RB Sunrise Rotary Announces Meeting Speakers for November, 2012

The RB Sunrise Rotary Club has announced the following lineup of speakers for November, 2012. Their meetings are a MUST for anyone interested in camaraderie, community, and business insight. The schedule includes:

·         November 6       Bill Brelza of the Salvation Army focuses on the upcoming holiday season and helping those most in need.

·         November 13     Paul Gorman, International Events chair for the RB Sunrise Rotary, discusses the club’s efforts at helping those most in need in Mexico. 

·         November 20     Club is dark for Thanksgiving

·         November 27     Ron Sekeel of New Generations talks about hands across time – helping those who will be most in need tomorrow.

The meetings start promptly at 7:15 am at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road, San Diego, CA 92128. Speakers begin their presentations at 8:00 am. Members of the public are invited to attend these meetings at no charge if staying for just the speaker. A $15 fee will be charged to those staying for breakfast.

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club itself can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org.

Paul Harris x 3

Meet the three newest Paul Harris Fellows from the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club.

At this morning's meeting we met Jim Stewart (Left - Paul Harris x3), Nasrin Barbee (Center - Paul Harris x5) and Alison Farrin (Right - Paul Harris x3).

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.

RB Sunrise Rotary Catches Kids Being Good

Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary played “Gotcha” with three students from Painted Rock Elementary School at this past week’s breakfast.

The students were honored at the club’s semi-annual “Service Above Self” awards.“He took his lunch period to help me with my homework’ is typical of the kinds of things these kids do” read Rotary project coordinator Mike Miller from a list of recommended winners submitted by the students’ peers.

“Your good deeds in daily life do not go unrecognized.” Miller continued. “Because though virtue may be its own reward, getting the occasional public pat on the back doesn’t hurt either.”

All winning students receive a Certificate of Achievement and a gift certificate to a local merchant, donated by the RB Sunrise Rotary.“These kids are our future, and they need to know that the community at-large appreciates when they’re helping make the world around them a nicer place to live,” said club -president Rick Coburn.

Added Rotary president-elect Paul Sullivan “We run this program twice each year to help kids throughout RB understand their good deeds are like dropping a rock in a pond. These certificates and gifts are just part of the ripple effect.”

Kids caught doing good deeds (from L to R) Kylie Kim, Karli Gigstad and Catherine Johnson stand with RB Sunrise Rotarian Mike Miller.

RB Sunrise Rotarians Teach Youth to LEAD

“Thank you, thank you, thank you Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club for giving me this priceless opportunity. Not only did I make friends and memories that will last me a lifetime, but I also got started on the path to making a difference in the world.”

These words poured from Samantha Lee at a recent breakfast meeting after her participation at Rotary’s LEAD Conference. LEAD stands for Leadership, Ethics And Determination.

This conference is a leadership and personal development program for 8th grade middle school students. Talented young people attend a two day camp developed, presented and paid for by the members of Rotary International District 5340 (San Diego and Imperial Counties).

Samantha was sponsored by the 50 professionals who make up the RB Sunrise Rotary Club.
LEAD encourages regional youth to examine ethical responsibility, improve leadership and communication skills, and develop a positive outlook on life. They do all this in an atmosphere that fosters fun and making new friends. Simultaneously, participating Rotarians have the opportunity to share their love of service, develop a new generation of leaders, provide valuable expertise, and bridge the gap between generations.

“There are only a few words to describe the experience” Samantha noted, mentioning “amazing” and “unforgettable” as those that are high on her list. She reports she returned from her weekend knowing she can make a difference in the world.

“LEAD tackles issues large and small,” observes club president Rick Coburn. “From long-range life planning to learning how to give firm handshakes, we’re providing these kids with the tools they need to build a better future for themselves and the world around them.”

“I learned a great many things,” Samantha says now. “I learned to stop putting myself down, to ignore my insecurities, and to work towards making a difference in the world. This experience changed my perspective on life.”

Students who will be in the eighth grade in the school year 2012-13 and are interested in participating in LEAD should contact club coordinator Kendra Jeffcoat (kendrajeffcoat@gmail.com) for additional information.

Samantha Lee – Rancho Bernardo’s newest leader

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!

$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.

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.

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!

I'm Sleeping In!

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club is dark this week.
I, for one, am sleeping in! HOO HA!

We proudly provide the newest tile in Poway's Veteran's Park.

'Nuff said.

