Dear Fellow Rotarians,

March is Rotary Awareness Month and it is amazing how the transition of leadership between Rotary Years happens so smoothly, even in our District that is implementing the new Future Vision Pilot for The Rotary Foundation.  That is the beauty of Rotary:  we remain true to our motto of “Service Above Self” while we bring in new leadership every year.  We are looking forward to Spring Regional Councils, our District Assembly and Grants Management Seminar, Rotarians at Work Day in April, and our District Conference in May.  It has been a wonderful year of “doing good”—I have been especially impressed by our Rotarians and Clubs who have contributed so generously to relief in Haiti and the PolioPlus campaign.  Finish the year with your donation to The Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund so that we will have a future of doing more good using the new Future Vision model and our dedicated Rotarians.

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands,

District Governor Marge Cole

 

 

Group Study Exchange Teams Arrive at San Diego Airport on Sunday Evening

• Two Group Study Exchange (GSE) Teams for District 5340 arrived in San Diego within hours of each other on February 28.  The Outbound Team from our District to Kenya (District 9200) led by Janice Kurth, President of the Del Mar Rotary Club returned home after a month long journey to clinics, Rotary projects, Rotary meetings, a safari and many other stops along the way.  This team was made up on health professionals so their focus was visiting medical facilities.  To read more about their trip go to their blog: http://kenyagse2010.blogspot.com/
• The Inbound Group Study Exchange Team from Ecuador (District 4400) also arrived on Sunday evening after an unplanned stop in Panama which delayed their arrival one day.  The Team is made up of educators and they will visit schools and classrooms in our District during their visit.  The Team is led by Rotarian Beatriz Plaza.  They will be doing the programs for the Spring Regional Council meetings in East County on March 16 and in South Bay on March 19 (see article on Regional Council meetings for more information).
• Our last Group Study Exchange will be an Inbound Team from District 9200 (East Africa) made up of health professionals and it will be here from April 24—May 22.  This Team will attend our District Conference in Imperial Valley May 14-16.  Many thanks to our GSE Chair Dale Barnes and her outstanding committee for arranging all of the itineraries and host families for our Group Study Exchange Teams.   

 

Spring Regional Council Meetings

Join your fellow Rotarians for fun, fellowship, and in the Spring Regional Council Meetings.  Consider moving your weekly meeting to this event.

 

Ø  March 16—East County Regional Council meeting at the Ronald Reagan Community Center in El Cajon at 6:00 PM for dinner and meet the Group Study Exchange Team from Ecuador.  Contact E. County Regional Coordinator Bill Ashman for information:  (MRBILL5340@cox.net)

Ø  March 19—South Bay Regional Council meeting at the San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista at 12:00 Noon.  The program will be the Group Study Exchange Team from District 4400 (Ecuador).  Contact South Bay Regional Coordinator Bev Sumwalt for more information:  bsumwalt@pacbell.net

Ø  April 20—North County Inland Regional Council Meeting at 6:00 PM at Cocina del Charro Restaurant in Escondido.  The program will be “Sharing Successes and Challenges.”  Contact  North County Inland Coordinator Don Darrock for information:  ddarrock@cox.net   

Ø  April 24—North County Coastal—will meet at Camp Pendleton to work on a major base project for Rotarians at Work Day.  A meal will be part of this program. Contact Regional Coordinator Russ Hanthorn for more information: russ5340@gmail.com

Ø  April 28—Metro Regional Council—6:00 PM at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park—Hear new Padres owner Jeff Morad talk about his vision for the Padres.  Contact Metro Regional Coordinator Linda Stouffer for information: lstouffer@torreypinesbank.com

 

 

District Assembly & Future Vision Grants Management Seminar on March 20

These two events occur on March 20^th at the University of San Diego Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.    All club officers for next year need to attend the Assembly which will be held in the morning.  This is the best job-alike training opportunity all year for new officers as well as an excellent opportunity to get newer Rotarians involved in club leadership.   The Grants Management Seminar will be held in the afternoon and is a requirement for all clubs that intend to apply for Rotary Foundation Global or District grant for next year.  At least one club member (including the president, president-elect, and/or the Club Foundation Chairman) must attend this training if their club is to become qualified to participate in a District or Global grant.   Online registration is available:

http://www.rotary5340.org/registration/assembly1003.html

http://www.rotary5340.org/registration/grants1003.html

 

