President's Message - September 2016

Posted by Karen Kawaguchi
 
With summer at an end and the autumn season upon us, we celebrate Education and Literacy Month in September.  Our commitment of time, talent, and treasure serves the educational needs of many youth in our local community. Read more HERE.
 
With summer at an end and the autumn season upon us, we celebrate Education and Literacy Month in September.  Our commitment of time, talent, and treasure serves the educational needs of many youth in our local community.  I would like to highlight four of these programs.
 
  1. Our Dictionary Project is headed up this year by Dennis Johns.  The dictionaries, paid for by your direct financial contributions and made available through a District Grant will provide underprivileged 3rd graders in Santa Barbara with what may be the first book they own!  It will be a resource they will turn to again and again to help them learn.
  2. Our Vocational Service Director, Chris Tucker, recently described a new initiative to provide pertinent and timely career information to local students from Santa Barbara High School, La Cuesta Continuation High School, Santa Barbara City College, and members of Rotaract by soliciting Rotary volunteers from our club to provide mini-mentorship opportunities, resume building, and business networking.  Let’s support him in this very worthwhile effort.
  3. For a number of years, our club has supported Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA).  David Vo, working in collaboration with Kathy Scroggs and other members of our club will identify and select qualified candidates based on their leadership potential.  They will be sponsored by our club to attend this highly regarded leadership program.  Ask David how you can help with our youth related programs this year.
  4. Continuing our tradition of hosting an international youth exchange student, we welcome with open arms Blessed Emurese from Ogun State, Nigeria to our club.  She is currently home hosted by Judith and Paul McCaffrey and will remain in Santa Barbara attending high school this year.  This is a life-changing experience for many young students that visit.  We welcome her and look forward to getting to know her this year.  Thank you Scott Burns for making this happen!
 
On the international front, the successful water filter project our club and the Rotary Club of Ciudad Sandino completed in Nicaragua was highlighted in the World Roundup section of The Rotarian magazine.  It has been viewed and read by thousands of people around the world.  It brings positive recognition to our club and the good work our international service committee does under the capable leadership of Tom Heath.
 
I’m honored and inspired by each of you by your knowledge, experience, and dedication to service in our local and international communities.  We can be proud of what we have accomplished, but should never rest on our laurels.  There is much to be done locally and abroad and your commitment to service will continue to make our world a better place!  “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
 
Serving with the best,
Chris
 
Photo: Dictionary Project, 2013