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 for Rotaractors its $10. 

 

To register click here or you can use the UR code above.  For more information, please contact Marge Cole at marge.cole@yahoo.com.

 

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!   

 

 

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.
 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

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 for the entire month of October. 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.

 

 

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.

 

By 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.

 

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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!

 

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. 

 

 

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.

Click here to buy tickets.
 

The 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!

 

 

In 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!!

 

 

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. 

 

 

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.

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.

 

Members 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. 

 

 

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. 

 

The 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. 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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.  

$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. 

 

 

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 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.

On 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.  

 

 

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.” 

 

 

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.  

 

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.

 

The LEAD Conference Is Almost Here …
Please Register your Club to Send Students Now!

 

 

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.

 

 

Ramona 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.

 

 

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.  
 

 

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.

On 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.

East 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.  

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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. 

On 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.

 

 

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.   
 

Max 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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.  

 

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.  
 

The 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.

 

 

 

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 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. 

 

 

Rotary 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.  

 

On 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. 

 

 

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.

 

 

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

September 3, 2022

 

On 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.  

 

 

 

 

 

On 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.

 

 

As 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. 

 

On 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.  

 

Thanks 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.

 

 

 

 

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 and better than ever.  There are a lot of details, including credits that relate to the unfortunate cancellation last year so please click read more to get all the details.  To sign up for ongoing updates for this year's RYLA, click here.

 

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.  

 

 

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.  

 

Rotarians 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.  

 

 

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:

 

 

 

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.

 

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.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.
 

 

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

 

 

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!

 

 

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.

 

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  www.tasteofrsf.org.  Click video to preview Taste of Rancho Santa Fe.  To learn more about the event, click read more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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:  

The 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/.

 

 

 

 

 

To learn more about the event and to register click here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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!  Purchase your tickets now!   Only 13 tickets left, so get your tickets now!

Coronado 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.

 

 

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.

 

 

At 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.

 

 

 

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 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROTARACT CLUB OF THE YEAR

 

 

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. 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

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.

On 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.

 

The 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.

 

La 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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

On 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.  

 

 

The Care ‘n Share Toy Drive, a project of Torrey Pines Rotary Club taking place now through July 4th is looking for a home for Super Cow!  Super Cow is 4 ft tall, 4 ft+ wide and 4 ft+ deep. Hospital Infantil would love to have Super Cow in their reception area, however they are concerned that they won’t be able to take Super Cow across the border, and thus we need to find Super Cow a good home.

 

The Santee Lakeside Rotary Club provided a $2,000 grant to ElderHelp of San Diego.  Elder Help will use the grant to fund incontinence supplies to seniors in our community.  ElderHelp's mission is to provide personalized services and information that help seniors remain independent and live with dignity in their own homes.

 

 

WOOHOO -- The final design and Float Theme has been approved by Rotary, The Tournament of Roses and the RRPFC Board.  HERE IT IS ,,, TA DA!!

 

There are so many ways to get involved - help decorate, be a walker, be an ambassador or have your club become a club ambassador. Show Rotary to the world!

 

 

The Rotary Club of Coronado celebrated with pride the announcement from Rotary International that Nancy Nguyen has been selected as a Rotary Peace Fellow. She will be attending the University of Queensland in Australia for the Masters of Peace and Conflict Studies, an 18-month fully funded program.
 
The conflict in Ukraine highlights the need for motivated individuals applying their energy and expertise to the achievement of worldwide peace.
 
“This is a real honor for us as a club and as a district,” said Rotary 5340 District Governor Dan Gensler. The district includes 61 Rotary Clubs consisting of 2,790 members in San Diego and Imperial Counties. 

 

The Rotary Peace Fellowship is designed for leaders with work experience in peace and development. Rotary Fellows are committed to community and international service and the pursuit of peace. Each year, The Rotary Foundation awards up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and 80 for certificate studies at premier universities.
 
Many Rotary Fellows go on to careers with governments, the military, law enforcement, NGOs, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank. 

 

The work of actively building peace and understanding has been a hallmark of Rotary since its earliest days. With the creation in 1999 of the Rotary Peace Centers.

 

The Rotary Club of Fallbrook Scholarship Committe members Teresa Mendelson and Penny Johnson represented the Club as they handed out $10,000 in scholarships to Fallbrook Union High School students at the school's recent awards ceremony.

 

 

 

The 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas, USA, offered plenty of inspiring moments as Rotary’s global network gathered in person for the first time since 2019, following two conventions that were held virtually because of COVID-19. The convention offered participants new horizons to discover through in-person events and a robust schedule of virtual offerings (with recordings available through 31 August). The Rotary world now looks ahead to next year’s gathering in Melbourne, the sparkling second city of Australia. Learn more.  

 

 

Get out your Hawaiian shirt and join in on the fun.  The El Cajon Rotary Club is having its annual fundraiser with a Margaritaville theme.  The event begins at 5:00PM at the Elks Club in El Cajon and will feature dinner, music and dancing, along with a silent and live auction.  Sponsorships are available.  To register to attend and purchase tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a hobby or passion you would like to explore with friends from around the world? Do you want to build community around your profession or cultural identity globally? Rotary’s Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion or identity. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience. Watch this video to learn more.  For a list of Rotary Fellowships, click here.

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary presented $41,500 in scholarships to Carlsbad students at a recent awards ceremony. Twenty-one students from Carlsbad High, Sage Creek and LaCosta Canyon received awards from the club through its scholarship raffle and AVID scholarships. Thanks goes out to the club's Scholarship Team: Steve Ahlquist, Chairman, Raegan Matthews, Gloria Foote, Rachel Ivanovich and Ken Clark.

 

On June 2, 2022, the San Marcos Rotary Club awarded over $8,000 in scholarships to students at the three local high schools, Palomar College and CSUSM.  

 

Pictured is President Dana Albert, the scholarship winners and their families!  

 

Come join us for Friday Date Night with Comedy.  The San Marcos Rotary Club is hosting a Comedy Night fundraiser on Friday June 10th at 6PM at Jacked Up Brewery in Escondido. 

 

Proceeds benefit youth programs at San Marcos Unified School District.  Tickets are $50, which includes one drink and one appetizer or two drinks.  Let’s laugh! it’s for the kids! Tickets can be purchased on the Club's website at sanmarcosrotaryclub.org. 

 

 

 

If you were unable to attend this year's Rotary Convention in Houston taking place this weekend, consider going next year.  

 

Imagine What’s Next is the theme for the 2023 Rotary International Convention, coming to beautiful Melbourne, Australia. Register and pay in full before June 8, 2022 and you’ll be able to take advantage of a special limited time promotional rate. Whether you’re new to Rotary or a longtime member, the Melbourne convention will be an unforgettable experience.

Don’t miss your chance to Imagine What’s Next at the 2023 Rotary International Convention. Learn more at convention.rotary.org today!

The San Diego Downtown Evening Rotary Club had the best time hosting the Flamenco Night Gala. The profits generated by the Gala will go to the Rotary Foundation and to Father Joe’s Villages (Dental Clinic).

 

 

The Rotary Club of Del Mar held their Chili and Quackers event on the beach in Del Mar. The lifeguards did a rescue demonstration and then proceeded to drop thousands of plastic ducks in the ocean and watched to see who arrived on shore first. Lots of fun had by all. 

 

The San Marcos Rotary Club spent their Rotarians at Work Day volunteering at the North County Food Bank.  They had a whole team of Rotarians out preparing food for distribution.  

 

 

 

 

On May 19-22, 2022, Rotary Districts’ 5340 and 4100 clubs of Carlsbad and Tecate joined together to host their May 2022 Tecate-Smiles in partnership with the Smilesinternationalfoundation.org which has helped thousands of children achieve their abilities to eat, speak, hear and smile more normally. One in 600 births in the Americas, from Canada down to Argentina, are born with congenital facial cleft conditions.  Through this last month's efforts in the midst of COVID precaution, well over 600 remote video/internet screenings were performed resulting in 40 potential individual children being scheduled for surgeon and anesthesiologist clearances for safe performance of reconstructive surgery at the Rotary Centennial Hospital clinic at Cerro Azul, Colonia Hindu, Tecate, Mexico. Out of these, 10 children passed all health and family COVID testing and received 44 reconstructive surgeries changing their lives forever. 

Their care was supported by the local Tecate DIF director, Maria Quijada, the Tecate general hospital directors, the entire membership of Rotary Club of Tecate, several Rotary Club of Carlsbad past and president-elect and members, the Rotaract Club of Tecate and Smiles Action Volunteer Group (past USA Rotaract students), and Doctors, Nurses, surgical technicians and volunteers from the Rotary Club of Scottsdale, AZ.  All of this was coordinated through the Smiles International Foundation located in Encinitas, CA with District 5340 Carlsbad Rotarian Dr. Jeffrey Moses. 

Many District 5340 matching grants from the Rotary Club of Carlsbad have helped to provide surgical equipment for these efforts. 

 

 

The Ramona Rotary Club distributed $12,000 in scholarships this year. Nine $1,000 and six $500 scholarships.  

The Tenth "So You Think You've Got Talent San Diego" was great fun!  The show, sponsored by Old Mission Rotary Club, took place on Saturday, May 14th at Francis Parker School.  Profits generated from this event will be used to fund the Thousand Smiles Foundation and the Old Mission Rotary Foundation.

 

 

 

Please join San Diego Coastal Rotary Club for a virtual meeting with Kike Calvo on Wednesday, June 1 at 6:30 pm. Award-winning photographer, journalist, and author Kike Calvo specializes in culture and environment. He has been on assignment in dozens of countries, working on stories ranging from belugas in the Arctic to traditional Hmong costumes in Laos. Kike's images have been published in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Time, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair, among others. Kike pioneered the use of drones to produce aerial photography as a tool for research and conservation. He has authored 15 books including Drones for Conservation. 

 

 

The Torrey Pines (La Jolla) Rotary Club will resurrect the Care’n’Share Toy Drive, its signature project, at the San Diego County Fair next month. Before the fair was suspended because of Covid, the club collected more than 100,000 stuffed animals donated by fairgoers. Its goal this year is to collect at least 12,000 stuffed animals for the benefit of hospitalized children in local hospitals.

 

 

Want to grow your club?  Sign Up to volunteer at the Switchfoot BroAM and extend an invitation to friends in the surfing community to join as well.  Rotary District 5340 is thrilled to support this event along with Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship as they have been one of the largest volunteer organizations annually supporting the BroAM as well as a sponsor.  What is the BroAM?  Imagine 17,000 on the sand at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas for a full day of surf contests, surf jousting (knocking folks off surfboards with sticks) and 5 hours of live music including local bands and Grammy Award artists Switchfoot.  Need a clip to better understand it?  Here ya go!  https://youtu.be/nRo0viR0szc.

 

The Rotary Membership Social event Thursday night was wonderful.  There was plenty of food, drinks and great fellowship.  There were many Rotarians in attendance but most importantly, there were 25 potential Rotarians in attendance.  A shout out goes to Ron Kohl who put both of District 5340's membership socials together.  

