Pat Hurley
Welcome: President #4 Pat Hurley opened by stating he had some “sad news:” "Next Monday will be my last meeting" – to which the membership erupted in applause. Laughing, he went on to welcome all to the meeting of Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary. The pledge was led on this Flag Day 2021 by Jim Brubaker. Gloria Foote provided the day’s Words describing “seeing all that dirty laundry” that suddenly became much cleaner when the windows were washed. Jos Magana managed to announce the 4-Way Test, haltingly. Nineteen guests were introduced.
Demotion Dinner: Past President Wendy Wiegand (PPWW) discussed the CHNR Demotion Dinner events of Friday evening, June 25 at the Discovery Center . . . in-person . . . your fee is included in your dues. Guests are $50. It’s bound to be fun with FOUR presidents to prod . . . there is no telling what will happen. Watch your email for reservation information. Come join the festivities; we’d love to share a laugh with you!
New Member: Gloria Foote formally welcomed Nev Roseman to the club. Since he has been a president of three other Rotary clubs, he automatically moved into the Blue Badge category. Welcome Nev!
Badge Box: Gloria Foote also announced that the Badge Box was refreshed. Badges are in alphabetical order, identified as Box A or Box B and your specific slot number identified on the back of your badge.
Rotary Memory #1 – Harry Peacock
Visiting Australia in 2004, Peacock and his wife enjoyed Kangaroo Island. The King’s Coast Rotary Club meets at the hotel in which they encamped. At the Rotary meeting members of the club asked if the Peacocks had seen the Fairy penguins (also called Little Blue Penguins). So the Peacocks were escorted out to see the burrows of the Fairy penguins and realized that this event would never have happened for them, nor would they have known where to look had they not been Rotarians and shared the Rotary interest of all things natural.
Drs. Matt and Mark Packard
Rotary Moment #2 – Mark Packard
Mark Packard and his wife Bonnie routinely visit Central America to participate in dental service trips. In 2004, the Packards’ son, Matt, was trying to decide whether to go into dentistry or not. He accompanied his parents to Honduras, to an orphanage of children whose parents had been victims of AIDS (and others wouldn’t touch the children). During that trip Matt understood and exemplified the Rotary Motto of Service Above Self and decided to pursue dentistry. Dr. Matt Packard is now the third generation of Packards to practice in Carlsbad . . . all because of a Rotary trip providing that Service Above Self.
Community Service: Director LeAnn Rytz proceeded to announce four community grants, each for $1,250 and to introduce the representatives present:
- Women’s Resource Center, CEO Marina Araiza, who indicated that the grant would be used for gift cards to grocery stores for their clients. WRC provided 41,000 services to an expanded client base in 2020. WRC has served 750,000 families with shelter since its opening in 1979.
- Community Resource Center, CEO John Van Clef, also expressed his appreciation for the grant and indicated that domestic violence was an unexpected outcome of the pandemic. “This geographic area is an ‘arc of affluence’ to take philanthropy and offer it to neighbors in need. We are grateful for your giving.”
- Solutions for Change, Christi Knight, VP of Community Engagement, reported that the grant would be used for grocery store gift cards to families as we get them “off the street.” “Our two-year program targeting the homeless is transformative. We have a work force training program and it, too, is back up and running.” “Thank you so much.”
- Produce Good, Alexandra White Co-Founder and Executive Director, remarked that they operate two food recovery programs, and believe that they have “rescued” 2.5 million servings of food to date (from their establishment in 2009). “We rescue produce from backyard growers, and we collect that food for food service agencies as you have identified here today. From 6,000 pounds of food rescued in 2014, we rescued 244,000 pounds of food in 2020.” “As an aside, while I was in West Africa, I saw Rotary signs everywhere. I connected deeply today as you continue to help your community—locally and globally.”
2021 CARLSBAD HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary scholarships are awarded to graduating high school students who attend a high school in Carlsbad Unified School District, or live in Carlsbad, but attend a school outside of the City of Carlsbad.
Scholarship applications for CHS students are available on the school’s website and available to all CHS students. Applications for students not attending CHS are available from any CHNRotary member and will be available on our website each January.
