Jim Leyhane has firmed up the date for the latest defensive driving course that will allow attendees, upon completion, to apply for a discount in their auto insurance premiums.
It will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 5, in the conference room at Community Care Physicians, 81 Miller Road, Schodack.
The cost will be $35 to $45, depending on the number of enrollees. To register, the sooner the better, please contact Jim via email or by phone at 477-4881 as soon as possible.
The Lake George Rotary Club will be one of the presenting sponsors of a new summer fundraising event, the “Lake George Polka Fest.”
It’s scheduled for 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at Scotty’s Lakeside Resort, 2896 Lakeshore Drive. Tickets, priced at $10 for adults and $8 for adults over age 65 (kids free), are available online.
The event will benefit Lake George Region Women for WIN, a support organization for women in need.
Oh, the band shown above? That’s the headliner, the Chardon Polka Band, a decidedly unorthodox group that mixes traditional polka music with pop music and covers of some of the top current pop performers’ work.
Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
593 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY
May 12, 2016
Members Attending (17): Terry Brewer, Murray Forth, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Mike Dewey, Ray Hannan, Roberto Martinez, Ron Annis, Monika Annis, John Sawchuk, Stewart Wagner, Becky Raymond.
Guests (2): Betty Brewer, Debra Dewey.
NOTE: Corrections included in this version.
PROGRAM: “Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy In the Schools”
President Terry Brewer introduced Betty Brewer and Debra Dewey and gave a brief outline of their role in the Averill Park Central School District offering physical and occupational therapy in an educational setting.
Betty explained that she and Debra, along with a speech therapist, are a team that serves 180 kids. They work with students who need to learn a variety of skills, and they utilize tactile items in various shapes and colors, games, and various exercises.
The children they work with have a range of problems, including autism, cerebral palsy, sensory and processing disorders, and other limitations.
Debra explained that they work to instill in the students a mutual respect for others, and attaining a goal of improving and moving on. They work with children as needed and for as long as needed.
A new program in this school year is teaching strategies for coping with habits, not sitting and fidgeting, and so on. The team often uses therapy balls instead of chairs for better posture. They work on fine and gross motor skills, directional skills, exercise on mats, and sitting and getting up correctly. They also include time for play.
One of their main efforts is working on “sensory integration,” which affects multiple areas of muscle, senses, and auditory faculties. They work in a variety of ways — in groups, independently, in classrooms, and separate rooms. They displayed many small tactile items they use with the children,, such as soft, squishy balls, colorful soft items that light up, and pencils with soft grips.
In conclusion, they answered several questions from attendees.
BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
REMINDERS — (1.) The “Pocket Change” contribution jug now is being used to collect money at each meeting for the Freedom From Fistula Foundation. (2.) The club officially has decided to raise $1,400 to “adopt” a school in Haiti as part of the Pure Water Project’s effort there. An initial donation will be made in the amount of $500.
WEB PAGE REVAMP — Since our last meeting, a redesign and relaunch of the club website has taken place, and the new address — http://SRCrotaryblog.wordpress.com — is active. Several new pages are password-protected. They still are in development, and passwords will be distributed to members once the content is finalized.
RONALD McDONALD HOUSE EFFORT — Seven club members cooked dinner for 40 guests at the Ronald McDonald House complex in Albany today. Bill Dowd planned the menu and oversaw the effort, aided by April Dowd, Debbie Rodriguez, Roberto Martinez, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, and Mike Dewey. (Scroll down to see photos of the event.)
GOLFING EFFORT — The club donated $250 for Columbia High School’s golf tournament being held in support of the school’s scholarship programs.
PRESIDENTIAL CHANGEOVER — Our Thursday, June 30, meeting has been designated as the annual Presidential Changeover meeting. Debbie Rodriguez will succeed Terry Brewer as president at that time for the 2016-17 Rotary Year. The event will be held at Murray Forth’s residence in East Greenbush.
NEW-MEMBER INDUCTION — Our second member induction of the year will be held during our Thursday, June 23, meeting to officially welcome members who have joined us since the last induction.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES — At the next meeting, we will begin asking people to sign up to host a cookout or plan a group outing during our “summer casual” schedule when we do not hold formal weekly dinner meetings. The dates are July 7, 14, 21, and 28, and August 4, 11, 18, and 25. Ideas are welcomed.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS — We will conduct the annual vote for club officers and directors at our May 26 meeting.
FUNDRAISERS — (1.) It was announced that the raffle for a sightseeing flight in an antique plane at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome raised $215. Roberto Martinez was the lucky winner of the drawing. (2.) Becky Raymond reported that $6,000 was taken in at the recent Freedom From Fistula Foundation fundraiser. She thanked members who attended.
