Still Time to Volunteer for "Tots"

Malta Sunrise Rotary President Tom Disinger working today at the Toys for Tots warehouse behind the Starpoint Church on the north side of Route 146 in Clifton Park.

Volunteers are still needed to sort and dispatch toys from there, at least through Friday, from 9 am to 3 pm. Contact Tom (a regular presence there, assisted occasionally by other Malta Sunrise Rotarians) or call 518-912-1663 for further information.

Taxman

Jeffrey Canastra, a CPA with the Albany accounting firm Staff Ciampino & Co., was our speaker this morning. He gave an account of how recent changes in federal tax law will affect how we should file our taxes this year.

Also in attendance was Larry Jones from the Glenville Rotary Club, and governor-elect for Rotary District 7190. He said the district change-over event this June 22 will be less formal than usual and less expensive -- a barbecue to be held at the Mabee Farm on the Mohawk River -- and encouraged members and prospective members to attend.

A couple of members have been joining regular attendee Tom Disinger (Malta Sunrise Rotary president) at the Toys for Tots warehouse. There they receive, sort, dispatch and lug around toys to be given to needy children this Christmas. More volunteers are welcome at the warehouse, which is located behind Starpoint Church, on the north side of Route 146 in Clifton Park.

No morning meetings for the next two weeks, but don't forget about our Christmas/holiday party next Thursday Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. at The Ripe Tomato. Contact Chris Luhn for details.

Membership, Tots, Seniors, etc.

Marisa Multari, left, dropped by yesterday's board meeting (which as usual was held at Panera the morning before the monthly business meeting at the Malta Diner). Marisa is vice president of Capital Region Rotary, and a membership coach for District 7190.

At last week's regular meeting, Kathy Eitzmann talked about Malta Seniors.

Tom Disinger is continuing to volunteer doing Christmas preparations at the Toys for Tots warehouse in Clifton Park, and invites members to join him there. 

And Chris Luhn is taking reservations for our Dec. 20 Christmas/holiday party at The Ripe Tomato. There will be no morning meeting on Dec. 20, and no meeting on Dec. 27.

Scholarships, and Toys for Tots

The Malta Sunrise Rotary Club offers a scholarship for a graduating high school senior residing in the Town of Malta. Students attending either public or accredited private schools or accredited home-school programs are eligible to apply, as long as they are Malta residents.
Our scholarship committee is hoping to interest students who demonstrate excellence in their core curriculum education as well as strong involvement in community service. Consideration may
also be given to financial need.
The selected student will be awarded a one-time scholarship of $1,000. Our scholarship committee may also offer one additional $500 award to the runner-up scholarship finalist.

Find applications and more information in the school counselling offices at Shenendehowa, Ballston Spa, or Saratoga Central Catholic high schools, or by writing to: Scholarship Committee, Malta Sunrise Rotary Club, P.O. Box 671, Round Lake, NY 12151.

And club President Tom Disinger has been helping out at, and is seeking support for, "theToys for Tots warehouse facility in Clifton Park.This is the sorting and distribution facility for the entire Capital Region. The operation is immense, and they need help.

     "If you have some extra time during the next few days, they could use more volunteers. There are thousands of toys to sort by age, boys vs. girls, and then to bag and tag for distribution. ... The facility is in a warehouse located behind the Starpoint Church on Route 146 ... As you head west, you'll pass Tanner Road, and the church will be on your right, just past Tanner. Follow the Toys for Tots signs to the warehouse behind the church, and enter on the left front door. Allison is the person in charge. ...

"The schedule from Saturday into next week is as follows:

Saturday 10/24 10AM - 3PM.

Sunday - 12 Noon - 6PM (Maybe later, as this is a major day for receiving donations, and a great deal of sorting and bagging will be done.)

Monday thru Thursday (11/26-29) 10 AM - 3 PM As I said earlier, this is a huge operation, and lots of help is needed. Thanks (in advance) for supporting this cause."

Club Donates $500 for Scholarships in Lesotho

At our business meeting yesterday, club members voted to donate $500 to Qholaqhoe Mountain Connections, in a rural part of the southern African nation of Lesotho. We have been donating regularly to QMC since 2014, and this contribution will go to their scholarship program.

