The Rotary Club of North County San Diego - Route 78 celebrated its first-ever World Polio Day on October 12, 2019.  The program was also billed as a Purple Pinky Mini Fundraiser. 

 

At the beginning of the program members read a Proclamation from the San Marcos City Mayor and Council Members declaring a World Polio Day in San Marcos and urging people to donate money for polio eradication.  Program organizer, Maria Reyes shared facts on Polio with members in the segment: What's Your Polio I.Q.?   A short informative film, Thanks, Rotary, featuring Rotary's International's lead in polio eradication and immunization around the world followed.

 

The featured guest speaker, Ms. Carole Shipley, a polio survivor who resides in San Marcos was the highlight of the program.  She infused personal anecdotes in recounting her personal journey with polio, revealing how when her first two iron lungs malfunction, the doctors noticed she could breathe on her own.  Her story was both poignant and funny, reflecting her personal triumph over adversity.  Ms. Shipley is an accomplished woman.  She earned her B.A. in European History with a minor in Library Science from SDSU.  Afterwards, she worked with KCST 39TV and finally landed a plum job at the Athenaeum Music & Art Library in La Jolla where she worked for 28 years before retiring.  

 

The program was capped off with opportunity drawings as well as a prize for guessing the amount of money in the Club's "Jamoncito, Jr." - a Mexican piggy bank full of coins for polio.  The Club raised approximately $700 for the fight against polio!

 

 

Wayne Cusick, Past District Governor and Founder of the Paul Harris Society, peacefully took his last breath at 11:25 am on Wednesday, October 30 at his home in La Jolla.  I was there with his wife Lee Ann and both daughters and his brother, Rick.  Services for Wayne will be held on November 17 at 1:00 pm at St. Pauls Lutheran Church located at 1376 Felspar Street, San Diego, CA  92109.  Services will be followed by a reception at the Pacific Beach home of Jennifer and Steve Grebing (daughter and son-in-law).  Directions will be provided at the church services.

 

 

 

The International Travel & Hosting Fellowship of Rotarians (ITHF) has 16 available hotel rooms in their block of rooms for the RI Convention in Honolulu for June 6 - 10, 2020.  They are at the Ala Moana Hotel, which is within walking distance of the Ala Moana Convention Center.  

 

These rooms are currently available:  one queen bed for $201 per night and rooms with two double beds for $236 per night.  There is a surcharge for more than two people in a room.  Breakfasts are not included.  A deposit of two nights lodging will have to be paid this month.

 

If you are inerested in securing one of thee rooms, please contact Rotarian Rick Harned at rickharned@gmail.com, ITH Administrator  A deposit must be paid by December 1, 2019.

 

 

District 5340 Governor, Marta Knight will help one person's dream come true!  Next week, DG, Marta Knight will pick thhe name of a Rotary Superhero in a random drawing.  This lucky winner will get to be a 2020 Rotary Rose Parade Float Outwalker!  Make sure to check next week's Newsbits to find out who the lucky winner is.

 

It is my honor to personally invite my fellow Rotarians in District 5340 to get directly involved in the 131-year tradition of participating in the Tournament of Roses.  This unique event puts Rotary International in front of over 70 million television viewers annually

 

One of the most fun ways to signup is to volunteer to decorate the Rotary float itself!  This is an excellent way to share your experience with other Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, family members, friends and even prospective new Rotary members.  Another way is to purchase tickets to the Rotary Rose Parade Holiday Party on December 30th.  This is a special opportunity to have a wonderful dinner ($100/pp) with our 2019-20 Rotary International President, Mark Maloney and his wife Gay, along with 150-200 other fellow Rotarians from around the world.  A third alternative would be to make an online donation of any amount to help support the cost of the float.  Feel free to participate in one, two or even all three events.

 

You can visit www.rotaryfloat.org to get more information.  Making a dream come true, or just helping others make their dreams come true.....the choice is yours!