Hygiene Kits AssembledThe Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club and its sponsored Interact club at R. Roger Rowe School put together many hygiene kits for individuals and families recovering from domestic and family violence as well as human trafficking. The City of San Diego's Your Safe Place will put them to excellent use.  |
Two Rotary Clubs Support Red Shoe DayEach year, teams of volunteers gather at intersections across San Diego and collect donations from morning commuters to support San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House. This is their largest community fundraiser and helps the Ronald McDonald House provide a “home away from home” for families with children in local hospitals. Joining this effort were the Rotary clubs of Chula Vista Rotary and La Jolla Golden Triangle. On May 24, these clubs donned in vibrant red set out to hustle motorists for donations to this worthy cause. Looks like they had a lot of fun doing something good for the community.  |
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Offers Volunteer Help to Food BankCarlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club is at it again. This time they are helping the North County Food Bank sort and stage over 2800 pounds of food! The North County Food Bank provides nutritious food to individuals and families in need in communities located in North County.  |
Poway-Scripps Participate in Celebration of Champions Relay RaceThe Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps participated in the Celebration of Champions relay race for kids going through cancer treatments. They were asked to run with three kids over the course of the three-hour event. Members ran with a five-year-old named Yair who is going through brain cancer treatments. Then they ran with Max, a high school senior with leukemia, And, lastly the third, Lupita, who is struggling with cancer. All three were fast runners.  |
2023 Blue Water Film Festival Scheduled for June The Solana Beach Eco Club is promoting the 2023 Blue Water Film Festival. Their newest club member, Greg Reitman, is the executive director of this organization, The 2023 Blue Water Film Festival (BWFF) presented by the Blue Water Institute. The 4th Annual Blue Water Film Festival is taking place June 8th - 11th, 2023 in celebration of United Nations World Oceans Day. The event will feature a total of 38 films; 12 feature films, 22 shorts, and 4 animated short films. All films are environmental related. The festival concludes with the Blue Water Awards on June 11th, 4:00pm at UCSD Park & Market Street honoring Patagonia Founder, Yvon Chouinard with the Global Guardian Award. Check out www.bluewaterfilmfestival.org. To purchase tickets, click here. Click "Read More" to learn more about the festival and for a request for housing of film personnel.
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Global Grants: Change in DDF Matching Rules for Our District! District Governor-Elect Don Fipps and the District Rotary Foundation Committee have approved a more generous District Designated Funds match of club cash contributions for Global Grants. For the 2023-2024 Rotary year, club cash contributions will be matched 150% or 1.5 times the cash contribution amount. For example, if a club contributes $5000 for a global grant, the club would be eligible for $7500 of DDF. This decision was made to make it easier for clubs to do Global Grants in light of recent changes in The Rotary Foundation World Fund match rules. The DDF limit for each club remains at $10,000 per club per Rotary year, which can be divided among several projects or used for a single project. A revised copy of the Grant Policies for the 2023-2024 Rotary year is attached. The change described above is highlighted in yellow. If you have any questions, please contact Janice Kurth, D5340 Global Grants Chair at janice@janicekurth.com. |
You Think You've Got Talent Was a Great SuccessOld Mission Rotary successfully held the 11th “So You Think You’ve Got Talent San Diego." The show took place on Saturday, May 13th at Francis Parker School and profits will be used to fund the Thousand Smiles Foundation (70%) and the Old Mission Rotary Foundation (30%). There were nine unique acts making the event a true variety show. Income was generated by ticket and raffle sales, a silent auction and a pledge from the heart appeal. Profits from the event typically pay for 30% of the Thousand Smiles annual operations for their dental and cleft palate surgery clinics in Ensenada.  Photo Caption: (L-R) The First Place Winner was singer McKenzie Wrap who sang Hero by Mariah Carey ($1000 Prize), The Second Place Winner was Makena Stumpo who played piano and sang the Pearl Jam song Just Breathe ($500 Prize). The Master of Ceremonies was once again Matt Risi. The Third Place winner was the Songs4Smiles Youth Quartet with Shannon Cao (Viola), James Cao (Violin), Vera Muler (Cello) and Lilian Franqui(Viola). They performed How Far I'll Go from the movie Moana and Hey Jude by the Beatles. |
Poway Scripps Rotary Participated in Two Work Day ProjectsFor its first Rotary at Work Day project, the Rotary Club of Poway Scripps provided support to the Valley Elementary Educational Foundation, in support of their STEAM program. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) provides education to all students, knowing that opportunity and access are the first steps in building student curiosity and knowledge. The Valley Elementary Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization, made up of Valley parents. Together, we are the fundraising arm of our children’s school — raising money to bridge the gap between what school districts can provide and what students need to have the best, most well-rounded education possible. The club is currently working to raise funds to convert the old computer lab space into an Innovation Lab where students can explore, create and discover the areas of Science, Technology, Art and Math.  The second project was at the Abraxas High School Garden in Poway. They teach students about growing healthy food and giving back to the community by donating the produce to the people in their community that need it the most. The club helped them clear another large area to be able to plant fruit trees. They also helped with clean up and weed pulling in some existing garden areas.  |
Rotary Club of Chula Vista Hands Out ScholarshipsOne of our most favorite events of the year is the awarding of two Rotary Club of Chula Vista Scholarships - the Joseph Rindone Service Scholarship and the Bill Padelford Academic Scholarship. We received many outstanding applications, but the best of the best were awarded to students from these local area high schools: Hilltop, Chula Vista, Olympian, Otay Ranch, Castle Park and Launch Virtual Academy. Mr. Padelford was present to hand out scholarships. Congratulations to these amazing students on their achievement and we look forward to them doing great things and becoming future Rotarians!  |
Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Supports Interact ClubRancho Santa Fe Rotary Club celebrates Youth Services Month and the Rancho Santa Fe Community Interact Club established at the R. Roger Rowe Middle School. The Rotary Club invited all the Interactors, their Advisor, and parents to a May club meeting focusing on Youth Services and the student's accomplishments. The club meeting focusing on Youth Services and the student's accomplishments. Some of their stand-out projects are:
Rancho Santa Fe doesn't have a public high school. To bring the focus back to our community, they moved Interact to the middle school. Two of the Interactors participated in LEAD 2022. Dean Kaffka, who presented at our club meeting, shared the difference it made in his life, the confidence he has speaking and trying new things," said RSF Rotary President Paulette Britton. "Jake Hauenstein, the current Interact President, also shared that he likes to help others and give back to his community and Interact gave him that opportunity." Each student was awarded a membership certificate and recognized as founding club members at their middle school. Stacey Halboth, an amazingly dedicated advisor, was presented with a plaque and shared that the students would not have had as meaningful of a year had it not been for the Interact Club. The Rancho Santa Fe School District has contacted Stacey to recognize the club's good work. During the meeting, the Interactors and Rotarians engaged in a joint project by assembling toiletry bags delivered to Your Safe Place on behalf of District 5340. "The club's hope is that these 8th graders will all find their way to an Interact Club as they transition into high school," states Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Youth Chair, Mary Murray.  Pictured: Rotarians and Interactors in their custom club shirts |
Del Mar's Chili & Quackers Loads of FunThe ducks all swam hard to get back to shore as a wonderful cap to the Rotary Club of Del Mar's 2023 Chili & Quackers. Thank you to all our event sponsors, as well as Viewpoint Brewing Co. for donating the beer and preparing Don Fipps' award-winning IPA chili for the chili dogs, the scouts of Troop 713 for all their help, Happy twist balloons by Keiko for the balloon art and of course the Del Mar lifeguards!  |
Rotary Aids USPS Stomp out Hunger Food DriveMembers of the Santee-Lakeside Rotary club were on hand at the Santee Post Office for Stomp out Hunger Across America food drive. Members unloaded 8,211 pounds of food (up from 4,718 last year) from Post Office vehicles and then weighed and loaded donations into a commercial truck where items were brought to the Santee Food Bank. This is a favorite service project because it demonstrates how the Santee community comes together to help the community. *It's partly what makes living, working and serving in Santee such a joy. The Santee - Lakeside Rotary Club has been working with the Santee Post office for well over a decade and Stomp out Hunger Across America food drive is one of the club's signature service projects.  |
The Rotary Foundation is the Life Blood of Rotary. The Paul Harris Society recognizes Rotary members and friends of The Rotary Foundation who elect to contribute $1,000 or more each year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or approved global grants. “Without the Foundation, there would be no Rotary, says Paul Harris Society Founder Wayne Cusick. That is why the Paul Harris Society was founded. The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to honor and thank individuals for their generous, ongoing support of The Rotary Foundation. Rotary districts often honor new members of the Paul Harris Society by presenting them with a certificate and chevron at a district or club event. Click "Read More" to learn how your Paul Harris contributions have helped the world. |
Work Party Slated to Beautify a Local Recovery Center On Saturday, June 10, 2023, the Rotary District 5340 Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force will be having a work morning at a local recovery home in the South Bay. We will be working outside in the garden and yard area, improving the landscaping and providing needed clean-up. These work events are vital to support the facility and also to show the residents that people can be kind.
We anticipate working from 8:30AM - 12:00PM (at the latest). No special skills are needed - just a good spirit and willingness to work outside. If you are interested, please contact Kimberly Schafer (kschafer108@gmail.com). Due to the need to keep the location confidential and a clear list of volunteers, each volunteer will need to contact Kim to sign up. The location will be shared with volunteers in the week prior to June 10, and must be kept confidential. We hope you will consider joining us. It's a great way to do good, feel good, and enjoy your fellow Rotarians! |
Governor Down but Not for Long As some of you know, I was diagnosed with Leukemia on Saturday May 6th. I very much appreciate the outpouring of love and support I have received already. The ward I’m on at Scripps Green Hospital does not accept flowers, but cards, notes, letters are appreciated. My mailing address is 3555 Rosecrans St. Suite 114-109. San Diego, CA 92110. Click "Read More" for additional information.
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Service with a Smile at Ronald McDonald HouseOn May 10, the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo helped cook and serve a meal at Ronald McDonald House at Rady Children’s Hospital. Different members go every month and it’s always a hit. An added bonus this night was a club member comic ventriloquist Joe Gandelman came along to entertain the kids.  |
Low Tide Ride and Stride Coming in June The Low Tide and Stride Fundraising event is coming to Coronado June 24. Please mark your calendar and register today.  |
Join Us for a Wine Tasting Networking Event Join Mission Valley Evening Rotary on May 24 from 5:30PM - 7:30PM for a “California, Here I Come!” themed wine tasting and networking social at Total Wine Mission Valley. There will be 30 minutes allocated for a FREE wine tasting and the rest of the time will be left for socializing. We’ll have some appetizers but feel free to bring treats to share. Our event will take place in Total Wine’s classroom which is located at the back of the store, straight back from the entrance. Guests and prospective members are welcome! Let us know you’re coming by RSVPing here: missionvalleyeveningrotary.org/events/wine-tasting |
NAMI Walk in Imperial Valley a SuccessOn April 29th, members of the Imperial Valley Breakfast Rotary Club along with members of the Imperial High School Interact club participated in the 1st annual National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) walk supporting those suffering from mental illness. They showed up 7:00AM at the Imperial Valley mall with their walking shoes and their Rotarians at Work shirts. Interacters and Rotarians helped set up the many booths at the event. At 8:00AM they took a brisk walk around the mall which ended inside the mall area where several organizations had set up booths. Among the organizations were Innercare, Imperial County Behavioral Health, Reps for Vets, Sun Valley Behavioral Health, and other organizations that support those suffering from mental illness. Most importantly, the club raised $880.00 and district-wide over $11,000.00 was raised for NAMI. Great job fellow Rotarians!  |
Veteran Plaque Cleaned as Part of Rotary at Work DayRotarians at Work Day is always the last Saturday of every April. Started in 2006 as a joint effort between two Rotary Districts (one in the United States and one in Mexico), Rotarians at Work Day continues to grow. Each year, Clubs around the world identify a hands-on project that all members can participate in to help their local community. The traditional project undertaken by the members of the Torrey Pines Rotary Club on this day was to clean the plaques of the honorable veterans at the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial. The Torrey Pines Rotary Club is well represented at Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, where the plaques of six current and former members are proudly and honorably displayed. They are:
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Get Ready for a Summer of Rotary Fun! Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship is looking for volunteers for the Switchfoot BroAM on June 17. Imagine Moonlight State Beach with 17,000 people enjoying a full day of surf contests, surf jousting (knocking people off with sticks) and over five hours of live music. Yup, that is the Switchfoot BroAM in a nutshell. In fact, Rotary District 5340 and Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship have combined forces yet again to be a sponsor creating the opportunity for Rotarians, Rotaract, Interact, family members and friends in the surfing community to volunteer at this event. It's a great way to recruit potential members to your club and together we will raise over $200K for local San Diego charities. We'd love to see members from Chula Vista to Oceanside, La Mesa to Coronado be a part of this great event. Click here to volunteer. Click "Read More" for information on Life Rolls On event.
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To Mothers Everywhere |
Save the Date for Two Carlsbad FundraisersEvent #1 Save the date for Rotary Club of Carlsbad’s annual golf tournament! Check our website at www.CarlsbadRotary.com for information and links to tickets. We can’t wait to see you.  Event #2 Save the date for the Rotary Club of Carlsbad’s annual Uncorked Wine & Vine! Check our website at www.CarlsbadRotary.com for information and links to tickets. We can’t wait to see you.  |
Members of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle and RC of La Jolla join forces by serving at Feeding San DiegoMembers of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle and Rotary Club of La Jolla joined forces to serve at Feeding San Diego last Saturday in honor of Rotarians at Work Day. We asked Brett Morey, Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle and District Rotarians at Work Day (RAWD) Chair about the experience. "It is fantastic to reflect on how pivotal some of the ideas have been from Rotarians in our Rotary District over the years," said Morey. "Think about it, Rotarians who have since passed away like Bob Watson of the Rotary Club of Coronado started this simple but profound idea of Rotarians at Work Day decades spearheading the idea that our members across District 5340 would do hands-on projects in each of our communities on the last Saturday in April and it has become a global sensation." Working two shifts at Feeding San Diego Rotarians these two La Jolla clubs helped make several tons of food available to serve thousands of local San Diego residents. District Governor Elect Don Fipps and his Chief Aide Kay Barron stopped by Feeding San Diego event in the morning to say hello and made 5 other stops around the county before the end of the day.  |
May is Youth Services Month Every year, over 350,000 young leaders participate in Rotary’s youth programs across Lead, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), and Rotary Youth Exchange. Rotary’s Youth Service Month is an opportunity to promote our young leaders’ local and global impacts and the Rotary and Rotaract clubs that make these programs possible. Learn more. |
LEAD - Influencing Our Next Generation Rotarians LEAD is October 14-15, 2023. Since 2009, the District LEAD Program - Leadership, Ethics, Aspirations & Determination – has been an opportunity for clubs to provide a unique two-day leadership, confidence, and growth conference for area 8th grade students. Pre-selected for their DEMONSTRATED leadership skills, the students attend a two-day (Saturday and Sunday) camp developed, presented, and funded by local Rotarians, and hear from speakers who help further nurture these talented leaders at a most critical point in their development. Click "Read More" for additional information including how you can participate and how to sponsor students. |
Wine and Food Festival Slated for June 3 The Encinitas Rotary Club is holding a wine and food festival benefiting local charities on Saturday, June 3 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. To learn more and to purchase tickets, use the QR code above or click here. All attendees and guests must be 21 or older.
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Nativity Prep School Receives a MakeoverThe Rotary Club of Del Mar joined forces with NPA alumni on Rotarians at Work Day to sand and stain tables for the Nativity Prep School's AMIGOS patio. They also painted the choir loft that will soon be the new library while the current library is reworked to provide more STEM resources. NPA makes an 11-year commitment to all their students, who are 5-fold more likely to graduate college than other historically underserved students.  |
Rotarians Lend a Hand with Hygiene ItemsRotary District 5340 Rotarians, you are amazing! Thanks for responding to the call-out for hygiene items for domestic violence and human trafficking survivors who are using the services of San Diego Family Justice Center’s “Your Safe Place”! So many of you have generously participated. To date, we’ve delivered more than $2,000 worth of needed products with more coming! Special thanks to Fallbrook Village Rotary Club, San Diego Coastal Rotary Club, San Diego Rotary Club, Coronado Rotary Club, and a ton of other Rotarians. You are an inspiration. We can use all the items we can get so keep them coming! Rotarians are truly People of Action.  |
Trivia Night a Wild Success!Thanks to all of the Rotarians and community members who came out for an evening of fun, facts and fundraising at Trivia Night VII, sponsored by the Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary on Friday, April 28. Congratulations to the team “San Marcos Rotary Trivia,” who walked away with the title of “Winner" after an intense competition. While testing everyone’s knowledge, the Club also raised money for their Community Benefit Fund and through a new 50/50 drawing, they raised $1,250 for Polio Plus. The donation will be made in memory of longtime member CVSR Alan Harmata. Alan, who contracted polio at a young age, passed away last fall.  |
So You Think You've Got Talent San Diego Old Mission Rotary is sponsoring the 11th annual So You Think You've Got Talent San Diego? variety show on Saturday, May13th. In the ten previous years, winners have performed all types of music, dancing, comedy, magic and much more. The evening will start at 5:30 PM at the Francis Parker School Auditorium with international food stations, live music and an open beer and wine bar followed by the show. The event is co-sponsored by the Interact Club of Francis Parker and the Old Mission Rotary Club.
Tickets for the event are $100 per person and can be purchased at the event or in advance online. The event will primarily benefit the Thousand Smiles Foundation and the Old Mission Rotary Foundation. Thousand Smiles provides free dental services and cleft palate surgeries to children at their quarterly clinic in Ensenada Mexico. |
Chloe Norton Wins Four-Way Test Speech ContestCoronado Rotary Club hosted the Four-Way Speech Contest finals for six wonderful students. They were all so good; it was a difficult job for the judges! Chloe Norton took 1st prize and $1,000. The others were awarded $750 and $500. Congratulations Carlsbad High School for having 3 students in the competition! District 5340’s leadership was in attendance: DG Chuck Pretto, DGE Don Fipps with Rosebud, DGN Dianne Crawford, DGD Luis R Carranza, Susan Callahan. Congratulations to these amazing students.  |
El Cajon Rotarians Paint Picnic Tables for Non-ProfitsThe El Cajon Rotary club held their Rotarians at Work Day on April 22 rather than the 29th due to scheduling conflicts. Members gathered at the home of club president, Stu Scott. They assembled and painted eight wooden picnic tables for the East County Transitional Living Center and Home of Guiding, each receiving four tables. Picnic tables will be delivered next week. The picture below captures the work party and finished tables loaded on the trailer. Joining the club were five Granite Hills Interactors and their advisor. A fun project was enjoyed by all.  Photo: L to R - Gil, Joe, Cassandra, Ethan, Allen, Jean, Stu, Ginger, Matt, Dana, Tim, Jacob, David & Mia |
Join Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary for Red Shoe Day Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary will be hitting the streets in Bonita on May 24 for Red Shoe Day supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities. Please join us on our team as we take over the intersection at Bonita Road and Otay Lakes Road. Or drive by and drop some cash into our red shoes! For more information, contact Halle Aiken at haiken@rmhcsd.org or call at 858 508-2447.
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Rise Against Hunger Event a Huge SuccessChula Vista Sunrise Rotary had a very successful food packing event last Saturday, April 22 (in conjunction with Rise Against Hunger). With nearly 80 volunteers made up of Rotarians, friends and family, and community members from Allen Elementary School in Bonita, these dedicated volunteers packaged nearly 13,000 meals within one hour!  |
Governor's Dinner June 26 at Del Mar Hilton The Governors Dinner is the annual District awards and installation ceremony. Join us on Monday, June 26, 2023, as we celebrate the past Rotary year and induct our new club and district leaders at the Del Mar Hilton located at 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014. Open seating tickets are $68pp. Sit together and buy a table of 10 for $650. Names and meal choices are required at the time of registration. Schedule:
District Awards will be announced:
Click "Read More" for information on menu, parking, accommodations, etc. |
Coronado Rotary Flying HighCoronado Rotary was flying high last month when retired Captain Jim Di Matteo, a 20+ year veteran of the U.S. Navy took the club's logo thousands of feet into the air above Naval Air Station Fallen, Nevada, establishing their club as literal “high-fliers.” A longtime Coronado resident, retired Captain Di Matteo has more than 6,000 flight hours in five different fighter aircraft (the F/A-18, F-16, F-14, F-5, and A-4), the only Naval aviator with this accomplishment. Now a trainer of Top Gun pilots, he photographed himself, flying upside down, simulating a Russian Mig for his aviator trainees, while maneuvering thousands of feet in the air soaring over the 40-Mile Desert in Nevada. Asked to speak about his adventures as a career fighter pilot, he instead addressed his familial legacy with the Navy, highlighting his 102-year-old father, also a retired Naval aviator. Long since retired from the Navy, and currently residing in Walnut Creek, California, his father served in three different wars – WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam. What was truly remarkable about Captain Di Matteo’s presentation is that his family had located their father’s personal diary from his many deployments during all three wars. Sharing excerpts from what his father wrote, club members in the audience were moved to tears by the heroics of this present-day centurion, and the extraordinary determination of what has been deemed “the greatest generation ever.” We, as Rotarians, heading into Memorial Day, must continue to focus on our motto, “Service Above Self,” while remembering and honoring that generation that went before us, and seeking to instill the same values from “the greatest generation ever” in our children and grandchildren.  |
Convention Speakers Envision a More Peaceful World Keynote speakers at the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, 27-31 May, share a vision of a more sustainable, equitable world. Professionally and personally, they are transforming health care, rethinking cities, advancing the cause of peace, and working to protect our environment. Learn more about the speakers and register now.
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How Polio Effort is Helping Battle Malaria Health workers in Pakistan go door to door administering the polio vaccine. Volunteers in Zambia perform a dramatic skit showing how malaria spreads. These efforts may seem very different, but they're deeply connected. A global partnership has mobilized millions of workers, reached underserved populations, and gathered unprecedented amounts of health information in the fight to end polio. That work by Rotary and its partners is also proving crucial in the battle against malaria. Learn more for World Malaria Day, 25 April. And read a blog post from Eric Liswaniso, program manager for Malaria Partners Zambia, who lost his parents to malaria when he was young.
