Fourth Quarter
Centennial Year
District 5340
State of the District

We started the fourth quarter of the Centennial Year with a bang!! RYLA camp was held April 1 through 3, our first ever Model UN was the same weekend, and the Group Study Exchange team from Ecuador arrived on April 3.

I had the good fortune of attending RYLA on April 1 and addressing the newest group of juniors to attend this camp. I was truly impressed!! These students are hand-selected by Rotarians and high school counselors and they are truly the cream of the crop. I'm told that over 700 apply for 250 slots available. Everyone at the camp in Idyllwild brought enthusiasm, a desire to learn and a need to serve. RYLA Chair Mike Averill and his experienced and dedicated staff of Rotarians are to be applauded. Every year they outdo themselves. Thank you to all.

Dory Beatrice led the Model UN team of Rotarians. Although an inaugural experience for this district, Dory and her team were able to model their weekend session after what had been observed at a Model UN in Canada. They were also quite fortunate to be able to use a team of students from High Tech High with MUN experience. I was extremely impressed with the organization and content of this weekend. The students were dedicated to the process of solving the international problems brought before them. They were respectful of each other in their debates. They were serious about their responsibilities. And they handled the international "incident" with excitement and fervor.

Our district continues to support the Group Study Exchange program with untold number of volunteer hours. Through the leadership of GSE Chair Bill Stumbaugh and Team Leader Russ Hanthorn, the relationship with Ecuador has strengthened. Gentlemen, I thank you. I would also like to thank all of the Rotarians and friends that helped house, feed, transport and welcome the Ecuadorian educators into your lives and homes. I know they enjoyed the experience and were enriched by what they learned.

On April 7, DGE Bob Watson and I met "Motorcycle Bob" at the CHP office on Pacific Hwy. Bob is a Rotarian that suffered with polio and now, with the sponsorship of the CHP, rides his sidecar Harley Davidson from city to city; raising awareness of what Rotary is doing for Polio eradication.

PRIP Cliff Dochterman, DGE Mike and Karen Stelman, and several of the rest of us dedicated our district’s Centennial project, the Flag Court at Petco Park. This April 8 event was great fun, the game was good, the weather turned cold and rainy, and the hot dogs were the best. Thanks to PDG Mike and all that worked so hard to put this together.

District Assembly was held on April 9 under the able leadership of Dave Breeding. This day of education was to benefit all Rotarians that will be serving under DGE Bob in 2005/06. We all enjoyed listening to Cliff Dochterman speak and the camaraderie provided by this annual event.

At the April 12th District Council meeting, we were treated to the annual 4-Way Test Speech Contest. Again this year, Bill Smelko brought before us a remarkable group of high school students that came to learn the meaning of our 4-Way Test and be able to present that knowledge to the rest of us. Kudos to you Bill.

The Afghan GSE team arrived on April 30 and (most of them) left during the first week of June. This exchange would never have been as successful if it had not been for the hard work of Steve and Susan Brown, Fary Moini, the Sister Cities committee including Cynthia Villis and Kathleen Roche-Tansey, and so many more. The itinerary/curriculum for each participant was tailored to their individual specialty and needs. SDSU, John Moores of the Padres fame, University of Arizona, Loma Linda University, UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO, were only a few of our partners in this endeavor. When Steve Brown and I first talked about the possibility of a GSE with Afghanistan and Nangahar University, all I wanted was to be able to help educate the women of Afghanistan. Be careful what you ask for when you talk to Steve. I believe that the end result of this exchange will be an improved economy in Afghanistan, as well as, an improved social structure, greater self-reliance and friendships with Rotarians and other professionals in Southern California and Arizona.

Many of us traveled to Chicago for the Centennial Convention, dodged the heat, enjoyed the fellowship, and learned new things. At the International Institute, I heard our Paul Harris Society lauded as the way to help improve Foundation giving. I was able to watch Deborah Lindholm and former Rotarian Marshall Saunders talk about micro-credit. I was present when RI President Glenn Estess presented an award to the Rotaract Club sponsored by RC of San Diego Downtown Breakfast. Thanks to all of you that are so motivated to improve our world.

We had over 400 Rotarians attend the June 28 District Council meeting, awards ceremony, and installation of Bob Watson as District Governor, Philippe Lamoise as DG-elect, and Jim O’Meara as DG-Nominee.

There were many many many awards given that night but a few need to be mentioned here. Philippe Lamoise earned the Citation for Meritorious Service for his extraordinary contribution of time and effort to the RI Foundation. This award is given each year to no more than 200 people internationally. Only one Rotarian in each district may earn this award each year and no one may earn it a second time.

In addition, both PDG Wayne Cusick and PDG Marty Peters have earned the RI Foundation Distinguished Service Award. Each Rotary year, not more than fifty Rotarians worldwide are honored with this award and rarely are two individuals from the same district in the same year. Gentlemen: we are all proud of you.

And last but not least, it was my honor to present Foundation Chair Marge Cole with our district’s Rotarian of the Year. Marge stepped in at a time when we were left with not continuity in the Foundation Chair position. She learned the system to the extent that she was able to ask and answer questions that solved problems. She was always available to any of us that need Foundation help. She withstood the naysayers; overcame great personal tragedy; provided me with untold hours of support, education and friendship. My thanks are not enough.

My heartfelt thanks goes to Chief of Staff Jim O'Meara for all that he has done to help me in this Centennial year as our district's governor. Without your support, knowledge, dedication and gentle leadership, this year would not have been as successful or as much fun.

Sandi Rimer
Centennial Governor.