Members in Attendance (12): Dick Drumm, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Pat Bailey, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Ray Hannan, Charlie Foote and Andy Leyhane.

By Zoom (1):  Debbie Rodriguez.

Guests (1): Herb Klutz (guest speaker via Zoom).

President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.

Theme for the Year: “Growing Fellowship and Service Locally and Globally.” 

Hybrid Meeting:  Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.

Proxy Votes:  If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to President Kevin Leyhane or any board member who will be attending the meeting. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.

MEETING NOTES

Gift Of Life 25th Annual Golf Tournament: Thursday September 14, 2023.  The brochure and the link to register is on the website.

Summer Nights in the park:  Pat Baily will let the Town know that the Club will focus on Movies in the Park on Friday nights.

Viking Gym:  The equipment has been ordered. The Town of Schodack anticipates an early July delivery. Town employees will install the equipment. There has been no mention regarding the pledges from Rotary and the Kiwanis Club.

Membership update: Kevin needs the email address for Dan Annis so he can be added to the posting list.

Scholarship Awards: The students were amazing. Thank you to Terry Brewer for all his hard work. Thank you also to Roberto Martinez and Jim Leyhane for completing and submitting the grant.

Technology: More members need to learn the technology we are using. Kevin Keyhane will look at the price to upgrade WordPress so that the website posts are automatically pushed out to Facebook.

Board Meeting: The next Board meeting will be held on July 5th at 6:30 pm at Peter Brown’s home.

Dues:  Per Murray, four members have outstanding dues.

Presidential Changeover: Will be held on July 6th at Peter and Debbie Brown’s home. The pool is open! A sign-up sheet will be circulated.

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 22nd, dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. Also, you can join the by Zoom using the link on the websites calendar page. Carole Heaney will speak about Tackling the Taboo: Let’s Talk About Death.

Entree choices will be Chicken Caeser Salid, Chicken Florentine and Cheese Ravioli.

Intentional Leadership for Growth

How Rotary Leaders Ensure Their Clubs Thrive

Herb Klutz

Herb Klutz is the Zone 32 Membership Coordinator. Zone 32 encompasses the Northeast United States from Pennsylvania to Maine. He works with twenty-two Rotary Districts. He joined via Zoom to speak about the characteristics and attributes of Rotary Clubs that are growing. “Rotary is a membership organization and its product is service.” Membership should be a Club’s top priority. Increased membership results in more ideas and resources. In order to achieve growth, a Club must create a culture of consistent moderate growth.

The analytics for SRC Rotary show an attrition rate of 12.9%. an attraction rate of 2.0% and an annual net growth of around 10.9 % for the last five years. Our biggest opportunity is to attract new members.

In 2022 a survey was conducted in the US and Canada that identified five attributes of established Clubs with consistent growth from 2017 through 2022. They found that club size did not matter. The first attribute these clubs had in common was effective growth that involved a planning process for growth with identifiable goals that were updated twice a year. Secondly, they had active intentional engagement of new members with consistent and flexible meetings. Third, they had dynamic meaningful service with signature projects and fundraisers which included community participation. Fourth, they had a strong public image involving active use of media (websites, Facebook, Instagram and local print outlets) that helped with membership attraction. Fifth, these Clubs also focused on diversity, equity and inclusion where the Clubs were a reflection of the community.

Members in Attendance (14): Dick Drumm, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Murray Forth, Phil Kellerman, Ray Hannan and Andy Leyhane.

By Zoom:  Charlie Foote, and Becky Raymond.

Guests (13): Tenley Soroko, Christine Soroko, Peter Soroko and Kelley Sheraw (scholarship recipient from Columbia High School and guests). Luke Hoffman, Jackie Hoffman, Jenna Hoffman, Mark Hoffman, Alyssa Savatino and Mark Savatino (scholarship recipient form Maple Hill High School and guests). Eh Doh Moo, Tway Kay and Chris Labattaglia (scholarship recipient from Rensselaer High School and guests).

President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.

Theme for the Year: “Growing Fellowship and Service Locally and Globally.” 

Hybrid Meeting:  Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.

Proxy Votes:  If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to President Kevin Leyhane or any board member who will be attending the meeting. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.

MEETING NOTES

Gift Of Life 25th Annual Golf Tournament: Thursday September 14, 2023.  The brochure and the link to register is on the website.

Summer Nights in the park:  The town board is downsizing the number of tables for the month of June. We will continue with the Movie Night in the Park on Fridays and return for the Music in the Park on Tuesdays in the month of August. 

Viking Gym:  The equipment has been ordered.

Membership update: Kevin needs the email addresses for Danny and Burke so they can be added to the posting list.

Dues:  Per Murray, commitments have been received from all members.

Presidential Changeover: Will be held on July 6, 2023 at Peter and Debbie Brown’s house

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 15th, dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. Also, you can join the by Zoom using the link on the websites calendar page. Raymond Anthony, District Membership Chair and Herb Klotz will speak about membership.

Entree choices will be Chicken Rustica Salid, Penne a la Vodka and Lasagna.

