In case the rain this week removed most of the snow where you live, let this scene provide you with the proper mood for a white Christmas. The happiest of holidays to all from the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club, and a healthy and better 2021!

Chuck Chera, a well-known District 7190 Rotarian who was the charter president of the Twin Bridges Rotary Club, died on Saturday after a long illness. As the club, which serves the Halfmoon/Clifton Park area, announced on its Facebook page: “Chuck was the force that started the Twin Bridges Rotary Club. Chuck also gave birth to our signature community service project, ‘The Spirit of Thanksgiving.’ “As a true Rotarian, Chuck treasured serving our community. Chuck was involved with the Gift of Life, helping to heal children’s hearts. His passion for Rotary knew no bounds. Chuck made Rotary a family affair, involving his children and his grandchildren. To say that he will be missed is an understatement. “Services will be limited to immediate family until something can be planned after COVID-19. Donations can be made in his name to the Twin Bridges Rotary Club Foundation.” Rich Griesche, 710 district governor, said, “He touched the lives of so many of us in District 7190 and beyond.  Many of our current Rotarians were brought into Rotary by Chuck.  … May you rest in peace, my dear friend.”

The District 7190 Nominating Committee has selected a leader for the 2023-24 Rotary Year.

“It gives me great pleasure today to inform you that the Nominating Committee has completed the task of choosing our District Governor Nominee Designee — Whitney Pangburn, of the Scotia Rotary Club,” said current DG Richard Griesche.

Whitney currently is chair of the district’s Next Gen committee that works to recruit and retain new Rotarians and help all of us adapt to changing times for service organizations.

Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (15): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Charlie Foote, Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Ray Hannan, Roberto Martinez, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Kevin Leyhane, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Terry Brewer, Geoff Brewer.

GUESTS: None.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed members. He noted that this is the final meeting of 2020 since we will be on hiatus for the Christmas and New Year’s weeks, and that due to pandemic restrictions we are not holding our annual Holiday Party & Theme Basket Auction. … Coordinator Bill Dowd thanked members, family, and friends for their extreme generosity to the annual Adopt-a-Family project, undertaken in conjunction with the Circles of Mercy family aid organization. He collected and delivered “two packed-to-the-gills carloads of gifts” for the two families we adopted this year. …

Treasurer Murray Forth reported that checks for grants in varying amounts have been sent out to four local food pantries (The Anchor, Doors of Hope, CoNSERNS-U, Food for Families) totaling $1,840; ShelterBox, $1,300; Mooncatcher Project, $500, and Goff Middle School Staff Appreciation, $250 via an individual gift. … Jim Leyhane reported that sales of scented soaps as holiday gifts are going strong and projects $1,400 to $1,500 for the club treasury because he and Roberto Martinez front the initial setup costs. … Phil Kellerman reported $50 from sales and his matching amount resulted in $100 for the treasury from coffee sales. …

Debbie Rodriguez mentioned that the Medical Reserve Corps of the Rensselaer County Department of Health is looking for volunteers. The MRC’s mission is to improve the health and safety of our community by organizing and training volunteers to supplement existing emergency response resources when public health is threatened. MRC volunteers are local citizens interested in helping their community during large-scale public health emergencies. They may include licensed medical professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and veterinarians, as well as non-medical community members with an interest in public health who fill key support positions.

Back in early November, District 7190 Governor Rich Griesche invited all SRC members to participate in a “Rotary Opens Opportunities” multi-district event involving Rotarians from 7190 as well as 7170, 7150, and 7120.

What’s that, you say? You missed it because of the busy Thanksgiving weekend? Well, Rich is inviting you again, this time on your own schedule via ZOOM.

