We will, as has become our practice during the ongoing pandemic, continue to meet virtually via ZOOM, but our Thursday, November 5, session will be a bit different.

John Justino has scheduled a session during which we can view and discuss “RI’s World Polio Day Global Update.” He will host the meeting and will play the video of the October 24 event and guide a brief discussion.

Our club’s ZOOM account limits us to 40-minute sessions, but John’s UAlbany account is more robust and, thus, will enable us to get any club business out of the way at the beginning of the session, then allow him to present the full 32-minute video and field questions.

Please save and use this link to gain access to the November 5 meeting:

https://albany.zoom.us/j/95359912015?pwd=dXFycW8xOXVxeElFejV5YThIWm5Wdz09

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In place of the annual Foundation Gala dinner event sponsored by District 7190 each November, the event is going virtual and including more than just our district because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thus, it’s a “Virtual Empire Multi-District Foundation Event.”

Anyone is welcome to attend at no charge, although there is a suggested donation of $25.  All donations will be credited as a Foundation donation to the individual Rotarian.  

Registration is required. All participants who register will receive a ZOOM link in an email prior to event. Click here to access the registration form.

The 90-minute event will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 24, two days before Thanksgiving Day. As a fundraising effort, a special reception will be held with Jennifer Jones for a donation of $250 to The Rotary Foundation.

Jennifer, who will present the evening’s keynote address, will become president of Rotary International for 2022-23, the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.

District Foundation awards will be announced at 7:30 in separate breakout rooms.

The second virtual Rotary Leadership Institute session of the year is scheduled for 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday, November 8.

Rather than a single day-long session as is traditional with RLI, this year in a nod to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic organizers are holding an ongoing series of brief virtual sessions.

As of now, no pre-registration will be necessary. And, rather than being divided into first-, second-, and third-year breakout sessions, it will be open to all attendees as a group. Organizers will send via email a link to the session. The SRC website will publicize it, once received, so we are sure all who may be interested have all the details needed.

For this session, you can join the District Training Team to learn more about the Rotary Foundation , Gift of Life, and Shelter Box — what they are, what they do, and how they serve people all over the world.

If you’re not familiar with the MoonCatcher Project, you will be after joining us next Thursday for our ZOOM meeting. That’s when Lon Penna of the Niskayuna Rotary Club and his co-presenter Alice Marcus  will provide a look at the project being nominated for a Rotary Global Grant.

Says Lon, “Like most Rotarians, my wife Helen and I are dismayed by hunger, thirst, extreme poverty, illness, fistula, slavery, injustice, etc. We have completed multiple Rotary Grants on five continents. Our current thinking is instead of giving fish (man eats for a day) or giving a fishing pole (man eats for a lifetime) that we want to give the fishing poles to the village women (her family and community are uplifted for generations.).”

He explains that the symbolic “Fishing Pole” has three components:

1. A MoonCatcher Kit so schoolgirls can handle their menstruation, and are better able to stay in school.
2. K-12 education, vocational education, and vocational ideas.
3. Micro-loans

The MoonCatchers are $5. The education provided electronically is $7.

“My co-presenter, ‘Awesome Alice,’ was born in extreme poverty, was once homeless, and lives frugally (Alice doesn’t own a washing machine; she still uses a bucket.) Yet, when she heard these ideas she immediately put up $25,000, a substantial portion of her life savings.

“So, Niskayuna Rotary drafted a Global Grant to obtain TRF match money and we are hoping Southern Rensselaer might like to chip in. Every $10 pays for three MoonCatchers after The Rotary Foundation’s 50% match, and earns Paul Harris credits.”

NOTE: We will, as usual, be sending a ZOOM link to all SRC members for access to the meeting.

Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (13): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Ray Hannan, Charlie Foote, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Pat Bailey, Phil Kellerman, Murray Forth, Kevin Leyhane.

