Fleet Feet

Charles Woodruff, who with his wife Arlene owns and operates Fleet Feet Albany and Malta, was our speaker on Thursday.
Fleet Feet has had a store for seven years in the shopping plaza that includes Price Chopper. "We're being successful in Malta," Woodruff said.
It sells running shoes and related items such as supportive insoles, but "our store in not about product," he said. Rather, it is about specialized customer service, including training programs and getting the right individual fit.
He suggested Malta needs more specialty retail stores to make it more of a destination, along with more use of facilities such as the Sausville Gazebo at Dunning Street and Route 9.

Further Updates

The end of the month is fast approaching, and with it the application deadline for the Malta Sunrise Rotary scholarship for a graduating high school senior. Applicants must reside in the Town of Malta, which includes the Village of Round Lake, and be attending either public or accredited private schools, or accredited home-school programs.
Our scholarship committee is hoping to interest students who demonstrate excellence in their core curriculum education as well as 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. Another $500 runner-up scholarship may also be awarded.

Applications and more information should be available in the school counselling offices at Shenendehowa, Ballston Spa, or Saratoga Central Catholic high schools. Applications should be sent to: Scholarship Committee, Malta Sunrise Rotary Club, P.O. Box 671, Round Lake, NY 12151. While the deadline for receipt of applications is Feb. 28, it may be extended to Feb. 29 this leap year.

And following up on this post from two days ago, anyone interested in updates on the Uganda service trip which includes two of our club members, should follow along on our Facebook page. 

African Updates

At this morning's meeting in Malta, mail was passed around from our contacts in Lesotho, including a letter from one of the students we help sponsor through Qholaqhoe Mountain Connections. 

Meanwhile in Uganda (pictured above), two of our members are entering their second week working on educational, medical and infrastructure projects with AOET. More information and links about the projects in both countries can be found here.

In local news, we have received a $250 donation from Hannaford through their CLYNK program, which we will put toward our pancake breakfast fund. (The next breakfast is coming up March 29 at the Malta Ridge Fire House.)

Finding the Why

Kate Forer, senior pastor at Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church (PNECC) of Saratoga Springs, was our speaker on Thursday, her topic being "Finding the Why", about how organizations gain or lose membership.

Kate recalled from her childhood the response of her mother to a question about the meaning of life: "To help other people"; as well as the mission statement recently adopted by her church: "Working to make God's love and justice real in our world." 

In conversation with our members at the meeting, we discussed potential statements/slogans for Malta Sunrise Rotary (MSR), such as: Together we can do more; Our differences are smaller than our shared compassion; Working for the common good.

Club President Mike Williams presented PNECC with a $500 personal donation to match MSR's recent contribution for a PNECC-sponsored trip to Uganda, to help fund educational, medical and infrastructure projects. Two of our club members are going on the two-week trip, which begins on Feb. 13.

A guest from the Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs mentioned two of their upcoming events, the Home & Lifestyle Show on Feb. 29-March 1, and the Education Foundation Basketball Tournament on April 4.