Perspectives on PeaceThe Staci Johnson Ingram Memorial Perspectives on Peace Scholarships are the only local scholarships based on submissions in video, music, photography, and art, and are available to VUSD seniors. The submissions were on display at the Crowne Plaza Hotel the evening of March 18, 2024. The awards will be presented at our noontime meeting May 22.  |
Professional ResourcesWhen a flash flood damaged the home and vehicle of our club's Vocational Service Director, Kellye Patterson (Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway), she turned to fellow club members for advice. Providing her with valuable information to help navigate her legal options, home repairs, insurance coverage, and vehicle salvage were Erik Feingold (law partner at Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Feingold), Dale Jaedtke (contractor, Far West Construction Co.), Irene Henry (State Farm insurance agent) and Rob van Nieuwburg (Ventura Toyota). At our meeting Jan. 10, 2024, they shared their advice about dealing with adverse situations in a panel discussion led by Mike Anderson (financial planner, Maranantha Financial). Rotary includes leaders in many professions and businesses and are a valuable resource for our members.  |
Westside Holiday EventOn Dec. 16, 2023, Rotary Club of Ventura and our partners made the holidays more merry for 500 children and their families by giving away coats, toys, food boxes, hot meals, photos with Santa, and earrings for mom.   |
Coats For Kids Collection Boxes in over 45 LocationsThe Rotary Club of Ventura's Coats For Kids program is accepting donations of coats, jackets and heavy sweatshirts (all sizes). There are over 45 drop-off locations in Ventura County. Most locations will be accepting donation through December 31st. (Exception is the school location in Ventura, which accept donations through 12/22). To find a location near you, please visit our interactive map, here: https://www.zeemaps.com/2023_Rotary_Coats_For_Kids_DROP_OFF_Locations  |
Volunteer Opportunity  |
Assemblymember Steve BennettAssemblymember Steve Bennett met with club members the evening of September 28, 2023. He discussed the issues he is working on in the state Assembly and addressed questions from our members.  |
District Governor Marta Golding Brown Rotary District Governor Marta Golding Brown visited our club October 3 and 4, 2023. After a reception in her honor and a meeting with our club leadership, she addressed the club to share her priorities and those of Rotary International. |
President Neal Lassila Takes the Helm Neal Lassila has begun his term as President of the Rotary Club of Ventura. At our meeting July 19, 2023, he shared highlights of the Rotary International Conference he attended in Melbourne, Australia, his President Elect training, and our Club Leadership Retreat. The year is off to an exciting start! His presentation is at https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000002868/en-ca/files/homepage/club-assembly-presentation/Club-Assembly-presentation.pdf |
Seeking Sponsors for Fireworks Event |
Reception Honoring District Governor Scott Phillips |
Awards for Four-Way Test essay winnersHigh school and middle school students submitted essays discussing Rotary's Four-Way Test of the things we think, say and do: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Click below for the winning entries.  |
Holiday Event for West End FamiliesOn Saturday, December 17, 2022, the Rotary Club of Ventura co-hosted a holiday event. We distributed coats and toys to 347 kids, sponsored by a generous donation from SoCalGas.
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Historical Roots of HanukkahOn December 14, 2022, club member Mike Schwartz gave a presentation on the historical roots of Hanukkah. Latkes were served, followed by an exciting game of Dreidel.  |
Holiday SocialThe Holiday Social was held December 10, 2022, at the home of Betsy Chess. Great food, fun, and fellowship!
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West End Kids Holiday Event |
Can TreeThe Rotary Club of Ventura and individual members donated $2,100 to build three can trees in Figueroa Plaza 12/3/22 to benefit Food Share Ventura County.  |
Coats for Kids  November 2022 will mark the nineteenth year of the Rotary Club of Ventura’s Coats for Kids Project. Again this year the Rotary Club of Ventura South joins in the effort. The clubs initiate the collection of coats at numerous locations. They will be cleaned or laundered by local businesses. Rotary organizes their distribution. In spite of the limitations of the Pandemic last year over 2500 coats were given to needy children and adults in Ventura County. This year Rotary hopes to collect 4000 coats and jackets. Recipients of the coats include the Boys and Girls Clubs, The Salvation Army, Casa Pacifica, Project Understanding, Westminster Free Clinic, Ventura County Rescue Mission, churches and other service organizations.