GUESTS (1): Anthony Morris.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed 13 members and member-applicant Anthony Morris. … Phil Kellerman, who headed the effort with Terry Brewer and Murray Forth, reported that we have received a preliminary communication from the IRS asking for several minor additions to our application for renewal of our tax-exempt status. He expressed optimism that we are a step closer to success. Treasurer Murray Forth noted that the club’s IRS filing deadline this year is November 15. He will submit our paperwork to meet that requirement. …

Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez updated attendees on the sale of scented soaps. Almost all of the initial order of 100 bars has been sold, and another order of 100 bars has been submitted. Receipt is expected within two to three weeks. … Planning continues for viewing of the World Polio Day streaming video. At the moment, we expect something to be available for our November 5 virtual ZOOM meeting. The Danes Rotaract club will join us, according to Debbie Rodriguez. …

A brief discussion was held concerning food pantry contributions. Individual donations of good or money was encouraged, but President Dick said we would further evaluate direct donations/club collections of items for local pantries. … Tony Morris spoke about the effort he and other Your CBD Store franchisees are making to raise funds for HicksStrong, an organization dedicated to assisting suicide prevention programs for military veterans and active duty personnel. He will present a program on the topic at a later date. ….

Next week’s ZOOM meeting will feature a Niskayuna Rotarian speaking on the Mooncatcher Project, a feminine hygiene effort in Africa. Webmaster Bill Dowd said he would post on our website details of the program so SRC members could have a basis for questions.

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District 7190 is undertaking a special, limited-time fundraising effort to help Rotary’s continuing battle against polio. The details are in the two-part flyer below.

Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

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

GUESTS (1): Anthony Morris.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed members as well as prospective member Anthony Morris. … Bill Dowd reported on the status of our annual “Adopt-a-Family” holiday effort with Circles of Mercy. Circles presently is interviewing applicants for the program (we posted the criteria on our website, available by clicking here). Once families are selected, ours will be assigned and Bill will create and share a shopping list grid with SRC members as well as establish dropoff/pickup sites and dates. …

Becky Raymond reminded members that Lon Penna of the Niskayuna Rotary Club will join us on Thursday, October 29, to explain that club’s Rotary global grant effort in support of the Mooncatcher Project, a feminine hygiene program in Africa. (Click here for the project website.) … John Justino said he is meeting weekly with the Great Danes Rotaract and hopes to set up a streaming session for the October 24 World Polio Day program. Tentatively, we will join Rotaract via ZOOM at our November 5 meeting. …

Anthony Morris, who will be submitting a membership application this week, said he has space in Your CBD Store, his shop in Columbia Plaza, to serve as a dropoff point for food pantries when the club holds such drives. He also said he would be able to assist in the soap sale created by Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez if desired. … Our next meeting, via ZOOM, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, October 22.

By RICH GRIESCHE, 7190 Governor

“Are you open for business?” This is a question many of us are asking our local businesses these days.

As we are in the sixth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are focusing attention this month on “Rotary on Economic and Community Development.” So many of our local businesses have been forced to close, or cut hours along with employees. But, Rotary does not shut down, or stop, or reduce workloads or production. We welcome new members, especially now as we globally take on the challenges that have been placed before us.

We need to support our local businesses and our community leaders. Be proactive in helping to keep these business’s open. Many Chambers of Commerce can advise you of businesses that may need help and support. At the same time, this is an ideal opportunity to join Rotarians and become more involved in your community. Rotarians know an engaged community member is a simply Rotarian in disguise. 

Saturday, October 24, marks a very significant day on our Rotary calendar: World Polio Day. As Rotary prepares to mark this day, members know that even in the face of a pandemic the important work of fighting polio must continue. Now more than ever, the support of all Rotary members is needed to help win the fight for a polio-free world. 

So, as we enter the second quarter of the 2020-21 Rotary Year, I leave you with these thoughts:  

• When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully.

• When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light.

• When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it. 

• When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway.

• When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back.

• When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some.

