Home Page | Rotary District 5240

Rotary District 5240 consists of over 2900 members in 71 Rotary Clubs, nine Rotaract Clubs, and 58 Interact (high school) clubs. The District spans four counties in Central California - San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, and Kern County – as well as a Chapter Club based in Guatemala and a Young Professionals Satellite Club in Westlake Village. Our clubs are active in all aspects of Rotary, including community and international service, youth programs, and fellowship activities.

PolioPlus: Signs of Progress

Fellow Rotary Members...

You are invited to a very special presentation - PolioPlus: Signs of Progress - on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at 5:00 pm via Zoom, presented by Michael McGovern, Chair of Rotary International’s PolioPlus Committee. Mike will provide a "hot off the presses" update on the progress being made worldwide to eradicate Polio and you will have a chance to ask Mike questions.

The event is FREE but you do need to register in advance by clicking the button below. After you register, you will receive an email confirmation containing the meeting link.

Click Here to Register

District 5240 Joint International Project

Senguio, Mexico, Additional Schoolroom Project

The RC of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa is working with the RC of Morelia Experiencia & Juventad District 4140 to provide an additional schoolroom at the Teodora Medina de Guijosa elementary school in the Senguio Community near Morelia in the state of Michoacan. The effort is to provide educational opportunities for youth with the aim of diverting them from joining gang life. Earlier projects undertaken with support from District 5240 RC San Luis Obispo Daybreak and RC Conejo Valley provided a new classroom, computer room, water, bathrooms, computers, desks, chairs, school supplies, and school uniforms. As a result, enrollment increased from 17 to 70 students, who are meeting in 2 classrooms (3 grades in each).

Conejo Valley Rotaract Helps Manna

On March 13th of this year Rotary year, the Rotaract club of Conejo Valley worked with the local Manna food bank to sort food. When they arrived, they were shown around the facility and were told that Manna would soon be moving into a larger facility they had purchased. Rotaract was told about the precautions they had to take during COVID and how those in need would have to fill out a form to receive their food.

The Rotaract Club was instructed on how to check for dates to make sure items were safe to give out to the community members that needed them. While it got hot during their service project, they were able to stay cool by drinking water and wearing sunscreen. Overall, the club members had a wonderful time sorting the food and making sure they put the items in the correct locations. Current club president, Benjamin Wilson, is confident that their club will be back to help again and enjoyed the time bonding over whether the item belonged in the ramen bin or the pasta bin.

April Message from DG Deb Linden

Dear Fellow Rotary Members,

I can’t believe it is already April! Spring is here, COVID vaccines are more available, and there is a feeling of hope in the air. April also marks Maternal and Child Health month for Rotary which spotlights Rotary projects around the world that expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger. Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. Many of our clubs in District 5240 are involved in projects that address this tragic situation. You are making a difference in the lives of countless mothers and children!

PolioPlus Update Presentation:
You are invited to a very special presentation - PolioPlus: Signs of Progress - on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at 5:00 pm via Zoom, presented by Michael McGovern, Chair of Rotary International’s PolioPlus Committee. Mike will provide a "hot off the presses" update on the progress being made worldwide to eradicate Polio and you will have a chance to ask Mike questions. The event is FREE but you do need to register in advance by clicking HERE. After you register, you will receive an email confirmation containing the meeting link.

Rotary Foundation Donor Recognition:
Registration is now open for the 2021 District 5240 Rotary Foundation Donor Recognition & Celebration, which is virtual this year on Friday, May 7, 2021, at 6:00 pm. The event is free, but you need to register in advance by clicking HERE. We will be recognizing YOU – our members who have achieved various donation levels to The Rotary Foundation – and we will have a special presentation by the CFO from Feeding America about the dramatic increase in food insecurity during COVID and how organizations like Rotary helped address the crisis. A flyer for the event is below.

2021 District Training Assembly:
This year’s District Training Assembly is virtual on Saturday, April 17, 2021. We are offering a wide range of classes open to all members in the District. And it is free to attend! Click HERE to see to the session schedule and descriptions. Click HERE to register.