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Pacific High School Interact |
Winter Supply Drive |
Winter Social |
SEEAGRepresentatives from SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture) presented at our meeting October 26, 2022. SEEAG is sponsoring Farm Day November 5, 2022, where you can visit 21 different farms and agricultural businesses. For information: https://venturacountyfarmday.com/  |
Keepsake Photo Book about Ventura Now Available Coffee Table Keepsake Book published by The Rotary Club of Ventura An ideal holiday gift for everybody on your nice list - especially those who love Ventura! As a fundraiser and a thank you to our community, the Rotary Club of Ventura has created a coffee table book highlighting our beloved town of Ventura. This gorgeous tome is a photographic story of our unique California town, San Buenaventura ~ Ventura. Created from selected works of 17 local photographers, this book vividly depicts why Ventura is such a wonderful place to live, work, and play! The idea for this book was born in an effort to connect with one another and celebrate the beauty of the place in which we serve – Ventura, California! Special thanks are due to Rotarians Brenda Allison Hutchinson, who has overseen publication of the book, and internationally acclaimed photographer, Dan Holmes, who helmed the selection and layout of the gorgeous photos you will enjoy. Rotary Club of Ventura is a part of Rotary International, a global network of over 35,000 clubs made up of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have tackled the big issues of our time such as literacy, world peace, clean water and healthy communities with passion, energy, and intelligence. For more than 100 years, the Rotary Club of Ventura has been working to make Ventura a better place through “service above self.” When you purchase this book, you will be helping us in this mission. This gorgeous keepsake book is $40 each (which includes tax.) Delivery of your book(s) order is free in Ventura County! For shipping beyond Ventura County, add $16 (flat rate shipping anywhere in US – up to 2 books.) Books can be purchased via PayPal (below). For out-of-area shipping or discounts on 10+ book orders, please contact Brenda Allison-Hutchinson at brenda@allisonbroker.com or Dan Holmes at danholmesphoto@gmail.com. Thank you! |
Ventura Rotary Awards $10,000 in Art Scholarships for "Perspectives on Peace" The Rotary Club of Ventura recently announced the winners of the second year of its Perspectives on Peace Scholarship program. Five high school seniors are being awarded a total of $10,000 in scholarships, based on their outstanding original art submissions around the theme of “Perspectives on Peace.” “There are several other very good scholarship programs for Ventura’s high school seniors based on academic achievement or financial needs”, said Connie Young, current Rotary Club of Ventura president. “So, when we started this scholarship program last year, we sought to recognize and support the strong creativity and artistic talents of Ventura’s youth while encouraging self-reflection on a very important topic. These bright minds represent our collective future and what they accomplished represents incredible inspiration and hope.” “The scholarship program’s theme of ‘Perspectives on Peace’ was chosen both because we were quite curious to learn what high schoolers today feel about the concept of peace, and because Rotary International has recently made promoting peace one of the focal purposes of the organization worldwide”, reports Staci Johnson, Rotary Club of Ventura member and co-chair of the scholarship effort. “Rotary, of course, has always been about peacebuilding but only recently started to really codify what that means both in our local communities and around the world. So, whether we’re serving local disadvantaged kids by providing a warm jacket or a backpack and school supplies – or we’re helping to support a skill-training center for vulnerable young girls in rural Zambia – we are in fact promoting peace.” The Perspectives on Peace Scholarship received 35 entries of original artwork from high school seniors representing Buena, Foothill Tech, Ventura, and El Camino high schools. The submissions included paintings, drawings, mixed media, needlework, woodwork, photography, video and song. Ten judges reviewed each applicant’s artistic rendering of their personal perspective on peace along with their recommendation from teachers, guidance counselors, or mentors. “The creativity of these young adults is truly inspiring,” said Johnson, “and the judging process was a difficult one.” The winners of the Rotary Club of Ventura 2020 Perspectives on Peace Scholarship are: 1st prize $5,000 scholarship: Meghan Carter (Foothill Tech High School) 2nd prize $2,500 scholarship: Sedrik Dedman (Buena High School) 3rd prize $1,500 scholarship: Audrey Abbe (Foothill Tech