Rotary is such a multi-faceted organization it often is difficult to explain it succinctly to anyone who is not a member.
That’s why we have put together a new website page called “Want to Join Us?” (That’s the page logo over there.)
It contains a simple explanation of the scope of Rotary, what we do locally and how to contact us, links to information concerning RI and District 7190, plus a pair of videos.
The videos are called “What Is Rotary?”and”Why Rotary Now?” and are particularly geared toward recruiting Millenials and Gen Xers.
We hope you will share this information with people you think might make good Rotarians. Just tell them to go online to SRCrotary.org and click on “Want to Join Us?” We think they’ll be glad you did.
Although the SRC Rotary Club last participated in the “Rotary At the United Nations Day” in 2014, reports in advance of this year’s event show the experience certainly should be considered next fall. Here’s what we’ll miss, according to an RI news release:
From the United Nations’ earliest days in the aftermath of World War II, the organization’s humanitarian mission always has dovetailed with Rotary’s efforts to administer aid and build peace. This year’s “Rotary Day at the United Nations,” to be held on November 12, will highlight the role businesses can play in that collaboration as we work toward a more just and equitable world.
The theme of this year’s gathering at UN headquarters in New York City, titled “Responsible Business, Resilient Societies,” is intended to recogniz Rotary’s role at the intersection of commerce and cause. As leaders in their professions and communities, Rotary members often use their professional skills and networks to advance social causes, particularly economic development.
The six “Rotary Responsible Business” honorees and two business partners will be recognized at the UN gathering for their inclusive business practices and outstanding contributions to improving their communities.
Honorees:
• Juan Silva Beauperthuy, Rotary Club of Chacao, Venezuela: For 25 years, Beauperthuy has helped keep disadvantaged youths on the right track through Queremos Graduarnos, an education program focused on mentoring and skill development, with support from his engineering firm. Today, the program serves over 700 students in 18 schools.
• Jean-Paul Faure, Rotary Club of Cagnes-Grimaldi, France: To encourage young professionals and provide promising new businesses with training and funding, Faure launched a business contest called Le Trophée du Rotary. The program, now in its seventh year, has drawn support from a major bank and has kept past participants involved as mentors.
• Suresh Goklaney, Rotary Club of Mumbai, India: Goklaney, executive vice chair of a large manufacturer of UV water purification systems, has led efforts to provide clean water in rural villages and impoverished urban areas throughout India. The project has also established centers where local women can sell clean water to generate income.
• Annemarie Mostert, Rotary Club of Southern Africa, South Africa: Mostert formed Sesego Cares, a Johannesburg-based nonprofit, in 2005 to offer education and job training, and to teach entrepreneurship and leadership development to women and children. She also worked with TOMS Shoes to mobilize 70 clubs in the country and provide 1.3 million pairs of its shoes.
• Stephanie Woollard, Rotary Club of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: After meeting seven illiterate craftspeople during a visit to Nepal, Woollard founded Seven Women to help Nepalese women make products to sell abroad. The program, which has trained and employed more than 1,000 women in the last decade, also teaches basic bookkeeping and computer skills.
• Larry Wright, Rotary Club of Taylor, Michigan: Wright, a master gardener, started his landscaping business with a bank loan in the 1970s. In 2013, he led an effort to adapt a microfinance model, which had succeeded abroad, to support entrepreneurs in bankruptcy-era Detroit, offering microloans, business classes, and mentorship.
Business partners:
• Coca-Cola Pakistan has supported the Rotary Pakistan National PolioPlus Charitable Trust since 2010 to promote vaccinations and awareness, particularly through publicity and projects to provide clean water, in one of the few remaining polio-endemic countries.
• Mercantil Banco Universal supports a project that has trained 6,000 students in 40 universities across Venezuela in social responsibility and leadership, with the goal of encouraging students to use their academic knowledge to respond to the challenges of underserved communities.
The Responsible Business program, expected to draw 1,500 participants, will include a recognition ceremony for the honorees, as well as panel discussions and youth activities.
Speakers and breakout sessions will focus on aspects of responsible business, such as education, innovation, partnerships, the needs of the world’s poorest people, the empowerment of women and youths, and how these issues relate to the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN’s ambitious framework for eliminating global poverty by 2030.<hr />
You may have noticed a number of your fellow SRC members sporting new polo shirts, denim shirts and fleeces bearing the club’s new logo.
