Hi-Jinx Bulletin-2.10.25 Mtg

Next Meeting: Feb. 24 2025  
at the Westin  
Volume 7, Issue 5  
Reporter: Julie Walker  
Photographer: Nancy Starling
   
 
 
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary
President Velyn Anderson
 
Pres Velyn Anderson called the meeting to order, George Sullivan led the Pledge, and Ken Clark led singing of the Smile song, God Bless America and the Welcome song.
 
KEY HI-NOON DATES
• Feb. 13 - Fireside Chat for New Members
DARK - February 17
• Feb. 20 - NCty Food Bank
• Feb. 21 - Poker Party
• Feb 24 MEETING: Speech Contest
• Feb. 28 - DineAround #1
• Mar.  1 - DineAround #2
• Apr 26-27 - RYLA Weekend
                                          
ANNOUNCEMENTS
            • DUES: Treas. Viveka Kjellgren will be contacting those who have not yet paid third-quarter dues: viveka@kjellgren.org or 203-984-2499.
            • OKTOBERFEST COMMITTEE: Anyone interested in serving on the 2025 Oktoberfest Committee can contact member Jenna Dotson: jdotson@RepublicServices.com. Oktoberfest is the major fundraiser for Hi-Noon and the Carlsbad Rotary clubs, and will be held Sept. 20, at the Carlsbad Strawberry Fields.
            • POLIO PIG: Our polio pig has collected $800 towards our club goal of $1,500 for the Stop Polio campaign during this Rotary year. Look for the pig when you arrive at the meeting sign-in table: He’s hungry for any spare change or even larger donations.
 
FIRESIDE CHAT FOR NEW MEMBERS
            President-elect Jim Brubaker is hosting a Fireside Chat, with light lunch, for new club members Thur., Feb. 13, 11:45am-1pm at his home. This is an opportunity to meet club board members and directors and learn more about club activities and opportunities. RSVP with Brubaker: brutwo@outlook.com or 760-845-6776...ASAP, please—and for the address. Any interested member welcome, especialy new and newer members.
 
SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE UPDATE
            JoAnn Ross said our scholarship fundraiser is “off to a great start, but we haven’t crossed the finish line. You all get 24 raffle tickets to sell, and we need you to do that. It’s easy!” Grand prize is $5,000, 2nd prize is a four-night stay in a condo in Sedona, 3rd prize is an e-bike, and 4th prize is a wine package. The drawing will be at our Apr. 14 meeting. Last year, we gave out $41,000 in scholarships. This year’s goal is $50,000.
            Tickets are $20 each or six for $100. Sell or buy your tickets and bring the money and the ticket stubs to our meetings before the Apr. 14 drawing. For info or more tickets, contact Ross at ross93291@aol.com or 760-662-5385.
 
COMMUNITY SERVICE
            • Pres. Velyn thanked Tommy Hersant and Nate Cobb for seeing a need and helping a senior citizen who is on their home meal delivery route. They replaced her doorbell so she could actually hear it when her meals had arrived.
            • North County Food Band: Beth Garrow is putting together a team to help pack food at the North County Food Bank, Feb. 20, from 1-4pm. Members, partners and guests are welcome, but EACH needs to register. Garrow has emailed registration link and requirements, or contact her at bethgarrow@comcast.net
 
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
            • Poker Night, Feb. 21, 6pm, Richard Weston’s home. The game will be Texas Hold-em, and those not familiar with this game are invited to arrive at 5pm and join Phil Urbina, who will do a tutorial. Buy-in is $20, cash, small bills preferred. RSVP with Tommy Hersant, thersant@me.com or 760-855-5758 before the end of this month.
            • Feb. 28 and Mar. 1 DineArounds: Hosts have been set, and Danny Quisenberry had a sign-up sheet at this meeting. He asks that anyone else interested contact Tommy Hersant before the end of February: thersant@me.com or 760-855-5758.
            • Happy Hours and Pizza Night #2: Hersant is seeking suggestions for Carlsbad locations for monthly Happy Hours and also a host for the final pizza comparison testing. Contact him at thersant@me.com or 760-855-5758.
 
YOUTH SERVICE
            • Speech Contest: Our Four-Way Test speech contest for high schoolers will be the program for our Feb. 24 meeting. Students must apply the Four-Way Test to whatever topic they select for their speech. The winner will move onto the next level in the District 5340 competition. All club members are encouraged to attend this meeting: traditionally, these speeches have been amazing.
            • Bob Kreisberg shared that our club-hosted music competiton for students last week was a success and thanked Ken Clark, who was a judge. Kreisberg needs more speakers for the “What Grown-ups do for Work” program, and he said our successful Junior Achievement program at Valley School wrapped up last week.
            • RYLA HELP NEEDED: This year’s Rotary District 5340 RYLA camp for students (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) will be April 26-27, and adult facilitators are needed. Pres. Velyn has sent an invitation to members that includes lots of information about this weekend event that is for students who exhibit leadership abilities and which combines speakers, activities and events to inspire and encourage them. Our own Mike Metts has been involved in the district RYLA program for many years and can provide info: mmetts@dudek.com or 619-417-6304.
 