2021 Rotary International Convention:
This year’s RI Convention will be virtual due to COVID-19, which means it is accessible and affordable for everyone! The convention will be June 12-16, 2021. Event registration will open in mid-April and will include a promotional fee of $49 for 21 days, with an increase afterward to $65. For more information and registration information, click HERE.

Finally, I want to say Thank You for the creative ways our clubs and members continue to serve our communities even through the COVID challenges. We’re not out of the woods yet and there are significant concerns over additional COVID surges, so I urge everyone to still be careful and please get vaccinated as soon as you can.

Take care and stay safe!

Moorpark Rotarian’s Providing Healthier Choices

At the beginning of the Pandemic, the Moorpark Rotary Club knew they were going to be be needed, now more than ever, so they developed a plan to focus on their local food pantry. They kicked off their plan by providing much needed school supplies, and throughout the pandemic held various food drives to help back fill the increasing needs of those who were food challenged. As Rotarian’s, they knew they could do more, so they asked the food panty what other critical items were needed. The food pantry quickly responded by sharing what they really needed: fresh vegetables and fruit. Moorpark Rotary Club President, Kelly Best, reached out to a local farmer and told him their food pantry was in need of healthier choices in food. He provided the Club with the opportunity to purchase local vegetables, and also connected them to a fresh fruit connection in Los Angeles. Each week Club members from the Rotary Club of Moorpark picked up several large boxes of fruits and vegetables from the farm and they delivered them to the food panty in Moorpark. They consider each delivery a win/win, as it provides healthier food choices for their families and a very rewarding experience from the heart.

Centennial Interact Pet Event Service Project

Twilight Rotary Club of Bakersfield Sponsored Club

Submitted by CHS Interact President Makenna Moseley

On Saturday, March 20, Centennial's Interact Club held an Animal Shelter Drive collecting items for the local SPCA center. The students from the club participated in the drive through event at Riverlakes Ranch Park from 12-2pm, donating items such as dog food, cat food, treats, blankets, and toys to all be donated this week. There was a great turn out for the event, some students donating 20+ pound bags of cat/dog food! The SPCA is excited to work with Centennial's Interact Club and receive these generous donations for the animals. Thank you Centennial Interactors for such a great turn out and always giving back to the community!

Submitted by Ana Heron, CHS Interact Service Project Director

Our Interact Club at Centennial High School collected over 80 items for abandoned pets at the SCPA, a no kill shelter in Bakersfield. CHS Interact President Makenna Mosley and I, as well as members Abby Khoury and Will Foulk helping set up a table at Riverlakes Ranch Park from 12 to 2 while members dropped items off. One member, Jonathan Hernandez, brought 35 items by himself! We’d like to thank everyone for the incredible turnout. Makenna is delivering the the items on Monday, the SPCA has already expressed their appreciation for the donations over the phone.

The Art and Process of Wood Carving as a Meaningful Occupation

Posted by B-Rad Henderson

One aspect of Rotary’s Vocational Service calls on us to empower others by sharing our unique skills and expertise which will help others discover new professional opportunities and interests. During this COVID-19 period, many people find themselves light on work or are embattled in unemployment situations. If you are an active, engaged Rotarian, you probably view vocational service as a way of life, even if you find it difficult to characterize a clear definition.

I have found myself to be a type-A person, with characteristics associating self-worth with achievements and always looking for something to do. This parallels the notion that “work is dignity,” where I’ve transitioned from career to career with the passion to engage in what I believe is important and what I find fun in “doing.”

RC of Camarillo Gives Exemplary Service Award

The Rotary Club of Camarillo gave its first Exemplary Service Award to Kate Lewis, Chaplain at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital, in recognition of her "extraordinary effort and sacrifice for fellow citizens through this difficult time."

Nominations are being accepted from the community to recognize Camarillo's local heroes including first responders and other essential workers. Nominations can be sent to tsprinkl@aol.com.

