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!

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

RB Sunrise Rotary Distributes Six Interact Scholarships

At this past week’s breakfast meeting, RB Sunrise Rotary awarded its first scholarships to departing members of the Scripps Ranch Interact club. Six scholarships of $500 each were distributed.

Interact is Rotary International’s service club for students ages 12 to 18. Sponsored, supported and guided by individual Rotary clubs, it is the equivalent of a Rotary club at the high school level.

Interact clubs are expected to complete at least two community service projects, one of which furthers international understanding and goodwill. Through these efforts, Interactors develop a network of friendships with local and overseas clubs and learn the importance of leadership skills, personal integrity, helpfulness, respect for others, individual responsibility, hard work, international understanding and general goodwill.

There are over 10,700 Interact clubs with almost 200,000 young people in 109 countries and geographical areas around the world.

“We’re VERY proud of our Interactors” said program coordinator Phil Schneider upon announcing the scholarships. “While all our students are very active with the programs we’ve established for them, these six in particular stood out and deserved to be recognized. They demonstrate the quality of students working with Rotary International and their love for community service, and help provide a shining example for the rest of the community to follow.”

The students receiving the scholarships (and the schools they’ll be attending this fall) are:

• Emily Berg Co-President Interact; UC Santa Barbara


• Lauren Trott Co- President Interact; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo


• Phoebe Gurrola; University of San Diego


• Radhika Raman; University of Southern California


• Samantha Conrad; UC Berkeley


• Tiffany Chu; UC Berkeley

“Young adults in Interact have a chance to help themselves by helping others” noted Dr. Kendra Jeffcoat, an educator and past-president of the RB Sunrise club. “For us it’s the equivalent of a farm team.”

“We see this as a way to help instill positive values that will guide young peoples’ choices throughout their lives, simultaneously strengthening their academic and social skills.” Dr. Jeffcoat continues, adding “In reinforces Rotary’s 4-Way Test, which asks of everything a person thinks, says and does, the following:

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all Concerned?

“We’re delighted to be in a position to help the youth now leaving Scripps Ranch High School to start the next chapter of their lives with some tangible support.”

The RB Sunrise Rotary is a group of 65 professionals dedicated to providing service above self. They meet every Tuesday morning at 7:15 am at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road, San Diego, CA 92128. Area professionals are invited to explore membership at a free breakfast of their choosing.

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/.

From left – Lauren Trott, Emily Berg, Phoebe Gurrola, RB Sunrise Rotarian (and Interact Advisor) Phillip Schneider, Tiffany Chu, and Radhika Raman. Not shown - Samantha Conrad.

The queen is dead. Long live the queen!

And so the torch is passed from Kendra Jeffcoat to Nasrin Barbee.

As columnist Eileen Haag observed:

Kendra Jeffcoat has just completed her term as president of the RB Sunrise Rotary and her successor is Nasrin Barbee. The president-elect of the RB Noon Rotary is Barbara Baldwin.

Methinks that the men who didn’t want to admit women in the first place may have been right in saying that to let them in would be to let them take over —­ and it seems that now everyone agrees that’s a good thing!

It was a teary time this morning as Kendra thanked everyone who helped make her year a success. As part of this, Kendra instituted a new tradition - the passing of the scarf (and good wishes) from old presidents to new. I found it vaguely reminiscent of the SUNY Binghamton tradition of Stepping on the Coat, done each spring.

Now Kendra will, no doubt, take a well-deserved break to catch her breath, then find her own niche within the club. It should be interesting to see where in the heirarchy she ends up after all is said and done.

It's Noon and I'm still in my pajamas

Well, last night was the demolition party for club president Kendra Jeffcoat, and what a night it was. Starting with the cocktail hour at the Radisson Suite Hotel in Rancho Bernardo, the RB Sunrise Rotary Club showed they're always up for a grand old time. And though it got a bit cozy in the room, the 60-some members, spouses and guests all had a great time. Kendra even brought her dog Trevor for the occasion.

