centernews

The site is updated daily, so check this page for current Center news, special
notices, cancellations due to inclement weather, and special events that are not
in our monthly calendar / brochure.

"From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need."

It's Your Community - Participation Is Empowerment!

More Changes

As part of our complete reorganization to lower expenses,
improve the effectiveness of the center, and respond to the
expressed needs of the guests who attend and support the
center, we are making a few more changes.

Effective This month, March, we will cease publication of
the dated regular mail calendar, and replace it with periodic
mailing and distribution of an introductory brochure instead.

Most of our guests check the calendar online, and they pick
up schedules of our events at the center when they attend
our various events.

This change will be a substantial savings in postage and
printing cost. We usually publish 1,000 copies , and direct
mail about 600 of them.

Between this web site, and the numerous other ways we
list and advertise our events, and the articles about our
center that are published in the two major newspapers
occasionally, the print calendar is no longer necessary.

We will also be dropping the reference to gender focus
discussion / support groups. The 'mens group', and the
'women's group', etcetera. We have found that there is no
need for the support to be focussed by gender.

People are people, we all have shared concerns, and all
of our guests have said that they are more comfortable
with the inclusive discussion we now have after the
dinners, and they like the dynamic of the group better
when it is more casual. We have a warm, friendly, family
atmosphere at our gatherings, and we are all mutually
supportive in various ways, in, and outside the group
meetings.

Another change is we will no longer be serving weekly
dinners at the Oakwood Presbyterian Church.

Other events like Bingo, Movie Nights, etcetera will still
be scheduled at the church, but our dinners will be held
in many fine restaurants in the Capital Area.

We are making the dinners more of a special 'night out',
in the community, sampling the cuisine and ambiance
of different cooks and restaurants.

We have always offered top quality meals using only the
freshest ingredients, bought the day of preparation.

We are extending that commitment, and taking our
guests on a gourmet tour of the Troy / Albany area.

Troy Record Interview

Thank you to Daniel Sanzone of the Troy Record for the
interview and article about the Randy Shilts Center.

It ran on page 6 of the Sunday, February 18th edition.

It was a lengthy interview that touched on many aspects of
the philosophy, and programs offered by the center.

One point needs to be clarified. It was published that we have
done volunteer work with the Regional Food Bank. That is not
accurate. Some of our staff have attended safe food handling
classes at the Food Bank, but we've had no volunteer dealings
with that fine organization.

We did propose to the Session of the Oakwood Presbyterian Church
that they establish a food pantry that would serve the neighborhood
where the church is located, and income qualified guests of our center.

The Session approved the idea, and the church has been doing a lot
of work to clear rooms, paint, install shelving, a freezer, etcetera in
preparation of opening a pantry.

Volunteers from our center have helped through the process, and
donated groceries regularly, to help the church to qualify during
the six months that it had to run a limited pantry on its own, in
order to qualify for membership in the Regional Food Bank.

The Oakwood Food Pantry should be open in a month or so,
and volunteers from the Randy Shilts Center will be helping
to staff the pantry.

The Larger Parish of the church are participants as well, and
they have been dropping off food donations regularly.

As usual, Linda O'Malley, a Session member of the church, did
a stellar job of shepherding the project along to completion.

Changes, Changes, Changes . . .

Due to a convergence of circumstaces, and the results of an
extensive survey / evaluation that we did with our 2007 first
General Membership meeting; we are in the process of making
a variety of changes in our programs and services.

The board has been consulting almost daily as we work
out the details of the reorganization. Some programs will
be dropped, and new ones are being added.

The goal is a more cost efficient center that offers only those
programs and services that are most effective and needed.
We will be announcing the various changes in our calendar
and on the web site over the next two months.

One program that has changed is the free HIV testing.

We will no longer be offering the Oraquick test.

That method of test is prone to false positives, and
is therefore not as reliable as a blood test.

Offering that test was problematic for us in our effort
to arrange for a general liability insurance policy, so
it has been canceled.

We have made arrangements with the Rensselaer County
Health Department for one of their trained clinicians to
do the more accurate blood test, by referral to their office,
or by appointment at one of our events.