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Autism Awareness Fair Supported by Rotary ClubsOn April 8th, the Imperial Valley Breakfast Rotary Club teamed up with the Imperial High School Interact Club and served FREE cotton candy at the 2nd Annual Autism Awareness Fair in Imperial, CA. Our Rotarians and Interactors worked non-stop serving over 300 cotton candy treats! I want to thank everyone who came out and participated! Great job Rotarians and Interactors, the community of Imperial Valley enjoyed your delicious and FREE cotton candy!  |
Rotary Cruise a Major Success Raising $375,000 Photo L-R: District Governor Chuck Pretto, Janice Kurth, Marge Cole, Ron Kohl and Larry Lundsford The Rotary Foundation’s Cruise to Change Lives fundraiser went above and beyond expectations. Participants were honored to have Larry Lunsford, Rotary International Trustee and his wife Jill, as well as Chuck Pretto, current District Governor and his wife Kim on board. A Rotary Group dinner was attended by 49 people where inspiring words from Larry, Chuck and Ron Kohl were shared. Janice Kurth made an unexpected announcement that the group exceeded fundraising expectations with the support of Rotarians, (and friends and family of Rotarians) of $264,300! The number continued to soar and by the time they reached the end of the cruise, their fundraising efforts reached a grand total of $375,000!! Many thanks to all the cruisers for your extreme generosity. We are so grateful for your extraordinary efforts! Click Read More for the complete story. |
Save the Date - Chili and Quackers Save the date for the Rotary Club of Del Mar’s annual Chili and Quackers, returning to Powerhouse Park on May 13, 2023, from Noon to 4 PM. Admission is free. Come to Del Mar, enjoy chili dogs, see the ducks race. Don’t let those big blue eyes and the long eyelashes fool you, these ducks are ready to swim. There are hundreds of ducks just waiting to be adopted at www.chiliandquackers.org. |
Elementary School Book Sale Sponsored by Carlsbad RotaryCarlsbad Rotary Club understands that literacy is key to student success, and they wanted to make purchasing books affordable. As a result, Friday, April 21 the Carlsbad Rotary Club sponsored Jefferson Elementary School's Book Fair #2. Students in pre-K to 5th grade could purchase two books apiece for 25 cents each (of course that’s nowhere near what the new books cost the club). A big thank you goes to Rotarian Maureen Taylor for organizing the event and to Rotarian salespersons for the day Yvonne Finocchiaro, Tom Applegate and Maureen Taylor. Nothing could happen without volunteers who do the set up so a shout out to Rotarians Vince Ponce, Jani Jackson and Julie Walker for making sure things were ready for a day of reading.  |
Max Gurney of Torrey Pines Rotary Honored at Mount Soledad Veterans MemorialMax Gurney of Torrey Pines Rotary was honored on Saturday, April 15th at the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial with a ceremony and presentation of his wall plaque. Max served in the US Army in WWII in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Max is 101 years old and is going strong!  This photo of Max was taken just after the liberation of Florence in 1944 on a bridge over the Arno River. Max Gurney thanked the 40 plus people in attendance for their support and encouragement. Many members of Torrey Pines Rotary were in the crowd. Tim McCully of Point Loma Rotary (C) and Paul Pintek of the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial display a reproduction of the plaque that is now on the wall at the memorial. |
RYLA is Underway in IdyllwildApproximately 200 students from high schools throughout San Diego County and who were sponsored by various Rotary clubs are at RYLA camp in Idyllwild. With the theme - The Power of One, students participate in a variety of activities designed to motivate, raise self-awareness and understanding, hone leadership skills, build lasting friendships and inspire a desire to serve. Check out the videos on the District's Facebook page. Here is a photo glimpse of activities underway. Thank you to the District's Governor line who took a field trip to see RYLA in action, yesterday, Saturday, April 15. RYLA ends today with many stories to share.  |
Model UN a Great SuccessThe Rotary Club of Del Mar was honored to host District 5340's Model United Nations at the Del Mar Civic Center. Students at high schools from all across the district came together for a two-day conference to debate two resolutions: (1) Actions to address global food insecurity and its disproportionate impact on women; and (2) Prevention of an arms race in space and continued peaceful and sustainable space exploration. Thank you is extended to all the teachers, sponsors, Rotarians and students for making this year's Model UN a success. Below is a video compilation of photos for your enjoyment. |
Rotary Service and Engagement Protecting the Environment. Rotary members understand that the whole world is their backyard. They see the effects of climate change in communities they care about, and they’re taking action. They’re tackling the problem the way they always do: by collaborating with communities to develop solutions to local challenges, using their connections to change policy, and planning for the future. For inspiration, browse club-led environmental projects from around the world in Rotary Showcase. Through The Rotary Foundation, you can support environmental projects. Learn more about these programs and resources and send your questions to rotary.service@rotary.org. |
Promote World Immunization Week Join with Rotary to promote the power of vaccines to protect children and save lives. During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, let’s advocate for polio eradication and the importance of vaccines to the health and well-being of our communities. Download the toolkit for graphics and sample social media posts.
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Pickleball with a Purpose Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club member, Bob Stefanko, bought a pickleball package at a charity event, then turned it around and made his purchase into another charity event - Pickleball With a Purpose. The beneficiary is GenerateHope - a safe place for sex trafficked survivors to heal and find restoration in long term housing, therapy, education and vocational support. It's a special non-profit that the club often supports, and they are extending an invitation for you to join them at this event. Support of this beneficiary aligns with the District's Anti-Human Trafficking efforts. See below for details. On April 29, Ranch & Coast Magazine's enduring commitment to giving back to our community will take to the pickleball courts. The inaugural Pickleball with a Purpose charity event will benefit local nonprofit GenerateHope, which helps survivors of sex trafficking to heal and find restoration in long-term housing and trauma-informed therapy, education, and vocational support. Click "Read More" for additional information and ticket purchase information. |
Pickleball Anyone? Pickleball is all the rage. Now you have an opportunity to show off your skills. Join the La Mesa Rotary 2023 Pickleball Tournament fundraiser on Saturday, June 24, 2023, at the HUB Pickleball Club located at 9545 Campo Road, Spring Valley, CA 91977. The tournament runs from 2-5:00 PM with dinner at the burger bar following from 5-7:00 PM. $125 ticket (single player or new player clinic). $40 ticket to just socialize and spectate. Click Read More for additional details. |
Volunteers Needed for Food Packaging It’s been few years that we’ve missed this event due to Covid but Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary is back to holding our annual Rise Against Hunger Food Packing event. It will take place on Saturday, April 22 from 8:00 AM to Noon at Allen Elementary School in Bonita. We are in need of more community volunteers so if your Rotary club is looking for an additional project this month, please join us! All volunteers must register in advance either using the QR code above or at: https://rah.secure.force.com/events/homepage?id=7013Z000002zn6QAQ. For more information, please contact Sofia at 619 977-6467. We appreciate your support. |
Rotary Club Volunteers at Ironman RaceOceanside Rotary Club recently volunteered at the Ironman Race. Members checked in athletes from all over the world!  |
Students Show Off Their ArtThe El Cajon Rotary Club holds one fundraiser a year and with the proceeds they issue grants to non-profits, schools, American Legion, Wounded Warriors, Crisis House, Boys & Girls Clubs, HGH, etc. (See Gala flyer under News above in Newsbits.) One of the grants last year went to Steele Canyon High School's Art Department, teacher Mrs. Kenda Francis. Mrs. Francis had all of the Grossmont High School art teachers choose at least one participant to enter their art project to be displayed in a real art gallery in El Cajon. The students were able to participate in the showing along with sharing their artwork to the public. Parents, students, friends and family were thrilled to attend the exhibit and teachers were proud to show off their students' fine work. A guesstimate of 100 people attended the Friday night event and it looked spectacular! As you can see from the pictures below it was a great success! The club wants to extend a hardy thank you to Mrs. Francis for sharing their (students) success with El Cajon Rotary Club.  |
Rotarians Held Bocce TournamentPrior to the gigantic SDSU vs FAU Final Four win, the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary club held its annual Bocce Tournament. Organizers Jim and Leslie Brubaker were also the tournament champions, and most attendees wore black and red to support SDSU.  |
Old Fashion Barn Dance Ramona Rotary Club's 1st Annual Boot Scootin’ Barn Dance preparations are underway at Rancho de las Chuparrosas! Please join us on April 22 for tons of fun including dancing, yummy BBQ from Double M Ranch BBQ, karaoke, bidding on silent auction baskets, and an opportunity drawing for a fabulous Outdoor Pizza Oven! Opportunity drawing tickets are $10 each, 6 for $50, or 14 for $100. Tickets for the barn dance are limited and can be purchased along with opportunity drawing tickets from any Ramona Rotary member or at the Ramona Chamber of Commerce for $35 each. For more information, please contact Christie Carlson at 760-703-0792. |
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary's Successful Scholarship RaffleCarlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary (CHNR) completed the Scholarship Raffle with the drawing held at its recent meeting. Past scholarship recipient, Samantha Romero, drew the winning tickets. Raffle prizes included: first prize of $5,000 was won by Jim Hagan; second prize is $2,500 was won by DelMar/Solana Beach Rotarian Diana Shimkus; third prize, an exclusive wine basket and wine tasting for 20, valued over $1,100 was won by Paul Wagner; and fourth prize, a basket of gift cards valued at over $500, was won by CHNR Past President Mike Metts. More successful than last year’s raffle, this year more scholarship awards will be presented to Carlsbad students. The raffle proceeds will be used for this year’s scholarships to high school seniors who live or attend school in Carlsbad. That scholarship application process deadline is past, but the CHNR Scholarship Team is now in the process of interviewing applicants. Awards will be made (for Carlsbad High School students) at the CHS Awards Ceremony. Awards to other Carlsbad students will be made at ceremonies yet to be set. For the past 25 years, CHNR has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships. The February/March Scholarship Raffle raised funds to expand the scholarship offerings with emphasis on trade and technical schools as well. With major fundraising events cancelled or reduced, this raffle opened an option for parents, community members and businesses to support the advanced education of our Carlsbad youth in a variety of new venues. This year’s added focus on trade and technical schools is an important gateway for many young people.  |
Celebrate Cinco De Mayo With El Cajon Rotary Get your calendar out and join members of the El Cajon Rotary Club for a Cinco de Mayo gala on Friday, May 5, 2023, at the Elks Lodge in El Cajon (time and address above). This is the club's main fundraiser that benefits local charities and non-profit organizations. Click here to register and purchase tickets.
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Maternal and Child Health Month April is Maternal and Child Health Month. By prioritising Maternal and Child Health month, Rotary improves access to medical services for mothers and their children. These efforts are aimed at reducing the number of children under 5 who die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care and poor sanitation - a figure that is currently estimated at 7 million. More than 80% of maternal deaths can be prevented with access to reproduction health services and trained health care workers. Rotary provides education, immunisation, birthing kits and mobile health clinics to support these causes. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmissions, how to breast feed, and how to protect themselves and their children from disease. |
Update on Polio Plus Campaign Thank you D5340 and its members for your continued support of Rotary International Foundation’s top funding priority of eradicating Polio worldwide. Since Rotary began its efforts in 1988, we have seen a worldwide reduction in polio cases of 99.9%. Only two countries remain polio-endemic: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Unfortunately, one case of Wild Polio Virus Type 1 (WPV1) was confirmed in a three-year old in Pakistan on February 20th of this year. This is the first case worldwide of WPV1 this year, with the last case having occurred in Pakistan on September 15, 2022. A snapshot of the progress we’ve made can be found on the chart below. |
Family Receives New Home No words can express the love and joy the family had when they received the keys to their new house. This was a joint effort between the Rotary Club of Chula Vista-Eastlake, Chula Vista Rotary, City Heights Rotaract Club and Rotaract City Heights. On March 24 - 26, all hands were on deck working together for one amazing goal. The days were filled with amazing fellowship, teamwork and amazing people doing good for the community.
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A Culinary Arts Contest - Coeur de Cuisine Sunday, April 23, 2023 3:30 PM - Sponsor Reception 5:00 PM - Coeur de Cuisine The Rotary Club of Escondido is holding its 19th Coeur de Cuisine, a culinary celebration of service honoring those who have made a difference. The members of Rotary, both across the world and here in Escondido, provide humanitarian service to international and local communities. The highlight of Coeur de Cuisine™ is honoring members of our community who best exemplify the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self. Molly and Ron Smith have been public servants since first coming to Escondido in 1975. They have a combined 68 years of service with the Escondido Union School District and many other years of various civic endeavors. We are pleased to present them as the choice for our 2022 Honorees. The event will be held Sunday, April 23, 2023, at the Conference Hall at the California Center for the Arts Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA General admission tickets are $150 (judge) and Reserved seating is $300 (sponsor). Register NOW for Coeur de Cuisine 2023 honoring Ron and Molly Smith. |
La Mesa Sunrise RC Bowling Fundraiser Grab a team and join the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club for an evening of bowling at Parkway Bowl on Friday, May 5, 2023. This is a fundraiser for the club. Each lane includes 2 hours of bowling with balls and shoes, large pizza and two pitchers of beer or soda. For more information click here or call 858 967-9331.
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Pick it ForwardRancho Santa Fe Rotary Club members held a “Pick it Forward” philanthropic event March 18 at the Lilian Rice estate in Rancho Santa Fe. RSF Rotary members and guests picked oranges at the estate which were then placed in trucks and delivered to St. Andrew’s Food Bank in Encinitas. 800 Families will have fresh oranges available. Participants enjoyed a picnic lunch after their project was complete. A big thank you to the San Diego Downtown Evening Rotary Club, Melissa and kids from Seeds of Hope and the RRowe Interact Club for joining the club in this effort. this beautiful morning.  |
Successful Training AssemblyEvery year, District Leadership holds a training assembly designed to arm incoming club officers with everything they need to know to be successful in their roles. Specifically designed courses were available to club treasures, secretaries, membership chairs, public relations coordinators and presidents elect. There were also courses designed for the new member in mind, making it ideal for new Rotarians to meet their red badge requirements set by individual clubs. Additionally, to aid Rotarians who need to be youth certified, representatives from Live Scan were available to conduct the requisite fingerprinting needed for the certification and with the added benefit of a discounted price courtesy of the district. Participants walked away energized and ready to fulfill their roles come July 1. Below is a collage of photos that highlight some of the workshops provided. Thank you goes out to Bonnie Welch who is the district's training coordinator and to District leadership for all their efforts to make the training assembly a success.  |
La Mesa Rotary Supports Little LeagueLa Mesa Rotary Club steps up to support Little League opening day and the Rolando Street Fair!  |
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Builds Another HouseCarlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club is at it again, Yep, they recently spent a Saturday building House #23 in Tijuana, Mexico. Thanks to the coordination of the club's International Service Director Ray Green who organizing another successful day for a grateful family. Rotarians participating included: Green, Kate Hanham, Stephen Herring, Rick Huenefeld, Paul Kartzke, Viveka Kjellgren, Richard Weston and many family members. This is another great example of Rotarians being People of ACTION.  |
Money Being Raised for Welcome Sign Photo Courtesy of Trace Wilson. Information taken from article written by Elizabeth Frausto, UT reporter. The Rotary Club of La Jolla is raising money for a “Welcome to La Jolla” sign that would be placed at the median at Torrey Pines Road and La Jolla Shores Drive. Conceptual drawings for the sign were approved by several community groups last year. Since then, architect Trace Wilson has made adjustments to the sign, making it 25 percent smaller and shifting the word “welcome” to provide a dot over the “j” in “Jolla.” Rotarian Cindy Goodman said the club was awarded a $25,000 San Diego County grant this week to cover some of the cost. “That will leave us approximately $20,000 to raise to complete the project, including installation, planting and permitting,” she said. Goodman said the sign, which is expected to be installed in the summer, will increase community goodwill and “income for local businesses and cultural institutions.” |
Encinitas Coastal to Hold Golf Ball Drop Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club is holding a golf ball drop and silent auction fundraiser benefiting at risk youth. Colored, numbered golf balls are dropped from a helicopter. The balls closest to the hole win $2000. We hope you will join us at this beautiful venue and enjoy drinks, appetizers, dessert, music and fun! If you can't make it you can still purchase balls and win. Click here to buy event tickets and to download the ball purchase form. |
Binational Softball Exposition Game Postponed Until July 8 GAME POSTPONED TO JULY 8 Out of consideration of the weather and EOY club/ district events. Districts 5340 and 4100 are holding a Binational Exposition Softball Game on April 22 at the Boulevard Ignacio López 100 Independencia 22704 Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico. The exhibition softball game includes a barbecue/catering on the field. Folks are welcome to stay in the Rosarito area after the game ends. Warm up for the game starts at 9:00 AM. Organizers are also looking for some additional players. If you are interested, please contact Derren Lechuga at: derren.a.lechuga@gmail.com or by phone at 951-764-6890. Supporting this event will help build relations between the two districts, as they are planning to hold this event annually. Additionally, this opens up the possibility of Rotarians and Rotaractors from District 5340 to participate in some local recreational softball leagues. Let's Play Ball! |
Experience the Magic of Buenos Aires…in Chula Vista! Are you ready for a night of exquisite dining, mesmerizing dance performances, and live music that will take your breath away? Then mark your calendars for "A Night in Buenos Aires!" on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Westmont San Miguel Ranch in Chula Vista, CA. This highly anticipated event is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Chula Vista Eastlake, an organization dedicated to making a positive impact on our local community and beyond. With your help, we can continue to support our service projects and make a difference in the lives of those in need. Click Read More for additional information. |
Experience a Luau Right Here in San Diego The 3rd Annual La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Polynesian Luau Fundraiser will be held April 16 at the oceanfront La Jolla Shores Hotel. This event should SELL OUT! One of the top prizes is a drawing (included in the price of your attendance ticket) for a one-night stay at the La Jolla Shores Hotel / breakfast parking / and dining at the Marine Room. This drawing prize is worth hundreds of dollars in value. Only 150 tickets will be available for this prize. Cost is $100 per admission ticket. This is the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club’s Annual Fundraiser that supports their community and international projects. It is a lot of family fun and provides an opportunity to spend an evening with fellow Rotarians. For tickets / more information, please contact Randy Large - RLarge1@aol.com. |
Mariachi 78 Slated for April 16, 2023 Returning once again to Escondido is Route 78 Rotary Club’s Annual Mariachi Festival and John Halcón scholarship fundraiser. The 9th Annual Mariachi Festival takes place at the California Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, April 16. The event begins with the very popular VIP Tacos & Tequila reception and top-shelf tequila and silent auctions from noon to 2:30pm. The reception is followed by the Mariachi concert from 3:00 - 5:30pm and features the 11-time GRAMMY nominated Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea. The concert also features the Ballet Folklórico dancers of Tierra Caliente Academy, directed by José Jaimes. Proceeds from the Mariachi Festival and the VIP reception will once again go to support North County nonprofits and to establish the inaugural John Halcón Scholarship. For tickets visit https://www.mariachifest78.org/. For more information, click Read More. |
Live Scan Screening at District Assembly If you need to or are in the process of becoming youth certified, there will be a live scan operator available at the District Assembly on Saturday, March 25 from 7:30 - 9:00 AM. The normal cost is $45.00 but the District will pay the first $25.00 for a net cost to Rotarians of $20.00. Please note Life Scan only takes credit cards or check. A live scan screening background check is a requirement for certification in addition to completing all requisite paperwork. For Live Scan fingerprinting (a digital procedure that transmits electronically all the information to the Department of Justice and FBI), your employer/organization needs to provide a "Request for Live Scan Service" form. This form is mandatory, and you have to bring it with you, along with a government-issued photo ID. For instructions on how to become certified, click here. For the District volunteer certification application, click here,
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Coronado Rotary presented its 2023 Peacemaker Award to this Special International ProjectCoronado Rotary Reaches Across the Border with Calafia Rotary of Ensenada to Change Lives The 2023 Rotary Club of Coronado Peacemaker Award recognizes an international Rotary project that gives hope and purposeful life back to amputees in need. Limbs of Freedom is a joint international project that began more than 20 years ago with the Calafia Rotary Club of Ensenada, Mexico and the Rotary Club of Coronado, USA, and in cooperation with the Mexican Government Family Health Group Rehabilitation Center in Ensenada. The Rotary clubs support volunteer doctors and technicians who evaluate, fit, build, re-fit and adjust prosthetics for those in need. They staff weekend clinics known as Limb Camps. Recently, the medical team has begun using 3-D printed single-piece prosthetic limbs which can be aligned with precision and created overnight. To date, more than 1000 prosthetic limbs have been made. The Peacemaker Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have made a significant difference in promoting good will, understanding, and peace initiatives, while exemplifying the Rotary ideal of service above self. |
New Resources on the Brand Center Rotary's Brand Center is continually updated with new materials to help you promote your club! You’ll find tips on raising awareness of Rotary, ready-made print and digital ads, images, videos, audio clips, templates to download, and more. These resources allow you to create messages that show your community that Rotary members are people of action making a difference. Some exciting recent additions include:
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Coronado Rotary Makes Good on Pledge to HospitalSharp Coronado Hospital's new CEO, Scott Evans accepts Coronado Rotary’s latest installment of $12,500 toward their $100,000 pledge to Coronado's great community hospital! Bravo, Rotarians!  |
African Enterprize Receives Grant for Sewing ProgramThe Rotary Club of Santee-Lakeside is proud to announce that African Enterprise was one of their District Grant recipients this year. Malcolm Graham, one of the club's newest members, joined this organization in 1974 and worked with them for over 40 years. This program helps vulnerable women become wonderful women. Malawi, located in Central Africa, is the poorest country in Africa with a population of approximately 30 million people (80% of which live a rural existence, living off the land). The club's grant of $750 will help two women complete the 6-month program and leave with sewing skills, business coaching, a sewing machine (pedaled, since there is no electricity) and fabric to start their own business. You can find out more about their program at https://africanenterprise.org/our-locations/malawi/. |
Rotary club of San Diego Paradise Valley Medial Mission 2023At the beginning of this year, San Diego Paradise Valley Rotary club members traveled on an important medical and dental mission. Their destination - the Philippines - where they visited four different rural areas. One area was Olongapo City which is about 97 miles north of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and the other three sites were located in the southern part of the Philippines (Dumanjug, Badian and Calapan, Mindoro island). They traversed the land by driving from one location to another to different islands and by ferry boats. It was a daunting task at certain times since they drove for a few days in three vans carrying medical supplies and encountering areas with heavy rain, potholes and flood areas to reach the locations at specific date. Through perseverance, faith and determination they somehow met these challenges and arrived at their destinations and completed their medical and dental mission. The locals greeted them with open arms and were humbled to see them. Their smiles and hospitality gave club members the energy to do the work them came to do. A total of approximately 4,500 people were helped including providing 85 wheelchairs that were donated to five different regions of the Philippines. The club is proud of its passionate San Diego Paradise Valley Rotary members, their phenomenal local volunteers, dedicated members of the Philippine Armed forces, supportive Philippine local government, and the love from the Filipino people at all four sites who patiently waited for them to provide medical and dental services. |
La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Supports Ukranian RefugeesOn March 11, 2023, members of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club volunteered to help Ukrainian refugees at the La Jolla Congregational Church. The club was one of several sponsors at the fundraiser that was hosted by AMNA Sanctuary. During the weeks leading up to the event, the club collected women’s toiletries and clothing to be donated at the event. It was a great project and a heartwarming experience.  |
Escondido Creek Receives a Sprucing Up The Escondido East Rotary Club had a crew of members out cleaning up the Escondido Creek section they maintain. Their landscape expert Ryan planted some succulent plants to make the area look inviting.
