The Annual Backpack Project was completed this weekend. This project is truly a collaboration and a model for how projects should be done in the future. All three Ventura Rotary Clubs, Ventura-East, Ventura and South, along with the Ventura Downtown Lions Club get together and fill backpacks for local Ventura Unified School District Students who, otherwise, would not have a backpack or supplies to start the new school year. We had another big crowd and we assembled almost 900 backpacks in about 1-1/2 hours! Thanks to club members Bruce McGee, Roy Valdez, Judy Hoag and her grandson Zander Hoag and Tom Hashbarger for coming out and supporting this project. Can't wait to work on this project again next year!

 

This coming Tuesday is our next Sip and See! People have been asking what "Sip and See" means. Well it means come on out and work on the project we have planned for that evening or just come out and socialize and "Sip" on a tea that Ashley Pope stocks at Spice Topia and "See" what everyone's up too. We had a good turn out and a lot of fun at the first Sip and See and I know we will have more fun this time. This month we will be "Pampering" ourselves. We will be making body scrubs with salt or sugar and essential oils or if you ever wanted to be your own tea blender, Ashley will have some teas for you to make your own custom blend from. This is all going to be happening on August 21st at Spice Topia from 6:30 - 8:00. Bring a friend or family member!!!

 

One of the things I appreciate about Rotary is that we are non-political and non-sectarian organization. Our club made the decision a little over 10 years ago to discontinue doing an invocation at the beginning of our meetings and replaced the invocation with the Inspirational Message. We did so because we had members who practiced religions other then Christianity and were not comfortable with the invocation. The club made the decision that the right thing to do was to eliminate the invocation in favor of the Inspirational Message...Is it Fair to All Concerned? I can appreciate and support that decision. 

 

We are also a non-political organization. One thing I know is that if you want to divide a group bring politics into the room. I am amazed when I see business owners I know and respect post their political ideals on their business social media. Don't they realize that even though they may feel the majority of people are behind what they think that there are still people who will not share their views and maybe stop doing business with them? There has been discussion in the past to bring politicians in to campaign in front of the club but then if we invited one candidate to speak the feeling was we needed to invite all the candidates so that idea was dismissed.

 

I feel that we are a better organization without politics being a part of what we do within our meetings. Does that mean we will never have an elected official speak to the club? The answer is NO! In fact we had Sheriff-Elect Bill Ayub speak to the club last week and I thought the Sheriff-Elect did a fantastic job. We are also hoping to have a few other elected officials speak this year but they will be speaking about what is going on in their department and not about campaigning.

 

So, what I am getting at? My point is that when you are at the podium speaking to the club I ask that you keep to your point and leave politics out of what you are saying. No comments, no jokes, no innuendos. We are a club that has fun together, we get things done together so let's not divide the room by bringing politics into Rotary.

 

This week Joe Strohman will be interviewing our newest member, Christina Ahn. Christina is a Statistician at Point Mugu and I am looking forward to hearing about Christina. Next week our speaker will be Carol Leish. I've known Carol for many years and I really appreciate Carol's story. You can learn more about Carol by visiting her website: www.callmecapable.net.

 

 

Yours in Rotary Service,

Jeff Hata

President, 2018-2019

Rotary Club of Ventura-East