ROTARY CLUB OF VENTURA EAST
Welcome to the website of the Rotary Club of Ventura East!!
Ventura East
We meet In Person
Thursdays at 12:00 p.m.
Poinsettia Pavilion
3451 Foothill Road
Ventura, CA 93003
United States of America

Rotary Ventura East 2026 Scholarship Application 

Download Scholarship application

The Rotary Club of Ventura-East – Who We Are and What We Do
Rotary’s Vision Statement:
 
TOGETHER  We See a World Where PEOPLE Unite and Take Action To CREATE Lasting CHANGE  Across the Globe In our Communities and in Ourselves
 
Welcome to the Rotary Club of Ventura-East. We meet from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Poinsettia Pavilion in Ventura, 3451 Foothill Road for a delicious lunch, fellowship and networking, a short business session followed by an informative speaker presenting an inspiring and timely topic.  On the Third Thursday of the month we substitute a lunch meeting with an evening dinner social at a local eating establishment.  We invite you to join us for a meeting or social to learn more about Rotary. Follow us on FaceBook or Instagram or send an inquiry through the ‘Contact Us’ below.
 
The Rotary pledge is “Service Above Self”.  Some examples of our community involvement:
  • hosting the 4th of July Push-em Pull-em Parade for youngsters and families since 1976 (check out photos in the album section of the website);
  • partnering with the YMCA for Operation Ventura  teaching youngsters to swim and learn water safety.  (We are, after all, a beach community!) The program also offers homeless and at-risk youth opportunities to participate in classes at the Y.
  • The Ronald McDonald Family Room at VCMC and the Autism Society of Ventura County are near and dear to us.
  • We annually award $125,000 in scholarships to local High School Seniors with plans to attend colleges and universities.
  • We also award scholarships to students pursuing vocational programs.
Our signature fundraiser is Poinsettia sales for the holidays. Beautiful, locally grown plants are delivered by cheerful Rotarians to your home or business. Send an email request for order form to rcvepoinsettias@gmail.com in early November. Ask to be on our mailing list for event notices.
 
The Club promotes youth leadership by sponsoring an “Interact” Club at Buena High School and sending High School Juniors to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a 4-day retreat described as a life-changing experience.
 
As a humanitarian organization, we support a variety of International projects including those that promote women’s and children’s health and the campaign to end Polio.
 

Chartered on May 23, 1963, we are the first club in our district to be a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club, and 54th in the world to achieve this distinction, having donated $1,000 per member to the Rotary International Foundation to fund projects in the United States and across the globe.

NEWS FROM VENTURA EAST

Dear Tim and the Rotary Club,
 
We want to say thank you for your continued support of three children at Chayah Children's Home in Uganda.
 
Pius is in 6th grade and doing well.  His health is good and he has become a very responsible young man as he's become more comfortable in the boy's home with Chayah's staff
Daisy is thriving.  She's put on weight since coming and her health is excellent.  She's not quite old enough for school, but enjoys playing with the other toddlers.  She is well cared for by the Mothers and Aunties at Chayah and is doted on by the older kids.
 
Otim is just turning 3 and also doing well.  He is a busy toddler and delights in making others laugh. He is full of joy, healthy and loves to take the lead with his age-mates.  He's also been known to take their toys run for the hills!
 
Your sponsorship provides meals, clothing, housing, medical care, a nurturing staff and lots of space to play.  We couldn't do it without you and appreciate your continued care and support of these three miracles.
--
Jodi Plum
Chayah Ministries International, Inc
We are reaching out with such gratitude to you and the Rotary Club for your valuable investment toward saving the lives of children from one of the most difficult areas in the world.
 
The donation of $2,000 earlier this year has provided for Pius a boy that came to us in the spring and was in need of a safe place to call home.  Pius is 13 years old, but had not been able to attend school and was struggling to find shelter and depended on the kindness of others for food.  Pius has been at Chayah and enrolled in our primary school in 6th grade.  He's trying hard to catch up but doing well.  He is incredible shy and a bit withdrawn but this is common in the first months of transition and we are confident he'll begin to feel more and more comfortable.
 
The Rotary Club also expressed an interest in sponsoring two others on a monthly basis and just in the last two weeks the local authorities have brought us two toddlers.
This is Otim.  He is 2 years old.  His father abandoned him when he was 5 months old.  His mother is in her early teens and has been living on the streets since then.  The local authorities brought Otim to Chayah and is working with his teenage mother to help her finish her education.  She is in 8th grade.  Otim is settling in well.
 
This is Daisy.  She is seated on the lap of our social worker, Doreen.  Daisy will be 2 years old on November 22nd.  Daisy came to us with little background except that her mother is blind and was raped.  The village refused to help take care of her and little Daisy was referred to Chayah by local authorities.  
 
