For those of you who keep track of such things, SRC is part of Rotary Zone 5. So, why are we spending time and space on an event created by Zones 28 and 32?
It’s because you are invited to participate in it, a “Virtual Zone Summit” that includes parts of the northern U.S., all of Canada and its territories, and Bermuda, an area encompassing some 65,000 Rotarians. The event, set for Tuesday through Thursday, November 2-4, is a cross between a district conference and an international convention.
It will begin each of the three days at 7 p.m., and will be a snap to be involved in since it’s a virtual event. You can register online, and you will be sent an event link closer to the start date. Below are some details of the event that may pique your curiosity and give you an incentive to get involved.
Peter and Debbie Brown share their adventures in France. (photo by Bill Dowd)
Members Attending (13): Debbie Rodriguez, Kevin Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Bill Dowd, Pat Bailey, Andy Leyhane, Charlie Foote, Roberto Martinez, Jim Leyhane, Becky Raymond,Tony Morris, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown.
Guests (1): Debbie Morris.
President Debbie Rodriguez presided over the session, held at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant. She noted the presence of a quorum.
Meeting Notes:
• Two donations were re-proposed and approved, a carryover business item from last week when we did not have a quorum: $150 to the USS Slater, the destroyer escort floating museum docked in Albany, in memory of our late member Bill Wyld, who was a longtime member of the U.S. Navy and volunteer for veterans’ activities; $100 to the District in lieu of a gift basket for the upcoming Rotary Foundation Dinner.
• Debbie issued a reminder that Rotary shirts and sweatshirts are being sold as a Foundation fundraiser. Payment is not required until the items are delivered. Anyone wishing to order should contact her and use the order form that has been posted for some time on the club website.
• The matter of the size of a meeting quorum was discussed. Currently, 12 members are required to be present to achieve that status which is necessary to vote on any business coming before the club. With sporadic Zoom and in-person attendance in recent weeks, it has been suggested we consider lowering the number. Bill Dowd spoke against such a move, saying “I don’t want our club to be like the Postal Service which recently announced it is lowering its service standards so it could meet them. If we dropped to, say 9, as has been suggested, we might as well pack it in. I’d rather we made a stronger effort to improve attendance instead of tinkering with our Bylaws.” He pointed out that the Bylaws already allow members to be present by proxy, and proxies count toward a quorum. As he noted, any proxy must be specific that it is a “yea” or “nay” vote, and should be sent in advance to the President. In addition, Kevin Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, and Jim Leyhane are working on the details of streaming our in-person meetings via Zoom, which would give members a third way to attend and obviate any perceived necessity to lower our quorum. After more discussion, those present agreed by consensus with that stance.
• Bill and Debbie reminded members that our Clynk container recycling effort in support of ShelterBox continues. Bill asked anyone needing barcode stickers to affix to the collection bags contact him. The bags may be purchased at Hannaford supermarket customer service counters.
• Becky Raymond reported that she and Debbie R, have been involved in purchasing supplies for hygiene kits for a joint Rotaract/Graduate Student Organization project scheduled for October 28. Rotarians are invited to participate in assembling the kits in a session scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. at the UAlbany School of Public Health in Rensselaer. … Becky and Debbie will attend a Rotaract board meeting on Friday.
• In lieu of a speaker, Peter and Debbie Brown shared anecdotes of their recent 13-day trip to France in which they traveled across the Brittany peninsula and visited Paris.
• NEXT MEETING: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 21, via Zoom. Check the club website calendar page for the access link.
Our next meeting is scheduled for this Thursday (October 14) at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant on Route 4 in North Greenbush.
(5:30 p.m. social period, 6:15 dinner and meeting. Entree choices: chicken Caesar salad, portabella ravioli, sausage and peppers. Cost: $25, no reservations necessary.
Members Attending (11, no quorum): Debbie Rodriguez, Dick Drumm, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Ray Hannan, Charlie Foote, Pat Bailey, Kevin Leyhane, Debbie Brown, Peter Brown, Phil Kellerman.
Guests: None.