 

 

You,  your family and fellow Rotarians are invited to join in the fun, fellowship, and learning that will happen at our  District Conference May 14-16, 2010 in the Imperial Valley.   Top notch  speakers will provide information on water in our region and Rotary water projects worldwide, including Ron Denham, Chair of Water and Sanitation Rotary Action Group (WASRAG).  A bus tour of Imperial Valley will provide a unique perspective on water and energy. Top it all off with a barbecue and dancing!  You can register online for this fun weekend:  http://www.rotary5340.org/conference10/

 

 

Rotarians at Work Day is coming on April 24, 2010

Make sure your Club is registered on the Rotarians at Work website for your project this year: http://www.rotariansatwork.org/    Clubs are invited to join with a local Boy Scout troop or unit in doing their project on Saturday, April 24, 2010.  Rotarians at Work.  This great Rotary project began with the late PDG Bob Watson in 2005-06 and has grown since then.  There are projects from around the world taking place on Rotarians at Work Day—make sure yours is on the list.

 

How About those Padres???

Here’s a chance to have Rotary fellowship, support our “home” team and enjoy a great night at Petco Park.  Mark your calendar for the following dates for fun evenings at Petco (all games begin at 7:05 PM):

 

April 19 (Monday)—vs. San Francisco                      July 1 (Thursday)—vs. Houston

May 25 (Tuesday)—vs. St. Louis                               August 11 (Tuesday) vs. Pittsburgh

June 29 (Tuesday)—vs. Colorado                              September 8 (Wednesday) vs. LA

 

Last Call for Awards Nominations

• Presidential Citations

Last call for submissions of Presidential Citations for the 2009-10 Rotary Year.  Please complete the one page form and forward it to your Assistant Governor who will forward it to the District Office.  March 8 is the deadline for turning these Citation forms in.  The awards will be made at the District Conference in May.

• Significant Club Achievement Award--due by March 5

Your Club may qualify for this award if they have met these criteria:

Ø  address a significant problem or need in the local community

Ø  involve most or all of the club members in personal rather than monetary service

Ø  be commensurate with the club's size and resources

Ø  be capable of emulation by other Rotary clubs

Ø  be currently active or reach a conclusion during the Rotary year for which the award is given

Ø  be carried out by a single Rotary club

Ø  No club may receive the award more than once for the same project.

If your Club is eligible for this award, please contact DG Marge Cole for an application form telling how your club has met the criteria and is deserving of this award. Only one Club per district is eligible.
  

Boy Scouts/Rotary Connection—Celebrating 100 Years of Scouting in the US

Dale Long, Encinitas RC, is a Rotary representative for Boy Scouts for the 100^th  anniversary collaboration activities.   Dale has sent communications about the Scout anniversary activities and connections to Rotary Clubs.  Please ask your club to join with Scouts in the “Scouting for Food Week” from March 8-12.  We are asking clubs to donate non-perishable food items to the Scouts food drive which is being done in conjunction with the Salvation Army Food Banks in San Diego and Imperial Counties. We are also asking Rotary Clubs to invite a Boy Scout Troop or unit to participate in this year’s Rotarian at Work Day.  Please contact Dale (dlong1@san.rr.com) if your club plans to participate in either event.   He can help with contact information of a local Scout if needed. 

 

 

PolioPlus—We Are More Than Halfway to Our Goal!

Thanks to the generosity of Rotarians in District 5340 we are over halfway to our District Challenge Goal which is to raise $360,000. in three years of the Gates Challenge Drive.  This year our District raised almost $105,000. of the total of over $234,500.  (as of February 28, 2010) we have raised since the challenge began in 2007.  Clubs who would like to have their donations matched by our anonymous donor should send a check (made out to The Rotary Foundation) along with a Global Donation Form (http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/123en_write.pdf ).  Donations should be sent in by May 1, so that the match can be done before the end of this Rotary Year.

 

Mission Valley New Generations Club is Nearing Charter

The newest member club in our District, the Mission Valley New Generations Rotary Club, is approaching the minimum number needed to charter and invites all interested potential members to join them at their next two meetings on March 10 and 17 at the Playa Margarita Grill in the Fenton Marketplace at 5:30 PM.  All ages and interests are welcome to the meeting.  For more information contact President-Elect Matt Guillory (MGuillory@Comerica.com).