DeLucia, Fund-Raising

Malta Supervisor Vince DeLucia spoke at our meeting last Thursday, not about politics or town government, but about growing up in a very different Malta Ridge, near what is now Exit 13 of the Northway, a couple of generations ago.

Then on Saturday, we raised funds by supplying food service for the craft fair at the Malta Community Center, led by our tireless worker/organizers Cynthia Young and Miles Cornthwaite.

Food last Saturday, and this coming one

Christine and Scott, foreground, come down from Queensbury on a regular basis to eat breakfast with us, sharing their considerable wit and wisdom. They had to come a little farther on Saturday, as the Malta Ridge fire house was being renovated, and we were graciously accommodated instead by the Jonesville Methodist Church. The Malta Ridge Auxiliary came to help out, though, and we'll be splitting the proceeds with them. 

This Saturday, Nov. 3, we have another fund-raiser coming up, operating the food concession for the craft fair at the Malta Community Center.

 Meanwhile, here's another photo of the Jonesville event.

Pancakes This Morning!

Note that although we are partnering again to share proceeds with the Malta Ridge Fire Department Auxiliary, the location is different, because their fire house is being renovated.

This morning's breakfast (see above) IS AT THE JONESVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. Come eat with us.

Our speaker at Thursday's meeting was Allison St. Pierre, branch executive at the Malta branch of the Saratoga Regional YMCA. She noted the many programs they have there, such as karate, and that membership scholarships are available for those in any financial need.

Levine & Cruz

Our speakers this morning were Becky Levine and Chris Cruz, who recently moved to Malta from Massachusetts and are, among other things, working with Becky's father, Larry Levine. Larry is a traffic engineer who often works with lawyers and serves as an expert witness in complicated cases, and is also a member of Malta Sunrise Rotary.
Becky and Chris displayed some of the video models they've produced setting out Larry's version of events at auto crashes and other small disasters.
 Becky and Chris are seeking other clients. She can be contacted via email at trialexhibitdesigns@gmail.com. He can be reached through his web site, ccruz.video.

Rotarians in Rain

That would be Paul Phillips, Bob Conner, Paul Sausville, Cynthia Young and Nancy Sausville on Dunning Street cleanup this morning. With us were fellow Rotarians Helen Endres, who took the photo, and Miles Cornthwaite, who was down the road picking up more trash.

At Thursday's meeting, we discussed potential local projects and grants. Then club member and state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner continued her overview of current issues before the Legislature, picking up from where she left off last month, and again stayed past the formal end-of-meeting time for those who had questions or wanted more discussion.

Rotarian of the Year

While our club has not given a Rotarian of the year award in recent years, it did so at this morning's meeting to a surprised Barbara J. Conner, who was handed an inscribed clock -- its hands progressing over a map of the world -- by club President Tom Disinger.

Barbara chairs our Scholarship Committee and runs the Facebook page, and was engaged in many other activities in the 2017-18 Rotary year, from running a food drive at Hannaford for the Malta Community Center food pantry, to supporting her husband Bob Conner, club president that year. (Bob was not involved in the decision to give her the award.) She also went on a church medical mission trip to Uganda with another of our Rotary members, Paul Phillips, and plans to do it again next year.

Ellsworth and Evans

Town Historian Paul Perreault gave us another talk on Thursday about Malta's most famous hero,  and his connection to a locally notorious modern killer.  Gary Evans stole the bronze eagle from the top of Elmer Ellsworth's grave marker in Hudson View Cemetery near Mechanicville, but fortunately it was recovered and put back there.

Invasive

Kristopher Williams addresses last week's meeting about his work combating invasive species, in order to protect native plants, forestry and agriculture. Kris is coordinator of the Capital Mohawk Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM). He works out of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Ballston Spa, funded by a state grant, on issues like fighting the hemlock wooly adelgid (which has killed many trees in the Carolinas), and educating people about the problems associated with burning bush, an ornamental shrub.