They don’t have a monopoly on being stylish. You, too, can order items of your own with the new logo that reflects the official basic design change instituted by Rotary International two years ago.
And, you can have it put on anything from polo shirts to caps, from fleeces to vests, from aprons to tote bags, from mugs to … etc.
Dawn Vavala, a member of the Twin Bridges Rotary Club, is providing the personalized services through her company, Nite Owl Marketing. In addition to having the club logo on whatever you purchase, many items can be personalized with your name on them (or the name of the person you’re buying it for as a gift).
Says Dawn, “If you go to my website and click on the Rotary button [at the top of the home page] then scroll down, you can see many of the popular items. It is not a store, just a page to display a few items. You can also click on the apparel button toward the bottom of the page to see all the clothing one can order. I promise to take great care of the members of the SRC club.”
Purchase prices, sizing, and other details also are on her website.
Third Thursday Breakfast Meeting Greenbush YMCA East Greenbush, NY September 15, 2016
Members Attending (10): Terry Brewer, Shannon Romanowski, Mike Bennett, Melissa Bill, Murray Forth, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Marko Koshykar, Matt Smith, John Sawchuk.
Business/Announcements: The meeting began at 7 a.m. with Terry Brewer presiding and Shannon Romanowski hosting.
• The schedule for the year was reviewed with the third Thursdays of each month continuing to be the designated breakfast meeting dates: October 20, November 17, December 15, January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20 and August 17. The two latter dates were added at the suggestion of Jim Leyhane to maintain a year-long meeting flow.
• Goals for the 2016-2017 Rotary year were reviewed. President Debbie Rodriguez’s goals were discussed with an emphasis placed on attending breakfast or dinner meetings to meet our fellow Rotarians. Both meetings are available to all Rotarians.
• John Sawchuk will have students from Columbia High School support all drives for food pantries and support for families in need during the holiday season.
• Mike Bennett will work with students at Maple Hill High School on service projects, RYLA and a foreign exchange student activity.
• Matt Smith and Mike Dewey will develop a recycling event for electronics and paper shredding for October as club fundraisers.
• Shannon will sponsor a community service day to discuss opportunities for community service organizations to shared activities and collaborate on events.
• Terry is representing the club at a “Next Gen Membership” summit meeting. Andy Leyhane also will attend.
• Each member attending agreed to have a speaker/program for the monthly meeting.
Terry will coordinate the schedule. At the October 20 breakfast meeting, John Sawchuk will arrange for teachers from Columbia HS speaking on service programs. Shannon will obtain a speaker from the Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce for the November 17 meeting.
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant 593 Columbia Turnpike East Greenbush, NY September 8, 2016
Members Attending (14): Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Bill Dowd, Ray Hannan, Dick Drumm, Terry Brewer, Phil Kellerman, Doris Calamaras, Dean Calamaras, Becky Raymond, Charlie Foote.
Guests (1): Dawn Vavala.
PROGRAM: “Rotary Serving Humanity”
Debbie Rodriguez leads the discussion.
New President Debbie Rodriguez presented a review of our summer activities, plus a look ahead for the remainder of the Rotary Year utilizing the 2016-17 RI theme “Rotary Serving Humanity.”
Among things she noted while recapping the summer activities: (1.) We have raised slightly more than $1,000 for the Freedom From Fistula Foundation and will continue raising more such funds through the Rotary Year via the “Pocket Change” jug and other efforts; Becky Raymond, who first brought this need to our attention, has joined the Rotarian Action Group for Population & Development to further our flow of information; (2.) We raised $250 for Gift of Life; (3.) Although we had some well-attended “summer casual” events — in particularly the ValleyCats picnic and game — some other events were lightly attended, and we even had to cancel the planned wine tasting dinner at Goold Orchards. Debbie said we will need to revisit our summer event planning.
She also discussed the six standing committees we will have this year — Membership & Leadership Training, Foundation Giving, Public Relations, Youth Programs & Scholarship Awards, Fundraising Programs, and Community Service . She said the intent of committees is to allow manageably-sized groups to better discuss ideas then report them to the full membership for refinement. In support of planning our activities, she circulated a questionnaire during the summer to all members and took their responses into account when assigning committee roles. Committee memberships are listed on the club website.
