Board candidates announced for 2020-21

May 7, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.17.32 PM Our Club bylaws require us to approve a slate of officers (collectively referred to as the Board) “at a regular meeting held at least one month prior to the end of the Rotary Year.”

Because of the ongoing restrictions on group gatherings, our next formal meeting will be via Zoom video conference at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14. At that time, a vote on the Board will be on the agenda. (Should we not have the 12 participants needed to achieve a quorum, a vote by email will be requested the next day with a 48-hour limit on responses.)

The slate of candidates for the 2020-21 Rotary Year, which begins on July 1:

PRESIDENT: Dick Drumm
PRESIDENT ELECT: Debbie Rodriguez
VICE PRESIDENT: Terry Brewer
TREASURER: Murray Forth
SECRETARY: Pat Bailey
AT-LARGE: Bill Dowd, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Dean Calamaras, Kevin Leyhane

(Note: The Immediate Past Present automatically becomes a Board member each year.)

ShelterBox donations on Tuesday get 100% match

May 4, 2020May 4, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2020-05-04 at 3.11.48 PM — **ShelterBox volunteers set up this emergency village in Peru after landslides.**

Tuesday is Cinco de Mayo, but it also is “Giving Tuesday” for many charity and public service groups around the world.

One of the participating organizations is ShelterBox, which will match 100% of dollars donated by individuals and groups. up to $20,000. So, any donations you make will have a double impact on that day only. And, 100% of what you donate is tax deductible.

As the Rotary-affiliated organization says in a news release: “ShelterBox is a charity that delivers practical emergency aid to families who have lost everything because of natural disaster or conflict. We aim to provide safe shelter as quickly as possible, and the tools that will help communities to rebuild.

“Our global network of supporters, staff and volunteers make it possible to deliver aid to some of the most remote communities in the world. Most recently, we’ve been delivering tents, mosquito nets and water filters to Indonesia, in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami at the beginning of October.

” ‘Giving Tuesday’ is a moment of conscience and celebration that brings fundraisers together. ShelterBox is a very family-focused organization, so we love the idea of becoming part of a global tribe of charities, all visibly working together on the same day.”

SRC traditionally is a strong financial supporter of ShelterBox. So, if you would like to help maintain that practice at any level of donation, just do it on Tuesday by going to the ShelterBox website and clicking on “DONATE” in the upper right corner.

ShelterBox’s rating by Charity Navigator, an organization that analyzes the trustworthiness of charitable organizations:

Screen Shot 2020-05-04 at 2.48.32 PM

Touring the globe in a time of pandemic

May 3, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2020-05-03 at 1.04.46 PM — **A portion of the list of online Rotary meetings worldwide.**

Travel obviously has been severely curtailed during the covid-19 pandemic, and international travel is nearly non-existent.

However, you can be a globetrotter once again by using the Internet to connect to more than 200 online Rotary meetings around the world.

There’s a staggeringly-detailed spreadsheet available to you that lists all the regularly-scheduled online meetings and activities of clubs throughout the world, live links to visit them, plus password information where needed.

Even if you don’t join in, simply looking at the amount of activity Rotarians offer in the virtual world will be worth a minute or two of your time.

CLICK HERE to access the chart.

Local food pantries need immediate support

April 30, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

HERE’S A PUBLIC SERVICE EFFORT TO GET BEHIND. TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.00.45 PM

Club makes history with first-ever virtual meeting

April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Held ~~at Quigley’s Restaurant~~
~~573 Columbia Turnpike~~
~~East Greenbush, NY 12061~~ Virtually

Members Attending (17): Phil Kellerman, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Dean Calamaras, Doris Calamaras, Dick Drumm, Charlie Foote, Bill Dowd, Terry Brewer, Geoff Brewer, Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Kevin Leyhane, Ray Hannan, Becky Raymond.

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.00.45 PM

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 11.37.31 PM THERE’S ALWAYS A FIRST TIME: Sixty years into its existence, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club is always looking for something new to do. This week it did something it has never done before — met virtually.

