Jeff Stern and Lois Koch at Nicola's during the July Rotary Night Out.
From the Desk of Dale...
Dear Rotary Club of Woodland Hills,
I am so thrilled we are off to such a great start! We are well underway into our new Rotary year.
My first meeting as President went well, and I assumed you all forgot your normal tradition when no one walked out on me! However, SURPRISE, week 2 you all walked out. I was surprised!
We had our first board meeting in July, and already, your Avenue of Service Chairs are hard at work. Our club will be taking the lead in a project that will be a reverse global grant to fight human trafficking. Community, Youth and Vocational Service will be contributing to that project. If you have not already joined a committee, please do so! As an active member of our club, you will get the most out of it by actively participating in an Avenue of Service.
August is Rotary Membership Month. All Rotarians are ambassadors of Rotary and their clubs. This is especially relevant during Membership Month in August, when the focus is on building strong, vibrant clubs by inviting prospective members to join Rotary. If everyone agrees to invite someone to visit our club, we are sure to get more members, making our club stronger than it already is. Think about why you joined Rotary. We all had our own reasons, but came together for a common cause. I joined Rotary because I was really looking for a way to give back to the community and to be in a world wide organization that provided service to those in need. The membership committee is not just the two membership chairs for our club. EVERY ONE of us is on the membership committee and is responsible for building our club. With each new member we get fresh ideas and new opportunities. Let’s do this together!
August 8th, Joe Vasquez, our District Governor will be visiting our club. Our Board of Directors will meet with Joe prior to the meeting. Joe will be our program. Let’s get a great turnout and have everyone in attendance on August 8th.
Let’s BE THE INSPIRATION!
Yours in Rotary Service,
Dale
MEMBERSHIP MONTH
Why I Chose Rotary
In honor of Rotary Membership Month, let's hear from some Rotarians on why they chose to get involved in Rotary...in their own words.
Arturo Velasquez: I joined Rotary because I’m being so blessed living in this country that I wanted to give back to the people in need around the world. I found out that Rotary International was the best organization to do this not only internationally but also locally.
Neil Sokoler: I joined the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills as their 'youngest' member in February 1991. The members impressed me as a truly selfless group committed to doing good work within our community and beyond.
At that time we were discouraged from soliciting business within the group.
We were encouraged to devote all our energies to promoting the Rotary motto, 'Service above self.' Our members devotion of time, energy and funding made a lasting impression on me.
Bryna Hornstein: I got involved with Rotary through my husband telling me about this trip to India in January of 2005. Once I went on this trip and saw all the good Rotary does in the world I was hooked. Rotary has been a part of our lives through marriage and kids and will continue to indefinitely. It's great to give back and show our kids the importance of doing community service.
Lynn Miller: An acquaintenance recommended it highly as an organization that gives freely and world wide. My first meeting confirmed that.
I felt an immmediate connection in many many ways!
Michelle Goldwater: Rotary to me is people helping people to create a positive change in their lives with kindness and compassion, love, knowledge and peace. On a personal level, my fellow Rotarians are more than an extension of Family, they are my Family, and I’m deeply honored and proud to be a part of it.
Lonnie Mintz: My parents have been Rotarians for almost two decades. However, I joined Rotary International to help give back to the community where I was raised, live and work. I specifically joined the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills as its members are altruistic, giving caring and dedicated to the betterment of not only our community and city, but throughout the world. Our members are passionate about helping those in need or in distress and it's a truly amazing feeling to be a part of this amazing organization!
Judy Corcoran: I choose to join because a friend of mine was a member. I really enjoyed it and joined. Now I live in Williamsburg VA but I’ll always remember the good times I had in Rotary.
'Peace in the South Bay'
Celebrates Int'l Peace Day
Inspired by the success of our club's interfaith clergy panels promoting peace, District 5280 is sponsoring an event modeled on ours - Peace In The South Bay! The event features Rabbi Leah Lewis of Temple Menorah, Iman Jihad Saafir of Islah Los Angeles, Buddhist Patt Heckman of Soka Gakkai International and Dr. Reinhard Krauss , Executive Director of the Christian, Judaic, Islamic Institute. Cost in advance is $25, and $35 at the door. For more information, contact Past District Governor Vicki Radel at drvictoriaradel@cs.com
(If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor)
Stories
We invite you to be part of the Rotary Clubs of Calabasas and Woodland Hills Casino Nite and Poker Tournament complete with dinner as well as live and silent auctions! The festivities are on June 3 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the The Canyon - 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills, CA 91301.
his event will be honoring Rotary District 5280 Governor Cozette Vergari and her passion toward stamping out Human Trafficking. Too ofter our youth get caught up in a web of human trafficking, often through the Internet or young people who are part of the foster system within our own communities. It is a rising concern and not enough is being done to address this atrocity. The Calabasas and Woodland Hills Clubs are joining together to put on this event to raise awareness and the necessary funds to support the fight agains Human Trafficking.
Please join us for a night of fun with table games, a poker tournament, and GREAT PRIZES!!! Attendance includes Dinner, one alcoholic beverage, and unlimited soft drinks. Click here for ticket information.
Casino Night Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed for our Casino Night on June 3. Here are of the areas we will need help.
Auction prep - put together auction baskets and other items, make bid sheets, create master list of items for tracking and close out
Auction set up - On the day of the event, set up auction items and bid sheets at the venue
Auction monitoring and close out - Monitor auction tables through out the event, pick up bid sheets at the end of the auction, assist with collection of funds and delivery of auction items to successful bidders
Venue set up - One the day of the event, set up and decorate prior to the start of the event
Check in table - Check in guests and provide instruction/direction on the night of the event
Your name, email address, phone number and the area(s) you are available to help.
