QMC on Way Out

 

Linda Gorham was our speaker Thursday, as often before, talking about Qholaqhoe Mountain Connections (QMC) in the southern African country of Lesotho. The photo above is of students at Qholoqhoe High School receiving supplies from its Emergency Food Fund, which QMC helps support.

QMC's main focus in recent years has been providing scholarships for students in this remote rural and mountainous place to attend three high schools, and for some to attend college out of the area. Two of the latter will graduate from Lesotho Agricultural College in September, while others attend the National University of Lesotho.

 But QMC will be winding down its operations over the next few years. Linda said she was "sad but grateful."

Malta Sunrise Rotary has an additional, unrelated African connection in members' ongoing support for AOET Uganda, which has strong support in the Saratoga region.

 

DEI Chair Makes Pitch

 

 

Pam Baxter, at end of table, chats before her presentation at Thursday's meeting. (Meanwhile Steve Ames, on right, looks skeptically at photographer.) Pam heads the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for the new Central New York Rotary District, of which we are part.

DEI is "about relationships," she said, noting the high prevalence of Americans laboring under some form of disability. "As human beings," she said, "don't we all just want to be appreciated, and recognized?" We may need to watch out for "ableism," and "unlearn behaviors that hinder your own growth as a person."

Construction Company

Our speaker at this week's meeting was Jim Dawsey, president and CEO of MLB Construction Services, which is located at 1 Stonebreak Road in Malta. Jim is at left in above photo, accompanied by Rotarians Bob Bonney, Dave Kruczlnicki, Dwight Havens, Helen Endres, Paul Phillips, Miles Cornthwaite and Larry Levine.

Also on hand were MLB Director of Marketing and Business Development Chloe Yonos, and Director of Estimating Shauna Raymond.

Foundation plus Scholars, Governor

 

Flanking Paul Phillips, our Scholarship Committee chairman, at Thursday's meeting were recipients Ava Day, left, and Brianna Boomhower, right. Ava will attend Rochester Institute of Technology and is hoping to become a research scientist. Bri will go to Wingate College in North Carolina and aims to be a physical therapist.

Also attending the meeting was Lizzy Martin, governor of the new Central New York (CNY) Rotary District.

Our speaker was Don Reese, CNY's Rotary Foundation chair. He spoke about the "Power of One" sparking positive change through Rotary, including through its global grants. He cited one such grant he was involved with, providing US donations of new and used turnout gear for the use of volunteer firefighters in Chile.

New Leader

 

Chris Havens, right, chats with Bob Bonney and Treasurer Cynthia Young at this morning's meeting.

Chris, whose one-year term as club president began on July 1, told us a little about her background. Married to fellow Rotarian Dwight Havens, they are the parents of four children and grandparents of two.

 Chris was raised in northern Connecticut, and lived for many years in Arizona. She worked when young as a social worker, and later, after taking time off to raise her children, as a librarian, most recently in Albany. She enjoys quilting, and riding an electronic tricycle.

 Chris and Dwight live in Luther Forest, Malta.

Business

 Treasurer Cynthia Young reported that in the 2023-24 Rotary fiscal year starting July 1, we have expended through May $2,400 on charitable donations, an additional $1,500 on scholarships, another $1,584.92 on donations to the Rotary Foundation, $1,973.92 for Rotary International dues and $720 for Rotary District dues. 

The slate of officers elected for the 2024-25 year is President Chris Havens, Vice President Paul Phillips, President-elect Dwight Havens, Treasurer Cynthia Young, Secretary Brian Farrell, Membership Chair Larry Levine, Foundation Chair Barbara Conner, Budget and Finance Chair Steve Ames. 

Woerner's World

 

Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner spoke at our meeting Thursday (while Larry Levine, Cynthia Young, Paul Phillips and the rest of us listened, sometimes engaging in give and take).

As usual, Carrie went on talking for those who stayed after the meeting ended, displaying her customary expertise about the workings of the state Capitol. This time was mostly analysis of the budget passed last month. On education spending, for example, the governor wanted to eliminate the "hold harmless" provision protecting some districts' aid, but the Legislature kept it.

Most of the talk and discussion was about health care and its knotty problems, including very high malpractice costs for doctors, and a lack or workers at all levels of the health care system.