 

 

The 10th Annual City2Surf was held last Saturday in Del Mar.  San Diego based non-profit Hope Leadership Academy offers City2Surf, basketball and football camps as well as after school activities designed to ensure that youth from fatherless homes in underserved communities receive support, guidance and a plan to break the cycles of divorce, poverty and hopelessness.  Brett Morey, Founder of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship and Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle has been involved for eight of the past 10 years.  According to Brett, “We simply couldn’t pull off this annual event without our amazing volunteers and friends in the surfing community.”  This year’s crew included: Big Kahuna Lifetime Member, Vince Ponce of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi-Noon, Big Kahuna Jim Johnson who came down from Orange County with a few friends and Big Kahuna Brett Morey and his fiancé Karla Pieto.  Jim is the incoming President of the Rotary Club of Irvine which is another example of how this remarkable Rotary Fellowship is building relationships within the family of Rotary.  Surfers Unite now has members in 35 countries as well.  Lifetime members of Surfers Unite included: Brett Mattei, Past President of the Rotary Club of Del Mar, Lifetime member Danny Quisenberry of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi-Noon and over 15 friends in the surfing community.  Uriah Mirandon of Del MarSurf Sessions generously supplied the boards, instruction and wetsuits for free.  Rotarians in D5340 should contact Uriah’s team for private surf lessons.

 

 

Santee-Lakeside Rotary club members and kids and Santee Food Bank volunteers assisted local postal workers with the Post Office's annual Stomp Out Hunger Food Drive.  This is an annual county-wide effort with donated items typically going to the San Diego Food Bank.  For years, the Santee-Lakeside Rotary club has worked with both the post office and the Santee Food Bank to ensure items collected in Santee go to the Santee-Food Bank where Santee residents can be served. 

 

On May 15, Rotarians unloaded postal trucks and reloaded 4,718 pounds of food onto another truck.  The effort was supported by local businessman Kyle Whissel and Whissel Realty Group who donated a large delivery truck to help get the food items from the post office to the Santee Food Bank.  Once there, the Santee Food Bank volunteers sorted the donations to be distributed at a later date.  The Santee-Lakeside Rotary club also assists the food bank with monthly deliveries to shut ins living in the local mobile home parks.  

 

 

 

Join us for Refugee Day on Monday, June 20, 2022 at 6:00PM at the Chula Vista Golf Course and Venue located at 4475 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.

 

Those Rotarians interested in helping support refugees coming into San Diego, here is an opportunity to participate in some fun while investing financially into programs that support and uplift our refugee population.  For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Dr. Rasha Roshdy at sdeducator2014@gmail.com.

Calling all Financial Advisors! Help a Human Trafficking Survivor Thrive

 

Your District Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force is collaborating with GenerateHope to provide a financial advisor to mentor one survivor a month for one hour on the basics of budgeting, saving and other necessarily skills. Doing so will help these brave individuals thrive as they take back the lives they deserve. Your help would make a major impact!
 
We need your help! Contact Dave Oates at david@publicrelationssecurity.com to learn more.

In concert with Project Mercy, six new houses were built from April 23 - 30, 2022 for six happy families.  Thanks go to the Cox and Meziere families, Ware Malcomb Architects and colleagues, and Chula Vista and Encinitas Rotary Clubs.

 

 

Project Mercy was really pleased to welcome back Encinitas Rotary after a two year hiatus due to the pandemic. Pat Davis spearheaded the event and was equally pleased to be able to welcome a lot of new Rotary and Interact members and share the house building experience with them. Encinitas Rotary has been a supporter of Project Mercy for many years and our longtime framers Chris Malek and Fritz Stelhern got back to working with them with the addition of a couple of our Mexican crew. Their family was the Arce Martinez family of seven. Mother Maria and the two youngest children stayed and played around the new construction all day. When she saw the completed new home, Maria broke down in tears, it was a touching moment for everyone.

 

 

Long-time friends Carmen Sandoval and the Chula Vista Rotary crew worked with the lead of Mike Meziere on April 23 to build a home for Concepcion Ramirez Tafolla and her extended family. Concepcion’s husband died a few years ago and she struggles to raise eight children on her own. Her daughter Alexandra has just had a new baby girl and Carmen was excited to bring them gifts for the baby as well as much needed food and items for the rest of the family. They spend nearly all their hard earned money from selling donuts on the streets, to pay for the land. The gift of a house and supplies paves a new way forward and gives them hope for their future.

 

Join the Rotary Club of El Camino Real (Oceanside) and the Rotary Club of Oceanside for a fun filled day of golf, food, and fellowship! Bid on their special virtual auction items, win special prizes including a $10,000 hole-in-one on a designated par 3! Participate in their sponsorship opportunities! All proceeds go towards furthering their efforts to support their community through various educational, youth, and homeless programs. For more information and to register visit the tournament website at www.trellis.org/rcogolf2022. 

 

Since the first Rotary Peace Centers welcomed peace fellows 20 years ago, more than 1,500 of them have gained the experience, skills, and networks they need to build peace in their communities and around the world. Collectively, program alumni are making a tremendous impact through their work as leaders in conflict transformation, as well as in the areas of community and international development that make conflict less likely to occur. Rotary’s long-term commitment to peace education will continue to support leaders in the future. In fact, the peace centers program will expand, with the addition of a new certificate program in the Middle East or North Africa by 2025. This truly is a long-term investment. 

 

Learn more about the Rotary Peace Centers.

 

ClubRunner is offering a Changeover Training Series for 2022 to help better prepare you for this upcoming Rotary year. They're holding a series of free webinars to help you brush up on your ClubRunner skills and knowledge.  This is a don't miss opportunity.

Join them for these in-depth webinars starting on May 5 and continuing until May 21, 2022. New this year, they're offering both beginner and advanced level webinars for certain modules. These training sessions are open to all ClubRunner users at no cost.  If the date has passed - no worries - they are recording each session.  

Hosted by expert Product Specialists, they will be presenting webinars based on roles, club or district versions, and in-depth module deep dives. There will even be live Q&A available during and after the webinar!

 

Click here to view 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.

 

 

 

 

 

The much anticipated and universally touted Rotary Club of Del Mar CHILI AND QUACKERS is back!   Live and in person, the Rotary Club is hosting the 14th annual Chili & Quackers challenge.  Join the fun for all ages at Powerhouse Park, 1658 Coast Blvd, Del Mar, CA on Saturday, May 21 from noon until 3:00 PM.

 

 

If you missed out on the first Membership Social on May 5, you have another opportunity on May 19, 2022.  The District Membership Social is open to all Rotarians and an opportunity to invite potential Rotarians to meet and socialize.

 

Del Mar-Solana Beach Rotarians and friends helped the Nature Collective clear non-native plants at the San Elijo Lagoon and San Dieguito County Park on Rotarians At Work Day. 

 

 

 

If you haven't signed up to assist with the Sat. May 14th City2Surf event in Del Mar be sure to get "on board" today as Rotarians throughout the county including Interact and Rotaract members as well as friends in the surfing community will take more than 50 inner city kids from Southeast San Diego and the South Bay surfing in Del Mar.  City2Surf is a Learn to Surf program supported by Hope Leadership Academy, a faith based 501(c)3 organization and this can be a great opportunity to serve with arts and crafts, helping kids get in and out of wetsuits, photography and of course pushing kids in the water.  There are already 20 volunteers signed up however there are a few open positions so contact Brett Morey at 858-602-2532 or register at: www.surfersunite.org/events.

 

 

Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Del Mar selected to work at Nativity Prep Academy on Rotarians at Work Day doing a variety of tasks.  

Nativity Prep Academy is a private-independent, all-scholarship Catholic middle school and college-preparatory program for young men and women from low-income families who represent the first generation to graduate from college. Eleven years of support empowers our students to excel through high school, college, and beyond, becoming role models and leaders in their communities.

 

The Rotary District 5340 Cinco de Mayo membership social at Aqua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation was a blast!  95 Rotarians and guests had a wonderful time celebrating Cinco de Mayo while taking the opportunity to meet and greet fellow Rotarians and potential Rotarians.

 

If you missed it, there is a Membership Social for San Diego on May 19 at the Legacy Center Mission Valley, so get in on the fun and fellowship by signing up on the District website. 

 

Rotarians from Chula Vista Sunrise and Eastlake Rotary Clubs joined together with community members last week at Otay Elementary School to assist with cleaning up the garden. A shed was built, weeds were removed, and countless other tasks undertaken. Rotarians coming together on Rotarians at Work Day!

 

 

 

 

Come join us for an evening of fellowship as we cheer on our Padres team.  Seats are located in left field at "The Point".  Game Ticket: $35.00, 40.00 and $41.00 | Limit per person: 5 game tickets.

The electronic ticket(s) will be emailed to you by Patty Fortin, 5340 District Administrator, 30 days before game day.  Here is the lineup:

 

Tuesday, July 5, 2022 | Game Starts at 1:10 PM

 

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022 | Game Starts at 6:40 PM

 

The annual Goat for Joe Golf Tournament and Mental Health Fair is a fundraising event orchestrated by Dana and Andrea Albert through the San Marcos Rotary Club Foundation.  Our presenting sponsor is Lawyers Title San Diego.  This was created in memory of Joseph Aaron Nunez, Andrea's brother, who passed away by suicide in March 2017.  There are several families in North County San Diego that may have a "Joe" in their lives that is struggling with mental illness such as suicidal behavior, anxiety, depression, schizofrenia, bipolar disorder, or any other debilitating mental disability.

 

 

Join the Encinitas Rotary Club for this celebration of international wines, spirits, local microbrews and outstanding cuisine from some of the region’s finest restaurants and caterers.  

 

The 19th Annual Encinitas Wine & Food Festival is being held at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course. Guests will enjoy the beautiful grounds and ocean view, sample the wines and beverages from around the world, and taste the best dishes and desserts from our local restaurants and caterers. It’s truly a memorable occasion!  Carpool & Win! Those who carpool with four or more to a car will have access to priority parking and be entered into a special prize drawing. 

 

For more information: Email: info@EncinitasWineFestival.com or go to the event website:  www.EncinitasWineFestival.com.

Feeding America was the beneficiary of the work by Santee-Lakeside Rotary club Rotarians and friends.   Rotarians sorted corn - good from bad - and then bagged for distribution. Mixed in were some worms/caterpillars, which caused a few ‘ewes” before members purged them from the corn.   Nothing was wasted. Discarded corn will be sent to a farm to feed pigs and the birds will love the worms. Altogether Rotarians bagged 1200 pounds of usable corn on the cob which will feed 600 families.  To make the Rotarians at Work Day better than ever,  District Governor Dan Gensler and Governor Nominee Don Fipps joined in on the fun.  

 

The Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club has distributed funds to Carol’s House managed by the CRC. The funds will go to support the CRC’s Carols House. Opened in 2004, Carol’s House is a 24-bed emergency shelter for all victims of domestic violence; it offers residents a safe home for 45 to 60 days in the emergency shelter while receiving concurrent services. The club is so very pleased to give these funds to a very worthy local charity.

 

 

 

Youth Service Month is a special time in Rotary. Throughout the month of May, members of Rotary clubs, Rotaract, Interact, and those involved in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) and Rotary Youth Exchange celebrate the opportunities Rotary provides to connect, grow through service, develop leadership skills, mentor or be mentored, and have fun.

May 1 marks the beginning of Youth Services Month.  What better way to kick off this theme than to announce that the Rotary Club of El Camino and the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation along with Union Bank recently made it possible for MiraCosta Collage and the Mira Costa College Foundation to award the 2022 Academic Medal of Merit to five outstanding students. 