DRIVER TRAINING — Jim Leyhane, who is arranging a defensive driving training session that will qualify participants to receive a deduction on their auto insurance, said it will be held on a Sunday in June. He asked that anyone who would like to attend but has a conflict on any particular Sunday to let him know ASAP so he can finalize the date.
HEALTH UPDATES — Doris Calamaras is reported to be improving after a bout of pneumonia. … Stewart Wagner thanked the club for its support of he and Lois since her return home from hospitalization.
NEXT MEETING — 6:15 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at Quigley’s. We will have a program on “Let’s Share the Sun,” a program that shares solar energy devices with poor parts of the world.
The need was for dinner for 40 — no, not for 4, or 14, or even 24 or 34, but 40 guest lodgers at the Ronald McDonald House complex in Albany.
A team of seven Southern Rensselaer County Rotarians — led by chef Bill Dowd and sous chefs April Dowd, Roberto Martinez, Debbie Rodriguez, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, and Mike Dewey — whipped up a wide range of foods to feed the multitudes on Thursday evening.
The menu:
Bill and April Dowd dropped in at Faddegon’s Nursery for their annual spring plants and flowers purchases, and checked out the special ShelterBox display there. Here are Bill’s photos.
A pair of “Rotarians by marriage” will be our after-dinner presenters at this week’s meeting at Quigley’s.
Deb Dewey, wife of new member Mike Dewey, and Betty Brewer, wife of President Terry Brewer, will speak on “Occupational and Physical Therapy In Schools.”
The menu calls for sauteed beef tips and mushrooms in sauce, with veggies, salad, bread, beverages, and dessert. As always, the cash bar is open to all. (Remember, dinner now is $18 per person.)
If you haven’t yet emailed your RSVP to dinner coordinator Debbie Brown — at mdbrown@nycap.rr.com — remember the deadline is Tuesday evening for doing so. Please be sure to let her know if you’re bringing a guest so we can have an accurate headcount for Quigley’s kitchen.
Many Rotary Clubs around the country are experimenting with new approaches to attracting and holding members.
One example is the creation of our monthly breakfast meetings initiated under President Terry Brewer that has attracted many people who went on to become members of our club.
Some clubs have switched from breakfast to dinner meetings, and vice versa. Two years ago, District 7190 sanctioned the founding of a new style of club, the Capital Region Rotary Club, that meets in person monthly, but caucuses via social media as well.
Meanwhile, in the Vineland, NJ, area, yet another innovative action has been taken — the creation of a “Rotary Group” that serves three counties.
Here’s the story from the Vineland Daily Journal covering the new effort.
• From The Daily Journal
EAST VINELAND, NJ – The Tri-County Community Rotary Group, the first of its kind in District 7640, was formed to enable more business professionals to provide service to people in need. On April 19, the new Rotary Group became official as District Governor David Zelley, assisted by other District leadership, inducted its first 23 members, and welcomed three transferring Rotarians, and six new members of the South Jersey Rotary E-Club.
The Tri-County Community Rotary Group is an extension of the South Jersey Rotary E-Club and meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month … .
“This club represents a more flexible approach to the traditional Rotary Club meeting,” said Zelley. “While it meets fewer times each month, there is also an online meeting opportunity. At the end of the day, it shares the same desire of Rotarians everywhere, which is to engage more people in service. I applaud this group for its forward thinking and dedication to doing whatever is needed to help others.”
The new group serves Atlantic, Cumberland and Gloucester counties and has already joined forces with a number of local organizations to provide support. As part of the South Jersey Rotary E-Club, it also co-sponsors the Buena Regional High School Interact Club, and the Tri-County Community Interact Club at the YMCA.
“We work very hard to provide our members with the flexibility they need to become and stay active in Rotary,” said Mary Crawford, president of the South Jersey Rotary E-Club. “The Tri-County Community Rotary Group is a blend of the traditional and virtual club models. It is a more natural extension of our efforts and we could not be more pleased with our successful launch. Our club members have already begun participating in service project to support our communities.”
Behind every great family is a great mother. On their special day, we extend our thanks and appreciation for all they have done and all they will do.
We Rotarians are continually reminded we are part of a global organization dedicated to improving the lives of people in their community and throughout the world.
Keeping track of the efforts of all 1.23 million of us, and coordinating and facilitating programs and initiatives worldwide, is a daunting task that is carried out by a dedicated staff working in RI’s international headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL.
We’ve just added a video tour of the headquarters to give you an inside look at what goes on there and who makes Rotary’s many gears mesh. Just go to the “INSIDE INFORMATION” menu and click on it to begin your visit.
What do you get from Rotary’s anti-polio efforts besides the obvious? The spillover from such organization and efforts helps in other health fields as well, as this video shows.