High School) Honorable mention $500: Yalda Kotobi (Ventura High School) Honorable mention $500: Lindsey Johnston (Buena High School) Due to Covid-19, a planned April exhibition for the winners and entrants within a larger Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) Art Showcase at the Ventura County Museum was cancelled. However, the scholarship recipients were celebrated at a recent “virtual meeting” of the Rotary Club of Ventura, where they presented their winning pieces and shared their motivations for creating it. Also, in attendance was Dr. Roger Rice, VUSD Superintendent, Greg Bayless, Director of Secondary Curriculum & Instruction, and several high school art teachers and career counselors, and Savi Bhim, Rotary 5240 District Governor, who gave an inspirational talk. The video highlights of this meeting can be viewed here. To view and experience the Rotary Club of Ventura 2020 Perspectives on Peace Scholarship winners, please visit the full digital presentation, here: http://perspectivesonpeace.org/2020-winners/ “It is deeply moving to see the talent and artistic visions of these high school seniors and to help support them on their journey to higher education – and I’m proud to say that the Rotary Club of Ventura has committed to doing this scholarship program next year as well”, reports Young. “We’ve been putting ‘Service Above Self’ right here in Ventura for over 100 years now. Today, while we recognize our Club’s past, it’s our next 100 years that we’re most excited about.” |
Coats For Kids Program has over 50 Drop-Off Locations Now in its 15th year of helping provide clean warm coats to those in need, Ventura Rotary’s “Coats For Kids” project is seeking donations of used coats, jackets and heavy sweatshirts of all sizes. Donations can be made at more than 50 area business, school and office locations, including Trader Joes, Green Thumb Nursery, and all Ventura elementary schools. For an interactive map, including nearest locations and directions, click to: http://j.mp/2qzLkPq “It’s a great way to help out those in need, while also cleaning out your closets of coats that you or your children no longer use,” says project director, Kristin Taylor. “Simply drop them in the large marked box at any collection site. We pick them up, and the wonderfully generous team at Persnickity Cleaners then professionally cleans them.” “Not everyone can write a big check to charity, but many can find a coat or two in the back of the closet and then feel good about making a very real and practical difference to someone in their community,” says Club president Connie Young, “We’ve collected, cleaned and distributed over 60,000 coats-for-kids over the past 15 years. With the weather turning cold and the number in need growing, we challenge the community to fill those donation boxes and help us collect 6,000 more this year!” After cleaning, the coats are provided immediately and throughout the year to various local organizations to ensure that someone truly in need can have access to a warm coat. These organizations include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oxnard and Ventura, Project Understanding, Casa Pacifica, Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, Sherriff’s Departments and local churches. “We’ll be collecting all month long, right up until the New Year,” says Taylor, “but the distribution and positive impact on those less fortunate will continue on all year long. It’s a lot of work, but the payoff is in knowing that we’re making a difference in the lives of others throughout Ventura County, one coat at a time." Ventura Rotary gives thanks to the many merchants and schools that serve as drop off sites. From restaurants and banks, to dentist offices and gyms, these drop off sites assure that making a donation of a coat is easy! "We're also very happy to have the help of our friends at the Rotary Club of Ventura South who are managing 10 of the drop off sites for the program this year," says Taylor. "This is truly a project by our community, for our community!" Vital to the success of the project is the support of its generous business partners, including: Gold Coast Broadcasting and KVTA, Persnickity Cleaners, FASTSIGNS of Ventura, Olas Express Laundromat, Halter-Encinas Enterprises, Team Dembowski Realty, MJP Technologies, and the Law Offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth. The Rotary Club of Ventura is dedicated to improving the lives of others in our community. The Coats for Kids Program is one of several projects designed to meet this goal. Other annual projects of the Club include sourcing, filling and donating over 800 school backpacks to local children each year, and providing a Reference Dictionary to every third grader in the Ventura Unified School District. |
Walk for Kids
Rotary Ventura was a very Proud Sponsor of this amazing event. Thank you to all our amazing supporters and members!!