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
            PRAGUE 2025: A group of Hi-Noon Rotarians and spouses will be traveling to Prague, a Hi-Noon sister city, including Rick Huenefeld and Tommy Hersant and their wives, leaving on April 27. Anyone else interested can call either of them for information about the trip that will include meet-ups with Rotarians there.                                                                                                                                         
 
ROTARY BIRTHDAYS
& ANNIVERSARIES
            Pres. Velyn recognized members with February birthdays: Joan Boughton, Feb. 11; Yvonne Finocchiaro, 14th; Ken Clark, 17th; Jim Brubaker, 19th; and Tommy Hersant, 23rd. She also recognized Rotary anniversaries: hers, 14 years; Richard Weston and Wendy Wiegand, 22; Mike Metts, 23; Nate Cobb, 25; Joan Boughton, 26; Jeff Segall, 27; Kori Dolkus, 28; Julie Walker, 37 (2 clubs); Eric Lodge, 45; and Bruce Stewart, 49 years (2 clubs).
 
PROGRAM
Genealogy Made Easy
Speaker: Dee Whiting
 
            Dee Whiting got interested in genealogy many years ago when she wanted to learn more about her family roots. “Everyone makes history, but who records our experiences? How does your story fit?” She has discovered she “loves delving into tantalizing family history,” and along the way, she has found many resources, including the three libraries in Carlsbad. But there are so many other sources and options. Among them:
            1. All three of Carlsbad’s libraries offer online access to Ancestry Library Edition, FamilySearch and Findmypast. For example, Ancestry Library Edition offers access to census, vital records, immigration info, family histories, military, court and legal and more.
            2. To help individuals digitize their photos, etc, Carlsbad’s Cole Library has a book scanner, a photo and slide scanner, and also has an Ask a Genealogist program Dove Library can work with video in all formats.
            3. The La Jolla Library can help with audiotapes, and the San Diego FamilySearch Center has a photo scanner that can 34 pages per minute, front and back.
            4. North San Diego County Genealogy Society offers speakers, in person or via streaming, and arranges trips to Salt Lake Family History Library.
            5. Ancestry.com has 30 billion records individuals can access for free or with more detail by setting up a personal account. It also offers a DNA kit for a fee.                             
            6. RootsTech holds the world’s largest genealogy conferences in the world, and its site, RootsTech.org, has more than 1,500 genealogy speakers’ talks on various topics from past conferences available for streaming.
            “Genealogy without documentation is mythology,” one of her slides said. Whiting had handouts that listed resources and their access info for those who wish to begin or expand their own family research. Pres. Velyn can email it to anyone interested.
 
DARK: February 17
NEXT MEETING
February 24, at the Westin
 
Program:
CHNR Student Speech Competition
 
Hi-Jinx Bulletin-2.10.25 Mtg MAUREEN TAYLOR 2025-02-10 08:00:00Z 0

CHNR Reminders

Posted on Feb. 10, 2025
POLIO PLUS PIGGY BANK
New this Rotary year is the Polio Plus piggy bank, now at the front table for each meeting, encouraging Rotarians and guests to donate any spare change, and maybe more, into the large glass Polio Plus jar. CHNR's goal is to collect at least $1,500 for the Polio Plus campaign this Rotary year.
 
ROTARY ELEVATOR PITCH
         Share Rotary with others! Here is an example "elevator pitch" as suggested by CHNR President Velyn Anderson:
         We are a group of your neighbors and professionals who want to make the world a better place. We put food in kids' tummies, shoes on their feet and books in their hands. We feed seniors and homeless, and deliver it with a smile. We provide Christmas gifts for families, do improvement projects in our community, and provide clean water to communities without.  We provide shelter for war widows in The Ukraine, support youth behavioral health at home and abroad, and send youth to leadership camps. Last year, we raised $42,000 for scholarships, and we are going to eliminate polio from the world. And we have fun doing it!
         We are your premier non-governmental, non-political action group in the world. There are 1.4 million Rotarians worldwide, and we are people of action. We would love to have you join us at a meeting.
CHNR Reminders MAUREEN TAYLOR 2025-02-10 08:00:00Z 0

Welcome to Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club

 Welcome to Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club!

The Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club (CHNR) welcomes Rotarians and other visitors to its Monday meetings. The club meets at the Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa, 5480 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008.  A buffet lunch with salads and hot entrees is open at noon, with the business meeting beginning at 12:20 pm. 

The Club, chartered in February 1980, has over 70 members. The membership is very active and committed to the Rotary principle of "Service Above Self."  The club sponsors an energetic Interact Club at Carlsbad High School and each year sends both facilitators and students to the annual RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) conference for high school juniors and the Rotary LEAD symposium for eighth graders. The club sponsors Oktoberfest a Family Fall Festival--Oktoberfest 2025 is Number 42--including German food, German music, costume contests, games and a beer garden.  Check out the website for event specifics: www.RotaryOktoberfest.org. This event has been designed and implemented since its inception by BOTH Rotary Clubs in Carlsbad:  Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary and Carlsbad Rotary. Proceeds from Oktoberfest are shared with Carlsbad charities and used by each club for its many local community service projects.

