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WELCOME TO ROTARY DISTRICT 5240

Rotary District 5240 consists of almost 3,000 members in 70 Rotary 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.

Message from District Governor Dana Moldovan

May is Youth Service Month.

In Rotary, and especially in our District, we strongly believe in helping our youth to develop into our next generation of leaders.

After visiting our District Clubs I know for sure that all our Clubs care about our Youth. There are so many scholarships that go to our students every year from our Rotary Clubs.

DISTRICT 5240 NEWS

Eddie Salame, District Vocational Chair, congratulates the winners of the 4-way Test Essay Contest and the Rotary Clubs that sponsored them. See winners and sponsor clubs here!

District Clubs raised over $75,000 for Ukraine Refugees!
See the latest photos from Ukraine.

UBUNTU Foundation Newsletter Available Now
The May, 2022 issue of the UBUNTU Foundation Newsletter is available to District 5240.

2022-2023 District Assembly Session Recordings Now Available!

Our Foundation Gala was a success! Check out the photos from a very special evening here!

District Rotarians are Invited to Share Anniversary Celebration
The Rotary Club of Westlake Village is celebrating their 50th Anniversary on June 16! Learn more here.

Walk for Kids Event April 24
Benefitting the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Ventura County Medical Center. Learn more here.

Rotary International Statement on Ukraine Conflict

It is a tragic and sad time for the people of Ukraine and the world.

At Rotary, we are deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and the escalating loss of life and humanitarian hardship there.

Disaster Relief Efforts in the Mid-West USA
Major relief is needed within Kentucky and Arkansas District 6710.

Cayucos Rotarian Sherry Sim Named DGD
Sherry Sim, from the Rotary Club of Cayucos, has been selected by our 2021 nominating committee as our DGD.

District 5240 2021-2022 Awards Criteria
The District 5240 Award Program is intended to recognize the accomplishments of clubs who excel during the 2021-2022 Rotary year. Awards and recognitions are presented at the annual District Awards/District Governor Step-down Celebration which will be held in June.

2020-2021 District 5240 Award Recipients

Congratulations to the Best Clubs in District 5240. Learn more about this Rotary year's award recipients.

Rotary Peace Fellowship Endorsements
District 5240 conducted interviews in June of two candidates for the 2022-23 Rotary Peace Fellowships awards.

2022 R.I. Conference | Jun 4 - 8

Club Awards & DG Step Down | Jun 25

Bakersfield Clubs Assist College with Peace Initiatives

In celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150^th birthday in 2019, Bakersfield College started the first of many peace initiatives with support from the Patel Foundation, the Bakersfield College Foundation, and area Rotary clubs. The first of many proposed peace gardens on campus, with a Rotary Peace Pole, was dedicated on October 21, 2021.

A second peace garden will break ground soon. Bakersfield Breakfast Club Rotarians and Peace Committee members Cheryl Scott and Mindy Wilmot continue to be involved in the Peace Initiative on Bakersfield College campus. They were also involved in the Bakersfield College Peace Initiative President’s Seminar Series where the connection between Rotary and Peace were showcased. “BC and Rotary: Building Peace in Kern County” may be found at this link. Additionally, a video further discussing the partnership may be found on YouTube.

In February of 2022, a group of Rotarians from district 5240 and 5280, joined our leader and International Service Director, Diego Velasquez, on a rewarding journey to Paipa, Colombia! Aside from enjoy the enchanting beauty of Colombia, the mission was to discover inspiring international service projects at Colombia’s 7^th Annual International Rotary Projects Fair. Our Club’s International Service Director, Mr. Velasquez, organized the Rotarians over the course of several months and ultimately departed from Los Angeles and arrived in Bogota, Colombia. From there they made it to the ultimate destination in the remote and lovely town of Paipa.

The three-day project fair gave these Rotarians the opportunity to see many projects which they brought home. At this projects fair, our group joined over 120 Rotarians from Colombia and 22 Rotarians from 5 different countries and enjoyed the local hospitality, tours, and recreation. Tours were offered and Rotarians enjoyed destinations including an underground salt cathedral, the historical city Villa de Leyva, thermal hot springs to bathe in, and see the Puente of Boyaca where Colombia gained its independence from imperial Spain!

Simi Sunrise Annual "Bolio" EVent

On Sunday, April 10th the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise held their annual Bolio event at Harley's Simi Bowl in Simi Valley. This event is a fundraiser to support Rotary's battle against the Polio virus which has been eradicated in all but two countries in the world. It is an opportunity for fun and fellowship centered around 10 pins which one attempts to knock over using a 12 pound ball with 3 holes drilled in it for your fingers. Sounds primitive, doesn't it?

"Lost @ Sea" Memorial Service : A Community Project

Reputedly the only memorial service that honors and remembers those who are lost at sea, Cayucos Rotary is proud to be the sponsor of this annual event since 2009. This is probably our club's most emotional community service project.

Each year, fishermen, veterans and civilians honor and remember all who fought, and anyone else who has been lost at sea. The ceremony has grown from about 100 curious eyes to almost 400 prior to Covid. Local agency officers, like County Supervisor Bruce Gibson, County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, and even past Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian had come to officiate the event. Today, the event is co-organized by the Lost-at-Sea Committee with representatives from Cayucos Rotary, Morro Bay Rotary, Cayucos Lions, Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen's Organization. The Coast Guard is on hand to help as well.

Membership Story - Husam Hishmeh

Westlake Village Sunrise Rotary President Jim Wisdom reached out to Husam early in his year as President to gain some ideas about how to grow membership. While Husam and Jim talked at length about membership early in this Rotary year, and Westlake Sunrise attempted to incorporate some ideas to increase membership, our club had challenges in maintaining and increasing membership- in part due to challenges with COVID. We found that about a third of our members were not showing up on a regular basis to our meetings (either on zoom or in-person, because we have hybrid meetings).

Rotary International District 5240
C/O Synergy Computing, Inc.
5662 Calle Real #425
Goleta, CA 93117

info@district5240.org
844-999-5240

WELCOME TO ROTARY DISTRICT 5240

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