Chickens in Tajikistan

Our speaker this morning was Dan Emerson, a guest of the Rev. Jim Hale. Dan lives with his wife and their six children in Tajikistan, where he works with Stichting Assistance International. Dan said Tajikistan, which was part of the Soviet Union until 1993 and then suffered through a civil war, is the poorest country in Central Asia.
He spends much of his time there on an agricultural/small business training program on poultry production in the vicinity of Tursunzoda, near the border of Uzbekistan.

Youth Shelter

Our speaker on Thursday was Ashley Chandler, director of the Emergency Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter, which is part of CAPTAIN Youth and Family Services.

This is the only shelter in the greater Capital Region for the 13-17-year-old age group. It takes donations of items such as clothing, toiletries and, at the moment, swimsuits. Barbara Conner (barbarajane@nycap.rr.com) is our Rotary contact person who can collect and deliver contributions.

Thanks to those members who brought in something for our continuing summer food drive for the Malta Community Center food pantry.

Food Drive

At our board and business meetings last week, we discussed helping out the Malta Community Center food pantry with a summer food drive. Coincidentally, among the thank-you letters passed around at Thursday's meeting, were some from kids at the Chango Elementary School who participated in the Shen school district's Bountiful Backpacks program, which we deliver food for. Now that kids are out of school, and other people have moved to Malta to take summer jobs which may not pay well, the need for food increases.
So members are asked to bring in a can Thursday and/or otherwise contribute. Talk to Barbara Conner if you want to help her organize the food drive.

Also, we're looking for volunteers to serve on a new Nominating Committee to help pick club officers.