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!