The Third Thursday of June pops up this week, and one of our own will be presenting the breakfast program. Shannon Romanowski, who is both speaker and host, will speak on “Emergency and Crisis Preparedness.”
What are your safety plans. How often do you plan for your own safety and /or business operations? Is this a good time to review where you stand in crisis management? This is an interactive conversation that will run from 8 to 9 p.m. at the Greenbush Area YMCA, so come prepared to share your plans.
If you plan to attend, please be absolutely sure to email Terry Brewer by clicking hereand replying no later than Wednesday evening.
Please remember, we also have a Thursday evening dinner meeting this week at which we will have a different group of guests. Just scroll down to see the details.
We no doubt will be hearing details about the Rotary International Convention from Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, and Dick Drumm now that they have returned from Atlanta.
However, you can find vast numbers of links and loads of information shared by organizations within RI from the convention by going to our club’s Twitter account.
Simply click on #SRCrotaryNY and open the richness that is the treasure chest of photos, comments, links, website, tweets, etc.
Our final regular dinner meeting at Quigley’s is set for this Thursday before we launch into our “Summer Casual” schedule on June 29 with the Presidential Changeover Dinner at the Browns’ residence.
After a dinner consisting of Quigley’s popular beef tips in mushroom gravy, pasta, chef’s selection of accompanying sides, salad, bread, beverages and dessert, we’ll get right to it, although as always the cash bar will be available before, during, and after dinner.
First, we will be recognizing our annual SRC Rotary Scholarship winners from Maple Hill, Rensselaer, and Columbia high schools, students who have been nominated by their guidance counselors as exemplars of our club’s commitment to “Service Above Self.”
Then, we will hear from Joan Bishop, executive director of theOley Foundationat Albany Medical Center. Her organization supports the lives of patients dependent on home intravenous nutrition and tube feeding. Joining her will be Mary Wootten and her daughter, Natalie.
If you have not yet emailed your reservations to dinner coordinator Debbie Brown, please do so at MDbrown@nycap.rr.com no later than Tuesday evening.
So far, the following people have said they will attend:
Joan Bishop (guest speaker)
Mary Wootten (guest)
Natalie Wooten (guest)
Burke Adams
Pat Bailey
Geoff Brewer
Terry Brewer
Debbie Brown
Peter Brown
Jim Butterworth
Dick Drumm
Charlie Foote
Murray Forth
Butterworth, Jim
Julius Frankel
Ray Hannan
Phil Kellerman
Jim Leyhane
Roberto Martinez
Debbie Rodriguez
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant 593 Columbia Turnpike East Greenbush, NY
June 8, 2017
Members Attending (17): Debbie Rodriguez, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Ray Hannan, Maggie Forth, Dick Drumm, Terry Brewer, Geoff Brewer, Carole Spencer, Julius Frankel, Becky Raymond, Carol Orvis, Charlie Foote.
Guests (9): Dr. Martha Lepow, John Mucha, Nina Mucha, John Justino, Edward Koller, Namita Modesra, Roshni Modesra, Jay Steele, Jerry Steele.
PROGRAM: “Making Polio History: A Pioneer’s Story”
Martha Lepow as a young 20th Century polio researcher.
With the attendance of Dr. Martha Lepow, certain SRC members, District Governor John Mucha, and a contingent from CASDA, all but one person who worked on the video project were gathered tonight.
We began with a screening of the 20-minute video. Dr. Lepow of the UAlbany School of Public Health then explained her role in early polio research and how the virus was known to be in the areas of Cleveland, Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River when she began as a young doctor.
She also decribed how the earliest vaccines were administered, and how current research and distribution methods are made to continue to improve the vaccine and reach all areas of the globe. She said we still do not know exactly how the virus works, though we know how it gets into the body.
John Mucha noted that so far this year only five new cases of polio have been reported in the world, a huge change from recent years. He thanked everyone in the club as well as CASDA for their efforts.
