We will be hosting a double-leadership team at this Thursday’s ZOOM meeting. (The originally planned outdoor social at the Browns’ residence has been changed to this virtual get-together.)
District Governor Rich Griesche will pay us a return visit to share a brief video he created to begin his year at the helm of 7190. He also will introduce us to Charles Frink, the Assistant District Governor for Area 8 which includes the SRC, Albany, Colonie-Guilderland, and Delmar clubs.
And, we will be voting on a proposed change to our Bylaws, the wording of which has been shared several times with all members.
Debbie and Peter Brown will host SRC’s next in-person meeting, but at an earlier-than-usual time — 5 p.m. Thursday, September 10. It will be outdoors, thus the earlier time as the days grow shorter, and socially distanced with masks and some covid courtesies. Please plan to bring a lawn chair.
The Browns need an RSVP no later than Tuesday, to 518-732-7178 or mdbrown@nycap.rr.com.
On the meeting agenda for that evening is a vote on a Bylaws modification (details here). If you will not be attending but wish to cast a “yea” or “nay” vote by proxy, please indicate your preference by email to SRCrotary@gmail.com no later than this Wednesday.
Members Attending (14): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Ray Hannan, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Charlie Foote, Terry Brewer, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Pat Bailey.
Guests (1): Rich Griesche.
MEETING NOTES:
• President Dick Drumm presided, and welcomed special guest Richard Griesche, the new District 7190 Governor for 2020-21 and a member of the Twin Bridges Rotary Club.
• Debbie and Peter Brown will host our next in-person meeting, but at an earlier-than-usual time — 5 p.m. Thursday, September 10. It will be outdoors, thus the earlier time as the days grow shorter, and socially distanced. Details to come, but please plan to bring a lawn chair. The Browns need an RSVP no later than Tuesday, to mdbrown@nycap.rr.com or 518-732-7178.
• A Bylaws change will be up for a vote at the Browns’ meeting. If you cannot attend but would like to vote, please send your proxy “yea” or “nay” to SRCrotary@gmail.com no later than Wednesday. Earlier this week, everyone was sent the wording of the proposed change and the reason for it. In case you want to review it, click here.
• Terry Brewer explained that at Monday’s Board of Directors meeting it was decided that, in lieu of some fundraising efforts because of restrictions during the pandemic, all members are asked to make a lump-sum donation to help fund the club’s community service or international efforts. Members are asked to donate at a level comfortable to them. Checks, made payable to SRC Rotary Club, should be sent to the club mail address: Box 71, East Greenbush, NY 12061. Members have the option of directing which efforts they wish to fund (scholarships, ShelterBox, Polio Plus, Gift of Life, etc.), or they can direct the donation to the general treasury. It was noted that factors that may be taken into account when donating are that less money was spent during the summer because of the lack of events, and at least $18 is being saved each time we otherwise would have held a dinner meeting. (We usually have 38 dinner meetings, which means $684 in meal fees, as an example.)
DG Rich Griesche
• DG Rich reported on a variety of regional and international efforts. Among them:
(1.) Africa has been declared officially free from wild polio, leaving Afghanistan and Pakistan as the only countries on the globe still home to endemic polio. Rotary’s polio immunization programs continue in those countries despite the COVID-19 pandemic;
(2.) All Districts in New York State have joined to create a working group called New York Rotary Strong to work together and share ideas during the pandemic;
(3.) An emphasis on environment-based projects has been added to the Rotary Global Grants program for next year;
(4.) Rich, Past DG Melissa Ward, and DG Nominee Denise DiNoto are working with an RI public relations specialist from Connecticut on “Event Groove,” a virtual fundraising program exclusively utilizing social media. Our District will be only the second to try it, and he expects to be able to share details with all clubs by September 15;
(5.) The Rotary Youth Exchange program for incoming and outgoing students, which was curtailed this year, has been approved for a September 2021 restart.
In response to a question about our Assistant District Governor for the year, Rich said the number of areas and their makeup was reshuffled again this year. SRC now is in Area 8, which consists of the SRC, Albany, Colonie-Guilderland, and Delmar clubs. Our ADG is Charles Frink of the Albany club.
District 7190 Governor Richard Griecshe will join us as our special guest at 6 p.m. this Thursday via the ZOOM teleconferencing app.
So, what does he think about our COVID-19 pandemic world? Here’s his latest essay online:
“This may not seem like a time for great optimism, but it must be. Every great challenge is an opportunity for renewal and growth. The COVID-19 crisis has forced all of us to adapt.
