Julie Ritchie of Bees Knees bakery unfortunately had a scheduling conflict this week and has rescheduled for the later date of May 11, 2023. With an attempted surprise guest speaker falling through, this week’s meeting will be a general club assembly to discuss the current projects we have going on. We are currently collecting Easter Baskets for Circles of Mercy and we are preparing for our upcoming bowling event. Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.

Dinner choices: Chicken Ceasar Salad, Spaghetti with Meatballs, and Cheese Ravioli.

With Easter quickly approaching it is once again time for us to help support Circles of Mercy and their annual Easter Basket Program. They are asking for cellophane wrapped Easter baskets include the following items: coloring books, crayons, color pencils, facial tissues, toothpaste and tooth brushes, dental floss, hair combs and brushes, age appropriate (1 to 12 years old) small stuffed animals, toys, small games, or reading books, and of course various different types of traditional candy.

Circles of Mercy are asking that all items are delivered to them no later than March 31, 2023, so that they have ample time to deliver the baskets to the families before Easter. This gives us about 3 weeks to put our baskets together. The last collection day for our club will be the regular club meeting on Thursday March 30, 2023. Circles of Mercy will also take monetary donations which they will use towards this project.

Please note that seating is currently at capacity. Members who have already RSVP’d please arrive early, buffet style dinner will begin at 5:45. We are hoping to have everyone served and begin the presentation at 6:15. We are planning on making the presentation available to view using our Zoom link on the calendar page.

Due to the length of the presentation, there will be no regular business part of our meeting. Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club business will be discussed next week.

On Sunday, April 2nd from 2-4pm at the East Greenbush Bowling Center the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club will be holding a bowling event to support the Anchor Food Pantry of Castleton-on-Hudson and the Water for South Sudan Project, organized by 7th grade students from the Maple Hill junior/Senior School.

The cost is $16 per individual bowler or $50 for a family or student group of 4 with shoes included. Participants are encouraged to bring food items to benefit the Anchor Food Pantry. Requested food items include cereal, toiletries, instant mashed potato boxes, peanut butter, jelly, snack packages of crackers, and canned chicken.

The food pantry has reported a significant recent increase in demand for food. The Water for South Sudan Project raises funds for wells for clean drinking watering the South Sudan.

Please RSVP to participate or for more information, contact Phil Kellerman at Philkellerman77@gmail.com

Join us this Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 6:00pm at Moscatiello’s and hear our guest presenter Cathy Stone speak about the bond between humans and animals and how it relates to our emotional health. Her presentation will discuss what a therapy dog is, the benefits of animal assisted therapy, how to train and license a therapy dog, and give examples of the different programs in the Capital District.

Once again, if you can’t join us in person feel free to join us via Zoom using the link posted on the calendar page. Looking forward to seeing everyone this Thursday at Moscatiello’s.

Menu choices for this week: Penne in pesto cream sauce, Rustica salad, and Chicken Florentine

With this week’s scheduled speaker, Julie Ritchie of Bees Knees Bakery, feeling under the weather we have switched this week’s program to a general club assembly to discuss future projects and programs. Julie’s presentation will be rescheduled.

If you are unable to attend in person at Moscatiello’s at 6:00 pm, we will be offering a Zoom link on the calendar page so you may join remotely.

Please remember all raffle tickets and money associated with the tickets is due tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night’s menu: Baked Sausage with Peppers, Antipasto Salad, or Manicotti

Due to the weather conditions rapidly decreasing, we will be switching our meeting tonight to Zoom at 6:00 pm. The link is on the calendar page. Since we are unable to meet in person and collect the last of the raffle tickets, we will have to postpone our raffle drawing until next week’s meeting on January 26, 2023 at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s. Please stay safe if you are out traveling this afternoon and tonight.

On Thursday, January 10, 2023, Southern Rensselaer County Rotary member Phil Kellerman was a guest speaker at the Scotia Glenville Rotary Club’s lunch meeting. Phil provided the members with an update on the current state of immigration in the United States. Following his presentation, Phil stuck around to spread fellowship and answer several interesting questions for the group. Thank you Phil, for visiting and supporting other local clubs.

Important Business:

Tomorrow is the drawing for our Cafe Capriccio raffle to benefit our Community Youth Initiatives. Please make sure to bring, or make arrangements to deliver any additional sold tickets along with the money from those sales. Unfortunately the weather may not be cooperating.

In the event of inclement weather: If we feel the weather is unsafe to meet in person we will still meet virtually using the zoom link on the calendar page. If we switch to a virtual meeting I will send out a Remind Text alert along with a quick post on the email. In this scenario we will have to postpone the drawing until the following weeks meeting on January 26, 2023 at Moscatiello’s. Looking forward to hopefully seeing everyone tomorrow.

This week we return to Moscatiello’s for a general club assembly. We will reviewing and updating on current and upcoming programs and projects, as well as discussing new ones. We are looking for input from all club members, so please try to join us tomorrow night at Moscatiello’s at 6:00pm. If you are unable to attend in person, you may join us remotely using the link on the calendar page. There will be a board meeting immediately following the conclusion of our regular meeting. Any board members who can not attend may also join us remotely for the board meeting using the same link on the calendar page.

Dinner Choices for this week: Chicken Ceasar Salad, Chicken Marsala, or Baked Ziti

Other Club Business:

The raffle drawing is during next week’s (1/19/23) meeting, please continue to sell tickets. If you have any unsold tickets, please bring them tomorrow night. We have some members who have sold out and are looking for more to sell.

Rotary Dues:

If you chose to pay your Rotary Dues in two yearly payments, your second payment is now due. Please bring a check to this week’s meeting or mail your payment to Murray. Any questions please contact Murray Forth.

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.

As we welcome in 2023, we are preparing for our first meeting of the new year. Once again we will be meeting at Moscatiello’s at 6:00 pm on January 5, 2023. Richard Zazycki of Circles of Mercy in Rensselaer will be joining us as a guest speaker. Richard will be speaking about the programs Circles of Mercy offers and how the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club has partnered with them over the years in support of these programs. The menu choices will be Chicken Ceasar Salad, Beef Lasagna, or Penne Alfredo. If you are unable to attend this meeting but would like to join us remotely you may do so using the link on the calendar page. Please let Roberto or Kevin know if you would like to join this meeting remotely. Looking forward to seeing everyone again this Thursday.

Other Business:

There will be a board meeting following next weeks meeting on January 12, 2023.

With only a few weeks left until our raffle drawing, please continue to sell raffle tickets for the Cafe Capriccio private dinner.