President Debbie presented plaques to videographers Edward Koller and Jay Steele with our thanks for their help and expertise in putting the video together. It is on our club website and the District website, and it is going to the Rotary International convention in flash drive format.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & BUSINESS
GRANTS DISTRIBUTION– Terry and Geoff Brewer presented a check for $600 from SRC to Namita and Roshni Modesra from the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center, a non-profit agency in Albany. The DSAHRC provides, among other things, parent-to-parent support to parents/caregivers and other family members dealing with the syndrome. Details are available by clicking here. … President Debbie Rodriguez and Becky Raymond will travel to New York City next Tuesday to present an $1,800 check to the Freedom From Fistula Foundation (FFFF). Becky reported that there is a Rotary International collaboration in the works with the Peace Corps, and she will be presenting our partnership with FFFF at a meeting in Denver.
MEDICAL UPDATE — Roberto Martinez reported that Bill Dowd successfully underwent triple cardiac bypass surgery today, and is doing well.
CHANGEOVER EVENTS — We are nearing the end of the 2016-17 Rotary Year. Registration for the District 7190 changeover event may be handled via the District website. … The SRC changeover will be hosted on Thursday, June 29, at the Brown residence. Please be sure to let Debbie Brown know well in advance if you plan to attend. Guests are welcome.
NEXT MEETING — 6:15 p.m. Thursday, June 15. Joan Bishop of the Oley Foundation will be the speaker.
John Mucha during a visit to SRC early in his presidential year.(SRC archival photo)
• John Mucha will finish out his year as District 7190 Governor at the end of this month. Here, he shares a few notes.
It’s been a great year and has gone by very quickly. The clubs and the District accomplished a great deal, and we have wonderful leadership chosen for the next three years with DGE Fred Daniels, DGN Tammy Heckenberg, and DGND Larry Jones.
Please remember to send in your PolioPlus and Rotary Foundation donations. We have a way to go to meet our goals, and traditionally many clubs wait until June to send in their dollars. Please try to do so by June 15 at the latest so your contributions will be counted against your current goals. It’s the Rotary Foundation’s Ccntennial year. Let’s do our best to make it special.
Please continue to work on membership for your club between now and the end of this Rotary year. Every club can use new members with enthusiasm and dedication to the great work they do. Many clubs have held membership events over the past few weeks. Now is the time to follow up with those prospects and, if they are interested, add them as members.
The Rotary International Convention in Atlanta is shaping up to be a great event with speakers like Bill Gates and Jack Nicklaus. For those attending, we will be having a district social event there on Monday, June 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. We have almost 50 Rotarians and guests registered. We hope to see many of you then.
And, remember the District Changeover that will be hekd at River Stone Manor in Scotia on Sunday, June 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Time to change the guard and start a new Rotary year.
It has truly been a privilege to serve you and your Rotary club. I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing summer and a great 2017-18 Rotary Year. As always, thanks for all you do for Rotary.
Creating framework for the Shaker sign.(C.C. Chen photo)
We had nearly-immediate photo coverage on our website and Facebook page of the recent work project at the Shaker Heritage Site in the Town of Colonie in which SRC participated with three other clubs. (Click here to see it.) However, good works never get stale.
Jack Faddegon, Assistant District Governor for Area 8 and the person who conceived the project, reports:
“What a great day we had two Saturdays ago at the Shaker museum site. The new sign and decorative fence is up and the pasture fence has been repaired. The holes that were a hazard to the animals have been filled, and the vines and saplings have been removed. Now people that come to the site will be greeted by a great new sign, and we are getting ready to move the team of oxen to their new home. Thanks to all of you for this. It was truly a joint venture.”
It takes more work than most people may think to put together a quality video production. At this Thursday’s 6:15 p.m. dinner meeting we will be filled in on what went on behind the scenes during the “Making of the Polio History Video” that made its debut at the recent District 7190 Conference in Lake George.
The dinner menu is Quigley’s popular Chicken Parmesan with antipasto salad, chef’s choice of sides, bread, dessert, and beverages. As always, the cash bar will be open before, during and after diner.