As to membership, we stand at 42, down from our high of 45 due to the death of Bob Horan and resignations of longtime members Rommel Tolentino and Len Leonidas. Our stated goal for this Rotary Year is to reach the 50-member level. We will be looking at projects and activities that may be more appealing to younger people who are reluctant to join rigidly-run clubs, which is something being recommended by RI.
BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
FUNDRAISING EFFORTS — In addition to planning to continue such successful efforts as Bowling for Veterans, CPR training, simulator golf tournaments, Rotary Home Cooking series, Hoffman’s Car Wash tickets, etc. , several other ideas were thrown out for discussion, including a technology “crushing” session, a “mud run” obstacle course that may attract a younger demographic, and calendar sales. Further discussion will be held over the coming weeks.
RLI — The annual Rotary Leadership Institute will be held on Saturday, October 22, at Siena College in Loudonville. Members are urged to participate in what has proven to be an excellent training and networking program. Workshops will be held for first-time attendees, as well as advanced levels for those completing the course in prior years. The club will pay the fee. Anyone interested should check with Debbie Rodriguez.
GOL GOLF & BOCCE — Jim Leyhane is sponsoring the foursome of Murray Forth, Jim Mendrysa, Terry Brewer and Rob Mangold in the 17th annual Gift of Life Golf & Bocce, scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, at the Mohawk River Country Club in Halfmoon, Saratoga County. The same foursome won the event two years ago and finished second last year. Registration remains open for anyone else who wishes to enter a foursome. Details are available on the club website.
THANK-YOUS — Debbie read a letter from Mikaela Mueller, a graduate of Maple Hill High School who was one of our three latest $1,000 scholarship winners, updating us on her activities entering her freshman year at the University of Hartford. Treasurer Murray Forth noted that Mikaela, Jolene Bell, and Matt McHugh all sent thank-you notes to the club during the summer for their awards.
MEMBERSHIP — Terry Brewer, who is serving on the District 7190 Membership Committee, said a workshop titled “Next Generation Rotary Summit” — aimed at how to recruit and retain new members — will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, September 24, at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. It will be one of only 19 such events nationwide. He said anyone else who wishes to attend should contact him ASAP and he will have their registration fee covered. In response to a question about availability of membership information shared by District Governor-elect Fred Daniels during a recent visit to the club, webmaster Bill Dowd said that Fred’s entire presentation has been available since that visit on the club website under Program Presentation Archives, along with copies of other programs as announced several times.
ROTARY DAY AT THE U.N. — The District is providing bus transportation to the annual fall event at the UN headquarters in New York City. Registration is closed, but Becky Raymond is on the standby list with hopes to be included.
RYLA — Terry reported that Maple Hill High School administration is working on a list of students to participate in this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program. Columbia High School has declined to participate in favor of its own program. Becky Raymond said she would like to get in touch with officials at Averill Park High School to see if they have any candidates and asked for information on RYLA. Bill Dowd explained that the club website has for years had an entire page devoted to RYLA, including explanation, registration information, and a current online brochure. Tuition is $375 per student, which our club will pay.
AID TO LOUISIANA — Anyone wishing to contribute money to disaster recovery efforts in Louisiana is asked to send checks directly to Rotary District 6200, 2266 South College Road, # C, Lafayette, LA 70508.
EXCHANGE STUDENT UPDATES — Debbie said it appears that the arrival of Rafaella Leal Câncio, our Brazilian exchange student, was delayed due to a paperwork problem. However, our outgoing student, Michaela Rosetti, a Maple Hill graduate, left on schedule for a year in Italy. We’ll look forward to an update by Youth Exchange Officer A.J. Amato.
FLAG CEREMONY — Ray Hannan reported that a flagpole area has been installed in the Eastwyck Village community where he and fellow club member David Taylor reside, and club members are invited to attend the dedication ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, November 2. He said he will circulate a signup sheet to ascertain who will attend.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE — Project coordinator Bill Dowd reported a successful 2nd annual “School Supplies Drive” to collect items for needy students in the Rensselaer City School District. He noted that despite a large increase in membership since the first drive, member contributions overall did not increase appreciably. However, the strong participation of John Sawchuk and students at Columbia High School helped push the total contributions to about 600 items.
FOOD DRIVE — Project coordinator April Dowd sent thanks to all who contributed to an emergency collection of non-perishable food items for the Ronald McDonald House complex. One delivery already has been made, and the items contributed at this meeting will be the second and final load.
