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WELCOME TO ROTARY DISTRICT 5240

Rotary District 5240 is home to nearly 3,000 passionate members across 65 Rotary and 4 Rotaract Clubs and 56 Interact Clubs. Our District covers four counties in Central California, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern, and includes unique clubs such as a Chapter Club in Guatemala and the globally-minded Rotary E-Club of One World D5240.

Clubs in our district are active across all avenues of Rotary service, local and international projects, youth development programs, leadership initiatives, and meaningful fellowship. Together, we are People of Action, making a lasting impact in our communities and around the world.

A MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR

February Highlights & March Preview

February was a fast-paced and rewarding month for Cindy and me, filled with official club visits and special events across the District. In addition, our District Governor line was out in full force at Southwest PELS, supporting President-Elect training. Our District was well represented, with eight past, present, and future Governors presenting and helping incoming club leaders prepare for the 2026–2027 Rotary year.

February Highlights

Some of the month’s memorable moments included:

· Celebrating the Bakersfield Breakfast’s Club Charter Night

· Enjoying a high school choir performance at the Taft Club

· Sharing fun activities with kids during Peace Day in Westlake Village

· Inducting three new members into Simi Sunrise

· Dodging beach balls thrown by the energetic Camarillo Noon

· Visiting Kern River Valley, where we presented three Paul Harris Fellow awards and recognized four Rotarians and community members for outstanding service

On Saturday, February 28, I had the privilege of presenting via Zoom to the Rotary E‑Club of One World, which is proudly part of our District. Members and guests joined from Mexico, the Netherlands, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Guyana, Japan, Australia and the United States, with additional members based in Jamaica, Nigeria, and Turkey. It was an incredible reminder of Rotary’s global reach and the value of diverse perspectives. The club meets most Saturday mornings, and you are warmly invited to join them. Learn more at: https://www.rotaryeclubofoneworld.org

Looking Ahead to March

March brings our final official club visits to Next Gen and Montecito clubs. Other upcoming activities for us include:

· District Leadership Assembly – March 21

· Visiting Kern YES – March 21

· Attending China Lake Rotary’s fundraiser – March 21

· Participating in Rotary Means Business (outside our District) – March 5

· Spending time with our Youth Exchange students at SCANEX – March 28

· Enjoying (and learning from!) SLO de Tolosa Rotary’s comedy fundraiser – March 28

March is also when District leadership comes together to plan for the remainder of the Rotary year and prepare for a strong start on July 1.

March Is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month

Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary People of Action mobilize resources, build partnerships, and invest in sustainable infrastructure and training that create long-term change.

One inspiring project in the Philippines included:

· Construction of 222 toilets in various barangays

· Installation of six rainwater collectors

· Seven communal handwashing stations

· 20 biosand filters

· Community-led training seminars

As a result, nearly 1,100 people now have access to proper sanitation facilities, and almost 600 people have a regular supply of clean water. Learn more about Rotary’s work in this area: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/providing-clean-water

Important Dates to Remember

Please save the following dates, we hope you can join us:

· Saturday, March 21, 2026 – District Leadership Assembly
This event is open to all Rotarians and Rotaractors and offers an opportunity to learn about all areas of Rotary. Additional information and registration details will be sent soon.
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (via Zoom)

· Saturday, June 27, 2026 – District Stepdown and Awards Luncheon
Join us as we celebrate your club and district accomplishments and welcome the new leadership for the 2026–2027 Rotary year.
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Thousand Oaks

PeopleOfAction.org Campaign Update

Three Easy Ways to Participate. Please help support this campaign which helps all the clubs in our District.

Follow and Engage
Follow Rotary People of Action on Facebook and Instagram. Like, comment, and share the posts that resonate most with your club’s work.
Invite and Inspire
Encourage your members to follow the pages and invite their friends, families, and colleagues. Every share helps amplify Rotary’s reach.
Show Local Action
Repost campaign content or share your own photos and stories that show Rotarians acting locally. Use hashtags:
#PeopleOfAction #Rotary #[YourClubName]

Again, a Huge Thank-You to Our District Sponsors who help promote Rotary in our District.

Diamond Sponsors: Wedgewood Weddings, Sterling Hills Golf Club

Gold Sponsor: The Fence Factory

Bronze Sponsors: Ridge Wallet, Poinsettia Pavilion, Lakeview Canyon, Candu Graphics,

Tammy Dobrotin - State Farm and James Shipe of Wilde Wealth Management Group

Yours in Rotary,
Mike Dutra
District Governor 2025–2026
Rotary District 5240

Click here to Register!

RC Carpinteria Morning Guatemala Projects

Members of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning ventured to Antigua, Guatemala during the last week of February, to connect with the club’s Guatemala chapter and witness the club’s service projects in action.

A major highlight of the visit, according to the club’s President Stephen Gerteis, was visiting the Smiles That Listen Foundation, which provides diagnosis and treatments for hearing loss for children and adults from low-income households. “Seeing our contributions make a real difference in finding and treating hearing loss in babies is both inspiring and motivating,” Gerteis said.

Rotary SLO de Tolosa Presents Live Performance Fundraiser

Enjoy an evening of smart, laugh-out-loud comedy while supporting a great cause as the Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo de Tolosa presents acclaimed comedian Demetri Martin live at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

Known for his clever stand-up, visual jokes, and unique storytelling style, Martin has starred in Netflix specials including The Overthinker, created the Comedy Central series Important Things with Demetri Martin, and authored multiple New York Times bestselling books.