Photo (L to R) is of President Dave Drumright, Kate Lewis and Community Service Chair Tim Sprinkles

Rotary Club of Simi Valley Presents Mount McCoy Remembrance

Rotarians to read the names of loved ones lost during the pandemic year at the cross at Mount McCoy

Simi Valley, CA – Lighting the Cross at Mount McCoy in Simi Valley during Easter week has been a tradition for the Rotary Club of Simi Valley for nearly 60 years. Club members volunteer to light the cross from dusk until midnight and on many nights, they are joined by community members. Many of whom express their gratitude for this special gift to the community. Last year the Cross remained dark during Easter week due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were disappointed that we had to cancel the lighting last year. I am happy to share that we will be resuming our tradition and lighting the cross March 29 – April 3,” said Lynne Kline, president of the Rotary Club of Simi Valley.

Ojai Rotary Global Grant for Prashanti International School, Puri, India

An Amazing Journey of International Cooperation
March, 2021 - by Leslie Bouche, International Service Committee Chair

Prashanti International School (PIS) is a non-profit day school for Kindergarten through 8th grade in a poor village area outside the city of Puri, India. PIS provides a quality, values-based education for a current enrollment of 270 students at a very low tuition accessible by poor families. Enrollment is growing each year. The program also includes a residential children’s home for 40 of the students from the most impoverished backgrounds that provides housing, food, clothing, medical care, education and daily tutoring for them on full scholarship.

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Rotary Club of Ojai created and successfully completed five District and Club grants to benefit the children of Prashanti International School. These grants provided drinking water purification units, laptop computers and related items, water storage tanks, washrooms tiling and fixtures, and a septic tank and sanitation system for the school. The grants ranged in value from $1032 to $10,937. Additionally, RC Ojai granted $1000 to PIS to provide emergency food items to local families who were unable to get basic foods at the beginning of the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown in Puri. The projects totaled over $20,000, and they were very successful and completed on time and to budget.

Rotaract – Rotary Funded Uganda New Water Source Community Project

A new clean water source community project in Africa, which was awarded a Rotary District 5240 grant (round two) for $850.00, was recently completed. In a unique collaborative partnership, the DDF FY 2020-2021 project grant monies, were combined with Rotary Club of Bakersfield Twilight ($850.00) and Rotaract Club of Kern County ($2800.00) funds to benefit Ugandan residents with a clean and sanitary water source that includes establishing a community water committee and a repair savings account, and providing instruction on sanitation/hygiene and preventative maintenance. The $4,500.00 global community water source project now provides a clean community water source to approximately 500 villagers for the Naibinga community in Uganda. The global project was made feasible by the international community development non-profit Love Water Incorporated (LWI) which is based in Bakersfield, California. Since 2010, LWI has provided clean, potable water in developing countries to over 63,000 people.

Read Previous Stories...

Rotary District 5240 encourages clubs within the District to submit short articles, "Club Stories," to be published on the District Website and in the District Newsletter. Take advantage of this FREE opportunity to showcase your club's accomplishments. Here are the guidelines and the "how-to" for submitting your stories.

WHAT qualifies as a Club Story?

Club Stories are highlights of District 5240 Club-specific activities. The following examples illustrate activities that qualify as District 5240 Club Stories (upcoming or after the fact):

Community Service Projects
Youth Service Projects
Vocational Service Projects
International Service Projects
Club Service Projects
New Membership Highlights
Club Fundraising Events
Member Award Recognitions

HOW do I submit my Club Story?

After you make sure the story qualifies as a "Club Story," you may submit it by emailing ALL of the following items to stories@district5240.org:

A short summary of the activity, minimum 50 words and maximum 250 words. Please submit as a Word doc and proofread prior to sending. If the content is copywrited/re-used from another source, permission must be granted and please reference the source.
Include 2-3 of the best photographs taken from the activity. If there are individuals included in the photo, please include names and Club titles of each Rotarian. (If there is a YouTube video link taken from the event, please include as well).
Include the contact information of the most appropriate Rotarian that others may reach out to regarding the featured story.

WHERE will my Club Story be posted?

The three most recently published Club Stories will be highlighted on the homepage of www.rotarydistrict5240.org, while an archive of previous Club Stories will be included and available to view under the menu tab, District -> Archived District Stories.

Your story may also be selected for the District Newsletter which goes out to our nearly 3300 active members.

WHEN will my Club Story be posted after I submit?

Depending on the amount of Club Stories in the cue, your article could take as short as 24 hours or up to 2 weeks to be published after all necessary information is received.