“Rotary clubs are adapting to the current situation and overcoming the obstacles that once appeared to be in the way. August is ‘Membership and New Club Month’ on our Rotary calendar, and brings great opportunity.
“Membership is an opportunity. Retention is an opportunity. Service and Fellowship are opportunities –- all to grow Rotary and support its core values. Ask current members, community leaders, extended family, and business associates to find prospective members.
“Our current members are passionate about the work we are doing. What are your dreams for your community? It may be the right time for a club’s virtual meeting rather than in-person. You won’t know unless you ask.
“Our clubs have been challenged to grow in new directions. Are you ready to help a club grow for the future? New resources on satellite clubs, passport clubs, and corporate membership can help you create an experience that works for every member (Learn more at Rotary.org/Flexibility).
“As a final note this month, I would like to share the following statement from Rotary International to help promote peace and justice worldwide, something all Rotarians strive for:
“At Rotary, we have no tolerance for racism. Promoting respect, celebrating diversity, demanding ethical leadership, and working tirelessly to advance peace are central tenets of our work.We have more work to do to create more just, open and welcoming communities for all people.We know there are no easy fixes and that challenging conversations and work lie before all of us. Rotary’s strength has long been our ability and commitment to bringing people together. We will tap into that strength now as we stand with those who are working for peace and justice.Rotary will do our part to listen, learn and take action to ensure that we continue to contribute to making positive change.”
I leave you with this thought: Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choices you make, make YOU. Choose wisely.”
We have scheduled a vote for our Thursday, September 10, ZOOM meeting, on a proposed modification of our Club Bylaws.
Specifically, the Board of Directors is unanimously endorsing a change to “Article 6: Fees & Dues.”
The intent is to change the dues payment deadline from June 30 to June 1 and, for those who pay in two installments, from December 31 to December 1. Non-payment by the deadline(s) would result in being taken off the club rolls.
Here is the logic behind the proposed change.
Rotary requires each Club to pay a fee for every member on the roster as of June 30 and December 31 no matter whether they have paid their local dues. We have been experiencing two situations that have unnecessarily cost our club money that should have gone toward supporting our community service projects: (1.) People who are seriously tardy in delaying payment, thus forcing the Club to put up money to cover their Rotary fee, and (2.) people who drop out but don’t bother informing us wind up wasting Club money without reimbursement.
By changing the timing of payments, we will gain a firm handle on paid-up status and on precisely who remains part of the club roster.
The current Bylaws language reads:
Article 6: Fees and Dues
“Club annual dues will be based on dues levels set by Rotary International and District 7190 plus a Club membership fee of $20 above RI and District dues for first-year members and $30 above RI and District dues for all members after their first year. A $5 deduction from each member’s dues will become an annual contribution to the Rotary Foundation. All club fees are subject to modification by subsequent votes of the membership. Fees are payable annually no later than the last day of June, or semiannually no later than the last day of June and no later than the last day of December. Per Rotary International regulations, a portion of each payment shall be applied to each member’s subscription to the RI official magazine.“
The proposed new language that would be inserted in place of the current Sentence 4 reads:
“Fees are payable annually no later than the first day of June, or semiannually no later than the first day of June and no later than the first day of December. All members who have not paid 100% of their dues for the upcoming Rotary Year by June 1 of each year, or 50% installments by June 1 and December 1, will be deemed to have resigned from membership.”
Please mark your calendar for the September 10 vote and plan to participate in the vote, no doubt via ZOOM.
SRC’s next general meeting is set for 6 p.m. this Thursday (September 3) via the ZOOM virtual meeting app. We have a lot to discuss, and President Dick Drumm will keep everyone in the loop by providing a report on a variety of decisions made at this week’s Board meeting .
A connecting link will be sent to you in advance of the session, at which our special guest will be District 7190 Governor Richard Griesche. He will provide an update on what is going on throughout the District during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
At a meeting of the SRC Board of Directors this evening (Monday), it was decided that we will continue gathering via ZOOM for the forseeable future since it is impossible to hold in-person dinner meetings given the state restrictions on such gatherings, the closing and impending sale of Quigley’s where we have been meeting for a number of years, and the apprehension of many members about such gatherings, given the health concerns engendered by the pandemic.
