Kidneys

Our speaker last Thursday was one of our members, Darren O'Connor, who talked about the complicated legal, medical and ethical issues involved in kidney transplants. Transplants are regulated by federal law and the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) under contract with the US Department of Health and Human Services. Darren became involved with the subject when his brother needed a kidney.
In other business, the deadline has passed for scholarship applications, and our Scholarship Committee is evaluating those which have been submitted.

Ballston Spa, Prevention Council

We held a joint meeting this week with the Ballston Spa Rotary Club, and  agreed to partner for a service project this spring. 
At last week's board and business meetings, we OK'd a $100 donation to The Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council of Saratoga County.

Good Dog

Guest speaker at last week's meeting was Julia Gates, coordinator of the New Skete Monasteries' kennel and German Shepherd dog breeding program in Cambridge, Washington County.

Julia brought along her well behaved certified therapy dog, Maverick, and told us about working with therapy dogs in hospitals and nursing homes. She was the guest of Chris Luhn, who can provide information about how to get involved with the New Skete programs (or follow the link).

Cuba

Our own Paul Phillips spoke at this morning's meeting about his recent trip to Cuba with a group representing the Presbyterian New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs. They were linking up with Presbyterians there and seeking out a sister church. Paul shared his observations about life in Cuba and the challenges faced by its people. 

Awakening

Fellow Rotarian and club member Jim Hale was our breakfast speaker Thursday, on the topic of his fellow Christian minister Asahel Nettleton, who was a key figure in the early 19th-century Second Great Awakening. Jim is pastor of The Saratoga Chapel on East Line Road. 

 Nettleton, who was from Connecticut, came to Saratoga to rest and restore his health, but soon became active in ministry in the area, including in Malta in 1819-20. At that time, Jim said, there were many unchurched people in Malta, and then, as now, families grappled with problems such as gambling and alcohol abuse. "Something extraordinary happened here," he said, as a result of Nettleton's ministry.

Foundation Work

Sue Austin, District 7190 Rotary Foundation Chair, was our speaker on Thursday. A former district governor, Sue was accompanied to the meeting by Harriet Noble, who is herself a former district governor.
Among other things, Sue noted that the Rotary Foundation has a four-star rating, the highest possible, from the Charity Navigator site. While much of the Foundation's work is overseas, some of its money comes back here to help fund our scholarship program.

Club Donates $500 to Ugandan Mission

At Thursday's business meeting, we voted to donate $500 to help fund projects in Uganda sponsored by a Saratoga Springs church, which works with the Ugandan nonprofit AOET. Paul Phillips, one of our members and a leader of the upcoming trip, said it will focus on expanding school facilities in a poor area of northern Uganda, which was devastated by civil warfare.
In other business, we voted to appoint Estelle Genest (pictured) to the board as Rotary Foundation chair.