Meeting Notes: President Debbie Rodriguez presided over the Zoom session. There were not enough members attending to constitute a quorum. Thus, no actions could be approved. Two motions reported as “passed” — a $100 donation to the Rotary Foundation for a gift basket to be given at the November 18 Rotary Foundation Dinner and $100 to the USS Slater in memory of our late member Bill Wyld — cannot, by our bylaws, be acted upon until passed at a meeting attended by a quorum.
• It was reported that the club is “paid up” for the year to RI. However, once again we have not collected dues from all people purporting to be members, so the club is in the negative as far as money sent to RI.
• Although it traditionally has been the purview of the president-elect to schedule a lineup of speakers, Kevin Leyhane has agreed to let Becky Raymond handle that chore for the remainder of the 2021-22 Rotary Year after she volunteered to do so. The club will continue covering dinner costs for speakers and student guests. Any others accompanying speakers will need to pay for their dinners. Becky will inform speakers of that policy.
• Treasurer Murray Forth, who underwent knee surgery and subsequent hospitalization, is home and recuperating. He now is able to resume his duties on behalf of the club.
• Kevin Leyhane, Jim Leyhane, and Roberto Martinez will meet with management at Moscatiello’s Italian Family Restaurant before our next meeting there (October 14) to firm up audio-visual resources for speakers and the club in general.
• Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) dates and registration information are available on the club website. As always, the club will reimburse our attendees for registration costs.
• Ordering information is on the club website for Rotary shirts of various types being sold as a Rotary Foundation fundraiser. Members are asked to bring their needs and orders to next Thursday’s meeting.
• Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 14, at Moscatiello’s (5:30 p.m. social period, 6:15 dinner and meeting). Entree choices: chicken Caesar salad, portabella ravioli, sausage and peppers. Cost: $25, no reservations necessary.
Did you know there is an organization called “Rotary Representatives to UN Women”?
One prominent member, Ana Cutter Patel, will be speaking at noon Wednesday via Zoom in an appearance hosted by the Albany Rotary Club but open to any interested Rotarian. (See Zoom link information below.)
Rotary Representatives to UN Women, an all-volunteer group, work to increase Rotary’s visibility and standing within the international community and seek opportunities to collaborate on and advance shared goals.
Ana, a Brooklyn Rotarian who also is a Rotary Peace Fellow, will be speaking on “RI’s Ecosystem for Peace.” Over the past 15 years, she has worked in a variety of areas such as the Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding as executive director and currently as senior consultant, deputy director of the International Center for Transitional Justice, and as a lecturer at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs from which she also earned a master’s degree.
The talk is open to all Rotarians at no fee. To access it, simply use this link to sign in before the noon start:
The most important task for any service organization is to keep it going. After all, without a vital membership core, community and global service is not possible.
To that end, Rotary continually works to refine membership recruitment and retention efforts. The latter probably is even more important than the former.
So, please plan to join fellow Rotarians for the next “Membership Monday” virtual workshop, this one scheduled for 7 p.m. on October 18. It’s titled “Being Flexible No Matter the Challenge: How to Get Back into the Habit of Rotary.”,
Come learn the SODAR approach with Rotarians from Upstate’s Districts 7190, 7120, 7150, and 7170. Register and get your Zoom link by clicking here.
If you fancy a 180-mile drive to Scranton, PA, for an in-person session at Lackawanna College that is being hosted by District 7410 on Saturday, October 16, you’ll need to register no later than next Wednesday, October 6, to avoid a $10 late fee.
However, if you prefer participation in the virtual RLI session emanating from Rochester on October 16, you have a longer registration window The deadline is Thursday, October 14, and anyone from any District is eligible to attend.
Still doesn’t fit into your busy schedule? Well, you’re in luck, Two other virtual possibilities are on the calendar — Saturday, October 23, out of Harrisburg, PA, and Saturday, November 6, out of Schenectady.
All levels — I, II, III and Graduate (for those who have completed the first three levels) will be offered if enough people are registered — minimum of eight for Levels I, II and III, and six for Graduate Level. To register for any of these sessions, just go online. Then, please remember to download your workshop materials from that site. Please pay in advance, and SRC will reimburse members for all charges.