Pam Russell and the Rotary Foundation

Did I mention that Pam Russell of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary club came to visit with us yesterday morning? She told us everything there is to know about the Rotary Foundation, and let me tell you - this lady REALLY knows her stuff!

I liked the part where she explained about us receiving $4,000 to use on a clean water project in Africa. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is!

Demerie Hill Picks Up The Magic Pen

After six years as the Publicity Chair for the RB Sunrise Rotary, I have finally handed over my pen to Demerie Hill. Demerie, who joined the club just two months ago, has jumped right into the fray, introducing herself to area columnists and editors, and getting the word out about our club and all the great events we're doing. I, on the other hand, will now have more time to focus on this blog and other forms of electronic media, like our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=247469753192) First up on her agenda - announcing the Distinguished Citizen Dinner for President-Elect Rick Coburn and our annual dictionary project, where we give away about 1,000 dictionaries to third graders at nine area schools.

Sorry, Demerie - didn't mean to scoop you! Looks like putting down the pen may be a little more challenging than I realized.

How we get so many good things done

Congratulations to the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary for surpassing the goal of raising $25,000 during our recent fundraising campaign. Especially when times are tough, it's great to see everyone putting themselves into the process and helping raise money so we can help others. Our fundraising committee chairs - Nasrin Barbee, Larry Campitiello, Rex Teets and Dan Krall. Not pictured is Mark Berdan. Sorry Mark - you ran off JUST as the others showed up. Hopefully we'll get you all in one place next time.

separated at birth?

Fernando Favela, PDG from District 4100 joined us at RB Sunrise Rotary and discovered his twin (seriously - check this out!). Turns out Fernando and Rod Weiss were discovered on the same doorstep and hadn't seen each other in 45 years. Okay...maybe not.

Mike Moffat, Iron Man

Mike Moffat just returned from Washington DC where he spent a gorgeous Sunday running (and finishing!) the Marine Corps. 26k marathon. Mike finished around #11,000 - roughly halfway through the crowd. WHEW! - I got tired just hearing about it! Nicely done, Mike.

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.

RB Sunrise Rotary Donates $1,000 to Ed Brown Senior Center

Ever eager to help those most in need within the community, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary has contributed $1,000 to the Ed Brown Senior Center.

The Ed Brown Senior Center sponsors everything older residents could possibly want in a community center. Writing seminars, games, socials, virtual driving lessons, health screenings and a wide range of classes and entertainment are all available free to members paying a small annual fee.

Operating entirely without tax support for operating expenses, the Ed Brown Senior Center sometimes finds it a challenge to meet their budgetary needs. “We usually don’t have any extra dollars for upgrading old equipment or buying new.” said Program Director Kathy Weyer. She added “We are planning on using this $1,000 donation both to improve our efficiency and provide additional services for our membership.”

“We’re delighted to be able to help the Ed Brown Center meet such a critical need” said the club’s past-president Nasrin Barbee upon presenting the donation. She noted “Rotary International always tries to be present when there’s a significant need anywhere in the world.”

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.

Information about the Ed Brown Senior Center can be found at http://www.edbrowncenter.org/. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/.


From left – RB Sunrise Rotary Community Service Chair Rod Weiss, EBSC Program Director Kathy Weyer, RB Sunrise Rotary Immediate Past President Nasrin Barbee

RB Sunrise Rotary Announces Speakers for August, 2010 Meetings

The RB Sunrise Rotary Club has announced the following lineup of speakers for August, 2010. Their meetings are a MUST for anyone interested in camaraderie and community insight. Next month’s schedule includes:

• August 3rd Michael Rennie, Executive Director of the Poway Center for Performing Arts, will provide an overview of the 2010-11 season.
• August 10th Andrew Skinner – a recovering quadriplegic and Founder of the Triumph Foundation – will discuss how to help people recover from spinal cord injuries.
• August 17th Robin Kaufman of CERT explores how to maximize the Community Emergency Response Team’s efforts in time of disaster.
• August 24th Mark Berdan of Berdan Benefits will examine the potential impact of President Obama’s Health Care Plan on the average family and business owner.
• August 31st Kathy Weyer of Performance Partners will discuss myths and legends of San Diego’s hospice facilities she’s learned through her volunteer efforts.
  
  The meetings start promptly at 7:15 am at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road, San Diego, CA 92128. Speakers begin their presentations at 8:00 am. Members of the public are invited to attend these meetings at no charge if staying for just the speaker. A $15 fee will be charged to those staying for breakfast.

The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club itself can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org.

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.