Category: Fundraisers

Wine and tapas wrap up Home Cooking series

Bill DowdLeave a comment

Rotary Home Cooking logoThe final “2015-16 Rotary Home Cooking” series of member-hosted dinners wrapped up on Saturday evening. The theme was “An International Wine & Tapas Tasting,” proceeds from which went to the club treasury to support our various service projects.

Bill and April Dowd hosted the evening at their Troy residence, attended by Jim Leyhane, Roberto Martinez, Debbie Rodriguez, Pat Bailey, Murray Forth and Maggie Forth.

The menu, and some images from the dinner, courtesy of April, Roberto, and Bill:

Hors d’oeuvres
— Ducktrap Farms (Maine) smoked salmon with cream cheese and caper shmear, red onion confetti, on melba rounds
— Assorted Upstate New York and English cheeses with various crackers
— Santa Margherita NV Prosecco (Italy)

2nd Course
— Cream of Mexican leek, Canadian potato, and Troy chive demitasse
— Spanish picadillo-filled tortilla rolls
— 2002 Valckenberg Gewurtztraminer (Germany)

3rd Course
— Backfin crab silver dollars with Cajun remoulade, arugula tossed with Dijon balsamic vinaigrette
— 2012 Laurent Gerard Sancerre ( France)

4th Course
— Sliced Black Angus sirloin with herbed compound butter
— Twice-baked mini red potatoes
— Diced Canadian heirloom tomatoes in herbed Meyer Lemon olive oil vinaigrette
— 2014 Adirondack Winery Premium Meritage (New York State)

5th Course
— Moroccan Spice Cake with whipped cream
— Lustau Capataz Andres NV Deluxe Cream Sherry (Spain)

 

The two parts of a tasting dinner.
The two parts of a tasting dinner — the cooking and the sampling.
The kitchen staff at work.
Bill and April, the kitchen staff at work.
Party 1
Jim Leyhane and Roberto Martinez, center, digging in to the first sampling …
Plating a crabcake and arugula salad tasing.
… a remoulade-dotted crabcake with baby arugula salad.
The wine lineup accompanying the foods.
The wine lineup accompanying the foods (details on the menu above).
Debbie Rodriguez and Pat Bailey chat at the table.
Debbie Rodriguez and Pat Bailey, co-hosts of an earlier dinner in the series.
Maggie and Murray Forth, who also hosted an earlier dinner in the series.
Maggie and Murray Forth, who also hosted an earlier dinner.
A group grin to end the evening.
A group grin to end the evening.
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Winter’s first indoor golf event a success

Bill DowdLeave a comment

Poster Portion“Winter Indoor Golf Fest,” the SRC Club’s first simulator event of the winter at Burden Lake Country Club, was held today. No golf balls were lost in the process.

The fundraiser for the club’s general treasury had been rescheduled from its original December date because the unusually mild weather allowed golfers to stay outdoors in nature. As it turned out, the continuing mild conditions did not hamper today’s event.

Here are some scenes from the day, courtesy of Roberto Martinez.

Golf1
A look at one of the simulators that show images of various golf holes onscreen, then track the player’s actual shots to simulate how the ball would go in reality.
David Taylor and Ray Hannan staff the registration table to keep things running smoothly.
David Taylor and Ray Hannan staff the registration table to keep things running smoothly.
Carole Spencer winds up for a long drive.
Carole Spencer winds up for a long drive.
Hail, hail, some of the gang's all here.
Hail, hail, some of the gang’s all here. From left: Jim Leyhane, Murray Forth (in rear), Carole Spencer, Roberto Martinez, Terry Brewer.

First ‘Bowling for Vets’ a huge success

Bill DowdLeave a comment

SRC Bowling Logo 2015Our club’s first “Bowling for Vets” event was a rousing success, with all 16 lanes packed in two sessions on Sunday at the East Greenbush Bowling Center.

More than 80 bowlers — families, school teams (Columbia High School, St. Colman’s School), workplace friends, individuals, and a bunch of toddlers — kept the action lively.

Incidentally, judging by what we saw, there is no one way to bowl. We saw everything from the classic roll with curve, the avant garde decision to toss the bowl without using the finger holes, the zero-steps dead-drop, the between-the legs two-handed approach, and several others.

Great job by event coordinators Murray Forth and Terry Brewer, and thanks to all the volunteers who helped. We also thank everyone involved in obtaining lane sponsorships, with money raised from them going directly into our club treasury along with a portion of the bowling fees and the 50-50 raffle.

We will be sending contributions from proceeds of the fundraiser to Wounded Warriors and the Blue Star Mothers military family support organization. Murray will provide a financial report on this project at Thursday’s dinner meeting, although preliminary numbers put us above the $3,000 level.

Here are some scenes Bill Dowd captured on site, giving a flavor of the day. (Thanks to Roberto Martinez for the still-shots of Maggie Forth and the Hannans.)

(Please watch the video all the way through and excuse some clutter in the middle.)

Bowling4
Pick your favorite color.
Mike Dewey delivers, with Terry Brewer on deck.
Mike Dewey delivers, with Terry Brewer on deck.
Maggie Forth celebrates an early holiday
Maggie Forth celebrates an early holiday “turkey.” (See circled numbers up top.)
That sure looks like a long way to the pins.
That sure looks like a long way to the pins.
Ray Hannan and David Taylor help check-in a paticipant at the registration table. Murray Forth and Lois Hannan chat in the background.
Ray Hannan and David Taylor help check in a participant at the registration table. Murray Forth and Lois Hannan chat in the background.
John Sawchuck in action with one of his Columbia HS students waiting her turn.
John Sawchuck in action with one of his Columbia HS students waiting her turn.
Mike Dewey and part of his St. Colman's School contingent.
Mike Dewey poses with part of his St. Colman’s School contingent …
... while others plot their strategy.
… while others plot their strategy.
Style1
A standard bowling style …
Here's a traditional delivery ...
… and one more …
... and an alternate method.
… and an alternate method that also works.
One of several Columbia High School teams.
One of several teams from Columbia High School.
Geoff Brewer gets applause after picking up a spare.
Geoff Brewer gets some applause after picking up a spare.
Roberto Martinez and Terry Brewer are intent on the action.
Roberto Martinez and Terry Brewer are intent on the action …
... and they're not the only ones.
… and they’re not the only ones.
The look of success!
The look of success!
Jim Butterworth (left) gets set up with his team.
Jim Butterworth (left) gets set up with his team.
Dowd Sign
Bill Dowd points to some of the lane sponsorship placards that brought in significant revenue.
This scoring stuff isn't so hard.
This scoring stuff isn’t so hard, Mom.
Staffing the registration table (from left): Stewart Wagner and Dick Drumm, with Roberto joining them for pizza.
Staffing the registration table for the late session were (from left) Stewart Wagner and Dick Drumm, with bowler Roberto Martinez joining them for pizza.
Ray and Lois Hannan, who staffed the registration desk in the early session, also brought along blank holiday cards to be signed before they're sent off to U.S. military personnel stationed in South Korea.
Ray and Lois Hannan, who staffed the registration desk in the early session, also brought along blank holiday cards to be signed before they’re sent off to U.S. military personnel stationed in South Korea, where their Air Force daughter is assigned.