You will come out of a Rotary Leadership Institute session armed with new tools you can use to enhance your own Rotary experience, your club’s activities, and your District’s performance. And, RLI’s team-building and consensus exercises also can come in handy for your business and recreational pursuits outside Rotary.
District 7190 is selling shirts as a fundraiser for the Rotary Foundation.
If you’d like to make a purchase, simply download and fill out the form below. You then can turn in your form at the October 14 dinner meeting at Moscatiello’s or, if you do not plan to attend, you can email it to President Debbie Rodriguez.
President Debbie Rodriguez receives RI pennant from District Governor Bruce McConnelee. (photos by Roberto Martinez)
Members Attending (12): Debbie Rodriguez, Kevin Leyhane, Terry Brewer, Pat Bailey, Jim Leyhane, Andy Leyhane, Dick Drumm, Dean Calamaras, Roberto Martinez, Phil Kellerman, Charlie Foote, Becky Raymond.
Guests (4): District Governor Bruce McConnelee, District Governor-elect Denise DiNoto, Mary Drumm, Lorraine McConnelee.
• President Debbie Rodriguez presided. Jim Leyhane requested a moment of silence in remembrance of former member Bill Wyld (see obituary).
• District Governor Bruce McConnelee presented the club with a 2021-22 Rotary pennant. He said this year’s motto is “Serve To Change Lives.” He also touched on a variety of topics such as the upcoming Foundation Dinner and its “Roaring Twenties” theme; Ballston Spa club is selling shirts as a Foundation fundraiser at prices ranging from $25-40 depending on style (see order form here); new clubs within Rotary include a Veterans Club in Glenville focused on military veterans and an international, online Heartbeat Club; the annual RI convention, scheduled for Houston in 2022 after two years of virtual events due to the pandemic; a Membership Diversity Team, headed by Ken Baxter, now has 10 members.
• Bruce distributed new Rotary pins to those in attendance. Anyone still in need of one can pick one up at the October 14 meeting.
• Club treasurer Murray Forth is hospitalized after having a knee replacement removed. He will undergo rehab and extended treatments.
• Dean Calamaras reported that 120 people participated in the Gift of Life Golf Tournament at Pine Haven Country Club in Guilderland. SRC had three foursomes. Final financial report is pending.
• Jim Leyhane revived discussion that we began in 2019 (see report here) on a potential school bus camera program. The aim is to help enforce the state prohibition on passing a stopped school bus, which problem that seems to be on the rise in recent years. The cost is about $1,000 per camera. Jim said he knows of two school districts that would be interested and said this could be a self-sustaining initiative if properly drawn up and implemented. The matter will be brought up for additional discussion.
• Next Meetings: We will meet virtually at 7 p.m. next Thursday, October 7, via Zoom. As always, members can access the meeting via the club website calendar page. The following Thursday, October 14, we will return to Moscatiello’s (5:30 social time, 6:15 dinner meeting).
Interment with military honors will be held on Saturday, October 9, in Memory Gardens for Charles W. “Bill” Wyld Jr., 90, a longtime member of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club until moving to Florida in his retirement.
Bill, who until recent years always made a point of visiting SRC when he was in town, died in February 2020 at Tidewell Hospice House in Port Charlotte, FL.
He was a native of Averill Park. He was a chief warrant officer four in the U.S. Navy. He retired to Florida after 38 years of service with the U.S. Navy and Reserves aboard 32 ships, and after 41 years of service at the New York Telephone Co. He was an avid golfer, and held various offices and chairmanships with the Masonic Lodge, Rotary, the Military Officers Association, DESA, and the United Methodist Church. He volunteered with Tidewell Hospice, conducting veterans pinning ceremonies for the veteran patients.
Bill is survived by his wife Nancy; a son, William, and daughters Linda, Deborah, and Sue; eight grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wives, Miriam (Mim) and Linda. Interment and military honors will be held at noon on October 9 in Memory Gardens, 983 Watervliet Shaker Road (Route 155), Albany. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: USS Slater DE 766, the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, P.O. Box 1926, Albany, NY, 12201.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 