“Here is the link for anyone who was unable to join us, or if you want to review the information that was presented. There is very valuable information included here, with a couple of attachments that were part of the meeting.  Please review and let me know if you have any questions,” Rich says. The link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/n2hlU2qmeg0qeOo-XS_BjfSPecxeYRgIcHNaKJ3kcGatjp7Bky3ey0_kBBgOORGM.nbEhDkaYTYQ8I7Rs?startTime=1606779023000

Sharing this season together is the greatest gift of all. And, once again, the members and friends of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club have been overwhelmingly generous.

Two carloads of gifts for our two “adopted” families have been delivered to Circles of Mercy headquarters in Rensselaer, the final one this afternoon to wrap up our sixth consecutive year of cooperating with that family aid organization.

Thanks to all who chipped in with gift items and gift cards for the adults and children of the two families, be it from their wish lists or additional ideas you devised. You have assured these needy families of a Christmas much better than what they could have accomplished on their own.

As our friend Richard Zazycki, executive director of Circles of Mercy, put it today: “I’m overwhelmed. You people are truly amazing.”

(NOTE: Anyone not thoroughly familiar with the works of Circles of Mercy can get the details by clicking here.)

One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is food insecurity, with families ordinarily not in need now experiencing shortages because of lost income.

The Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club has identified four (4) food pantries in our area of service. Some members who already have mailed in lump-sum contributions as part of this year’s fundraising effort (click here to refresh your memory on that process) have designated food pantry support as one thing they would like part of their donations to help underwrite.

However, other members still can contribute during this holiday period when food pantries experience particularly heavy demand.

A food pantry donation can be made through the club with a check made payable to “SRC Rotary Club” and “food pantry” in the memo line. But, please let Treasurer Murray Forth know ASAP that you plan to contribute so he can figure in that amount to the pool of pantry dollars he’s about to send out to the pantries. If you prefer, you can send checks directly to the pantries. But, if you do so, we ask that you please put “SRC Rotary Club” in the memo line.

The four pantries:

• Food for Families (headquartered at Columbia High School, but serving families throughout the entire district at all grade levels)

Checks should be made payable to “Michael Leonard,” and mailed to:

Michael Leonard
Athletic Director / Food for Families Coordinator
Columbia High School
962 Luther Road

East Greenbush, NY 12061

• CoNSERNS-U (a food pantry operated out ot the City of Rensselaer by Catholic Charities Tri-County Services )

Checks should be made payable to “CoNSERNS-U,” and mailed to:
Jessica ZintCoNSERNS-U Program CoordinatorCatholic Charities Tri-County ServicesP.O. Box 28, 50 Herrick StreetRensselaer, NY 12144

• The Anchor Food Pantry (a pantry and thrift store service of the Cooperative Christian Ministries of Schodack)

Checks should be made payable to “The Anchor Food Pantry,” and mailed to:

Paula Sancomb, Manager

The Anchor Food Pantry

P.O. Box 92, 35 Boltwood Avenue,

Castleton on Hudson, NY 12033
• Doors of Hope (a community-based food pantry and thrift store that recently moved to new quarters)

Checks should be made to payable to “Doors of Hope Food Pantry,” and mailed to:
Doors of Hope Food Pantry
P.O. Box 522, 12 Mall Way
West Sand Lake, NY 12196

There’s a national discussion going on about the pros and cons of scrubbing college loan debt for many people. We at SRC have a way to help “pre-scrub” the costs of college or post-high school training courses — by awarding scholarships to local high school seniors each year.

This year, to help underwrite that initiative, we have been selling handcrafted scented soaps.

Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez started the project back in October, and have sold nearly all of the first batch of 100 cakes of soap. And, they have just received 100 more cakes with some new scents, all of which would make great presents for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and any other occasion you can think of, especially for the person who has everything.

The soaps are available on a first-come, first-served by contacting Roberto or Jim who will arrange for delivery. Just check our website’s Member Contact Data page for their phone numbers and email addresses if you don’t have them.

The products are plant based, meaning they derive primarily from plants and natural sources. Simplicity is beauty. They are made in Syracuse, and therefore are Upstate Local. As we like to say, they don’t kill anything, they just soothe you and make you feel good, a very welcome treat in this stressful pandemic era.