Please indicate if you will be able to help on the day of the event. Remember, if you are playing poker or casino games, you need to tell me that so we won't be counting on you to help during those hours.
Fireside Chat for New Members on April 11 Several new members have joined the club over the past year.
There are many moving parts in Rotary along with a slew of acronyms and this is overwhelming for new members. They usually have a difficult time understanding what is exactly happening at meetings, activities and events. To help them navigate through the clutter, the club's board of directors and committee chairs will be holding a Rotary Fireside Chat on April 11 at 6 p.m. New members will learn about Rotary’s Avenues of Services, the club and Rotary International's histories, and events and activities in our club and on the District, national and international levels. There also will be time to answer your questions. And most important, President Paul Gross will ask new members to reinforce their commitment to Rotary by joining at least one of the club's many committees.
The board encourages all new members to attend the Rotary Fireside Chat, which will be held at Sheri Polak's house. A light supper will be served. To RSVP email Sheri: sheripolak@aol.com
Posted by Barry Verga
A Day in Ojai on April 28
Here is the tentative itinerary:
10 a.m. ► Meet at Ojai Olive Oil Company ►1811 Ladera Road ► 93023 ► 805-646-5964 ►www.ojaioliveoil.com
11 a.m. ►Krishnamurti Foundation of America ►1130 McAndrew Road ► 93023 ► 805-746-2171 ►www.kfa.org
Noon ► Lunch and optional wine tasting at Boccali’s ► 3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road ►93023 ► 805-646-6116 ►www.boccalis.com
1:30 p.m. ► Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts ►8585 Ojai-Santa Paula Road ► 93023 ► 805-646-3381 ►www.beatricewood.com
3 p.m. ► Explore downtown Ojai or visit Ojai Valley Museum of Art and History ► 130 W. Ojai Ave. ► 93023
4 p.m. ► Wine Tasting and music at Topa Mountain Winery ► 821 W. Ojai Avenue ►93023 ►www.TOPAMOUNTAINWINERY.COM
Note: times are approximate
If you are staying overnight, here are some activities on Sunday:
► Farmers Market downtown Ojai ► 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
► Ojai Valley Museum of Art and History ► A special exhibit called Scorched Souls showing works by Ojai artists in response to the Thomas Fire ► 130 W. Ojai Ave. Ojai, CA ►805-640-1390 ►www.valleymuseum.org► Sun 12-4 p.m.
► Meditation Mount, 10340 Reeves Road ► 93023 ► 805-646-5508 ► www.meditationmount.org► (Call to see if reopened due to the Thomas fire). A great view of the Valley!
► Help A Horse Day Festival and Fundraiser for California Coastal Horse Rescue ► 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. ► 600 W. Lomita Ave. ► 805-649-1090 ►www.calcoastalhorserescue.com. It’s a family fun event with equine training demonstration, food trucks, a beer garden, live music, etc.
Posted by Ronald Supancic
Peace Panel: Chaos, Conflict, Kumbaya: Can Religion Solve the Problems in our Community? World?
Our club in partnership with the West Valley-Warner Center Chamber of Commerce held a successful Peace Panel on March 11: Chaos, Conflict, Kumbaya: Can Religion Solve the Problems in our Community? World? The speakers were Rabbi Paul Kipnes of Congregation Or Ami (l –r) Taleb Alsafi, Resident Quran Reciter, the Islamic Society of the West Valley; Shaikh Suhail Mullah, Resident Scholar, the Islamic Society of the West Valley; and Dr. Ross Porter, director of Faith Formation & Evangelization, St. Mel Catholic Church).
The speakers did a great job. President Paul Gross' Rotary moment was when he said that he had a bias toward Muslims since 9/11 because he lost friends on that tragic day. Although the club met several times over the past few years with Valley Muslim groups, Paul always avoided being in group pictures. The idea for the panel grew out of his realization that maybe his thinking was wrong. Out of that change, Paul established the first panel on Religion and Peace in 2017. This year's panel continued that discussion. In addition, the format was altered to allow guests to interact with each other and provide their perspective on the issues being explored. The table discussions were facilitated by Mediators Beyond Borders facilitated table dialogue, which in lively exchanges and you can view on of them in the video below.
Dr. Ross Porter talked about changes at the Vatican including the cessation of proselytizing Jews and demonstrating respect for other religions. Rabbi Kipnes noted that we are similar and this is born out with MRIs and x-rays. "We have discovered for are identical under the skin. So we need to look at people in turns of what is inside of them, not what is on the outside, particularly their skin color and dress."
"How can you reconcile Sharia law with ours in terms of forced marriage and child mutilation? Islamic women will tell you that most of this is untrue and occurs only with a small number of people.
People with a new consciousness find similarities between our beliefs," said Shaikh Suhail Mullah.
Sandy Rosenholz, Anna Sakvarelidze, and Ron Supancic assisted Paul in arranging the program.
Click on the picture to view the video.
Helping Homeless Youth Through Making Pizza
The March 7 meeting was very inspirational. The speaker was a young powerful woman, Mar Diego. She talked about her Dough Girl and how she has a positive impact on homeless youth in the community. Her story is about a 35-year-old ex-convict, who grew out of a public housing project in Pacoima, who has schooled dozens of teens on how to make fresh lemonade, healthful salads and hand-thrown gourmet pies. We were left us in tears, inspired and in love with her beautiful soul. The club provided scholarships to some of the youth who were attendance.
Click on image for information on the District Conference
Ernie Koneck ► editor ► emkoneck@gmail.com
P.O. Box 144 ► Woodland Hills, CA 91365 ► (818) 738-0982
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