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Backpacks Provided to Foster Youth Existing the System On February 25, 2023, members from La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club, Rotary E-Club of San Diego Global, and Destiny Hands International convened at Elly Dotseth's home to fill colorful backpacks with multiple personal hygiene items. There were 50 backpacks in total and will be donated to Just in Time for Foster Youth, to be given to young adults aging out of the foster care system. It was a very cold and rainy day, but they all still had a great time! The following Friday, Jo Ann Berquist, Elly Dotseth and Benjamin Kettor convened at Elly's garage, loaded the backpacks in our cars, and drove to Just in Time for Foster Youth to deliver the backpacks. They were joined there by Tori Rice and Camille Chenoweth-Moyer. The group was provided a tour of the amazing facilities, followed by delivery of the items to the organization's warehouse. The La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation donated $3,000 to towards purchasing the supplies needed for the backpacks and Destiny Hands International purchased the backpacks and helped put them together. This is a great collaborative effort by multiple organizations. |
Seniors to Receive Care Bags from the Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club At its last meeting, the Rotary Club of Santee-Lakeside celebrated the selection of Meals on Wheels as one of their District Grant recipients this year. Tim Wray, Director of the East County Service Center, shared with the club that they provide more than a meal, they also provide a safety check. Volunteer drivers talk to and check in on clients daily. This program, which serves over 320 in East County alone, is available to those 60+ for over 60 years, Meals on Wheels has allowed seniors to stay in their home, where they want to be. Two members of the club participate in the Meals on Wheels program delivering food weekly to seniors in East County. The Santee-Lakeside Rotary club purchased supplies for and assembled 100 "We Care" bags for seniors and provided a $750 grant that will help Meals on Wheels East County to continue serving those in need. |
A Morning Dedicated to Oatmeal Packaging Recently the Rancho Bernardo Rotary club spent a great morning packaging oatmeal for the Food Bank and the Thousand Smiles Nutrition program - all thanks to the generosity of RB Sunrise Rotary club and the Church of Rancho Bernardo! |
Volunteer Opportunity as an Ombudsman Travelers Aid San Diego was selected as recruiters for the San Diego County Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. They are looking for ombudsman volunteers and are reaching out to area service organization to recruit people interested in making a difference by volunteering in their communities. Long term care ombudsman visit area long term care facilities and advocate to improve the quality of life for the residents. Click Read More for additional information. |
ClubRunner to Offer Changeover Training Series We’re excited to announce that ClubRunner's Changeover Training Series is back for 2023! To help better prepare you for your new role and responsibilities this upcoming Rotary year, they are hosting a series of free webinars to help you brush up on your ClubRunner skills and knowledge. Join us for these in-depth webinars starting on April 14th until April 23rd, 2023, where they will be offering both beginner and advanced level training sessions covering various modules, by role on the club and district versions. REGISTRATION DETAILS Click below to view our schedule and to register for individual sessions or visit www.clubrunner.com/training. Can't attend live? Not to worry, all sessions will be recorded and shared on our community site after the series is complete. |
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Expands Scholarship Opportunities Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary (CHNR) is enlarging its scholarship opportunities this year for high school seniors residing in Carlsbad. Scholarship opportunities for students interested in college have been in place for decades, but Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary is now providing scholarship funds to students interested in trade or technical schools. ALL seniors who live in Carlsbad or attend a high school in Carlsbad are eligible. To raise the additional funds for this significant expansion, and because of Covid concerns about large events, the club is organizing a Scholarship Raffle with a monetary prize. Tickets are $20 each or six for $100. Tickets may be purchased from CHNR Rotarians and by mail to the Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Foundation, PO Box 130175, Carlsbad, CA 92013. Those tickets will be mailed back to the purchaser. Raffle ticket purchases online are not possible pursuant to California regulations, but donations to the club’s foundation also support scholarships. CHNR Foundation ID 33-0345307. To learn more, click "Read More." |
End Polio Now 2022 Review For polio eradication efforts, 2022 brought good news. Fewer genetic strains of the virus are circulating than ever before. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic. And support from political, medical, and community leaders in those areas has strengthened vaccination efforts during the past year. Global support for polio eradication also reached new heights, as was proven at the World Health Summit in October, when Rotary and international partners and donors pledged a combined US$2.6 billion to eradicate the disease. There were challenges in 2022 as well. The poliovirus appeared in places it hasn’t been for a long time: Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to name a few. Wild poliovirus cases were reported in Mozambique, related to the 2021 case in Malawi caused by wild poliovirus imported from Pakistan. News of these cases didn’t slow our eradication efforts, however. If anything, it made us even more determined. Now is our best chance to finish the fight against polio. |
District Grants Final Reports Due April 1, 2023 Congratulations to the clubs that received 2022-2023 DDF and completed their District Grants projects. The final reports to close the grants are due no later than April 1, 2023. Click here to view detailed instructions on closing the grants. Power Point slides 21 through 27 will walk you to uploading receipts, notes in history log, loading photos and completing Final Report. If you have questions or need assistance contact Marta Knight - mknight@rotary5340.org or Alan Turner - alanturner.rotary@gmail.com. |
San Diego Council on Literacy Receives GrantThe Rotary Club of Santee -Lakeside is proud to announce that The San Diego Council on Literacy was one of their District Grant recipients this year. They have been helping our community since 1986, serving 100,000 residents annually. Their CEO, Jose Cruz, shared that 47% of students in grades 3-11 in San Diego County are not meeting grade levels standards, typically because of a resource gap. Early learning is critical. Both language rich environments and being read aloud to can help young children develop a love of reading. Their grant of $250 will provide 10 children with one book per month for a year through their affiliation with the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Pittsburg Co. You can get more information on this organization at https://www.literacysandiego.org/.  |
Old Mission Rotary Four Way Test Speech Contest Photo: (L-R) Old Mission Rotary Four Way Test Speech Contest Chair Eric Benink, contestants Vianca, Ricardo and Khadija, Achievement Coach Lizeth Araiza, contestant Aimee, Achievement Coaches Kristen Session and Daizy de la Torre, Reality Changers CEO Tamara Craver and Achievement Coach Michael Alvarez Franco. The Old Mission Rotary Four Way Test Speech Contest held on February 28th, showcased high school students from the Reality Changers Program. Reality Changers serves youth who will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Their programs support students from backgrounds and inner-city neighborhoods that are typically underrepresented on college campuses, advancing equal education opportunities in our region and beyond. |
Coronado Rotary Club Celebrates its 97th BirthdayCongratulations to members of the Coronado Rotary Club who recently celebrated their club's 97th birthday! Judging from the photos, they had a very vintage good time!  |
Learn about Fix It Clinics Join us for the upcoming District Environmental Sustainability Committee meeting scheduled for March 6, from 6-7 PM. We will host Laura Anthony, from Fix It Clinic. We have all grown too accustomed to the "throw away" lifestyle. If something doesn’t work, throw it out and buy a new one. Because of this behavior, our landfills are filling at a rapid rate and electronic waste has become one of the largest pollution generators. So why don’t we just fix it? Whether you want to repair your appliances, you need help or you would like to set up a Fix It Clinic event, join our meeting to learn more! Join us via zoom: |
Rotary Scholars at USD's Kroc School of Peace Studies: 20 years of Building Peace What happens after students receive Rotary Scholarships to enroll in master's degree programs in the University of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace Studies (KSPS)? Do they actively build peace? Does a Rotary Scholar's outreach in the service of peace justify his or her $60,000 funding? Each Scholar receives a $30,000 Rotary scholarship and a $30,000 match scholarship from the Kroc School. Rotarians Steve Brown and Cynthia Villis surveyed the 34 international alumni from 21 countries who have received such Rotary Scholarships since 2002, seeking information about their experiences of their programs and their achievements since graduation. The information that they share is a celebration of peacebuilding on the dusty grounds of the Sudan and Somalia, to the highest level of law in Tanzania, to building low-income housing in China. To learn more about these scholars and what the research found, click here. |
Auld Lang Syne* RememberedThey say “Out with the Old and in with the New!”. But wait–not so fast! The Rotary Club of Del Mar donated the nearly 14-foot-tall clock gracing the corner of 15th Street and Camino del Mar to the Village of Del Mar in 2004 in celebration of the centennial anniversary of Rotary International. The clock recently needed a remodel, which included replacing the bronze plaque from the original installation. We gifted the old plaque to our remaining charter member, Monty Woolley. In a surprise presentation at a regular club meeting, all members were asked to stand and remain standing for as long as they had been in Rotary. First to sit were those who had been members for 5 or fewer years, then 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. At that point only 13 were still standing. Those members were asked those to sit if they had not attained 50 years, then 60 years, then 65 years of membership. Finally, there was only one person still standing - Mr. Monty Woolley. Monty has been a member of the Rotary Club of Del Mar since the club was chartered on May 4, 1954. That’s over 68 years! Monte says that he joined the club when he was only 10 years OLD and while that seems a little young, many of our current members are in their 30’s and 40’s. Monty and all members of the Rotary Club of Del Mar embody the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self”. Service keeps us energized. Stop by some Thursday and visit us. We meet at Pacifica Del Mar at noon; join us in fun and service!  |
Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary Grant to the Travis Manion FoundationThe motto of the Travis Manion Foundation is “If Not Me, Then Who…?” Their mission is to develop programs, training opportunities, and events designed to empower veterans and families of the fallen, and then inspire them to pass on their values to the next generation and to the community at large. The organization is named after US Marine First Lieutenant Travis L. Manion, 26, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania who died April 29, 2007, while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq.  Photo Caption: The Travis Manion Foundation received a $10,000 grant from the Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary on February 7th, 2023. (L-R) Art Pratt Board Members Stan Vogelsang and Charlotte Cofield, Angelica Borowski who is the Western Region Coordinator of the Travis Manion Foundation and Art Pratt Board members Cynthia Drake, Michelle Malin and Tom Sandler.
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Celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 with Rotary Join Rotary International March 8-13 to take part in our virtual, multi-day observance that seeks to raise awareness about the barriers that women around the world face as professional and local leaders and to build a supportive community to take collective action for change. Follow Rotary on Facebook to take part in this event. We will also celebrate the recipient of the 2023 Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award, which honors an inspiring Rotarian whose contributions actively work to advance women in Rotary. Click here to register and to learn more about all the wonderful programs being offered.
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Rotary Padre Games Scheduled Join Rotarians from across District 5340 for Padre baseball and fellowship. All games are on Tuesday nights and start at 6:40 PM. There is a limit of 5 tickets per person. Games are: June 13 $45 Cleveland Guardians Purchase tickets Seats are located in left field at "The Point" July 25 $45 Pittsburgh Pirates Purchase tickets Seats are located in left field at "The Point" August 22 $45 Miami Marlins Purchase tickets Seats are located in left field at "The Point" |
Rotary Voices Podcasts If you have less time to read but still want to stay up to date with Rotary stories, opportunities, and projects, listen to Rotary magazine’s official podcast. The Rotary Voices podcast (in English) has stories from the magazine and the Rotary Voices blog. A recent episode focuses on the first Programs of Scale award recipient, Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia. You’ll find interviews with Rotarians who are working in their communities to combat malaria and information about the science involved in fighting malaria. Find the podcast on your favorite app like Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Spotify. |
Join NAMI Walks April 29 Many of us have a friend or family member that has been impacted by mental health issues. Our District 5340 DG, Chuck Pretto has made Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health the primary theme of 2022-2023, and we have just learned that Gordon McInally, President Elect for Rotary International will make mental health one of his focus areas next year. District 5340 will have a walking team at NAMIwalk on Saturday, April 29th, 2023. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Rotary will also be helping NAMI with volunteers. The event starts at 7:00am, the walk is from 8:00am to 9:00am and then the Wellness Expo is open until 11:00am. All proceeds will be used in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Click "Read More" to see how you can help or participate. |
District-Wide Rotary Golf is Back Join Rotarians on February 27, 2023 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn for a round of golf, networking and fellowship beginning at 1:30 PM. Please contact Tee Times Coordinator Bret Geernaert at geernaertb@yahoo.com to reserve a tee time for yourself and golfers from your club. The cost for the round is $60.00 which includes cart and range balls. The snack bar & adult beverage bar are open for 19th hole fellowship. |
How Rotarians Can Help Relief Efforts in Turkey and Syria Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on 6 February that has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather. The Rotary world responded to this catastrophe immediately. RI President Jennifer Jones activated our disaster response efforts, communicated with the affected districts, and encouraged governors in those regions to apply for disaster response grants and share information about their relief efforts so that Rotary can amplify the calls for support. The Rotary Foundation Trustees decided that all donations made, from now until 31 March, to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund will be used to aid earthquake relief projects. In addition, the Trustees made available more than $125,000 to Rotary districts affected by the earthquake through Disaster Response Grants. Click "Read More" to learn how you can help. |
Clubs Celebrate Together the Installation of a Second Computer Lab. On February 11, 2023, Rotarians from Club Rotario Tijuana Agua Caliente (District 4100), students, parents, and faculty of Escuela Secundaria Num. 11 “Abelardo L. Rodriguez” welcomed Rotarians from La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club (District 5340) to celebrate the installation of a second computer lab together. The computer lab, which has 40 computers and 1 printer, will benefit 650 students per year. Club Rotario Tijuana Agua Caliente has identified junior high schools in low-income communities that lack computer equipment. To resolve this issue, junior high schools were preselected to have a computer lab installed. To date Club Rotario Agua Caliente has installed 22 computer labs and reports that the project has been a huge success. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. We look forward to our continued partnership to provide opportunities for the youth of Tijuana. The La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club meets every Friday morning at the UCSD Faculty Club, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0121, La Jolla, CA 92093 at 7:00 a.m. (lajollagtrotary.org). |
Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary Grant to San Diego Museum of Art Photo: (L-R Front Row) Zach Roberts is the Manager of Institutional Relations and Lani Curtis is the Associate Director of Development at the San Diego Museum of Art with Art Pratt Foundation board member Michelle Malin (L-R Back Row) Art Pratt Foundation board members Charlotte Cofield, Stan Vogelsang, Tom Sandler and Cynthia Drake. The Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary was proud to present the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park with a $10,000 grant to improve its communication technology. The funds were used to purchase new portable radios to allow security personnel and staff keep guests and the priceless art safe. |
Free District Training Assembly is this Coming Saturday! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FREE DISTRICT TRAINING SESSION The District Training Assembly is this coming Saturday. If you haven't registered, you need to ASAP! Held only once a year, the District Training Assembly is a great opportunity for officers, committee chairs and club members - new and old - to learn how to manage programs, projects and best practices from other Rotarians. The District Training Assembly is especially beneficial in educating members about Rotary, programs and resources available in the District. Online registration is open and classes are filling up so don't delay! Click on the link above or visit the District website today to register and select your classes. There is no cost to you. Two members of any Club planning to apply for a District Grant MUST register and attend the District Grants Seminar from 11:20 to 12:00 PM. The Global Grants Seminar will be held at 12:10 to 2:00 PM and participation is REQUIRED for Clubs planning to apply for a Global Grant; two members must attend.
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Let's Play Golf! Join us! The Rotary Club of Coronado is presenting its 27th Annual Coronado Rotary Charity Golf Tournament at the Coronado Municipal Golf Course on Friday, March 31, 2023. The annual Golf Tournament is the first yearly fund-raising event for the club's Foundation supporting over sixty projects each year with financial grants. The success of the Tournament hinges on Rotary volunteers, corporate and individual donations and a healthy player participation rate. Take advantage of the Early Bird Special and register on or before February 28 for $250 per person. From March 1 on, the cost is $300 per person. Let’s play!! To find out more and to register, go to the Rotary Club of Coronado’s website: coronadorotary.org and select the Golf Tournament tab. See you there! |
New Youth Certification Requirements The safety and well-being of every participant, whether a minor or an adult, in a Rotary youth program is essential to the success of the program. Each volunteer who will plan or implement a Rotary youth program is required by a new California law to become Youth Certified by meeting the following new requirements:
These new requirements to become Youth Certified are effective immediately. Detailed instruction for completing the requirements can be found here. Click Read More for additional information. |
Rotary Responds to Earthquake in Turkey Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on February 6 that has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather. The Rotary world responded to this catastrophe immediately. Rotary leadership has activated our disaster response efforts, communicated with the affected districts, and encouraged governors in those regions to apply for disaster response grants. In addition, our project partner ShelterBox and service partner Habitat for Humanity are working on their responses. Find out how you can have the greatest impact.
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Coronado Rotary Breaks Record with Most PHFs in One Day
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Rotary Connections Make a Difference to a Domestic Violence Survivor Photo: "My right hand was chopped, however thanks to global friends, my hope and dignity is restored".A story demonstrating Rotarians are People of Action and the value of Rotary Connections. On December 1, 2022, Kenya’s Nation Media newspaper reporter K. Kazungu wrote a story on Fridah, a woman whose arm was severed, with a cry for assistance. Fridah exclaimed: “I gave this man my love, he chopped off my arm”. Fridah is a domestic violence survivor from far West Lamu, Kenya, and was in dire need of a prosthetic hand to regain her sense of life’s worth. A Rotarian from the Rotary Club of EL Cajon Sunset picked up Fridah’s story from halfway around the world through the Nation Media newspaper online. “Fridah’s story and cry for help really touched me,” Richard Makau, club president reports as he swung into action to assist Fridah with support of the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset and his club's Rotary network of friends. He traced Fridah through Mr. Kazungu and contacted LN4 Hand Project, a California organization that provides prosthetic hands to people in need around the world. LN4 Hand Project agreed to provide a prosthetic hand to Fridah. Makau then contacted Kenya LN4 Hand Project ambassador, Rotarian Dr. Mussadiq Mir (Rtd, Aga Khan hospital) and a member of the Nairobi Utumishi Rotary Club, who organized funding from the Nairobi Rotary club to bring Frida to Nairobi from West Lamu for a gift of life of a prosthetic hand. Dr. Mir did a great job in outfitting Fridah with a prosthetic hand and brought a big smile back to Fridah. |
Registration for Trivia Night is Now Open Registration for Trivia Night 2023 is now open. It is time to get your winning team members together! Teams can register online via credit card when visiting http://cvsrtrivianight.org. If you prefer to register and pay by check or cash, please email chulavistasunriserotary@gmail.com and a registration form will be emailed to you that can be mailed in. Want two free Trivia answers? Get your team registered and paid in full by March 28. Those two free Trivia answers may be what is needed to have you crowned the WINNER of Trivia Night 2023! Good Luck! Your support will help the club to raise money to support Polio Plus and local charities!
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February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month. Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children. We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Addressing the incoming district governors at the 2023 International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, RIPE Gordon McInally called upon the members to capture the world’s attention and lead the way toward possibilities far beyond our current expectations and he announced his theme: Create Hope in the World. He noted that a significant way to bring hope to the world is to put a greater emphasis on peace. He cited the action Rotarians have taken in the past year to support the people of Ukraine after the invasion by Russia. Rotary has made humanitarian relief a priority, attracting more Ukrainian members in the process. But he shared that true relief won’t come without peace — not just in Ukraine, but in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and dozens of other places around the globe. “Peace is the soil where hope takes root,” he said. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts. Rotary creates environments of peace.
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Cupid's Clean Up - February 11 in Ocean Beach Join Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship for a fun morning beach cleanup in OB. Dubbed the Cupid's Clean Up which is an event Surfers Unite Founder Brett Morey came up with a couple years ago, it's a great way for Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends in the surfing community to show the beach and the environment some love. Past events coordinated the second Saturday in February have included multiple events in Hawaii, Carlsbad and Pacific Beach. This year the Surfers Unite crew is hoping to have volunteers actively cleaning up shorelines in Florida, Hawaii, Australia and right here in OB. This is a free event and 5 gallon buckets, trash bags and gloves are provided so sign up today at www.surfersunite.org/events or simply text "SURF" to 858-602-2532. Use this as a recruitment tool to attract new members to your club.
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Rotarians supporting human trafficking survivors at GenerateHope Fifteen Rotarians from all over Rotary District 5340 went to GenerateHope’s transition home for human trafficking survivors to make their surroundings just a little bit nicer. Rotarians demonstrated to the residents that they are loved for who they are by people who want nothing in return. The staff and volunteers at the home are incredibly caring people who provide a safe place for survivors to take back their lives. |
Rotary Club Throws Baby Shower The Scripps-Poway Rotary Club held a baby shower last week for the non-profit organization Gently Hugged. The club was tasked with having a party and bringing onesies for babies that will be distributed to new moms in need. In partnership, Ridgeview Health Center generously hosted this amazing event. Last year alone, Gently Hugged distributed more than 8,000 onesies!!
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City Heights Rotaract Club Receives Award San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera (tan jacket) presents a Volunteer of the Year award from City Council District 9 to the City Heights Rotaract Club for their service to the community. Club President Jesus Herrera is holding the award. Next to him is PDG Marge Cole, an advisor for the club. |
Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary Grant to St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center in El Cajon provides programs to adults who have developmental disabilities such as autism, Down Syndrome, and Cerebral Palsy. (L-R) Joe Perruca is the Development Director and Laura Purdom is the Director of Operations at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center and past president of the Santee-Lakeside Rotary club. On January 31, Old Mission Rotary's Art Pratt Foundation board bember, Stan Vogelsang, presented their organization with a grant check for $10,000 to upgrade their ancient security camera system. |
U-Haul Trucks Loaded with Donations On January 30, Rotarians and volunteers from Camp Pendelton Rotary club loaded and unloaded two U-Haul trucks stacked with donations to support Marines and their families on Camp Pendelton.