SHELTERBOX UPDATE — Our SB Liaison, Bill Dowd, reported that ShelterBox teams were the first disaster relief group on site after the recent devastating earthquake in Italy. He noted that this timeliness usually is the case with a non-governmental organization (NGO) such as ShelterBox because of the lack of bureaucracy. He said SB continues to juggle aid to a large number of regions in Asia, South America, and Africa, and urged all who have not yet contributed in this Rotary Year to ShelterBox to do so. (See Murray for details on tax deductibility.) Anyone who needs information on how the humanitarian project works can find it on the club website.
POLIO UPDATE — Bill reported that although Rotary’s PolioPlus decades-long effort had reduced the dread disease’s prevalence to just two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan — three cases have recently been reported in Nigeria. They occurred in a part of the country where immunization programs had been blocked by the terrorist organization Boko Harum. He also noted that because polio is not something they grew up with, younger people tend not to know anything about it. He said they can be pointed to the “What Is Polio?” video on the club website.
NEXT MEETINGS: Our “Third Thursday” breakfast meeting series will resume at 7 a.m. September 15 at the Greenbush YMCA, 20 Community Way, East Greenbush. Please let Terry Brewer or Shannon Romanowski know in advance if you plan to attend.
At the 6:15 dinner meeting that same day, new member Phil Kellerman will speak on the controversy over the immigrant crisis.
Health experts fear more cases of polio may be found, including at displaced-persons camps such as Manu, Nigeria, shown here.
A third case of polio in Nigeria, where the disease was believed to have been wiped out, has just been confirmed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the case for Rotary International, reporting that a crippled toddler found in an area of the West African nation newly liberated from Boko Haram Islamic extremists.
Nigeria once was the global epicenter of the wild polio virus, but last year it and, in fact, the entire African continent were declared polio free. However, two cases were discovered last month among refugees from the northern state of Borno recently won back by Nigeria’s military.
Unfortunately, more cases of the highly-infectious disease are expected to be discovered in the area where Boko Haram had interfered with Rotary’s polio immunization efforts. That is key because polio cannot be cured, only prevented by an ongoing immunization program.
To fight the outbreaks, Rotary is participating in a new emergency immunization drive in which last week along saw more than 1.5 million children vaccinated in Borno where, WHO has said, the virus has been circulating undetected for five years during Boko Haram’s Islamic uprising that has resulted in countless killings.
The campaign is supposed to spread across the country, with a plan to reach 25 million children before the end of this year. However, the U.N. Children’s Fund has warned that about 1 million children are in areas too dangerous to access. The Nigerian military is helping with logistics and other aid, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the United Nations and Britain’s Save the Children, as well as government health workers. Military helicopters have been transporting vaccines into places too dangerous to reach by road, and truckloads of troops and armored cars escorted vaccinators elsewhere.
Continued financial support is being sought from Rotarians worldwide as well as from non-Rotarian individuals and organizations.
This is one of many murals painted by artists across the country as part of the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1934 to 1943 to celebrate the range and energy of the American labor force.
If you’re not familiar with the Federal Art Project category of the WPA’s efforts at rebuilding the nation as we came out of the Great Depression — or even if you are and haven’t seen examples in a while — you can find a lot of information online. And, you can find an 11-image slideshow here from The New York Times.
In Rensselaer County, the main U.S. Post Office on Broadway in Troy has such art on its lobby walls. Seen below are “Rip Van Winkle” and “Legends of the Hudson,” both painted in 1938 by Waldo Pierce.
Sue, a Circles of Mercy volunteer, shows some of the donations being packed for kids.
The first of two batches of donations to the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club’s 2nd annual “School Supplies Drive” was dropped off this morning at Circles of Mercy in Rensselaer.
Project leader Bill Dowd delivered more than 200 items ranging from backpacks to notebook paper to rulers to pencil boxes to binders to dictionaries and much more.
The supplies will be distributed by the family services agency Circles of Mercy to high school and pre-school kids in the Rensselaer City School District where more than one-third of the children come from families living below the federal poverty level.
A second delivery, being put together in support of the SRC drive by John Sawchuk and a group of his students at Columbia High School, will be dropped off at Circles of Mercy on Tuesday.
“I thank all of our SRC Club members and their families who pitched in to help make this very worthwhile drive a success again this year,” Bill said.