 

The Medal of Academic Merit is considered the college’s highest academic award and is bestowed annually to students nominated by the teaching faculty and who earned a minimum GPA of 3.75 in degree-applicable courses. Each recipient receives a $1,500 scholarship provided by community members, businesses and service organizations.

 

Winners are: Negar Farahbakhsh, Armando Gabriel Leon, Hayat Sherif, Gilbert "Gib" Barbo IV and Rocio "Rosey" Gutierrez.

 

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DISTRICT SERVICE EVENT: MEALS FOR UKRAINE

The Outreach Program would like to partner with Rotary District 5340 to help send 100,000 meals from San Diego to Ukraine. You may remember that the Distirct had a similar project two years ago during the pandemic when we packaged 10,000 nutritious meals to local families in need. Join us to assemble protein-rich meals during a fun service project with other volunteers. After the event, Convoy of Hope will ship the food to organizations feeding Ukrainian refugees in Eastern Europe. 
 

A fantastic Rotary District 5340  Rotarians at Work Day event occurred in support of GenerateHope. This was the largest turnout todate with 30 Rotarians from Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club, Coronado Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Southeast San Diego, San Diego Rotary Club, La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, and Pacific Beach Rotaract! They made short work of landscaping, deep cleaning and painting projects. The true benefit of this venture was that Rotarians  demonstrated the Human Trafficking survivors at this transition home that they are loved for who they are and that they matter!! 

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary and over 30 Rotarians and family members picked up or cleared over 1,000 pounds of trash from a watershed as part of Rotarians at Work Day.

 

 

The Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo conducted their latest community cleanup at the Westwood Club to celebrate "Rotarians at Work Day".  They had a great turnout of RB Rotarians to help and a steady stream of cars and truck dropping off disposable items, used furniture and gently used items.  Interfaith Community Services came by for the furniture and Rise Resale Store took a lot of used items.  EDCO Waste Services provided the club with three 40' trash containers.  It was so successful they  had to shut down early - but we'll be back!

 

 

 

Crawford Colts Thrift Store became a reality as part of Rotarians at Work Day this year.  La Mesa Sunrise Rotarian Elena Lujan-Alba teaches at Crawford and responded to a student suggestion that one of the shipping containers on campus be converted to a student thrift store.  She shared the idea with the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club and the project took off.  The LMSRC organized a conversion event and were joined by The El Cajon Sunset and La Mesa Noon Rotary Clubs. Rotarians and students came out to paint, sort, saw, clean and support this joint effort.  Elena's daughter designed the mural, students and Rotarians painted it. The day before, Rotarian Ron Rice painted the entire container inside and out. The shipping container was fitted with clothing racks, and Rotarians sorted donated clothing and hung it all on hangers.  Next up: the planning of a grand opening.  

 

 

 

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with fellow Rotarians and help grow our District!  Join us for a fun-packed evening of fellowship on May 5      This is a District-sponsored event to give Rotarians and future Rotarians an opportunity to meet, greet and enjoy each other. Rotarians are $25.00 each.  If your guest is a potential Rotarian, they attend free but they must be registered.
 

Please register and join us.  We'd love to see you!  Click here for driving directions.

 

A Peace Pole donated by La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club was installed at The Preuss School UC San Diego.  To help promote the concept of peace, the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, through its Peace Committee, donated a peace pole that became part of a newly created zen garden on the campus of The Preuss School UC San Diego.  The project has been a cooperative effort between members of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary club and The Preuss School’s Interact club.

 

The words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” are inscribed on the pole in eight different languages, the choice of which was made by the students and reflects some of the languages spoken by Preuss' families.  

 

The project started in the winter of 2019-2020 but was delayed due to COVID-19.  With the help of retired teacher, Eric Romer, and Tamima Noorzay of UCSD, the project was finally able to be completed and was presented to the Preuss community on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

 

 

Join the Rotary Club of Carlsbad in a charitable golfing event benefitting the North County Lifeline Foundation whose mission is to build self-reliance among youth, adults and families through high-quality, community-based services.    The charitable golf scramble is set for June 10, 2022.  To register to play or to sign up as a sponsor, click here.

 

The process to make changes to the Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International is handled at Councils on Legislation (COL) meetings that are held in Chicago every three years. A representative for each district goes to the Council to vote on legislation items that are submitted according to a specific timeline. I was the representative for District 5340 at the Council that just happened on April 10-14, 2022.

94 items were under consideration of which only 29 were adopted. These changes will take effect on July 1, 2022. A lot of items were just small and technical changes, but there were a few that are a little more significant. The complete list of proposed legislation can be found at https://my-cms.rotary.org/en/document/proposed-legislation-2022-council-legislation, and the complete results of the vote can be found at https://my-cms.rotary.org/en/document/vote-totals-2022-council-legislation. I will just expand on some items below.

 

Rotary District 5340 members and Rotary District 4100 share fellowship together at the Padres vs. Reds game held on April 19.  The Padres won the game 6 to 2.  Don't miss out on the fun of baseball and the fellowship between Rotarians across the district.  The next game is scheduled for May 10 when the Padres take on the Cubs.

 

 

All Rotarians Welcome
Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 at 9am
Balboa Park, near the International Houses

 

The Rotarians from the E-Club of San Diego Global of San Diego have been working on putting together this peace pole for the past four years.  Along with the San Diego Downtown Breakfast Club they want to dedicate it at Balboa Park to raise awareness for Global Peace.  With the war in Ukraine giving attention to world conflict, this is a very timely event, sending a message in 12 languages “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. 

 

 

 

 

In celebration of Earth Day (March 22) and Rotarians at Work Day (April 30), San Diego Coastal Rotary Club will be cleaning and sprucing up one of our favorite places - the amazing Mission Trails Park, one of the largest, most beautiful natural parks in the US.  Please wear your Rotarian at Work shirt, sun protection and sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Be sure to bring a personal water bottle to refill and your own work gloves, if you have them. Tools, gloves and know-how, along with snacks, ice water and Gatorade, will be provided. Family and friends are very welcome.

 

Volunteers under 18 years of age must have the volunteer waiver electronically signed by a parent or legal guardian. Volunteers under 13 years of age, must also be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian in order to participate. Here's a website to check out Mission Trails Park and find out more: Mission Trails Regional Park (mtrp.org) RSVP to Jenny Parker at jenny@jparkermd.net. 

 

The World Health Organization reports, “Wild poliovirus transmission has fallen to very low levels with only one new case in 2022.” Only one case of wild poliovirus in 2022! Might this be the last ever reported case? What was once considered wishful thinking, is now within reach. Good-Bye Polio, Thanks Rotary.

This World Immunization Week (April 24-30, 2022) please help our Rotary District reach our $333,333 giving goal this year to end polio. Every Dollar contributed to the PolioPlus Foundation is doubled by the Gates Foundation, which means we will have raised $1 million toward our goal to end polio.

 

 

Drop us a line and let us know what you or your club are doing to promote Rotary in your community on Sat., April 30th.  Don't have a plan yet?  Perhaps you can link up with other clubs or make the drive up to Newport Back Bay to take part in the StandUp for the Cure event.  More than 500 SUP riders including members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship throughout SoCal will raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Breast Cancer Research.  Yes there are plenty of ways to get involved so click here to complete the Google form or simply send an email to bretthmorey@gmail.com Brett Morey, Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle.  

 

 

Kick off summer and Father’s Day Weekend with the 25th Anniversary Low Tide Ride & Stride on a NEW COURSE starting and ending at North Beach.

 

Drop your beach chair at Sunset Park for the after-party with vendor tents and Matt Heinecke on guitar. Don’t miss this local Coronado event hosted by the Rotary Club of Coronado! Your participation supports our wounded warriors and first responders. Register now for early bird pricing: https://lowtideride.com.

 

The Thousand Smiles Foundation announced upcoming clinics and is encouraging Rotarians to consider volunteering on one or more clinic dates.  Thousand Smiles Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery and Dental Clinic will be held on the following days in 2022: May 6-7, August 5-6, November 4-5

 

Thousand Smiles Clinic, Av Mexico 124, Corner of Av Mexico and 18 de Marzo, Colonia Buena Ventura, Ensenada 

 

If you are interested in attending, go to the Foundation website https://thousandsmiles.org, click on Volunteering and under that Sign Up.  

 

Any questions, feel free to call Bob Chalfa at 619 843 2943.

 

 

Need a speaker for your meeting? Your AHT Task Force has you covered!  The Rotary District 5340 Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has created a Speakers Bureau with individuals from clubs in our district trained to provide information, education, and action opportunities to present to clubs regarding human sex trafficking and ways to get involved in combatting this $800 million illicit industry in our region. Research estimates between 3,000 and 6,000 individuals are being trafficked currently in San Diego County. We are happy to schedule a speaker to present to your club. Please contact us for more information about speakers and ways your club can get involved.

Contact: kschafer108@gmail.com, tel: 619-322-6040

 

On April 3, PDG Steve Weitzen played in the Operation Game On golf tournament to raise money for wounded veterans.  His playing partners were Bill Sutton and his son and Andy and Bret Geernaert. 

 

Rotarian George Sousa served as their putting coach. 

 

In addition, Bill sponsored two holes on behalf of the Del Mar Solana Beach Rotary Club.  Rotarians were also volunteering to help with the tournament as well as many playing and supporting the cause.  What a great way to show community support!

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Look! Up in the Sky.  It’s a bird. It’s a plane.  It’s golf balls?  Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club announces their 6th Annual Golf Ball Drop to benefit the Navy SEALs Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito Griset Branch, the Community Resource Center, and Just in Time for Foster Youth.  

 

 

 

 

The Old Mission Rotary club invites Rotarians to join them for their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 5 at noon to hear Dr. Caitriona Tilden speak on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.  The meeting will be held at the Legacy Resort and Spa Foundation Restaurant.  A bio of the speaker follows:

 

Caitriona Tilden, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychology Fellow at the San Diego VA/UCSD Consortium currently serving veterans at the San Diego VA Center of Recovery Education.  She provides evidence-based, recovery-oriented care to Veterans with serious mental health concerns, specifically those who are experiencing psychosis. Chances are, we all know someone who has struggled with mental health challenges and suicide.  Please join us for lunch at Noon on Tuesday, April 5th to learn about these challenges and where to find resources for help.  This will be the first in a two-part series of presentations about mental health and suicide.  The following week we have Dave Jones of the Escondido After Five Rotary taking on the subject from a very personal standpoint.

 

Please RSVP using this link:
http://evite.me/ZYHvg6Cvfb

 

 

Rotary makes high-quality health care available to vulnerable mothers and children so they can live longer and grow stronger.  We expand access to quality care, so mothers and children everywhere can have the same opportunities for a healthy future. An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation — all of which can be prevented.

On March 15, several Del Mar Rotarians met to show off their winemaking skills in a fun evening of competition and wine tasting at Solterra Winery. Outfitted with the necessary tools and a brief tutorial, we got into groups of 4 and 5 and experimented with finding a blend of wine that best suited our palate! Owner and Winemaker Chris Van Alyea did the judging and the team lead by Sharon Schendel came in first place with a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.

