-------------------------------------------------------------------- UPCOMING PROGRAM August 6th 2026- Non- Profit Allocations Donating money to 52 non-profit organizations
The Thousand Oaks Rotary Club is proud to be a Peace Builder Club.
Fine Master- Steve Stanley
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BECOMING A ROTARIAN IS A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE....
Invite a friend, family member, colleague to join Rotary.
Encourage Them to Be Part of Something GREAT!!!
Why wouldn’t you want them to be part of an organization that feeds the hungry, cures the sick, provides education to women and children, provides clean water and sanitation. And now is taking on the environment. And have fun while were doing it!!!
See Dominic Pino for Membership Information
dvpino@outlook.com
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MANDATORY PARTICIPATION EVENTS FOR ALL THOUSAND OAKS ROTARIANS:
CHILI COOK-OFF-2027 TBD- SEE MARISSA BUSS
WINE FESTIVAL- June 13th 2027 - SEE DAVE MASCI
STREET FAIR -3rd SUNDAY in OCT 2026 SEE CRYSTAL EVANS
Welcome:President Michelle Nash welcomed everyone and shared how happy she was to see her Rotary family gathered together.
She proudly announced that club members have already completed 457 hours of community service, putting the club well on its way toward its goal of 2,026 service hours in 2026.
President Michelle also highlighted the importance of everyday acts of kindness. Whether it's holding the door open for someone at Starbucks, buying breakfast for a person experiencing homelessness, or performing another simple gesture, she reminded everyone that even the smallest acts can make a meaningful difference.
She encouraged members to continue looking for opportunities to serve others, noting that these small acts have the power to change the world. Confident in the generosity of the club, she said she believes members will far exceed this year's goal of 5,200 acts of kindness
Inspirational Moment:
Herb Gooch delivered the Inspirational Moment by reflecting on the ideals that have shaped our nation. He spoke about the famous words of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, beginning with, "Four score and seven years ago," and also referenced Thomas Paine's belief in the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Herb shared that these ideals have always inspired him because they represent the opportunity available to every person in the United States, regardless of religion, wealth, or gender. While acknowledging that our nation is still striving to fully realize those ideals, he expressed confidence that we will continue moving forward and one day achieve the goal of treating everyone as equals.
Introduction of Guests:
Herb Gooch introduced the club's guests for the meeting.
Matt Lallo was accompanied by his wife, Teresa. Jeremy Paris introduced his daughter, Kate Lytle. Also joining the meeting were Danielle Borja, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, and Renee Sauer.
The club also welcomed visiting Rotarians Albert Randall, Tony Kourounis, and Mike Hebert.
President Michelle Nash announced that she and Karen Furnari recently cleaned the Rotary clock located at the corner of Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard. The clock was installed by the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks 18 years ago and remains one of the club's lasting contributions to the community.
Michelle also shared that Karen is organizing a committee to help maintain the various landmarks and projects the Rotary Club has installed throughout Thousand Oaks over the years.
In recognition of her dedication to Rotary, Michelle presented Karen with a pin and certificate honoring her 32 years as a member of the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks. Mark Feigen, whom Karen sponsored into Rotary several years ago, assisted with the presentation.
Michelle then gave the club an update on Nate Haramoto, sharing that he is recovering well from a recent accident and is planning to attend next week's Rotary meeting.
She also reminded everyone that Fireside Chats are going to be on August 20 and 21st.
Anthony Linquata was then invited to explain this year's Treasurer responsibilities. He announced that the duties will be shared among several members. Dave Wender, Chris Steele, and John Bradley will continue handling the club's accounting functions, while Paul Dryman, Larry Baker, Mark Feigen, Gary Siegel, and other volunteers will oversee the check-in table and collect dues and lunch payments.
Anthony reminded members to submit payments through Zelle using treasurer@rcto.net. He also noted that members with billing questions should send them to that email address rather than contacting him directly.
Happy Dollars:Regina Bidings Muro carried the Happy Cup and collected this week's Happy Dollars. Regina contributed $2 to welcome Danielle Borja, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, saying she is honored to serve on the Chamber's Board of Directors. She also welcomed Albert Randall, who was seated at her table, and commented that she hopes he will be a future Rotary speaker because of his many interesting life experiences.
Karen Furnari encouraged everyone to "watch out," saying it is going to be "a heck of a year" under President Michelle Nash's leadership because she is bringing fresh ideas and energy to the club.
Tony Kourounis shared that he is still dealing with health issues but continues to improve. He remarked, "If this is as bad as it gets, I'm fine." Tony also reflected on the recent passing of his friend Leonard at the age of 102, describing him as an amazing man. He added that one of his bandmates also passed away shortly before the Chili Cook-Off.
Mike Hebert said it was wonderful to be back with his Rotary family. He thanked President Michelle and everyone who signed the sympathy card he recently received, adding that everyone who signed it should receive credit for a random act of kindness.
Pat McCoy thanked Albert Randall for attending the meeting and recalled that Albert had been one of his co-sponsors into the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks 35 years ago.
Martin Anderson welcomed Mike Hebert back. He then reminisced that he was club president when the Rotary clock at Moorpark Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard was installed. He also expressed sadness over the passing of longtime Rotarian Denny Gillette last month.