Another change has been the temporary cancellation of
events on Saturdays. The Movie Night, and Bingo, will
be moved to a Wednesday nights instead.

Our primary reason for adding Saturday events to our
calendar, was to reserve the hall that night for the new
coffeehouse fundraising event we are planning to do.

The church board has informed us that we must get a
general liability insurance policy in order to renew our
lease, which comes due in April. That's easier said than
done, especially on such short notice.

We have talked with numerous insurance agents, several
couldn't write a policy, period, because of their concerns
about the fact that we are an HIV support center.

One agent who said she could get a policy for us, quoted
a cost of $1800. per year. That is an outrageous fee that
our small group cannot afford. So we are looking at a
variety of other options, and ways to solve this problem.

We are making plans to relocate the coffeehouse to another
venue. We are in discussion with a local restaurant / café
to workout the details of holding the coffeehouse benefits
at their location. They already have cabaret seating, a
stage area, lighting, sound system, piano, ample parking,
and they offer a menu of gourmet foods from around the
world, featuring the cuisine of a different country monthly.

Other changes and improvements are in the works.

We've weathered a few controversies since we opened the
Randy Shilts Center on March 16th, 2006, and we've had
to overcome a variety of obstacles that came our way.

We have new challenges going into our second year, and
we are in the process of solving them as well. Adversity
builds character and resolve, and necessity is the mother
of invention.

It's amazing what we've accomplished in the first year,
for a small group with limited financial resources. It has
been a learning experience that is in process. We've laid
down a solid foundation for the center to grow on, and
along the way, we've learned who our real friends are.

Thank you for your continued support.

Special Gift To Center

Thank You to Marcia Nichols & Family for the gift
of seven hand crocheted baby crib blankets to be given
to HIV mothers via the center.

Also included in the generous gift was a new Concertmate
electronic piano keyboard for use at the center to enhance
our events, or the coffeehouse, with live music.

The player piano that is in the hall has seen better days, and
I'm told that it is not worth restoring, so the new piano is a
welcome addition.

Incorporated ~ Finally!

The Randy Shilts Center of Troy, Inc.

After months of delays in the process because the legal filings
are expensive, and every dime we have available goes into the
operation of the centers programs and services, we had to wait
until we could afford to do the filing.

Our attorney called today to advise that our Articles of
Incorporation have been approved by the NYS Department
of State.

Other required legal filings with NYS are in process this
week, progress. The next big hurdle will be filing for the
501 C (3) federal tax exempt certificate. We will be doing
that as soon as possible.

World AIDS Day 2006 ~ Troy
Making History

For the first time in 14 years there was a public event
in Troy to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Sponsored by the newly established Fresh Anointing Universal
COGIC, Living Positive HIV/AIDS Ministry, 494 River Street,
Troy - founded by Pastor Timothy A. Sherman.

Hosted by the First United Presbyterian Church, 1915 Fifth
Avenue, Troy, by Rev. Alexandra Lusak, Pastor.

The Randy Shilts Center of Troy was a participant in the event,
assisted with advertising / promotion, and many of our guests
and members attended.

Another affirming, community building, collaborative effort.

The event was video taped and photographed and we will
post some of the photos as soon as they are available.

Randy Shilts Center Sign Donated

Thank You to the Swota Screen Printing and Sign Shop
on Troy, for the donation of a name sign to be installed
at the entrance to the church meeting hall where we hold
many of our events and activities. It will make the entrance
much easier to locate. Until now there was no signage.

However, one recent new guest said that when she saw the big
pride flag through the window, she knew that she had come to
the right place.

Food Pantry Update

For several months now the Randy Shilts Center has been
offering very limited food pantry items to our own guests,
and to assist the Oakwood Presbyterian Church to meet the
criteria of offering food pantry for six months in order to
qualify to become a member of the Regional Food Bank.

The church Session voted to approve our proposal of
establishing a food pantry to serve the neighborhood,
and guests of the Shilts Center who may need it.

Thanks to the many folks from our center, and other
churches who donated food items to help stock the
preliminary pantry.

