Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (12): Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Pat Bailey, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Dick Drumm, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Ray Hannan, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane.

Guests (2): Tom Burdick, Dawn Vavala.

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MEETING NOTES: President Andy welcomed 12 members (a quorum) and two guests. … Doris Calamaras announced that she wants to raffle several afghans she has purchased and donate the money to Gift of Life. There was a suggestion to sell the raffle tickets at the Gift of Life Golf Tournament in September. … Phil Kellerman provided an update on proceeds from the sale of CDs released at the recent SRC concert to benefit the Oley Foundation have reached $1,100. Mike McCarthy, one of the performers on the CD, will perform on the back patio at My Place & Co. (1640 Columbia Turnpike) on Sunday, July 7. …

Visiting Rotarian Dawn Vavala, who provides Rotary-branded clothing merchandise throughout the District, reported that sales of the special Rotary Foundation shirts has raised $1,500 for the Foundation. … Jim Leyhane talked about the Rotary Run & Festival for Good, to be held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham on Saturday, October 10. The event will include 5K and 10K runs, and offer attendees  food and beer trucks as well as events for kids and families. Profits will go to GOL and ShelterBox.

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PROGRAM: The District’s Gift of Life President Tom Burdick presented a video about District 7190 and GOL. He noted how much our club has supported the Gift of Life over the years.

He noted that the District helped fund three medical teaching missions to Bucharest, Romania, donating $15,000 for each of the missions. GOL now has become the largest pediatric cardiology non-profit organization in the world.

The District is arranging and funding one or two such operations a year at Albany Medical Center. The GOL feels it is financially better to send teams abroad to train medical personnel, but some children continue coming to Albany because they do not have sufficient facilities in their home country. The Samaritan’s Purse philanthropic organization is being used as a partner because it can have patients fly into Albany instead of New York City. They also bring in an interpreter.

Tom said the District’s second GOL run held several weeks ago drew 200 runners and raised $2.500.  A lot of the work was done by the students.

Dawn Vavala spoke about GOL’s clothing donation bins and the need to get more out of Rotary members and friends. Also, people can donate through Amazon Smile and Amazon donates 0.5% of purchases.

In other activities, the GOL is looking for board members.  Interested parties can contact Tom. The organization also is considering a rum tasting fundraiser. The annual GOL Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, September 16.

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NEXT MEETING: We will present $1,000 scholarship checks to a number of graduating high school seniors, an activity postponed from this week. Plus, Kevin Leyhane will present “Music Trivia, Part Deux.”

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Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (14): Andy Leyhane, Pat Bailey, Peter Berry, Geoff Brewer, Terry Brewer, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Dean Calamaras, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Murray Forth, Jim Leyhane, Becky Raymond, Debbie Rodriguez.

Guests: None.

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MEETING NOTES: President Andy Leyhane welcomed members, who constituted a quorum. … It was reported that selections have been finalized for our annual youth scholarship awards. We will be presenting $1,000 checks to one graduating senior each from Columbia, Maple Hill, and Rensselaer high schools. … Students at Goff Middle School are planning to host a kickball tournament at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 9, to raise money for their clean water project.  All teams are signed up, but they could use some help from SRCmembers in manning signup, scoreboard, and concession tables. …

We now have two dates filled on our July-August Summer Casual Calendar — a Thursday, July 18, pavilion picnic and ValleyCats pro baseball game at Bruno Stadium on the Hudson Valley Community College campus (Terry Brewer is taking reservation requests); a performance of “Ragtime: The Musical” at Mac-Haydn Theatre preceded by dinner at Yiannis at the Chatham House on Thursday, August 1 (Debbie Brown is taking reservations for both). Dates still up for grabs: July 11 and 25, and August 8, 15, and 22. … Our annual Presidential Changeover, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 27, will be hosted by Jim Leyhane at his residence, when his son Andy hands over the presidency to Phil Kellerman for the 2019-20 Rotary Year. …

The under-development Troy Rotary Club will hold its first public information-and-recruitment session from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Troy Kitchen food hall,  77 Congress Street. All are welcome since SRC is the sponsoring club for Troy, and Bill Dowd and Terry Brewer are part of the steering committee for the effort. … A Danes Rotaract contingent — SRC members John Justino, the faculty adviser,and Becky Raymond, one of the liaisons, plus Immediate Past President Lindsey Riback — plans to  visit the Freedom From Fistula Foundation office in New York City to learn about fundraising opportunities.

