Dean and Doris Calamaras have claimed the August 18 date on our “Summer Casual” calendar to host an event.

Their menu and other details are to be announced. Judging by past events at their home, it will be an interesting and luscious repast.

Here is the updated calendar. If you wish to reserve one of the three remaining July-August dates to host or arrange an event, please do so ASAP and send your info via email to SRCrotary@gmail.com.

We now have events scheduled for the first two Thursdays of our annual “Summer Casual” schedule.

The Leyhanes — Jim, Kevin, and Andy — and Roberto Martinez have set Thursday, July 21, as a jointly sponsored pool party and cookout at Jim’s East Greenbush residence. It’s a family-friendly event with kids welcome and encouraged.

See the schedule below for remaining July-August dates for you to host or plan field trips. If you want one of the dates locked in, please contact the club at SRCrotary@gmail.com.

Debbie and Peter Brown are planning to host a picnic at their Castleton residence on Thursday, July 14. It will kick off our “Summer Casual” schedule of events that traditionally substitute for formal meetings in July and August.

Details will be provided closer to the day of the event.

Meanwhile, take a look at the calendar below (it’s regularly updated on the club website calendar page) to find available “Summer Casual” dates if you’d like to host or arrange a family-friendly event.

Over the years, we have enjoyed such events as professional summer theater performances, group restaurant visits, ValleyCats baseball and picnic at Bruno Stadium, a vineyard wine tasting, several pool parties, ice cream socials, and various cookouts and picnics on our schedule.

We are in the waning stages of the 2021-22 Rotary Year. That means several things, among them:

• Dues for 2022-23 are due no later than June 1.

• We will be voting on May 12 for a slate of officers for the next Rotary Year.

• Our Presidential Changeover Dinner, at Moscatiello’s, is scheduled for June 30 when Debbie Rodriguez hands the gavel to Kevin Leyhane.

AND …

• Planning may begin for our “Summer Casual” schedule of events in July and August when we take our annual two-month break from formal meetings.

On that last item, the calendar below shows the available dates for anyone wishing to host or arrange a family-friendly summer event. Over the years we have enjoyed each others’ company at pool parties, picnics, cookouts, baseball games, professional theater performances, winery dinners, ice cream socials, and so on. We’re limited only by our imaginations.

If you would like to reserve one of the “Summer Casual” dates. please contact Kevin Leyhane.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (12): Debbie Rodriguez, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Ron Annis, Ray Hannan, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Dick Drumm, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Andy Leyhane, Kevin Leyhane.

GUESTS (8): Monika Annis, Lois Hannan; Mary Drumm; Kara, Ashton, and Allistair Leyhane; Kara and Emma Leyhane.

The final event of our annual July-August “Summer Casual” schedule was held Thursday under sunny skies, rather than the overcast/rainy ones we’ve been experiencing.

Debbie and Peter Brown graciously hosted a patio dinner of appetizers, chicken, cole slaw, potatoes, salad, desserts and beverages. Plus, the pool was open and freshly stocked with kids.

BUSINESS ITEMS:

• President Debbie Rodriguez thanked those who filled in for her recently, as well as those working on finding a new meeting home for the club while the Quigley’s sale situation remains unresolved.

• We’re off next week for the long Labor Day holiday period, but will resume weekly meetings with a 6 p.m. Zoom session on Thursday, September 9. Members should check the club website calendar page and click on the link for that date to gain access to the meeting.

• Our first in-person dinner meeting of the 2021-22 Rotary Year is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, September 16, at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant on Route 4 in North Greenbush just south of Hudson Valley Community College. Details on menu, pricing, etc., will be shared as they are firmed up.

Meanwhile, here are some images from Thursday’s event, courtesy of Roberto:

Only a few events remain on our “Summer Casual” schedule, and the RSVP deadline for one of them is tomorrow (Friday).

This evening, our “Dinner & a Show” outing in New Lebanon found SRC members and friends treating themselves to dinner at Mario’s Restaurant followed by the opening night performance of “Night & Day,” a Cole Porter musical, at The Theater Barn.

Next up is a dinner at the Schodack Diner hosted by Ray and Lois Hannan. If you plan to attend but haven’t yet contacted them, please do so by Friday via email (ray110b@yahoo.com) or by calling 585-315-1385.

Here’s the remainder of the summer schedule before we resume weekly member meetings.