This special one-night-only performance benefits Rotary-supported programs serving youth and communities locally and around the world. Tickets range from $52–$97 and can be purchased at pacslo.org

Plant It Forward and Unite for Good

Across San Luis Obispo, something powerful is taking root—one tree, one partnership, one act of service at a time. In 2022, Rotary San Luis Obispo de Tolosa committed to plant 100 trees each year for 10 years. The count now stands at over 500 live oak seedlings and other native trees thriving across the community. This program not only beautifies the parks and opens spaces of San Luis Obispo but also reduces green house gases and builds community – all key Rotary objectives.

What’s been especially exciting is how the program has attracted broad interest. The “Plant It Forward” program demonstrates the Club’s commitment to youth and building partnerships. The excitement of getting outdoors and making a difference has engaged members, their families, community volunteers, and even attracted new Rotarians. This collaboration with the City of San Luis Obispo supports its Climate Action Plan to plant 10,000 trees. At maturity each of the trees will have converted over three tons of carbon dioxide into living carbon in the soil.

Rotary Peace Poles Planted in Carpinteria

What is a Peace Pole?

A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message May Peace Prevail On Earth in the language of the country where it is placed. It usually displays 3 to 7 additional languages meaningful to the host site. The message is referred to as an affirmation of peace and its placement furthers Rotary's goal of building a culture of peace throughout the world.

The phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth’s a universal message for world peace. The message was authored by Japanese poet, spiritual teacher, and philosopher Masahisa Goi.

Westlake Sunrise Rotary, Interact, Rotaract, Partner with Harbor House

The Rotary Club of Westlake Village Sunrise, Interact Club from Oak Park High School and Rotaract Club from Moorpark Collage met on Saturday, February 28^th to prepare 80 lunches to be distributed by the Non-profit Harbor House to the Unhoused in the Thousand Oaks area. Through this team effort of these three volunteer organizations the 80 lunches were prepared, assembled and packaged in just over an hour, which left time Saturday morning for conversation and fellowship.

This is just one of the many projects the Rotary Community Service provides for the local community. Among some of the other projects are working with Senior Concerns to help Seniors with maintenance and repairs around their homes, collecting food for Manna Conejo Food Bank, raising money for American Cancer Society, raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association, providing breakfast and entertainment for seniors at the Goebel Adult Community Center.

Pins For Polio

The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara hosted a "Pins for Polio" - Polio fundraiser event on Friday February 27th.

The event was held at Bowlero bowling alley in Goleta, and had other clubs from Group 8 participate as well.

The fundraiser had a great turnout and was full of fun, with bowling, pizza and beer!

Thanks also to DG Mike Dutra and Cindy to attend the fundraiser!

Ojai Rotary PeaceBuilding Event

Middle School Interact Donation to ShelterBox

Cambria Rotary’s Feb. 27 meeting was one for the books. We were excited to hear from Paul Vercammen, the communications director for ShelterBox USA, a disaster relief organization supported by our club and many Rotary clubs globally.

What made the presentation even more remarkable was the participation of students from the Santa Lucia Middle School Interact Club, a Cambria Rotary-sponsored group. They presented Paul with a check for $1,000, which they raised through selling homemade cookies, muffins, and other treats. In recognition of their generous contribution, they received a ShelterBox USA Service Award stating, “In acknowledgment of your generous $1,000 bake sale donation, helping provide essential supplies – tents, solar lights, cookware sets, and mosquito nets – to families affected by disaster and conflict worldwide.” We are incredibly proud of these students, who have also raised funds for ECHO and HART, and who will take part in a beach clean-up at Leffingwell on Saturday, March 6, at 3:15. Our local students are constantly showing us that the future is in good hands.

PB5C Rotary Membership & Environment

Environmental: Beach Cleanup:

The marine layer was still peeling back from the Pismo Pier on September 20, 2025, as the Pismo Beach Five Cities Rotary Club geared up for ECOSLO’s Coastal Cleanup. As site coordinator, I watched our 25 volunteers transform into a focused team, trading morning coffee for trash grabbers and buckets.

There’s a unique camaraderie in scouring the tideline. We fanned out across the sand, uncovering everything from weathered plastic to hidden snack wrappers. The morning was defined by a shared sense of purpose: protecting the coast we call home.

Third Grade Students in Santa Barbara Receive Dictionaries

The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise began distributing more than 535 dictionaries to local third grade students in the Santa Barbara and Hope School Districts. Participating schools include: Adams, Franklin, Harding, Hope, Monroe, Monte Vista, Peabody Charter, Roosevelt, Vieja Valley and Washington Schools.

Because third grade is when learning to use a dictionary is part of the standard curriculum, teachers love having every student owning the same dictionary making the lessons consistent. A physical dictionary continues to be preferred to an Internet search.

Strengthening Local Service Club Connections

Recently, Stephen Gerteis, President of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning, spoke at the Carpinteria Lions Club. He emphasized, the two clubs’ shared mission of service and community improvement. He was joined at the meeting by Past Rotary District 5240 Governor Wade Nomura. Gerteis expressed gratitude for the Lions' contributions to children, families, and local spaces. He encouraged collaboration between Rotary and Lions to enhance their collective impact on the community, noting that both organizations share a commitment to service and connection. Collaborations with the Carpinteria Lions, such as their 2025 Festival of Trees, exemplify the power of joint efforts, including a joint combined $10,000 contribution to the City of Carpinteria for park repairs.

Gerteis highlighted the growing need for community connection amidst a loneliness epidemic, underscoring the role of service clubs in providing meaningful relationships. He urged continued collaboration, inviting ideas for Celebrate Community Week, where local clubs unite for impactful projects. As Carpinteria's service organizations work together, they strengthen the community, proving that united efforts lead to greater success. Gerteis concluded with a call to "serve together and unite for good" reinforcing the shared vision of making a lasting difference.