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Support Active-Duty Marines Are you looking to support our active-duty marines at Camp Pendleton? So are we! Join the Rotary Club of Carlsbad - we can make a greater impact together. There is a Matching Grant in place to provide a boost! Any contribution towards this project is tax deductible when you give through PCSF. Note " SOI Project" when giving. If you have questions, please email Malena Bennett at emailmalena@gmail.com for more details.
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Rotary Peace Scholar to Study at Rotary Peace Center at University of Queensland in Australia Photo: Coronado Rotary President LuAnn Miller and Rotarian Peace Chair Sharon Raffer welcomed Rotary Peace Scholar Nancy Nguyen to a recent Coronado Rotary luncheon meeting at the Coronado Yacht Club. Nancy Nguyen is one of 50 young leaders from around the world who have been awarded a fellowship by the Rotary Foundation. She will be attending the University of Queensland in Australia for the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies, an 18-month fully funded program. Nancy will be one of 12 Rotary Peace Fellows studying there. This innovative program merges a strong, academic understanding of the roots of conflict with practical tactics for solving real-world problems. This is the first time the Rotary Club of Coronado recommended a Rotary Peace Fellow candidate. Rotarians and Rotary family members cannot apply for the program, but Rotary Clubs have a key role in reaching and recommending Rotary Peace Fellow candidates. Nancy was chosen from a pool of global candidates for this highly competitive program. Her present role is as a Civic Engagement Community Organizer at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) in San Diego. As the most active resettlement region in California and a border city to the world’s largest binational region, Nancy’s work at PANA allows her to be on the front lines of refugee advocacy. For her work “fostering relationships with coalitions and organizations that work on advancing immigrant and refugee issues locally and statewide” she was recognized as a 2021 Women of Distinction in Youth Empowerment by the San Diego Mayor’s Office. Nancy is a 2019 graduate of San Diego State University, Honors College. |
Love Your Wetlands Day Join volunteers for Community Climate Action Day – San Diego, a volunteer service event and celebration of Love Your Wetlands Day, organized by the UC San Diego Natural Reserve System and the San Diego Audubon Society, and co-hosted by Mayor Todd Gloria’s Office, HandsOn San Diego, and San Diego community organizations! The Mission Valley Evening Club is attending and invites you to join them in supporting this event. Click Read More for additional information and signup.
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Learn About Rotary's Ukrainian Efforts Nearly a year has passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, igniting a humanitarian crisis, destabilizing security in Europe, and jolting the global economy. In this issue of Rotary magazine, we bring you an exclusive frontline account of the extraordinary response of Rotary and its members. This first installment of a two-part series begins in Poland, where Rotary members are providing long-term, sustainable care to help refugees address their trauma and reclaim a semblance of normality. Click here to read the Rotary Magazine's February 2023 issue. The link will take you to your digital copy, which you can read using any common web browser. |
Coronado Rotary Helps Their Neighbors Coronado Rotary has been helping their neighbors at The Pantry at the Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center by supplying food and lightly used clothing donated by its members. Pictured from left are Rotary President LuAnn Miller, Rotarians Jenny Johnson, Carrie Seigenthaler, and Ginger Cox with Pantry Coordinator Debra Benson. With one in four families in Imperial Beach below the poverty line, the Pantry has stepped in to reduce food insecurity. Coronado Rotary wants to help The Pantry meet those needs by forming a committee to organize and deliver periodic member donations. Together we are stronger! |
News from the District Rotary Foundation Committee Thank you for your Dedication, Service and Generous Gifts to the Rotary Foundation. You have made projects possible that have helped improve lives in our communities and around the world. Your gifts are more than donations. They bring health, peace and opportunities to people in need. Your District Foundation Committee has been working hard this Rotary year with DG Chuck managing District and Global Grants as well as your contributions. Click Read More to continue. We would like to recognize and thank the following dedicated members who have served on the Committee for the past 3 years. |
20th Annual Comedy Night WE ARE BAAAAACK! The Point Loma Rotary Club will host hold its 19th Annual Comedy Night on Friday, March 17 at the United Portugues S.E.S. Hall, located at 2818 Avenida de Portugal, San Diego, CA 92106 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. The Tickets are $25 per person. All ticket sales will help the club conduct its many charitable activities for the betterment of their community. Purchase tickets here. |
Disco Fundraiser Planned The Rotary of Escondido After Five announced plans for their annual fundraising event to be held Saturday, FEB 18th at the Lexus Centre in Escondido. The Disco Themed Gala will begin at 5pm and include silent and live auction items, dinner, dancing, and a special presentation of the Club’s “Spirit of the Community Award”. Live auction items include a special experiential day with Escondido Police and Fire Departments, as well as airline tickets. Please click "Read More" to continue. |
Vines and Vittles Scheduled for May We are happy to announce that Vines & Vittles will be back better than ever. And it will be cooler than ever! We've changed the date from the heat of August to May 21 and are excited to welcome you all to our festival. If you've attended in the past, you know it's a fun time. Please tell your family and friends to join us. It's all to support the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo Foundation to continue to positively impact our community. To Purchase tickets, you can either scan the QR code above or go to rbvfest.com.
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Time to Register for RYLA It's time to start thinking about RYLA! RYLA weekend is April 14-16, 2023. Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or “RYLA,” is a program that originated with Rotary International and has since been specifically designed by Rotary District 5340 for students in San Diego and Imperial counties. These select young people attend an all-expenses-paid full-day experience where they are inspired by a diverse group of exceptional speakers, make life-long friends through fellowship activities, and discuss the ethical and social issues of today. These activities are conducted in an atmosphere of trust and respect. The result is that these students return to their schools and communities motivated to take on additional leadership roles and to find additional ways to serve. Application deadline is February 10, 2023. |
San Diego Food Bank Appreciates Rotary Club Volunteerism Thank you to the Rotary Club of Chula Vista-Eastlake for being a steadfast supporter by continually donating their time and resources to the San Diego Food Bank. On January 5, the group bagged over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce! Great work! The San Diego Food Bank could not do their critical work without the generosity of community organizations. If you are interested in volunteering with your Rotary Club or community group, visit our website https://sandiegofoodbank.org/volunteer/.
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El Cajon Rotary Club Seeking Executive Secretary The El Cajon Rotary Club is looking for a paid Executive Secretary to start on July 1, 2023. Basically, the duties are the same as a club secretary but also includes the member billings for dues and lunches. Some of the requirements include preparing agendas and taking meeting minutes for both the club and foundation board meetings. This person will also keep Club Runner up to date with additions and modifications as well as coordinating with the caterer and the Elks Club (meeting location and ordering club supplies. Membership in the club is not a requirement but attendance at the Tuesday luncheon meeting is. Please contact club president, Stu Scott at stuscott@cox.net or call 619-954-9421 for more information. |
Rotary Clubs Partnered to Show Thankfulness On January 9, 2023, the San Diego Coastal Rotary Club partnered with Club Rotario Tijuana Independencia and the Metro Chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association in a effort to bring toys to the kids of the police officers in Tijuana as a thank you for all the hard work and service they provide to our communities. Events like this help bring the San Diego and Tijuana communities together, promote peace in both areas, and empower our youth. |
Work Party Slated to Help Local Recovery Home On Saturday, January 28, the Rotary District 5340 Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force will be having a work morning at a local recovery home in the South Bay. We will be working outside in the garden and yard area, improving the landscaping and providing needed clean-up. These work events are vital to support the facility and also to show the residents that people can be kind. We anticipate working from 8:30am - 12:00pm (at the latest). No special skills are needed - just a good spirit and willingness to work outside. If you are interested, please contact David Oates (david@publicrelationssecurity.com). RSVPs are required due to the need to keep the location confidential and a clear list of volunteers, each volunteer will need to contact David to sign up. The location will be shared with volunteers in the week prior to Jan. 28, and must be kept confidential. We hope you will consider joining us. It's a great way to do good, feel good, and enjoy your fellow Rotarians! |
2023-24 Presidential Theme Announced Rotary International President-elect R. Gordon R. McInally revealed the 2023-24 presidential theme, Create Hope in the World, during the International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, 9 January. McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland, asked members to restore hope by helping the world heal from destructive conflicts and create lasting change within ourselves. McInally told attendees he plans to make mental health a focus and emphasized continuity in advancing the goals of previous leaders, including empowering girls and eradicating polio. Read more about the presidential theme. |
New Meeting Location for La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Meetings The La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club is excited to announce that beginning January 6, 2023, they will meet every Friday at 7:00 AM at the UCSD Faculty Club located at 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0121, La Jolla, CA 92093. All are welcome and they would be delighted for you to join them. Please email infoljgtrotary@gmail.com with any questions relating to upcoming programs or club information. They also offer a Zoom option but encourage in-person attendance. Please email the club for the Zoom link. For more information about the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, please visit https://lajollagtrotary.org/. |
Rotary Wins Food Drive Challenge Congratulations Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors, Rotary won the food drive challenge with the Lions Club. Here are the numbers:
Altogether, the campaign brought in 16,500 pounds of food, $8,300 in monetary donations, for a grand total of 30,350 meals raised by your groups to benefit the San Diego Food Bank and/or local food banks.
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Rotarians Continue to Bring Joy to the WorldHelping Hands Across the Border Members of Rotary District 5340 (Club 33, Santee-Lakeside, Vista ) volunteering at Helping Hands Across the Border in Ensenada with Club Rotario Ensenada Centenaria.  Members of Rotary District 5340 (Club 33, Santee-Lakeside, Vista ) volunteering at Helping Hands Across the Border in Ensenada with Club Rotario Ensenada Centenaria. Santa’s Pals Holiday Giveaway  On Tuesday, December 20th, STAR/PAL held their annual Santa’s Pals Holiday Giveaway. Toys were distributed by Santa as the Grinch created mischief at the event that took place at Colina del Sol Park. Over 50 families and 175 children attended the event and received toys and gift cards free of charge. Charlotte Cofield represented Old Mission Rotary at the event. Old Mission Rotary has participated in almost all of their community events in the past year. |
Cuddles and Snuggles Baby Shower The Poway Scripps Rotary Club is having a baby shower to benefit Gently Hugged, a nonprofit that provides families in need of baby essentials as they leave the hospital with their newborn. The shower is scheduled for January 26 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at 9825 Glen Center Drive, Scripps Ranch. You can come to the shower or drop off your donation at Marshall Middle School. Gently Hugged is asking for sleepers in sizes 0-12 mos. This is their first ever baby shower and the Club wishes to thank the folks at Gently Hugged and Ridgeview Health Center for their gracious help and support. Please RSVP to 619 932-5341 by January 23 if you will be participating. |
RI Foundation Releases 2022 Annual Report John Hewko, General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer for Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation recently released the Foundation's 2022 Annual Report. He made note that this has been a year where records were broken, and a series of firsts exceeded expectations and he acknowledged this is the difference your support of the Rotary Foundation is making. Your belief in the power of our collective action is enabling Rotary to help more people, in more places, in more ways. He stated that through your generosity, you shine a light of hope for all who are missing out on basic health services, education, productive livelihoods. Because you step boldly to take action with us, he wants you to have an exclusive first look at the report. |
You Are Invited to Learn More about Food Waste The District Environmental Sustainability Committee (DES) is hosting its monthly meeting on January 9 from 6:00-7:00 PM and you are invited to attend by Zoom. This month they will discuss food waste and how to save food!
On average, 40% of wasted food comes from households in the US while 1 in 6 children is food insecure. ReFED estimates that 24% of all food in the U.S. – 54 million tons – goes to waste. When we waste food, we also waste water, agricultural resources and fossil fuels used to produce, transform, and transport food. Reducing Food Waste is a way to both help the environment and reduce food insecurity. This is why Rotarians are taking action to save food. The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) created a food waste task force two years ago to support food waste projects and educate Rotarians. Although California is one of the most advanced states with regulations in place to divert food waste from landfills, there is still much to do to save food. Click Read More to continue article and get Zoom link. |
Words Alive Presentation The Mission Valley Evening Rotary Club invites you to attend their meeting on Tuesday, January 17 at 6:00 PM at the Mission Valley Library—Community Meeting Room. Their guest speaker will be Kristi Storza, from Words Alive—the nonprofit organization featured at our District Conference in October. Together everyone will have fun and fellowship AND pizza. Come and join them—contact PDG Marge Cole (619-335-0590) to RSVP (so they have enough pizza!).
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Rotary Float Earned Princess Trophy Rotary Float 2023Congratulations to the Rotary Float Committee and all the volunteers for creating a beautiful float for the 2023 Rose Parade. The float received the Princess Trophy (the most beautiful float under 35'). Held in Pasadena Rotary's beautiful float made it’s turn from Orange Grove to Colorado Blvd in front of 750,000 fans and over 70M around the globe. “Service with Imagination and Hope” supporting this years theme, and the carousel horse is gorgeous. If you saw the parade, you will note that the first woman International President, Jennifer Jones was in the parade. Click here to watch the video. Rotary’s connection to the Tournament of Roses Parade dates to 1923 when the Rotary Club of Pasadena entered this float. Today, the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee heads up the effort. Members, clubs, and districts donate all the money for the floats, which over the years have depicted Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio, commitment to service, and various programs.  Rotary Float 1923 |
How to Attract and Engage with Young Professionals SAVE the DATE - MEMBERSHIP SEMINAR HOW TO ATTRACT AND ENGAGE WITH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Saturday, January 21, 2023 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. VIA ZOOM This seminar will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in discussion about how to attract and engage with young professionals. We will have a panel of young professionals who will talk about their experience with Rotary and provide their insights as to why they joined Rotary and how clubs can welcome younger members to their ranks. We will also have breakout sessions so that participants can roundtable ideas. This Workshop is intended for Club Presidents, Membership Chairs/Committees and all Rotarians who want to learn how to help their clubs, and Rotary grow and thrive. |
Christmas Celebrations ContinueNothing gets you into the holiday spirit like the last Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle meeting of the year.  La Mesa Rotary Club built then delivered 84 bikes to kids at Dale Elementary school! The kids had no idea they ALL were getting bikes. They just thought there were six bikes for an essay contest!  What a joyful Coronado Rotary Club Christmas party! Caroling, balloon fun, Santa, toys, delicious food and fellowship! Members filled up the Toys 4Tots truck headed up to Miramar.  The Mission Valley Rotary Club had a blast at their annual holiday party hosted by PDG Marge Cole. The Club had a potluck, gift exchange, and played holiday-themed games. FUN, FUN FUN!  The Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club sponsored a holiday party for residents of Home of Guiding Hands. Club members helped set up, played games, served food and enjoyed interacting with the residents.  |
DG Pretto Wishes You the Best this Holiday Season This is such a special time of year for so many Rotarians. I wanted to personally reach out and wish you the very best Holiday season. I am honored to serve with you in Rotary as we make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. As we approach the end of the year it’s a great time to reflect on what we have and to be grateful for all the good we have done as Rotarians during this first half of our Rotary year. We have distributed funds for over 85 District Grants and have 8 Global Grants in the works. We have funded two District Grants for Adolescent Mental Health. Rotary Clubs around the District are changing lives for the better, including house building in Mexico, building bikes for needy kids, serving seniors or the homeless and the myriad of countless other programs you do. I am so very proud of what you are doing to make a difference. THANK YOU! |
Newsbits Goes Dark Christmas and New Years Day Newsbits will go dark Christmas and New Years day. The next edition will come out January 8, 2023. You can send informational items and stories to sandp304@gmail com for inclusion in the first Newsbits of the 2023 year!
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Don't Miss Out on a Discounted Rate for Melbourne Convention Are you planning on attending the RI Convention in Melbourne Australia? If you are, don't miss out on the opportunity to receive a discounted rate. The discount ends December 15. Now is the time to register! |
3rd Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Paddle OutOn Saturday Dec. 3rd, members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship and friends in the surfing community gathered together at 15th Street Del Mar for a fun social, the 3rd Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Paddle Out. As many folks in Rotary District 5340 know this official Rotary Fellowship was started by Brett Morey, Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle in 2017 and now has over a thousand members in 35+ countries. While the fellowship supports environmental causes such as beach, river and shoreline clean up events they also support many nonprofit groups and local programs including: (Click "read more" to continue article. |
More Holiday Fun for RotariansMembers of the Imperial Breakfast Rotary Club along with the Imperial High School Interact Club participated in the annual City of Imperial Christmas Lights Parade. The Interact students decorated the float with multicolored lights and recreated a living room on Christmas Eve with a beautiful lighted tree surrounded by presents. The members can be seen waving to the crowd and letting the community know we are here and ready to serve!  The Rotary Club of Carlsbad had a wonderful time at Friday's Christmas Tree Lighting! The Rotary Club of Carlsbad sponsors this wonderful event.  Chula Vista Sunrise Rotary took time away from all of the hard work ahead this month and participated in a festive get together. Mike and Rowena Bell hosted the event and Chris and Rochelle Carroll planned the jolly celebration.  The Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary held its holiday party. There were lots and lots of good food and laughter. The festivity was organized by JoAnn and hosted by Josh and LeAnn plus the turkey connoisseurs Jim and George helped make this celebration an evening to remember.  |
Rancho Bernardo Rotary Clubs Collaborate to Build Homes in Tecate, MexicoVery early Saturday morning, December 3, 2022, several members of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo crossed the border caravanning to a small Colonia near Tecate, Mexico to build houses for two desperately poor families in need of homes. Working with Project Mercy Baja (projectmercybaja.org), club volunteers built the two homes in one day. The Project Mercy crew had poured the foundation slabs and arranged for prefabricated building materials and paint to construct the houses as well as adjacent outhouses. Although very basic and without running water or electricity, the houses are a marked improvement over the small cardboard and tin siding shacks they had been living in. Each family owns the land and must make improvements to accommodate the new house and outhouse before work can begin. Both clubs also donated household goods and clothing for the families as well as some toys for the children. We all agreed that it was a long, hard day filled with tasks that most of us hadn’t previously experienced, but when it came time to hand over the keys to the family who would be sleeping in a new home that night, it was all worth it.
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The Rotary Rose Parade Float & Rotary International President Jennifer Jones Ever wanted to do something truly historic? How about decorating the Rotary International float for the 134th Tournament of Roses or seeing over 20 floats in a one-million-square-foot building before they run down Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena? How about having dinner with the first woman President of Rotary International, Jennifer Jones, her husband and 200 other Rotarians? That's right you can contact one of our own Rotary D5340 Rose Parade Float Alumni - Brett Morey at 858-602-2532. Brett serves as one of the Directors on the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee and was selected by Past District Governor Scott Carr to represent our Rotary District in the 2018 Rose Parade. If you would like to check the latest sign-up schedule online or purchase event tickets for the December 30th Holiday dinner in Monrovia simply visit: www.rotaryfloat.org. please click "read more" to continue the article. |
Rotary Gets in to the Holiday SpiritFallbrook Village Rotarians participated in the Fallbrook Community Center’s Tree Lighting Festival by bringing art supplies so that children could draw to their hearts’ content. All the kids had a good time!  Point Loma Rotary Club made Santa and the Ryan Peninsula YMCA very happy this holiday season with a check for $2,000 to support the Y's scholarship fund. As a leading nonprofit organization, the Y offers programs that foster youth development, promote healthy living and advance social responsibility.  The Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club provided hundreds of amazing handwritten and handmade Holiday cards that will be a part of this year's Santee Mobilehome Owners Action Committee's "Elves Senior Care" packages.  The Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club gathered Saturday to put together boxes for food items that the Santee Foundation's Santee Santas program will use to provide food and toys for families in need. This is a traditional effort for the club.  The Coronado Rotary Club was full of cheer at Coronado's Annual Christmas Parade. The club had their own Rotary float.  |
A Community CureEditor's note: December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month. This article taken from Rotary International's website showcases how Rotary took on Malaria in Zambia. Backed by Rotary’s Programs of Scale award, Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia confronts a worldwide malady at the local level. By Diana Schoberg Photography by Esther Ruth Mbabazi  Latham Chisanga had been in a car accident a few years back, and he’d dealt with the physical repercussions ever since. So, in February 2020, when a backache and fever came on, Chisanga skipped another visit to the clinic, swallowed a couple of painkillers, and got on with his life. Days later, he collapsed outside a neighbor’s house and fell into a coma. At the hospital, his malaria test came back positive. He died a few days later. His mother, Martha Lungu, wondered how this could have happened to a member of her family. After all, she was the executive administrator of Malaria Partners Zambia, the local branch of an international campaign led by Rotary members to end malaria. Lungu, a member of the Rotary Club of Ndola, didn’t see how she could continue her work. “How did I fail?” she lamented. “How come I didn’t do this right? And how am I going to talk to people about the prevention of malaria?” |
December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month As you know, every month is dedicated to one of the major themes of our Rotary lives; this month the theme is that which RI is perhaps best known for, at least among non-Rotarians. The eradication of polio has of course been Rotary International's s major worldwide, corporate effort since the early 1980’s. And remarkable progress has been made. The job is not finished however, and you can rest assured that we will not, cannot, set this torch down until that job is finished. Disease prevention and treatment is one of the Rotary Foundation Areas of Focus. And for good reason. The health and vitality of a person, a family and a community can be seriously impaired by what in many cases is a preventable disease. Disease prevention is really a keystone to progress in other areas as well because of the interplay with other areas of focus like Water and Sanitation and Maternal & Child Health. Click "Read More" to learn what you can do to support this effort:
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Boat Rides with Santa Boat rides with Santa!! Bring the kids, grandkids, friends and neighbors on Saturday, December 10th for a harbor boat ride with Santa. Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Oceanside. Mark your calendar and make your reservations here. |
Rotary Creates Magic The Rotary Club of Encinitas invites you to an evening of magic. Join them on Saturday, March 4 at 7:00 PM at the Carlsbad Cultural Center (address above). Tickets are $60 and all proceeds benefits local charities. To order tickets click here.