While we have been experiencing strong attendance at our ZOOM meetings throughout the summer, we urge those of you who have not participated to re-involve yourselves in Rotary. Our community and international service will not end because of the pandemic. Rotary endures no matter what, as it has for more than 115 years.
The process of staying involved is simple. Just download the ZOOM app and you’ll be able to sign in. If you have any questions about the process or the etiquette of getting involved via the virtual process, Board member Roberto Martinez has volunteered to guide members through it. Contact him via email (rrmtz@aol.com) or by phone (518-396-7250) in advance of the Thursday session.
The flareup of polio in parts of Africa where terrorists decided to kill volunteers providing vaccinations to stop the spread of the dread disease apparently has failed to end the Rotary-supported effort.
The region has officially again been certified free of the wild polio virus, leaving only Afghanistan and Pakistan as centers of polio which cripples and kills people of all ages, but particularly the young.
This week, the Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the World Health Organization’s 47-nation African Region as wild polio-free after four years without a case. With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions -– representing more than 90% of the world’s population -– now are free from the wild poliovirus, moving the world closer to achieving global polio eradication.
“During a challenging year for global health, the certification of the African Region as wild poliovirus-free is a sign of hope and progress that shows what can be accomplished through collaboration and perseverance,” said Rotary International President Holger Knaack. “Since 1996, when Nelson Mandela joined with Rotary, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and governments of the African region we’ve achieved something remarkable.
“Today’s milestone tells us that polio eradication is possible, as long as the world remains committed to finishing the job. Let us work together to harness our collective energies to overcome the remaining challenges and fulfill our promise of a polio-free world.”
Members Attending (16): Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Ray Hannan, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Kevin Leyhane, Charlie Foote, Terry Brewer, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Pat Bailey, Debbie Rodriguez.
Guests: None.
MEETING NOTES: Roberto Martinez reported that he has spoken with people at the District level who say that most of the clubs in 7190 are not meeting in person. Most are using ZOOM, as SRC has been utilizing. We are making efforts to have District Governor Rich Griesche join us at an upcoming virtual meeting. … President Dick, reporting on the search for a new meeting venue since Quigley’s has closed and is up for sale, said he has a 1,520-square-foot space in his Drumm Veterinary Hospital that is being re-floored and could be a candidate for hosting meetings with socially distanced space. …
Debbie Rodriguez reported that the UAlbany Rotaract organization is working to resume its activities now that the university is back in session. She and Becky Raymond, our Rotaract liaisons, will keep us up to date. … Kevin Leyhane said he reports back to work on Monday and can provide a program by the end of September on what life is like in the “trenches” of a local school district in this era of COVID-19. … Roberto offered to assist anyone having difficulty accessing ZOOM with a brief tutorial. …
Bill Dowd said he has been mailing out bar code stickers for the CLYNK container recycling program and said anyone who needs more should contact him. He pointed out that the way CLYNK is set up, only one person can access the stickers at a CLYNK kiosk machine, although anyone can purchase at Hannaford markets the official bags needed to participate. … The club’s Board of Directors is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Monday at Jim Leyhane’s residence. … The club will have a regular ZOOM meeting at 6 p.m. next Thursday, September 3.
Despite the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, SRC’s involvement with the “School Supplies Drive” organized by Circles of Mercy for needy students in elementary and high school grades was a success.
Our project coordinator, Debbie Rodriguez, made three deliveries of donated supplies to Circles’ headquarters in Rensselaer, the final one on Friday at the deadline.
Special thanks to Debbie for her work, and major thanks to all of you who contributed to the push that is one of our important public service projects each summer.
Sixteen SRC members and friends gathered under sunny skies on Thursday for an outdoor pizza party that completed our abbreviated “Summer Casual Events” calendar.
The event, co-hosted by Pat Bailey and Debbie Rodriguez, also was attended by President Dick Drumm, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Murray Forth, Maggie Forth, Doris Calamaras, Dean Calamaras, Roberto Martinez, Ray Hannan, Phil Kellerman, Jim Leyhane, and guests Mary Drumm, Jeremy Forth, and Lois Hannan.
Our next event will be a ZOOM teleconference general meeting at 6 p.m. next Thursday, August 27. Among other items, Roberto will speak on Zoom etiquette. Those having problems with ZOOM should feel free to contact Roberto before then.
Thereafter, there will be an in-person Board meeting at Jim Leyhane’s residence at 6 p.m. Monday, August 31.
Meanwhile, here are some scenes from the pizza party.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 