The church applied for and has received an initial grant
of $3,000 to launch the pantry. We began the process
of clearing out the room the pantry will operate from,
and volunteers from the church and the Shilts Center
will complete the process, then work out the details of
having shelving installed, a freezer, and other basics
necessary to run an efficient food pantry.

This is another win - win innovative project that members
of the Shilts Center have participated in that will benefit
everyone, the neighborhood, the church, the Shilts Center,
and the general community.

( Link to Law Firm )

Shilts Center Incorporation Filed

The Randy Shilts Center has retained the services of the
law firm of Cioffi, Slezak, and Wildgrube to handle our
non profit corporate matters.

Our executive committee was elected recently, the by-laws
were reviewed by our attorney and approved by our
executive committee, and the Shilts Center Articles of
Incorporation were filed by our attorney, and are in process.

The above firm will be handling our 501 (c) 3 filing in the
near future..

Sam's Club Membership Cards

Another innovative program of the Randy Shilts Center.

The affiliate membership card program is now open.

Regular members of the Shilts Center can now obtain
a Sam's Club affiliate member card for only $7.00 per year.

That is a substantial savings off the regular card price of
$40. for private membership . . . and we will be arranging
monthly transportation for those folks who need it to get
to the store and save even more off their grocery bills.

Thanksgiving Baskets

The Randy Shilts Center will be distributing holiday
food baskets to our regular guests on Wednesday, November
22nd after the dinner. Registration to receive them is now
closed, other than on an emergency basis

Transportation home will be provided to anyone who needs it.

Amplifiers and Microphone Donated

We extend a special Thank You, to Michael Such of
Security & Such of Troy, for the donation of two
amplifiers and a floor standing stage microphone
for use in the coffeehouse we are planning.

With the two Bose speakers we have at present, that
takes care of most of the sound system.

We are still looking to acquire a boom / mic, and
a pair of stage P/A speakers.

Congrats to Mike K. & Donna W.

Two of our staff who attended the Safe Food Handling
class at the Regional Food Bank.

CDGLCC Donates Computer
To The Randy Shilts Center

A collective enthusiastic Thank You to Keith Hornbrook
and the folks at the CDGLCC for their recent donation
of a Mac G-4 Computer, Monitor, and Keyboard to the
Randy Shilts Center.

We've been limping along with our trusty 7 year old
Mac G-3 computer; obsolete in the tech world.

It was a religious experience every morning when we
turned the G-3 on . . . would it boot up one more time?

We put every dime we can into the programs and
services we offer at the center, and we are an all
volunteer staff . . . so there was never any extra cash
to buy a new computer with.

Thanks again to Keith and the CDGLCC . . . we'll be
pushing the G-4 daily to do most of our graphics and
web site, and mailing list, and correspondence, and the
calendar, and brochures, and HIV fact sheets, and, and.

Food Pantry Project Receives Grant

The Oakwood Presbyterian Church has received a $3,000 grant
for start-up money to launch the food pantry that is being
developed by the Shilts Center and members of the church.

The money will be used to remodel a large pantry area, install new
shelving, a freezer, and other basics, as well as to cover the per pound
cost of foods purchased from the Regional Food Bank.

The pantry will be staffed by members of the Randy Shilts Center,
and operate to serve the neighborhood, and guests of our center.

Another win / win program that will benefit our guests, help to
revitalize the church, and serve the greater community.

This program is the essence of our philosophy. It benefits
everyone, it is participatory via our volunteers, and it builds
new relationships with the greater community.

As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Four New Programs Coming In November!

Exciting times here at the Randy Shilts Center as we launch
several new programs and services in November.

• A women's support group will begin on the first Wednesday
of November and meet the first Wednesday of the month
thereafter. It will be facilitated by Laura Bowman.

• A Family and Partners support group will begin the third
Wednesday of November and meet the third Wednesday of the
month thereafter. This group will be facilitated by Art Carroll.

• A new Grocery Food Coupon Bank has been developed and
we will be distributing grocery discount coupons to help our
guests save substantially on their weekly food shopping.