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Fellowship and Service - They Go Hand-In-Hand!Bret & Karla Morey drove fellow Past Presidents Jacquie Reilly and Ron Kohl down to Ensenada early on Saturday, November 16. The International Service Committee of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle provided $1000 in financial support to purchase supplies for a center for disabled children in Ensenada. This was a joint project lead by Ron with the Rotary Club of Ensenada Rivirera. These clubs have done a few projects together, including Casa de Paz in 2014. It was great for members to see some friends in Baja, serve those in need and then spend a little time grabbing street tacos, coffee and churros and hitting Encanto in Rosarito for live music, sunset and drinks.  |
Community Cleanup EffortOn November 19, the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo held another community cleanup event under the leadership of Jim Hyldahl. This time the club set up in Seven Oaks Community Center and spent four hours collecting community discards from area residents. They also had help from some great students from the Mt. Carmel High School Interact Club.  |
30 Trees and Plants Planted in Spring ValleyLast week an Outstanding service project was conducted by San Diego Coastal Rotary Club! More than 30 trees and shrubs were planted in Lamar County Park in Spring Valley to add beauty and environmental sustainability in this hidden gem of a park! Thanks to Rotarian Jenny Parker for herding the 15 volunteers!  |
Rotary Uganda Safari, April, 2023 All Rotarians in District 5340 are invited to join members of San Diego Club 33 on a fabulous Rotary Safari trip to Uganda April 21-May 1, 2023. The group will visit Rotary projects in Northern Uganda and enjoy two days on Safari in Murchison Falls National Park before returning to Entebbe. Options include attending the Uganda Rotary District Conference in Mbarara and Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Uganda. Download details here. Contact Roger Haines at rogerhaines43@gmail.com or call on his cell at: 858-736-5505 for more information.
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245 Pounds of Food Collected The Imperial High School (IHS) Interact Club collected food items going door-to-door in the city of Imperial and collected over 245 pounds of food for the Imperial Valley Food Bank. The food collected was presented to CEO Sara Griffin from the IV Food Bank at the weekly Imperial Breakfast Rotary Meeting. Pictured from left to right, Club President Michael Harvey, CEO Sara Griffin, Interact Advisor Rebecca Caabay, Interact Social Media Manager Jaylen Benito, Interact Vice President Gabby Riesgo, Interact Treasurer Dulce Dueñas, and Interact President Michael Harvey Jr. Great job IHS Interact Club!
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Imperial Valley Rotary and Interact Support Food BankThe Imperial High School Interact Club collected food items going door-to-door in the city of Imperial and collected over 245 pounds of food for the Imperial Valley Food Bank. The food collected was presented to CEO Sara Griffin from the Imperial Valley Food Bank at the weekly Imperial Breakfast Rotary meeting.  Additionally, the Imperial Breakfast Rotary Club donated $1,900.00 to the Imperial Valley Food Bank to support their cause of feeding the less fortunate in Imperial County.  |
Join in on an Evening of Service on January 5 The Rotary Club of Chula Vista-Eastlake is planning an evening of service at the San Diego Food Bank on January 5, 2023 (5:30 to 8:00 PM). The San Diego Food Bank is located at 9850 Distribution Avenue, San Diego, CA. The San Diego Food Bank currently feeds on average 550,000 people every month including seniors, active-duty military personnel and children living in poverty. Participants should wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes. Of course, Rotarians should try to wear Rotary shirts to show unity. Rotarians and non-Rotarians are invited to participate. Click here for event page on Facebook.
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Food for City of HopeThe La Mesa Rotary Club packed 150 bags of food for City Hope to distribute to families for Thanksgiving break. They will be at it again for the December break as well!! A total of 700 bags are needed so if you would like to, donate, reach out by emailing club president, Jen Flyn at jen.flynn66@gmail.com. Each bag of food costs $15.  |
Thanksgiving Fixings All Wrapped UpIt's hard to believe that not everyone has the means to enjoy a Thanksgiving holiday. This year, the Rotary Club of Scripps-Poway worked with Solutions for Change (whose mission it is to solve family homelessness, one family, one community at a time) by providing all the fixings for a dinner. They made gift boxes filled with potatoes, dressing, vegetables, gravy and gift cards for a turkey. Thanksgiving is extra special when you can be thankful for the gift of sharing.  |
Veterans Honored with ParadeThanks to the collaborative effort of the American Legion, the Brothers of 6, and community members who volunteered their time, downtown Escondido was filled with smiles as the community enjoyed a parade honoring our veterans on Friday, November 11. There were nearly 50 organizations marching down Grand Avenue, and many of members of the Escondido Rotary Club participated proudly displaying their club banner, The parade was followed by a ceremony at the American Legion, which also included lunch and live music. Escondido's new club booth was prominently displayed next to the band and staffed with several of their members.  |
International Youth Exchange Meeting Do you know any High School students that would like to travel or live abroad? Some 7,000 students annually participate in the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program, truly an affordable opportunity! As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you will spend anywhere from a few weeks in the summer to a full academic year living with host families overseas. You may learn a new language; you will experience life in another country, and a lot about yourself! Click "read more" for additional information. |
Service Project in Costa Rica Provides Eyeglasses to Residents in NeedSeveral members of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club are in Costa Rica and recently experienced a wonderful day of service bringing better sight to 175 Ticos (Costa Ricans). Of course, the day was punctuated by a beautiful sunset on the beach.   |
Rotarians/Rotaractors MIxer Event This is a reminder about the Rotaract/Rotarian mixer event on Tuesday evening, November 15 from 6-7:15 PM at San Diego State University (Scripps Cottage next to the koi and turtle pond located in the center of the SDSU campus), To register, click here.
Register in the link above for more details and/or to register. Once registered, attendees will receive parking instructions and more details from the SDSU Rotaract hosts. This is a free event and an opportunity to network and briefly mentor students on career and life pathway opportunities to continue a connection. |
Giving Tuesday November 29, 2022 "Giving Tuesday happens once a year, but your gift of Rotary will make a difference for a lifetime. This global day of generosity is an opportunity for all Rotary members to make a big impact with a gift of any size to our Annual Fund-SHARE. Please join us and together we can continue Doing Good in the World. “
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Rotary Ukraine Friends Deliver Ambulances Rotary and Ukraine Friends have joined together to provide a convoy of 40 ambulances for Ukrainian officials to help deliver life-saving aid to those injured by the war. The $600,000 initiative, $300,000 of which came from a Rotary Foundation disaster response grant, was the first joint project between the two organizations after a July agreement to collaborate. Rotary members are also working with Ukraine Friends to rehabilitate two schools in the Bucha region damaged by shelling. Read more about this initiative and the ongoing partnership to help the people of Ukraine.
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Escondido East Rotary Holds Success First Golf Tournament The Escondido East Rotary Club had their first Golf Tournament to help raise funds for community projects. It was very successful, and they are looking forward to next year to continue. The club wishes to thank Rotarians from other clubs for playing and sponsoring as well. The winning team got to wear and take home the Prestigeous Green Jacket.
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A Global Approach to Preventing Plastic from Reaching the OceanExcerpts taken from ARCNews November is Foundation Month. Contributions to the RI Foundation is crucial to being able to acquire matching grants funds, enabling clubs to make a lasting difference in the world. This article is a great demonstration of the importance of global and district grants and how they can be used. Like many coastal areas around the world today, the beaches in Chennai, India, attract large amounts of plastic debris. For teenage surfer and local resident Karan Chakravarthy, the presence of plastic at his favorite surf spots was distressing. So, he decided to do something about it. Chakravarthy joined other volunteers to collect trash with a nonprofit called Namma Beach, Namma Chennai (which translates to “Our Beach, Our Chennai”). In 2021, the organization removed 176,000 pounds of plastic waste from Chennai’s beaches. But Chakravarthy felt that more could be done.  Karan Chakravarthy used ArcGIS Survey123 to record data about beaches in Chennai, India, that are consistently littered with plastic. (Photo courtesy of Karan Chakravarthy.) He contacted his grandfather, Mandyam Venkatesh, who lives in San Diego, California, and obtained a $5,000 grant from Venkatesh’s Del Mar/Solana Beach Rotary club to further support Namma Beach, Namma Chennai. Through his grandfather’s Rotary connections, Chakravarthy also met Carl Nettleton, the founder of OpenOceans Global, a San Diego-based organization that employs geospatial technology and citizen science to help stop the flow of plastic to the world’s oceans. |
Benefiting the Environment with Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship MembersOn Saturday November 5th, members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship met at Tower 13 in Mission Beach for a fun clean up event. Wearing sports jerseys from the NFL, Padres and San Diego Soccers the crew picked up plenty of trash as well as removed at least four dead birds from the shoreline. According to Founder of Surfers Unite and Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle Brett Morey “This is the fifth beach cleanup we have had at Mission Beach and the reality is we find trash in the sand, parking lot and grass areas every time.” The crew included members of Pacific Beach Rotaract, San Diego Coastal, Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle and friends in the community. In fact, according to Morey, “One of our volunteers (Ron) is an individual we met at the Switchfoot BroAM and are plugging him into a local Rotary club. We also met others on the sand interested in helping with future clean up events.” You won’t want to miss the next crazy and fun event or those being organized for 2023. In fact, we would encourage you to check the events page of Surfers Unite for the Third Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Paddle Out on December 3rd at 15th Street Del Mar. That’s right, grab an ugly Christmas sweater and pull it over your wetsuit then catch some waves and enjoy some donuts from VG’s. Sounds like an awesome social! Text “surf” to 858-602-2532 to get plugged in to upcoming events or visit: www.surfersunite.org. |
Holiday Donation Drive Gets Underway The Rotary Club of Carlsbad is kicking off its holiday donation drive benefiting marines and their families at Camp Pendleton. They are specifically looking for diapers, toys and car seats. If you or your club can help out or if you have questions, please contact AskMalena@gmail.com.
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Giving Tuesday Giving Tuesday - November 29 Support The Rotary Foundation this Giving Tuesday. On November 29, we hope to have as many Rotary members as possible take action and give to our Foundation so we can continue to make a difference in communities that need our help. Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity that empowers all of us to give through service, kindness, and financial support. We hope you and your club celebrate by Doing Good in the World and supporting our Foundation. The top engaged clubs will be featured on My Rotary. |
High-Impact Service Through Programs of Scale The 2021-22 Programs of Scale grant was awarded to Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, a member-led program focused on saving the lives of Nigerian mothers and newborns by improving access to quality health care. The project is sponsored by Districts 1860 (Germany) and 9110, 9125, 9141, and 9142 (Nigeria), as well as the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health. Read more about this program. |
November is Rotary Foundation Month November is Rotary Foundation Month. The Rotary Foundation....the engine that powers Rotary. Rotarians....the power behind the engine! The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary International, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact. |
PDGs Honor New Governor Nominee Designate On Wednesday, November 2, Past District Governor Dan Gensler led 16 members of District 5340 Advisory Council, including Past and future District 5340 Governors, to the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club meeting to announce and honor District Governor Nominee Designate for 2025-26, Luis Carranza. His club was very proud of Luis and shared their pride and best wishes for his new position.
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Enter the 2023 Rotary Magazine Photo Awards The Rotary magazine photo awards are looking for your submissions! Rotary is seeking photography and video submissions for the annual Photo Awards contest. Winners will have their work printed in the June 2023 issue of Rotary magazine. The contest is an opportunity to share your vision of the world with the Rotary community. The photographer must be a member or honorary member of Rotary, or a participant or alumnus of an official RI or Rotary Foundation program. Photographers also can be the spouses or children of Rotary members. If the photo is selected for Rotary magazine, proof of a likeness release may be requested. Photographs must have been taken since 1 January 2022. Photographs must be submitted between 1 October 2022 at 0:00 Central Standard Time (“CST”) and 31 December 2022 at 23:59 CST. Questions should be sent to magazine@rotary.org with the subject line "Photo Contest." |
San Marcos Rotary Club Sends Eight Students to Camp LeadOne of San Marcos Rotary Club's priorities is youth programs. They raise money to send students to leadership camps. The club sent eight 8th graders from San Marcos Unified School District to Camp LEAD, (Leadership, Ethics, Aspirations, &. Determination). The club hosted students, families, and school administrators at their weekly meeting so they could hear from the students about their experiences.  |
Trauma Informed Learning Community Join the National City Rotary Club to learn more about the impact of trauma impacting children, youth, and families in our communities. This event will occur on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Pier 12 Marina. RSVP today by capturing the UR code above or by registering below. The fee is $40 per person; groups of three or more are $30 per person. Funds raised will support Rotary service projects.  |
Food 4 Kids BackpackOne of the Rotary Club of Chula Vista-Eastlake's District Grants (22-23) is the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program. Established in 2006, this provides weekend food packages to chronically hungry elementary school students from low-income households who are at risk of hunger over the weekend when free school meals are unavailable. Recently, Rotary Club of Chula Vista-Eastlake made a generous donation of $1,000 to the San Diego Food Bank, Their donation will provide 2,000 meals for local families in need! Thank you for all of the important work you do in our community. |
Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interact Come TogetherOn Friday October 21, 2022, San Marcos Rotarians, CSUSM Rotaractors, and Mission Hills High School Interactors teamed up to volunteer at the North County Food Bank. It was inspiring to members to work side- by-side to prepare food for distribution.  |
Imperial Breakfast Rotary Club Makes Front Page of the Imperial Valley PressCongratulations Imperial Breakfast Rotary Club for making the front page of the Imperial Valley Press. Imperial Breakfast Rotary club member Mark Graham, Victor Jaime, Carlos Fletes (Darth Vader) and David Barajas (Stormtrooper), made the front page of the Imperial Valley Press during their membership drive at Imperial Market Days hosted on October 28th. The kids and adults loved taking their picture with our dressed-up members. They were definitely a hit at Market Days!"   |
District Conference Demonstrates the Power of RotaryCongratulations to District Conference Chair Dawn Van Siclen and District Governor Chuck Pretto for putting on a very powerful District Conference. Attendees were able to hear from three ambassadorial scholars: from Japan, Kenya and Kyrgyzstan who shared their stories and their goals for peacebuilding and aiding conflict resolution. Representatives from Rady Children's Hospital and Vista Hill Foundation provided a glimpse into realm of mental health services to vulnerable adolescents and teens and provided an overview of how District 5340 is aiding in those efforts through District grants. Mental Health for youth is District Governor Chuck Pretto's key initiative for this year. Breakout sessions gave Rotarians and Rotaractors the opportunity to do what they do best and that is a service project. Opportunities included Words Alive reading kits and putting together hygiene kits for adults. New Generations/Encinitas Rotary Club also had a breakout session. The afternoon was filled with District Grant and Global Grant presentations that really demonstrated the good Rotary is doing in the world and in our own backyard. District grant presentations include:
Following District Grants were presentations on three Global Grants:
The conference wasn't all business, there was plenty of entertainment throughout the day with the highlight being aerialists performing prior to lunch and at the cocktail hour prior to the Foundation Gala. See for yourself some of the great entertainment. The Foundation Gala celebrated the work of the District and RI's foundations and the many personal financial contributions of Rotarians in District 5340. Rotary international Director, Vicky Puliz was in attendance and spoke about how much Rotary has done over the years and how Rotary has changed the course of history over time. A planned giving presentation was delivered by Laura Mello from the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise club. She answered many questions often raised by those who want to help make a difference long-term towards Rotary's charitable mission. Several Rotarians were honored for being the newest contributors to the Foundation's donor programs and just in the span of ten minutes over $1 million dollars was pledged to the RI Foundation. What a magical moment that was! Last, but not least, winners of the costume contest were announced followed by dancing to the music of Matt Heineke and Crown Town Music.
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Torrey Pines Honors the Greatest Generation The Torrey Pines (La Jolla) Rotary Club will honor the greatest generation in a Veterans Appreciation Day celebration on Wednesday, November 9. Twenty veterans of World War II and the Korean war will join us as we thank them for their sacrifices and patriotism. The club and the La Jolla Sheraton each will provide lunches for ten veterans and their companions. Holly Shaffner, Director of Public Relations and Marketing of Honor Flight San Diego, will present a program to help us assure these valued members of our greatest generation that we still value their service. For information, contact Gordon Shurtleff, 858-483-4990 or plssunrise@sbcglobal.net. |
Preparing for a Community GardenOn Saturday, October 22, the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club members got together to dismantle an unsafe and unusable wood structure at the Joint Use Park, Harriet Tubman Village Charter School Garden area. They trimmed plants off pathways and planted succulents along the garden perimeter. Today, a school learning-garden. Soon, a functioning community garden.  |
Rotary Cruise to Change Lives There is still space available to travel Southeast Europe with District Rotarians in April 2023. This is an opportunity to combine a fun-filled vacation that also benefits the Rotary Foundation. Please see first flyer (second one) for more information. Please contact Ron Kohl at rkohl@expediacruises.com as soon possible if you are interested in this adventure. |
Be a Learner in Action Be a Learner in Action! Take the opportunity to prepare for Rotary Foundation Month in November. Club presidents please share these key courses in the Learning Center with your members: |
Rotary and Gates Foundation Extend Partnership Rotary, Gates Foundation extend partnership to eradicate polio. On the heels of Rotary’s announcement at the Global Citizen Festival pledging an additional $150 million towards polio eradication, Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are renewing their longstanding partnership to end polio, announcing a joint commitment of up to $450 million. Read more about the commitment. |
Del Mar Rotary Club Holding Blood Drive The Rotary Club of Del Mar is hosting a blood drive on November 3. The San Diego Blood Bank Bloodmobile will be parked behind the Del Mar Civic Center (1050 Camino Del Mar) from 9 AM - 2:30 PM. Scan the QR code above or click here to book your appointment. Just one pint of blood can help three people in the San Diego community.
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Successful End Polio Bar Crawl Held The Pacific Beach Rotaract Club held a very successful End Polio Bar Crawl last Saturday. They had an amazing turnout. |
District 5340's Walk to End PolioRotarians and Rotaractors came together to walk five of the seven bridges located in Balboa Park to raise awareness and to celebrate Rotary's achievements in eradicating polio. Participants shared in a wonderful breakfast of burritos and mimosas following the walk. A big thank you goes out to PDG Marge Cole, Sesy Enriquez and Jessie Case for organizing this event.   |
Shelterbox Donation by Old Mission Rotary ShelterBox is a Rotary Partner charity that delivers aid to families devastated by conflict or disaster, to give them durable shelter and the tools to rebuild communities. Tim McCully (R) of Point Loma Rotary is our Rotary District 5340 ShelterBox Ambassador. Here Tim accepts a check for $1000 from Old Mission Rotary President Don Krupp. The cost for one ShelterBox is $1000. |
Luis Carranza Nominated District 5340 Governor 2025-26 The District Nominating Committee unanimously selected Luis Carranza to be District 5340 Governor in 2025-26. Luis is a member of the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary club and was club President in 2017-18. Luis is well known throughout the District as a pioneer and an active Rotarian with a BIG heart. He has been the Chair of the highly successful Taste of Ranch Santa Fe for the last several years and been Assistant Governor to 12 clubs. In addition, he has served the District as Foundation Seminar Chair and District Conference Committee member responsible for sponsorships. Please join us in congratulating District Governor Nominee Designate Luis Carranza! |
Veterans Day Military Review, Carlsbad On Friday, November 11th, 2022, the Rotary Club of Carlsbad will co-sponsor a military review with the Army and Navy Academy to honor our veterans and their families. The public event is conducted each Veterans Day, November 11, beginning at 11AM on the football field at the Academy.
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A Haunted Harbor Boos Cruise aboard the tall ship Bill of Rights! HAUNTED HARBOR BOOS CRUISE! 2022 October 22, 2022 5 PM - 9 PM 604 Marina Parkway, Chula Vista, CA 91910 The Rotary Club of Chula Vista Eastlake is scaring up some fun for a great cause on Saturday, October 22nd. Join us for scary appetizers, finger foods & adult beverages aboard the schooner Bill of Rights. You'll have a frightfully good time enjoying the breezy outdoors on the San Diego Bay during sunset. Costumes are highly encouraged. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place! |
Give the Gift of Life On November 1, the Rotary Club of Poway Scripps offers you the opportunity to Give the Gift of Life. To register for this event, you can use the URL above or go to mysdbb.org to schedule an appointment.
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District 5340 Don't Wait Vaccinate Newsletter |
Surfers Unite Members Catch 100 Waves in Single Day for CharityThe 13th Annual 100 Wave Challenge for Boys to Men Mentoring is in full swing. If you aren't aware, numerous Rotarians and Rotaractors from D5340 are involved to support these efforts and there is still time to do your part. Boys to Men Mentoring Foundation based in San Diego is hoping to expand their in-school programs from 33 local Middle and High Schools to 40 by next Fall. Consider partnering your club with them to reach this goal.  |
Feeding Families at Dewey ElementryA few members of the San Diego Rotary Club 33's MAC Committee spent an afternoon volunteering to pass out boxes of dried goods and bags of fresh produce to the families in need at Dewey Elementary. Many of the children who attend Dewey are from Military families.  |
Clothing Drive for Military Women The Rotary Club of Carlsbad is holding a clothing drive for women as part of Operation Dress Code - San Diego Pop-Up Boutique. This clothing drive is currently underway and will conclude on October 24 to give the club time to get all the donations to the location of the pop-up boutique on November 5. There are two locations you can drop of clothing:
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Fishing Event for VetsThis past week, the Point Loma Rotary Club sponsored their Annual Fishing Trip for Veterans Village. Let's just say everyone had a blast!  |
BEERnardo Festival Just Around the Corner Saturday, October 22, 2022 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM VIP 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Webb Park Lake at Bernardo Center Drive & Avena Place Do you remember the good times? We know we do! More than 34 breweries and five wineries will participate this year. Click "read more" for more information. |
Hopeful News from The Rotary Foundation District 5340 has just received our 2nd Ukraine Disaster Response grant in the amount of $25,000. The first $25,000 grant was quickly used for food, transportation, communication, housing and trauma support for the 80+ families here in our own district. This second grant will be used to leverage housing for 24+ families. Many of the women and children have been hosted for 2-4 months and now need to find new housing. If you would like to host a family, know of housing opportunities or just want to support this effort, please contact James Morrison at fiddle505@icloud.com. District funds are available to assist. |
Doing Good in the Community This weekend, the La Mesa Rotary walked to end Alzheimer’s at Liberty Station.  This past week, the Rotary Club of Route 78 presented a check for $1,500 for scholarships to MANA de North County San Diego.  District 5340 leadership ((DGE Don Fipps and DG Chuck Pretto) enjoying all the Rotary Oktoberfest activities around the district.  Incredible and inspiring day with nearly 140 Rotary members from all over the Western US discussing how to launch and improve anti-human trafficking Initiatives in their areas. This summit exceeded expectations! Thanks to Vicki Puliz for championing the day-long Rotary 26/27 Zone Summit, Bob Deering for leading the initiative, and committee members who worked tirelessly to put this on.
