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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District 7190 last week hosted a ZOOM workshop on virtual fundraising. We had a strong presence of SRC members participating, but we assume others will find the proposal of interest.

Our initial group reaction, as shown in our online discussion at last Thursday’s meeting, was (a) SRC may not be eligible for the program until our pending request to the Internal Revenue Service for a tax-exempt status is approved, and (b) we need additional information on specific virtual fundraising possibilities beyond soliciting our own members. (Eventgroove, the company handling the program for 7190, says it will provide more, specific workshops as needed.)

Meanwhile, just click here to view the original ZOOM workshop. Here is the pass code: g$^w%5cr

We will meet at 7 p.m. this Thursday via ZOOM video conference. The meeting is scheduled to last about 30 minutes. Please use this link to gain access to the meeting:

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75858717890?pwd=SzhBSEF3QndIMmo0TWJoVTRmYlRRZz09

Several etiquette items to remember to avoid confusion and give everyone a chance to be heard:

• When the meeting is called to order by President Dick Drumm, or other presiding officer, please mute your audio.

• If you wish to make a comment, ask a question, etc., please raise your hand to gain Dick’s attention and, when called upon, then unmute your audio. When you are finished, re-mute.

• Please try to participate from a location without a lot of background noise (TV volume, barking dogs, clamoring kids, random gunfire, snoring, etc.). ZOOM has very good sound pickup and extraneous noise can be heard by everyone.

We’ve continually been getting better at ZOOM sessions as we get more experienced, so we’re hoping for even more participation. While our account limits us to a maximum of 40 minutes of meeting time, the participant limitation is well beyond the number of members we have, so there’s plenty of room for all.

Hope to “see” you, literally, on Thursday.

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Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez have come up with yet another fundraising idea for SRC’s general treasury, a very welcome development in a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has put a crimp in our normal fundraising efforts. Please see Jim and/or Roberto if you’re interested in making a purchase. Here are the details:

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Meeting held virtually via ZOOM videoconferencing.

MEMBERS ATTENDING (9, no quorum): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Debbie Rodriguez, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Phil Kellerman, Charlie Foote, Kevin Leyhane, Pat Bailey.

GUESTS (1): Tony Morris.

MEETING NOTES: President Dick Drumm welcomed the attendees and guest. He asked if anyone in the club had participated in the initial virtual Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) session last Saturday. No one had. … Debbie Rodriguez reported that the Danes Rotaract is hoping to host a viewing of the World Polio Day streaming event on Saturday, October 24. She will provide details as they become available. …

A brief discussion was had among members who participated in the ZOOM workshop on virtual fundraising hosted by District 7190 earlier this evening. (Bill Dowd, Dick Drumm, Debbie Rodriguez, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Charlie Foote, and Murray Forth attended the workshop on behalf of SRC). It appears SRC may not be eligible to participate in the program because the club’s IRS status has not yet been resolved by the IRS. Phil Kellerman, who headed the team submitting our application for reinstatement of tax-exempt status, said he would contact the IRS to ascertain the progress, if any, of that request submitted several months ago. …

Jim and Roberto have kicked off a sale of custom-made soaps ($7 per bar, three for $20) as a club fundraiser. The soaps, which comes in seven different scents, are made by a nurse at Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital in Syracuse. Since she sells them to us for $3 a bar, the profit margin could be very healthy for the club. Jim and Roberto, who underwrote the initial purchase, will provide marketing materials and details in the near future, although several members immediately put in orders. … Guest Tony Morris, who owns a CBD retail business in Columbia Plaza, introduced himself as someone interested in Rotary. He had attended a dinner meeting in March just before the pandemic shutdown, and reconnected with us recently. …

Kevin Leyhane offered a brief report on the hybrid teaching now going on in the East Greenbush schools. He said as of today three high school students and one elementary student have tested positive for COVID-19. …

This was our first ZOOM meeting using the club’s new, free organizational account. It is limited to 40 minutes and 100 participants. Our virtual meetings have been running just shy of 40 minutes, so we will continue to see if that level of membership meets our needs or whether we need to move up to the $20-a-month level that greatly expands the time. … Our next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, October 8.

Several weeks ago, 7190 Governor Richard Griesche announced at one of our meetings the development of Eventgroove, a virtual fundraising program the District was putting together. Details now are ready to be shared for the virtual, free program. The District’s Eventgroove training team will hold a ZOOM meeting for all interested parties at 6 p.m. this coming Thursday. That works well for SRC, since our club ZOOM meeting that same evening is scheduled for 7 p.m. • To access the Eventgroove meeting, use this online link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83999130368?pwd=YWZxNFQ5eENNeUViWnFoMjZBcW00UT09 Meeting ID: 839 9913 0368 Passcode: 619343 • To access the SRC club meeting, use this online link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71094753379?pwd=NHROeG9ucHJXL094KzBITWJwZXRuUT09 Meeting ID: 710 9475 3379 Passcode: 4CMfUg You can get an advance idea of what Eventgroove covers by clicking here.