CLYNK issues coronavirus-related modifications

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Despite the many restrictions on purchasing of food and beverages during the coronavirus pandemic, most of us still consume bottled beverages and need to redeem the containers.

SRC’s robust participation in the CLYNK recycling program via Hannaford supermarkets continues during this emergency period, but CLYNK is asking for some slight alterations in the effort. Here is the Maine-based company’s statement:

“CLYNK is a redemption company born out of community.  You rely on us to get you back your deposits, and our hardworking employees value your business as it gives them dependable income and basic benefits.  Never has this been truer than during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“CLYNK is open for business.  We are committed to keeping this little corner of your life easy and convenient even while the rest is anything but.  We are taking extra precautions to keep our employees safe, including increased vigilance on the use of personal protective equipment.  If you see a driver decked out in unusual gear,  please give them a thumbs up (or virtual elbow bump) from us.

“To the same end, we’d like to ask for a voluntary safety pledge from you. After filling your CLYNK bag and tying it tight, please hold on to it for three days before you drop it off at any [Hannaford supermarket].  This will help to dramatically reduce the risk of surface-to-human contamination.  To signal you have done this please tie a bright piece of ribbon/string/anything to the handle of your bag.  We are calling this a ‘3 Day OK.’

“Never fear,  we will process your bag with or without the ‘3 Day OK’ tie. But, when we see the tie, our employees will know they can breathe a little easier.   Thank you in advance for this small sign of solidarity. We love our CLYNKer community.”


 

And, the winner is …

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SRC Treasurer Murray Forth displays the winning ticket drawn for our latest Cafe Capriccio wine dinner. And, Carol Orvis is the winner of the chef’s private dinner for 12, the third different winner in three such raffles.

Our special thanks to Murray for staking out the Quigley’s parking lot this evening to receive ticket sales money in lieu of our regular meeting, cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A SPECIAL NOTE: Although our weekly dinner meetings and other activities have been indefinitely postponed because of the current public health crisis, you can keep up to date with global, regional and local Rotary news by making a point of regularly checking our website and Facebook page. Even in times of trouble, Rotary perseveres.


 

 

Our sponsors

Screen Shot 2020-03-19 at 9.37.01 PMWe thank the following organizations and individuals for being $50 lane sponsors for our  Bowl-a-Thon event, held on Sunday, April 6th, at the East Greenbush Bowling Center.

COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS

Stretch Zone
East Greenbush Bowling Lanes
Yoga Vital

INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES

Pat Bailey

Terry Brewer

Peter and Deb Brown

Dean Calamares

Laura Castanos

Dick Drumm

Anne Federlein

Murray Forth

Chris Fowler

Diane Gabano

Ray and Lois Hannan

Karen Kellerman

Andy Lehayne

Jim Lehayne

Kevin Lehayne

Fred Levine

Roberto Martinez

Kim Muller

Laurie Pferr

Bren Price

Deb Rodriguez

Bill Winnewisser

Scott Young


Send a card to our latest GOL child

Screen Shot 2020-03-16 at 4.54.41 PMBatnasan, our latest Gift of Life child from Mongolia (where it is common to go by a single name), is recuperating well from cardiac surgery at Albany Medical Center.

If you would like to send a message of encouragement, a small gift, etc., you can send it to the host family where he is staying.

Batnasan
c/o Daniel and Brielle McCarty
41 Green Island Avenue
Latham, NY 12110


 

Some coronavirus-induced District shuffling

Screen Shot 2020-03-16 at 4.46.47 PMGrowing government restrictions on public events because of the coronavirus pandemic have necessitated some changes on the District 7190 calendar. Here are actions taken by the District Board:

• The Foundation Dinner scheduled for March 26 has been cancelled. Refunds will be available for those who registered, although the Board is asking that Rotarians consider leaving their payments in place for credit to the Foundation. “If you were planning to make a donation to the Foundation, please consider accelerating that payment so it can start earning while the financial markets are down,” said District Governor Larry Jones.

• The District Training Assembly/Grant Management Seminar scheduled for April 4 will be reformatted to become an online experience. Details will be announced.

• The District Conference scheduled in Albany for May 15-17 has been suspended. “While we do not anticipate being able to hold even a scaled-down conference, we have not worked out the final details on cancellation,” Jones said. “We will continue to hold a raffle for a ‘Wheelbarrow of Booze’ that was to be a fundraiser for the conference.” At the least, we will have an online meeting to conduct the business required by our District By-laws, to recognize outstanding service, and to remember those who have passed on to higher service.

