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
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.  On St. Patrick’s Day, join us at Topa Topa Brewing on Colt Street for a celebration featuring Irish Music, Food, and a special Brew.  These fund-raising events allow us to continue our services to our local community and to the world. 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.
Hurricane Helene Relief Fund
 
Rotary Zones 33 & 34 have established a relief fund for people affected by Hurricane Helene. They are in for a long road to recovery and are now looking at the prospect of being impacted even further by Hurricane Milton.
 
If you would like to make a donation you can click on the link below to go to their website.
 
Click on the image for more information.
NEWS FROM VENTURA EAST
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
Rich Stewart stood in for President Dawn today.
 
Nancy D’Attlio led us in the Flag Salute
 
Guests: Bruce McGee introduced Vanessa Stofler from Ventura College.
 
Derek Eidson gave our Inspirational Message.
 
Please sign up on the duty roster.
 
We will be meeting on July 7th for a joint meeting with Downtown. The speaker will be Paul Orfalea, the founder of Kinko’s.
 
We have a community service opportunity at Blackstock to cook hamburgers for the incoming 7th graders on August 16th.
 
Mikyung Zdybowicz has a booth at the Ventura County Fair. Please stop by if you go to the fair.
 
The three club BBQ fundraiser has been cancelled.
 
The District Conference will be at the Historic Madonna Inn on October 25 & 26.
 
 
Bruce McGee inducted 2 new members today. We welcomed George Golden & Dr Claudia Laurido-Habib.
 
Our speaker today was Joseph Fuquay from The Rubicon.
 
Happy $’s: Carin Kally, Jim Word, Kathy McGee, Joseph Fuquay
 
Opportunity Drawing – Our lucky winner was our speaker Joseph Fuquay.
Thank you to Derek Eidson, Nancy D'Attilio & Bruce McGee for helping out.
 
Cal Magro donated our raffle prize today which as $50 cash!
 
Visiting today were Norry Harn, Ryan Barrajas, and Phil Drescher were guests of Joe Strohman.
 
Derek Eidson introduced Monique Gonzalez and her mother, Tim Hughes introduced Dann and Jodi Plum with Chayah.
 
President Carin gave our Inspirational Message.
 
Don’t forget the Step Down next week at Bright Spark Brewing from 5:30 - ???
 
PE Dawn asked to be notified if you are volunteering for the Push-em Pull-em parade. We are having shirts made for the volunteers.
 
The Ronald McDonald Family Room is having a fundraiser on June 26th at Urbane Café.
 
Tim Hughes presented Dan & Jody Plum with a $2,000 donation to Chaya.
 
Derek Eidson presented Monique Gonzalez with a Bob Pazen Nursing Scholarship.
 
Our speaker today was City Manager Bill Ayub.
 
Happy $’s: Bill Gray, Mikyung Zdybowicz, Sam Marsh, Harriet Clune, President Carin, Joe Strohman, Tim Hughes
 
Rich Stewart conducted the opportunity drawing and our lucky winner was President Carin!
P.E. Dawn stood in for President Carin who was a little under the weather today.
 
Cal Magro led us in the Flag Salute.
 
Our opportunity drawing was a $50 gift card to Café Ficelle donated by Kathy McGee
 
PE Dawn thanked everyone who helped with the meeting today.
 
Jim Word let us know that the Friends of the Library is having a book sale on April 6th and they will need help to move books. If you have a truck or a van, please let Jim know.
 
Bruce McGee reported that our meeting will be on Wednesday in the Ventura room. California Rotary clubs will be receiving an award that will be presented via Zoom.
 
If you would like to join the Polio+ society, talk to Bruce. The St Patrick’s day fundraiser at Topa Topa will make the club approximately $4,000 to donate to the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at VCMC. The club acknowledged Stacy Tipton and her crew for her donation of the food and labor for this event.
 
Upcoming events
April 11th – Student of the Quarter and Juan Torres with the Salvation Army.
April 18th – Social TBA
April 25th – Scholarship Awards
 
PE Dawn gave our Inspirational Message.
 
D.G. Marta’s Step Down will be June 29th.
 
April 21st – Walk for Kids
 
Our speaker today was Tammy & Summer Helmuth with the Girl Scouts.
 
