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 M. Cutler, Deborah McSherry, James E. Rogers

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

CLUB BULLETIN COMMITTEE

Sandpiper Editor Margaret R. Weiss      Photographers - Kevin Sarsfield & Joe Cybulski       Web page Editor  David E. Booker

MEETING OF NOVEMBER 19, 2007 

PRESIDENT-ELECT Gerald Tysiak presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Angelo Patti

GUESTS:  of Eve Ward, Miller Young; of Sarah Tripp, Jim Parslow, and Terry; of Jerry Tysiak,

        Tim Murdick; plus our speaker, Rensselaer County Sheriff Jack Mahar

WELCOME BACK, Angelo Patti!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ø       Bob Pasquarelli reported that he and Pres Joe attended the Ribbon Cutting ceremony at the Sand Lake/Miller Hill Elementary School playground.  The equipment is fabulous—nothing like the simple things we “olders” remember!

Ø       Bob Loveridge distributed a signup sheet for the BELLS OF LIFE collection at Crossgates Mall on Sat Nov 24^th from 10-6.

Ø       Mikki McSherry distributed a signup sheet for unloading the food truck at Doors of Hope on Fri Nov 30^th @ 10AM:  Colabelli, Vosburgh, and one other volunteer signed up.

Ø       Mikki also announced that, with the generosity of the Postal workers and Hannaford, 8 food baskets complete with turkeys have already been distributed for Thanksgiving, with 5 more ready to go.  There are 18 more so far, and these will be saved for Christmas for the over 43 needy families identified.

Ø       Deadline for Citrus Sales Orders has been extended to Dec 1^st.  Fruit still expected to arrive by mid December.

Ø       BREADS previously ordered from Sage Circle K were delivered by members of the Russell Sage Circle K Club.

Ø       DONATIONS received:  $275 to Summerfest from the Kinderhook Group, and $75 to the Club from Miller Hill/Sand Lake Elementary School.

Ø       Next DIVISION COUNCIL will be Wed Jan 23^rd at Moscatiello’s on Rt 4, North Greenbush.

Ø       RECHARTER NIGHT for the Albany Club will be Wed Jan 8^th—details to follow.

Ø       John Brownrigg reported his attending Joe Uline’s memorial service last Friday.  “Grizz” was the originator of our food basket project, and the Care Bears to children using the ambulance service.  An arboretum is planned in Joe’s memory.

INDUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS

Prospective new members, with their sponsors, were introduced to the Club:  Miller Young, sponsored by Eve Ward; Jim Parslow, sponsored by his daughter Sarah Tripp; and Tim Murdick, sponsored by Jerry Tysiak.  Secretary Dave explained some of the traditions and purposes of Kiwanis, and presented each with a folder of pertinent information.  Each sponsor attached the membership pin to be worn, with the name badge, at each Kiwanis function, and the famous “doo-hickey” was also presented.  Each new member was then given the traditional one-time opportunity to talk about himself.  Miller Young and his wife Stephanie own the Young’s Pharmacy and General Store (formerly the Variety Store) in Averill Park, and live in Delmar with their brand new baby daughter.  Jim Parslow and his wife Terry live on Snake Hill Road; they have several grown children, including Sarah, and Jim is a retired elevator mechanic.  Tim Murdick and his wife Kim live on Providence Drive with their children; Tim is employed by the Division of Military & Naval Affairs.  Welcome all three, just in time to help with all our holiday projects!