State of the State

New York Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, a member of Malta Sunrise Rotary, addressed the club at Thursday's meeting, staying late to engage in discussion and answer questions (one was about the job cuts at GlobalFoundries). She covered a wide range of issues, including the potential legalization of marijuana and sports betting, health care reform, bail reform, and the political balance in the state Senate.

New Schools Superintendent in Ballston Spa

Ken Slentz, new superintendent of the Ballston Spa School District, addresses Thursday's meeting of Malta Sunrise Rotary.

He talked about his extensive background in education, and getting started here, putting in a plug for the $24 million bond referendum coming up on Oct. 16, to fund Phase 3 of the district's master plan. Malta voters who are residents of the Ballston Spa district will be able to vote at Town Hall.

"We have some stigma breaking to do," Slentz said, referring to trades and BOCES programs.

In other business, the club on Tuesday helped the Red Cross collect about 40 units in a successful blood drive at the Malta Community Center, with several members giving blood as well as helping organize the event.

Williams' Word

President-Elect Mike Williams, right, takes a question from Darren O'Connor, left, at our Rotary meeting this morning.

Roundabout Malta

Paul Loomis, president of the Roundabout Runners Club, was our speaker Thursday. Among other things, Paul talked about his plans to do needed maintenance work at the 100 Acre Wood in the Luther Forest Technology Campus. Watch this space for volunteer opportunities to help him do this.

From Selma to Albany

Last week's speaker, the Rev. Jim Cortelyou, left, with Rotarian Paul Phillips. Jim spoke about his experiences during the civil rights movement in Selma, Alabama, and his more recent participation in civil disobedience in Albany, NY.

CAPTAIN Calling

Our speaker last Thursday was Bill Lubin, Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter Program director for CAPTAIN Community Human Services. He talked about the recent merger and expansion of CAPTAIN, the teen shelter it operates in our area, and outreach programs to homeless teen-agers and others.

Next week, we will hold board and business meetings at the usual time and places.

Chamber Chat

Pete Bardunias, president and CEO of The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, was our speaker last Thursday, filling us in on what's going on in the world of commerce. He talked, for example, about this possible waste-to-ethanol plant in Halfmoon.
The previous week we held scheduled board and business meetings.

Uganda Report

Barbara Conner (facing camera at right) spoke at our meeting this morning about her recent trip to Uganda. Barbara was volunteering with AOET, under the sponsorship of the Presbyterian New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs. They worked in medical clinics and schools, and Rotarians contributed funds. Barbara was part of a team co-led by fellow Malta Sunrise Rotarian Paul Phillips, and his wife, Jean. Paul and Jean have been travelling to Uganda to do volunteer work for 15 years. This was Barbara's first trip.

Next board meeting will be on Wednesday, July 11 at Panera. Business meeting will follow the next day as usual at the Malta Diner.

Benches, Boards and Members

Our latest bench on the Zim Smith Trail was put up this morning by Al Schmidt and Miles Cornthwaite, using a grant from the Town of Malta/GlobalFoundries Foundation. Those two plus Paul Sausville put in the concrete slab last week.

Last night, at Andy's Adirondack Grille (which did a fine job), we inducted Tom Disinger as incoming club president, plus new and returning board members, all of whom were elected earlier this month. There is no Thursday meeting this week. Our next meeting will be July 5, when Barbara Conner will give a presentation on her church's medical mission to Uganda.

At last night's dinner, Al Schmidt and Doug Martin confirmed they will not be returning as members for the next Rotary year. Their many years of hard work have helped this club do a lot of good things locally and around the world. They (along with Arlene Schmidt, who left earlier this year but was with Al at Andy's) will be missed, and we hope they stop by to see us in the future.

Virtual Reality

Eileen O'Connor, shown with club President Bob Conner, was our speaker this morning. Dr. O'Connor, an associate professor at Empire State College in the State University of New York, gave us a tour of virtual reality, including its darker side.

Scholarship Winner(s)

Our speaker at last week's meeting was Sarah Pritchard, shown here with club President-Elect Tom Disinger.

Sarah is this year's winner of the Malta Sunrise Rotary Scholarship for $1,000. She is the daughter of David and Denise Pritchard of Malta, will graduate soon from Ballston Spa High School, and plans to attend Wheaton College in Massachusetts in the fall. Sarah will pursue a career as a physicians assistant.