Price: $7 per cake, or three for $20. Jim and Roberto footed the bulk purchase of the soaps, so all sales proceeds go directly to our club treasury to help fund the annual SRC Rotary Scholarships.

Here’s what we have to offer, and their appealing scents: 10 bars each of …

• Lingonberry Spice
• Frosted Cranberry
• Saguro Spruce
• Cergruyoo Sage
• Citrus Splash
• Aloe & Lemon
• Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey
• Green Tea & Cucumber
• Juniper Breeze
• Cactus Organic

And, from the first batch, we have just one each of …

• Seagrass & Herbs
• Sunshine
• Evergreen
• Kentish Raisin
• Lavender & Lemon

So, reserve your soaps now before all the other last-minute shoppers beat you to it!

Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (15): Dick Drumm, Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Bill Dowd, Pat Bailey, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, Ray Hannan, Charlie Foote, Kevin Leyhane, Tony Morris, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Andy Leyhane.

GUESTS: None.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed members. … He announced that because of social restrictions during the pandemic we will not hold our annual Holiday Party & Gift Basket Auction. … Project coordinator Bill Dowd reported that the annual Adopt-a-Family effort is going extremely well. He delivered a carload of donated gifts for our two families to Circles of Mercy on Wednesday. He will be at Quigley’s from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Friday to accept last-minute donations, then deliver a second carload of gifts to Circles on Monday. He expressed appreciation for the generosity of Rotarians, family members, and friends who donated gifts. …

Bill Dowd also researched local food pantries and recommended a lineup of four for the club to award grants of $460 each from treasury funds earmarked for the purpose. Treasurer Murray Forth will send checks to (1.) Food for Families (which serves families throughout the East Greenbush Central School District); (2.) CoNSERNS-U (a food pantry operated out ot the City of Rensselaer by Catholic Charities Tri-County Services ); (3.) The Anchor Food Pantry (a pantry and thrift store service of the Cooperative Christian Ministries of Schodack), and (4.) Doors of Hope (a West Sand Lake community-based food pantry and thrift store). … We have $1,300 accrued from CLYNK beverage deposit returns and member donations for ShelterBox. When we ascertain the new mailing address we will send out a check. …

Phil Kellerman says the specialty coffees sale is going well, and Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez said the scented soaps sale also is doing well. … An individual has donated $250 to cover a request from Goff Middle School for funding gift card appreciation awards for staff in recognition of efforts during the pandemic. … We had not budgeted financial support for this year’s RYLA program. However, school response to it was weak because of the pandemic and necessity to move it to a virtual platform. District 7190 is hoping to hold a truncated in-person program in April and May of 2021 if public health rules allow it. We will consider some sort of student funding if that actually comes to pass. … Our last ZOOM meeting of 2000 will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 17. We will be on hiatus during the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s.

Participation in this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program, which switched to a virtual format because of the pandemic, had much less participation than usual. But, its organizers are not calling it quits.

“The program originally did not get as much attendance as in previous years and we believe much of that has to do with the current world situation and the virtual format.  One of the most important aspects of RYLA is getting students from across the region together to brainstorm and build relationships.  The virtual format provides less of that for students,” said Ken Adamczyk, an organizer.   

“Our current plan is to try to have the course in person in late spring, but only if it is safe for the students. We will watch the virus conditions, coordinate with schools by watching what they are doing and, if possible, provide a clean and safe environment for the students to learn.  It will be three Saturdays starting in late April and ending in May 2021. 

“We have access to a Business Incubator space that normally can have over 150 people and it provides breakout space for us to spread out as needed. We will always focus on safety,  and then turn our focus on the course. If we are unable to complete the program in this manner in the spring we would like to invite all the students to join us in August for the 2021-2022 program in the old format.”

Examples of the tentative new agenda are being sent to students, guidance counselors, and other school  administrators throughout District 7190.