2016 Mexico Project Safari and District Conference

Twenty one of our District 5240 members attended the District 4160's final Conference that included a project Safari. This was the largest Safari group ever from our district to attend a Conference in recent years. This was the farewell conference for District 4160 as they will be merging with District 4150 to form the new District 4140. The group was treated to some great hospitality, cultural events and entertainment in the beautiful city of San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guanajuato. The group was hosted by the San Miguel de Allende Midday club for most of the stay, with other clubs stepping up to make sure our group had a great time. Part of the Safari group went on after the Conference to visit project sites in San Miguel de Allende and nearby Lagos de Moreno. Others went on to visit Patzcuaro, Santa Clara de Cobre, Michoacan, and Salamanca, Guanajuato.

 

The Conference and partnership of our district and D4160 started back in 1994, with a matching grant project, and became official in 2002 with the signing of an official Sister Districts agreement. This Sister District agreement has been in place ever since, with groups attending each of the District Conferences based on an exchange of the Governor line each year. This partnership has led to many projects being done both in Mexico and here in our district.

 

The list of attendees included members of many of our clubs: Governor Jim Bell and Donna (Bakersfield Twilight), Governor Elect Nick Frankle and Heather (Westlake Village Sunrise/Simi Sunrise), Past Governor Luz Maria Ortiz-Smith and E Russell (Santa Barbara Sunrise), Past Governor Wade Nomura - who organized the trip (Carpinteria Morning), Chas Wilson and his wife (Simi Sunrise), Anselmo Moreno and his wife (Bakersfield Twilight), Jeni Moore (Bakersfield Twilight), Pam Zulfa (Bakersfield Twilight), Robert Klug (Lompoc), Luz Polcik (Kern River Valley), Pat Connelly and his wife (San Luis Obispo), Joan Faubert and Bernie (San Luis Obispo), Will van Kranenburg (Templeton) and Georgia Vreeken (Templeton).

 

The Sister District agreement was officially signed by the District leadership again this year confirming the continuation of our two districts fellowship, project partnerships and friendship exchanges and part of our Object of Rotary; The Development of Acquaintances as an Opportunity to Serve. There are plans again for a Project Safari in conjunction with the D4140 District Conference on May 18-20, 2017 in Puerto Vallarta. For more information, contact Wade Nomura at wadedg1112@verizon.net.