 

On Friday, April 1, with a packed house, Marsha Starr (also a Rotarian), the HIPNO DIVA entertained attendees with a great comedy hypnosis show featuring volunteers from the audience.  This fundraiser was a joint effort between the La Mesa Rotary and the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary clubs.  All proceeds fund the charities both clubs support.  The event included both a live and silent auction.  There was such interest in one of the live auction item that the donor offered it twice!  

 

 

 

 

Do you enjoy golfing?  If so, please consider joining the District Golf Roundup scheduled for April 26, 2022 at 2:30 PM at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.  The fee is $45 and includes cart and range balls.  This is a wonderful fellowship opportunity to meet other like-minded Rotarians while enjoying the beautiful sunshine of Southern California.  If you are interested, please contact Bret Geernaert at bretg2019pres@gmail.com.  

Old Mission Rotary Hosted a Sub-Regional Round of the Rotary District 5340 Four Way Test Speech Contest. (L-R) Chase Bergener (Coronado Club), Yen Lam (Club 33), Kylie Womack (La Mesa Club), Angel Aquino (Rancho Bernardo Club) and Rishab Bora (Carlsbad Club). As always, it was very difficult to rank the speeches as the students were all well prepared and passionate. Rishab Bora and Kylie Womack will be continuing on to the Regional Round of competition. 

 

 

The Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony will be held at Balboa Park, near the International Houses, on Wednesday Aril 27th, 2022 at 9:00 AM. Representatives from the City of San Diego, Rotary District 5340 Governor Dan Gensler, and members from both San Diego Rotary Clubs will be in attendance. “In Rotary, we constantly look to get involved in projects that represent our mission, which includes promoting Peace. We aim to deliver a message of peace and unity, and we believe that in these challenging times, it would be significant to place a symbol of peace in Balboa Park, one of the most emblematic locations of San Diego.

 

On March 26, San Diego Coastal Rotary Club partnered with Coronado Rotary Club as well as PB Rotaract Club to help San Diego Coastkeepers clean up a riverbed in the Otay Valley Regional Park. This beautiful park surrounds the river and wetlands that run to the South Bay National Wildlife Refuge - part of the larger San Diego Bay Refuge Complex. Ranger Moises says that we picked up about 200 pounds of trash (mostly plastic) and helped haul away a 40 cubic yard trailer of debris from invasive trees in the area. Unfortunately, this was only a small amount of the work that needs to get done to keep our sensitive watershed areas healthy. All participants are enthusiastic supporters of Rotary's 7th area of focus and are planning on many more projects like this come.

 

Here is the link to the professional YouTube video that was made to an earlier similar project. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKwo8Z9PZCc

 

 

On March 25, the Coronado Rotary Club held another great golf tournament.  They sold out at 150 players.  The tournament included a delicious lunch and dinner, putting contest and silent auction.  There were lots of gift certificates to the pro shop for net, gross, long drive, etc,  The money raised will go to Rotary projects (schools, youth sports, military & first responders needs, etc.) locally.  

 

 

 

Join us virtually for a conversation with John Hewko, General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International.

 

Tue, Mar 29, 2022, 12:00 PM PDT

Online and Free

 

Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club members gathered for their Pick to Give Community Outreach pPoject at the Samuel Bingham estate in RSF.  They picked 45 crates of fresh oranges for a local Encinitas food pantry to supplement their offerings with fresh produce.  It was a beautiful day! Thanks to Seeds of Hope, LCC Rotaract Club, and some nice Encinitas Rotary club members for their help with this project.

 

 

Rotarians, here is an opportunity for service:  Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with a San Diego small business, CareVirtue, to develop a legal and financial education tool for caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. They are currently looking for people to participate in a survey that will help the research team build this tool.   Click HERE for a copy of the flyer explaining this study.

 

Check out the newest edition of District 5340's Immunization Committee's Newsletter.  The topic focus is on the COVID vaccine and when to get a booster shot,   Click here to download.  

 

On April 27, roll up your sleeve and join the Rotary Club of Poway-Scripps at their Blood Drive. The San Diego Blood Bank will help us. We'll be at the new Von's (10675 Scripps Poway Pkwy) from 9-2:30.

 

To participate you must schedule an appointment at sandiegobloodbank.org/donate or calling 619-400-8251. Appointments are mandatory and donors will need to bring a photo ID.

On Wednesday, March 16, Daphne Fletcher of Encinitas Rotary Club made a presentation about her visit to Ukraine to find family roots near Uzhgorod. Just 48 hours later, the Encinitas Rotary Club Foundation had a $22,000 bank-wire out the door based on refugee assistance pledges from Encinitas Rotary members, friends, and even meeting visitors. 

The recipient, Rotary Club of Kosice Classic in Slovakia, is District 2240’s designated coordinator for humanitarian supplies. Through a signed donor agreement, Rotary Club Kosice Classic will use the Encinitas Rotary funds to procure supplies and get them to the Rotary Club of Uzhgorod-Skala, just across the border with Ukraine. Both clubs conducted daily assessments on the situation of refugees at the border. Mechanisms are in place to transport and distribute supplies. A number of other Rotary Clubs in Europe have been routing donated supplies through Rotary Club Kosice Classic. Encinitas Rotary’s monetary donation will provide Euros to purchase bulk supplies in Slovakia.  Encinitas Rotary Club President Sherry Yardley stated, “All we needed to know was that fellow Rotarians were there to get the job done!”       

 

 

Nearly two dozen Rotarians from six clubs gather to perform some much-needed landscaping and light house cleaning for a North County home for human trafficking survivors. Thanks so much for the team at Refuge for Women who had us out! Clubs represented included Rancho Santa Fe Rotary, Southeast San Diego Rotary, La Jolla Golden Triangle, Oceanside Rotary, and Rancho Bernardo Rotary. Thanks to everyone who came out to help.

 

 

 

In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation has created an official channel for donors around the world to contribute funds to support the relief efforts underway by Rotary districts and has designated its Disaster Response Fund as the main avenue for contributions.

The joint Point Loma Nazarene University/Rotary District 5340 “Ending Human Trafficking” Summit was a resounding success with more than 300 community, government, law enforcement, and non-profit leaders gathering to collaborate on how we end this $800 San Diego County illicit industry. Nearly two dozen Rotarians were also present.
 
Watch this YouTube video to see the entire program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU7im5n6jdA

 

 
 

On March 14, members of the Rotary Club of Del Mar met at the La Colonia Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito in the Eden Gardens neighborhood of Solana Beach to refurbish the access ramp to Casita de Gloria.

 

Members installed new handrails and a fresh coat of paint to provide a pleasing pathway to the Casita, which houses mentoring programs and other club activities. Outside the casita, El Jardin de los Ninos provides hands-on experiences in organic gardening.

 

Casita de Gloria was named to honor Gloria Castellanos, who spearheaded the La Colonia branch, and currently serves as the La Colonia clubhouse manager.

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary completed its 22nd house in Tijuana on Saturday, March 12, 2022.  Thanks to Chairman Ray Green and his team - Laura Green, Rocco Ciesco, Estela Mitrani, Christian Chapman, Kate Hanham, Paul Kartzke, Mark Packard, and Vic Gausepohl, this project was a great success.

 

A lot of effort went into planning this successful project, including planning meals and hydration options as well as finding ample storage to house the donated materials for the construction and furnishings.  

 

The build in Tijuana was like going to the symphony. It was a well-orchestrated effort with everyone playing their part in harmony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The crisis in Ukraine is having devastating consequences on civilians as families flee their homes. According to the United Nations, more than 2 million people, most of them women and children, have sought refuge in neighboring countries and across Europe, while about 1 million more people have been displaced within Ukraine.

 

 

Rotary's Disaster Response Fund is a general fund to receive contributions for worldwide response to natural disasters. The fund typically provides for Disaster Response Grants of up to $25,000, made to Rotary Districts to assist on the ground in these disaster areas. 
 
Due to the growing humanitarian and refugee crisis taking place in Ukraine and the impacted surrounding countries, on March 2, 2022, the Executive Committee of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation, acting on behalf of the Trustees, agreed that the sudden and extreme needs prompted by the crisis in Ukraine warrant immediate action to bring relief in these impacted areas.    

 

 

 

Please note that District Grant reports are due by April 1.  The report is for Rotary year 2021-2022.  Please submit your report to matchinggrants.org.  If you have any questions, please contact District Grants Chair Elana Levens-Craig at levenscraig@hotmail.com. or by phone at 619 993-7805.

The Optical Mission of the Rotary Club of Meycauayan East of District 3770 in partnership with sister club, the Rotary Club of Sweetwater San Diego, was started last October 16, 2021 with the aim of providing comfort to at least 100 school children with eye problems. In early 2022, COVID conditions eased up in the Philippines allowing the mission to resume providing free eye consultations, examinations, testing and eye glasses to elementary school children in the nearby communities of Meycauayan City.  Pictures show members of RC Meycauayan East led by President Ernie Tolentino, DGN Rudy Enriquez and AG James Javier.

 

This week a small group of Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotarians and friends picked 410 pounds of oranges and delivered them to the Community Food Connection in Poway on Thursday morning. This is just one of many projects this club participates in - another great job!

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary produced another Book Faire for Jefferson Elementary students this week.  Mo Taylor chaired the team: Dave Dana, Yvonne Finocchiaro, Eric Lodge, Harry Peacock and Helen Wells. Carlsbad Union School District Superintendent Churchill and Jefferson Principal Carla Bos also attended. Every student was able to select and to buy two books for a quarter each.  All the happy faces were a wonderful sight for all participants.    

 

 

The La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club (LJGTRC) will perform their eighth San Diego Police Department (SDPD) community service project on the weekends of March 19th and 26th remodeling a large portion of the Department’s Northeastern Division which provides protection to the San Diego communities of Miramar, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Mountain, Sabre Springs, 4S Ranch, and Rancho Bernardo.  

La Mesa Noon Rotary Club hosted the annual music contest this week. Although these kids haven’t been playing for long, they were terrific! Each was awarded prize money for their efforts!

 

 

Join us!  The Rotary Club of Coronado is presenting its 26th Annual Coronado Rotary Charity Golf Tournament at the Coronado Municipal Golf Course on Friday, March 18, 2022.

 

Your entry fee of $250 includes green fees, luncheon, beverages and post-game barbecue, as well as prizes for closest to the pin on all par threes and longest drives for men and women.  Don’t have a foursome?  No problem!  We will match you with others so everyone can play.  It’s a full day of fun starting at 10:30 AM with registration and a putting contest.  Shotgun start using a scramble format will commence at 1:00 PM.  

 

 

The Thousand Smiles Foundation was established by a group of Rotarians from the San Diego area in 1985, to provide free professional medical treatment to patients with maxillofacial deformities who, without our help, would go untreated, to use our facilities to provide dental care to under privileged children and to promote a bilateral interchange of medical, dental and surgical techniques between the medical professionals from the USA and the countries in which we work.

 

 

The Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo Sunrise is sponsoring a blood drive on March 26.  If you can donate, please do so as there is currently a shortage of blood in San Diego County.  