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Hurricane Ian Relief If you could change the world, what would you do? Rotary gives you the fellowship, service, network, and the opportunities to make a change. With that said, the Rotary District 6960, which includes all of Southwest Florida, sustained significant damage in the wake of Hurricane Ian and needs our help. This is an opportunity for you and/or your club to help make a difference for individuals and families living in the wake of this disastrous hurricane. Rotary has established a page where you can make a contribution towards the recovery efforts needed to make these communities whole again. We are "People of Action", please consider donating to this very worthy effort. To contribute to the Rotary Ian Relief Fund or to volunteer or provide resources, please click here. |
Join In on the Walk for Polio Plus Join in on the amazing opportunity to walk together as Rotarians and Rotaractors to End Polio! We will meet at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park on October 22 at 8:00 AM. We will do the five bridges walk. Tickets are $20 for Rotarians and $10 for Rotaractors and includes a breakfast burrito brunch after the walk. The deadline to sign up is October 18. To register click here or you can use the UR code above. For more information, please contact Marge Cole at marge.cole@yahoo.com. |
Lions versus Rotary Food Drive Challenge Extended to November 30! ROTARY DISTRICT 5340 has been CHALLENGED by the LIONS CLUBS OF SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL to collect food items for local food banks in San Diego and Imperial Counties. The Challenge between our two Districts will continue through November. DG Chuck Pretto would like clubs to gather donated food item, weigh it and let the District know the total weight amount and then proceed to drop it off at either the San Diego, North County or Imperial Food Banks. At the end of the month, we will compare the amount of food we donate versus what the Lion's come up with for a friendly competition. We have twice as many Rotarians in San Diego as do the Lions, but we know they are motivated to beat us, Let's come together and donate food to one of these local food banks. |
9th Annual Ride the Point November 12, 2022 Liberty Station 2562 Lanning Road San Diego, CA 92106 Organized by Point Loma Rotary Club EXCLUSIVE ROUTES open only once a year! See San Diego like you’ve never seen it before and have the bragging rights that go with it! Ride the Point is limited to 600 riders, registration will close once this number is reached. Family Ride: A 6-mile flat course on bike paths that is perfect for beginning riders, cruisers, challenged athletes, and families. Children are $10, and children in trailers, attached cycles, or child seats are free with adult registration. Registration and check-in will begin at 7:00 am, and the family ride will start at 8:00 am. Click "read more" for other ride options. |
October – Economic and Community Development Month Nearly 800 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. Rotary members are passionate about providing sustainable solutions to poverty. Rotary members and Rotary's Foundation work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities. Rotary provides training and access to well-paying jobs and financial management institutions. ROTARY MAKES HELP HAPPEN. Rotary creates opportunities to help individuals and communities thrive financially and socially. ROTARY IMPACTS LOCAL ECONOMIES. Rotary members train people to become resources for their community, offering networking activities, advice on new business development and financial management training. |
Look to the Rotary Magazine for Key International Efforts The recent detection of poliovirus in New York and the UK is a wake-up call for countries where the vaccine-preventable disease has not spread for years. It is a stark reminder that as long as polio exists anywhere, it is a threat everywhere. In this issue of Rotary magazine, read how a reengineered vaccine is lifting hopes that global eradication is closer than ever. Then, be part of history and help us build awareness on World Polio Day on 24 October. Click here to read the October 2022 issue. The link will take you to your digital copy, which you can read using any common web browser. Rotary, of course, remains as committed as ever to responding to the Ukraine crisis. In another of this month's features, you'll get an intimate look at the story of a family of Ukrainian refugees and the Rotarian in Poland who gave them more than just shelter — told in their voices and through powerful photography. In the Our World section, you'll find six tips on how to provide comfort and care for members — so they can, in turn, better serve their communities. And finally, in the Our Clubs section, we'll introduce you to one club in Australia that is going back to Rotary's foundations to engage young corporate professionals eager for opportunities to give back. One of the ways you can share story tips with us is through letters and emails, so drop us a note at magazine@rotary.org and tell us your inspiring Rotary stories. As always, when you see an article that you would like to share with a friend or colleague, use the Share feature to send them access. |
Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary Grant to Zero8Hundred Old Mission Rotary Executive Club Secretary, Stan Vogelsang, presented a $10,000 grant from the Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary to Zero8Hundred on Tuesday, September 27th during a club social at the San Diego Mission Bay Resort. The funds will be used to upgrade tablets, laptops and other IT equipment. Gerry Mclean (left in photo) is the Lead Peer Navigator for Zero8hundred. The non-profit is actively working to support service members, recent veterans & spouses overcome any challenges during and after their transition to civilian life.
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Poway - Scripps Rotary Club Selling US Flags Patriotism is a year-round celebration, and the Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps is selling American flags. The flags are made in the U.S.A. and priced at $35. You may purchase a flag(s) by contacting Dan at (858) 240-6853. You can pay with Venmo, credit card, cash or write a check to “Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps”. Once ordered, your flag can be delivered to you by a Rotarian, or you may pick up at our distribution center. Proceeds are used to purchase flags and support community service projects. |
Get On Board by Helping Disabled Children & Adults, the Top Women Surfers in the World and At-Risk YouthBy now you've probably read many articles about how Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship is bringing the surfing community together to assist non-profit organizations such as Life Rolls On, Boys to Men Mentoring and other groups. Have you sent these articles to surfers in your club or friends you know in the surfing community? It's just another way you can help grow your club membership. On September 17th, Ranjan Lahiri headed up the Surfers Unite crew at La Jolla Shores along with over a dozen Rotarians including Vince Ponce of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi-Noon, Nicole De Wendt of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad, Nikki Brown and Michael Slentz of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, Derren Lechuga of San Diego Coastal, Krista Davies of Pacific Beach Rotaract and others to assist disabled children and adults. The final Life Rolls On event of the 2022 season took place in Santa Barbara this past Saturday.  Photo credit: Scott James @sjamesphoto Photo credit: Scott James @sjamesphoto Surfers Unite members also assisted with the Nissan Supergirl Pro in Oceanside as the top women surfers in the world competed. The event was won by 17-year-old Sawyer Lindblad of San Clemente who edged out USA Olympian Caroline Marks by 0.40. It was a terrific event in front of over 20,000 attendees. Special thanks to Scott James of San Marcos and Big Kahuna Vince Ponce for their outstanding photography skills as well as our volunteers who assisted in the judges and athlete's area during the three-day event.  Photo credit: Vince Ponce Sawyer Lindblad takes the cape at the Nissan Supergirl Pro Next up, the 13th Annual 100 Wave Challenge for Boys to Men Mentoring for at-risk teens. Volunteers are still needed to pick up food from Pannikin in Leucadia and Board & Brew to assist teams of surfers catching 100 waves each in a single day. That's right Rotarians like Rodger Dougherty of Club 33 has done the 100 Wave Challenge each year and other Rotarians across the county including Derren Lechuga, Brett Morey, Vince Ponce and others have been involved for years. This year the crew is going to break $500k once again to support Boys to Men Mentoring and their hope is that more Rotarians and more club members will get involved in the cause. The need for mentoring teenage boys not growing up with a positive male role model has only escalated since the pandemic. By the end of this year Boys to Men will be in over 30 local Middle Schools and High Schools in our county and the goal is to be in over 40 schools by the Fall of 2023. To volunteer as a food runner, man the Surfers Unite booth October 8th at Cardiff Reef, get more involved or even catch 100 waves yourself reach out to Brett Morey at 858-602-2532 or visit www.surfersunite.org/events for other amazing service opportunities including a November beach cleanup.  |
It Ain't Their First Rodeo! What does The Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps do when it doesn't have any projects? They help others! Over the weekend, some of their members worked the Poway Rodeo and helped with volunteer check in. Yee Haw!
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Fundraiser at Eagle Crest Golf Club October 28, 2022 8:00 AM Check-in 8:30 AM Tee Off The Escondido East Rotary Club would like to invite you to help support their first golf tournament fundraiser to help raise needed funds to support their community projects (projects listed below). Come play golf or sponsor a hole to have a sign at a tee box to advertise your business. For more information on pricing to play or to be a sponsor, contact by email either Kevin Bowcock at or Don Darrock. |
6th Annual Pub Crawl for Polio Pacific Beach Rotaract 6th Annual Pub Crawl for Polio Saturday October 15th, 1pm - 6pm Come join the fun of socializing and checking out some of PB's most famous bars and pubs. These local bars will be slinging awesome drink and food specials and offering a chance to win some awesome local swag and gift cards for the annual costume contest. The theme is Vacation Vibes, and the best in creativity will sweep the competition. So, bring your travel pillow, because this crawl is going to be a trip! All proceeds fund the fight against polio. |
Rotarians at PlayThe Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo knows how to balance work with fun. Fellowship is the glue that binds Rotarians as family. RB Rotarians nurtured their relationships at their annual picnic this past week at Lake Poway Park. Loads of fun, lots of games, some fantastic food and great fellowship brightened the day of all those who attended. RB Rotary is a place to come together to serve others, make a difference and have a lot of fun!  |
Military Celebrated at Coronado Rotary MeetingIn Coronado, Rotary was all about military this past week. President LuAnn Miller welcomed North Island Base Coronado’s CO. “Woody” Clemens and XO Newt McKissick and thanked them for their “Service Above Self” for keeping us all safe and serving our country. And of course, they presented some grants funded by their recent Low Tide Ride & Stride fundraiser. Chair Amy Kesteloot Steward presented Wounded Warrior Homes a check for $23,152 and San Diego Armed Services YMCA, received $7,717. Their speaker was Rotarian Tim Quest, MD, who spoke about the amazing humanitarian cruise of the USNS MERCY that they just completed in the Pacific Rim. Rotarians are everywhere!!  |
Ideas for Strengthening Rotary's Brand Take a good look at the Brand Center. It’s been rebuilt based on your feedback and is easier to use than ever. It features a more streamlined layout, a faster website platform, user-friendly navigation, and improved search. People can also now use the Brand Center without signing into My Rotary. The Rotary Brand Center helps all members tell their stories of service and impact in a unified way that is distinctly Rotary. Now it's easier than ever to learn about using our brand and create materials to increase recognition of Rotary in your community, nearby communities, and even worldwide. A new webpage, Our Brand, can guide you in using Rotary's logos, colors, and fonts to create flyers, brochures, presentations, and other promotional materials with a consistent look and feel. To get started, visit the Brand Center and go to the Our Brand tab. You can also go to the Help section to find answers to frequently asked questions about using the Rotary brand and our brand materials. |
Carlsbad Oktoberfest - October 1, 2022 Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Carlsbad present CARLSBAD OKTOBERFEST October 1, 2022 12:00 - 8:00 PM Come join us at our 40th Annual Oktoberfest Fall Festival event with real German meals from TipTop Meats, kids and adult activities, live German music and, of course, a beer garden by Anheuser-Busch. The beer garden will feature a variety of Carlsbad Oktoberfest beer on tap and wine. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here. This fundraiser benefiting both clubs’ contributions and investments in our community. This fundraiser supports much needed programming to invest in, celebrate and enhance the Carlsbad community.
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Reemergence of Polio Underscores the Need for Eradication The detection of poliovirus, and even cases of polio, in places where it hasn’t been found for years has demonstrated once again that eradicating a human disease isn’t easy, especially in the final stages. In recent months, an unvaccinated man in the United States was paralyzed. In the UK, poliovirus was detected in sewage. In Malawi, a child contracted polio. And Mozambique announced its first polio outbreak in 30 years. But rather than be discouraged, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) remain confident that they are making progress and can achieve their goal of a polio-free world. There are several reasons for this optimism. |
Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps Hosts 57th Parade in Poway Powegians Don’t Let It Rain on Their Parade!Did you know that the Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps selects its parade date nearly one year in advance? The chosen date is usually guaranteed to be the hottest day of the year so you can imagine the Plan B arrangements that were put in place just in case it rained Sept. 10, which was parade date. Fortunately, the rain held, the folks turned out, the bands marched, and the floats floated under their own power. By lunchtime, the 57th Poway Rotary Parade was history. |
Rotarians Participate in I Love a Clean San DiegoMembers of Santee-Lakeside Rotary and other awesome volunteers/friends came out Saturday, September 17 to Lindo Lake for the 38th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day, Presented by I Love a Clean San Diego, the County of San Diego's largest single-day environmental cleanup day. Rotarians picked up trash and cut “suckers” off trees. A really great way to spend a Saturday morning.  |
Vines and Vittles a Smashing Success The Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club held a very successful Vines and Vittles fundraiser on August 14. They captured the essence of this very popular event on video - click here to view.
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The Learning Center is Mobile Sign into My Rotary to use the Learning Center on your mobile device. Learn more with our guide to the Learning Center mobile app. Note that if you forward this email, anyone who hasn’t used the Learning Center before will need to go to rotary.org/learn, sign into My Rotary, and accept the privacy policy before they can access a specific course or learning plan. Direct links to the Learning Center may not work on mobile devices, but you can get to the Learning Center from My Rotary and then search for materials or courses. Visit the Rotary Learning Center Facebook page for the latest course updates, then share them with other members. Take the time to review the Learning Center Mobile App Guide. |
The Point Loma Rotary Club Hosts Supervisor Terra Lawson-RemerThe Point Loma Rotary Club co-hosted the inaugural Point Loma Meet & Greet with District 3 County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer at the Light Box Theater in Liberty Station August 29, 2022. The event attracted approximately 80 residents of the Peninsula region to meet the Supervisor and her staff and discuss County District 3 issues. The event was co-hosted by the Liberty Station Arts District and The Point Loma Association, refreshments were provided by the Mockingbird Improv.  The newly re-aligned County District 3 includes all the coastal areas from Carlsbad to Coronado, which provides a great opportunity for County government to better serve the beach communities of San Diego. As an avid cyclist and surfer, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer spoke eloquently about issues of concern to the Peninsula community including livable communities, protecting the beaches and coastline for current and future generations, and transit issues unique to our community. The Supervisor also spoke about the County’s approach to homelessness which includes a new initiative to increase County Mental Health support and facilities. |
2022 District Conference and Foundation GalaRegistration is closed!Please contact Patty Fortin at pfortin@rotary5340.org to get on the waitlist.  Heroes Unite! Hilton San Diego/Del Mar 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014 October 29, 2022 Join fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors, and guests for a full day and night of celebration and fellowship at the 2022 District Conference and Foundation Gala. Click here for video invitation, The District Conference will take place from 9:00 - 4:00 pm. Check in starts at 8:00 am. Conference is $150 per person and includes: Continental breakfast, plated lunch, interesting speakers, musical & Aerial dance performances, and a raffle. The Foundation Gala will take place from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm with dancing following. Check in begins at 4:30 PM. The cocktail hour and the Aerialist performances is from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. San Diego's best aerial show will only be seen at the Rotary Foundation Gala. Time is running out. Seating is limited. Reservations close in 10 days! Don't miss out on what everyone is talking about. Performances from 5-6:00 PM. Cost is $130.00 per person. Get a discount for participating in both events - $250.  Click here to see a preview of the entertainment. Gala includes informative speakers, formal dinner, Foundations Awards/Acknowledgements, Lancer Dancer performances, and Costume Contest prizes. Matt Heinecke & Crown Town Music will continue the dance party from 8-10 PM. Halloween Costumes are encouraged to be worn for the Gala. To register for the conference and gala, click here.For information regarding event activities, speaker line up and hotel room reservations Click here To sponsor a Rotaractor for the District Conference, click here: Donation | District 5340 (rotary5340.org) Treat Yourself to a Staycation! The District has partnered with the Hilton San Diego/Del Mar to book a set of rooms for the conference at a discounted rate. This is a first come first serve opportunity, and the Hilton San Diego/Del Mar are currently accepting reservations: |
World Polio Day is October 24 As World Polio Day approaches, we’re getting ready to amplify our message about eradicating polio to protect the world’s children from this devastating disease. We’ve made tremendous progress so far, and now’s the time to intensify our fight to make polio the second human disease ever to be eradicated. In 2020, the World Health Organization’s African region was certified free of wild poliovirus, showing that eradication is possible even in very difficult circumstances. |
Come Decorate Rotary's Rose Parade Float Rotarians, come help decorate the Rotary float! Rotary Rose Parade float decorating signups opened yesterday, Saturday, September 10 at 8:00AM. Click here to sign up. To learn more about Rotary's float check out the Rotary Float Committee's Facebook page.
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Encinitas Rotary Club's Food Festival a Success$94,000 raised!!! 17 non-profit organizations were the beneficiaries of this year’s Encinitas Wine & Food Festival. On Wednesday, August 31, Encinitas Rotary Club invited the beneficiaries to collect their donation and speak to the club about the great work they are doing in the community.  |
Attention Club Presidents - Elect Presidents-Elect, District training is about to begin to prepare you for your year as President. If you are your Club’s 2023-24 President and you haven’t received information about Pre-PETS training, please contact Kay Barron at either kaybarronwegner@gmail.com or by phone 714-335-5394 so we can get you included. |
The Gift of Reading The Guatemala Literacy Project is working to reverse the country’s low literacy rates and keep children in school. Joe and Jeff Berninger, two brothers from Ohio, USA, were volunteering at a school in Guatemala in 1997 when they launched a project to provide the school with books. Since then, The Rotary Foundation has helped fund the literacy project with 48 grants totaling $6.5 million. Read more about this project, just one of the ways that Rotary is supporting education.
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Santee-Lakeside Rotarians Join Reading LegaciesOn August 22, for the first time in over two years, the non-profit Reading Legacies' Book Bridges program was delivered to five women in a San Diego women's jail. The impact of the workshop extends to their children and families, who will soon receive a book and a recording of their incarcerated loved one reading aloud to them. There was an immediate positive effect on the group of women. When asked if they felt any different about reading to their child or young family member after completing the workshop, one woman answered, "I am touched mentally, physically, [and] especially spiritually uplifted.” Volunteers talk about the value of reading and its importance in building a bond with their young ones. In this particular workshop women's self-esteem needed to be lifted and with encouragement and group cooperation each participant read aloud, holding the book while a volunteer videotaped the storytelling.  Photo: Rotarians Elana Levens Craig and Sandy Pugliese outside the Las Colinas on their first day as volunteers for Reading Legacies' Book Bridges Program Santee- Lakeside Rotarians Elana Levens-Craig, former special education teacher and school board member and Sandy Pugliese, retired community relations manager and 22-year veteran school board member, were the volunteers to lead the first Book Bridges workshop after two years of not being able to enter the jails. In their words, the experience was “incredibly impactful.” |
Rotaract Representative Erika Rodrequez Featured Erika Rodrequez, District 5340's Rotaract Representative, was recently featured in an online magazine - SDVoyager where she talks at length about everything Rotaract. The story begins 15 years ago when she joined an Interact club and takes her through the many memories and experiences, she has had throughout the years under the District 5340 umbrella. Click here to read story.
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Our Urban Trees Matter – Find Out Why Trees improve the livability of our cities for countless reasons. Your District Environmental Sustainability Committee would love for you to learn more about why urban trees matter by inviting experts to speak at your club. We are putting our best suggestions on the District 5340 speaker’s bureau for you. |
LEAD Is Just Around the Corner The LEAD Conference Is Almost Here … Please Register your Club to Send Students Now! The LEAD Conference is excited to restart the District’s youth camp! Sign your club up today to sponsor students from your local middle school. LEAD is a 2-day weekend leadership camp for 8th grade students where Delegates discuss issues of ethical responsibility, improve leadership and communication skills, develop a positive outlook on service and life, and have fun with new friends. Delegates from middle schools around our District will attend. Please go to the LEAD website, www.rotary5340lead.org, click on the Rotary Club link, click on the Rotary Club Registration Form link, and follow the instructions to complete the form. You may call Paul Pierce at 760-942-9911 or email him at pepjr@peplaw.com if you have questions. Rotarians can serve as advisors at LEAD and share their love of service with a new generation! There is No Cost for you to participate! Please go to the LEAD website, www.rotary5340lead.org, click on the Advisors link, click on the Advisor Application Form link, and follow the instructions to complete the form. Questions … you may call Paul Pierce at 760-942-9911 or email him at pepjr@peplaw.com. |
District Environmental Sustainability Committee Hosts Meeting This Month The District Environmental Sustainability Committee is hosting its monthly meeting on September 12th, 2022, 6-7:00 PM and you're invited! Elayna Flanders, Volunteer Director, is thrilled to come share the volunteer experience offered by the Nature Collective, formerly known as San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy. |
Ramona Fundraiser Yields $3000Ramona Rotary rocked their fundraiser held in August. They brought in $3000 in proceeds to go towards scholarships. Rotarians from other clubs participated and showed their support for Romona's philanthropic efforts.  |
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month Around the world, some 773 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Most of them are women. Many of them are locked in poverty by a lack of education and opportunity. In the September edition of the Rotary magazine, they will take you on a photographic tour of a Rotary-supported literacy project in Guatemala that is changing lives by helping children to stay in school and inspiring them to dream big. Click "Read More" for additional information and the link to this article.
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Catching 100 Waves in a Single Day for Charity! In 2018 Brett Morey, founder of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship and past president of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle joined a group of friends on the Degree 33 Surfboards team to catch 100 waves each in a single day. The group raises funds and awareness for Boys to Men Mentoring. Boys to Men is a 501(c)3 located in Spring Valley that provides mentorship and accountability to at-risk teenage boys growing up without a positive male role model. The statistics and results support the vast need for this fabulous organization as kids who get into gangs, drugs and make bad choices not only get into the Juvenile System but repeat a cycle of bad choices as adults unless others step in to turn their lives around. Boys to Men is "turning the tide" with weekly in-school meetings in over 33 local San Diego schools and has volunteers and staff helping teenage boys stay in school, improve their grades, graduate on time, pursue a career or university studies and most importantly learn self-worth.
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Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship Takes Disabled Children & Adults SurfingOn Saturday, August 27th a group of Rotarians and Rotaractors from throughout Southern California got together in Huntington Beach to take over 80 disabled children and adults surfing. Perhaps you've heard of Life Rolls On Foundation which started 20 years ago by Jesse Billauer. Jesse was rising through the ranks to become a professional surfer when he hit a sandbar and suffered a life altering neck injury which left him a quadriplegic. That hasn't stopped Jesse from pursuing his dream or giving others along the way the freedom to enjoy the water.
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East County Rotary Clubs Attend SocialEast County Rotarians from Santee-Lakeside Rotary, La Mesa Sunrise Rotary, La Mesa Rotary and the El Cajon Rotary clubs got together in fellowship at Hooley's Pub in La Mesa. District Governor Chuck Pretto was there to thank Rotarians for all the things they do for the betterment of the community. Everyone had a great time. There is something special about these types of gatherings. The energy is remarkable and the genuine interest in knowing each other better is palpable.   |
Help Support District 4100's Humanitarian Effort Our sister District 4100 needs our help District 4100 has been impacted by rains, and unfortunately the communities of Guayamas and Empalme were affected the most. District 4100 is asking for our assistance in securing needed household items and financial contributions so that we can buy the necessary materials to aid our Rotarians in the affected communities. Contact information is noted in the flyer above. |
Start Preparing for World Polio Day World Polio Day provides an opportunity to highlight global efforts toward a polio-free world and honor the tireless contributions of those on the frontlines in the fight to eradicate polio from every corner of the globe.