With the current social distancing rules preventing in-person meetings (our last dinner meeting was held on March 12), we met today via the Zoom video conferencing system, with 17 members participating. We will hold another such meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15. Members will be sent an email containing the meeting ID number. (Meanwhile, keep an eye out for information to come about a virtual cocktail party at 6 p.m. next Thursday.)

MEETING NOTES: President Phil Kellerman called the meeting to order, thanked Peter Brown for making the Zoom arrangements, and asked everyone to let us know what has been going on with them since March 12. … Although we have not been formally meeting, some club business has been taking place behind the scenes. For example, several members have participated in virtual District training events, and Phil, Murray Forth, and Terry Brewer have been working on our application to the Internal Revenue Service for reinstatement of tax exempt status. The latter is a detail-intensive effort Terry estimates has already consumed an estimated 60 manhours. Phil said he expects to share the details with the Board via a password-protected website page Bill Dowd is creating, then submit the application within two weeks. …

Rotary Cash The Board, via email discussions, approved a $500 grant to the East Greenbush Central School District to aid in the purchase of masks for employees during the pandemic. … Terry reported that Columbia, Maple Hill, and Rensselaer high schools have verified they received our letters concerning scholarships of up to $1,000 for a graduating senior at each school. Depending on social distancing recommendations at the time, we will either have the checks available for presentation in June or will simply mail them to the recipients. …

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 8.17.32 PM It’s nearly Club election time. We will be emailing to members a slate of candidates for SRC Board seats for the 2020-21 Rotary Year. According to our Club Bylaws, a new slate must be approved at least a month before the June 30 close of the Rotary Year. Practically speaking, we need to have it done before then because we cannot submit applications for District Grants by the June 1 deadline if we do not have the slate in place.

Mac-Haydn Theatre cancels summer season

April 23, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 3.19.01 PM One activity that traditionally has been on SRC’s “Summer Casual Calendar” will not be found there this year.

Among the many arts organizations cancelling their scheduled summer seasons is the Mac-Haydn Theatre. The Chatham institution had been planning a seven-production lineup for what would have been its 52nd season.

John Saunders, Mac-Haydn’s producing artistic director, said in an announcement today that the plays planned for this summer will be moved to 2021: “Pippin,” “Urinetown,” Man of La Mancha,” “42nd Street,” “Parade,” “Rock of Ages,” and “The Sound of Music.”

“This decision did not come lightly and has weighed heavily upon me since this crisis began,” Saunders said in his announcement. “I am nothing if not an optimist, but I have realized that the most important thing is the health and safety of our audience, artists, volunteers and staff.”

Also Thursday, the company announced a fundraising campaign to offset projected financial losses from canceling the season. Called the Bright Future Fund, it takes its name from what was the theme for the 2020 season: “Bold Vision, Bright Future.” The $250,000 campaign represents 20% of Mac-Haydn’s annual operating budget.

Patrons who have already paid for this year’s subscriptions may visit machaydntheatre.org/tickets for refund, postponement or donation options.

Other artistic organizations in the region that already had cancelled or delayed their seasons:

CANCELLATIONS

• Dorset Playhouse in Dorset, VT

• Opera Saratoga in Saratoga Springs

• Jacob’s Pillow dance festival in Becket, MA

• Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA

• Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, MA

DELAYS

• Berkshire Theatre Group in Pittsfield and Stockbridge, MA, delayed until August.

CHANGES

• Park Playhouse in Albany has canceled its main summer production. “Evita,” but currently plans to present “Matilda: The Musical,” performed by Park Playhouse students, in August.

Joint statement from RI and other service groups

April 23, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

Woven through the fabric of virtually every community on Earth, service clubs of Rotary International, Kiwanis International, Lions Clubs International, and Optimist International are working safely and diligently to maintain connections with each other and our neighbors so we can cope with and overcome the effects of COVID-19.

