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 JUNE 23, 2008

PRESIDENT Joseph M. Behson presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Deacon Bob Pasquarelli

GUESTS:   Of Dave Booker, Jackie Geraci, prospective member 

                     Of Bob Loveridge,  Chief Paul Glasser of AP-SL Fire Company

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ø      Food Trailer at SL Library this Sat from 11 to 3.  Chet Melius will stock and deliver trailer, but needs someone to transport it to his home at the end.  Volunteer?  Workers on 2 shifts.  Shift #1, 10:45 – 1:30:  Jim Colabelli, Eve Ward, Peg Weiss

Shift #2, 1:15 – 3:30:  Ron Wagner, Bob Loveridge, Joe Behson

Ø    Report from Mikki:  Thanks to Behson, Booker, Turner, Parslow, and James who unloaded the food truck at Doors of Hope last Tuesday.  We will need help WED July 2 (different day due to holiday) and again in mid-July.

Ø    Jerry Tysiak:  Signup sheets for EVERY Summerfest activity.  This is our BIG event, and we need everyone’s help, even if you can only work a few hours!  Please sign and fill all the shifts.  Remember, we have an extra day this year!

Ø    Our Community Service Chair Mikki McSherry has undergone surgery to reconstruct her eardrum (not a fun time!), and needs our concern.  We hope all is going well, Mikki, and that you will get well soon and return to SLK!

Ø    IDPP Bob Loveridge would welcome nominations for Partners In Service before Summerfest so the special shirts can be ordered.  These are the folks, family and friends, who work hard right alongside us to help our projects succeed, and we want to honor them.

Ø    International Convention in Orlando this week—delegates are Booker and Whipple.  There are some proposed amendments and resolutions, mostly housekeeping types, which may be read tonight—see Booker.

Ø    PR Chair Joe Cub circulated the full page color Summerfest ad which will appear in this week’s Advertiser.

Ø    Bob Loveridge reminded the club to sell those 50/50 raffle tickets!  Please turn in the money ASAP.  They will also be sold at Summerfest.

Ø    INTERCLUB:  It’s early, but mark your calendars.  Next Division Council is at Hoosick Falls Country Club Tuesday July 22^nd!  Buffet dinner for $15 is at 6 PM.  So far, Behson, Booker, James, Rogers, Ward, and Weiss plan to go.

Ø    Notes from last week’s Rotary Work Night:  Joel Uline thanked those who braved the rain for coming again this year to help get ready for the summer camping season.  Our thanks to John Glasser, steak griller extraordinaire, for a delicious porterhouse steak roast!  And also to those who donated salads and desserts to round out a wonderful meal.  Thanks too, to those who worked on the Relay For Life at Bruno Stadium:  Chet the TrailerMan, Eve, Ron & Betty, Botsy, Col Loveridge & Joanne, Armand & Ellen, Nancy Davis, Mikki, Jo Moccia, Barb Fioravanti & the Columbia Key Club, and Booker. A thank you note from Amanda Brennan was received for our support for NY District Governor of Circle K.

Ø    DUES ARE DUE BY JULY 1, 2008!      

Ø    Pres Joe expressed his concern for the future of our club.  We have inducted 12 new members so far this year, and that’s wonderful!  But our Nominating Committee has been unable to find experienced members willing to fill the slate of officers for next year, and that’s a situation that’s foreign to this club.  We can’t expect new people to take over these jobs until they’ve been around a while.  We have always been one of the most active clubs, and we want to stay that way, but we need leaders!  Three offices need to be filled:  secretary, vice president, and president-elect, or our programs will falter.  The responsibility of Summerfest seems to scare people.  In truth, it’s a big job, but each phase has a member in charge of it who knows the ropes, and will work for you.  Please search your hearts, and offer your service.  The jobs are not difficult, and there are many who have done them before, and who are willing to help.  Sand Lake Kiwanis needs YOU!

CAMPAIGN FOR NY DISTRICT GOVERNOR-ELECT

     Ken Van Praag, campaign manager for David Booker who is running for the highest office in the state, spoke about the responsibilities of the home club of a candidate.  Our club is nearly 60 years old, but never before has there been a member elected district governor.  It’s a high honor for the club, and for Booker, who is certainly capable, and worthy of our support.  Several members have accompanied Dave on his visits around the state, and we should continue to do so.  But the financing of the candidacy is also our responsibility.  There is a $5000 limit to campaign spending, and although Dave is so far unopposed, there are still aspects which must be paid for.  All contributions by members are strictly voluntary, but guidelines suggest $50 from members, and $100 from past presidents and past lieutenant governors.  The District Convention, and the election, will be at Turning Stone Casino, Verona, NY from August 6-10.  Register by July 6^th for the lowest rates; Ken has the forms.  Another milestone for SLK:  Jim Rogers will be installed as Van Rensselaer Division’s Lieutenant Governor at Turning Stone, and he will also need our support as he installs all the clubs’ officers during the coming year.  3 Delegates and 3 Alternates were nominated and elected:

Delegates:  Jerry Tysiak, Pres-Elect; David Booker, Secretary; and Joe Behson, President.  Alternates:  Bob Loveridge, Past Pres; Ken Van Praag, PLG; Jim Rogers, Lt Gov-Elect.