PROGRAM: Peter Berry, SRC’s newest member and a longtime Rotarian who recently moved here from South Africa, gave an interesting talk about the history of South Africa and how it tied into his own experiences in Rotary.

Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (13): Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Debbie Brown, Dick Drumm, Ray Hannan, Roberto Martinez, Ron Annis, Peter Berry, Charlie Foote, Julius Frankel.

Guests (5): Monika Annis, Effie Frankel, Chris Jones, Kelly Walborn, Vivian Behm.

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MEETING NOTES — President Andy welcomed members and guests. … Murray Forth reported that the club’s take for the recent Recycling & Shredding Day would come to about $1,250 for our scholarships and other programs. He noted that once again we had trouble with the company doing the shredding, and that we may be looking for a new vendor before the next such event. … Phil Kellerman updated us on revenue produced for the Oley Foundation fundraiser from the recent concert. Counting CD sales, it now is just short of $900. …

Jim Leyhane reported that the planned Rotary Run & Festival of Good, scheduled to be held in September, was being moved to October 10, 2020, due to the inability of local law enforcement to complete planning for its role in the event to be held in Chatham. … Bill Dowd reported that the second planning meeting for potential creation of a Troy Rotary Club had been held, and that a public information and signup meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Troy Kitchen food court, 77 Congress Street in downtown Troy. Bill and Terry Brewer are serving as mentors for the new club and SRC is its sponsoring organization. … Tom Burdick, president of the board of the District 7190 Gift of Life, will be our guest at next week’s meeting, June 6.

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PROGRAM — Chris Jones, certified in a relatively new medical field by the American Board of Lifetyle Medicine (its inaugural exam was held in 2017), presented a look at how new research and practices in the healing and preventative medical arts are being used to improve health and quality of life for people of all ages.

While stressing that this field is not “alternative medicine,” Chris said it is a holistic approach to treatment. He touched on the benefits of healthy eating patterns, exercise, regular coaching sessions with a Lifestyle Medicine provider, meditation, behavioral modification, the realization that the process is an ongoing one, and numerous other points.

Among his “quick tips” for a healthy lifestyle:

• Get off the dieting roller-coaster by eliminating refined sugar and processed foods

• Make an appointment and be expected

• Don’t quit trying to quit

• Reduce stress by keeping it simple

• Remember that pills are never the answer

• Practice random acts of kindness.

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Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (13): Murray Forth, Jim Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Bill Dowd, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Debbie Rodriguez, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Ray Hannan, Pat Bailey, Terry Brewer, Becky Raymond.

Guests: None.

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MEETING NOTES: Murray Forth and Phil Kellerman presided in the absence of President Andy Leyhane. … Terry Brewer and Bill Dowd reported on their participation in an organizational meeting for a Troy club. District 7190 has allocated $2,000 in seed money for startup costs, and SRC has been designated the sponsoring club. Another planning meeting and a public informational/recruitment event have been scheduled in May and June. …

Murray distributed a signup sheet for volunteers to staff the Saturday, May 18, Recycling & Shredding Day. … Phil Kellerman reported that plans have been completed for next Thursday’s special meeting, “An Hour of Live Music” fundraiser for the Oley Foundation. A pizza-and-wings member dinner will be held from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m., concert 6:30 to 7:30. The event is open to the public.

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PROGRAM: “An Introduction to Yoga”

SRC member Becky Raymond, a certified yoga instructor, presented an introductory talk about the positive effects of yoga. That was followed up by a session of “chair yoga,” with Becky leading attendees in a series of stretching and bending exercises accompanied by a narrative of what such moves do physiologically and mentally.

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Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (12): Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth, Jim Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Bill Dowd, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Berry, Dick Drumm, Roberto Martinez, Maggie Forth.

Guests (1): Jeremy Forth.

