Welcome everyone to the new Rotary Year!! I am officially your president for the 2026-27 year! Only 365 fun filled days to go!
I am excited to start my term. It feels like a long time coming and years in the making. I have been in this club since the summer of 2005. My Rotary journey started in October of 2004 when Steve said, "Hey there's this guy, Surinder Singh, in the Rotary club planning a trip to India, and we should go." It was at the end of January and I thought he was crazy. That was also the time that Steve and I were planning our wedding, I had just started a new job, and we were moving in together. The timing could not have been worse, and it was the farthest thing from my mind.
But we took the trip to India and to my surprise, it changed everything for me. There were about 20 in the group including Jeff and Barbara Stern. It wasn't a tourist trip to India. Instead, it was an eye-opening unforgettable experience, and I discovered what Rotary really was. I saw the name of the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills on a plaque in a classroom in Gurgaon, India. We were treated like royalty. We attended a Rotary meeting, experienced the Sikh Indian culture, and went to the Golden Temple and The Taj Mahal. About 6 months later, I joined the club.
This Rotary year the theme is Create Lasting Impact. That trip to India was my lasting impact. I discovered what Rotary was and the impact our club makes in our community and abroad. So I encourage all of you to make your own lasting impact and have fun doing it.
Bryna Hornstein, the 2026-2027 president of the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills, introduced her husband Steve at the Club Retreat. Click on the photo to watch the video.
The 2026 Rotary International Convention, held June 13–17, 2026, in Taipei, brought together more than 38,000 Rotarians, Rotaractors, and guests from approximately 140 countries and regions, making it one of the largest Rotary conventions in recent years. President Bryna Hornstein and her husband, Steve, a fellow Rotarian, were among the attendees. The convention was hosted at the Taipei Dome and the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (TaiNEX).
Theme: "Uniting for Good"
Under the leadership of Francesco Arezzo, the convention centered on the theme "Uniting for Good." Throughout the week, speakers emphasized that Rotary's greatest strength lies in bringing together people of different cultures, professions, and backgrounds to create lasting humanitarian impact.
Great evening at the Scholarship awards dinner with the Rotary Club of Mental Health & Wellness. Christi Pinto was happy to have been a part of their celebration.
Cheer on the Dodgers while supporting our Rotary District youth programs! These tickets are offered at a discounted price, and proceeds from tickets sales will go directly to youth programs.
This tradition started two years ago, and each of those years the Dodgers have won the World Series. Let's make it 3 in a row!
The game is Sunday, August 2nd at 4:20 p.m. versus the Boston Red Sox. Tickets are loge level, IN THE SHADE! Tickets are $90 each. All the purchased tickets will be sent to the Club Presidents to distribute to their members.
Join Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and friends from across District 5280 for a morning of fellowship, inspiration, and updates that fuel our service above self.
Everyone's favorite summer event is back! The District Picnic, "Make Waves: Cardboard Boat Regatta" is happening Sunday, August 29 from 5-9 p.m. at Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach. Dress in your regatta best ― captain's hats, stripes and yacht club chic encouraged!
Then RI President-elect Olayinka Hakeem Babalola spoke to the 38,000 Rotarians that were gathered last month at the international convention in Taipei. Here are some of his remarks.
My club took on a literacy project when I was a young Rotaractor. We were helping adults in my community learn to read and write. During that project, I watched a woman hold a piece of paper and read her own name for the first time. That moment redirected me. I was not simply a young man with opportunities anymore. I was a young man with a responsibility to extend those opportunities to others.
23527 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302
Suite 1250
Calabasas, CA 9130391302 United States
NOTE MEETING DETAILS: We will meet on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month live, in-person at SAGEBRUSH CANTINA for a lunch meeting; it will also be on ZOOM. Meetings on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of each month will be on ZOOM only.
I am excited to start my term. It feels like a long time coming and years in the making. I have been in this club since the summer of 2005. My Rotary journey started in October of 2004 when Steve said, "Hey there's this guy, Surinder Singh, in the Rotary club planning a trip to India, and we should go." It was at the end of January and I thought he was crazy. That was also the time that Steve and I were planning our wedding, I had just started a new job, and we were moving in together. The timing could not have been worse, and it was the farthest thing from my mind. 