 

Date: March 26, 2022
Time: 10-3:30 PM
Location: 12156 Carmel Mountain Rd #300
Panera Bread Parking Lot
San Diego, CA 92128

 

 

There has been an outpouring of concern on how we can help the citizens of Ukraine who are experiencing tremendous suffering and loss with thousands of women and children fleeing the country.   My classmate, District Governor Dana Moldovan from District 5240 (California Central Coast) is originally from Romania.  In her conversations with our fellow Rotarians in Romania she said, “Refugees are arriving in Romania with almost nothing, some are just walking over the border.  Most refugees are women and children as the men are staying behind to defend their country. It is still winter and yesterday it snowed again at the border.”  Of course, we’re all seeing the disturbing images on the news and naturally wondering how we can help. 
 
We have coordinated with District Governor Adrian Luca & District Governor Elect Florin Marginean from Romania Rotary District 2241 to provide support for the refugees.  Contributions will be used for food, clothing and shelter for the women and children refugees. 

 

If you wish to help, please make your checks payable to:
 
Rotary District 5340
Write: “UKRAINIAN REFUGEES” in the memo line. 
Mail check to:   Rotary District 5340   5052 Clairemont Drive #178651   San Diego, CA 92117

Thank you for your generosity!

 

District 5340 Governor, Dan Gensler

 

 

 

An Historic PETS 

 

The Chula Vista Rotary delivered 200 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the healthcare heroes at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. They showered local heroes with appreciation for their ongoing love and care for our community!  Thank you to all the Chula Vista Rotarians who donated and participated in this service project.   Here is the response they received from healthcare workers at Sharp Chula Vista:  "Thank you again for the cookies! They went a long way to spread love! And the added detail of a homemade card made them extra special." 

 

The club sent cookies to the ICU and to the Emergency Department, since they have been most impacted during this time, and it’s hard for them to leave the units.  The rest were distributed during our “Show Love” event for staff on Valentine's Day.”

 

 

The club conducted a second round of Girl Scout cookie deliveries! In collaboration with Neisha’s Dance & Music Academy, the Rotary Club of Chula Vista donated cookies to the Heathcare Heroes at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista. 

 

 

 

 

March is Rotary water and sanitation month so San Diego Coastal Rotary Club will be partnering with SD Coastkeepers on March 26 to clean up a waterway in the Otay Valley Riverbed as well as adding native trees. We will be ridding the area of debris before it has the opportunity to make it out the ocean. We will also be doing some restoration work that will improve the ecosystem and eventually prevent run off of rainwater in the area.   All Rotarians are invited to assist with this project.  

 

 

ARE YOU REGISTERED?  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 knowledgeable Rotarians.  The District Training Assembly is especially beneficial in educating new members/Red Badgers about Rotary, its programs and the resources available in the district.    

 

Two members of any club planning to apply for a District Grant MUST register and attend the District Grants Seminar.  

 

The Global Grants Seminar will be held from 12:10 to 1:30 PM - two members of every Club planning to apply for a Global Grant are required to attend this seminar.  

 

Online registration is open, and classes are filling up so don't delay.  Click on register now set up your classes.

 

The Optical Mission of the Rotary Club of Meycauayan East of District 3770 in partnership with sister club, the Rotary Club of Sweetwater San Diego, was started last October 16, 2021, with a goal to provide comfort and improved sight to at least 100 school children with eye problems.

 

The Misson resumed last Saturday, February. 19, 2022 following improved Covid 19 conditions in the Philippines, which have eased up and normalized a bit.  The group conducted free eye consultations, examinations, testing and eyeglasses to elementary school children in the nearby communities of Meycauayan City.  There efforts continued on February 26, 2022. 

 

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary presents its first Scholarship Raffle to fund the scholarship pool for high school seniors who reside in Carlsbad.  This year, funds will support scholarships for college, trade and technical schools.  

 

Do to Covid restrictions, fundraising events are off the table.  Taking a creative posture, Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary club elected to hold a raffle to help support their scholarship efforts. The goal is to sell 2500 tickets between now and March 30, 2022.  Cost of tickets are $20 for one and $100 for six tickets.  Due to regulations, purchase of tickets online is prohibited.  Tickets can be purchased through Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotarians or through mail: Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club Foundation, PO Box 130175, Carlsbad 92013.  Your tickets will be sent to you.  The drawing will occur on April 4 at the club's regular meeting.  

 

Club's president-elect gathered this weekend at the LA Marriot to attend the Presidents-Elect Training Session (PETS).  This is the first PETS in-person gathering since 2020.  Participants receive a first-class training session geared toward arming them with the tools to be effective leaders for the upcoming Rotary year.  Team building and networking are essential components of the training session as is inspiring stories and a lot of cheerleading.  Make sure to ask your club's president-elect what they learned and even better ask them how you can help during their tenure as president.  

 

Congratulations are extended to Rancho Bernardo Rotary club members Mike Fuqua and Jim Hyldahl who were selected to be inducted into the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame.  Jim and Mike join five other Rancho Bernardo Rotarians in the Rancho Bernardo Hall of Fame: Mike Stelman, Karen Stelman, Dave Brooks, Scott Lawn and Don Glover.  Their achievement was noted in the Rancho Bernardo News. 

 

Click here to read the article.  It is very clear that the Rancho Bernardo Rotary club members are People of Action.  

 

 

 

The District Grants Policy for 2022-2023 has been published and you will find the link below.   To be considered for District Designated Funds (DDF), the sponsoring club must be current on all District and Global Grant reporting; be current on Rotary International and District dues; enter Rotary Foundation giving goals on MyRotary.org by August 1, 2022 and ensure projects comply with the District 5340 Youth Protection Policy.

 

To be eligible for district grant DDF, the Rotary club requesting the DDF allocation must have contributed either a minimum of $50 per capita to the Annual Fund or a total of $5,000 to the Annual Fund of The Rotary Foundation for the 2021-2022 Rotary year.  Two club members must attend the District Grants In-person (District Training Assembly on March 19 - to register click here) or Online Training by June 1, 2022. Trainees must also complete and pass the District Grants online quiz by June 1, 2022. Potential Primary Contacts are strongly encouraged to attend the District Grants In-person or Online Training.

 

To review the entire grants policy click here.  

 

Two motorized scooters were donated by the Rotary Club of Sweetwater San Diego to the community of the Order of the Most Holy Savior and St. Brigitte in Tijuana, Mexico for use by their elderly and ambulation impaired members. Blessings and turnover ceremonies were held last Sunday, February 20, 2022 at St. Charles Catholic Church Parish Hall, which was attended by Sweetwater Rotarians led by club president, Marissa De Luna.

 

 

Friday March 11, 2022
Doors open: 7 PM, Show Starts 8 PM
United Portugueses S.E.S Hall
2818 Avenida de Portugal
San Diego, CA 92106

 

Join the Point Loma Rotary Club for an evening of comedy.  Proceeds from this event will fund community and international charities.  This is the 19th year the Club has held this fundraiser.  What a great opportunity to share laughter and camaraderie with fellow Rotarians.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the link provided below.  

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, our District Governor-Elect Chuck Pretto submitted an article to the Rotary Voices, an online blogging site featuring all things Rotary.  His topic was I like the Rotary logo.  It was thoughtfully written and worth sharing with members of District 5340.  He’s a big believer in the power of the Rotary logo. So much so, Chuck plans to give every member in our district a Rotary pin during his visits to clubs. He hopes it will help start more conversations between members and the next generation of Rotary and Rotaract members.  Below is his article:

This month, Santee-Lakeside Rotary club members and friends of Rotary donated much needed supplies to the Fisher House San Diego. Fisher House's Mission of serving military by providing a "home away from home," at no cost, for their families while they are hospitalized caught the attention of the club who wanted to help.   These homes allow military families to focus on the medical care and recovery of their loved one.

 

 

 

Come join us for an evening of fellowship as we cheer on our Padres team.  Seats are located in left field at "The Point".  Game Ticket: $35.00, 40.00 and $41.00 | Limit per person: 5 game tickets.

The electronic ticket(s) will be emailed to you by Patty Fortin, 5340 District Administrator, 30 days before game day.  Here is the lineup:

 

Padres vs. Cubs 
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 | Game Starts 6:40 PM
 

Padres vs. Mets 
Tuesday, June 7, 2022 | Game Starts 6:40 PM

 

Tuesday, July 5, 2022 | Game Starts at 1:10 PM

 

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022 | Game Starts at 6:40 PM

 

 

 

 

Thousand Smiles Foundation held a successful February clinic two weeks ago.  The Foundation would like to thank those who supported it!  Many thanks to the Point Loma Rotary club for sponsoring the volunteer lunches at the clinic. We had a very tasty taco luncheon. Gracias to the Lake Elsinore Rotary club for sponsoring the patient/family lunches as an ongoing project they have had for many years! Appreciation goes to the Centenaria Rotary of Ensenada for their ongoing logistical support as liaisons to the Baja Community. The Santee Rotary club gifted our kids with hundreds of toothbrushing kits, and the Highway 78 Rotary club supported us with books in Spanish, nutrition lessons, as well as internet magic! And of course, all our dedicated volunteers from other Rotary clubs and medical/dental people. We cannot function without this core of dedicated people!  The Foundation is also grateful for Jimbos Markets for their ongoing support of our nutrition education and their donations!

 

Two more clinics have been added to the Foundation's existing six clinics a year agenda. In March, they will be holding a pediatric clinic for Baja special needs children who would otherwise go unseen for dental care. They will also do another one later in the year. We are continuing to find more ways to serve the needy population in Baja. 

 

 

 

What was the Fallbrook Village Rotary doing last Saturday? They joined the annual Baseball Bash at Ingold's Sports Park passing out bouncy balls to the kids! At their Rotary table, Rotarians shared the message about “Service Above Self,” handing out flyers, pens and business cards while some parents signed up to get more emails about our events!  Everyone learned about the club's fundraisers and how Rotary works to eradicate polio! The smiling kids and bouncy balls were hopping all over the parking lot! 

 

 

Don't forget to register today for the 2022 District Training Assembly!  Held only once a year the District Training Assembly (DTA) 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 the resources available through the District.  Online registration is open, and classes are filling up, so don't delay!  Visit the District website today to register and select your classes!

 

Two members of any club planning to apply for a District Grant MUST register to attend the District Grants Seminar, immediately following the District Assembly.  Additionally, for those clubs planning on applying for a Global Grant, two members of your club need to attend the Global Grants Seminar being held as part of the District Assembly from 12:10 to 1:30 PM.  

 

 

Join members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship, Rotarians, Rotaract, Interact members, friends in the surf community and others as we clean up Ocean Beach on Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 AM.  Wear your favorite NFL team jersey or any other sports team jersey and invite others to join in the fun by texting "OB" to 858-602-2532 or simply register online at: www.surfersunite.org/events.

 

*****

 

Wish to join others from Southern California up at Newport Back Bay for a day of fun?  Well check out all the upcoming service events for Rotarians, Rotaract and Interact members as well as friends in the surfing community at: www.surfersunite.org/events.

On Tuesday, February 1st, the Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary presented a grant to the Committee of 100 to help them in their efforts to preserve Balboa Park.  The grant of $10,000 will be used for the preservation of the facade of the Balboa Park Gymnasium.

 

 

Several members the Chula Vista Eastlake Rotary club made a trip to a home for abandoned seniors in La Rumorosa, Mexico on February 5th. They dropped off food, blankets, and gently worn clothing. But the main purpose of the visit was to scout out the repairs needed at La Casa Para Pobres Desamparados. The electricity is out in the kitchen and a dedicated electrical box is needed to handle the load for the electric water heater. Another visit is planned to ensure the electrician the club helped facilitate was able to complete the job. For now, though, they were glad to make a small dent in their ongoing needs.