We are leveraging the strength of our combined networks of 3.2 million members to provide comfort and hope to those feeling the effects of isolation and fear. And, we are focusing our collective skills, resources and ideas to support frontline health workers and first responders as they battle this disease and save lives.

In these times of uncertainty, your local service clubs remain committed to meeting the challenge of finding innovative ways to take action together to help communities around the globe heal and thrive — and become more united than ever.

“The global effort against COVID-19 depends on actions taken in every country. As people of action, this is our time to connect with each other to offer immediate help to people in need,” says Mark Daniel Maloney, RI 2019-20 president.

“The scale and magnitude of this global pandemic requires our world’s citizenry to heed the advice and cautions of the experts. The work and plans of our collective members and volunteers must not cease. Our immediate response after the crisis will be necessary to support local Governments respond to the many social and economic challenges that will ensue in its aftermath,” says Adrian Elcock, Optimist International president for 2019-2020.

“Great challenges test us, but they also bring us together. Lions are finding new ways to safely serve. Our Lions Clubs International Foundation has granted over one million dollars to help communities facing extreme rates of COVID-19, and additional grant requests are being received daily. Our communities depend on service clubs, and we will be there, supporting and strengthening them just as we always have together,” said Dr. Jung-Yul Choi, Lions Clubs International president for 2019-2020.

“During these difficult times, we’re seeing everyday heroism across the globe. I encourage us all to recognize the health and safety professionals who are putting their own health at risk for the greater good. To the educators, grocery workers, delivery drivers and the countless professionals who can’t stay home, the Kiwanis family thanks you. We all play an important role in keeping our friends and neighbors safe. Please follow the advice of the World Health Organization, your local health agencies and the instructions given by your Government. Please, stay safe,” said Daniel Vigneron, Kiwanis International president, 2019-2020.

Our 7190 DG says: ‘Rotary now more than ever’

April 20, 2020 SRCrotaryLeave a comment

From Larry Jones
dglarry2019@gmail.com
District 7190 Governor

In just the last few weeks, we’ve all added new phrases to our everyday language: Flatten the curve, social distancing, and high risk behavior (not staying at home). Our society is in upheaval, but for now we all seem to be taking things in stride. Our attitude toward our own health drives every decision we make.

Rotary clubs have stopped meeting everywhere, except online. In fact, most clubs that have figured out how to use tools like the online conferencing service called Zoom to stay connected. Clubs are learning and adapting to this new reality.

While the obvious choice of clubs is to use social media and digital platforms to stay in touch, clubs increasingly are finding new service opportunities and developing deeper connections to their communities via the worldwide web. In the spirit of Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris, clubs must “evolve to stay relevant.”

For instance, one Rotary club organized a fundraising effort so service people from the restaurant where they take their weekly meal received extra funds to see them through.

Many clubs are donating restaurant-prepared meals to first responders at hospitals, nursing homes, police and fire stations, and in so doing they are helping to keep restaurants cooking.

Other clubs are organizing efforts to provide concierge service to seniors concerned about grocery shopping. Another club has organized members to reach out to 3 to 5 isolated senior citizens each day to ascertain their health and provide emotional support.

Globally, the Rotary Foundation has opened up special grant opportunities for COVID-19 related funding, and the partnerships and decades of technical work that has been done to surveil the polio virus are being marshaled to help track and defeat the coronavirus.

In Bangladesh, Rotarians have organized to create 10,000 units of hand sanitizer which were distributed free to the communities they serve.

In every community, in more ways than you can imagine, Rotarians are making a difference during this extraordinarily challenging time.

It’s simple, really. If you belong to an organization modeled on the principle of “Service Above Self” it is not surprising to find Rotarians running toward a disaster with innovative ideas and boundless energy.

More than ever, perhaps, the world needs Rotary, and Rotary needs you. If you think what we do is important, please reach out to me. Let’s talk about getting you involved.