Due to staffing issues at the restaurant, scheduled speaker Mike Moscatiello has had to rearrange his talk to the club. He will address us at our May 5 meeting rather than this Thursday.
That switch means we have just three open program dates — all on Zoom nights — remaining in this Rotary Year. So, if you or someone you recommend wishes to take one of those dates for a virtual presentation, be sure to contact Becky Raymond or Kevin Leyhane. Check the available dates on the website calendar at http://SRCrotary/org/calendar
One of the hardest-hit sectors of our business world during the years-long COVID-19 pandemic has been the hospitality industry.
We have lost some longstanding eateries, seen others severely cut back days and hours of operation because of staffing shortages and supply chain issues, and seen prices rise as part of the inflationary spiral virtually every industry has experienced.
If you have wondered what it is like for restaurateurs to persevere in the face of such obstacles, make a point of joining us for our meeting this coming Thursday when Mike Moscatiello’s of our host venue Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant — now in its 28th year — will address us on the topic of “Restaurants During COVID.”
As always, we’ll begin our social period at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:15, with the cash bar available throughout. The dinner entree choices will be the ever-popular Chicken Caesar Salad and Chicken Limone (chicken breast sauteed in a white wine, garlic, caper, and lemon sauce with mushrooms and olives, served over spinach). No need for advance reservations.
We do hope we’ll have a strong member-and-guest turnout even though several of our members will be vacationing during the local schools’ spring break. The program topic should be of such interest that you may want to invite a guest to attend.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (16): Debbie Rodriguez, Bill Dowd, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Pat Bailey, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Tony Morris, Andy Leyhane, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Phil Kellerman. By proxy: Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Carol Orvis, Terry Brewer.
GUESTS: None.
President Debbie Rodriguez called the Zoom meeting to order, noting the presence of a quorum.
MEETINGS NOTES:
The gang’s all here (well, sort of).
• HEALTH UPDATE: Debbie reported that she spoke to Doris Calamaras this week and Doris said she is feeling much better after a lengthy period of hospitalization and rehab.
• VIKING GYM — Our scheduled meeting with the East Greenbush Kiwanis Club to discuss a joint effort to restore the outdoor Viking Gym at Schodack Town Park was postponed. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 27.
• SCHOLARSHIPS — We received an inquiry from Rensselaer High School’s Brandy Cenci asking if we plan to continue our scholarship program this year. Since the club agreed by consensus months ago to do so, it was agreed that now is time to contact Rensselaer, Columbia, and Maple Hill high schools to ascertain their preferred candidates. Debbie will check with Terry Brewer who has coordinated the effort in the past to see if he is interested in doing so again. If not, she will turn it over to someone else ASAP. The program provides a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior at each school.
• ROTARACT — Debbie reported that the NYSCR Danes Rotaract Club we sponsor has added four members. A get-acquainted lunch will be scheduled for the members and the club board, and efforts are being made to elect a new slate of officers.
• SHELTER BOX UPDATE — Bill Dowd reported that the club, several individual members, and one former member together have donated about $3,000 to ShelterBox this year. We continue with strong participation in our small-but-steady fundraising effort through the Clynk recycling program. He also noted that ShelterBox has grown well beyond simply being an independent agency providing relief after natural disasters, taking emergency equipment to areas such as Ukraine and Yemen.
• UPCOMING MEETINGS — The SRC Board will meet after the regular dinner meeting on Thursday, May 5. … Mike Moscatiello of our host Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant, will be the speaker at our Thursday, April 21, dinner meeting. His topic: “Restaurants During COVID,” a particularly timely and interesting topic. (Entree choices for that meeting are chicken Caesar salad and chicken limon.)
The National Weather Service predicts a 100% chance of rain on Thursday. Luckily, our weekly meeting is scheduled to be via Zoom, so you won’t have to get wet while traveling.
As always, simply go to http://SRCrotary.org/calendar and click on the link for April 14 to gain access to the session.
If you have an item to place on the agenda, please contact Prez Debbie by this evening.
Cody Bloomfield and Sean Wyse speak about Capital Roots.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (15): Debbie Rodriguez, Keven Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Murray Forth, Charlie Foote, Phil Kellerman, Dick Drumm, Pat Bailey, Becky Raymond, Andy Leyhane. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Tony Morris.
GUESTS: Joan and Emery Maddocks, Mike Stengl
SPEAKERS: Cody Bloomfield and Sean Wyse from Capital Roots
President Debbie Rodriguez called the meeting to order at Moscatiello’s Restaurant, noting the presence of a quorum.
MEETING NOTES:
ROTARACT: A ShelterBox was set up in the lobby at the School of Public Health on 4/6/22. Larry Jones, Past Rotary District Governor, spoke about ShelterBox. There was good student and staff turnout. Rotarians attending were Larry Jones, John Justino, Becky Raymond, and Debbie Rodriguez.
CIRCLES OF MERCY: Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Charlie Foote, Shannon Romanowski and Lois Hanan assisted in packing Easter baskets this afternoon. Over 40 baskets were assembled and will be delivered to Circles of Mercy tomorrow by YMCA staff. Thanks all for the assistance.
DRIVING COURSE: Jim Leyhane asked about reconvening the drivers training course which the club last sponsored three years ago. After taking the course, you will be eligible to receive a 10% discount on your auto insurance. We would probably need a quorum. There was quite a bit of interest tonight by show of hands and a final count will be taken next week.
HEALTH UPDATE: Doris is receiving rehab at home and is in better spirits.
ROTARY CARD: Debbie has purchased Rotary business card if folks are interested. They will be used during our fundraising events.