• When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going.

• When times are tough, dare to be tougher. 

• When love hurts you, dare to love again.

• When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal.

• When another is lost, dare to help them find the way.

• When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand.

• When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile.

• When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too.

• When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best.

Dare to be the best you can. At all times — Dare to be!

SRC’s annual participation in the “Adopt-a-Family” Christmas effort by Circles of Mercy will go on despite the current pandemic restrictions.

We have informed Richard Zazycki, Circles’ executive director, that we will take a family — maybe two if needed — under our collective wing. Bill Dowd has once more volunteered to coordinate the Club’s effort.

“Please know how sincerely grateful we are for the Club’s ongoing commitment and support,” Zazycki said. “We are beginning next week our ‘Adopt-a-Family’ program.  We have an intern from Hudson Valley Community College, Austin Cramer, who will be the program coordinator as part of his internship experience here at Circles of Mercy.  He will be supported during the process by our dedicated staff and volunteers.”

As soon as we receive the name and makeup of our family, along with their wish lists broken into “NEEDED” and “NICE TO HAVE” categories, we will share that shopping list with all members along with details of our collection process. The deadline for Bill to drop off our donations to Circles is Monday, December 14.

For those unfamiliar with the process Zazycki and his staff use to select needy families, here is how it works.

“One of the services that Circles of Mercy attempts to provide to client families is a Christmas holiday service formally known as “Cate’s Adopt-a-Family” program. It is a supplemental program in which we attempt to match low-income client families and individuals in need with ‘adopter/donors’ who can shop and help provide the family or individual with gifts or gift cards for the Christmas holiday,” Zazycki says.

“Our program is limited to 50 families, with preference given to client families who were in the program last year. Clients enrolled in the program should not participate in another agency’s Christmas holiday program (if asked, all client information will be shared with other agencies).

“In order for any client family or individual to be eligible to take part in the program, you must contact the office to register and provide us with the following documentation and information:

• Provide Documentation – Proof of:
 SNAP benefit statement (current) from County Social Services (this proof meets all requirements)
 Rensselaer city address/residency (piece of mail post-marked not older than 30 days, i.e. utility bill)
 Proof of parent’s identity (driver’s license, social security and DSS benefit statement)
 Proof of child/children identity (birth certificate, social security and DSS benefit card)
 Household income is at or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines (generally income under $20,000). You must provide proof of income (last year’s tax returns, Social Security Administration, SSA, SSI, SSD and/or payroll stubs, etc.).
 You must prove participation in one of the following government programs: Medicaid, Food Stamps/SNAP, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) / Section 8, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program.

Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

Members Attending (12): Dick Drumm, Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Charlie Foote, Murray Forth, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Phil Kellerman, Andy Leyhane, Ray Hannan.

Guests: None.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed members virtually. … Treasurer Murray Forth said Carol Orvis has donated $1,200 to the club treasury. She had been awarded that amount in lieu of winning the Cafe Capriccio wine dinner raffle; the raffle went on as planned, but the COVID-19 shutdown of the restaurant killed the dinner. … Dick said he wants to hold a Board discussion at the end of the month to evaluate what service projects we can carry out with whatever money we have raised from summer events, personal pledges, and other sources so far in the 2020-21 Rotary Year. …

Dean and Doris reported that the recent Gift of Life Golf Tournament netted about $14,000 for the pediatric medical philanthropic organization. Unfortunately, the Albany club’s annual Christmas dinner that usually raised about $5,000 for GOL has been cancelled for this year. … Jim and Roberto reported they have sold 75 of their initial supply of 100 bars of specialty soaps as a fundraising effort. A second batch of 100 has been ordered. The handmade scented soaps sell for $7 each or three for $20. They underwrote the $3-per-bar purchase, meaning that 100% of the sale price of each bar goes directly to the club. Details on the soaps are available on the website. …

Our next ZOOM meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, October 15. Members will be sent a link to the session.

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