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Project BackPack
Project backpack was a huge success! On August 11th, 2018, members of the Ventura Rotary club gathered to help stuff 866 backpacks with school supplies and distribute them to Ventura Unified Schools for students in need. The district identifies those students at each school and provides Rotary with their needs. We are happy to see the number has gone down in recent years. A special thanks to the East Ventura Rotary, South Ventura Rotary, and Lions club for your contributions towards this successful event. |
Coats for Kids Drop off locations: Donate Jackets of all sizes November 1st thru December 31st |
The Grace Centre - Our Global Grant Project is underway!Rotary Club of Ventura’s Global Grant Project |
End Polio
5 reasons Why we need to STOP Polio 1) To Improve Lives 16 million people are walking today who would have otherwise been paralyzed. 2) To Invest in the Future If polio isn't eradicated, within 10 years, as many as 200,000 children could be paralyzed by it each year. 3) To Improve Child Health Polio surveillance networks and vaccination campaigns also monitor children for other health problems like vitamin deficiency and measles, so they can be addressed sooner. 4) To Save Money A polio-free world will save the global economy $40-$50 billion in health costs within the next 20 years. 5) To Make History Polio eradication would be one of history's greatest public health achievements, with polio following smallpox to become only the second human disease eliminated from the world. |
Ventura Rotary Video |
The History of Rotary Club of VenturaHow Our Club Started...
The first meeting of the Ventura Rotary Club took place on Wednesday, June 12, 1918 at the Hotel De Leon in downtown Ventura. James Briscoe, retiring President of the Santa Barbara Rotary Club, which had received its charter in January, 1918, and Byron Terry, a charter member of Rotary Club Number One, (Chicago Rotary Club, Mr. Terry actually knew Paul Harris), were present and explained the purposes of Rotary.
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New MembersRecently we have had the honor to bring in new members: Amy Fonzo, Greg Abrams, Erik Dullenkopf, Ken Leandro, Mike Montoyo and Joe Schaaf to our Rotary family. Please take the opportunity to introduce yourself to our newest members and “BE the friendliest” Rotary Club in the world!
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Polio FundraiserThe Polio Fundraiser in honor of Larry Emrich was a huge success! Under the leadership of Lynda Girtsman and Ellyn Dembowski; held at Doug and Randy’s home with the many cooks in the kitchen and the Ventura High School student volunteers; raised $7500. AWESOME!!! We were so pleased to have Larry in attendance at our last meeting. We look forward to seeing more of Larry in the near future.
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POLIO THIS WEEKPolio this week § Celebrating 3 years polio-free in India: on 11 February, dignitaries from around the world came together at a celebratory event in Delhi. The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, was joined in the celebrations by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition Shushma Swaraj, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, Rotary International President Ron D Burton and other high-level representatives. The Regional Certification Commission (RCC) for the Southeast Asia Region is expected to convene at end-March and review data from the entire Region, to determine if it will be officially certified as polio-free. § In Afghanistan, an immunization response is ongoing to last week’s reported case in Kabul. It was the first case in the province since 2002, and is linked to transmission in neighboring Pakistan. Afghanistan continues to make strong progress towards polio eradication. This latest case in Kabul underscores the ongoing risk polio continues to pose to children everywhere. Read more by clicking the link below. Global Polio Eradication Initiative
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MEL AND SYLVIA CHEATHAM - TWO PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The following story was originally published in the Ventura Breeze September 7, 2011- September 20, 2011 issue (Vol. 2 No. 24). The story has been posted on this site by permission of the author.