 

 

 

 

Join in on a night of hilarity on April 1 at 7:00 PM at the La Mesa Community Center.  This event is a joint effort by both the La Mesa Sunrise and La Mesa Rotary clubs.  100% of the proceeds go towards sustainable projects the clubs have selected to participate in.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.laughlamesa.org.   
 

 

We are pleased to confirm that the 2022 Rotary International Convention will be an in-person event in Houston, Texas on June 4-8, 2022.

 

We are offering a special registration rate of $495 through 28 February.  Click here to take advantage of this offer.  

 
All Rotary International convention and preconvention participants must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 OR provide a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival at the convention.  

Check https://on.rotary.org/3umeujx for updates as we continue to determine what safety protocols are necessary, based on the current recommendations for safe gatherings from the CDC.  We will see you in Houston! 

 

 

At Sharp HealthCare and other health care facilities, thousands of dedicated individuals still face a daily struggle against COVID-19. Driven by a love for their work and a love for the people entrusted to their care.  They continue to work tirelessly, preventing illness and saving lives. As Rotarians and People of Action, let’s return the empathy. Sharp HealthCare has given us the means to make a difference:  Send a Valentine, donate meals or share a message from your heart.  This is similar in practice to sending letters to soldiers, sailors and airmen overseas, thanking them for their service.  All the contact information and links follow below.  

 

Held only once a year, the District Training Assembly (DTA) offers training on a variety of subjects to Rotarians, including club officers, directors and committee chairs to help them be effective club leaders.  ALL ROTARIANS - especially Red Badgers - are welcome and encouraged to attend.

 

More information will be coming out on a weekly basis so please be on the lookout for these postings.  Postings will include a registration link and course information.

 

For those participating in District/Global Grants, this assembly will have a special Global Grants Seminar that requires two members of every club planning to apply for a Global Grant to attend.  Start deciding who those participants will be.

 

More to come.......

 

Help us provide some needed spring sleaning at a Human Trafficking Survivor Home in North County March 5 from 8 AM to 12 PM. We’ll be doing some much-needed, non-skilled outdoor gardening, weeding and deep cleaning for this wonderful healing facility while demonstrating to its residents that Rotarians care about their well-being.

Sign up soon by emailing Dave Oates at david@publicrelationssecurity.com. Details will follow to those who sign up.

 

 

 

 

Members of the Chula Vista Rotary spent the morning of January 29 in service and fellowship, volunteering at Feeding San Diego. 

 

 

 

Members of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary is doing their part to spread joy around San Diego. They made California poppy seed bombs out of clay to throw around the community and brighten our world. 

 

 

 

Route 78 Rotary members Ashley Anello and Tamara Stark presented a check from their club for $500. as well as food to Unicorn 🦄 House in Oceanside.

 

 

 

The Rotary Club of Santee Lakeside is proud to support Paws for Purple Hearts San Diego.  Rotarians Lori Bird, Laura Purdom and Taylor Henderson presented a grant check of $1,000 to help them continue their amazing work with Veterans.

 

 

 

Mark your calendars today for a very important training session put on by the District's Foundation Committee.  The Foundation Training Session will be held on February 9 at 4:00 PM.  This will be a Zoom meeting. Topics to be covered include Major Gifts and Major Impact for Changing the World and information on how your club can become a Promise Club.  

 

Register in advance for this meeting:
 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  Don't delay, register today!

 

 

The Escondido After Five Rotary Club is getting ready to hold its annual fundraiser on February 26, celebrating ten years of providing scholarships, giving joy to families during the holidays, supporting veterans and empowering youth in the community. 

 

 

 

The Route 78 Rotary Club is holding is signature fundraiser - their 8th Annual Mariachi Festival on April 10, 2022 at the California Center for the Arts.  VIP Tacos & Tequila VIP event begins at 12:30 PM, Concert begins at 3:00pm. 

 

This year will feature Mariachi Champaña Nevin from San Diego and world-renowned singer Monica Abrego, along with Baile Folklórico by Tierra Caliente.

Those attending need to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test and remain masked indoors. 

You may buy tickets online here.  

 

 

RI President-elect Jennifer Jones imagines a Rotary where members act to make their dreams become reality and they make the most of their club experiences. She urges members to engage more with each other and use these connections to build partnerships that change the world.  Speaking to District Governors-elect at this year's Governor's Training Assembly, RI PE Jones announced that the 2022-2023 Rotary International Annual Theme is Imagine Rotary!

 

Be on the lookout! District 5340's Immunization Committee is publishing a monthly Vaccine, Health & Wellness Newsletter.  The first edition of the Newsletter can be obtained here.  This Committee has been instrumental throughout the years in bringing public awareness of the importance of vaccination to Rotary clubs and the public-at-large - most notably the Polio vaccination efforts.   Each month, Newsbits will publish the link to the most current edition of the newsletter making it convenient for you to access it in a timely manner.  

 

 

The Rotary Club of Del Mar proudly supports the Del Mar Lifeguards through its grants program. Part of this year's grant went towards the purchase of the pictured EMT kits. To date two lifeguards have been able to complete EMT training, and more are scheduled. They are also available to Del Mar Firefighters.

 

 

After the Rotary Club of Del Mar completed the refurbishment of the benches in Del Mar so beautifully, the community service team was asked to also refurbish the tables, chairs, and benches at City Hall.  The City of Del Mar will be recognizing all who participated during their February 7th meeting.

 

 

Did you know that Rotary Clubs can sponsor incoming Afghan refugee families?

The Sponsor Circle Program is a community-led resettlement initiative that allows everyday Americans to take on the responsibility of welcoming Afghan newcomers to their communities. This is an emergency response launched to ensure that all arriving Afghans receive welcome and support. The Sponsor Circle Program pairs Afghan newcomers with community groups eager to provide support.  Your Rotary club may be interested in sponsoring a family.  For more information please click link:  https://www.sponsorcircles.org/. The Program also provides application support sessions Monday-Friday; you can sign up here: https://www.sponsorcircles.org/application-support-sessions.

 

It’s not every day that Rotary celebrates a club centennial, but Rotarians from District 5340 had that honor this year when Imperial Valley clubs celebrated 100 years of service. Rotary clubs celebrating 100 years were Calexico, Brawley, Holtville and El Centro.  Imperial celebrated 25 years.  

Making the event even more special was the attendance of Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta and his lovely wife Rashi.  President Mehta was the keynote speaker for this event and his speech left everyone motivated to keep working and growing Rotary by focusing on the goal of everyone bring one and everyone keep one.  

The two-day event was held at the Quechan Casino Resort in Winterhaven, California on January 7 and 8.  Two Districts (D5340 and D5500) were represented at the event including D5340 Governor Dan Gensler, Governor-Elect Chuck Pretto, and Governor Nominee Don Fipps. Past District Governors Marge Cole and Mel Gallegos and his wife Judy attended as did Zone Director Vicki Puliz and Assistant Governors Melissa Short and Hortencia Armendariz.  

The celebration included a tour of the area, a social hour to kick off the event and breakfast for the committee members with President Mehta and Rashi.  The evening included videos of charter members sharing their experiences of service above self and why Rotary is important for communities and the world.  

The planning of the centennial began in 2020 under leadership of committee chair Clifford Caldwell who acknowledged all the hard work put into making this celebration one to remember.  Kudos went out to leaders of District 5340 committee members Eric Freeman, Bob Barros, Robert Menvielle, George Marquez, Hortencia Armendariz, James Garcia, Dillon Faubion, Maria Lucas, Ross Daniels and Peggy Price.

There is no better way to covey the excitement of the evening better than with pictures.  Below you will find a sampling of camaraderie experienced during the celebration.  

 

 

 

Congratulations to Point Loma Rotarian Mike Whitehurst on receiving the Citation for Meritorious Service from the Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees.  Mike has served on the District Foundation Committee for many years--in the role of District Grants Chair and now as Major Gifts/Legacy Giving Co-Chair.  He has done a number of grants in India and has traveled to India as part of his involvement with these grants.

We will present his award at his club meeting and at the District Governor's Dinner at the end of this year.

 

 

Join us to help end Human Trafficking in San Diego March 4 at the Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road, San Diego, CA  92106.

Please sign up for this terrific summit that your District Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force is conducting with Point Loma Nazarene University and the San Diego County Office of Education.
 
The regional summit will feature some inspiring speakers and provide you with tips and tools to help prevent someone in our region from becoming a victim of this $800 million illicit industry.
 
The event is free, but registration is required. Reserve your spot today!

 

To register, click here.

 

 

 

Amy Scruggs, author of Lights Camera Action (on Amazon) will be speaking at a District wide meeting hostd by the Rotary Club of San Francisco (District 5150).  This event is being held on Zoom on January 13, 2022 at 5:00 pm.  District 5150 is opening this meeting up to any Rotarian who may be interested in becoming more savvy in the art of media communication. 

 

 

A new club is forming that has grown out of the Mission Gorge Rotary Club (now defunct).  It will be called the Mission Valley Evening Rotary Club.  They will be meeting on Tuesday, January 18 at 6:00 pm at the Mission Valley Library (Fenway Parkway Center) Community Room.  If you are interested or know someone who might be interested, please let them know about this meeting.  All COVID protocols will be obserbed (vaccines, boosters, masks) as required by the library.

 

For more information, contact Past District Governor Marge Cole at marge.cole@yahoo.com.

On December 4, 2021, over 25 Rotary clubs from the US and Mexico teamed up to donate and build seven houses for families in need in the Trebol community by Tecate BC. Once they all left and celebrated the great deed, Elena and Ivan Alba from the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary club set out to donate all the money they would spend on Christmas gifts for friends and family to, instead, purchase furniture and housewares for the seven families who received new homes. With the help of generous donations from several Rotarians and two clubs (from Del Mar and Tijuana), and the help of Fernanda Torres, they were able to bring the gifts of furniture and other items to those families in need. Almost $5000 was raised, and all the wares were purchased in Mexico (stimulating their economy) and delivered on December 18. Elena and her mother sewed and installed almost 30 sets of curtains to beautify the homes. Indeed, the spirit of giving was felt by all, when Charlie (a young, handicapped man) had his dream come true by replacing his single broken crutch with a brand-new set of forearm crutches that would enable him to more easily get around the hilly terrain. Two expecting mothers received brand new pack-n-play bassinet/cribs for their new-borns to come. The Rotary spirit of generosity knows no borders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rotary Magazine recently featured a story about two La Mesa Sunrise Rotarians - Ivan and Elena Lujan-Alba and their two girls who traveled the world for one year with an emphasis on doing service projects whereever they could.  You can read the story here. 

 

While traveling the family also created a blog so that each of them could reflect on their experiences.  You can read what this trip meant to them in their own words:  https://albaworldtour.wordpress.com

 

 

Register now for the District Membership Workshop taking place on Saturday January 15, 2021, from 9-10:30 am. This is a virtual Zoom workshop open to all Club Presidents, Presidents-Elect, AG's, Membership Chairs and committee members. 

 

 

District 5340 is happy to announce that we have engaged the services of Patricia Fortin (likes to be called Patty) as the new District Administrator. Patty will work with the existing District Governor line to organize the affairs of the District. She has an extensive background in corporate processes and task management and we very much look forward to having Patty tackle the administrative duties associated with managing the day-to-day operations of the District. 