• All other District face-to-face sessions will be delayed at least through May 31.


About those Cafe Capriccio raffle tickets …

Rotary CashWe need to collect the money for all of the raffle tickets for the Cafe Capriccio wine dinner our members have purchased or sold.

If you have not yet turned in your money to Treasurer Murray Forth, the deadline for doing so is this Thursday.

Even though we will not be meeting at Quigley’s that evening, Murray will be in the parking lot at 6 p.m. to accept your payments and to draw the winning raffle ticket. Please don’t stand him up. (if you need to contact Murray in advance, you can call his cell at 518-441-8783.)

Obviously, because the state has ordered all restaurants to cease normal operations as of this evening, and for the foreseeable future, the Cafe Capriccio dinner will have to be rescheduled. We will be in contact with the owner to make suitable arrangements.

Thank you for your cooperation.


 

SRC activities suspended over virus concerns

Screen Shot 2020-03-16 at 3.37.30 PMEffective at 8 o’clock this evening, under an executive order issued this morning by Governor Andrew Cuomo, all restaurants and bars in the state will cease operations except for takeout and delivery orders. That means Quigley’s will not be available to host our meetings for the foreseeable future.

In addition, President Donald Trump’s coronavirus response team this afternoon announced additional restrictions and guidelines, including asking people not to meet in groups of more than 10, and asking people 65 and older to stay home and avoid contact with others.

As a result of these actions, club President Phil Kellerman is calling for suspension of all activities of the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club until we receive further information and advisories from health officials, at which time the Board will evaluate and discuss resumption.

Meanwhile, we suggest everyone check the online information and advice about the coronavirus from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stay away from crowds, wash your hands, stay home as much as possible, and check on older friends and relatives on a regular basis.


 

SRC to continue meeting, with caution

Screen Shot 2020-03-13 at 11.24.02 PMKeeping the coronavirus pandemic in mind, the Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club has decided to continue its Thursday dinner meetings for now.

However, the club is encouraging anyone feeling ill or who is in the categories of those most susceptible to the virus (over age 60; compromised immune system; other underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes) to stay home if they feel uncomfortable about the potential of exposure.

Screen Shot 2020-03-13 at 11.25.52 PMEveryone is encouraged to follow the basic precautionary guidelines being issued by local, state, and national health agencies:

• frequent thorough hand washing with hot water and soap (at least 20 seconds);
• avoiding large crowds where potential contamination is greater;
• covering up when sneezing or coughing to avoid affecting others;
• regularly wiping down work surfaces with disinfectants;
• avoid touching your face, mouth, ears with unwashed hands, etc.

You can find an excellent set of guidelines online from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


 

Time’s almost up for dinner raffle ticket sales

The drawing for the winner of the latest Cafe Capriccio wine pairing dinner as a club fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday’s dinner meeting at Quigley’s. No need to be present to win.

But, you still have time to buy or sell tickets at just $20 each for a special private-room dinner for 12 people, valued at $1,300, designed and prepared by chef-owner Jim Rua.

If you haven’t picked up tickets from Andy Leyhane or Murray Forth to buy or sell, please call them to do so ASAP. If you already have sold tickets, please get the money to Murray as soon as you can.

(And, speaking of Andy, he’ll be emceeing a session of  musical trivia after dinner on Thursday. Think of it as a one-category warmup for the 6th annual “Great North American Whizbang Trivia Contest” Bill Dowd will be presenting on May 7.)

Here’s the flyer we have been circulating about the dinner raffle. Enjoy!

2020 Dinner Raffle


 

Freedom From Fistula event postponed

Screen Shot 2020-03-13 at 10.25.09 PMBecky Raymond, SRC liaison with the Freedom From Fistula Foundation, and club president Phil Kellerman today participated in a meeting of the FFFF Planning Committee via Skype.

It was decided to postpone the scheduled April 20 foundation discussion and fundraiser at the UAlbany School of Public Health at SUNY Albany in light of the school’s recommendation that all on-campus activities be postponed for at least 45 days due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Because students will not be on campus again until late spring, the group decided to wait until the fall to attempt to hold event.

Phil said that although presidential term will expire before then, he would like to continue to be involved with the FFFF committee.