• A new affiliate membership program has been arranged for
members of the Randy Shilts Center to be able to shop at
Sam's Club, and save up to 50% off on many items they
would otherwise buy at supermarkets. Our members will
pay only $7.00 for the Sams Club card. ( The Shilts Center
will pay a matching $10. per card. ) Monthly shopping trips
will be organized to provide transportation to the store.

Memorial Dinner October 11th

The Randy Shilts Center will be hosting a private
memorial dinner on October 11th for family and
friends of our founding committee member, Ben F.

We will also be dedicating our perpetual memorial
plaque at the Oakwood Presbyterian Church.

Rev. Donna Elia of Troy Area United Ministries
will preside over the dedication, reading of the
names, and memorial service.

Guests should RSVP by October 7th.

~ (518) 266-1280 ~

5:00 to 5:30 Arrival / Seating

5:30 Memorial Service, Rev. Donna Elia

6:00 / 6:15 Dinner

7:00 Desserts

Harp Music By: Deborah Craig

The dinner will be prepared by Harvest Moon Catering.

Menu:

Stuffed Boneless Chicken Breast

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Whipped Potatoes

Cranberry / Orange Sauce

Assorted Desserts

Thank You! to the folks at Dunkin' Donuts for
their donation of donuts to the Shilts Center.
They are served as a dessert option after the din-
ners and bagged for guests to bring home.

Shilts Center Members Attend
Cooking With Garlic Class At CDCG

Group members attended the aromatic cooking with garlic
class conducted by our Vice President, Hillary Hess, at the
Capital Disrict Community Gardens Center in Troy, on the
26th of September.

Instruction about growing garlic in our garden; and tasting
all the sumptious recipes from Garlic Potato Soup to Garlic
Bread Pudding had everyones rapt attention.

Looking forward to trying all the recipes.

Randy Shilts Center Executive Board Elected

A secret ballot election was held to formally elect
the officers of our Executive Board.

All the members present voted unanimously to elect
the slate of officers presented, for a four year term of
office, which will begin on March 16th, 2007.

The ballot tally was counted and certified by the Secretary,
confirmed and announced by the President, and the record
of the vote was affixed to the meeting notes and witnessed
by one of the members.

The Executive Board will conduct the business of the
organization for the remainder of this fiscal year
as well.

The elected officers of the Randy Shilts Center are:

Arthur Carroll ~ President

Donna Wilkinson ~ Secretary

Michael Kahian ~ Treasurer

Randy Shilts Center Financial Statement

The profit / loss statement for the first six month period of
our center has been posted to the 'Ledger' page of the web site.

The operating costs were a bit higher than I would have liked
because there were a number of one time expenditures during
the start up phase of the center.

We've lowered the production and mailing cost for the calendar,
and economized in other ways as well. The next 6 month period
should be even more cost effective.

When you consider the wide range of programs we are now
offering, and 448 gourmet quality meals served to date, we
are off to a very good start.

New Center Policy Regarding ID

At our last reorganization meeting it was decided to require
guests who attend our dinners and other activities to provide
some very basic ID. Cards have been printed asking for their
name, address, phone number, and emergency contact person.
The info will be confirmed later by bringing a piece of mail.

This is standard minimum procedure at all local food pantries.

We are offering limited food pantry assistance to our guests,
we mail out the calendars, and we have an obligation to know
for sure who is at our events . . . for the safety and security of
the group and other guests.

We do not ask about HIV status, but considering all the free
services we provide, we feel it is appropriate and reasonable
to ask our guests to tell us who they are, and verify it.

We are a self help mutual support group, not a grant funded
drop in soup kitchen.

There was an incident at another HIV center 7 months ago,
where an elderly guest was robbed of $1,600 in gold coins,
by another guest that he had taken in because he had no
place to stay. When the police reports were filed, no one had
a clue who the person who had stolen the coins was, other
than a nickname. ID verification may have prevented this
incident from happening, or made it easier for the police to
locate him later when charges were filed.

The safety and security of our guests is essential. There are
few guarantees in life, but establishing basic ID will ensure
a measure of responibility.