Local Scholarship Award Winners

Maple Hill High School:  Luke Hoffman

Columbia High School:  Tenley Soroko

Rensselaer High School:  Eh Doh Moo

Kelly Sheraw, Teacher from Columbia High School, introduced Tenley Soroko. As a freshman, Tenley became involved with the Student Council. She had volunteered for several years in a preschool classroom for the deaf and the hard of hearing. She has worked as a teachers’ assistant. Tenley has volunteered at the St. Vincent’s Food Pantry and for three years at the Night to Shine Prom for individuals with disabilities. Tenley had maintained a scholar status while volunteering and working at Target. Tenley says that she likes volunteering and meeting new people. Her mother is her role model (and dad helped). Tenley wants to become a teacher and will be studying at SUNY Oneonta in the fall, majoring in Early Education. She would like to work with Kindergarteners. The children are so creative. Tenley says she will keep volunteering.

Alyssa Savatino, Principal of Maple Hill High School, introduced Luke Hoffman. Luke was a member of the hiring committee when she was selected to be Director of Teaching and Learning. He has been an important part of the school community serving as Class President, President of the Key Club and Captain of both the basketball and tennis teams. He is also a member of the soccer team, the Booster Club and the town’s ambulance squad. Also, Luke is a member of the School Board and advocated for students to learn cursive writing. For Senior prank day, he made breakfast for everyone in his class. He is patient, kind and humble. Luke says he likes the opportunity to meet new people and to focus on every student to help show their accomplishments in the classroom and field of play. He believes in treating others as you like to be treated. Luke’s role models are his parents, grandparents and especially his sister. He wants to be a teacher and focus on secondary education. He will be attending Syracuse University.

Chris Labattaglia, School Counselor at Rensselaer Junior Senior High School, introduced Eh Doh Moo. Eh Doh is always positive. She stopped by daily to say hello. She volunteered with the SAD Club, Key Club and the Student Council. She fundraised for the senior class. She always lends a hand. She was inducted into the National Honor Society and is a member of their Top 10. Eh Doh says that her role models are her parents and teachers. She would like to become a lawyer. She plans to attend the University of Maine. It is a small knit community. She will major in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. She would like to practice criminal or corporate law.

Congratulations to all scholarship recipients!

MEMBERS IN Attendance (9): Dick Drumm, Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Charlie Foote, Ray Hannan and Becky Raymond.

GUESTS (1): Jim Bonesteel, Excecutive Director of the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance

President Kevin Leyhane called the meeting to order.

Theme for the Year: “Growing Fellowship and Service Locally and Globally.” 

Hybrid Meeting:  Please let Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane or Roberto Martinez know if you plan to join the weekly meeting via Zoom.

Proxy Votes:  If unable to attend please submit your proxy votes to President Kevin Leyhane or any board member who will be attending the meeting. Proxy votes can also be submitted using the Remind App. Text to the number 81010.

MEETING NOTES

Gift Of Life 25th Annual Golf Tournament: Thursday September 14, 2023.  The brochure and link to register is on the website.

Summer Nights in the Park:  The schedule for the summer events and the sign up for the summer nights it the park music and movie events are posted. Please sign up. There are a few slots open. Also, more than two people per event are welcome. Phil picked up popcorn for the events.

Scholarship Update:  We now have nominees from all 3 school districts and have invited them to next week’s meeting. Eh Do Moo is the nominee from Rensselaer Junior Senior High School. Tenley Soroko is the nominee from Columbia High School and Luke Hoffman is the nominee from Maple Hill High School. We are awaiting confirmation of attendance. Thanks to Terry Brewer for coordinating.  Murray will write the checks for the scholarship winners.

Viking Gym update:  The equipment has been ordered.

Membership update:  An application was submitted from Mary Alice Caldes.

Dues: Roberto and Jim contacted members by phone or email to remind them that dues are due June 1st.

Next Meeting: Thursday, June 8th, dinner at 6:00 pm at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, Route 4, North Greenbush. Also, you can join the by Zoom using the link on the websites calendar page. The scholarship nominees have been invited to speak about their community service. Debbie Rodriguez was asked to speak about her recent trip.

Entree choices will be Chicken Ceasar Salid, Baked Ziti or Spaghetti with Meatballs.

Conservation of Public Recreation on the Rensselaer Plateau

Jim Bonesteel, Executive Director of Rensselaer Plateau Alliance

The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance works with community to preserve ecologically important areas of the Rensselaer Plateau. The Plateau is the 5th largest forest area in New York State. It is located in the eastern third of Rensselaer County. The Alliance focuses on land acquisition for conservation, preservation of wildlife habitats, maintaining clean water and promoting recreation. Land conservation preserves the integrity of the water shed. Forests filter and recharge aquifers and provide for flood mitigation by slowing down and retaining rainwater. Some of the properties have been sold to New York State for conservation. The Alliance’s Forests Forever Campaign recently raised over two million dollars for further acquisition of forest land on the Plateau and for long term land management. The Alliance and the Rensselaer Land Trust are discussing a merger.

There are miles of trails in the land conserved on the Plateau. The 436-acre Poestenkill Community Forest has an ADA access trail. The Grafton Forest includes 1,175 acres. These are just a few examples of the land available for hiking, cross-country skiing, bird watching, snowshoeing and horseback riding. Trails are open from dawn to dusk. For more information check out the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance at http://www.rensselaerplateau.org.