We congratulate Sarah and four additional graduating Town of Malta seniors who were recognized as Commended Finalists in the Malta Sunrise Rotary Scholarship program. These four students will receive textbook awards for $125 each. They are Rachel Fowler and Andrea Carroll from Ballston Spa High School, and Claire Merkle and Brendan Barrow from Shenendehowa High School. 

New board elected

At last week's business meeting, officers were elected for the 2018-19 Rotary year.

The new board will be: President, Tom Disinger; president-elect, Mike Williams; vice president, Larry Levine; immediate past president, Bob Conner; treasurer, Cynthia Young; secretary, Kathy Eitzmann; Finance Committee chair, Steve Ames; Membership Committee chair, Miles Cornthwaite; Foundation chair, Bob Brilling.

Board members will be inducted at the June 26 changeover dinner (no morning meeting that week) at Andy's Adirondack Grille on Route 9. They take office July 1.

Al Schmidt is stepping down from his board post as Foundation chair after many years of excellent service. He continues to be engaged in other club business, such as installing benches this month on the Zim Smith Trail (where he and Miles replaced one last week).

In other business, we've set Aug. 28 as the date for us to assist a Red Cross blood drive at Malta Community Center.

Dogs, and upcoming events

Our speaker this morning was club member Chris Luhn, who talked about his participation in the breeding, raising and placement program for the Monks of New Skete in Cambridge, NY. (See: https://newskete.org/our-dogs to learn more.)
Tom Disinger also requested volunteers Friday evening and (especially) at 8:30 Saturday morning to help set up for the 1 p.m. Saturday ceremony near Malta Town Hall to inaugurate the new veterans memorial.
And club members will be participating Friday and Saturday at the District 7190 day of service and conference in Schenectady.

Engineers

Justice Williams, a graduate of Ballston Spa High School and a former recipient of a Malta Sunrise Rotary Scholarship, stopped by on Thursday to update us on the next step of his career path. Justice recently completed a master's degree in industrial engineering and will soon start a job with United Technologies in Indianapolis. He shared the speaker's stage for a while with fellow engineer, longtime Rotarian and former club President Larry Levine, who is receiving a Life Achievement Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, Mohawk Hudson Chapter.

Chamber President, Then a Parade

Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, was our speaker Thursday, discussing, among other things, the possibility of GlobalFoundries constructing a second chip fab plant in Luther Forest.

He also talked about how the planned aquatic center at Exit 12 will fill hotel rooms, and the need for public transportation on Routes 9 and 67.

On Saturday, quite a few Rotarians were in or were watching the Armed Forces Day/first responder parade, despite the rain.

Carol Hale, and Fire Relief

Jim Hale introducing his wife, Carol, who was our speaker on Thursday. Carol Hale, a retired teacher, now volunteers teaching English to a woman from China, at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library.

It was also announced at the meeting that our board has agreed to send $200 to assist the Broadbent family of Malta, after last week's tragic fire at their home.

Pancakes and Business

A week ago today, we held a successful pancake breakfast fund-raiser with the Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary at the fire house.

Then on Wednesday and Thursday, we held our regular board and business meetings. Among the decisions made, was designating our second-quarter "happy dollars" collections to a relief fund for Puerto Rico following last year's storms, through Rotary International. We also pledged $100 to ongoing efforts to preserve the former Boyhaven Boy Scout camp in Milton, and convert it into a public park.

Tour de Cure and Pancakes

Rotarian Mark Braaten presents a $100 check at Thursday's meeting to Amelia Ambrosino from the American Diabetes Association, who spoke about the Capital Region Tour de Cure coming up June 10 in Ballston Spa. She also talked about how her own mother has improved her health through diet and exercise.

Mark, along with Bob Bonney, is organizing this Sunday's pancake breakfast at the Malta Ridge Fire House. Come one, come all.

