‘Summer casual’ schedule filling up

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As of today, (5) five events officially are on our “summer casual” schedule, that annual period during which we forego formal dinner meetings in favor of cookouts, picnics, and field trips.

Still to be filled are July 28, and August 4 and 25. Although that leaves one late-summer Thursday (September 1) before the Labor Day Weekend, traditionally we do not schedule anything then because so many people are on vacation.

We also may swap one of those three available Thursdays for a Sunday bus trip to take in an antique airplane show  at the Old Rhinebeck  Aerodrome in Dutchess County. More details on that possibility will be forthcoming.

Here is what we have firmed up so far. If you’d like to host or set up an event, please contact Debbie Rodriguez ASAP.

• July 7 — Cookout, 6 p.m., hosted by Jim and Andy Leyhane at Jim’s residence in East Greenbush. The pool will be open.

• July 14 — Cookout, 6 p.m., hosted by Roberto Martinez and Jim Leyhane at Roberto’s residence in East Greenbush.

• July 21 — Picnic, 6 p.m., hosted by David Taylor and Ray Hannan at Eastwyck Village in Rensselaer.

• July 28 — Open date to be filled.

• August 4 — Open date to be filled.

• August 11 — Wine tasting dinner, 6 p.m., hosted by Debbie Rodriguez and Pat Bailey at Brookview Station Winery at Goold Orchards in Castleton.

• August 18 — Take us out to the ballgame, and feed us, too. Picnic dinner at 6 p.m. in the covered pavilion, followed by a ValleyCats pro baseball game, Joseph L. Bruno Stadium at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.

• August 25 — Open date to be filled.

Woodworking & Fine Arts Weekend in the works

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Screen shot 2016-05-26 at 3.14.37 PMOne of our neighboring club’s excellent summer events is in the planning stages.

The 8th annual Northville Rotary Club Woodworking & Fine Arts Weekend will be held in the village on the Great Sacandaga Lake Friday through Sunday, July 15-17.

More than 60 artists from the Adirondacks and beyond are expected to have their wares on diaplay, among them woodworkers, jewelers, weavers, potters, photographers, painters, and others. Many will be selling their works as well.

This very popular summer event will be held in the Bradt Building and Park on Main Street in the village of Northville.  The weekend will begin with a “Meet the Artists” reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, and show hours will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

In addition to the displays, there will be crafts demonstrations, raffles, and a silent auction. Food will be available for purchase. Proceeds from the event will be used throughout the year to provide student scholarships, support community organizations, and support projects of Rotary International.

Keep reading for the lineup of craftspeople registered so far for the event:

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Foundation issues a reminder on ‘club banner’ qualifications

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Rotary Foundation Logo• This reminder message was sent to all Rotary Club presidents by the Rotary Foundation.

Dear Club Presidents:

As you look ahead to the end of your Rotary year in office, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that your club could qualify for recognition in supporting The Rotary Foundation.

Remember, recognitions were updated this Rotary year. They now include:

100% Foundation Giving —  This banner is awarded to clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes to The Rotary Foundation, and, the average contribution is at least $100 to any Rotary Foundation gift designation, including the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, approved global grants, and the Endowment Fund, during the Rotary year.

100% EREY (Every Rotarian, Every Year) Sustaining Club —  Rotary clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes at least $100 to the Annual Fund.

100% Paul Harris Society Club — For clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes a minimum of $1,000 to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or global grants within a Rotary year.”

Any member of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club who wishes to donate to the Rotary Foundation for this 2016-17 year is asked to be sure to do so in time for the club to qualify for consideration. The deadline for receiving donations is the close of business on Thursday, June 30, which is the final day of the Rotary Year.

• Via Credit Card — This method may be used online at http://rotary.org, and donations must be authorized on or prior to Thursday 30 June 2016.

• Via Fax — Donations, including amount, credit card number, and member name and address, may be faxed to 847-328-5260.

• Via Phone –– Call 866-976-8279.

• Via Check — Envelopes must be postmarked no later than June 30 and  received at the Foundation no later than Wednesday, July 6. Mailing address: The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693.

 

 

Special discount for early signups for 2017(!) RI Convention

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Organizers are urging Rotarians to take advantage of a special early registration rate of $265 for the Rotary International Convention. No, not the one coming up in Seoul, South Korea. The one coming up in 2017 in Atlanta!

Screen shot 2016-05-24 at 5.49.29 PMThat’s where RI will be celebrating the centennial of The Rotary Foundation. It was at the 1917 Rotary Convention — also in Atlanta — that then RI President Arch Klumph announced his dream of creating a Rotary endowment fund. Next year, we will celebrate the good work Rotarians have done over the past 100 years because one man dared to dream.