If your name is not on the reservation list and you wish to attend, or if your plans have changed, please email dinner coordinator Debbie Brown (mdbrown@nycap.rr.com) no later than Tuesday evening. (Note: Please remember, if you have made a reservation at any meeting but wound up not attending, we still need your payment. The club has to pay Quigley’s for each reserved seat whether you show up or not.)
Here is who we have so far:
Pat Bailey
Geoff Brewer
Terry Brewer
Debbie Brown
Peter Brown
Jim Butterworth
Dick Drumm
Murray Forth
Julius Frankel
Phil Kellerman
Jim Leyhane
Roberto Martinez
Becky Raymond
Debbie Rodriguez
The CASDA people
P.S. We are nearing the end of our September-June regular meetings at Quigley’s, and will mark our transition to the “Summer Casual” schedule with the annual”Presidential Changeover” dinner. It again will be hosted by Peter and Debbie Brown, at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at their Castleton estate. Please, when the sign-up sheet comes around the table, indicate on it whether you are bringing a guest — or 2, or 3, or more! An accurate headcount is imperative.
Still not sure what is on our “Summer Casual” events calendar? Simply click hereto find out.
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant 593 Columbia Turnpike East Greenbush, NY
June 1, 2017
Members Attending (17): Debbie Rodriguez, Roberto Martinez, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Bill Dowd, April Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Julius Frankel, Jim Butterworth, Charlie Foote, Ray Hannan, Becky Raymond, Maggie Forth, Burke Adams.
Guests (2): Alyssa Evans, Jeremy Forth.
PROGRAM: ‘Combating Heroin’
One of the slides in Alyssa Evans’s presentation.Guest speaker Alyssa Evans
Roberto Martinez introduced Alyssa Evans, a contract Student Assistance Counselor working with students from Columbia High School and Goff Middle School, as well as Troy, Lansingburgh and Averill Park high schools, on the drug problem plaguing our society.
Alyssa said opioid and heroin addiction is an epidemic that nationally continues to increase. She spoke of the statistics of the problem, including 1,443 reported drug deaths in 2014 which she said is toughly equivalent to the death toll during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and ’90s.
She said the problem often begins with the abuse of prescription drugs, often stolen from family members who have the drugs legally. Drug use often can be a manifestation of teen behavior and thought processes of rebellion, peer pressure, and the quest for feeling good triggered by young brains that have not yet fully matured. Abuse of prescription medicines often quickly leads to unintended addiction.
She described the variety of opioids, such a common prescription drugs codeine and fentanyl and even some cough syrups. Anything that produces a feeling of well-being is a possible opioid.
Heroin, derived from poppy flowers, is a street drug with similar effects and can be injected, snorted or smoked. It gets to the brain quickly and is highly addictive. She said 90% of people addicted to heroin started in their teens by using alcohol and marijuana.
She spoke about teen brain development which continues until the mid-20s and physically progresses from back to front, which means the area guiding judgment and self-control, which is in the frontal area, is the last to mature.
Alyssa said the importance of family interactions with teens is a tremendous factor. Adults who need to grab a beer to “unwind” as soon as they get home from work, or frequently pop a pill to relieve stress tend to set the tone for teens observing that behavior. Also, she encourages adults to lock up medications, do inventories of what they have on hand, do not share meds, and set clear ground rules.
She said anyone in need of guidance or other help with drug problems can avail themselves locally of such services as RADAR in Rensselaer, Nopiates in Averill Park, and others. A major help line is available by calling 1-877-8-HOPENY.
Alyssa’s PowerPoint presentation is available to our club website’s “Program Presentation Archive.” You can access it by clicking here.
BUSINESS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Burke Adams
MIRACLE LEAGUE — Club member Burke Adams, president of the Miracle League athletic program that serves local people with various disabilities, provided an update on the fundraising and other activities of the organization. Club President Debbie Rodriguez presented him with a check for $250 to cover the cost of having an SRC advertisement at the league’s baseball field, as we have done for many years. There are about 250 Miracle League organizations throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia, serving more than 200,000 participants. Locally, the field is located at 565 Luther Road in East Greenbush. Click here for more details on the organization.