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JUST IN TIME FOR SCHOOL - "BACKPACKS FOR KIDS!"
The idea hatched about seven years ago when Prudential realtor Ellyn Dembowski got together with a few friends, 50 backpacks and supplies they had purchased for the Boys and Girls Club. The next year Ellyn got about $800 in financial donations from her Rotary club along with several volunteers. The event grew each year to larger facilities and more backpacks. The downtown Lions club wanted to do something similar and they joined us. The project has grown to include donating over 500 stuffed backpacks this year. Julius Gius support was $3100; Lion’s Club members stepped up their support to $1500, and many Rotary of Ventura members and some community members made generous contributions of backpack items, took time to shop for everything, and donated money to make it all work. The week before school starts the backpacks are delivered to area schools and the warm response is overwhelming! Ellyn says, and the entire club concurs, “We all feel good because we know we’re making a difference!” |
OFFSITE MEETING AT THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE MUSEUM - AUGUST 10, 2010
The Commemorative Air Force Museum is a treasure of our county. It has one of the largest collections of flying WWII aircraft of any aviation museum. Fifty-five members of the club and guests attended the offsite meeting at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Camarillo on Wednesday, August 10. Attendees enjoyed an informative program and fascinating small group tours led by docents who are experts on WWII aviation. Docents Jim Hinkelman, John Knopp and Charlie Carr conducted tours of the museum’s unique and distinctive aircraft and of the hanger where the aircraft is restored and maintained. |
THE ROTARY CLUB OF VENTURA VISITS THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE
On August 3rd, 72 Rotarians and guests battled a traffic jam on good ole Ventura Freeway to make it to the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast office in Oxnard. There they split into 3 groups for the adventure, spending about 25 minutes at each station, then rotating to the next area until they completed the 3-stage tour and lunch. Meteorologist in Charge Mark Jackson hosted the first group in the conference room. Mark gave clear and interesting details of their operations and responsibilities, answered questions, and showed a video during lunch. The catered lunch consisted of tuna, turkey and vegetarian sandwiches, potato/pasta salad, chocolate chip cookies, water and soft drinks. Group 2 went into the impressive operational office/command center: the heart and brain trust of the NWS operation. Forecaster extraordinaire Dave Sweet entertained and educated the visitors, taking them step by step showing what all goes into making weather forecasts for the public, aviation, marine and fire weather interests; he also explained the myriad of warnings as needed. Group 3 was taken on a tour of their outside museum by Eric Boldt. Their impressive display consisted of remote mountain rain and snow gauges that noted not only rainfall but snow depth and water content. This real time data is then sent directly to weather and river forecast offices. Ocean and wave buoys were on display as were remote sensing fire weather equipment and their downlink from NEXRAD (next generations radar) on Sulfur Mountain. |
ANNUAL INTERACT CLUB BAKE SALE
The Ventura High School Interact Club Bake sale is always a favorite program! Club advisors Melody Namikas and Jeff King introduced the students, who recounted some of the club's programs and accomplishments this year, including a new Easter Egg Hunt project for after-school kids at E P Foster School, and the donation of a Shelter Box for Japan. Several students also talked about their great experience at RYLA camp (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). Dylan Horwitz and Rotarian Dr. Todd Binkley served as auctioneers. As usual, the bake sale was increditble: one cake sold for $1,200, Cookies brought $550; when it was all over, the club had raised over $3,100 for Interact programs. To top things off, Dylan announced that (school) advisors Samantha and Justin were both named as Teachers of the Year. |
Ventura Rotary Club Assisting in Philippine Relief |
COLOR RUN
Go here for more details, to sign up, become a Color Runner!!! http://thecolorrun.com/ventura/ |
