Welcome Jennifer Jones
We are so proud to welcome the first woman Rotary International President, Jennifer Jones. She begins her year as a leader with a vision. She is simultaneously humble and inspiring, as if she’s born to lead our international organization.
She captivates audience and warms hearts wherever she goes. She overcame cancer and shared her personal struggles, always presenting herself authentically.
We look forward to a great year ahead.
Signal Hill Rotary Change of Guard
We are grateful for Albert Chang, who persevered through pandemic shifts and personnel loss and completed his year as our club president.
We welcome Les Young as the incoming president.
Most of all, we reveled in each other’s company as we shared stories and reminisced about another Rotary year. Jimmy E’s provided the ideal outdoor setting for this celebration.
District 5320 Transition Dinner
Denim and diamond is the name, and barbecue western is the game. We celebrated our achievements, which are notable especially because of the disruption caused by the pandemic. District 5320 not only survived, we thrived despite the limitation imposed by the quarantine.
Les Visits Banff Rotary
While on vacation with a tour group, Les left a handwritten note for the Rotary Club of Banff.
RYLA Reunion, 2022
We gathered again on a beautiful summer day at Doheny Beach in Dana Point, catching up stories and trading summer plans. It was if RYLA never ended.
I was also envious of other people’s dogs last time I was here, so this time my dog River became the star of the show. We had already spent the morning at the dog beach, and she was extra fluffy because I just gave her a bath that morning. Everyone had to pet her and there were so many selfies taken with her.
The best part for her was that she got to eat a fresh burger patty for dinner. We know she’s a spoiled girl, but we love her so.
Thank you, Mike Darnold, for coordinating another reunion. And thank you to all the volunteers who made it happen.
Ten Mile Social
The club celebrated its inaugural social last night at the Ten Mile Brewing Company. We shared pizza, family memories, and war stories while basking in the warmth of our fellowship. It was a great beginning of a new club tradition that will repeat every fourth Thursday evening at Ten Mile. The gracious owner made personal recommendations for our beer selection.
Now Serving at Starbucks
We held the first meeting at our new location at the Starbucks on Long Beach Blvd and Willow St this morning. Betty the dog trainer entertained and informed us about what she does and offered opportunities for us to certify our dogs for the Good Citizen Test by the AKC.
District 5320 Conference - Being Fearless
Rotarians assembled at the Irvine Community Center and assembled 14,000 servings of food for Rise Against Hunger. We also had three inspirational speakers, and we had plenty of opportunity to get to know other Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors.
President-Elect Social
Dan and Susan Ouweleen graciously hosted a social gathering at their Fullerton residence. There was not only grilled scallops and shrimp in the air, courtesy of Dan himself, but the energy was palpable. The president-elects got to know each other on a personal level, and we all firmly believe that the future of Rotary in District 5320 is under good stewardship.
Bridging Cities with Minecraft
Ann Heusser from Sister Cities of America presented us a brand new project that encourages youths from international cities to work together and construct architectural landmarks in their cities virtually. Bridging Cities with Minecraft organizes a team of 16 students from each sister city, ages 7 to 17, to build structures in the Education version of Minecraft. The culminating project is to connect the Minecraft cities with a virtual structure that the two teams build together, which literally bridges the gap of the digital divide. The students must work together, overcoming language barriers and cultural differences.
This project could plant a seed of understanding and collaboration which can blossom into long-term friendships and cross-cultural relationships and thwart potential conflicts in the future. Simultaneously, students will also learn about utilization of sustainable materials within the Minecraft world and practice responsible stewardship of existing resources.
As disclosure, Les Young is a co-founder of this project.
