Wow, it feels great to be a Rotarian!
Summer is around the corner! Get ready for a great line-up of speakers, presenters and programs coming to your Santa Barbara Rotary Club. Now is the time to invite friends, loved ones or colleagues to share your love for the Rotary.
Thank you, Jennifer, and Von Reynoso, for planning Dignity Moves project. We had a blast learning about an incredible project to help support the transition from the streets to hopeful living. Don Jack, Bob Fatch, Bill Dutton, Garrett Gruendyke and supervisor Dan Hellinger enjoyed a great Saturday fighting over the perfect bed corners and fluffed pillows. Thank you to everyone that participated for this community service project.
Another huge thank you to Kathleen Blake and her crew that worked tirelessly at the Unity Shoppe. The Santa Barbara Rotary Club is truly amazing!
Hit that Happy Hour! Be on the lookout for a notification every Thursday or Friday for the Rotary Happy Hour location. Thank you to Marlee for making this happen!
Attention all Rotary past presidents! Past presidents' program is scheduled for June 7, 2024. The club would love to hear your memories, experiences, and helpful hints, for what is takes to be a successful club president. This is always a blast!
Club Business / Report from Nominating Committee:
Pursuant to the Club Bylaws, the Nominating Committee has met and decided to nominate the following individuals to serve as officers and board members for the Rotary year beginning July 1, 2024. Pursuant to the bylaws, members may submit additional nominations for a period of thirty days. After the thirty-day period closes, the formal election will be held at the club meeting scheduled for May 17, 2024.
- President: Jim Armstrong
- Past President: Garrett Gruendyke
- President Elect: Jennifer LeMert
- Treasurer: Matt Nehmer
- Secretary: Bruce McDonald
- Sergeant of Arms: Michael Baker
- Club Service Director: Marlee King
- Community Service Director: Dean Axelrod
- International Service Director: Don Jack
- Youth Services Director: Margo Byrne
- Vocational Services Director: David Shea
- Membership Services Director: Steve Baker
A big thank you for all the members who have indicated their willingness to serve our club.
Upcoming Programs
April 19, 2024 – Author Peter Martin
The Santa Barbara Rotary Club is pleased to welcome Peter Martin, who will be talking about how he went from a respected aerospace engineer to best-selling children's book author. Peter has a wonderful heart felt story that you won't want to miss.
May 03, 2024 – Dylan George, PG&E & Diablo Canyon
Dylan George from PG&E will discuss PG&E's application to continue operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant in San Luis Obispo County. Dylan is also one of PG&E's lead community representatives in the area, representing the company at numerous events, serving on the board of directors of several business and community organizations, and managing a charitable contributions budget.
May 17, 2024 – Local Author Cheri Rae
Local Author Cheri Rae will be speaking about her new book chronicling the life of Pearl Chase, one of the most influential private citizens in Santa Barbara's modern history. Her book is based upon hours of research of Ms. Chase's files at UCSB. Cheri is a long-time community activist in Santa Barbara, working on issues as diverse as improving reading education in local schools to preserving Santa Barbara's historic neighborhoods. She is a long-time writer and journalist and is the author of several books and articles about Santa Barbara.
May 31, 2024 – No Rotary Meeting
June 07, 2024 – Past Presidents from Santa Barbara Rotary
June 21, 2024 – Step Down for President (No meeting), Party & Fun!
Rotary Peace Pole Information:
A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message May Peace Prevail on Earth in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are estimated over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world dedicated as monuments to peace. Peace poles are intended to inspire people of all cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The Rotary recommends a peace pole ceremony to accompany the planting of each pole and this ceremony be held annually. Many prefer the International Day of Peace, September 21, for such an occasion.
We've started to move to the next phase of the process. The Santa Barbara Rotary Board has approved the Peace Pole Project & are asking for donations from members. Think about what Peace means to you and how you would like to be a part of this amazing project?
- Club has voted: Languages for the Peace Pole. English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), Russian
- Club has voted: Phrases for the Peace Pole: May Peace Prevail on Earth. May Peace be in our Hearts. May Peace be in our Communities. May Peace be in our Homes.
I will announce next steps and present a preview for the Peace Pole design.
Thank you to The Santa Barbara Rotary Club and all Rotary members!
Share your Love for the Rotary,
President
Garrett Gruendyke
President
Garrett Gruendyke