Past President Carl Kruse acted as Master of Ceremonies, and there was much of the usual fun and frivolity from one of these events. Past president Steve Sayler said a few words - I wonder what they were. Then President-elect designate nominee in waiting Mike Miller said a few words, and he's wondering what they were.

From there we went into a skit poking fun at Jay Jeffcoat, Kendra's husband and resident member of Kiwanis, starring Jim Roth and Carly Bohnsack. President elect Nasrin Barbee carried on in a blonde wig about what a selfless person Kendra is.

Then we were on to a video showing Kendra's entire life (though given that almost everything the woman owned was lost in the Witch Creek Fires 18 months ago, most of what was in the video had to be fabricated. I'm still not sure if she was really a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model or if, maybe, they were making that part up!)

Turning to a serious portion of the proceeds, Carl Kruse brought on councilmember Carl DeMaio to officially declare yesterday "Kendra Jeffcoat Day" within the city of San Diego. Of course, it was after 7pm by the time we heard about this, so it probably should have been called "Kendra Jeffcoat's 15 minutes of fame", but there it is. Why don't they tell you it's your day at 6am so you can make the most of it?

Carl (Kruse) was also busy getting swag from Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Rainbow Girls (who helped set Kendra on her path 40 years ago) and a ton of other people. All this was witnessed, by the way, by our district governor, governor elect, governor designate, governor designate elect, and the pool boy working next door who just happened to wander in to see what all the hollering was all about. Nice job, Carl!

As the party-goers munched on steak and salmon, salad and dessert (and drank a LOT of wine, which is probably why they didn't notice the pool boy!), new officers were installed for 2009-10. The outgoing officers were thanked (with more wine!) and Kendra was showered with gifts, including at least two books of jokes. Given her track record in the humor department, I frankly found it surprising that only two of us gave her joke books.

Lots and laughing, joking and good-natured ribbing were trumped, though, by the evening's last three events:

1) Jay Jeffcoat was made a Paul Harris Fellow, which makes him a Rotarian in spirit, even if he insists on calling himself a Kiwanian.

2) Kendra made one of the nicest speeches I've heard in a very long time - one that obviously came from the heart about how much working with this club had meant to her and how the past year has changed and improved her life.

3) Carl read a poem. Unlike the past when he would write a poem of his own, though, Carl read the following:

“Heavenly Father, up above
Help me live the words I love,
Help my Rainbow Dreams come true
In everything I say and do,
Bless those who have faith in me
That the girl they want, is the girl I’ll be.
And when the sunset ends the day
Our living Rainbow will guide the way.”
Amen

This is a poem that Kendra wrote when she was involved with Rainbox many years ago. To this day, "All of our girls still say it at every meeting". reports Sara Lee Martin of Rainbox.

When Carl was done there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It's no wonder I love this club so much!

Getting back into the swing of things

Okay, it's been a while since I've done a post. Sorry 'bout that. Like everyone, I've been focusing on business and trying to keep the boat from capsizing. Things are still hairy out there, but it's time for me to start reporting again.

This morning we had Jim Ponder of Turnkey Strategic Relations (Escondido, CA) come speak to our club. Good stuff. He's a wise man who has been on the entrepreneurial side of things and now coaches business owners in how to make the most of their opportunities. He brought his delightful daughter Kelli with him, who works side-by-side with her dad and is learning the industry from the inside-out. I applaud them both.

Kendra Jeffcoat's year is quickly winding down and Nasrin Barbee is gearing up to take over. Don't look now, but I think they're planning something to celebrate the transition. Meanwhile, we've got the demotion party (or Demolition party, as past president (and potential city council member) Carl Kruse likes to call it) on June 12.

Our little club continues to grow, and a public thank you was provided this morning both to Jim Dunny (webmaster/club secretary) and to Jana Markley (membership chair) for all their hard work and success in growing our club. Add to this a story that appeared in the Pomerado Newspapers about our guest Cindy Barbee (okay, I had something to do with that - I admit it) and it was a busy day.