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Old Mission Rotary Helps Staff the STAR/PAL Back to School Event at Colina Del Sol ParkOn Saturday, August 20th, Old Mission Rotary helped staff a STAR/PAL back-to-school event at Colina del Sol Park that included distribution of free back packs with school supplies. STAR/PAL is a nonprofit organization operating out of a facility in Colina Del Sol Park in mid-city that is dedicated to bringing youth and law enforcement together. Their programs are led by officers of the San Diego Police Department and are free of charge to youth throughout San Diego. The program is a way to promote peace and understanding in the community between residents and police. Old Mission Rotary has participated in several of their events in the past year and was the STAR/PAL Community Partner of the Year for 2020.  |
District Designated Funds Aids Afghan Refugees The San Diego Women’s Foundation Collaboration Committee (SDWF) has partnered with Rotary District 5340 and the Carroll C. Long Charitable Fund at The San Diego Foundation to support Afghan refugees in San Diego County through a collaborative funding cycle.
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Celebrating VeteransMax Gurney, long-term member of the Torrey Pines Rotary club attended a luncheon on Sunday, August 13th celebrating veterans who have completed an Honor Flight trip. Honor Flight is a national organization that escorts veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit all of the war memorials. Max participated in the jam-packed trip and although a WWII veteran, Max was most impressed by the Korean War Memorial. Max participated in Operation Torch (North Africa), Operation Husky (Sicily). Monte Cassino, the liberation of Rome, the Gothic Line campaign and the liberation of Milan. Max enlisted shortly after Pearl Harbor and was being trained for the artillery when it was noticed that he was fluent in French and Italian, and he was transferred to Army Intelligence. |
Rotary Statement on Recent Polio Detections in U.S., Europe The recent detection of the vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 case in New York, USA, and isolates in several environmental samples collected in London are stark reminders that as long as polio exists anywhere, it is a threat everywhere. It also highlights the importance of vaccination as the only form of protection against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases and the work that needs to be done in our communities to encourage the uptake of vaccines. Also, as the world gets closer to zero wild poliovirus cases, it is increasingly important to track all forms of the virus wherever they may appear, including in polio-free regions. |
Be Part of One of the Hottest Parties in Del Mar! Tuesday September 13, 2022, 5:30 to 8:30 PM Del Mar Plaza - Ocean View Deck 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014 Come enjoy the Del Mar sunset from the top of beautiful Del Mar Plaza. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Del Mar, the Sunset Soirée features hosted wine, beer, and cocktail tastings, hors d'oeuvres generously provided by the best restaurants in the Del Mar area, live music and an all-around great social experience! Take in the dazzling skyline view as you mix and mingle on Del Mar’s best view deck; sunset is at 6:58 p.m. so there will be plenty of time to view the auction items and bid on your favorites. |
Save the Date - Baja Style Lobster Fest Join the Del Mar/Solana Beach Rotary Club for a fun evening of good food, friends, music and dancing on the patio of the beautiful Del Mar Hilton. A Flamenco guitarist will greet you on arrival followed by a served Lobster dinner at your table. After dinner, enjoy the lively music of Hot Rocks San Diego (dancing is encouraged). This year the event will support two major beneficiaries - Just in Time for Foster Youth and Casa De Amistad. A percentage of the proceeds will also be spread over many other programs that benefit underserved youth, our military, our community and selected international, literacy and humanitarian projects. Please register at www.dmsblobsterfest.com. Call Vicky Mallett at (858) 245-7968 with any questions.
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Fundraiser at Eagle Crest Golf Club The Escondido East Rotary Club would like to invite you to help support their first golf tournament fundraiser to help raise needed funds to support their community projects. Come play golf or sponsor a hole to have a sign at a tee box to advertise your business. Join us on October 28 for an 8:30 tee off. Check in time is 8:00 AM. For more information on pricing to play or to be a sponsor, contact either Kevin Bowcock at bowcockk@stifel.com or Don Darrock at ddarrock@bhhscal.com. Click read more to see what community projects will benefit from this fundraiser. |
Del Mar Rotary Supports LifeguardsThe Rotary Club of Del Mar love supporting the Del Mar lifeguards. They recently donated funds for the purchase of new rescue surf boards. Every second counts when someone is in distress in the water, and these light, maneuverable boards allow the lifeguards to reach people faster. Rescue boards were involved in nearly all of the 700 rescues the lifeguards have made so far this year, so they are a critical part of keeping Del Mar Village beachgoers safe.  |
Get ready to Imagine What’s Next with Rotary! Rotary members like you are taking action and creating meaningful change in communities worldwide. At past conventions, you’ve seen what we can accomplish when we come together and share our passion for Doing Good in the World. We’re excited to keep the momentum going in 2023. Join us in the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia, May 27-31 to connect with other people of action. We’ll hear from great speakers, enjoy fantastic entertainment, take part in inspirational breakout sessions, and so much more. Register today to receive the reduced rate. Don’t wait, because this rate expires on December 15.  |
Healthy Living Expo San Diego Coastal Rotary Club will be partnering with Gente Bonita Magazine for the Healthy Living Expo 2022 scheduled for Saturday, August 17 at 27th Embarcadero Marina Park North from 9-2:00 PM. This is a one-day event where there will be interactive activities hosted by leaders in multiple disciplines. It's an event for whole family where you can learn more about the many different ways you can improve your health, including wellness, nutrition, beauty, fitness and sports. When you are done, you will have the tools to live a healthy lifestyle. Get your free tickets today! |
Vines & Vittles A Huge SuccessVines & Vittles 2022 is a wrap. On a warm Sunday in August almost 800 people attended Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club’s Vines & Vittles held at Webb Park. They had families, young marrieds, single folks, grandparents, and more. 48 booths filled with local restaurants, breweries and wineries providing tastings that were a huge hit. The event had local artisans and various non-profits promoting their mission. The main stage entertainment - The Shirt House Band and Mariachi La Victoria de San Diego serenaded the crowd for three hours. There were a lot of kids enjoying demos by Gyminny Kids, the Club’s own comedic ventriloquist Joe Gandelman, learning a golf swing at Red Line Athletics, and listening to some of their friends play their instruments at the Bach To Rock booth. Meanwhile, they were able to enjoy lemonade, ice cream and popcorn in the kid's refreshment zone as well as play a ton of games in the Game Stop. The figures aren't finished yet, but the Club’s goal was to raise funds to support the community service activities of the Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club Foundation and the Rancho Bernardo Historical Society, and they are thrilled with the preliminary result. |
Cabo Smiles August 2022Rotary District 5340 members Dr. Jeff Moses and lead nurse Patricia Hunter from the Rotary Club of Carlsbad and Rotary District 4100 members President Lucia Hatfield from RC Los Cabos led the Rotary-Smiles International Foundation surgical mission to Cabo Smiles August 2022 this last week. 14 babies and children received cleft reconstructive surgeries performed under intensive pediatric general anesthesia. Have a look at this short 3-minute video reviewing our beautiful team's experience.  |
Buddy's BackpacksOn Saturday, August 21 bright and early, several Rotarians from the Santee-Lakeside Rotary volunteered to help distribute 900 backpacks to kids gearing up for the new school year. The day before, Rotarians and others filled the backpacks with supplies in just one hour thanks to the great organizing skills of those who set up. Saturday, backpacks were distributed at a drive-up location at Rio Seco elementary school. They were all gone within 1.5 hours! Everyone who volunteered did an amazing job. One family was so excited to be able to get backpacks for their school-aged children that the mother shared they were homeless. As she left, she honked the horn to show her appreciation. What a feel-good moment! The program is named after Buddy Robaya who was one of the founders who passed away in 2020 and the program continues to grow each year. The entire Santee community has embraced Buddy’s Backpacks. All the supplies and backpacks are donated by community members and organizations. |
2022 National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day Today is National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. San Diego Coastal Rotary Club is working toward raising community awareness throughout this upcoming week due to the importance of increased awareness and education to prevent further serious injuries and deaths resulting from fentanyl, especially as it is dramatically affecting our youth with high incidences of accidental overdoses. Please click read more to learn how your club can help through education. |
The Rotary Club of Del Mar's Soiree Returns September 13 marks the return of the Rotary Club of Del Mar’s 18th Annual Sunset Soirée Gala and Auction. Join the merriment at 5:30 - 8:30 PM on the ocean-view deck of the Del Mar Plaza. This event is a celebration of the Rotary Club’s work in the community and the new and exciting projects to come. Enjoy an intimate evening with the sunset as your backdrop; you will partake in fabulous food and beverages, as you appreciate exciting entertainment and lively conversation. Tickets are on sale now at www.delmarsunsetsoiree.org. With ticket purchases you can delight in food from the Del Mar area’s finest restaurants paired with wine, from local wineries and tasting rooms, as well as beer and tequila. Doors open at 5:30 PM with a silent auction, complimented with tastings and libations from the area’s best restaurants, wineries and microbreweries, followed by a live auction. Click read more for additional information. |
Pacifica Beer Fest PACIFICA BEER FEST September 3, 2022 Let’s support our sister District!!! Join the fun on Saturday, September 3 in Ensenada. Have fun and support Rotary projects. Proceeds will be used for community projects. There will be live music, craft beer, amazing food and more. To purchase tickets, click here. |
Flapjacks for BackpackOn Saturday morning, August 13 at 6:00 AM, the Rotary Club of San Marcos and the MHHS interact Club were being of service at the Boys and Girls Club's Flapjacks for Backpacks fundraiser. They helped set up, handed out backpacks and cleaned up after the event. Over 700 backpacks filled with school supplies and books were distributed.  |
Compost for Vegetable GardensOn Saturday, August 13, several Rotarians from the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club met up at Tubman Village Charter School to unload a huge pile of compost for their vegetable garden. The work was fun, and the company of volunteers was great. Thanks for all those who support schools in your community, and especially for ensuring students learn about healthy eating.  |
From Disappointment to ExcitementAs we all look to see what we can imagine Rotary to be, several Rotarians in District 5340 found themselves doing something very creative to assist back-to-school students of the Preuss School. It was a last-minute project for the Rotary Club of San Diego Coastal and several other Rotarians who came to the rescue of students who found themselves at the last minute, prior to school opening, having to take public transportation when their school lost its contract for bus services. These are disadvantage kids from Southeast San Diego, many of whom have never taken public transportation before and would be faced with one to one-and-a-half hours of travel time. Rotarians collaborated with the school's PTA to get some information out to parents quickly in different languages. Rotarian of the Year Fernanda Torres volunteered her translation skills to make sure the communication was accurate and understandable. Volunteers were assigned to greet the students at trolley stops to make sure students made their transfers and got onto the correct trolley to and from school. |
Take Me Out to the BallgameOn Tuesday, August 9, Rotarians from District 5340 came together to enjoy baseball and fellowship. Padres versus the Giants. It's always nice to be able to say the Padres won 7-4 but, even more important, to say that everyone who attended had a great time.  |
Rotary MusiCamp Shreds the Gnar in Del MarThanks to the Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship crew, almost a dozen symphony musicians from France, Germany and Mexico along with a couple local San Diego Youth Symphony young adults were taught how to surf in the 8th Annual Rotary MusiCamp Learn to Surf event which was held at 18th Street on July 29th. Surfers Unite Founder and Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle Brett Morey started this event back in 2012 as he had hosted a student from Germany. Brett asked his dear friend, the late Gary McElroy of San Diego Downtown Breakfast, “Gary, what if I took these kids surfing before they fly back to their countries"? He was all for it and so the tradition began in 2012. This year surf coaches consisted of Big Kahuna Vince Ponce of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi Noon, friends in the surf community Gary Giffin and lifetime members Danny Quisenberry (Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi Noon), Brett Mattei (Rotary Club of Del Mar), Mark Matthews (Rotary Club of La Mesa, Derren Lechuga (San Diego Coastal Rotary Club) and fellow Rotarians of La Jolla Golden Triangle Michael Slentz, Ranjan Lahiri and Karla & Brett Morey. Surfers Unite events are another great way to bring in potential members and share the stoke of Service Above Self. |
La Jolla Sunrise Rotary's 3rd Annual Walk for the Trail You are invited to join in on the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary's 3rd Annual Walk for the Trail fundraiser scheduled for September 16. This year’s event includes amazing views of the La Jolla coastline and Pacific Ocean during a .6 mile "Walk with Rotarians” and is followed by an outdoor "After Party" at an exclusive La Jolla Coast Walk residence. The After Party includes cocktails, dinner, dancing and an auction. All proceeds go to preservation of the Coast Walk Trail. Please contact Randy Large; Rlarge1@aol.com or (858) 922-5449 with questions. |
Poway Scripps Rotary Club Knows How to Have Fun in the SummerSummer is well underway, and members of the Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps kicked it off at the Scripps Ranch Symphony in the Park. Sponsoring the concert series is just one of the club's many projects it supports. Combining business with pleasure is what we call attending the District Governor's Dinner. What a way to welcome our incoming president, Sumedh Bahl. Last year, Villa de Vida opened in Poway but due to Covid was unable to celebrate. This year the club organized and provided food for the one-year anniversary. This 52-unit apartment complex is dedicated to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The residents are able to live as independently as possible with support and community enriched activities to meet their needs. It wasn't all work though as members made time to take in a Padres game. As summer winds down, the club is busy organizing the 57th Annual Poway Rotary Parade to be held Sept. 10. |
August is Membership and Club Development Month August is Membership and New Club Development Month, a time to recognize our members and the incredible work they do locally and globally. In 2021, many Rotarians around the world worked together to curb the pandemic through vaccination drives. After a long year of uncertainty, hope is on the horizon. In 2022 many clubs began efforts to help refugees escaping the war in Ukraine. There are so many ways to engage members. Are you sharing your story? Click read more for additional information on how your club can attract new members. |
RYLA is Back!
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Time to Start Planning for the 4-Way Test Speech Contest It's time to start planning this year's Rotary 4-Way Test Speech Contest. The District's 4-Way Test Speech Contest is a huge amount of fun for the clubs and the students and is one way for us to recruit future Rotarians! Together we can offer a hand in helping our youth find their voice for the future. There are several good reasons to participate. Click read more to find out what they are. |
Club Profile - Rotary Club of Del Mar Sharon Schendel is the President of the Rotary Club of Del Mar. She shared on the club's website that for most of her life, she was content to be in the background, taking direction from others. The members of the Rotary Club of Del Mar and the projects they spearhead inspired her to take a leadership role. She shares that every day, members of Rotary Club of Del Mar imagine how they might make the world a better place. She has captured the essence of the club in a video that shows how the Rotary Club of Del Mar's projects are helping enhance their own community, and communities around the world. We are using this video as the club profile for this outstanding Rotary club. To view the video, please click here. We highly encourage Rotary clubs to make use of technology and social media to tell your stories. Let's spread the word about how we can imagine a Rotary that truly makes a difference. This video is an outstanding example.
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El Cajon Rotary Holds Successful FundraiserAt this year's "Margaritaville" fundraiser for the El Cajon Rotary, the Club "Raised-the-Paddle" in honor of Rotarian Harold Brown who recently passed away and was the CEO of the East County Transitional Living Center (ECTLC) raising donations in the amount of $14,600 for the organization. In addition, the evening netted ~$29,000 plus a $20,000 match from the El Cajon Rotary Foundation. The combined amount will allow the Club to distribute grants totaling ~$49,000 at the Club's annual "Grant Dinner Night" in September.  Photo: Left to Right: Joe Mackey, Gala Chair, Jacky Brown, ECTLC, Helen Zamora, ECTLC, Ivan Andujar, ECTLC, Alison Cummings, club member, & Stu Scott, President. |
DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2025-2026 NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED The District 5340 Nominating Committee is now accepting completed application forms for the Governor of District 5340 for Rotary Year 2025 – 2026. The application deadline is October 10, 2022. All nominations must be submitted on the District Governor-Nominee Application Form. Fully completed forms can scanned and emailed to Dan Gensler at dgensler@rotary5340.org or submitted to the District mailing address: District 5340 – DG Nomination Committee, 5052 Clairemont Drive #178651, San Diego, CA 92117. Interviews will take place on Saturday, October 22, 2022. |
Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame Welcomes Three into its RanksRotarians Bill Chaffin, Mike Fuqua and Jim Hyldahl become newest members of the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame. Bill Chaffin, Mike Fuqua and Jim Hyldahl were honored for their leadership and contributions with membership in the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame on Saturday evening. More than 80 community members gathered for the celebration at Silvergate Rancho Bernardo to welcome the three men into the elite organization. They are the 122nd, 123rd and 124th inductees since the organization formed in 1974. The RB Hall of Fame recognizes those who have contributed significant volunteer leadership in the community. Chaffin was to be honored in March 2020, but the ceremony was postponed due to COVID shutdowns. He has since moved from Poway to Las Vegas. His business partner, Alex Monroe, accepted Chaffin’s award on his behalf. The organization did not select honorees in 2021. The Class of 2022 members are Fuqua, who lives in The Lakes neighborhood west of Rancho Bernardo, and Hyldahl, a Poway resident. Both were nominated by 2019 inductee Don Glover. Glover spoke first of Fuqua’s contributions following 25 years as a Naval aviator and subsequent career in the defense industry. They met nine years ago, and Glover invited Fuqua to a Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo meeting. That led to Fuqua being the club’s 2017-18 president, an RB Rotary Foundation chair and an assistant district governor for Rotary District 5340. His community contributions include creating the Vines & Vittles festival, a fundraiser benefiting Rotary projects and the RB Historical Society. Its inaugural festival in 2019 raised $90,000. Fuqua also made sure that through Rotary tens of thousands of dollars in funding and assistance was provided during the pandemic to community members, including caregivers and students, Glover said. His other volunteer activities included assisting with RB’s Spirit of the Fourth festivities. “Mike shows one can be a leader and also a worker bee and this is why he deserves to be in the RB Hall of Fame,” Glover said. “I am very surprised to be standing here today, as surprised as I was several months ago ... (when told) I was selected,” Fuqua said during his acceptance speech. “I was literally speechless. To think of the leaders who have been given this, it is just beyond belief that I was selected for this. ... I am honored to be part of that group.” Fuqua said soon after attending his first meeting he knew Rotary would be his home. “I discovered that I get more than what I am giving, and the Rotarians have become family,” he said, noting how Rotary’s motto is “Service above Self.” “We take the idea of service seriously and I’d say we’ve done pretty well. We like to think of ourselves as people of action ... we know we are making a difference.” Saying none of the successes in his careers or life would have been possible without the support of Patty, his wife of nearly 51 years, Fuqua dedicated his RB Hall of Fame award to her. Glover also spoke of Hyldahl’s many contributions to RB following 17 years in the health industry and another 41 in the investments field. Hyldahl joined the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo in 1997 and was president in 2005-06. He is its foundation past-president and has led the club’s community service efforts for the past four years. His leadership in community service has made tangible improvements in RB residents’ lives, Glover said. Hyldahl spearheaded free neighborhood cleanups — three were held in Seven Oaks, two in Oaks North and this spring the project expanded to Westwood. “Each (clean-up) helped 200-plus families each time,” Glover said. It was Hyldahl’s leadership that got Rotarians over the past two years to replace more than 90 Neighborhood Watch signs in Seven Oaks and Mirador, Glover said. Glover also mentioned Hyldahl’s volunteer work on the Poway Symphony Orchestra and Guide Dogs of America nonprofit boards, his early support for the Pathway of Pride and volunteerism with Spirit of the Fourth. When speaking to the crowd, Hyldahl said the Rotarians have become his extended family and he enjoys what he does. “I love community service, I really do,” he said. “I am pleased and privileged to be here tonight with good people and givers to others.” Hyldahl said his volunteerism did not begin until age 57 when he joined Rotary. In retrospect, Hyldahl said he wished he had realized the value of community service when he was younger. Addressing his two grandchildren, who are now 20 and 30, in the audience, he said he wants them to learn this lesson at a younger age. “Giving is better than receiving, you have 10 times the joy,” Hyldahl said. “Your median age is 25. I waited 32 years beyond that to engage in service to others, after I was financially secure, and my children grown. “I missed the opportunity for fuller life experiences that beginning at your ages I would have met,” he said. “Begin now so you can experience giving to others in need. Find a service venue ... whatever course you choose your grandparents will be there to support you.” As for Chaffin, nominator and 2009 inductee Marty Judge praised him for his fundraising leadership that benefitted the community in many ways. Judge said he first met Chaffin in 2000 through the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo. Soon after, Chaffin introduced him to the Blue-Sky Ecological Reserve in Poway, for which he was raising more than $200,000 to construct an amphitheater, paved areas and build walking trails. “He transformed it from an eyesore to a garden spot,” Judge said. In 2004, Chaffin came up with another fundraising idea, this time to benefit the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation that would use the funds to provide many RB organizations and projects with community grants and grow RB’s endowment. He promoted a program that raised more than $100,000 for the RB foundation’s efforts when hundreds of community members went on cruises over the years, Judge said. “Bill Chaffin is a master fundraiser,” Judge said. He also recalled how in 2009 Chaffin led the Palomar Health Foundation’s fundraising efforts for hospital construction and other needs. Judge said Chaffin’s predecessor as board chair raised $2.1 million for the campaign. During his year leading the board Chaffin’s efforts led to $4.75 million collected. For seven years he also led the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club’s Rancho BEERnardo Festival. In its most recent year, it attracted a crowd of 1,000 and raised $120,000, Judge said. |
A Look at the E-Club of San Diego Global The Rotary E-Club of San Diego Global was started in February 2016 and is one of the few Rotary E-Clubs in the District. We meet once a month via Zoom to connect and discuss our projects and we also invite guest speakers to converse about relevant topics to Rotary’s mission. We engage our members and visitors virtually, but we also meet in person a few times a year. We are a group of professionals from all backgrounds and diverse countries united by the purpose to help our local and global communities. We are a small Rotary Club with a strong international focus. Many of our members have international roots and are interested in supporting global Rotary projects. In the brief time we have been chartered we have collaborated with other clubs and organizations and completed District and International grants. Some of these grants are: |
The 8th Grade LEAD Conference Is October 15 & 16, 2022 We are bringing back the 8th Grade LEAD Conference. This year, it is scheduled for October 15 and 16, 2022. It has been three long, frustrating years since the last in-person Rotary youth conference. Come join in the fun as the LEAD Conference restarts the District’s youth program conferences! Sign your club up today to sponsor students from your local middle school. Lead will be held at the Cuyamaca Outdoor School, a San Diego County Office of Education campus. Please go to the LEAD website and click on the Rotary Club Registration Form link and follow the instructions to complete the form. You may call Paul Pierce at 760-942-9911 or email him at pepjr@peplaw.com if you have questions. |
District Environmental Sustainability Committee The next meeting of the District Environmental Sustainability Committee is on Monday August 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Elektra Fike-Data and James Berry from Tree San Diego will present and discuss Realities about Tree-related Initiatives in San Diego. As many Rotarians and clubs are interested in tree planting projects for their neighborhood and cities throughout San Diego County, we will learn the current opportunities and challenges to implement such projects. To join the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87048212060?pwd=eVhUbllrZXphYU9PU1BRdUxoVXlMUT09 Meeting ID: 870 4821 2060 Passcode: 569075 |
Stop Human Trafficking People of Action Summit – Human Trafficking Liberty Station Conference Center San Diego, California October 1, 2022 Human Trafficking worldwide is the second largest criminal activity, second only to drugs. Whether forced labor or sex trafficking, it is in every corner of the United States and your community is not immune to this heinous crime. As Rotarians or members of our communities, we need to be at the forefront of combatting modern-day slavery. Leave with an action plan and a play book for your district or club that will allow everyone to protect their families and community. |
Africa Peace Concert The Peace MGI Team Lead Emmanuel Katongole is working with a dedicated group of volunteers to plan several days of activities for RI President Jennifer Jones and her husband and guests who are traveling to Kampala the first week in September. There is one event in particular that all Rotarians can participate in and that is the in-person and virtual Africa Peace Concert that will take place Friday, September 2. You have the opportunity to view the concert if you make an online gift on Rotary.org to either the Rotary Peace Centers endowment or the Peacebuilding and Conflict Area of Focus between July and September. When you do so, you will receive a virtual entry to the concert. It could not be easier. Click read more to view the How to Pay document that gives you details. |
Rotary - Voluntary Contribution for Rotaractors to attend District Conference Rotarians, we are offering the opportunity for Rotary clubs to provide a voluntary donation to help Rotaractors attend the District Conference on Saturday, October 29th in Del Mar free of charge.  |
Clubs Join Together to Clean Up Wildlife Refuge Area Chula Vista Eastlake and Coronado Clubs cleanup Wildlife Refuge in a combined effort, Chula Vista Eastlake and Coronado Rotary Clubs hauled trash out of the San Diego Wildlife Refuge at the Swiss Park Staging Area in Chula Vista. This is the second time these clubs have done this and the trash haul remains large and diverse with box springs, a basketball backstop, and golf clubs added to the bags and bags of trash! Doing our part to protect the environment and serve our communities! |
Wine, Dine and Song The Rotary Club of Ramona invites you to their upcoming Wine Dine & Song charity event benefiting their Rotary scholarships. The event will be held on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, from 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM. The location for this night of song is the Vineyard Grant James, 25260 East Old Julian Highway, Ramona CA. The cost is $35 per person and includes a catered buffet meal and one drink ticket for water/wine/soft drinks.
