I have 3 thoughts for the month of May - Amazing, Outstanding and Optimistic.
Amazing - The District Conference left me with a sense of amazement for the impact of Rotary. It is amazing that the community of Rotarians and Rotary Clubs are making a large impact in communities around the world. The District Conference was a day of success stories, friendships and an exchange of experiences and opportunities. It was nothing short of Amazing.
Outstanding - This club is Outstanding in its achievements and engagement in our Livermore
community. We participated in the largest and most successful Rotarian Foundation of Livermore Grant awards totaling $199,000. The impact on the 29 recipients will be felt this year and beyond. Our first annual shredding day is a new way we are giving back to the community and can only get better. The Ambassadors of Compassion program is underway and we are making a difference with students of Junctions Middle School. The grant of $25,000 of American Recovery Plan Act funds have been received and provided additional funds to make a difference in Livermore. It is truly outstanding the impact we made on Livermore in the month of May.
Optimistic - We have relocated to our new meeting place with a new time. I am very optimistic
this will be a venue to grow our membership and get back to the fellowship of members meeting in one place. This has been a long journey for our club, and I am confident that we are headed in the right direction.
While April was colder, rainier and cloudier than normal, I am optimistic that the warm breezes
of May will lighten our minds and hearts.
Fellow Rotarians – be Amazing, be Outstanding and be very Optimistic.
All club members and their guests are invited to the Historic Olivina Estate on Sunday, May 21, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Please RSVP by Friday, May 19 by clicking on the flyer:
All club members and their guests are invited to a special Introduction to Pickleball event courtesy of the Tri-Valley Pickleball Club. They will teach us how to play pickleball and then provide pizza (we bring salads or desserts) for a social after our activity. Please RSVP by Tuesday, June 6 by clicking on the flyer:
CELEBRATING THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH
We were delighted to be introduced to Nyah Lopez at our April 18th meeting. Principal Clark Conover described Nyah as an outstanding student: her 4.11 Grade Point Average reflects her mastery of all of her courses, including Physiology, Biotechnology 1 and 2, Honors Physics, Health, and Advanced Placement Biology. Nyah has also participated in the Regional Occupational Program (ROP) Medical Occupations course, which allowed her to work as an intern in a local medical office.
Nyah has enjoyed being part of the LLNL Biotech Summer Experience, which allowed her to perform research in a laboratory. After participating the first summer, Nyah returned to the program to serve as an instructor and mentor for younger students.
Pictured below: Nyah with her congratulatory sign presented by Suzanne Richerson, Club Youth Services Director
ROTARIAN FOUNDATION OF LIVERMORE AWARDS ALMOST $200,000 IN GRANTS
Our club was proud to host the 2023 Rotarian Foundation of Livermore Grant Awards at our April 25th meeting. Almost $200,000 was awarded by the Rotarian Foundation of Livermore to 29 community organizations. Since 2000, the Rotarian Foundation of Livermore (RFL) has distributed grants up to $5,000 to local nonprofits and schools. This year, thanks to a generous bequest by Dr. Martin Plone, RFL was able to award more than twice what they awarded in 2022, and was able to offer awards as high as $15,000 to meet the needs of community organizations.
Pictured: Grant recipients along with Rotarians from our club and the noon club (Livermore).
Pictured Left to Right: Sally Esser, representing LVEF; Lori Souza, Livermore Valley Rotarian Sponsor; Josh Smith, Livermore Music President; Bassant Abdelrahman, RFL Grants Chair
Pictured Left to Right: Sherri Simoni, Livermore Valley Rotarian Sponsor; Daniel Lewis, Sleep in Heavenly Peace; Bassant Abdelrahman, RFL Grants Chair
Pictured: Club member and Rotarian Foundation of Livermore Grants Co-Chair Bassant Abdelrahman and Club President Kevin McCallum, our hosts for the special meeting.
On Sunday, April 23rd we celebrated Earth Day by inviting community members to "Shred the Past & Look to the Future" at our first Shredding Event. Thanks to Dave Goulart and Sherri Simoni for organizing the day, and to club members who helped over 50 community members safely dispose of unneeded documents. Special thanks to Tri-Valley Car Care for letting us use their parking lot.
Pictured: Dave Goulart, Beth McCormick, Sherri Simoni, and Dustin Battaion with staff from Diablo Shredding (far left)
Pictured: Rotarians at Work: Dustin Battaion and Dave Goulart
Pictured: Kevin McCallum, Marty Roberts showing our Rotary Information Card, & Sherri Simoni
OUR CLUB LEARNS AT DISTRICT CONFERENCE
We were well-represented at this year's District Conference, held at the Computer Science Museum in San Jose. We had a great day learning about Rotary and how to be relevant as a Rotarian. It was exciting to be among over 500 other Rotarians from District 5170.
Pictured: George Wineinger, Rich Goldstein, James Hays, Roy Porfido, Mark Hudson, Kevin McCallum. Roy is representing the 60's theme of the conference.
Also attending, but not pictured: Jill Duerig, Sarah Palmer, Philomena Rambo, & Sherri Simoni.
Several of us attended the workshop on ChatGPT. When asked how Rotary makes an impact in the world, Chat GPT responded:
"Rotary makes a significant impact in the world through its various initiatives and projects:
1 Disease Eradication: Rotary has been a leading partner in the global effort to eradicate polio. Through its PolioPlus program, Rotary has contributed funding, volunteers, and advocacy to immunize children worldwide. As a result, polio cases have been reduced by over 99% since the initiative began in 1988.
2 Community Development: Rotary clubs undertake projects that address critical community needs. They work on initiatives related to education, healthcare, clean water and sanitation, infrastructure development, economic empowerment, and other areas that improve the quality of life for individuals and communities.
3 Peace and Conflict Resolution: Rotary promotes peace and conflict resolution through initiatives such as the Rotary Peace Centers. These centers offer fellowships for individuals to pursue graduate studies in peace and conflict resolution, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to foster peacebuilding efforts worldwide.
4 Youth Development: Rotary focuses on empowering young people through programs like Interact (for high school students) and Rotaract (for young adults). These programs provide opportunities for leadership development, community service, and cultural exchange, nurturing the next generation of compassionate and responsible leaders.
5 International Exchange and Understanding: Rotary facilitates international exchanges and cultural understanding through initiatives like the Rotary Youth Exchange program. This program allows students to study abroad, fostering cross-cultural understanding and promoting global citizenship.
6 Humanitarian Assistance: Rotary responds to natural disasters and humanitarian crises by providing immediate relief and long-term support. Rotary's Disaster Response Fund enables clubs to quickly mobilize resources to provide aid, such as shelter, food, clean water, and medical supplies, to affected communities.
Overall, Rotary's impact is driven by the dedication and collaboration of its members worldwide. By leveraging their professional skills, resources, and networks, Rotarians make a positive difference in communities globally, striving to create a better world through service."
We were all proud to represent the Rotary Club of Livermore Valley at the District Conference.
Our 10-Spot and 50/50 have gone digital, thanks to the online expertise of Fundraising Director Heather Hartman. This image only captures the result - check out how the wheel spins at our next Tuesday meeting!
SAVE THE DATES!
Remember to check out the upcoming events listed on our website and in your ClubRunner mobile app. Events listings include everything you need to know including a Google Maps link! Here's a partial list of upcoming events:
