RB Sunrise Rotary Meeting a Taxing Affair...

San Diego County Treasurer/Tax Collector Dan McAllister joined us this morning to explain all the fun ways our money is being collected, new technologies on the horizon, and how to use "Dan's Law" to get your property re-assessed in a timely manner.

Holiday lights for seniors

Arlene Wolf (left) reviews holiday lights with Mary Stanton of the RB Sunrise Rotary club. Stanton was part of a team that volunteered to help residents of Seven Oaks senior community to install their holiday lights. It's part of the club's annual efforts to improve the Rancho Bernardo community.

Centennial District Conference

District 5340 held its Centennial conference at San Diego's Hotel Circle on 11/4 and 11/5. 500 Rotarians came to discuss successes, challenges, and next steps for the District's 3,500 members. I can't speak for anyone else, but I had a WONDERFUL time!

Helping Provide A Facelift

Members and family of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary (Karen Mortimer, Bill Mortimer, Rob Weinberg, Emily Weinberg, Randy Rose, Greg Stanton, Rex Teets) participated in the semi-annual FACELIFT project organized by Community HousingWorks. In the space of six hours, 750 volunteers helped clean up a tired neighborhood, painting fences, digging gardens, planting pavers, and hauling away (literally) tons of trash.

The Rotarians were so pleased with the results that the RB Sunrise Rotary club is planning to open this event to the entire membership and make it a regular community service project.

Joe Giamanco Gets Paul Harris

Joe Giamanco had a pleasant surprise at today's meeting as Carl Kruse announced Joe's being named as a Paul Harris award recipient. The Paul Harris award is given when $1,000 is contributed to the Rotary Foundation by a community leader or in their name. And though Joe hadn't yet earned enough points to qualify for the award on his own, his hard work in helping to improve the world around him apparently impressed others, who contributed points in his name.

RB Sunrise Rotary Selects Eric Matthews as Abraxas Student of the Month

As part of its ongoing partnership with Abraxas High School, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club announced their Student Of The Month award for September 2011 at this past week’s breakfast meeting.

The presentation to Eric Matthews was made by principal Rudy Casciato, teacher Keith Leighton and Rotarian Trudy Armstrong.

“Here was a guy who had dropped out of school,” explained Leighton to the room of 50+ professionals. “Now he’s back into everything that school has to offer, is doing great things, and is earning credits right and left towards graduation.”

“Eric will be attending motorcycle maintenance school in Arizona upon graduation,” his teacher proudly announced.

From Left to Right – Abraxas principal Rudy Casciato, teacher Keith Leighton, student Eric Matthews, and Rotarian Trudy Armstrong at the breakfast honoring Eric’s academic accomplishments.

Peter Jackson joins Star-Studded RB Sunrise Rotary

Peter "I'm not a hobbit" Jackson was inducted this past week as the newest member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club.

Jackson joins longtime members Michael "I'm NOT the actor" Rennie and James "The other one" Stewart in the 50-member club.

"I've enjoyed community involvement in the past, which has mainly been by way of coaching youth sports" says the owner of Sign Distinction in Sabre Springs, "and as I go through the start-up phases of our new business i was searching for a way to continue that involvement on another level. I could think of no better way than by joining Rotary."

"Rotary is one of the most giving community organizations it has ever been my pleasure to work with," he says, adding "I'm proud to be accepted as a member here."

Peter Jackson is welcomed to the RB Sunrise Rotary club by Membership Chair Karen Mortimer

Nasrin Barbee - Multiple Paul Harris Fellow

Congratulations to Nasrin Barbee for achieving her fourth Paul Harris fellowship! In addition to being the most prolific fundraiser in the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club, Nasrin has personally donated $4,000 to the Rotary Foundation. Every member of her family is also a Paul Harris Fellow.

In this photo, Foundation Chair Carl Kruse awards Nasrin with her new Paul Harris pin.

Interacters get scholarships

RYLA alumni Kate Anderson and Leanna Hansen joined us at breakfast this morning at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo. Each received a $750 Interact scholarship.

This fall Leanna will be attending Montana State University as an enrollee in their honors college with a triple major in Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Community Health. She was the Interact Communications Officer for the past two years at Scripps Ranch HS, and also won the RB Sunrise Rotary 4-way test competition.

Kate is attending the University of Colorado (Boulder), where she will be majoring in Integrated Physiology, minoriing in Spanish, and expects to earn an Advanced Degree in Physical Therapy. During the last two years Kates served as Junior President and then President of the Scripps Ranch Interact Club. Over the past two summers she was also a Rotary Exchange student in both Germany and Italy.
Seen here (left to right) are Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotarian Alison Farrin, Kate Anderson, Leanna Hansen, and Interact Chair Phil Schneider

Paul Harris Stays In The Family

Governor Elect-Designate Carl Kruse (third from right, with mustache) is joined by his entire family and Governor Larry Sundram (right) for the awarding of a Paul Harris award for granddaughter Kate Voeller (second from right). This represents the sixth PHF award to Carl's family and makes it a 100% Paul Harris Family!

Service Above Self Awards

Olivia Tai, Ayden Baldwin and Katherine Resko joined us at the RB Sunrise Rotary Club to be recognized for providing service above self and being caught doing nice things for others. Each received a certificate and gift card from the club - presented here by Rotarian Mike Miller.

Fred Nasseri discusses Middle East

Fred Nasseri, owner of Unicorn Jewelry, addresses the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club about the evolving situation in the Middle East. Originally from Iran, Fred is considered by many to be an expert on all issues impacting the nations and religious followers living throughout the region.

Coburn Gets Sashed

Outgoing Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club President Al Watson performs the official "Passing The Sash" ceremony to President-Elect Rick Coburn as Past-President Nasrin Barbee looks on.

Jim Dunny - Rotarian of the Year

Congrats to Jim Dunny for being named Rotarian of the Year - the second time he has received this award.

Our board of directors - 2011/2012

Congratulations to the new board of directors, scheduled to be sworn in on July 1 when President Elect Rick Coburn takes over at the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club.

Shown from left are Kendra Jeffcoat, Joe Giamanco, Jim Dunny, Carl Kruse, Jim Stewart, Karen Mortimer, Nasrin Barbee, Paul Gorman, and PE Rick Coburn.

Mark Kersey runs for San Diego City Council

Mark Kersey, running for San Diego City Council to fill the seat now occupied by Carl DeMaio (District 5), spoke with the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club at this week's breakfast meeting.



A member of the Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club, the Rancho Bernardo Business Association, the Conservative Order for Good Government, and the Spirit of the Fourth celebration, Kersey spoke at length about his vision for improving San Diego's financial situation.

Service Above Self Awards

At this morning's meeting we had the Service Above Self Awards. Fifth graders are awarded a certificate and gift card because one or more of their peers caught them doing good things.

Today's award-winners were (from left to right) Taylor Mitchell, Kendal Ellenbeck, and Emily Ligas. They joined Rotarian Mike Miller (blue vest), who supervises the project.

Appearing in native garb at this morning's meeting were past president Kendra Jeffcoat and her husband Jay - both recently returned from American Samoa, where Kendra spent a week teaching.They were our featured speakers, taking the club on a journey of discovery about this fascinating Pacific island/American protectorate. A fine time was had by all.

And despite the fact that he's a member of Kiwanis, Jay is a good guy who lets us poke fun at him. He's also got GREAT legs!

Meet Scott Bramwell - blue badger

Actually, if he was a blue badger, doesn't that mean he'd have a long tail, a snout, and make a snuffling noise? Just wondered. Either way, Congratulation, Scott, for fulfilling your obligations and becoming a full-fledged member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club. And your shoes now look so much nicer, too, since you don't have those tiny wheels on the back of them anymore.

RB Sunrise Rotarians Honor Abraxas High School Student

At this week's breakfast meeting of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club,

At this week's

Joe – The teacher and student for the month of May are: Teacher = Manny Diaz
Student = Matt Gaoa

At this week's breakfast meeting of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club (held Tuesday morning at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo), student Matt Gaoa was honored as the outstanding student of the month from Abraxas High School. A hard-working and personable youth, Matt obviously provides a good example to others at his school. Look for this young man to do well in life.

Above, Rotarian Joseph Giamanco and Abraxas teacher Manny Diaz introduce Matt to the 65 members of the RB Rotary Club (Sunrise). Matt received a certificate of recognition and a gift certificate as our club's reward for his great results.

Now Back From RYLA

So I spent the past weekend at RYLA - the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. Truly an educational experience on many levels as I spent 50 hours effectively tethered to nine high school juniors, none of whom knew me or each other prior to beginning the weekend. My group was made up of Alexis Jenkins, George Matta, Chalisa Sims, Reese Russell, Ali Cardenas, Emilie Myers, Maddie Wilson, Tanya Villalpando and Ben Esquivel.
We spent several in-depth hours talking about serious issues, had inspirational speakers like Garry Ridge (WD-40), above, and Jim Brogan, and got to know each other...and ourselves...a bit better.

All this at a campground in beautiful Idylwwild, CA. It was a stereotypical campground

where the food was just so-so, the accomodations drafty and uncomfortable, and the s'mores addictive. And while there were things I would have suggested be done differently, all in all I found the experience to rate 8 on a scale of 10.

If the kids got as much from it as I did, the experience will definitely serve them well.

And in case you're wondering, yes, I would do it again.

Carol Prendergast earns Paul Harris Award...Again!

Carol Prendergast, fresh from her European vacation, joined fellow RB Sunrise Rotarian Craig Brown as he presented her two stone Paul Harris award pin. The Paul Harris award is given any time someone contributes $1,000 to the Paul Harris Foundation, and this was Carol's third time. Awesome job, Carol! Your generosity is something we're all trying to emulate.

Joann Whetstine speaks to Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary

Joann Whetstine, social media marketing consultant, spent breakfast with the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club explaining how to get more value from blogging and social media for our club and individual businesses.

AAUW sends girls to science camp

Irene Dunny of the AAUW (American Association of University Women) and wife of RB Sunrise Rotarian Jim Dunny receives a donation of $750 from Joseph Giamanco to help cover the costs for sending a teenager to science and math camp for a week over the summer. This is the third year when the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary has sponsored a child to go to this camp.

Giving money to the girl scouts

Cassie and Heather Dugdale - daughters of Rotarian Heather Dugdale - showed up this morning to collect a $500 contribution on behalf of the Rancho Bernardo Brownies and Daisies. Aren't these the same two scamps who ruined my diet with their @#$%^&* cookies?

Meet Jonathan Zabrocki - owner of Zabrocki Realty Group and the newest member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary. This morning he was welcomed into our club by Membership Chair Jana Markley (Center), past president Carl Kruse (Right), and a standing ovation from the other 63 members of RB Sunrise.

Lloyd Trilling Gets Third Paul Harris

Lloyd Trilling has earned his third Paul Harris award. Wow! This guy is really something! Not only is he generous and active in the RB Sunrise Rotary Club, but Lloyd is also one of the main guys putting together RYLA every year. This morning he announced that almost 300 high school juniors will be attending RYLA (The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) in Idyllwild, CA this coming weekend. Great stuff! Craig Brown presents Lloyd with his third Paul Harris pin.

$5,000 Grand Prize Reverse Opportunity Drawing

It’s that time again! My Rotary club is selling tickets to our annual Fun Raiser. We will sell only 180 tickets for $100 each. On Saturday May 7 we will have a nice dinner and pull the tickets one at a time. The last ticket drawn wins a $5,000 cash prize. This event raises money that supports our charitable work in the community, and besides you could win $5,000! Did I tell you the grand prize is $5,000 in CASH?! If you are interested in buying a ticket and/or attending the dinner, let me know and I’ll get you set up. And If you can’t attend the dinner, I will arrange for you to have a representative for the drawing.

Paul Harris Number 3

Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Executive Secretary Jim Dunny received his two-stone Paul Harris award at this morning's meeting. Said fellow Rotarian Craig Brown of Rancho Financial as he presented the pin, "Jim achieved his Paul Harris one-stone pin through the course of his normal giving to the Rotary Foundation. However, when the Foundation offered a recent promotion offering to match your contribution dollar for dollar, Jim jumped at the opportunity and donated $500. The resulting $1,000 in his account gave him the pin with two stones." Well done, Jim. The results of your generosity will be felt around the world.

4-way speech contest - sub-regionals

Six (count 'em, six!) high schoolers joined us for breakfast at the sub-regional 4-way speech contest. Listening to these kids is enough to restore faith and make you believe the next generation really DOES give a damn! Great stuff.

Jon Shea Made Scouting Liaison for RB Sunrise Rotary Club

This morning, Jon Shea got the RB Sunrise Rotary monkey award for not monkeying around and taking charge as the liaison to the scouting community for the club.

Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo (Sunrise) has spent the past several years sponsoring four area troops representing the Daisies (Troop 8235); Brownies (Troop 8453); Cub Scouts (Pack 627) and Boy Scouts (Troop 688). “We’re proud to support these four Scout Troops.” says Shea, a partner in Shea Realty. He noted ; “The principles of leadership and service embodied by scouting are right in line with Rotary’s own commitment to service above self.”

Once Upon A Mattress

Center Stage Productions visited with us this morning to provide excerpts of their performance of Once Upon A Mattress, taking place at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido this weekend. Very enjoyable time, full of lots of energy.

RB Sunrise Rotary adds Three Paul Harris Fellows

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club has added another three Paul Harris Fellows to its ranks, and they're doing it BIG!

The Paul Harris Fellowship Award is one of the highest honors Rotary can bestow upon an individual. Recipients are typically Rotarians, professionals and community leaders who are recognized for their outstanding contributions to those around them.

The honor and recognition accompanies a donation of $1,000 or more in the name of the recipient to Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fund in support of Rotary’s world-wide programs.

At this past Tuesday morning’s breakfast meeting, the club honored:

• Past President Mark Berdan
• Past President Kendra Jeffcoat
• Realtor Sue Herndon

At the ceremony, past club president Carl Kruse observed, “Today’s event is particularly exciting. In addition to being the largest group to ever receive Paul Harris Fellowships at one time for our club, we’re also very pleased to honor Kendra's reaching the Double Fellowship level and Sue's achievement of the Triple Fellowship level.

Since its inception, the Paul Harris Foundation has been dedicated to doing good for those who may not be able to help themselves. The first grant in 1930 provided seed money for what became the Easter Seals Foundation.

“We can only hope our efforts here today also have that kind of positive result.” said Kruse.

The 65 business and community leaders in the RB Sunrise Rotary meet for breakfast every Tuesday at 7am at the RB Country Club on Greens East Road in RB. Professionals from throughout the region are invited to attend for some of the finest camaraderie to be found in north county, and prospective members are always welcome.

More information about the RB Sunrise Rotary can be found online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/.
Left to Right - RB Sunrise Rotarians Craig Brown, Carl Kruse, Kendra Jeffcoat, Mark Berdan, and Sue Herndon

Donating to worthy causes

One of the things that I really love about belonging to Rotary in general, and the RB Sunrise Rotary club in particular, is the great causes that our money goes to help. Here our Community Chair Rod Weiss makes a $1,000 contribution to the Ed Brown Center. And this was JUST after he'd given another $500 to the Jewish Family Services.Ya gotta love it!

Meet our new board

The club has been introduced to the new board - Scott Bramwell, Jim Dunny, Nasrin Barbee, Karen Mortimer, Carl Kruse, Paul Gorman, Joe Giamanco, Rod Weiss, Kendra Jeffcoat, Phil Schneider, Paul Sullivan, and Rick Coburn. Not shown - Jim Stewart.

The board will take over effective July 1, 2011

Cocktail Chatter

For those who missed it last night, the RB Sunrise Rotary Club got together for an impromptu cocktail party at the home of Rod Weiss.

RB Sunrise Rotary announces new schedule of speakers

Exciting news - the next round of speakers scheduled to address the RB Sunrise Rotary has been announced. They are:

Date Speaker Subject

2/22/11 Rex Teets 4 Way Speech Contest
3/1/11 Staff Therapeutic Riding
3/8/11 Jim Stewart Wildlife Conservation
3/1/5/11 Tiffini Lopez Center Stage Productions
3/22/11 Rex Teets Sub-Regional Speech Contest
3/29/11 Mary Cay Durrant Leadership/Coaching Executives
4/5/11 Tijuana Rotary Club Update Visit
4/12/11 Carl Demaio - Councilman Efforts to Reform City Gov’t
4/19/11 Joanne Whetstine Blogging-Marketing My Business

All club meetings begin at 7am at the RB Country Club on Greens East Road. Speakers start their presentations at 8 and are done by 8:30. This is the place to be to get the news before the rest of north county has woken up yet!

Abraxas Student of the Month - February 2011

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club welcomed their student and teacher of the month at breakfast today.

"Your donations are the lifeblood for students at Abraxas High School," said Teacher of the Month Jabette Caterina at this morning's meeting. She added "Your money is well invested, and we appreciate it more than you can ever know. You truly make a major change in their lives."

Said Student of the Month Linda Villanueva of her Abraxas experience and plans to become a Pediatric nurse, "Going to Abraxas has really helped me. I never had the kind of education and teachers as I have had here. Thank you for making a difference."


Abraxas Teacher of the Month Jabette Caterina and Student of the Month Linda Villanueva joined Abraxas Liason Joe Giamanco as the RB Sunrise Rotary honored Linda for her hard work and success.

Helping Mary's House

Open since summer 2003 and located in rural Escondido, Mary’s House is the first North County program that provides transitional housing for young women who have outgrown the county’s foster-care facilities. Mary’s House helps these women, ages 18-24, with their ongoing educational needs, job placement and life skills - from chores to household budgeting. The facility has room for six women, each of whom can stay up to 18 months as they shift to independent, self-sufficient lives.

Here we have Krista Creighton picking up a check for $2,500 from Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Community Chair Rod Weiss. Just another way our club does the right thing for those most in need.

Military Outreach Ministry

Today the club donated $1,000 to the Military Outreach Ministry, because RB Sunrise Rotary wants to do right by members of the armed services who are based in San Diego.

Matthew Guillory Speaks on Facebook

Matt Guillory - President at Mission Valley Sunset Rotary Club and Vice President at Comerica Bank - came in to yesterday's meeting and taught us more than we ever realized we wanted to know about using Facebook to grow our club, our businesses, and our personal lives.
Not surprisingly, a full third of the club doesn't use Facebook due to privacy concerns, lack of time, lack of interest, or fear that it'll become a huge time sucker (okay - that lasts about two weeks until the novelty wears off. Then it becomes a useful tool, right?)

The facts and figures this guy came in with were truly astounding. And though there was a small technical glitch (which nobody noticed, because they were all on their blackberries playing Farmville), he carried everything off with aplomb!

Thanks, Matt, for broadening our worlds. We appreciated your taking the time to join us and to keep it all very interesting. Maybe one of us can return the favor sometime.

Steve Redd Does Good...Again!

Congratulations to Steve Redd for getting his second Paul Harris award. The Paul Harris award is given when $1,000 is contributed to the Rotary Foundation, either by the individual being honored or in their name. The money is used for helping to defeat polio, develop clean water projects, electrifying Africa, helping those who have never walked to acquire wheelchairs, and a host of other worthwhile programs for which Rotary International is known.

Well done, Steve!

Man of the hour - Carl Kruse

Past president and future district 5340 governor Carl Kruse (right) is awarded yet another Paul Harris award.

I've heard of generous, but c'mon, Carl - you're putting the rest of us to shame!

NICELY DONE!

Our board of directors, hard at work

And reporting back to us about all the cool stuff our club is doing.

Meet the hardest working team in Rotary. From left are president Al Watson, Rod Weiss, Rick Coburn, Joe Giamanco, Phil Schneider, Jana Markley, Jim Dunny and Nasrin (Naz) Barbee.