BLUE STAR MOTHERS GOLF TOURNAMENT: Debbie Rodriguez reminded us about the Blue Star Mothers benefit golf tournament. More info is on the website.
GRANT TRAINING: Four club members were in attendance and we are awaiting the MOU from District.
BOY SCOUTS: Dennis Cicchino, Scoutmaster, sent a thank-you letter to the club in appreciation of the $750 donation to the Scouts.
Capital Roots: Cody Bloomfield and Sean Wyse from Capital Roots spoke about their organization. They said food access is a right, not a privilege. Capital Roots’ mission is to cultivate and nourish communities by creating equitable access to fresh food and green spaces in support of a robust regional food system. They are a 501(c)3 non-profit serving Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and southern Saratoga counties. It was founded in 1975 as a community gardening program.
Capital Roots’ approach is: easy access, making it affordable, top quality, and dignity. Their 12 programs are Community Gardens, Veggie Mobile, Produce Project, Squash Hunger, Taste Good Series, Farm to School, Healthy Stores, Healthy Streets, Veggie RX, Virtual Veggie Mobile, Smart Vending and Urban Greening.
They are looking for support and volunteers and have a retail market in Troy.
NEXT MEETING — We will meet via Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14th.
A collection of Easter baskets created from donations to SRC and the Greenbush YMCA was delivered to Circles of Mercy headquarters today.
A team of volunteers from the club and the Y finished assembling the baskets on Thursday at the Y. Thanks to all who were involved including Lois Hannan who headed up the club’s effort and Shannon Romanowski who headed up the Y’s effort.
Part of the basket assembly brigade. From left: Jim Leyhane, Lois Hannan, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Shannon Romanowski.Volunteers parcel out basket items.
A reminder: Thursday’s dinner meeting will feature speakers Cody Bloomfield and Sean Wyse from Capital Roots.
They will discuss the Troy-based organization’s efforts to nourish healthy communities by providing access to affordable fresh food and green spaces as well as nutrition education for the public. As usual we’ll be meeting at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant beginning at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6.
Dinner choices are chicken Caesar salad or linguine with white clam sauce, and as always the cash bar is open and pouring.
We’re looking for volunteers to assemble donated items into finished baskets for needy kids in Circles of Mercy’s annual Easter Basket drive.
Member Shannon Romanowski informs us a basket assembly session is scheduled for this Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Greenbush YMCA. However, she needs to know ASAP how many people plan to volunteer their time. You can call her at the Y at 518-477-2570, extension 1200, or contact Debbie Rodriguez.
Shannon and Y staff plan to deliver the completed baskets to Circles of Mercy on Friday.
Even if you plan to help but don’t want to miss our dinner meeting that same day, the Y is close to Moscatiello’s so you can leave a few minutes before the end of the session and still make it to the dinner where we will have two guest speakers from the Capital Roots community garden and nutrition services organization.
MEMBERS ATTENDING (17): Debbie Rodriguez, John Justino, Pat Bailey, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Becky Raymond, Phil Kellerman, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Charlie Foote, Kevin Leyhane, Andy Leyhane. By proxy: Carol Orvis, Tony Morris, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras.
GUESTS: None.
President Debbie Rodriguez called the meeting to order via Zoom, and noted the presence of a quorum.
MEETING NOTES:
• BOARD MEMBERS WANTED — As we look ahead to the June 1 start of the 2022-23 Rotary Year we are in need of several Board candidates. First and foremost, we need someone interested in becoming President-Elect, then moving into the club presidency in the 2023-24 Rotary Year. We also need to fill two At-Large vacancies. One will occur because Bill Dowd has informed the club he will not stand for reelection, and the other occurred when Jim Leyhane moved to Vice President upon the recent resignation of Terry Brewer. Anyone interested in any of these positions should contact Debbie Rodriguez.
• EASTER BASKET PROJECT — At last count, 38 baskets will be created from member donations for the annual Circles of Mercy effort. That’s a sharp drop-off from previous years when we donated as many as 155 baskets (126 last year, for example, despite the interference by the pandemic). Baskets will be assembled at the Greenbush YMCA. Anyone who would like to help is asked to call Shannon Romanowski at the Y for details.
• PROGRAM — Member John Justino, of the UAlbany School of Public Health, presented a program on “Complex Humanitarian Emergencies” (CHEs). They are defined as “complex multi-party intra-state conflict resulting in a humanitarian disaster which might constitute multi-dimensional risks or threats to regional and international security.”
He cited one major historical conflict such as the Liberian civil war that raged from 1990 to 2004, as well as the current carnage in Ukraine. His presentation touched on the following points:
Characteristics of CHEs:
• Long periods of time
• Often target civilians
• Food shortages
• Unhealthy living in refugee camps
Health effects of CHEs:
• Increase mortality rates as high as 10 times
• Infectious disease outbreaks
• Malnutrition and lack of water, shelter and food
• Increased mental health conditions, women more than men.
Addressing CHEs:
• Water
• vaccines
• infectious disease control
• mental health
Needs assessments:
• Personal hygiene
• 1 toilet per 20 people
• Vit A to children
• Disease control measures
• Have you ever considered what happed if you became displaced?
A Q&A and discussion followed.
NEXT MEETING — Representatives of Capital Roots, the Troy-based regional community gardens organization, will visit on Thursday, April 7, to tell us about the organization’s services and programs. We will have a social period from 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6, at Moscatiello’s Restaurant. The menu choices are linguine with white clam sauce or chicken Caesar salad. As always, a cash bar will be available.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 