Shilts Center Memorial Plaque Installed

The new Randy Shilts Memorial Plaque & Altar were installed
August 30th, after the reorganization dinner. By request. five of
the nameplates have been engraved to date. Contact us for more
information about our memorial programs if you wish to have
a remembrance name added to the perpetual memorial.

( 518 ) 266-1280

A simple altar with two votives, floral arrangement, cross, and
incense holder have been placed below the memorial.

A dedication dinner / service will be announced.

The memorial can be visited during our regular Wednesday
night dinner / drop in center hours of 5:00 to 8:30, at the
Oakwood Presbyterian Church, 10th & Hoosick Sts. Troy

Thank You!
To The Folks At Troy Community Gardens

The Randy Shilts Center recently received the donation of
a Bunn commercial restaurant type coffeemaker, and a
microwave oven for our kitchen, from Hillary and the folks
at the Troy Community Gardens.

Very thoughtful, and much appreciated. Thank You.

Randy Shilts Center Reorganizing

During the first two weeks of September some of our activities
will be canceled while we take a working vacation to reorganize
the centers programs, procedures, and make some staff changes.

The public Wednesdy Dinners will resume on September 13th
in the usual location at the Oakwood Presbyterian Church.

The Sunday Brunch in the 'Burgh is canceled through the month
of September, and will resume on October 1st at a new location.

The Randy Shilts Center has been accepted into the Sunday
Dinners program of the First Presbyterian Church of Lansing-
burgh. ( located at 115th & 3rd Sts. ) They sponsor 32 weekly
dinners from October through May. The Shilts Center will be
participating in the program with meal prep assistance, and
serving / hosting some of the meals.

Calendar Publishing Changes

With the new issue for September / October, our calendar
will have a press run of 1,000 copies, and be changed to a
bi-monthly publication.

Our activities are listed and advertised in five other venues
weekly, plus our web site, so we don't really need to publish
and mail a new calendar every month.

This results in a net savings of $1,200 per year in postage
and printing costs.

Randy Shilts Center Financial Records

On August 10th we retained the services of the
Anita L. Savoy, CPA Tax Accounting and Bookkeeping
services of Troy to maintain our financial records and
provide monthly statements which we will be posting
to our web site on the 'Ledger' page.

We believe that it is essential for any charitable organization
to have complete transparency of financial records, so the
public and potential donors can see how the group is being
administered, and where the cash flow is being spent.

The Randy Shilts Center is committed to keeping our operating
cost at or below 15% of the annual budget, so that we can put
the other 85% where it belongs ... in programs that directly
benefit the HIV / AIDS Community of the Capital Region.

Times Union Article About Randy Shilts Center

'New Center Helping People With HIV / AIDS'

Article published August 15, 2006

Randy Shilts Center Community Garden
Novices Get A Hand Digging In

Article published in the Times Union
July 28, 2006

In Memoriam

On July 8th we uploaded a new Memorial page / section to the
Randy Shilts Center web site. The new page features a memorial
to Mathew Shepard, eternal flame graphics, and an original music
composition written by Kenneth Albin, titled, 'Passing"

Names will be added to the Memorial page as requested in memory
of friends and / or partners who have passed.

In addition to the memorial page, we will be installing a wooden
plaque in the rear altar area of the dining hall at the Oakwood
Presbyterian Church. Etched bronze name plates will be added to
the plaque by special request.

We are also planning an annual Memorial Dinner to be held in
the Spring, to coincide with the Community Garden's tree planting
program, so we can arrange for trees to be planted in memory of
friends and loved ones who have passed.

Please contact us for more details on the memorial program.

Thank You To Price Chopper

For the very generous discount off the price of bakery goods to be
served as dessert at our Wednesday dinners and Sunday brunches.
The cake and pies we bought today look delicious. Money saved is
money earned, and this represents a savings of $120. per month off
the regular price, or a savings of $1400. per year. Thank you to
Barbara W. and Rick G. for helping to arrange this discount.

Thank You to the Lansingburgh Hannaford
for the Gift Certificate donation.
Much appreciated.

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