Dear Fellow Rotarians,
This Rotary year is ending, and I am filled with gratitude to all of you for being a part of this wonderful group. We celebrated the year with our first in-person meeting on Friday, June 18 with lunch at Opal, where we heard from three of our Foundation’s grant recipients. It was inspiring to hear about the impact our donations will make in the community at Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center, SEE International, and Santa Barbara Police Activities League, represented by our new member Judie Lugo!
Last Friday we gathered again for the Step Down party at the Fatch home. It was delightful to see so many of you in person, and to meet some of our newest members for the first time. Many, many thanks to Kim and Bob for hosting us, and to the event planning committee, including Michael Baker, Mike Bieza, Jennifer LeMert, and Matt Nehmer. The food and drinks were great, and the fellowship was even better! You can find photos from the party on our Instagram page.
It was heartwarming to have Tom Brashears and John Rasmussen join us in person. Tom (Club President 1978-79) inducted me into the group of Past Presidents, and it was an honor. Thank you all for your acknowledgment of our club’s accomplishments this year. Thank you also for your kind gesture to my daughter, Samara, for her participation and patience this year (only five years until she can join Interact!). We appreciate your very generous gift of the opportunity to spend time together on Catalina Island, and are looking forward to it.
This year was unlike any other and forced us to be flexible, creative, and thoughtful. We had to adjust how we would meet and find new ways to interact and connect with each other through screens and masks. We had to be creative to discover safe ways to contribute to our community. We had to be generous with each other and ourselves as we navigated uncertain conditions, new demands at home, technological challenges, and our own health and wellness needs. It has been an honor to serve this club as your President; I have learned from your kind feedback and I hope I have grown as a servant leader. Thank you for this incredibly enriching experience.
I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Friday, July 16 when you will be in the very capable hands of President Matt Nehmer!
Yours in Rotary Service,
Stacey
