Due to a scheduling conflict, tomorrow’s meeting with EGCSD has been canceled, it will be rescheduled in the near future.

Our Circles of Mercy Backpack and School Supply collection is coming to a close. If you have school supplies for this program please contact Phil.

Dear Members:

Hello again!

On August 16, yours truly attended the CNY Inaugural Celebration in Syracuse highlighting the achievement of CNY’s first year in existence.  Quite impressive. I encourage all of you to continue to view the CNY web-site for news updates and interesting work sessions.

On  August 18, volunteers (see below) at Circles of Mercy organized a large amount of donated school school supplies for needy 9-12th graders in the city of Rensselaer. I want to thank those club members who donated so graciously.  Please contact me if you have school supplies you wish to donate.

Next up is the Summer Casual Event Calendar: Thursday August 21, 2025. Dean and Doris Calamaras will be hosting a Greek Night dinner at their house beginning at 5pm. Please contact Dean if you plan on attending. The event is a fund raiser for The Gift of Life. The cost is $30 per person and $40 for a family.

On Thursday August 21 a Backpack Project Meeting will be held at 9 am in the conference room of the East Greenbush School District.  

On Thursday, August 28, 2025 Carole Heaney will be hosting a Family and Friends Social at her house featuring games, music and desert beginning at 6:00pm. $25 suggested donation to support the East Greenbush Central School District Backpack. Program. Please Contact Carole to reserve your seat.

Our first official meeting will be Thursday September 11th at 6 pm at Moscatiellos.  I hope to see you.

Phil Kellerman, President

On Thursday, August 14, 2025 the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club, along with several family, friends and guests, met at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham to watch ANNIE the musical. Those in attendance throughly enjoyed the show which fused local youth talent with seasoned Off-Broadway actors. After the show, the group enjoyed dinner at various local dining establishments.

Next up in the Summer Casual Event Calendar: Thursday August 21, 2025 Dean and Doris Calamaras will be hosting a Greek Night dinner at their house beginning at 5pm. Please contact Dean if you plan on attending. The event is a fund raiser for The Gift of Life. The cost is $30 per person and $40 for a family.

The Circles of Mercy Backpack Program is still collecting school supplies up until August 22. Please Contact Phil if you have any questions.

On Thursday, August 28, 2025 Carole Heaney will be hosting a Family and Friends Social at her house featuring games, music and desert beginning at 6:00pm. $25 suggested donation to support the East Greenbush Central School District Backpack Program. Please Contact Carole to reserve your seat.

Dear Members:

The summer is flying by but we still have some great social activities coming up.

Thursday August 14th: if you have a theater ticket for “Annie” the play will be at 2 pm at the Mac-Haydn theater at 1925 NY 203 in Chatham.  The date for us to attend is Thursday August 14. Thanks to Debbie Brown for helping to coordinate.

Sunday, August 16th: Celebrate the new Rotary year, which comes with an opportunity to thank our 2024-25 leaders and welcome new leaders, both for CNY and our clubs. The celebration will be at the Syracuse Zoo on Sunday August 16 from 12-2 pm. Yours truly will be attending.

Summer Casual: Thursday August 21, Dean and Doris Calamaras will be hosting a Greek night dinner at their house beginning at 5 pm. There is room for 7 more attendees so please contact Dean if you plan on attending. $30 for an individual, $40 for a family. This is a fund-raiser for Gift of Life.  Check out Dean’s baklava below!

The Back to School Program supplies for Circles of Mercy are due August 22nd.  Please contact me if you have supplies.  Thanks to Roberto, Jim, Pat and Deb. R for school supply donations.

Carole Heaney will be hosting a Family and Friends Social at her house on Thursday, August 28 with games, music and dessert beginning at 6 pm.  $25 suggested donation to support the East Greenbush School Weekend Backpack Program.  Contact Carole to save your seat.  Limit of 25 people!  Thanks Carole!  

Sincerely,

Phil Kellerman, President

Dear Fellow Members:

I hope everyone is staying cool during the summer heat.

Thanks to Roberto and Jim for hosting a terrific summer dinner which raised over $600 for scholarships and club activities.  Check out our website and Facebook page for updates.