Pat Hanley thanked President Michelle for rearranging the meeting room by moving the lectern and podium so members are no longer looking directly into the sunlight through the windows.
Victor Hayek shared that his son had an electric bike that stopped running so Victor took it apart and then was told it could never be reassembled/fixed. After spending several days working on it, Victor proudly reported that he successfully got it running again.
Laura Conway expressed her appreciation for Danielle Borja and the Chamber of Commerce for all they do to support the community. She also shared that she recently accepted the Eisner Award on behalf of her late husband, Jerry.Laura said her years of speaking at Rotary meetings gave her the confidence to deliver his acceptance speech.
Dorothy Sullivan congratulated Tim Hagel and the Safe Passage program. She noted that students from the program spent the week building trails at the UC Santa Barbara Reserve and will continue their work next week on Santa Cruz Island.
Dave Wender contributed a Happy Dollar, joking that because someone mentioned his name, it made him "sad."
Danielle Borja thanked the club for its continued partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. She also celebrated the 5-0 City Council vote approving the Thousand Oaks Downtown Project.
Crystal Evans expressed her appreciation for the Chamber and its support of small businesses. She reminded members that Street Fair season is approaching and encouraged everyone to watch for emails with information about this year's event.
Marissa Buss shared that this was her first meeting since Michelle became president and joked that she is surviving another summer of taking care of teenagers.
Sevak Kodabashian contributed $3, explaining it was because he arrived late. He was accompanied by his wife, and together they are celebrating 21 years of marriage.
Karen Furnari
Tony Kourounis
Mike Hebert
Pat Mc Coy
Martin Anderson
Pat Hanley
Victor Hayek
Laura Conway
Dorothy Sullivan
Dave Wender
Danielle Borja
Crystal Evans
Marissa Buss
Sevak K
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Fine Session:
Fine Master Steve Stanley tested members' knowledge with a quiz covering information presented during recent Rotary meetings. He joked that PresidentMichelle Nash has noticed many members looking at their cell phones during meetings, so it was time to find out who had really been paying attention!
The questions focused on facts about the City of Thousand Oaks and local organizations.
Dave Wender was asked when the City of Thousand Oaks was chartered. Answer: 1964. Dave answered correctly.
Jeff Borenstein was asked when CRPD was established. Answer: 1962. Jeff answered correctly.
Nancy Wohl was asked how many square miles are within the City of Thousand Oaks. Answer: 56. Nancy answered correctly.
Susan Murata was asked the current population of the City of Thousand Oaks. Answer: 122,000. Susan answered correctly.
Martin Anderson was asked how many boards and commissions the City of Thousand Oaks has. Answer: 19. Martin answered incorrectly.
Mark Feigen was shown a slide and asked which listed group was not a city commission. Answer: The Conejo Oak Tree Preservation Committee. Mark answered incorrectly.
Louis Hirsch was asked to name the members of the Thousand Oaks City Council. Answer: Mikey Taylor, Bob Engler, Al Adam, Ty Gutierrez, and David Newman. Louis answered incorrectly.
Cherry Wang was asked how many community centers are in the City of Thousand Oaks. Answer: Eight. Cherry answered correctly.
Monica Murrietta was asked the current City of Thousand Oaks budget. Answer: $150 million. Monica answered incorrectly.
Felix Masci was asked when the Goebel Adult Community Center was established. Answer: 1975. Felix answered incorrectly.
Matt Lallo was asked when the Thousand Oaks Library and Teen Center were established. Answer: 1982 and 1989, respectively. Matt answered correctly.
Steve's quiz was an entertaining reminder that paying attention during Rotary meetings can definitely pay off!
Program Chair Laura Conway introduced the day's speakers, Rich Sauer, President of SAFE, and Vic Abrunzo, the organization's Vice President.
Laura began by showing a moving video featuring three senior citizens living in a local mobile home park. Each senior lives alone, has little or no family nearby, and struggles to make ends meet. They shared how grateful they were for the assistance they received from SAFE. The organization had repaired a leaking roof, installed a new water heater, and cleared overgrown shrubs to help protect their homes from wildfire danger.
Rich and Vic explained that SAFE has been serving the community as a local nonprofit organization for the past 14 years. Their volunteers help seniors remain safely in their homes by providing services such as air conditioning repairs, window repairs, water heater replacement, roof repairs, and wildfire mitigation planning and cleanup.
Beyond home repairs, SAFE strives to be a lifeline for isolated seniors. Vic, who practiced law for many years, also assists with legal matters when needed. Rich and Vic noted that they are currently the organization's only two volunteers and would greatly welcome additional help. They emphasized that many of the seniors they serve are lonely, so they make it a priority not only to complete needed repairs but also to spend time visiting with them.
SAFE receives much of its funding through the City of Thousand Oaks Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services Program and continues to seek additional financial support. The organization also partners with community groups including Senior Concerns and Habitat for Humanity to better serve local seniors.
During the discussion, Pat Hanley shared that she works with an organization that would welcome the opportunity to partner with SAFE. Susan Murata added that, because of her experience writing grants for a nonprofit organization, she would be happy to assist SAFE with future grant applications.
Rick and Vic expressed their appreciation for being one of the 56 nonprofit organizations receiving funding from the Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks. They also invited anyone interested in volunteering to learn more by contacting Rick Sauer at (805) 390-5585.