Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake, NY

President Joseph M. Behson                                                                              Secretary David E. Booker

President-Elect Gerald Tysiak                                                                      Treasurer Robert S. Pasquarelli

Vice President Sarah M. Tripp                                                         Immediate Past Pres Robert R. Loveridge
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Christopher R. Blais, Roland B. Wagner, Eve M. Ward

Bryce E. Cutler, Deborah McSherry, James E. Rogers

John C. Brownrigg, James M. Colabelli, Margaret R. Weiss

CLUB BULLETIN COMMITTEE

Sandpiper Editor Peg Weiss         Photographer -  Jim Rogers          Web page Editor David E. Booker

MEETING OF AUGUST 18, 2008

PRESIDENT Joseph M. Behson presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Bob Pasquarelli

GUESTS:    John Wright (l) and Former SL Town Supervisor, Sid Gallant (r), from American Legion Post 

                      and DPLG Jean Andrick from the Hoosick Falls Club -

WELCOME BACK:  Angelo Patti, Ray Turner, Peg Weiss

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ø       Mikki:  DOORS OF HOPE tomorrow 9 AM, meet at Java Beanery:  Dave Booker, Ken James, Dick Johnsen, Angelo Patti, Ken Van Praag

Ø      Memorial Service for Art Smith is this Wednesday at the Church of the Covenant.  Calling hours are from 4 to 6 with service to follow at 6 PM.  All Kiwanians are asked to meet at the church at 5:30 PM.  A donation of $200 was approved to COC Memorial Fund, as was a floral arrangement from SLK.

Ø      Eve:  Tickets to next Monday’s Valley Cats baseball game, in lieu of regular meeting, were distributed – everyone has paid!  Also announced was the annual outgoing president’s Steak & Lobster Roast on Friday Sept 5^th this year at Camp Rotary – much help is needed!  No more meetings before this event, so EVERYONE planning to attend MUST contact Eve ASAP!

Ø      DUES ARE OVERDUE for about 25% of the Club!  Notices have been sent to those in arrears informing them of automatic suspension if not paid by Sept 1^st.  Sponsors of new members have been asked to personally contact their members, but so far only two have reported this having been done. 

Ø      Pres-Designate Jerry Tysiak:  Next month’s Board of Directors meeting will be a joint one with members of both 2007-8 and the new 2008-9 boards in attendance.  Although voting on issues is restricted to elected members, every SLK member is invited and encouraged to attend the Board meetings and voice opinions during discussions.  Be informed about your Club’s activities—come to meetings!

Ø      FYI:  Repeat showing of “Wife Swap” this Wednesday at 8 PM on Channel 10 (ABC).  “A traveling carnival owner trades lives with a woman from an upscale Albany, NY neighborhood who always pushes her family to reach for perfection.”  Starring “our own” Art Gillette’s wife!  Funny episode!

Ø      Bob Pasquarelli:  Membership surveys only 25% returned!  Please complete them and return so we will know your opinions on our Club’s activities and meetings.  Forms are available online (click here for form) on the Club’s website or from Bob.

Ø      Joe Cub:  Last night’s concert featuring Joe Thomas’ Big Band was great--first one with  no rain!!  (Remember if it IS raining, concerts will be at SL Center for the Arts building).  Best attendance yet by far, but few SLKs.  Come on, support our projects—only 2 more left!

Ø      CONVENTION & CAMPAIGN UPDATE by Ken VanPraag:  In the nearly 40 conventions I have attended, this was probably the poorest attended, with only about 300 delegates there.  The facility at Turning Stone was too spread out, and they prohibited us from bringing our own snacks and drinks, then charged a lot to use theirs.  Regarding Dave’s campaign for Gov-Elect, (he WAS elected!)—how do we support our first Club member to this high office?  Dave will be officially endorsed around the first of the year.  Both Van Rensselaer Division and the Sand Lake Club must buy a full page ad in the convention booklet, and take full responsibility for hospitality at the District convention to be held at the Crowne Plaza in Albany.  We will be watched to see how we handle this!  THIS year we must also support our own Jim Rogers as VR Division’s Lt Gov as he makes his visits to officer installations and club meetings.  Each SLK should make at least two of these supporting interclubs.  NEXT year Governor Dave will make at least 26 visits around the state, and we must be his family!  SLK has a tradition that no Division Lt Gov has ever traveled alone, has always had a supporting interclub, and now we must continue that for the next two years!

Ø      Jim Rogers:  KVP led the caucus at convention, and did a super job!!

PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARD was presented to Peg Weiss for 9 years!

PROGRAM

Angelo Patti, a 30 year member of SLK, and a more recent member of the American Legion, commented that like Kiwanis, the American Legion is also a strong community based service organization.  He introduced both his guests:  Sid Gallant, a Legion life member of 67 years, former marine, AL financial officer for 19 years, former judge, former town supervisor, and John Wright, Legion governor at state level, post commander, director of the Mountain Camp at Tupper Lake, a free rehab facility for veterans. 

The American Legion was founded in Paris in March 1919, and chartered by our Congress in Sept of the same year.  National headquarters are in Indianapolis, IN, and now has 3 million members.

The local Post was chartered in 1931, and named the Sergeant Walter A. Adams Post #1021, after the Alps resident who was killed in World War I.  They now meet in the former Averill Park-Sand Lake School District Building on Route 43 next to the Averill Park Post Office.  It was built in 1893, and is now deeded to the Legion, which hopes the Town of SL will protect it as an historical site.  There was a Women’s Auxiliary until about 1989.  Presently there are 112 members on the roster, 15 active, including about 3 or 4 women members.  The Legion’s purpose is to lobby for veterans’ benefits.  In 1925 the American Legion baseball league was started to promote youth leadership.  One of their biggest projects is Boys’ State and Girls’ State for selected high school juniors.  The students spend one week living and learning the rights and responsibilities of citizens, attend their own legislative sessions, courts, etc. and learn the workings of politics.  Boys’ State is held on the campus of Morrisville Tech, and Girls’ State is located at the SUNY Brockport campus.  Our local Post sponsors two boys and one girl each year.  In 1919 the Legion sponsored the Boy Scout movement.  Their purpose is “devotion to mutual helpfulness”.  14,000 persons benefitted last year.  Food and toys are distributed at holidays to the needy in our community.  The major fund raiser is the monthly chicken barbecues during the warmer 6 months of the year on 3^rd Saturdays.

Bob Pasquarelli presented Certificates of Appreciation to both Sid and John.

HAPPY DOLLARS

$       Scott Paul:  I was absent last week because I was umpiring at the American Legion baseball tournaments!  (Schenectady won!)

$       Booker, for a great Concert in the Park last night – about 225 attended! 

$       Jean Andrick (on right):  This is one of my favorite clubs—always great programs.  She asked all veterans to stand, and gave $13 Happy Dollars, one for each vet!

$       Pat Lane, $5 for my son who is an Army recruiter!

$       Peg, for a wonderful 3-week, 2000 mile visit to NC & VA with family and friends—very hot and very dry!  The south would love to have some of the northeast’s rain!  Highest gas was $4.59 in NY, and the lowest was $3.15 in NC.  Thanks to Mikki, Barb, & Jim Colabelli for helping Dave with the Sandpiper.  On Wed I’ll fly to MO for my grandson’s graduation from Army basic training, but I’ll be back in time for Mon. night!

$       Woodie, for a great week in Ireland, even though it rained every day!  Marian had a transfusion before we left, so she was able to do everything we wanted to do!

$       John Brownrigg:  Had a phone call from former SLK Chet Gavryk & Jackie, who say they’re doing well despite serious vision problems.  Chet will be going on the next Patriot’s Flight to the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC!

$       Dudley:  Borrowed both tents for a wedding reception; ropes and stakes were missing from one but we made do with substitutions.  {From the Peanut Gallery:  “We’ve got one Peg here, Dudley!”  “And she knows the ropes, too!”—SLK comedians!}

DOOR PRIZE, provided by Angelo, was won by Ken James!

50/50 for $27 was won by Joe Cybulski!

MEGA 50/50 is struggling to grow, despite Chet Melius’ effort to find the King of Clubs from the 49 cards.  He picked the Ace of Spades, which might have been good in another game, but not this one!  Tonight’s $46 will grow bigger next week.

NEXT WEEK            VALLEY CATS BASEBALL AT THE JOE 

AUGUST 25               No regular meeting at the Lakeview              

SEPT 1                        NO MEETING – LABOR DAY! 

SEPT 5 (FRI)              STEAK & LOBSTER ROAST AT CAMP ROTARY

SEPT 8                        PROGRAM:   Joe Grillo - SPEAKER Alice Millor

                                    JOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING (both 2007-8 & 2008-9)

                                    GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Armand Mills

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

            “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”                                                                         Thomas Paine

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