PROGRAM

            Skip Patton presented a visual record of an experience he had 8 years ago—a $350 half-hour ride over the Capital District area in a restored WWII B-17 bomber!  The B-17 was the big bomber which was the basis for the Allies’ offense against Germany in the later years of the war.  Skip’s Dad had been a top turret gunner on a B-17, and now his son experienced a little of that—but without being shot at!  The B-17 had 4 radial engines, was capable of long range, and carried 500 pound bombs.  It bore almost no resemblance to the aircraft we are used to, and had no creature comforts!  It had a thin skin of aluminum with no armor, no sound protection, and no heat.  In the high altitudes where the outside temperature was well below zero, so it was inside.  The crew wore heated underwear which was of some help, and leather and sheepskin jackets and gloves.  Most missions were flown without fighter escorts, and resulted in high losses.  20,000 airmen lost their lives over Europe.  Of the 12,000 planes that were built, only 14 remain in any kind of condition.  Some have been lovingly restored by aviation organizations, and are usually in museums.  Few are airworthy.  Skip’s slides showed a fantastic ride over the University, the Empire State Plaza, and the Hudson River area.  He was able to crawl into various gun turrets, and using a bomb sight that had been manufactured at Norton, made a simulated bomb drop on the Castleton Bridge.  The pictures were great, and the experience caused Skip to remark that every man who flew in the B-17 was a hero!

HAPPY DOLLARS

$       Bob Pasquarelli:  Had a fantastic trip with his son and grandkids to British Columbia, Banff National Park, Lake Louise, walked on a glacier, and went white water rafting!

$       Chris Blais:  The Red Sox are still in 1^st place!  Where are all the Yankee fans?  And I’m also happy that most of my students were successful in passing!

$       Jim Rogers:  Skip’s program brought back memories of my childhood during WWII.  I was a 7 year old living in the Finger Lakes area and saw a very large plane flying lower than usual, with its #3 engine on fire, and 3 men parachuted from it.  The plane, a B-17 from Griffiss AFB at Rome, NY circled and crashed into a hillside, killing 3 men still in it.  Also Joanne’s grandfather, who escaped from Germany, worked at Norton on that bomb sight!

$       Peg:  Spent a steamy, but wonderful week in NC attending my 4^th grandson’s high school graduation, including a weekend at Lake Gaston with most of my family.  Came back on Monday in time to be at Camp Rotary and received two very unexpected invitations.  Went with Eve and her family to the Gordon Lightfoot concert at Proctor’s on Wed, and then on Sunday, went with the Pattons and friends to Boston, my first time at Fenway Park, to see the Red Sox beat the St Louis Cardinals, but it took them 13 innings to do it!

$       Fred:  About that bomb sight…my German friend helped make them!  Happy also to watch the European World Cup soccer playoffs, down to last 4, on ESPN!

$       Jo Moccia:  Lots of things happen when you join Kiwanis!  I learned how to make a raised bed with a chain saw, and had a tip-over accident with a “skid steer” but came out okay.  You may have noticed that I’ve been harassed a bit lately, so hopefully my latest letter in the Advertiser may put more of a positive spin on things!

$       Gary:  Son from Washington was here, and went to Utica with me to visit my brother--first time I’ve seen him in two years!

$       Barb:  Columbia Key Club raised $350 at the Relay For Life!  They had an End of Year Key Club social at the Middle School, with an emphasis on recruiting for next year!

$       Joe Behson:  I had a great pre-Summerfest vacation in San Francisco!

$       Nancy:  The Bicentennial dinner was successful, Sid Gallant came.  Congratulations to Bob Pasquarelli who won this hand quilted runner in the raffle!  I paid my dues, but don’t ask where the money came from!  We need riders for cars in the parade, and we need targets for the dunking booth!  Fred said yes!

$       Skip:  Great trip to Fenway Park…rain delay for an hour, but they played 13 innings, and finally won, making the ride home 50 miles shorter than if the Sox had lost!

$       Booker:  Naturally, for the Red Sox still #1.  But also I do appreciate all the club support!

$       Jerry:  Thanks to all who have signed up for work at Summerfest.  We still need more!

$       KVP:  I’m happy to see all the Red Sox fans are supporting SLK.  We Yankee fans will wait and give our money when New York becomes #1!

$       Fred, again:  I did NOT agree to sit in the dunking booth!  Nancy signed me up!

DOOR PRIZE, provided by Skip, was won by KVP!  {Saving it for the end of the season?}

50/50 for $24 was won by Booker!  {You can use it in Orlando this week!}

MEGA 50/50 is down to 9 cards, but Jim Colabelli still couldn’t find the King of Clubs!  He picked the 4 of Hearts so the $692.10 will grow again next week!

NEXT WEEK            PROGRAM:  Jerry Tysiak will conduct a Summerfest prep wrap-up 

JUNE 30                     GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Eve Ward

JULY 3 – 6                 SUMMERFEST!

JULY 7                       PROGRAM:  Fred Wurtemberger, Interclub Chair

                                    BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

                                    GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Kevin Smith

JULY 14                     SUMMERFEST R&R PICNIC AT BUTLER PARK! 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

“It’s always too early to quit.”               Norman Vincent Peale

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