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MEETING NOTES: President Andy greeted members and guest Jeremy Forth. … The main order of business was presented, at Andy’s request, by Bill Dowd: Nomination of a slate of officers for the 2019-20 Rotary Year. Although special, personalized invitations had been sent to all members to participate — especially those members who rarely participate in club activities, we barely put together a quorum. As Bill explained, all SRC members had been forwarded a list of candidates to be voted on at this meeting to accomplish two things: (1.) to put a Board in place in time for our application for a District Grant by the June 1 deadline, and (2.) to put a presidential succession plan in place before the end of the current fiscal year as required by our Bylaws. Bill also noted that nominating Dick Drumm as President-elect would put him in line to be club president during our 60th anniversary year — an unusual combination of a charter member serving as president for a 60th anniversary, certainly a first. The slate of candidates for 2019-20, approved without dissent by those in attendance and giving us the maximum allowable of 11 members:

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, Debbie Rodriguez, Dean Calamaras

… Murray Forth said he will circulate next week a volunteer signup sheet to work the Saturday, May 18, “Recycling & Shredding Day,” a major fundraiser for scholarships and youth programs. … … Bill also reported that he and Terry Brewer, the District 7190 membership chair, would be attending an organizational meeting on Monday as part of an effort to revive a Troy club to succeed the one that went out of existence several years ago. If it comes to fruition, SRC will be the sponsoring club. All discussions so far have been via electronic means; this will be the first in-person session. …

It was reported that Ray Hannan successfully underwent a medical procedure this week, and hopes to resume Rotary activities next week. … The Advertiser published our full news release on our Oley Foundation fundraiser, “An Hour of Live Music with Phil Kellerman & Friends,” scheduled for Thursday, May 9. We will have a members-only pizza-and-wings dinner from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m., concert at 6:30. … Next Thursday’s dinner meeting will begin with Becky Raymond’s brief  “Introduction to Yoga” session, THEN dinner. Please be sure to RSVP when dinner coordinator Debbie Brown sends out her weekly request for invitations.

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PROGRAM: Bill Dowd presented his 5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test, a friendly competition won by a different person each year. That held true again, with the team of Maggie and Jeremy Forth edging out Debbie Rodriguez in a tiebreaker session.

The winners received a pristine copy of “Ken Jennings’s Trivia Almanac,” written by the all-time winningest contestant on TV’s long-running “Jeopardy” game show series.

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Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (15): Andy Leyhane, Jim Leyhane. Pat Bailey, Phil Kellerman, Bill Dowd,  Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Berry, Terry Brewer. Geoff Brewer, Ray Hannan, Dick Drumm, Robert Martinez, Charlie Foote.

Guests (1): Betty Brewer.

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MEETING NOTES: President Andy greeted attendees. … Medical update: Terry Brewer returned this evening, recuperating well from knee replacement surgery. Murray Forth, who last week underwent the same procedure, is expected to return in a few weeks. … Project coordinator Debbie Brown reported that 106 baskets were delivered to Circles of Mercy for the organization’s annual Easter baskets drive for needy kids. Our partners this year providing a combination of donations, packaging, and delivering the baskets were the Greenbush YMCA, Cub Scout Pack 253, and the Danes Rotaract club. Thanks to them and to all SRC members and friends who donated basket items. … Jim Leyhane shared information on Rotary shirts available from Dawn Vavala and her Night Owl Marketing company. They come in 18 different colors and several different styles. See Jim if interested. …

A little more than $200 was raised at the most recent Rotary Home Cooking dinner, hosted by Dean and Doris Calamaras. This was the second event in the series, but we have no others on the schedule. Anyone who would like to create and host an event for May or June is asked to contact President Andy ASAP with details of theme and date. … Members were reminded to save the date of Saturday, May 18, for our next Recycling & Shredding Day (click on the link for details), a major fundraiser for youth scholarships and other community service efforts. Next week we will circulate a signup sheet for volunteers for the event. It’s a fun few hours for any who wish to participate, and a easy way to be involved in community service. …

