Helping Education Programs in Schenectady

Gretchen Belanger, executive director of Rise High, was our speaker last week. Rise High is a program started in 2018 in Schenectady County that is designed to expose "under-resourced youth" to learning opportunities and potential careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). 

Gretchen herself is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory in Niskayuna and in the private sector. A Ballston Spa resident with three grown children, she has also volunteered for City Mission of Schenectady, Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child, and the Schenectady Rotary Club.

Rise High students are mostly from the city of Schenectady, but meet on Saturday mornings on the Mohonasen campus in Rotterdam. They do not pay anything for the program or transport. Rise High is mostly privately funded by businesses and foundations, along with a grant from Schenectady County rising to $10,000 this year. It is reliant on fund-raising and volunteers.

She also told us about the upcoming Cornhole for a Cause event of Schenectady Rotary, benefiting educational initiatives at the Keane Elementary School in the city. It will he held on Sunday July 12 at Rivers Casino & Resort.

School Vote Coming Up

 On Tuesday, May 19, voters from Malta who are also in the Ballston Spa School District can vote at Town Hall on whether to approve the proposed 2026-27 budget. Schools Superintendent Gianleo Duca and Board of Education President Jason Fernau spoke at our meeting on Thursday. Also attending were two staff members and a student who are active in the district's Rotary Interact Club.

Duca and Cynthia Young, Rotary treasurer and town supervisor, at the meeting:

  

Report from Uganda

Our speaker Thursday was Dr. Emanuel "Manny" Cirenza, who recently returned from an AOET medical mission trip to Uganda, and plans to return in July.

Saratoga County people have supported AOET's educational, job training, housing, feeding, medical and child-support programs in the Bugembe (near Jinja) and Lira areas of Uganda for many years, to a large extent due to the efforts of Paul and Jean Phillips. Paul, who is a member of our Rotary club, has been dealing with some recent health challenges. He attended Thursday's meeting with his daughter Beth. "Paul is my hero," said Manny.

The Saratoga-based teams led now by Manny also cooperate with the Schenectady-based Mooncatcher Project to provide reusable feminine hygiene products for girls (which help keep them in school).

Recent cuts in US aid have been damaging, but funding from the Ugandan government and AOET donors have kept operations going. Our Rotary club and individual members are among those donors. Barbara Conner, who has been on two AOET trips to Bugembe with Paul, said her First Presbyterian Church of Ballston Spa recently decided to contribute. Manny said AOET is a Christian faith-based organization.

He appealed for donations, noting that one useful non-monetary contribution is baby and infant clothes which are given away to mothers who want them at medical clinics, providing an incentive to bring their children there.

Firehouse Project

Dwight Havens, right, current Malta Sunrise Rotary Club president and former president of the Fire Companies of Malta, filled in club members last week on a planned half-million-dollar building project at the firehouse on Hemphill Place in downtown Malta, east of Northway Exit 12. FCOM is a joint operation of the Malta Ridge and Round Lake fire departments, situated in-between their respective firehouses near Exits 13 and 11.

The project will turn FCOM's mezzanine into a proper second floor, as previously planned, enabling firefighters to bunk upstairs and providing for potential future growth in operations.

The previous week, Steve Haydon talked about invasive plant species.

Cleanup Crew

 

                                                                           

Most of our cleanup crew on Dunning Street Saturday morning is shown here. We do a trash pickup there twice a year.

On Thursday our speaker was Chris Watson, who transitioned from a career in TV sports journalism to being director of communications and membership at the Edison country club in Rexford. The club's restaurant and bar are open to the public. Members enjoy golf, outdoor swimming and tennis. 

Ruby

 Bob Bonney, center, with club President Dwight Havens, left, and Foundation Chair Rick Handley, was recognized last week for his Ruby level of donations to the Rotary Foundation.

We also heard from Jim Frey, our regional representative to CNY Rotary District 7180.

Drones Club

David J. Kelley, founder and lead drone pilot of Expedition Drone Imagery, was last week's speaker.
He started the company after being laid off last year from the US Geological Survey. An environmental scientist, he shared images of his trip to the Arctic while getting a master's degree from Syracuse University. 

At the US Geological Survey, his work included evaluating environmental restoration near Philadelphia, and collaborating with the New York state DEC on reintroducing salmon to Lake Ontario. 

His current work includes monitoring solar panels in Texas.