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        Photographer - Kevin Sarsfield        Web page Editor  David E. Booker

MEETING OF DECEMBER 10, 2007

PRESIDENT Joseph M. Behson presiding

GREETINGS & INVOCATION by Chris Blais

GUESTS:  of Pres Joe, Dr Margaret Krolech, and Dave & Laurie Leckonby

                  of Mikki, Elizabeth D’Angelo

                  of Jim Parslow, his wife Terry

                  of Bill Whipple, his wife Betty Jean 

                  of Armand his wife Ellen

                  of SLK, citrus truck driver, “Woodie” (not Hacker!)

WELCOME BACK: Ray Loveridge

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ø       Mikki:  DOORS OF HOPE tomorrow @ 10 AM:   no volunteers!

  HOLIDAY STORE @ Elem School postponed due to school weather closing

  TOYS arrive Mon Dec 17 @ Renss Co Office Bldg, need unloading and transport to 

              24 Schumann Rd in Sand Lake for sorting and wrapping all week

                     FOOD & TOY DELIVERIES Sat Dec 22 to 54 families, 123 children   

Ø       Jerry Tysiak:  CITRUS HAS ARRIVED!  Thanks to the 11 SLKs, (Tysiak, Pasquarelli, Hacker, Booker, Dorr, Colabelli, Behson, Mills, Whipple, Sarsfield, & Wagner), who worked all afternoon unloading 850 cartons (twice!) from the semi to pickups, and then into the garage behind St Henry’s Church.  Pickups will be from 4-8 all week until Sat when remainder will be moved to Botsy’s.  Attendees:  Tues—Wagner & Colabelli; Wed—Wurtemberger; Thurs—Pasquarelli & Botsy; Fri—Tysiak & Ward; Sat—Botsy

CHRISTMAS TREE SALES should end this week; only 54 trees left, but we

          need volunteers!  The schedule has many empty spaces—ALL SLKs should help!

          TUES Dec 11 4-7:  Pasquarelli, Behson, & ________________

          WED Dec 12 4-7:  Ward. Grillo & ________________      Help Needed!

          THUR Dec 13 4-7:  Wurtemberger, Melius & _____________  Help Needed!

          FRI Dec 14 4-7:  NO ONE YET PLEASE CALL JERRY IF YOU CAN HELP!!!!!

          SAT Dec 15 10-1:  Colabelli, Carpenter & ________________ Help Needed!

                              1-4:  Dorr, Brownrigg & ________________Help Needed!

                              4-7:  AGAIN NO ONE YET PLEASE CALL JERRY IF YOU CAN HELP!!!!!

          SUN Dec 16 12-3:  Tysiak, _______________ & _____________ Help Needed!

                               3-7:  _______________, _____________ & __________HELP NEEDED!

          MON Dec 17 4-7:  Fioravanti, ___________ & _____________ Help Needed!

Ø       Fred Wurtemberger:  INTERCLUB Holiday Luncheon @ Hoosick Falls Tues Dec 18 @ noon, Brass Band, $15:  Behson, Booker, Cutler, & Pasquarelli

Ø       Eve Ward:  Get well card passed for PLG Jean Andrick following by-pass surgery.  She is doing well and expects to come home soon, but regrets missing our Holiday Party.

HOLIDAY PARTY next week, cash bar & hors d’oeuvres @ 6, $20 Turkey dinner @ 7, bring gift wrapped for game, & guests (notify Dudley).

Ø       Bill Whipple:  BLOOD DRIVE Dec 27 Thurs @ Church of the Covenant from 1-6

Shift                       Registration                       Canteen

12:45-2:45              ___________                     ___________

  2:45-4:45              Eve Ward                          Bob Pasquarelli, Joe Behson

  4:45-6:45              ___________                     Skip Patton, Joe Behson

                                                Cleanup         Skip Patton         

PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARD presented to Barb Fioravanti for 14 years!  Congratulations!

INDUCTION OF NEW MEMBER

Membership Chair Bob Pasquarelli introduced Jim Stacy, and his sponsor Pres Joe, presenting Jim with the accoutrements (!) of membership in Kiwanis.  Bob explained to Jim that he was joining an organization of over 400,000 members in 100 nations, but that Sand Lake Kiwanis is the best club in the Capital District [Web editor’s note: the SLKC is in the New York District what was meant was one of the best in the Capital Area]!  We are all dedicated to serving our community, especially the children.  Jim is an attorney in Albany, has lived in the town for 15 years with his two daughters, who are quite proficient in soccer.  Welcome back, Jim! 

PROGRAM

          Kevin Sarsfield introduced our Immediate Past Pres Bob Loveridge, who presented an overview of the Rensselaer County K-9 Unit that he helped to establish.  Using K-9s to patrol the jails is a relatively new idea that has worked well, and Renss Co was first in NYS to institute this.  Bob went to London, England to study the system used by the British.  Dogs were first used in the military back in the Middle Ages before gunpowder was in use, when they wore spiked collars and armor.  North American Indians used them for pack animals and sentry duty.  Today they are not only used as sentries, but also on scout & patrol, as messengers, and as mine detectors.  Police use them also for search & rescue, cadaver, bombs, arson, narcotics, and patrol.  They check incoming mail for contraband to the jail, and are a psychological deterrent to misbehavior wherever they are used.  The dogs are excellent public relations agents for the police, and they are trained for either aggressive or passive uses.  Following Col Bob’s introduction, two deputies and their dogs put on a demonstration of their abilities.  Deputy Mark Geracitano and his German Shepherd, an aggressive patrol dog, showed how the dog “captured” a suspect, and on command, backed off, and when the “suspect” attempted to flee, kept him in position.  Deputy Paul Davendonis and his Yellow Lab, a passive accelerant seeker dog, showed how the dog could detect the odor of an accelerant, either before or after a fire.  Individual dogs have their own specialties, and while they can work in various situations, they are best at what their training emphasizes.  The handlers and their dogs bond together for the life of the dog, and live with them at their homes.  They interact with families and children, but definitely are not family pets while they are still working.  Both dogs are magnificent animals, and it is obvious that they are valuable members of the Sheriff’s team.  Chris Blais gave each deputy our Certificate of Appreciation for one of the best programs we’ve had.

HAPPY DOLLARS

$       Armand:  In the 13 months I’ve been a member, this has been the best presentation I’ve seen!  I have special coffee mugs for each SLK member, as a gift!  {Thank you, Armand!}

$       Kevin:  Thanks to Col Bob for organizing a great program!

$       Eve:  The US Postal Service works in strange ways:  I received two cards in the mail, each addressed to a person on Hillcrest Drive (my street) with 4 out of 5 correct numbers of my zip code, but they were supposed to go to someone in New Wales, Australia!! 

NEXT WEEK    HOLIDAY PARTY – Social Hour @ 6, Dinner @ 7, Grab Bag Game to follow

DEC 17                   Guests are most welcome, but be sure to notify Dudley for reservations!

                   GREETER/INVOCATOR:  George Raneri

DEC 24                   NO MEETING – CHRISTMAS EVE

DEC 31                   NO MEETING – NEW YEAR’S EVE

JAN 7                     PROGRAM:  Joe Trupia, Senior Services Chair

                             BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING   

                             GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Clayton Besch

JAN 14                     PROGRAM:  Bob Carpenter

                             GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Skip Patton

JAN 21                     PROGRAM:  Jim Rogers

                             GREETER/INVOCATOR/CERTIFICATE:  Fred Wurtemberger   

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.”                               Will Rogers

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