Terry, who is the District Membership Committee lead, reiterated that he and Bill Dowd are working with Past District Governor Fred Daniels to help facilitate the resurrection of the Troy club that folded several years ago, leaving SRC as the lone Rotary club in Rensselaer County. Several options have been presented, including folding any interested Troy people into the existing Hudson Shores club (Watervliet, Green Island, etc.), or recreating a standalone Troy club with SRC as its sponsor. …. Phil Kellerman reminded everyone of the benefit concert scheduled for 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.” That week only, the club dinner will be held from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m., with the concert at 6:30.  Go here for more details. … Next Thursday, April 25, we’ll hold the 5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test (click on the link for details). Guests are welcome to this event which has had a different winner each year. This year’s winner will receive a copy of the “Jeopardy” all-time champ’s book, “Ken Jennings’s Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions In 365 Days.”

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PROGRAM: Bill Dowd, who is working on a collection of his original short stories based largely on travels during more than four decades of journalism, read four of the stories to the audience.

They included, “Headed South In North America, and Vice Versa,” a trip to the Canadian border and to Mexico; “Into the Sort-of Rain Forest,” a strange interlude with wild boars and beer on the Caribbean island of St. Croix; “Times Are Tough In Bunker Hill,” antiquing and haggling in the West Virginia panhandle portion of the Shenendoah Valley, and, “A Lemon Frock and a Cold Wadadli,” a journey to a steel drum concert on the former British island colony on Antigua with an ephemeral  visitor.

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Held at Quigley’s Restaurant
573 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Members Attending (14): Andy Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Doris Calamaras, Dean Calamaras, Ray Hannan, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Pat Bailey, Peter Brown, Becky Raymond, Phil Kellerman, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Peter Berry.

Guests: None.

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MEETING NOTES: President Andy greeted attendees, noting this meeting had been designated as a Club Assembly to discuss current business and projects. … Medical updates: Murray Forth’s knee replacement went well this week and he is recuperating at home. Terry Brewer continues recuperating from his knee replacement, and says he will rejoin us when he gets medical clearance to drive. … Several attendees asked if a new date had been set for the “Recycling & Shredding Day” postponed from this Saturday due to a conflict with Rensselaer County’s free recycling day. Webmaster Bill Dowd reminded them that everyone should already have been aware of the new date — Saturday, May 18 — because they had been emailed a revised flyer back on April 5 with the new date and other information. Plus, the new date has been posted on the website and Facebook page and entered into the website Calendar page since April 5.  …

Discussion was held concerning plans to apply for a 2019-20 District Grant. Becky Raymond and Bill Dowd reported on the grants management seminar they attended last Saturday on behalf of the club. Details of the grant plans will be on the discussion agenda of the next SRC Board meeting (scheduled for next Thursday, April 18, after the regular meeting). Currently, we are considering applying for one $1,500 grant to cover both youth scholarships and support for the Freedom From Fistula Foundation. … We will have a student contingent joining us on May 16 to talk about their Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) experience. Several suggestions were made about requiring, rather than simply inviting, all students who receive RYLA tuition from SRC to attend a dinner meeting to discuss their experience, and to speak to their schools about the series to help spark ongoing student interest. …

Jim Leyhane reported on a meeting with the police chief and the new mayor of Chatham in conjunction with planning for the October 12 trail run we are organizing. The event, for which we hope to include food trucks, entertainment, and so forth to create a festival atmosphere, will  be held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. … Terry, who is the District Membership Committee lead, and Bill are working with Past District Governor Fred Daniels to help facilitate the resurrection of the Troy club that folded several years ago, leaving SRC as the lone Rotary club in the county.  … Roberto Martinez volunteered to look into setting up a credit card account for the club to be used to accept payments for dinner meeting fees, recycling day payments, and other needs.

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COMING UP: Next Thursday, April 18, Bill Dowd will present a reading of original short stories involving offbeat travel. … The following Thursday, April 25, we’ll hold the 5th annual Great North American Whizbang Trivia Test. Guests are welcome to this event which has had a different winner each year. … Becky Raymond will lead a brief exercise as part of her May 2 program “Exploring Yoga.” We’ll have dinner after that, rather than at the beginning of the meeting. … Phil Kellerman reminded everyone of the benefit concert scheduled for 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.” Go here for more details.

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