ROTARY HOME COOKING SERIES — Treasurer Murray Forth reported that $385 was raised to help underwrite the club’s scholarship program during the recent surf-and-turf dinner hosted by he and Maggie at their residence.
FAMILY ASSISTANCE REQUEST — Becky Raymond reported on a May 14 arson that damaged the home of one of the few African-American families in Schodack, and requested that the club or individual members contribute in some way toward aiding the displaced family who police officials have deemed the victims of a racial incident. She said a Go-Fund-Me page has been created for the family. Attendees contributed $170 which Pat Bailey will use to purchase a gift card.
RYLA — Education Committee Chair Jim Butterworth informed President Debbie that the preferred deadline for applications again this year is June 30. In addition to Maple Hill High School, there is interest from Columbia High School. Averill Park and Rensselaer high schools also will be polled. Debbie said the club needs to ascertain the maximum number of students it will sponsor, at $375 each. We had five (5) budgeted this year, and the Maple Hill contingent used that up. (Several students from Averill Park initially wanted to be involved, but withdrew on their own and incurred no charge.) Bill Dowd issued a reminder that we need to have proper funding for that number of more in the 2017-18 club budget to be created by President-elect Roberto Martinez and Treasurer Murray Forth, as required by our Bylaws, in place for the start of the next Rotary Year on July 1. The latest downloadable RYLA brochure containing information, schedule and application forms is available on the club website by clicking here.
RONALD McDONALD HOUSE — Roberto reported that the dinner cooked on Wednesday (May 31) for families staying at the facility was successful. Coverage of the event is on the website. (Click here to see it.)
NEXT MEETING: 6:15 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at Quigley’s. The program will be presented by video techs from CASDA who worked on the polio history video.
The SRC Dinner Crew (l to r back row): Roberto Martinez, Julius Frankel, Peter Brown, Phil Kellerman, Debbie Rodriguez. Front row: Efrosini Frankel, Debbie Brown, Carole Spencer.Roberto posts the dinner menu on the chalkboard.
The latest cooking effort by Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club at Ronald McDonald House in Albany on Wednesday was a big hit.
As Roberto Martinez reported:
“Before we started cooking a couple came up to thank us. … They remarked how words couldn’t explain how much it was appreciated and what a blessing it was to have someone helping them with the food. Their child was in the hospital for the last week.
“I spoke to a child while he was eating and asked what was his favorite. ‘The tortellini, the broccoli in the salad, and the chicken nuggets’,” he replied.
“The family … reminded us of why we were there and what is means to be a Rotarian.”
Thanks to the volunteers in the kitchen, and to those who helped put the event together ahead of time.
If you know any students who will be in the 2017-18 junior class at their school and are looking for something different in the way of life prep — or any school administrators/counselors interested in getting their potential leaders into one of Rotary’s top training courses for young people — you’re in luck.
We have just posted the downloadable 2017-18 RYLA brochure here on our website. Just click here to go to it and follow the download link.
Everything anyone needs to know about participating in RYLA, a weekly series of events running from September through March, is on that page and in the brochure. Check it out.
The Third Thursday of June pops up this week, and one of our own will be presenting the breakfast program. Shannon Romanowski, who is both speaker and host, will speak on “Emergency and Crisis Preparedness.”
We no doubt will be hearing details about the Rotary International Convention from Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, and Dick Drumm now that they have returned from Atlanta.
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
GRANTS DISTRIBUTION– Terry and Geoff Brewer presented a check for $600 from SRC to Namita and Roshni Modesra from the Down Syndrome Aim High Resource Center, a non-profit agency in Albany. The DSAHRC provides, among other things, parent-to-parent support to parents/caregivers and other family members dealing with the syndrome. Details are available by 
It takes more work than most people may think to put together a quality video production. At this Thursday’s 6:15 p.m. dinner meeting we will be filled in on what went on behind the scenes during the “Making of the Polio History Video” that made its debut at the recent District 7190 Conference in Lake George.
If you know any students who will be in the 2017-18 junior class at their school and are looking for something different in the way of life prep — or any school administrators/counselors interested in getting their potential leaders into one of Rotary’s top training courses for young people — you’re in luck.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 