Cleanup, Pancakes Coming Soon

This Saturday, April 21, we will be embarking on two cleanup projects at 8 a.m.
One crew will meet as usual at Forest Cleaners on Dunning Street. The other contingent will meet with Ballston Spa Rotary Club members at Wiswall Park in the village, and then proceed to East High Street around the border of the village and the town(s). Some of our members signed up for one group or the other at this morning's meeting, and anyone else who wants to participate can head for either location on Saturday morning.
On Sunday, April 29, we'll be holding our pancake breakfast at the Malta Ridge Fire House. (And if Bob Bonney or Mark Braaten is looking for the sign-up sheet for that event, it will be brought to next Thursday's meeting.)

Pinch Hitters

Bob Bonney "interviewing" Helen Endres, at last week's meeting.

Here and There

Two of our members, Paul Phillips and Barbara Conner, are on a church medical mission to Uganda with the charity AOET.

So last week they missed our meeting, but attended the Jinja Rotary Club (above) instead.

Back in Malta, we held board and business meetings, allocating $200 for the food pantry at the David Meager Community Center, plus some money to fix our dunking booth.

Al Schmidt reported good progress on fund-raising for the Rotary Foundation, and announced that we'll need a volunteer to take over as Foundation chair when he steps down from that role this summer.

This Thursday, our speaker will be Brandt Greiner, the emergency preparedness coordinator for Saratoga County Public Health. He previously worked for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) as an environmental compliance review specialist, and has helped out at numerous  disaster sites in New York State since 2004.

Don't forget we'll need help on our scheduled cleanup projects April 21, and at the pancake breakfast April 29 at Malta Ridge Fire House.

For Veterans

Renee Farley of the Malta Veterans Appreciation Program was our speaker last week. Check out their web site for contact information, to get help or volunteer.

We presented her with a $100 check, which comes in addition to the $100 we donated a few months ago for the planned veterans memorial walkway near Town Hall.

On Wednesday, there will be a board meeting at Panera, followed the next day by our regular monthly business meeting at the Malta Diner. Both start at 7:15 a.m.

Meanwhile, two of our members, Paul Phillips and Barbara Conner (below), left Thursday for a church/charity medical mission trip to Uganda.

Brookside

Anne Clothier (in photo) and Cherie Grey, from Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, were our speakers today. They showed us interesting things and told us about upcoming events, and pitched for volunteers and donations. Cherie also mentioned the unrelated nonprofit Team Billy, which has its research ride coming up on May 20.

RYLA and other business

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards dinner, celebrating a program which our club helps sponsor, was held earlier this month at Skidmore College, with some of the participants shown here.

And at last week's meeting, we inducted three new members and took care of routine business.

This week's meetings cancelled/postponed

We are, due to weather concerns, postponing this week's business meeting until next week, and also tomorrow's board meeting (members have been notified, mostly by email). So no meetings this week, board meeting next week (Wednesday 7:15) at Panera, and business meeting next week as usual at Malta Diner (which is being contacted).

The only speaker displaced next week will be President Bob Conner, whom everyone has heard yakking too much by now anyway. But if you want you can still buy at that meeting next week copies of his books (the new historical novel, The Last Circle of Ulysses Grant, and/or the 2013 biography, General Gordon Granger), which he is donating to benefit The Rotary Foundation. 

At last week's meeting, the speaker was Kiere Neulander, a wealth consultant at Pioneer Bank, serving the Malta branch on Kendall Way. 

Malta Seniors Prez

Malta Seniors President (and Malta Sunrise Rotary Secretary) Kathy Eitzmann was our speaker Thursday, telling us about this growing organization (check out their web site and newsletter here). Kathy mentioned how she succeeded Josie Birbiglia as president. Josie, RIP, was also a member of our club, and a wonderful person and Rotarian.

Got Talent?

Guillermo Trujillo, a Glenville Rotarian from the District 7190 Next Generation Committee, came to our meeting Thursday to plug this upcoming event (on May 3 at Crossgates Mall). Sign up to perform, if you like, or just come to participate in building Rotary membership.

Our speaker Thursday was new member DarrenO'Connor, an attorney (and town deputy supervisor) who gave us an erudite view of the legal aspects of recent changes in health care.