 

 

 

 

Join us during Human Trafficking Awareness Month to discover the collaborative anti-trafficking efforts of our region and why you're vital to the cause.  This event is free with lunch included.  Sign up here as space is limited!

 

AGENDA

Sponsored by Rotary District 5340 through the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University and the County of San Diego.

 

It's a New Year and the future of Rotary is in your hands!  As is tradition for many, a fresh perspective and personal goals are set with the hopes of making a difference in some aspect of life.  What about your Rotary ambitions?  Do you aspire to leadership?  How about membership growth? 

 

RI President Shekhar Mehta has a final message before the end of the year, to bring with you into 2022.

“This is the time to take a bigger, better, bolder approach through both club and district projects that can impact more people. Reevaluate where you are with your goals. Create strategies that can sustain change over years, not months. Everyone deserves a long, healthy life. When you Serve to Change Lives, your actions today can help extend the lives of others.” 

 

Thank you Shekhar for taking us through this year, we’re grateful for your leadership and look forward to the new year. Follow this link to read Shekhar’s full message to Rotarians and peacemakers: https://on.rotary.org/3mflV7d.

 

 

 

Earlier this month, Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo and Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club members joined forces with fellow Rotarians throughout District 5340 (San Diego and Imperial counties) and District 4100 (Baja California, Mexico), high school and college students in the service organization’s Interact and Rotaract clubs.  Their efforts were featured in an article found in the Union Tribune on Thursday, December 30, 2021.     Read article.

 

Vocational Service is the essence of Rotary and serves as the foundation from which we serve our communities around the world. Vocational Service calls on us to empower others by using our unique skills and expertise to address community needs and help others acquire or refine skills and advance their professional opportunities.

 

The 2022 Rose Parade marks the 42nd consecutive year the RRPFC has spearheaded Rotary’s representation in America’s New Year Celebration.  This year’s theme, “Changing Lives Through Education,” aligns with one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, Basic Education and Literacy.   A sixteen-foot-tall owl embodies both the spirit of self-improvement and Rotary’s determination to make the tools of education available to everyone in every land. Books, a quill pen and a hybrid apple/globe symbolize the importance of education throughout the world.

 

To view Rotary's float in this year's Rose Parade, click here.

Three Santa Elves from the Santee-Lakeside Rotary club delivered presents to a Home of Guiding Hands’ residential group home in San Diego. The club adopted this group home as one of its holiday projects. It’s their hope that Covid restrictions will be lifted next year so that club members and residents can party together.

 

 

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary is at it again… bikes for the Carlsbad Boys and Girls club families. On December 12, the club purchased, assembled and presented 43 bikes for Carlsbad kids. CHNR members, family members and four members of TREK Bikes worked together to “get it done.” 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!  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 70 District Grants and have 10 Global Grants in the works.  150 Rotarians from 27 clubs built seven houses in Tecate, Mexico and as Rotarians we have supported and engaged our community like no other organization.

For those Rotary clubs who are participating in the Navajo Water Project spearheaded by District 5495, here is an update on the team's work to bring clean running water to the Navajo Nation.

 

In early 2020 (pre-Covid) nine in-home water systems from our Rotary global grants were installed in the small community of Dilkon on the Navajo Nation. Then in early April 2020, due to the severity of the pandemic on the Reservation, tribal leaders instituted lockdowns, curfews and work-stoppages that brought our work to a halt.   While it was sad to pause this work, we all understood the need for caution given how hard the Navajo were impacted by Covid-19.  Few were aware that by May of 2020 the Navajo Nation had become the epicenter of the outbreak in the world - worse by half than New York and New Jersey on a per-capita basis.  

 

So, we pivoted.  We worked with DigDeep and the Rotary Foundation to quickly authorize that $75,000 of our first Dilkon global grant could be allocated to emergency above-ground water tanks.  These tanks helped the Navajo have access to clean water and of course to adhere to hand-washing protocol.  The emergency water tanks held them avoid the contact that occurred routinely at regional wells where they would have otherwise needed to fill buckets, cans and barrels with enough water to survive.

 

 

 

May your holidays be merry and full of joy and hope!  A reminder that NEWSBITS will be dark Christmas weekend.

On Tuesday, December 7th Old Mission Rotary met at the Copley-Price YMCA for a Holiday Gift Wrapping luncheon. Members enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by the onsite cafe and then organized and placed toys into colorful bags. Labels on the bags indicated if the gifts were for a boy or girl and for what age. Club members also donated toys to the effort.  The toys will be distributed by the YMCA staff and volunteers to children living in the immediate inner-city area.

The Copley-Price Family YMCA opened its doors to the public in 2014 and proudly serves one of the most diverse communities in San Diego, offering a supportive environment for people in the City Heights, El Cajon, Kensington, Hillcrest, Talmadge, and North and South Park areas.

Over the years Old Mission Rotary has partnered with the Copley-Price YMCA even before their new facility was built. The Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary contributed $300,000 to help set up a teen center and computer lab that primarily serves student from nearby Hoover High School.

In addition to their physical fitness facilities and programs, the Copley-Price YMCA is dedicated to serving the local City Heights Community. This effort includes health and wellness programs as well as scholarships to help local residents afford membership.

 

 

Photo caption: ((L-R) Old Mission Rotary members Donna Maytum, Shari Stauder, Bob Chalfa, President Michelle Malin, Gloria Chalfa, Executive Secretary Stan Vogelsang, Copley-Price YMCA Executive Director Julian Villegas, Eric Benink, Matt Risi and Charlotte Cofield.

 

 

 

 

The Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset recognizes that Thanksgiving Day is very special for many families in the community. However, for underserved areas of San Diego many families still struggle to put a decent meal on the table. This year the Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset provided Thanksgiving food baskets to 10 families (feeding 68 people) in City Heights on November 28 - 29, 2021. Many of these families are recent immigrants who are beginning their lives in the United Sates with limited resources. The club also helped recent Burmese immigrant families enjoy a BBQ at Miramar Lake Park on Thanksgiving Day. Many families who do not eat turkey received $50 gift cards to area grocery stores to purchase meat of their choice.

 

The Rotary Club of El Cajon Sunset held its community grant award night on Nov. 18, 2021. In this event, San Diego Tema Sister Cities Association was awarded $2000 for a school computer lab in Tema Ghana (picture below). Several Sister Cities were represented, including Panama City and Yokohama Japan.

 

 

Water or Children Africa of El Cajon was awarded $3000 for its continued rain harvesting and storage water tanks for schools in Kenya. Haiti earthquake relief efforts and mentorship efforts for youth were also funded at $500 each.

 

 

Yesterday, Santee-Lakeside Rotarians, friends of Rotary, and Rotary scholars assembled about 1,000 boxes for the Santee Santas' Foundation. The club is proud to partner with such a wonderful organization that is providing much needed food and holiday gifts to members of our local community. 

 

December is Rotary International family month with a focus on disease prevention and treatment. Globally, Rotary is recognized for its signature project, the eradication of polio in the world.

 

The Escondido East Rotary Club delivered 170 hot turkey meals to homebound seniors on Thanksgiving Day. A big thank you to Darol and Linda Caster for organizing the event. Thank you also to Mikki’s Restaurant on Valley Parkway in Escondido for preparing the meals and Rotarian’s delivering them. 

 

 

Looking to have some fun?  Like to laugh?  Join the La Mesa Rotary and La Mesa Sunrise Rotary clubs on April 1, 2022 for a night of comedy and hypnosis.  This is the time to save the date on your calendar.  More information will be forthcoming closer to the date.  

A great group of Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotarians and friends showed up on November 13 to pack all the makings for a hot breakfast.  The package has a vitamin mix, soy protein, oat meal and a cinnamon apple flavor.  All elements were grains or powders measuring 252 to 254 grams to be exact when combined.   Club members finished 1728 packages of 6 portions packed 48 to a box in 36 boxes to go to the San Diego Food bank.  Do that math and that is 10,368 portions.  The Community Outreach Program out of Iowa is the non-profit who has the concept and excellent execution.   Great job everyone!

 

 

 

Giving Tuesday happens once a year, but your gift of Rotary will make a difference for a lifetime. This Giving Tuesday, consider making a special gift to The Rotary Foundation and together we can continue Doing Good in the World. 

 

 

 

Good morning fellow Rotarians! The Quintessential Auction is underway – benefiting the many local and international service projects of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club! The auction will be open through December 2, but bidding is already underway – so sign up now! 

 

 

 

 

We’re excited to gather again in-person so we can connect, share ideas, and strengthen our relationships in an atmosphere of friendship and learning. The 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas, USA, offers us that opportunity – and we remain optimistic that we’ll be there together 4-8 June 2022.   

The deadline to register at the reduced rate is fast approaching. You have until 15 December 2021, so sign up and pay today to take advantage of significant savings. You’ll have the chance to cancel for a full refund until 30 April 2022, minus a $50 per person administration fee. 

 

 

 

Are you and your club aware of the great work that Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD) is doing to promote girls in our community?  Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. 

 

The La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club is hosting Diego Carneiro, Master Cellist and orchestra director for La Orcestra Joven del Ecuador    (Youth Orchestra of Ecuador) at their December 3, 2021 regular meeting to provide an opportunity for Rotarians to hear his music and learn his story.  Diego is participating in a global grant between the Rotary Club of Colville (Washington State - District 5080) and the Rotary Club of Quito Ecuador de Quito Valle Interoceànico and is on a fundraising tour to assist in funding the global grant (#2128505). 

 

 

The Imperial Valley Centennial Committee is pleased to invite you to hear RI President Shekhar Mehta during their Centennial celebration January 7-8, 2022.  The event will take place at the Quechan Casino and Resort located at 525 Algodones Road, Winterhaven, CA  92283.

 

The agenda for the weekend is as follows:

 

Friday Jan 7    (All times are Arizona time)

5:00 PM Rotary Social by the pool with RI President Mehta Quechan Casino Resort (Business Casual Attire)

Saturday Jan 8 
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Matching Grants Workshop
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Centennial Celebration of Clubs
6:00 pm - 6:30 pm Keynote Speaker:

 

Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta
6:30 pm - 7:00 pm RI President will recognize
new members – Rotarians and Paul Harris
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Dinner (formal attire)

   

 

 

Meals on Wheels is looking for volunteers to help deliver home-cooked meals to seniors living in San Diego County.  Volunteers delivering meals allows Meals on Wheels San Diego County's seniors to remain independent by providing nutritious meals and critical safety checks. Sometimes a volunteer is the only person their seniors see all day. Meals on Wheels San Diego County could not serve over 4,000 seniors each year without the help of their gracious volunteers.

 

It was quite a day on November 16 for Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary (CHNR). Over 70 Rotarians, family members and friends worked in partnership with The Outreach Project to package and box meals for 10,000 people.  The food will be presented to the North County Food Bank for distribution.

 

The Outreach Project presented the bulk food and CHNR members worked in teams in an assembly-line approach to package all the food.  It was boxed and recorded for future use, and, we were told, it was done in record time.  

 

CHNR identified “food insecurity” as its main service focus in 2020 and that focus continues.  In fact, the North County Food Bank presented Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary with its Group Volunteer Award last Wednesday at its awards ceremony.  President Raegan Matthews accepted on behalf of the club and LeAnn Rytz is the hardworking Community Service Director who coordinates the club’s service activities.  