Says the Foundation announcement, “We’re offering the special rate in honor of Foundation visionary Arch Klumph and his birthday of June 6, as well as the $26.50 first contribution to the endowment fund that grew into The Rotary Foundation.

“Join us in Atlanta. Mark your calendar to take advantage of the special registration rate of $265, available only from this Saturday, May 28, through June 6 by clicking here.”

The 2017 convention, RI’s 108th, is scheduled for June 10-14 in the Georgia city. Click here for full details on the event.

 

Tuesday RSVP deadline for Thursday dinner (and vote)

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Screen shot 2016-05-23 at 2.23.44 PMA REMINDER: We will be voting on a slate of officers for the 2016-17 Rotary Year at our Thursday, May 26, meeting. All members were emailed the slate, and it has been posted on our website but, in case you misplaced your copy, click here for the full details.

salmon
This week’s entree.

Think you know a lot about ticks? Maybe so, but our scheduled speaker for this Thursday’s dinner meeting at Quigley’s knows a lot more.

Dr. Linda Pessolesi of Hudson Valley Community College will present a very seasonally-appropriate talk on “The Wondrous World of Ticks.” And, if you want to get a head start on the topic, you can click here for a newspaper article on Lyme disease, which is spread by ticks.

Before her talk, we’ll be enjoying a dinner of baked salmon, salad, vegetables, bread, desserts, and beverages. And, as always, the cash bar is available for pre-meeting refreshment.

The deadline for RSVPs is Tuesday, via email to Debbie Brown. And, please, please, please be sure to let her know if you’re bringing a guest so she can get a correct headcount for seating and food ordering. Here is who has signed up to attend so far:

1. Annis, Monika
2. Annis, Ron
3. Bailey, Pat
4. Brewer, Terry
5. Brown, Debbie
6. Brown, Peter
7. Butterworth, Jim
8. Dowd, April
9. Dowd, Bill
10. Drumm, Dick
11. Foote, Charlie
12. Forth, Murray
13. Frankel, Julius
14. Hannan, Ray
15. Leyhane, Jim
16. Martinez, Roberto
17. Pessolesi, Linda (speaker)
18. Rodriguez, Debbie
19. Spencer, Carole
20. Taylor, David

 

The way we were

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This portion of an 1891 map of Rensselaer County shows the area that 125 years later is served by the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club.

Notice some differences? What happened to the hamlet of Greenbush and the neighboring village of Bath? They, along with a piece of western East Greenbush, constitute what began as a one-square-mile parcel of land that through annexation became today’s City of Rensselaer.

Note, too, the map serves as a sort of census, listing the locations of various homes and farms, and businesses.

1891 map

 

‘A Taste of Mercy’ fundraiser set for June 8

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CirclesOur friends at Circles of Mercy have a special fundraiser coming up.

“A Taste of Mercy,” which will benefit the family services organization and honor past trustee Beth Coco, will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at the Shaker Ridge Country Club, 802 Albany Shaker Road in Loudonville.

A variety of foods and beverages will be available for sampling throughout the event. Live music will be provided by Audra and Danica Nowosielski. Tickets are priced at $60. There is a reservation deadline of June 3.

Click here to download a reservation form.

 

Past DG Hartman dies unexpectedly

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Blair Hartman

To All Rotarians of District 7190:

It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Past District Governor Charles Blair Hartman (Rotary Club of Cobleskill) early yesterday morning.

As we understand it, he became sick Tuesday and was taken to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown Tuesday night and evaluations were made on Wednesday and exploratory surgery performed Wednesday evening. Blair passed away following surgery. His brother, Richard, from North Carolina, arrived in time to be with him.

Blair was District Governor in 2004-2005 and has been regularly active in the District ever since. Through his years of service he has touched the lives of so many of us especially through his activity with the Youth Exchange program. We will miss his dedication to Rotary and his can do attitude.

It is because of his years of service to our district and being so well known throughout the district that I send this email to you to ensure that all that knew him are aware of his passing.  We have lost so many good Rotarians this year that it makes it even more necessary that we strive to continue to attract new members so that we can carry out the work our veteran Rotarians strove so hard to accomplish.

Both the visiting hours and the memorial service will be held at the Cobleskill United Methodist Church, 107 Chapel Street, Cobleskill.

Visiting hours are on Sunday, May 22, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 23, at 10 a.m.  Funeral arrangements have been made with Putnam’s Funeral Home in Cobleskill. A burial service will be performed in Pennsylvania later in the week.

Please keep Blair and his family in your thoughts and prayers. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Rotary Club of Cobleskill, care of Olive Scott, 116 Parkway Drive, Cobleskill, NY 12043, for the Student Exchange Program or Paul Harris Fellowship.

(Signed)
Milan Jackson, District Governor