Kayaderosseras Forever, Trash Tomorrow

That's 8 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday April 27, when we will meet at Forest Cleaners on the south side of Dunning Street to pick up trash along that road, and possibly beyond. Members of the public, friends and strangers, are welcome to join us.

In other business, our speaker Thursday was Joshua Ness, a Skidmore College biology professor and Education and Outreach chairman for Friends of the Kayaderosseras. That organization also does cleanups, of the creek (i.e. not connected to our trash cleanup tomorrow). It also does many other things to preserve and enhance this vital area resource.
 The Kayaderosseras runs through Milton and Ballston Spa, then forms the border between Malta and Saratoga Springs as it flows toward its endpoint, Saratoga Lake  -- and from there to Fish Creek and the Hudson River. Ness told us about initiatives including the new Ax Factory Preserve in Ballston Spa, and the still unsettled fate of the former Boyhaven Scout camp in Milton.

Car Talk

Our speaker on Thursday was Dawn Morrison, whose company, KAR-MA, will take care of your car for you. She'll also help you buy a new one, and her talk provided some tips for prospective car buyers doing it on their own.
The end of the month is the best time to shop at car dealers, she said, and "Everything is negotiable. Just ask." Don't fall in love with a car -- and if you do, don't let the dealer know. "Be willing to walk away from the deal."
Your bank may have a better loan rate than the dealer, and privately selling your old car may make you more money. "Gap insurance" is worth it. And "Make sure you like the car" -- test drive it.

In other business, our member Paul Phillips attended his last meeting for a few weeks because he is leading a local delegation on a mission trip to Uganda, to which we donated $500 earlier this year.

Wellness Testimonial

Our speaker Thursday was Janet Levine, who talked about her daily use of an AmpCoil machine to address Lyme disease and other health problems. 

In combination with a changed diet -- eliminating gluten, dairy, refined sugar -- Levine said the machine has transformed her health and life in positive ways.

Rotarian of the Year

Tom Disinger, shown here at the Toy for Tots warehouse last December, was voted our club's Rotarian of the Year on Thursday.
Also at last week's board and membership meetings, we contributed $100 to the upcoming District 7190 Rotary Peace Summit for Youth, to be held on May 11; and we discussed other upcoming events, including an April 27 roadside cleanup and May 4 pancake breakfast.
With our regular fire house site still under construction, the pancake breakfast will be at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 358, 68 E. North St. in Ballston Spa (east of Milton Avenue on the north side of the village).
On Saturday, board member Bob Conner and President-Elect Mike Williams attended a district event in Schenectady, and are shown here with ladies from the Schenectady Rotary Club.

The Woerner Report

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner is a member of our club, and this morning gave us one of her regular updates on state budget negotiations and other goings-on at the Capitol.
Darren O'Connor, the Malta supervisor, was relieved to learn that cuts proposed by the governor to the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM)  program would not be enacted by the Legislature.
Carrie also talked about an ethics reform bill she is co-sponsoring, and improving the continuum of care in drug treatment. She noted the most common overdose deaths currently being recorded at Saratoga Hospital are not from opioids, but rather a combination of alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Pioneer Woman

Nancy Sausville was expertly interviewed by Bob Bonney at Thursday's meeting. While Nancy, like her husband Paul, is a longtime member of our club, her history as a Rotarian precedes its founding. Nancy, who then worked for the American Red Cross, along with two friends became the first three female members of the Ballston Spa Rotary Club.
 Nancy said she is grateful that all three of her and Paul's children live nearby.
Speaking of Ballston Spa, we'll be holding our next pancake breakfast there (because our usual site remains under construction) on May 4 (a Saturday). That's thanks to a generous offer from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 358, at 68 E. North St. We will be partnering with Leatherstocking Honor Flight, which will share in the proceeds.
And we have a couple of events on tap with the Ballston Spa Rotary Club: an April 27 street cleanup, and a tentative plan for a public meeting on opioid addiction this fall.

The Guv

Rotary District 7190 Governor Tammy Heckenberg was our speaker on Thursday.
She reminded us about this year's Rotary theme of "Be the Inspiration," and her own personal "Attitude of Gratitude" which she is urging clubs to adopt, toward, for example, our family members.
As a nurse for more than 30 years, she is also asking clubs to consider doing an "elder project," as well as contributing to the Rotary Foundation and other connected worthy causes, and increasing membership.
At the previous week's board and business meetings, we heard about discussions of potential joint projects with the Ballston Spa Rotary Club, including an April 27 cleanup. (And we donated $50 to the Ballston Spa School District after-prom party.)