Additionally, CHNR also supports our Carlsbad students via the AVID program at Carlsbad High School with a business and ethics conference plus college and trade school scholarships, a literacy project and book fair at Jefferson Elementary School, Junior Achievement and What Grown-Ups Do For Work, music instruction and a competition for middle school students, an essay contest for middle school students, and a speech contest focusing on the Rotary Four-Way Test for high school students. CHNR members provide extensive community:  service every weekday, all year, through meal delivery to seniors; once a month to Brother Benno's to serve breakfast to the homeless; once a month to the North County Food Bank; and a massive 20,000 food packaging event to assist the Food Bank. Additionally, the club provides financial support (resulting from our fundraising events) to a variety of nonprofit organizations in Carlsbad assisting food insecurity, the homeless, Solutions for Change, the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, Hospice of the North Coast, Casa de Amparo, the North County Food Bank, the Veterans Association of North County, La Posada, Stand Up for Kids, the Carlsbad Boys and Girls Club. We are People of Action.

During the 2023-2024 Rotary year, club members provided 1338 hours to ease food insecurity locally, 207 hours to elementary school projects, 237 hours to middle school training sessions, 1606 to high school conferences and activities, 1273 hours to senior citizen and family needs projects, and 2701 hours to international Rotary projects relating to potable water, pediatric health, Ukranian refugees, school design in Nairobi and gifts for disabled children in Mexico.  In addition to all the service members provide, they also have time to socialize and enjoy one another.  During the 2023-24 Rotary year, members had an opportunity to attend over 22 separate social events.  

Guests are always welcome at Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club . . . come to a meeting and learn more about the activities (service and social) that members enjoy.  Join us!

Welcome to Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club Yvonne Finocchiaro 2025-01-06 08:00:00Z 0

AVID Seminars

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a college prep program targeting students who will be first generation college attendees in their families. Students and parents make a commitment to participate in the program for all four years of high school by choosing to take the AVID Class as an elective all four years of high school. The AVID class supports students in succeeding in challenging academic programs using peer coaching strategies and study skills designed to support student learning and achievement.
 
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club (CHNR) began their support of the AVID program in 2008. Working with other Rotary Clubs, a Conference was put together for Senior AVID students from Carlsbad, Oceanside, El Camino and Vista High Schools. Students joined Rotarians for breakfast and panel presentations from Rotarians and representatives from potential career areas. The next year, CHNR decided to focus on Carlsbad High students. The Club invited the Junior and Senior AVID students and followed this format until 2013. At that point, the event was renamed the AVID Seminar and the focus was changed to engage the students in an interaction with successful Rotarians and successful former AVID students. Rotarians became facilitators during Breakfast and talked to students about their goals and shared their struggles and successes. Then, in smaller groups, selected Rotarians and former AVID students shared their experience and offered ideas for building success in life through a small-group format. A debrief of the small group work and a keynote presentation on a specific leadership skill closed the seminar. A highlight of the event is the recognition of the top Senior AVID Students by their teachers.
 
March 22, 2019 marked the Twelfth Seminar. This year Hi-Noon Rotary reached out to Sage Creek High School to involve their AVID Juniors and Seniors. There were 44 students from Carlsbad High and 24 from Sage Creek. The 68 students were supported by their teachers, school and district administrators, counselors and 20 Rotarians.
 
To support the student experience, the Club began to collect “Words of Advice” from members in 2016. A group of students created a set of questions that were then asked of all members of the club. The responses were recorded and presented to the students. The documents are used as reference materials in the AVID classes and have documented the variety of experiences that Rotarians bring to our Club. Each year the students select a different set of questions to ask the members.
 
April 3, 2020 was to be our 13th AVID Seminar. Unfortunately, 13 did not end up to be our lucky number. Along with many other activities, this event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a wonderful experience for students and our members was lost. However, we did continue to recognize the Top 5 AVID Seniors for 2020 from each school. Their pictures are attached as are several years of pictures of the Top 5 and group pictures from past events.
We want to take a moment and express our deep appreciation to the AVID Teachers on each campus. They are: Jeff Spanier and Laurie Britton at Carlsbad High School; and Aida Salah and Allison Williams at Sage Creek High School.
For 2021 we are going to move forward to the 14th Seminar!       
 
Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club
Top 5 AVID Seniors
Class of 2020
 
Carlsbad High School
                            
    Analaura Flores            Makella Nordquist             Jasmyn Lemus                Christen Opp               Bianca Herrera
 
Sage Creek High School
                          
       Angelica Venancio               Cavaughn Higgs              Destini Perkins                 Hayat Sherif                Roxana Dominguez
 
The Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club would like to thank the following people for their continued support of the AVID Program:
AVID Teachers, Jeff Spanier, Laurie Britton, Aida Salah and Allison Williams,
Principals, Dr. Brian Brockett and Jesse Schuveiller,
Superintendent, Dr. Ben Churchill, the District Leadership Team, and the Carlsbad Unified School District Board of Trustees
AVID Seminars Ken Clark 2020-10-13 07:00:00Z 0