For More info: contact Cheri Choy, 619-721-9656, cchoy54@gmail.com or Christie Carlson, 760-703-0792, christie@sanvicentemortgage.com To purchase tickets: https://bit.ly/3O17HSs or send a check to Ramona Rotary at P.O. Box 276, Ramona, CA 92065. |
57th Annual Poway Rotary Parade Mark Your Calendar! The Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps is pleased to announce that the Palomar Health Presents the 2022 Poway Rotary Parade is scheduled for September. 10, 2022. This year’s theme is, “We Are Family”. The club is delighted to again be working with Palomar Health as the parade’s title sponsor. The grand marshal is former San Diego Charger Cory Withrow. Withrow played with the team 2006-2008. He is the owner of King’s Craft Coffee Co., in Poway. In addition to parade favorites and regular entrants such as classic cars and horses, this year’s event will include a pet parade. In the first ever inclusion, Rotarians are eager to invite family and friends to participate in the parade with their lovable furry friends! There will be a contest for most unique pet, best dressed pet, and best float with a pet in it |
Happy 100 Leon Williams The Honorable Leon Williams celebrated his 100th Birthday on July 21, 2022 at the San Diego Rotary Club. Leon joined Club 33 as an Honorary Member in 2011 and was the 2016 recipient of the Mr. San Diego Award for his contributions to outstanding community improvement for the San Diego region in a variety of ways, through his efforts over a long period of time. California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber spoke about those contributions and all in attendance joined in singing Happy Birthday accompanied by the International Youth Symphony. Visit https://bit.ly/LeonWilliams100 to send your birthday wish to our beloved Leon Williams!
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Membership Workshop Slated for August 20 DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORKSHOP August is Membership Month and with that in mind, we are pleased to announce that our District Membership Workshop has been scheduled for August 20, 2022, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The workshop will take place via Zoom.
This Workshop is intended for Club Presidents, Membership Chairs/Committees, and all Rotarians who want to learn how to help their clubs, and to help Rotary, grow and thrive. The link to the registration page is: https://rotary5340.org/event/membership-workshop-for-district-5340. |
Taste of Rancho Santa Fe The 8th Annual Taste of Rancho Santa Fe Event will be held Sunday October 9, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00PM. Purchase your tickets soon before the event sells out! Visit the club's event website at |
We Are Searching for Volunteers District 5340's sole reason for existing is to support Rotary clubs within its boundaries and operates with volunteer support. The District provides support and resources to assist clubs in serving their members and communities. A variety of positions are available on District committees which include, Membership, Training, Public Image, Youth, International, District and Projects & Events. There is a special need for several Sergeant-at-Arms to help manage our events. Most positions require 1 year of Rotary membership, Assistant Governor positions require 5 years of membership. |
Deadline for District Grant Applications for 2022/23 is Tomorrow, August 1 DEADLINE IS MONDAY, AUGUST 1. District Grant applications for Rotary Year 2022-23 need to be entered into matchinggrants.org by August 1, 2022. Applicant Clubs must meet all the qualifications listed below: |
Building Homes - Changing Lives This video is for your club to use on your website, social media channels, during meetings and/or discussions with community sponsors and partners to highlight just one of the events that our Rotary Clubs hold throughout the year. We hope it will not only create excitement around our Rotary organization, but also within our own Rotary Clubs to spark ideas, creativity and energy. The video can be found on YouTube and here is the link to access it:
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Rotarians Give a SheetThe Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club among many other organizations identified the Christian-based East County Transitional Center (ECTC) as one of its key non-profits it likes to support. The Center provides transitional living and programs and services that restores the lives of those who are homeless. Well-trained case managers, knowledgeable about specialized assistance for this type of homelessness, The Center see themselves as a community, not a shelter and provides a "way-out" of an untenable situation for this large segment of the homeless One of the ways the Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club helps ECTC is engaging in a very simple project supporting a very basis human need - toilet paper! Club members each contribute packages of toilet for East County Transitional Living Center because “Rotarians Give a Sheet.” This drive concludes at the Club's installation dinner. It's a fun project and everyone looks forward to participating. To learn more about ECTC, go to https://www.ectlc.org/.   |
Corked Carlsbad Join us Saturday, July 30th for a festive night tasting North County’s finest wines, local beer, yummy food, live music and rejoicing in community and summer. This event takes place at the renowned Carlsbad Flower Fields. Tickets are limited - act fast! Order tickets now for yourself, family and friends! All attendees are required to show a government issued ID upon entrance and be 21 years of age or older. General Admission: $75 Early Access Pass: $125. To learn more about the event and to register click here. |
Highlights from the Rotary International Convention 2022 With over 70 breakout sessions, the 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas, marked a successful return to an in-person event. All 12 livestreamed sessions are now available on demand. You can view the virtual program online and register and watch on-demand content through 31 August. |
Meet District Rotaract Representative (DRR) - Erika Rodriguez Erika Rodriguez is this year's District Rotaract Representative (DRR), who will be the point of contact for all things Rotaract in our District, alongside Jessie Case, Rotaract District Chair. The DRR provides support to all the Rotaract Clubs, grows the Rotaract brand awareness, and oversees the Rotaract District council. |
Rotary Cruise - Save $750.00 Act Now AmaWaterways is celebrating their 20-year anniversary in July, so for this Rotary cruise slated for April 2-9, 2023 they activated a $750.00 per person discount only for this month. There are still a few Balcony Staterooms left, so book your room soon. For more information, please contact Ron Kohl at 858-518-0983 or by email at rkohl@expediacruises.com. The itinerary can be found here: |
Opportunity to Learn More About the Role of Governor Join us for an informal gathering to discuss the role of District Governor (dinner included). This is a great opportunity to ask questions and meet folks who have held the role in the past. WHEN - Thursday, August 4, 2022 DINNER - 6:00 PM - Hosted by Janice and Matt Kurth LOCATION - 7225 Rue De Roark, La Jolla, CA 92037 Please RSVP to PDG Dan Gensler - dgensler@rotary5340.org or call 1, 619-972-7290 |
Join Us for a Night of Baseball August 9 Cheer on your San Diego Padres Tuesday, August 9 at 6:40 pm against the SF Giants! Tickets are only $40/each and seats are located at The Point, under the scoreboard. What’s better than baseball? Baseball with 50 Rotarians!
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Coronado Earns Honors at 4th of July ParadeCoronado Rotary won two prizes in the renowned Coronado July 4th parade: The Andy Szymanski "Mr. July 4th" Sweepstakes prize for best overall float and the John D. Spreckels Prize for Division Winner. The float demonstrated all the community, regional and international projects our club manages each year along with honoring our forebears who won this country's independence from England.  |
Interested in Playing Softball? District 5340 is putting together a co-ed softball team in preparation for an upcoming binational game with members of District 4100 (Baja California). Currently the District has six people interested and is looking for four additional players. The exact date and time of the game is TBD, but we’ll be playing down in Tijuana sometime in the fall. If you’re interested in joining, let Derren Lechuga, Youth Services Director - San Diego Coastal Rotary Club know, and he will begin coordinating with everyone on days/times/locations to hold practice sessions. Derron's contact information is derren.a.lechuga@gmail.com and his phone number is 951-764-6890. This sporting event is to help build relations between Districts 5340 and 4100. Eventually, we are looking to create a Rotaract division for this binational game and are looking to tie it to the end-of-the-year District Conferences. |
Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship Featured in Rotary VoicesFor those who don't know, the 18th Annual Switchfoot BroAM was a huge success as over 17,000 gathered at Moonlight Beach for a full day of surf contests, surf jousting and over 5 hours of live music. Our immediate Past District Governor Dan Gensler stopped by to witness the action including folks stopping by the Surfers Unite booth to get plugged in as potential new Rotarians. The Swithcfoot BroAM raises over $220k annually for at risk charities and thanks to the leadership of Rotary 5340 and Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship they are able to support the event to benefit A Step Beyond, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Feeding San Diego, Monarch School and Save the Music Foundation. You can read more about this amazing Rotary Fellowship in Rotary Voices as your District Governor Chuck Pretto is a Big Kahuna Lifetime Member along with Founder Brett Morey. https://blog.rotary.org/2022/06/30/a-rotary-fellowship-that-shreds/ Don't miss the July 29th Rotary MusiCamp Learn to surf event in Del Mar as well as other fun activities designed to involve the family of Rotary as well as bring Rotary into the surf community. Ever been to the Supergirl Pro in Oceanside or Life Rolls On events with disabled children and adults? Check out the Surfers Unite site now and register as a volunteer, sign up as a member and buy some cool Rotary gear including embroidered hats, sweatshirts and UV 50 Dri-Fit shirts at: www.surfersunite.org.  |
Coronado Rotary Provides Grant to Warrior Foundation Freedom StationAt the first Coronado Rotary Meeting of the new leadership year led by President LuAnn Miller, the club awarded a $12,000 check to Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. The Wolf Pack, made up of a team of amputees who play basketball, inspires the July 4th crowd by shooting baskets through the hoop on the Coronado Rotary float as it glides down Coronado's main street. They are supported by the Warrior Foundation, which helps active duty and medically retired soldiers. The grant will pay for special ultralight wheelchairs for Wolf Pack members and a customized wheelchair for a paralyzed Marine, among other necessities for battle injured warriors.  |
Come Hear Dan McAllister Speak The La Mesa Rotary Club invites anyone interested in hearing San Diego Treasurer/Tax Collector, Dan McAllister speak to join them on Wednesday, July 13 at noon to 1:30 p.m. Buffet lunch is at noon ($20 visitor lunch price). The Club meets at the La Mesa Recreation. Center located at 4975 Memorial Dr., La Mesa. Please email Sue Richardson if you plan to have lunch at SRichardson@Ci.la-mesa.ca |
District Environmental Sustainability Committee Rotarians are invited to join in the district's first meeting of the year of the Environmental Sustainability Committee (Committee). Learn about the committee goals for the year and share your ideas on how the Committee can support your projects and your club! The meeting is on Monday July 11, 6:00 -7:00 p.m. The zoom link to attend the meeting is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87048212060?pwd=eVhUbllrZXphYU9PU1BRdUxoVXlMUT09. |
Reminder to Club Presidents One of your first tasks as new club leaders is to take the opportunity to take advantage of District Governor Chuck Pretto's desire to showcase each club in District 5340. Your club profile could include service projects, international grant projects, membership gains, goals, special recognitions, etc. It's your story to tell. Club presidents are asked to submit an article of club highlights s to Newsbits Editor, Sandy Pugliese at sandyp304@gmail.com. Sandy will create a folder and will select one or more highlights to be included in each week's edition of Newsbits. The hope is to showcase each club by the end of the year. Your article should be no more than 500 words. Please also send 3-5 pictures in jpg. or pgn. format. She will take care of the rest. If you have any questions, you can contact Sandy at 619 813-8922. |
2022 District 5340 Awardees Announced One of the great parts of the Governor's Dinner is the announcement of Rotarians/Clubs who have earned special recognition. These awardees are selected by the outgoing Governor. This year, in front of 400 attendees, the following Rotarians/Clubs received recognition: RI MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD Mike Whitehurst RI "SERVICE ABOVE SELF" AWARD Marge Cole PEOPLE OF ACTION AWARDS Rachel Hopkins Karen Strabala Suzanne Manual LuAnn Miller Kitt Williams Jeb Bakke Susan Hennefent James Morrison Jane Simeral Tim McCully ROTARACTOR OF THE YEAR Derren Lechuga ROTARACT CLUB OF THE YEAR City Heights Rotaract Club BEST CLUB AWARD Small Size Club - Rotary Club of San Diego Downtown Evening Medium Size Club - Rotary Club of Del Mar Large Size Club - Rotary Club of Coronado ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR Fernanda Torres Congratulations to everyone receiving an award. Your efforts to do good in the world has been exemplary and model the potential for greatness in all of us. |
Ever Thought of Becoming a District Governor? Join us for an informal gathering to discuss the role of District Governor (dinner included). This is a great opportunity to ask questions and meet folks who have held the role in the past. WHEN - Thursday, August 4, 2022 DINNER - 6:00 PM - Hosted by Janice and Matt Kurth LOCATION - 7225 Rue De Roark, La Jolla, CA 92037 Please RSVP to PDG Dan Gensler - dgensler@rotary5340.org or call 1, 619-972-7290 |
Vines and Vittles Family Festival Vines and Vittles Family Festival, a western themed Fun Family Festival, features a variety of local food vendors highlighting their favorite “vittles”. To go along with the “vittles,” local vintners and craft breweries offer wine and beer tastings. A trading post features crafts from local artists while local performers fill the afternoon with music and entertainment. DATE: Sunday, August 14, 2022 TIME: 2-5 PM LOCATION: Webb Lake Park – Rancho Bernardo Tickets are $40 - Purchase online |
July is New Leadership Month July is Rotary’s New Leadership Month. Congratulations to all the new Club Presidents! Rotary has designated months to help clubs Develop meeting agendas, projects, or public image campaigns based on these special occasions. The Concept is to give all the clubs of the District a Ready Reckoner of the types of Service Projects, which could be conducted, during the year, and help plan the activities of the year, mostly based on the Rotary Calendar i.e., Rotary Designated Months. Call to Action One of your first tasks as new club leaders is to take the opportunity to take advantage of District Governor Chuck Pretto's desire to showcase each club in District 5340. Your club profile could include service projects, international grant projects, membership gains, goals, special recognitions, etc. It's your story to tell. Club presidents are asked to submit an article of club highlights s to Newsbits Editor, Sandy Pugliese at sandyp304@gmail.com. Sandy will create a folder and will select one or more highlights to be included in each week's edition of Newsbits. The hope is to showcase each club by the end of the year. Your article should be no more than 500 words. Please also send 3-5 pictures in jpg. or pgn. format. She will take care of the rest. |
We Have a New Governor Governor Chuck Pretto and his wife Cindy Koby Pretto Please congratulate Chuck Pretto, District 5340 Governor 2022-2023 Chuck holds his BBA, MBA, and JD Degrees from the University of San Diego. Chuck and his wife, Kim Kobey, run Kobey's Swap Meet, San Diego’s largest open-air market. Kobey's recently celebrated its 47th year in business. Chuck is active in several community organizations. He has served on the boards of the San Diego Red Cross, the San Diego Crime Victims fund, the San Diego Community College Foundation Board, Midway Planning Committee, and was President of the Business Improvement Association for the Sports Arena area for 10 years. He also served as President of the National Flea Market Association his industry’s premier organization; he currently sits on the Board of the California Swap Meet Association. |
Meet Rotary's First Female President Rotary International President Jennifer Jones is ready to hit the ground running as she takes office 1 July as the first female president in Rotary history. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor Roseland, Ontario, Canada, and founder and president of Media Street Productions, an award-winning media company in Windsor. Having previously served Rotary in a variety of roles including vice president, director, and Rotary Foundation trustee, her talents have strengthened Rotary’s reach and impact. Learn more about Jones in a profile in the July issue of Rotary magazine. Watch the presidential changeover ceremony on Facebook. |
Fallbrook Independence Day Pancake Breakfast Looking for a way to celebrate July 4? Pancakes! Sound good? Well, sure it does! The Rotary Club of Fallbrook will hold its second annual Independence Day Pancake Breakfast on Monday, July 4, at the Fallbrook Community Center. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 10:30 AM and there will also be face painting and a Dog Show. $12 for adults, $5 for kids ages 4 to 12, free for kids 3 and under. Proceeds benefit the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
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Comforting Toys Donations Needed Thousand Smiles Foundation is in need for small clean stuffed animals, gently used or new for the August 5-6 dental/surgical clinic in Ensenada. The young kids are given them when they see the doctors and dentists, often for the first time ever. The toys help reduce the child’s anxiety in a new setting. Makes a good project for Interact and/or Rotaract clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as well. Please email kimmuslusky@gmail.com for more info.
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The Changing of the GuardOn Thursday evening, June 30 something magical happened - the transfer of responsibility from the outgoing Governor to the Governor-Elect. All of this set before 400 Rotarians representing all the clubs within the district. It was a night of great celebration and fellowship. President-elects were sworn in as well as the new governor, all under the backdrop of RI President Jennifer Jones' new theme of "Imagine Rotary" welcoming the 2022-2023 Rotary year. Outgoing Governor Dan Gensler highlighted the many accomplishments of his year including a world-class District Conference and the partnership with Project Mercy with several homes being built by Rotarians in Mexico. Telling a story of its own is the combined effort of all Rotarians in District 5340 in achieving some significant milestones: A total of 650 projects were conducted this past year providing 60,000 volunteer hours and reinvesting $2.5 million back into our local communities. There is no celebration without a lot of recognition and this night was no exception. Congratulations are extended to District 5340 Rotarian of the Year Maria Fernanda Torres Garcia, Rotaractor of the Year Derren Lechuga and City Heights Rotaract Club named Rotaract Club of the Year. Three clubs earned recognition as Clubs of the Year in the small, medium and large categories and they were Coronado Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Del Mar and the San Diego Evening Rotary Club. Marge Cole received the Service Above Self and received a standing ovation for all her work. People of Action Awards were given to Rachel Hopkins, PR Chair and Jeb Bakke, International Chair. What a sendoff of the prior Rotary year and the welcoming the new Rotary. Congratulations to all. |
Thank You to Outgoing Governor, Dan Gensler |
The Sun Shined on the Low Tide Ride and StrideThe Rotary Club of Coronado held their Low Tide Ride and Stride June 18 with over 500 participants. It was a very low tide and a beautiful day for a beach event. Proceeds raised benefits Wounded Warriors. Rotary District 5340 Members.  |
Bro Am Beach Fest a Huge SuccessLa Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club and Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship participated in the Bro Am Beach Fest at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. The highlight was the smiles on the faces of the disabled children with the Challenged Athletes Foundation who had a chance to ride waves with experienced and professional surfers. Many people stopped by the Surfers Unite booth to inquire about joining Rotary. Congratulations is extended to Rotarian Brett Morey who coordinated this event.  |
RI Approves District 5340 Grant to Aid Ukrainians GREAT NEWS! - District 5340 will receive a $25,000 DISASTER RESPONSE GRANT from The Rotary Foundation to support Ukrainian refugees right here in our own District! CONGRATULATIONS to James Morrison, District Foundation Treasurer and member of Point Loma Club and his team for getting approval of their Disaster Response Grant (DRG) for Ukrainian refugees in our local area in RECORD time!! How can you or your club help? We need assistance with housing. While temporary is appreciated, longer term housing is needed in order to minimize families moving from house to house on a frequent basis. In addition, we need Rotarian volunteers for various tasks in reaching out to families and directing assistance. Since the conflict began, our District has been receiving Ukrainian refugees. Many families have mothers with small children, while the fathers remain in Ukraine. They are in need of food for host families, housing, clothing, transportation and more. If you or your club have identified families or want to volunteer, please click here. |
Thousand Smiles Holds Successful ClinicOn June 11 Thousand Smiles Clinic hosted a Loma Linda Dental crew to hold a clinic for some of our pediatric patients with special needs. It was a great success! We are continuing to find more ways to serve the needy in Baja. Rotarians routinely help support this effort through fundraisers and active participation at the clinic in Ensenada.  |
Super Cow Needs a Home! |