We are so grateful for the support of the Rotary Club and want to make sure to answer any questions you may have.  
 
Pius' support has been paid for 12 months, ending in May 2025.  Monthly support of $150 each for Otim and Daisy will cover their medical care including nutritional supplements in these first months, clothing, housing, food, diapers and they will be cared for by their house mom, Regina.  Additionally, there are 3 other house mothers and 2 full time cooks, our social worker and lots of big brothers and sisters to help welcome and care for these two.
 
Here is a link for monthly support of Otim and Daisy.  Let me know if you have any problems or questions for us.
 
Thank you again and again,
--
Jodi Plum
Chayah Ministries International, Inc
Scholarship Thursday was another great success. A special thanks to Steve Harbison, Kathy McGee and Jacquelyn Syndergaard who were judges and presenters.
We presented scholarships to 24 graduating seniors, including 9 students from Paciific High School for vocational and community college purposes. The foundation also awarded funds to 24 students who are currently enrolled in college. Thank you to Cal Magro for being responsible for bringing the Pacific students into the program and his generous monetary donation to a Pacific student.
 
And a special thanks to all of you that attended the luncheon. In total we had approximately 100 people in attendance. Great Job Rotary East!
 
In service,
Tim Hughes
Scholarship Chair
Support Our Sponsors
 

CLUB BULLETIN

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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays:
  • Vance Thompson
    January 1
  • Nancy D'Attilio
    January 14
  • Dawn Knowles
    January 17
Join Date:
  • David Anderson
    January 1, 2003
    23 years
  • Harriet Clune
    January 1, 2003
    23 years
  • Vance Thompson
    January 1, 2003
    23 years
  • Charles Ferguson
    January 3, 2023
    3 years
  • Derek Eidson
    January 3, 2023
    3 years
  • Jacquelyn Syndergaard
    January 4, 2023
    3 years
  • Steve Harbison
    February 21, 2017
    9 years
Club Leadership
President
President-Elect
Past President
Secretary
Treasurer
International Serv
Community Service
Vocational Service
Membership
At Large Director 2023-26
At Large Director 2023-26
Vice President
Youth Service
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
 
Contact Us
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SPEAKERS

Upcoming Speakers
Social
Jan 15, 2026 5:30 PM
The Greek at Ventura Harbor Village
Clif Simonsen, President & CEO of Cal NRG
Jan 22, 2026
Energy situation in California and the impact of Venezuela action
Matt LaVere, Ventura County Supervisor
Jan 29, 2026
Business outlook for the county, housing development
805 Property Restoration
Feb 05, 2026
Managing disasters and remodels
Michael Shankin
Feb 12, 2026
Children's museum in Camarillo
Past Speakers
Lissanna Follari
Jan 08, 2026
Craft Talk
Support our Buena High School Interact Club!
2023 Push-em Pull-em Parade
 
Membership Corner
 
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Ventura-East, Please click this link.
Rotary Club of Ventura-East Avenues of Service Citation Recipients
Recognizing that the strength of the Rotary ideal is founded on the service carried out by club members worldwide, this citation program provides a means for Rotary clubs to personally recognize a member of the club for outstanding efforts in the five Avenues of Service. The citation commends the service carried out by an individual Rotarian in the club, thereby reinforcing the importance which Rotary places on the personal involvement of each club member in Rotary service activities.
 
Eric Nicolet - 1997-98
Devere 'Pete' Gallagher - 1998-99
Joseph Strohman - 1999-00
Sally Adelblue - 2000-01
Jan Lindsay - 2001-02
Richard Stewart - 2005-06
William Spellman - 2006-07
Husam Hishmeh - 2007-08
Deborah Roberts - 2010-11
Wendy Pazen - 2011-12
Jeff Hata - 2012-13

SPEAKERS

Upcoming Speakers
Social
Jan 15, 2026 5:30 PM
The Greek at Ventura Harbor Village
Clif Simonsen, President & CEO of Cal NRG
Jan 22, 2026
Energy situation in California and the impact of Venezuela action
Matt LaVere, Ventura County Supervisor
Jan 29, 2026
Business outlook for the county, housing development
805 Property Restoration
Feb 05, 2026
Managing disasters and remodels
Michael Shankin
Feb 12, 2026
Children's museum in Camarillo
Past Speakers
Lissanna Follari
Jan 08, 2026
Craft Talk

January 2026

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News from R.I.
Indian developer donates $US 50 million to The Rotary Foundation

Ravishankar Dakoju pledged that he and his wife and fellow club member, Paola Dakoju, would donate approximately US$50 million (4.5 billion Indian rupees) to The Rotary Foundation.

Olayinka H. Babalola urges members of Rotary to Create Lasting Impact

Rotary International president-elect emphasizes effective action and ‘embracing the world with open arms’