.jpg)
I’d like to start off my year as club president by thanking Jeff Stern and his board and all chairs for doing such a great job last year. Our club made a significant impact on the local community with many projects that certainly proved “2gether we can do more!” His goal to raise more money than prior years was met when our Foundation raised $9,000 at our first annual Poker Tournament in conjunction with the Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home. This was due to Jeff’s efforts leading the way to make sure we were involved.
The Demotion Dinner at the North Ranch Country Club on June 22 was a success! Thank you to Jill Mellman, Lynn Miller and Sandy Rosenholz for organizing the evening. We enjoyed entertainment by Center Stage Opera. Thanks Marty Fentress, for the photo montage. Our District Governor-elect, Cozette Vergari installed our new board. The Country Club is in a beautiful setting. The buffet was delicious. I encourage all members to attend this fun event next year.
When I accepted the challenge to become president in December, 2014, I wrote down the first two words I thought of on a piece of paper, Touching Lives. I decided that should be my theme for the year. Isn’t that what we do at every community service event, vocational activity, youth event, and on the international level? Let’s touch as many lives as possible this year. I will need everyone’s participation!
Our club is one of 34,000 in the world! I had the pleasure of attending the Rotary International Convention in Seoul, South Korea from May 28 – July 1 with 45,000 Rotarians from around the world! I highly recommend attending this convention next year in Atlanta, Georgia, since it’s closer to home!
From a Peace Walk with 6,000 Rotarians, to hearing our International President “Ravi” inform us about his mother’s challenge with Polio when he was young, to meeting three past International presidents, I was in awe! It was five days of Rotary camaraderie, amazing speakers, entertaining opening and closing ceremonies, and learning so much more about projects that Rotarians do around the world. We even heard from a “minister of happiness” appointed in Dubai! I learned that Rotary International was voted one of the top five charities with impact to the world by CNBC!
And did I mention how proud we should be that Polio is 99% eradicated? Thanks to Rotarians around the world who made sure this crippling disease wouldn’t continue to affect our children. Polio eradication has put Rotary on the map! Don’t forget to tell everyone you know that you are part of the reason their kids do not have polio.
After the convention, 110 Rotarians from our District 5280, boarded buses for a three-day tour of Seoul and other areas organized by D J Sun, our Past District governor, who was born in Seoul. It was nice meeting local Rotarians from our district as well. If you want to know more about the convention, ask me!
Last year’s Rotary International’s theme was Be a Gift to the World. This year’s theme is Rotarians Serving Humanity.
Let’s change it up a bit!
Our 50/50 weekly raffle will change to: a maximum of 20 cards to start the deck. When there are fewer cards in the deck to choose from and the Joker hasn’t been picked, you can buy more raffle tickets. That will increase the pot and improve meeting attendance!
The last meeting of each month will change to an informal dinner called Wednesday Night Live. Our first dinner meeting will be held at the Pizza Cookery on Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Erwin St. on July 27, from 6 – 7:30. Please bring spouses, significant others and prospective members. Why? Many members can’t attend lunch meetings. This gives more people an opportunity to join us and see the good things that we do.
I know you’ve heard this before, but I really will start my meetings at noon and end them at 1 p.m. Many of us own businesses or have jobs that require our lunches to be short, sweet and to the point!
Occasionally, we will have a Community Service meeting! You read it right! July 20 will be our first combo meeting/community service event. We will be making sandwiches for the homeless at our meeting! Bring friends and those who should see will first-hand the good things we do in our community.
Last week, several of our members assisted Vision to Learn, an organization we partnered with to screen kids for glasses at the West Valley Boys and Girls Club. Of the 237 kids that were tested, 60 were fitted with prescription glasses.
Here’s a letter of appreciation from Evelyn Aleman, who always supports our Rotary club, regarding her daughter’s experience with our Vision project:
I just wanted to let you and the Club know that Julia had a great experience yesterday with the Vision to Learn screening effort at the Boys and Girls Club in Canoga Park. She loved spending time with Jeff (of course) and appreciated all of his advice. More than anything, she said that the experience made her aware of the real need in our communities — and why we all do what we do.
As a result of this - and through Jeff’s guidance - she was able to connect with the person in charge of volunteers at the center, and will be submitting an application in the next few days to volunteer with the kids. Julia has indirectly participated in Rotary events since she was 1-year-old, but now, at 15, she gets to actively give service to others right in our own backyard. Love it! — Thanks Rotary!
Evelyn
Evelyn G. Aleman | President
Media Image Public Relations
Maybe we touched one more life than we originally thought! Thanks Evelyn, for your kind words. Julia was a great help.
I’m looking forward to a productive, fun year! Contact me for any questions for suggestions: 818-917-6541 ♦ Diane@levynelson.com
Yours in Rotary service,
Diane
Touching Lives
.jpg)
.jpg)
