One of our own

Our speaker last Thursday was Malta Sunrise Rotarian Carrie Woerner, who talked about her still fairly new job as a member of the New York State Assembly. Although a Democrat, Carrie expressed reservations about potential "unintended consequences" of the proposed increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Check for CAPTAIN; and a warning about crooks

Here's Sue Malinowski-Catroppa, executive Director of CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, getting a $500 check at our meeting today from Malta Sunrise Rotary President Mike Williams. Sue was one of our speakers in January, and that post has more info about CAPTAIN and how anyone can help this worthy cause.

Our speaker today, pictured below, was Dennis Keefrider, an associate with LegalShield, who gave us warnings and tips about identity theft.  

Scholarship Updated

It was a business meeting on Thursday, with some upcoming events discussed (and listed on the right of this page).
Also, the club has approved Barb Conner's update of our scholarship program, about which she wrote on our Facebook page as follows:
Do you know a high school senior living in the Town of Malta or the Village of Round Lake? The Sunrise Rotary Club of Malta, NY, offers a scholarship to assist and encourage a graduating high school senior residing in the Town of Malta, NY. The selected student will be awarded a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
Applicants should demonstrate excellence in their core curriculum education as well as strong involvement in community service projects. Preference will be given to those students who participate in Rotary organizations for young people, i.e. Interact Club, RYLA or Rotaract, but ANY qualified student may apply.
Students enrolled at Ballston Spa High School, Shenendehowa High School, any accredited private or parochial school, and students participating in an accredited home-school program, are eligible, as long as their legal residence is within the Town of Malta or Round Lake. Information is available in area high school guidance offices. Deadline to apply is March 30. Please help spread the word by liking or re-posting. Thank you!

On the Heroin Epidemic, and related issues

Theresa Knorr, our speaker on Thursday, is shown after the meeting with club member Paul Sausville (the former Malta supervisor). A "recovery advocate," she is former director of Hedgerow House, a chemical dependence community residence in the town of Ballston.
Knorr currently teaches tai chi for recovery, and is associated with the new grassroots group Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga, which is hoping to open a community center.
 The last sentence in her talk was: "Love is what cures."
Update: Here is TK's contact information:
Theresa Knorr, CADAC

BALANCE Recovery Consultation l Tai Chi for Recovery

28 Division Street

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

(518) 222-4870

tknorr12@gmail.com

https://tknorr12.wix.com/wellnesseducator

https://www.facebook.com/BALANCE-Recovery-Consultation-1471119409770226/?ref=hl

RYLA dinner coming up

We didn't have a scheduled outside speaker at Thursday's meeting, so one of our members (Miles Cornthwaite) interviewed two others (Al Schmidt and Jim Hale). We also had a guest, Jessie Riley, publisher of Clifton Park Neighbors, who spoke briefly about a new Malta Neighbors magazine she plans on publishing this summer.
Mention also was made of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards dinner coming up on April 2. Arlene Schmidt from our club is much involved with the local RYLA program, which is held at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. The April 2 dinner will be at Skidmore at 5 p.m. in the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, upstairs. Anyone planning to attend should send $25 by March 10 to D. Rossiter, 1482 Castleridge Road, Castleton, NY 12033.

Farmer/President/Councilman

Our speaker on Thursday was Chuck Curtiss, president of the Saratoga County Agricultural Society, aka the Saratoga County Fair, which will celebrate its 175th anniversary this summer in Ballston Spa. He's also a farmer in our neighboring town of Ballston, where he has been active in agricultural conservation and, last November, got himself elected to the Town Board. Thanks, Chuck.

Business Meeting

We have a regular business meeting on the first Thursday of the month (a day after our regular board meeting on the first Wednesday).
This week we decided to give $500 to CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services, $100 to Malta Ridge Fire Co., and $100 to a regional Rotary food drive. We're also revamping our scholarship program, so that it will now give an annual $1,000 award to a town resident who is a graduating high school senior.
Foundation Committee Chairman Al Schmidt reported that members have contributed $2,105 so far this fiscal year (which ends June 30) to the Rotary Foundation.