PROGRAM

Immediate Past President Bob Loveridge introduced his boss, Rensselaer County Sheriff Jack Mahar, a highly decorated officer with more than 30 years in law enforcement.  He has a degree in Public Administration, and is a graduate of the FBI School at Quantico, VA.  Jack’s is the only elected position in law enforcement in the US, which makes him answerable directly to the public.  The Sheriff’s Department has 3 areas of service:  Civil, Highway & Marine, and Corrections.  The Civil area is dynamic in public education and service.  The Highway & Marine department patrols the many roads in the county, and 27 miles of the Hudson River.  They have 29 deputies, when they need 75.  The Marine section has 2 boats and enforces the law during the summer.  In the off-season these deputies go on road patrols.  The county needs better ambulance service; Sand Lake is one of the best.  All deputies are being trained as certified EMTs.  Rensselaer County has the best K-9 program, with dogs, mostly shepherds and labs, trained as cadaver, working, patrol, drug sniffing, and tracking dogs, plus 2 dogs which are kept at the jail.  Deputies respond to over 60,000 calls per year, mostly vehicle and traffic enforcement, but also do Child Safety & ID programs.  The depart-ment is working towards full accreditation in law enforcement.  The Corrections Department is the most expensive of all of them, with the jail housing many dangerous people, every type of criminal, convicted and non-convicted.  A major $50 million renovation and expansion is planned to add 192 beds, and a new Motor Vehicle garage for 66 vehicles, hopefully in 2 years.  The goal is expected to be cut by the Legislature, but work has already started, and 30-40 more corrections officers are to be hired.  The Incarceration Bureau has 160 people sentenced at present.  The Department works 24/7, a very high-pressure job!  The public is invited to take tours—just call our own Col Bob!  Jack answered several questions:  pursuits can cross county lines; do not like pursuits as a rule, especially for V&T infractions, (ID, & pick up later is better), but if it’s a dangerous criminal, OK.  The Marine Patrol only goes on lakes as requested, mostly on the river.  The dogs are housed with their handlers in their homes, and are treated as family pets until they go on duty.  They will do demonstration programs by request.  There are 8 law enforcement agencies in the county, (towns and cities); the rest of the area is covered by the sheriff’s dept.  Our Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Jack by Angelo Patti who thanked him for a most informative program!

HAPPY DOLLARS

$       Kevin Sarsfield:  Took 2 trips to CA—one was vacation, but the latest was for our oldest son’s surgery at Cedars Sinai Hospital in LA, whose staff treated patient & family very well!

$       Angelo:  For SLK, a great club, even though I haven’t been around much lately.  Impressed by induction of 3 new members!  I also am active with the American Legion; we don’t give out doo-hickeys, but we do give hats, and I have one here for a new member who hasn’t been to a meeting since he joined! 

$       Jim Colabelli:  For my new hat!  And he modeled it!

$       Joe Cub:  For Jack Mahar’s program!  He also works with seniors in the TRIAD program!

$       Eve:  For our three new members!

$       Brownrigg:  A sad dollar, not only for Joe Uline’s passing, but we also lost a former member last week—George Cooke, aged 93, died at his new home in Boulder, CO.

$       Tim Murdick:  Glad to be a member of SLK!  The baseball team I coached last year won the national championship and in the process defeated Team Canada (23 of the best from Canada) with only 11 kids!

$       IPP Bob:  For my boss and his department, which also sponsors the Explorer Post!

$       Pres-Elect Jerry:  I survived presiding over my first meeting!  Even though we switched the songs we sang at the opening and closing of the meeting!  A trial run!

DOOR PRIZE, provided by Col Bob, was won by Jim Parslow!

50/50 for $22 was won by Smilin’ Gary Meislin!

MEGA 50/50 did it again!  Chet Melius could only find the 5 of Diamonds in those 34 cards, so the pot of $250.60 will continue to grow!

NEXT WEEK    PROGRAM:  Jeremy Vosburgh

NOV 26                   GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Sarah Tripp

DEC 3                     PROGRAM:  Dudley Dorr, House & Reception Chair

                             BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING   

                             GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Kevin Sarsfield

DEC 10                   PROGRAM:  Kevin Sarsfield

                             GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Chris Blais

DEC 17                   PROGRAM:  HOLIDAY DINNER PARTY—GUESTS!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

“No matter how dark things seem to be, or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities—always see them, for they’re always there.”                      Norman Vincent Peale

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH YOUR FAMILIES, AND BE THANKFUL FOR ALL WE HAVE!

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