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary made awards to CHS students (over the past 20 years) totaling more than $375,000—all funds are derived from the club’s fundraising events. Additionally, the club’s Scholarship Team administers the funds of the CHS Class of ’69 scholarships (CHS’69 and the Rotary AVID (Advancement by Individualized Determination) awards.
Special thanks to the team of Steve Ahlquist, Ken Clark, Rachel Ivanovich, and Raegan Matthews who read each application and interview the students.
This year’s awardees include:
- $700 (AVID) to Ariana Torres who plans to attend CSUSM to study child development.
- $700 (AVID) to Arelly Ibarra who plans to attend San Diego State University.
- $700 (AVID) to Alyssa Atempo who will attend UC Riverside to study nursing.
- $1,400 to Laney Call who will attend BYU Hawaii majoring in elementary education.
- $1,400 to Aiko Lozar who plans to attend Chapman University studying film production.
- $1,400 to Samantha Castillo who will attend the University of Arizona focusing on pre-nursing.
- $1,400 to Delia Charvel will study Industrial Engineering.
- $1,400 to Shayne Conner who plans to attend CalPoly San Luis Obispo studying engineering and physics.
- $1,400 to Dayna Clines will attend Colorado State University to study elementary education.
- $1,700 to McKenna Rangel who plans to study cognitive science on her way to be a surgeon. She will attend UC Davis. McKenna was also a RYLA student and remarked (at the table) “Service Above Self changes your life.”
- $1,700 to Camilla Potz who plans to attend the Colorado School of Mines to study Mechanical Engineering. She will try to participate in the 4+1 format, working on a BA and MA at the same time.
- $1,700 to Isabella Woulfe will attend UCLA to study astrophysics.
- $1,700 + $700 (AVID) equals $2,400 to Leonardo Preciado who plans to study biology as he strives to be an anesthesiologist.
- $1,700 + $1,069 (CHS ’69) for $2,769 to Lena McEachern who will attend Stanford to study Symbolic Systems.
- $1,400 + $700 (AVID) + $869 (CHS ’69) amounts to $2969 to Karen Antonio who will attend CSUSM to study child development.
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary produced the funds to support $20,000 in scholarships (adding one $1,700 scholarship for Jacob Titcomb of Cathedral Catholic) and $3,500 in AVID awards. Additionally, the team administered $1,969 of the CHS ’69 funds meant for scholarship . . . for a total of $25,469. Heartiest congratulations to each student. The club looks forward to hearing back from you as your move through your higher education life.
Roto-Rooter Yvonne Finocchiaro
There WAS a little time left over, so Finocchiaro congratulated those Rotarians who (1) worked on scholarship awards; (2) those Rotarians who worked in the youth services avenue of service; (3) those Rotarians who participated in our only fundraiser this year (Oktober-Feast 2020); (4) those Rotarians who worked on all club committees in the face of pandemic confinement; and (5) all those Rotarians who voluntarily contributed their “lunch money” to provide the funds that were awarded today. YOU ARE AWESOME. Thank you so much! And then she was off:
- Bragging Rights: Josh and LeAnn Rytz were able to enjoy son JJ’s success with his college baseball team;
- Bragging Rights: Phil Urbina watched son Ross as he graduated and will start a new professional life at PWC.
- A variety of Rotarians were asked about the What We Don’t Know About You FACTS submitted be fellow members in prior days.
- Let’s just say most were initially WRONG . . . but the laughs were good.
- So, those facts were:
- Dave Dana DID dig into an Inca grave.
- Mimi Gaffey took flying lessons but couldn’t land (because she couldn’t see over the nosecone).
- The #1 fan of Saturday Night Live was Raegan Matthews (who swears she’s seen every episode).
- Mike Metts does, indeed, wear shoes/boots (offering that since he’s from Tennessee). Afterward he said, “All the things I do and THAT’s what you quote?” The response was: “That’s what you TOLD me as your one fact.”
- Phil Urbina was a sports editor at age 18.
- Richard Weston was in the Newark Boys’ Choir (until his voice changed).
Service Above Self
Carlsbad, CA 92008
United States of America