Happy $’s: Margarida Eidson, Cal Magro, Nancy D’Attilio, Harriet Clune
 
Rich Stewart conducted our opportunity drawing and our lucky winner was Cal Magro!
Jerry Dannenberg led us in the Flag Salute.
 
President Carin’s announcements:
Thank you Charles Ferguson for Greeting, Bruce McGee for running the front desk, Bill Spellman for taking attendance and Cal Magro for donating our Opportunity Drawing Prize, a $50 universal gift card.
 
Adonis Campillo has reluctantly resigned from the club due to his new job. Hopefully he can come back soon.
 
Jacquelyn Gargano gave our Inspirational Message.
 
President Carin presented Cameron DeJong with a $500 sponsorship of the International Football Showcase.
 
Bruce McGee spoke about the St Patrick’s Day fundraiser coming up on March 17th at Topa Topa Brewery.
 
Tim Hughes announced we had 86 applicants for scholarships. 58 of those are graduating seniors! The scholarship presentation day will be May 28th.
 
Club social will be at Yolanda’s.
 
April 3rd we are having a joint meeting with Downtown and South for a presentation of the Bernard Osher Philanthropist of the Year Award to the Rotary Clubs of California.
 
April 11th we will have a Student of the Quarter Presentation.
 
Avenues of Service Chairs, please complete your District Awards sheet. One of the criteria is Polio+. If you can donate $100 per year, please see President Carin.
 
The Ventura Family YMCA has sent us a thank you letter for our donation for Operation Ventura.
 
Walks coming up:
  • April 21 – Walk For Kids
  • April 28 – Aut2Run
  • May 18 – Walk to Cure Arthritis
 
Our speaker today was Laura from Sonny Horses 4 Kids.
 
Happy $’s: Laura, President Carin, Harriet Clune,
 
Our opportunity drawing winner was Dawn Knowles.
Support Our Sponsors
 

CLUB BULLETIN

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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays:
  • Margarida Eidson
    November 13
  • Steve Harbison
    December 28
  • Cameron DeJong
    December 30
Anniversaries:
  • Jeff Hata
    Rosandra Esquivel
    November 12
  • Jim Word
    Alberta Word
    November 28
  • Bruce McGee
    Kathy McGee
    December 19
  • Kathy McGee
    Bruce McGee
    December 19
Join Date:
  • Laura Shannon-Prange
    November 28, 2012
    12 years
  • Carin Kally
    December 1, 2019
    5 years
  • Rich Stewart
    December 1, 1981
    43 years
  • Will Hoag
    December 12, 2008
    16 years
Club Leadership
President
President-Elect
Past President
Secretary
Treasurer
International Serv
Community Service
Vocational Service
Vocational Service - Asst. Chair
Marketing & Social Media Chair
Membership
At Large Director 2023 - 2026
At Large Director 2023 - 2026
At Large Director 2024 - 2027
At Large Director 2024 - 2027
The Rotary Foundation
Peace Chair
Sergeant-at-Arms
 
 
 
Contact Us
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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
2024 Poinsettia Plant Sale Flyer
Click on the image to download the flyer.
To download the flyer, click on the image.
Support our Buena High School Interact Club!
2023 Push-em Pull-em Parade
 
SPEAKERS
Upcoming Speakers
Connard Hogan
Nov 07, 2024
Vietnam Memoir
Poinsettia Calls
Nov 14, 2024
Club Social
Nov 21, 2024
Evening meeting. Club is dark at noon
Past Speakers
World Interact Week
Nov 04, 2024
Jade Knowles & Riley O'hara
Oct 31, 2024
Halloween Scare Actors and Make-up artists
Patricia McKenna
Oct 24, 2024
Operation Linus
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
Connard Hogan
Nov 07, 2024
Vietnam Memoir
Poinsettia Calls
Nov 14, 2024
Club Social
Nov 21, 2024
Evening meeting. Club is dark at noon
Past Speakers
World Interact Week
Nov 04, 2024
Jade Knowles & Riley O'hara
Oct 31, 2024
Halloween Scare Actors and Make-up artists
Patricia McKenna
Oct 24, 2024
Operation Linus
November 2024
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