 

Thanks to all who participated in this well-organized service project!

 

 

 

 

As you likely know, our community is expecting a large number of Afghan refugees in the next few months.  Many Rotary clubs have been asking how they can help.  D5340 Rotarians, supported by District Governor Dan Gensler, can provide assistance in many ways through  the International Rescue Committee (IRC),  a federally designated resettlement agency in San Diego that is in need of some assistance.

 

Over the course of a month, the Santee-Lakeside Rotary Club and Friends of Rotary gathered and then donated sweaters, sweatshirts, and socks to Saint Vincent de Paul. There were so many donations that it took several trips to deliver it all.  It shows, once again, how amazing and giving Rotarians are.  Thank you to all those who helped make this project a success, especially to Elana Levens-Craig who coordinated this activity.

 

Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary presented a grant benefiting the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet (SDCYB).

San Diego Civic Youth Ballet was founded in 1945 and has been the resident ballet school in Balboa Park ever since. In addition to offering high-quality, affordable, year-round training in the Casa del Prado studios, SDCYB produces three major productions at the Casa del Prado Theater each year: a full-length spring ballet, Fairy Tales in the Park each summer (which benefits the Scholarship Program) and the classic holiday production of The Nutcracker. There is also an annual Spring Showcase of the school and the SDCYB Performance Ensemble (which is comprised of the highest-level dancers) performs at special events throughout the community. 

SDCYB Development Manager, Christine de Pagter accepted the funds and announced that they would be using the $5000 grant presented on November 16th for furniture and dancing equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotarian Max Gurney, was honored by Torrey Pines Rotary Club at their Torrey Pines Rotary Veterans Program on November 10th. The 100-100-year-old Army Veteran served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy in WW II. He just returned from an Honor Flight tour of Washington DC where he was the fourth oldest veteran on the trip.

 

 

 

Our Rotarians created posters for returning Marines. Everyone pulled out the stickers, crayons, markers and poster boards to make a military homecoming special.

 

 

The La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club recently held their meeting outside at 7:00 am at the La Jolla Coast Walk Trail. During the meeting, a fundraiser check was presented to Brenda Fake, Rotarian and Chairman of Friends of Coast Walk Train.  The fundraiser - 2nd Annual La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Walk for the Trail - benefits the Reconstruction of Goldfish Point Observation Platform, which was also supported by a $3,000.00 District 5340 matching grant.

 

 

 

 

Member Profile:  Robert S. Brewer and the Downtown Breakfast Club

 

 

The crew of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship has a fun beach cleanup planned for Saturday Nov 20 from 8AM to 10PM at Mission Beach (Tower 13 South of Belmont Park).  This event is open to the family of Rotary (Rotarians, Rotaract & Interact members), family & friends.  

 

 

 

Photo above:  Calexico Rotary President George Marquez presents Calexico Police Officer and fellow Rotarian Victor Legaspi with a $1,000 donation for the annual Kids ‘N’ Badges Christmas shopping spree.

 

In addition, Calexico Rotary President George Marquez presents Helen Palomino from Cancer Resource Center of the Desert with a $1,000 donation. These funds are part of a Rotary district grant that is specifically designated towards providing monetary support to Cancer patients traveling out of county for specialized medical treatment.  Photo below.  

 

 

Most of us are familiar with the reference to the "Twelve Days of Christmas" but did you know about the Twelve Months of Rotary?  Rotary has identified a theme for each month.  The monthly themes are meant to highlight the wide range of Rotary's good work and give clubs some suggestions, timing and guidance for their programs and activities.  Here is the list.  You can also download a PDF with samples of the graphics used for each Rotary month.  

 

Click here to download a copy of Rotary Monthly Themes.

 

The Coronado Rotary Club's Committee to Protect the Environment recently spent a Saturday morning picking up trash in the Otay River Delta, a National Wildlife Refuge. This video is a short story of the men and women who were there and why they feel so strongly about this cause and why Rotary's seventh area of focus is so important.  

 

 

Currently, Don is the Assistant Governor for Area 3 - Carlsbad Hi Noon, Carlsbad Evening, Tri City and San Marcos.  He is also serving as Governor-Elect Dan Gensler’s chief aide.

I just returned from spending four days in Imperial Valley visiting 6 Rotary clubs. I had the most amazing experience with my time in the Valley. Did you know that the first club in D5340 was San Diego, Club-33 and that the next three clubs formed in D5340 where in the Imperial Valley?  The Imperial Valley Centennial Celebration is coming up in 2022. Stay tuned for more information. 

On Wednesday morning, I visited the Imperial Breakfast club where President Peggy runs an efficient meeting, and we inducted several new members. From there, I headed out to Blythe and the Steaks and Cakes restaurant, where the Blythe Rotary Club has been meeting for many years. It was a pleasure to see everyone and a special thanks to Mike Cusick who helped me get my flat tire repaired. From there I headed to Calexico for the evening meeting with President George Marquez where we inducted one (out of four) new member. We enjoyed the best homemade Mexican food you could ask for. The Club surprised me with a sombrero, serape, and a bottle of tequila. 

 

 

Special thanks to District Governor Dan Gensler for stopping by the 100 Wave Challenge. Members of Surfers Unite Rotarian Fellowship including: Derren Lechuga (Past President of Pacific Beach Rotaract), Brett Morey (Founder of SURF and Past President of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle), Vince Ponce (Rotary Club of Carlsbad Hi Noon) along with Ken Barrett (Past President of the Rotary Club of Del Mar Solana Beach) knocked out 100 waves each on Saturday, Oct. 23rd at Oceanside Harbor.  Each of these men along with 30 others on the Degree 33 Surfboards 100 Wave Challenge team helped raise over $65,000for Boys to Men Mentoring and at-risk teens.  In fact, this 12th Annual event has broken $300,000 and is tracking to eclipse last year's record of $509,000. 

 

There is still time to give, volunteer as food runners as well as participate.  Check out the following on the Surfers Unite website, take a look at their Events page for an upcoming beach clean up and ugly sweater paddle out and text "100Wave" to 858-602-2532 to get involved.  Together we change hearts and lives for fatherless teenage boys and build men of integrity and purpose.  Thanks to the generosity of Rotarians Brett is about to break $11,000 to sponsor 11 kids in this program.

 

 

 

Several clubs throughout District 5340 participated in the End Polio Now fundraiser held in Balboa Park on October 24.  District Governor Dan Gensler joined and together Rotarians helped raise money to eradicate Polio. A huge shout out to Rotarians from Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club, Encinitas Coastal, Mission Gorge, Santee-Lakeside, Coronado Rotary Club, La Jolla Triangle, Del Mar, SD Coastal, La Mesa and Rotaractors from Encinitas, Pacific Beach, City Heights and San Diego.  Following the 3.5 mile walk, participants were treated to breakfast burritos, juices and mimosas sponsored by the City Heights Rotary Club.

 

Several other clubs took to the streets in local neighborhoods and along boardwalks to raise awareness for the End Polio Now campaign.  It was a great effort by all.    

 

Chula Vista Sunrise Rotarians spent Saturday morning collecting well needed items for the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility. The good works continued at the "J" Street Marina working with students from Hilltop High School's Interact and Eco clubs. They used kayaks donated by Harry at CV Kayak in cleaning up trash in the bay.

 

 

Sign up for the online Ecology Day Conference Nov. 6 hosted by ESRAG’s Western North America Chapter! Open and free to everyone, the morning panels showcase internationally renowned speakers. The afternoon sessions focus on the environmental work of youth and young adults In Rotary. The conference starts at 9:)) am Pacific Time.

 

 

In the world of mixers, the makings of a successful soirée involve the combination of nice music, delicious food, inspiring atmosphere, and great conversation. The 17th annual Rotary Club of Del Mar Sunset Soiree trumped all basic requirements with its abundance of hors d’oeuvres, fine wine and microbrews, the perfect music, a million-dollar ocean view home, and a picture-perfect sunset.
 
The event goal to raise $50,000 was exceeded, allowing the Rotary Club of Del Mar additional funds for local and international projects. The club thanks everyone associated with the Soiree, including the approximately 300 attendees.
 

 

 

The Nominating Committee is pleased to announce that Don Fipps from the Rotary Club of Del Mar has been selected to serve as District Governor during the Rotary year 2024-25.

 

In accordance with the provisions of Rotary International Bylaws Article 12, Rotary District 5340 created a Nominating Committee to review and interview candidates. This year's Committee included eight past, current, and future District Governors. and was chaired by Immediate Past District Governor Steven Weitzen.

 

Any challenges to the selection of District Governor (Rotary International Bylaws Article 12.030.7) are to be received by Steven Weitzen, Chair of the Nomination Committee, by close of business on Friday, November 5, 2021. Challenges may be sent via email to weitzen5@aol.com. If no challenges are received, the selection of the Nominating Committee becomes official.

 

District 5340's Foundation Committee will be hosting a TRF (The Rotary Foundation) training session on November 15, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom 

 

Donating to Rotary means clean water and sanitation. Health and hope in areas that were once ravaged by diseases like polio. Economic development and new opportunities. Your financial help makes all this happen, and more. 

 

This training session is especially important for club presidents, AGs and Foundation chairs,.  Its an opportunity to learn about all the giving options Rotarians can  participate in and how important donations are to the success of Rotary International and our local District and Rotary clubs.    You won't to miss it.  

 

 

 

 

Join the Zoom meeting:

Meeting ID: 815 3718 4664 Passcode: 347519

 

 

 

 

Please join the Rotary Club of Del Mar in donating the gift of life through blood donation this Thursday, October 28 at the Del Mar Civic Center Parking lot - 1050 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA  92014.  Reservations are encouraged.

 

Register at: sandiegobloodbank.org/donate or call 619 400-8251.

HUGE shout out to the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary Club for their work with Refuge for Women SoCal in getting this meditative sail shade area created! It's such a healing place for those recovering from the trauma of human sex trafficking in America! Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANBNGKGu1YE

 

On Tuesday, October 19th, The Art Pratt Foundation of Old Mission Rotary presented a $5000 grant to San Diego Oasis. Oasis is a unique educational program for adults 50+ who want to continue to learn and be productive throughout life. The grant money will be used to buy books for students at Title 1 elementary schools in under served neighborhoods. Kristin Amicone of Oasis solicited our membership to volunteer for reading programs in inner city schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rotary Club of Point Loma is holding a Ride the Point fundraiser benefiting UCSD Moores Pancreatic Cancer Research and local San Diego charities on November 13, 2021.  Ride the Hidden, the Forbidden and the Unridden.  You can check out the video here.  Don't miss your chance to participate.  Register now!  Ridethepoint.org.

 

The San Diego Coastal Rotary Club is sponsoring the FREE showing of the documentary the Biggest Little Farm at the Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas (3965 Fifth Avenue #200, San Diego, CA  92103) November 17 at 6:30 p.m.  This documentary movie takes you on the epic journey of how a farm can change the world!  It's open to all Rotarians, family and friends.  

 

Celebrating Rotary's 7th area of focus, the San Diego Coastal Rotary Club wants to change your perspective on how you see farming, nature and humanity. Check out the trailer.   RSVPs are required.  Get your tickets by clicking here.   There are only 190 seats available.