In other news, we'll be holding a pancake breakfast on April 29 at the Malta Ridge Fire House, with the fire department's Ladies Auxiliary being co-beneficiary.

And later Thursday morning, Bob Conner continued his regular Rotary commitment to deliver food to Chango Elementary School as part of the Shenendehowa School District's Bountiful Backpacks program.

Business

At this week's board and business meetings, we agreed to donate $200 to the upcoming Aids Orphan Education Trust mission to Uganda with the Saratoga Springs Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, a trip on which two of our members will be going.
We also accepted two new members, Paul Phillips and Darren O'Connor, and elected Kathy Eitzmann as secretary. Other new members elected recently include Kathy, Nancy Sausville and Mark Braaten.

Planning

Jaime O'Neill, left, Malta's new senior planner, was our guest speaker Thursday (shown here with Rotarian and town Councilwoman Cynthia Young). Jaime has experience as a Saratoga County planner, involved in areas such as farmland conservation.

Budget Update, Scholarship Deadline

Club member Carrie Woerner was our speaker Thursday, giving an update on the state budget process in her capacity as a member of the NYS Assembly. Carrie expressed some skepticism about the proposals from Gov. Andrew Cuomo that are designed to get around the new federal restrictions on tax deductions. She also discussed local issues, staying to talk with her fellow members well after the formal end of the meeting.

In other business, we are only a little over a couple of weeks away from an education deadline. Our scholarship chair, Barbara Conner, asks:

Do you know a deserving high school senior from the Town of Malta, including Round Lake?

The Malta Sunrise Rotary Club offers a $1,000 scholarship for a 2018 graduating high school senior residing in the Town of Malta. Our scholarship committee may also offer up to five $100 textbook awards to commended scholarship finalists.

Information and applications are available at the Ballston Spa, Shenendehowa, and Spa Catholic high schools, or by contacting: Scholarship Committee Chair, Malta Sunrise Rotary Club, P.O. Box 671, Round Lake, NY 12151.

The deadline to apply for our Malta Sunrise Rotary Scholarship is February 15, 2018. ****Please share this information with eligible Malta high school seniors.*** Thank you!

Still Supporting Students in Lesotho

Linda Gorham, left, of Qholaqhoe Mountain Connections (QMC), accepts an $800 check from Malta Sunrise Rotary Treasurer Cynthia Young and President Bob Conner at this morning's meeting. 

Linda gave us an update on QMC, which is now focused on educating students -- mostly in high school and a few in college -- from a rural, mountainous area of northern Lesotho, which is a small, poor, landlocked country in southern Africa. Our Rotary club has now donated a total of $3,200 to QMC since 2014.

Surrender Site Info

Our speakers Thursday were Amy Bracewell, left, superintendent of Saratoga National Historical Park, and Larry Arnold, right, Surrender Site Project Coordinator, Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield. They were guests of Carrie Woerner, center, a member of our club and the NYS Assembly.

Amy and Larry gave us an overview of the park, its historical importance, and the current efforts to add a visitors' area to the Saratoga Surrender Site, just south of Schuylerville. For more information, see this web site: http://friendsofsaratogabattlefield.org/saratoga-surrender-site/

Jan. 4 Meeting Cancelled

At 8:50 p.m. this evening we got a call from the Malta Diner saying they will not be able to open tomorrow, and

apologizing. As most members will have seen from prior emails and Facebook posts, the Diner has been closed for several days due to a burst sprinkler, and they had informed us a couple of days ago that they would be reopening Thursday morning. But it's taking longer than expected to dry the place out, and at this time it is too late for us to make other arrangements, so we are cancelling tomorrow's meeting. This information has also been communicated on Facebook and by email to members (along with a couple of phone calls).

We did hold a board meeting this morning at Panera, and among other items of business appointed a Nominating Committee composed of Estelle Genest and Miles Cornthwaite, whose first order of business will be to recommend a new secretary. We also got an application and dues payment from Kathy Eitzmann, and the board recommended that she be accepted as a member. We OK'd a $100 donation to The Prevention Council, and another potential donation to a local group. Other business matters may be briefly discussed at next week's meeting, when the speaker will be a guest of Carrie Woerner.