, good fellowship, and a fun way to raise funds for the club treasury.

As veteran Rotarians know, the centerpiece of the event — scheduled for Thursday, December 16, at Moscatiello’s — is our gift basket silent auction. Spirited competitive bidding adds an element of surprise to the outcome.

Once again we’ll be asking you to come up with a themed basket to contribute to the festivities. It can be anything from color themes to beverage baskets to toy-box collections to … well, you’re limited only by your imagination.

To help spur those imaginations, here are a few suggestions that may be of help. But as always, the key is not to wait till the last minute.

Easter baskets delivered to Circles of Mercy

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Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez, shown above, delivered a gajillion — OK, 126 — Easter baskets to Circles of Mercy to conclude the annual “Baskets for Cate’s Kids” drive.Project coordinator Shannon Romanowski and a team at the Greenbush YMCA where she is executive director assembled the baskets, which will be distributed to children in need in the Rensselaer area.

“I can’t say enough about the amazing community we live in,” Shannon says. “Rotarians, Greenbush Y members and our dedicated volunteers came together to provide this amazing gift to the children in Rensselaer. 

“Thank you to all who helped make these baskets special, and a huge shout-out to Roberto and Jim for their help in making the delivery.  Our community continues to deliver when it comes to helping those in need.”

Thanks to all who participated by donating baskets, basket contents, and money to purchase some necessary items. We have been partnering with Circles of Mercy for about seven years on this particular effort and have created and donated approximately 800 baskets.

Happy birthday to us!

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Sixty-one years ago on this date, the foundation for what now is the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club was laid when the newly-chartered East Greenbush club met for the first time.

The name was changed in the 1990s to reflect the expansion of its area of membership and service, and the organization continues to this day to be one of the premier community service entities in the Capital Region.

So, if you’re baking or grocery shopping today, why not include a cake in your plans, and light a bunch of candles in honor of SRC?