This Thursday July 31st the Mohawk-Hudson Animal Sanctuary has invited us for a tour at 4 pm. The address is 3 Oakland Avenue in Menands – right off Broadway. There is a large sign and the shelter is off the road a bit towards the back  Please bring donated dry pet food.  It would be great to have a large turnout.  Please let me know if you think you will be attending.

Thursday August 7 at 5:30 pm is our annual Valleycats baseball game. Food will be provided under the large tent and the game officially begins at 6:30 pm.  Debbie Rodriquez has been passing out tickets for those who reserved them.

Circles of Mercy, of which I am now employed, is kick-starting its Back to School Program which will focus on collecting school supplies for high school students (9-12). The following items are needed: pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, pens, markers, pocket folders, glue sticks, scissors, projector/compasses, 3 ring binders, loose leaf paper, graph paper, spiral subject notebooks, subject dividers, plastic zipper pencil cases/ boxes, index cards, highlighters, rulers, Kleenex tissues, hand sanitizer, post-it-notes, backpacks (no rollers./wheels), hole reinforcement labels, combination locks (for gym lockers), electronic items such as: flash drives, ear buds, and calculators.  Jim and Roberto will be supplying backpacks. 

Director Richard Zazycki has asked that as part of my job I help out with the Back to School Program so I would be glad to pick up donated supplies to bring to Circles of Mercy. The deadline is August 22nd for delivery of donations.

The Board will be having a meeting in the next couple of weeks. Please send me items you think we should have on the agenda.

Also, please look at the CNYRotary.org website for district updates and courses.  The District is planning on a get together in Syracuse and I’m planning on attending.  It would be great to have others attend as well. 

Thank you!

Phill Kellerman, President

This Thursday, July 24, 2025 the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club will be holding its next Summer Casual Event. This week’s event hosted by Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez will feature a meal of filet mignon, baked potatoes, corn, garlic bread, and cowboy beans. This is a fundraising event for the club with a cost of $30 per member and $40 per family.

Next week’s event hosted by Phil Kellerman is a tour of the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society Facility at 4:00pm on Thursday July 31, 2024. They Mohawk- Hudson Humane Society is seeking donations of pet food at this time.

Thanks to Murray for setting up tonight’s event.  The weather participated and the food and company were great. 

 Phil reported visiting the Food Pantry and leaving off some supplies earlier today.

Next week, the summer event is a Poolside Fillets Fundraiser 7/24/25, 6pm, 8 Elmwood Drive. Funds raised will go for our community events. Price per person will be $30 per Rotarian or $40 per family and guest.   The event is sponsored by Jim and Roberto.  Jim and Roberto will need a head count by Monday morning in order to notify the butcher off additional attendees and purchase the fillets. You can call or email either Roberto or Jim. Bringing appetizers is an option but there should be plenty of food and drinks. Dinner will include fillet mignon, baked potatoes, beans, bread and ice cream.  The pool will be open. Regrets also helpful so we don’t need to keep reaching out.

Tickets for the Valley Cats were passed out to those in attendance.  We have a few extra that can be purchased.  Please contact Deb Rodriguez if you have interest.

See everyone next week!
Phil

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

This Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 4pm we are invited for a tour of the new facility for the homeless elderly by the Saint Paul Center. The Center is located at 3 Cerone Commercial Drive off of Wolf Road (Frank Adams Jewelers on the corner).

Please meet at 3:45 pm in the parking lot. The facility is in need of donated books and household items. After the tour we can meet for drinks and socialization.

Next Thursday, July 17, 2025 we will be meeting at the Boathouse Grill at 80 Shady Harbour Drive in New Baltimore. If you plan on attending this event, please let Murray Forth know so he can make an accurate reservation. Looking forward to seeing everyone at this event.

There is no weekly meeting this week, June 26, 2025 or next week July 3, 2025 due to conflicting events and the 4th of July Holiday. Remember membership dues are due July 1st, so if you haven’t paid please make arrangements with Murray. We will meet again July 10, 2025 when we take a tour of the St. Paul’s Center at 4pm.