Members Attending (7): Pat Bailey, Dick Drumm, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Ray Hannan, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown.

Guests (3): Lois Hannan, Mary Drumm, Susie the Cat

Pizza, ice cream, socializing … and a pussycat. And, or course, rain. In this odd summer after the worst of all summers in 2020, it almost always is rain. You never know what you’re going to come across at an SRC “Summer Casual” event.

That’s what was involved at the Thursday event hosted by Pat Bailey — for which the club thanks her. In addition, plenty of donations were dropped off for our annual role in Circles of Mercy’s school supplies drive for kids in the Rensselaer City School District.

By the way, the next opportunity to drop off school supplies donations is at the Thursday, August 12, dinner being hosted by Ray and Lois Hannan at the Schodack Diner, 1842 Columbia Turnpike. If you’re fully vaxxed and plan to attend, be sure to call or email the Hannans no later than Friday, August 6. Contact info: ray110b@yahoo.com or 585-315-1385 (note this is NOT a 518 area code number).

A couple of housekeeping notes:

• The Thursday, August 5, outing in New Lebanon begins at 5 p.m. at Mario’s Restaurant, after which we will head for The Theater Barn for a musical play. Theater tickets will be distributed by event coordinator Bill Dowd at the dinner.

• If you won’t be attending the August 12 dinner at the Schodack Diner but want to drop off donated school supplies, please make a point of contacting the Hannans to arrange it so we don’t miss the deadline for drop-off at Circles of Mercy.

• We have filled the lone open slot in our July-August “Summer Casual” with Debbie and Peter Brown volunteering to host the club on Thursday, August 26, our last social event before resuming formal meetings in September. Details to come. (Make a point of checking the website.)

• President Debbie Rodriguez will hold a Board meeting in the next week or two to discuss, among other topics, our meeting arrangements for the fall. At last report, owner John Walsh is about to close a deal to sell the Quigley’s sports bar, and he told Murray Forth the prospective buyer is interested in having SRC continue meeting there. However, the timetable is unclear. Details on whether we will meet via Zoom or in person, or a combination of the two, will be announced once finalized.

Meanwhile, here are some images from Thursday:

Susie, the co-host for the evening.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (14): Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Charlie Foote, Dick Drumm, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Phil Kellerman, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Murray Forth, Maggie Forth.

GUESTS: Mary Drumm, Jeremy Forth, Carrie Leyhane, Kara Leyhane, Lauren Carnahan, plus several other guests and kids.

Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez co-hosted the “Summer Casual” pool party and catered picnic at Jim’s residence. A special thanks to both of them for their generosity in underwriting the cost of the event. All monetary donations made by attendees go to the club treasury to help support our many community service efforts.

Items of business:

• Murray Forth reported that he has been in contact with John Walsh at Quigley’s. John told him he was “within days” of finalizing the sales of his sports bar and said the new owners are interested in having SRC return to its meeting space there. However, because the building needs to undergo extensive renovations, no timeline is available for now. We will continue looking for alternative meeting venues.

• Next week’s “Summer Casual” event — a pizza and ice cream social — has been moved to Pat Bailey’s residence at 244 Boyce Road in Nassau. Food and some beverages will be provided. Attendees may bring any desserts or apps they wish to share. All fully vaxxed Rotarians and friends are invited, along with the kids. The deadline for reservations is Tuesday, July 27. You can contact Pat at 518-766-0215 or baileyps26@gmail.com.

• Anyone who needs bar code stickers for Clynk container recycling bags can contact Bill Dowd. Just let him know how many stickers are needed, and he’ll mail them to you. Proceeds of the recycling program go toward the club’s support of ShelterBox.

• We’re in the midst of our annual collection of back-to-school supplies for kids in the Rensselaer City School District. The preferred shopping list and other details are on the website.

Meanwhile, a few images from Thursday’s get-together, taken by Bill and Roberto.

Dinner time. Abandon all floats!

We’re switching the location of our Thursday, July 29, pizza and ice cream “Summer Casual” event. Pat Bailey will be hosting it at her residence, 244 Boyce Road, Nassau, beginning at 6 p.m. The RSVP deadline is this coming Tuesday, 7/2. Please be sure to let Pat know your plans by that date. All fully vaxxed adults plus kids are welcome to attend. Please plan to bring your own beverages. (If the weather is hot, Pat said she’ll set up the sprinkler for the kids — and any adventuresome adults —  to enjoy.)