Join us for a fun evening this Friday, July 14th at 6 pm for friendship, craft beers, food and music at S and S Farm Brewery at 174 Middle Road in Nassau.  Music scheduled for the night is Gone Grey and food trucks will be there representing Burger 21 and S&S Hayfield Grill. For more information contact Phil Kellerman at philkellerman77@gmail.com.  It is beautiful setting and we had a great time last year.

On Thursday July 6, 2023 we celebrated our first summer casual event hosted by the Browns. In addition to the night serving as a kickoff to our summer casual event season, it featured a Presidential Changeover as Peter Brown takes over the reigns from Kevin Leyhane and is now serving as the President of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club. In addition to fine food, family, friends and fellowship there was also a tour of the Browns’ spectacular gardens.

Our next summer casual event is scheduled for next Friday, July 14th 2023, at 6:00pm located at S&S Brewery in Nassau. Please note that this event is on a Friday due to Brewery being closed on Thursday.

Our first Summer Casual Event is this Thursday at 6:00 hosted by the Brown’s at their residence. This night will also mark our Presidential Changeover. As we have done in the past we ask that a small donation ($20 per person, $25 for a family) be made to the club. Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.

Please join us this week at Moscatiello’s on Thursday at 6:00pm to hear Dr. John Morley speak about “The Rising Costs of Health Care”. As usual if you can’t join us in person you can attend remotely to hear the presentation using the Zoom link on the calendar page.

Menu options for this week include Antipasto Salad, Portobello Ravioli, or Spaghetti with Meatballs or Sausage.

Please join us this Thursday night at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Family Italian Restaurant to listen to Carole Heaney’s presentation “Tackling the Taboo: Let’s Talk about Death”. Carole who has joined our club before speaking about Hospice care, says the conversation regarding death starts with, “What matters most to me through the end of life is……”

As usual if you are unable to join us in person, you may do so virtually using the link posted on the calendar page. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Menu choices: Chicken Caesar salad, Chicken Florentine, or Cheese Ravioli

Join us this week at Moscatiello’s on Thursday at 6:00 to hear District Membership Chair Raymond Anthony and Herb Klutz speak about attracting new members to our club and retaining the members that we already have. As usual if you can’t join us in person you may do so remotely using the link posted on our calendar page. Looking forward to seeing everyone this Thursday.

Dinner choices this week include: Rustica Salad with Chicken, Lasagna, or Penne alla Vodka

At this weeks meeting will be recognizing the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club’s scholarship award winners. Scholarship award winners from Columbia High School, Maple Hill High School, and Rensselaer High School along with guests will be in attendance. As usual if you are unable to attend in person you may join us remotely using the link located on our calendar page.

Menu choices this week include: Chicken Caesar salad, Spaghetti with Meatballs or Sausage, or Baked Zitti

Join us this week at Moscatiello’s on Thursday night at 6:00pm to hear Jim Bonesteel, Executive Director of the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. The Rensselaer Plateau is one of the largest and most ecologically intact native habitats in New York State. The preservation of this landscape for future generations is the vision of the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance.

The Plateau covers about 118,000 acres in the towns of Berlin, Brunswick, Grafton, Hoosick, Nassau, Petersburgh, Pittstown, Poestenkill, Sand Lake, Stephentown and the Village of East Nassau.

The RPA has recently begun steps to merge with the Rensselaer Land Trust.

As always, if you can’t join us in person, you may do so using the Zoom link located on our calendar page.

Menu choices this week include Antipasto Salad, Chicken Marsala, or Cheese Ravioli

Rotary Meeting (Moscatello’s) 5/25/23 Minutes

Menu: Rustica Salad with Chicken/Chicken Florentine/Portabella Ravioli

Members in attendance: Jim Lehayne, Peter Brown, Deb Brown, Pat Bailey, Andy Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Phil Kellerman, Dick Drumm, and via Zoom, Becky Raymond, Ray Hannan and Charlie Foote

Guests: Joan Bishop

Guest speaker: Ed Kellerman: The Beauty of Public Speaking

Next week: Jim Bonesteel from Rennselaer Plateau Alliance

Old Business:

Gift of Life Annual Golf Tournament – the upcoming week is the drawing for the Barrel of Booze fund-raiser for Gift of Life.

Town of Schodack Music and Movie Nights.

Pat and Phil reported they attended the first movie night at the Town Park and sold out of 25 boxes of popcorn at $3 dollars a box, and also sold some drinks for a gross net of $100 to the club. The attendance was fair but both thought the event for Rotary was quite successful.

Pete and Deb agreed to attend and have a table at the June 6th music in the park.  Phil suggested that popcorn be sold at the music events.  Becky agreed to join Deb Rodriguez for the August 1st music night. Phil agreed to attend the Friday, August 18 movie night and Ray and Pat agreed to join him.

Phil asked those volunteering to be in touch with him prior to their attendance so he could make arrangements to pick up popcorn.

Dues: Members were reminded to pay dues by June first. Roberto and Jim said that they would follow up with those who have not paid.

Check update: Phil said that there was no word from Christine Fowler on the initial check presented to the South Sudan Water Project. Murray was not in attendance to provide an update.

Membership update:  Danny from Casey’s wants to join and Mary Alice Caldes has paid to be a member.

New Business:

Becky discussed the Freedom from Fistula foundation and the lack of pre-natal care in Africa causing fistula.  She asked that the club make a donation and Roberto followed up by suggesting that the club match a donation by Rotaract of up to $200.  Members approved the motion.

Speaker:  Phil introduced his brother, Dr. Ed Kellerman, who spoke about “The Beauty of Public Speaking.” Dr. Kellerman addressed what makes a good public speaker and what makes one person more persuasive than another speaker.  He discussed how important it was for speakers to stick to no more that three main points during any talk, and that research was critical to boosting any talk.  Sticking to a time limit, proper eye contact and language, and fluency help make for good public speaking.  

Joining us at Moscatiello’s via Zoom for this week’s meeting is SRC’s Phill Kellerman’s brother Ed Kellerman as our guest presenter. Ed who visited our club a few weeks ago will be speaking on “The Beauty of Public Speaking”. Looking forward to seeing everyone this Thursday. Once again if you are unable to attend in person, you can join us via Zoom using the link on the calendar page.