“Sometimes it doesn’t take much to make a huge difference in the lives of those less fortunate than we, and this is one of those ‘painless’ efforts directly in line with one of Rotary’s core principles — fostering improved education and literacy.”
UPDATE: Calling hours for Ted Romanowski will be Tuesday, August 16, from 4-7 p.m. at the Rockefeller Funeral Home in East Greenbush.
Theodore “Ted” Romanowski, father-in-law of club member Shannon Romanowski, died Monday at the age of 77. We offer our condolences to Shannon and the entire Romanowski family.
Here is Ted’s obituary as it appeared in today’s Times Union:
EAST GREENBUSH — Theodore “Ted” Romanowski, 77, of East Greenbush passed away Monday, August 8, 2016, at Evergreen Commons.
Ted was born in Albany, the son of Anthony and Mary (Budnowski) Romanowski (Dearstyne). Ted went to Philip Schuyler high school and earned his BS and MS from the University of Notre Dame, where he played football and basketball.
He was a teacher, coach and administrator in the East Greenbush Schools for over 30 years, retiring in 1995. He was inducted into the CHS Athletics Hall of Fame, the Capital Region Football Hall of Fame and the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame.
Ted is survived by his wife, Joyce (Smith) Romanowski; a daughter, Kristen L. Romanowski; and a son, Drew (Shannon) Romanowski. Ted was the proud grandfather of Kason and Nolan.
Services will be at a time and place to be announced. Memorial donations may be made to the All Sports Club, C/O Athletic Dept. at Columbia High School, 962 Luther Rd, East Greenbush, NY 12061
Rotary is such a multi-faceted organization it often is difficult to explain it succinctly to anyone who is not a member.
Although the SRC Rotary Club last participated in the “Rotary At the United Nations Day” in 2014, reports in advance of this year’s event show the experience certainly should be considered next fall. Here’s what we’ll miss, according to an RI news release:
You may have noticed a number of your fellow SRC members sporting new polo shirts, denim shirts and fleeces bearing the club’s new logo.
Third Thursday Breakfast Meeting
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
RLI — The annual Rotary Leadership Institute will be held on Saturday, October 22, at Siena College in Loudonville. Members are urged to participate in what has proven to be an excellent training and networking program. Workshops will be held for first-time attendees, as well as advanced levels for those completing the course in prior years. The club will pay the fee. Anyone interested should check with Debbie Rodriguez.
GOL GOLF & BOCCE — Jim Leyhane is sponsoring the foursome of Murray Forth, Jim Mendrysa, Terry Brewer and Rob Mangold in the 17th annual Gift of Life Golf & Bocce, scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, at the Mohawk River Country Club in Halfmoon, Saratoga County. The same foursome won the event two years ago and finished second last year. Registration remains open for anyone else who wishes to enter a foursome. Details are available 
MEMBERSHIP — Terry Brewer, who is serving on the District 7190 Membership Committee, said a workshop titled “
RYLA — Terry reported that Maple Hill High School administration is working on a list of students to participate in this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program. Columbia High School has declined to participate in favor of its own program. Becky Raymond said she would like to get in touch with officials at Averill Park High School to see if they have any candidates and asked for information on RYLA. Bill Dowd explained that the club website has for years had 
SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE — Project coordinator Bill Dowd reported a successful 2nd annual “School Supplies Drive” to collect items for needy students in the Rensselaer City School District. He noted that despite a large increase in membership since the first drive, member contributions overall did not increase appreciably. However, the strong participation of John Sawchuk and students at Columbia High School helped push the total contributions to about 600 items.
SHELTERBOX UPDATE — Our SB Liaison, Bill Dowd, reported that ShelterBox teams were the first disaster relief group on site after the recent devastating earthquake in Italy. He noted that this timeliness usually is the case with a non-governmental organization (NGO) such as ShelterBox because of the lack of bureaucracy. He said SB continues to juggle aid to a large number of regions in Asia, South America, and Africa, and urged all who have not yet contributed in this Rotary Year to ShelterBox to do so. (See Murray for details on tax deductibility.) Anyone who needs information on how the humanitarian project works can find it 
NEXT MEETINGS: Our “Third Thursday” breakfast meeting series will resume at 7 a.m. September 15 at the Greenbush YMCA, 20 Community Way, East Greenbush. Please let Terry Brewer or Shannon Romanowski know in advance if you plan to attend.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 