We begin a New Year and we are still faced with challenges because of the pandemic. But the El Segundo Rotary is certainly up to the challenges that have faced us this past year. We've been able to still give back to the community through donations of sleeping bags to Vets, Christmas gifts to the Park Vista residents, cookies baked by Interactors to go to a local home for Vets, donations to Camp Pendleton Marines and so many other ways. The pandemic cannot hold the El Segundo Rotary down. Plans are in the works to celebrate and give back to Seniors in our community for Valentine's Day. We are looking into a program where we can give back to the Vets every month. We are always open to ideas that members want to share about how we can give back to the community. In the meantime Strategic Planning Committee has been working so hard and are wrapping up their focus groups. I had the pleasure of sitting in on most of these focus groups, and it really impresses me how many wonderful ideas come out of these groups to improve our El Segundo Rotary over the next 3 years. It really is exciting to me. Thanks to all members who have contributed to all the projects we have done in the last six months. Best regards, Val
This week our club had a special visit via zoom from the El Segundo High School Robotics team, "P.O.T.A.T.O.E.S." as they call themselves. This stands for People Of Tomorrow Applying Their Outstanding Engineering Skills. Every year they build robots and compete in several competitions sponsored by local industries, high profile engineering companies and government agencies. Their aim is to learn and perfect skills of the engineering trades as a means to help develop careers and have some fun. Our Rotary club donated $500 to help fund their activities and we wish them the best as they move into this year's competitive season!
On 1/21 we welcomed El Segundo Mayor Drew Boyles to our club for an update on our city. He discussed many different projects including the development of Top Golf, LAX expansion, pandemic news, real estate projects, and went over a variety of issues that affect our community. We love and appreciate our mayor, who also happens to be Val's son! Great job Mayor Boyles!
On 1/14/21 we heard from Owen's sister in law Jessica Dean from the Sierra Club. She spoke about the club's history, the initiatives they support, and described some of their recent fund raising efforts. If you would like to get involved in their latest fundraiser, please visit https://www.teamsierra.org/1-5-challenge/ to participate in the Sierra Club 1.5 Challenge.
What does Rotary mean to me? #askarotarian
Andrea Lange
I am Andrea Lange, a new transfer member to the El Segundo Rotary Club. I hold a PhD in criminology and sociology and recently retired as a college administrator and associate professor. I relocated to Southern California from St Michael’s Maryland so have just passed my one- year milestone as a member of the El Segundo community. My former club was actively involved in providing scholarship aid to local students, providing for local community needs, and financially supporting a Rails to Trails bike path project. Their largest fund-raising project over the past twenty years has been the bi-annual raffle of an antique Ford Mustang. So as I was leaving that club, I helped them offer a 1952 model to interested donors!
Once I had chosen El Segundo as my new home base, I contacted our Rotary Membership Chair, Melissa Albers, who graciously shepherded through my transfer. What I have found here already is a wonderful group of new friends, sensational opportunities to become involved in the club, and a perfect way to transition my own personal interests in philanthropy and social justice.
Let me tell you a little bit about my experience thus far. In December, I joined Rotarians to decorate the Rotary International Rose Bowl float. It was great fun and checked off a personal bucket list item! In the Spring, I volunteered on the scholarship committee to review awards to be made to students with strong records of community service. Through this activity, I became acquainted with the public school requirements for service, the types of events and programs these students had participated in, and the causes that they were attracted to.
When I was asked to serve as the Peace Chair for the club, I jumped at the opportunity. In that role, I attend the District 5280 Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee monthly meetings. This group, composed of about 35 other peace advocates, regularly discusses a range of topics including ways to improve peer mediation in the public schools to Rotary International’s historic role in fighting for human and civil rights around the world. And I was humbled to receive a District “Do Goodery” award for my participation in the El Segundo club.
Since the Peace Chair role is also a club Board position, working with my colleagues this year to set the club agenda has been enriching. My latest volunteer activity has been to co-chair a strategic planning committee sharing that role with the incoming club President and 6 other talented and terrific club members. The plan we are preparing reflects the traditions and values of the club, will ready the club for challenges over the next 3 years, and underscores the club’s commitments to the larger community and the importance of partnering with others to meet community needs. I have been most appreciative of the hard work that my colleagues on the committee have already put into this endeavor, and the professionalism that they have shown in discussing what the club’s priorities should be.
So Rotary for me is a way to engage my personal and professional interests, to enlarge my own horizons, develop new friendships, and continue to contribute in some small way to issues of importance in our world today.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was a smoker, but hid this fact due to the stigma of smoking within the church. He also didn’t want children to take up smoking and was therefore very rarely seen with a cigarette. On the day Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, he was out on the balcony smoking. After he was shot and taken away by an ambulance, Reverend Kyles removed the cigarette pack from his pocket and disposed of the cigarette butt, in an attempt to hide the fact he was smoking when he was shot.
During January, Rotarians are encouraged to focus on this important avenue of Rotary service. Discussions on vocational service can lead to projects that not only develop the ethical consciousness and vocational skills of Rotarians but also the talents within their communities. Vocational Service Month is an opportunity to begin year-long vocational service activities, ranging from Rotary discussions to awards to community projects. Following are some suggested activities to undertake during Vocational Service Month:
Devote a meeting in January to examine the second Avenue of Service, including The Four-Way Test and The Declaration of Rotarians in Business and Professions. After expanding members' awareness, solicit their input in planning projects for the remainder of the year.
Introduce a "mini-classifications talk" series in which each member gives a five-minute talk on his or her vocation. Schedule one speaker for the beginning of each meeting until everyone has made a presentation. The purpose of these talks is to promote vocational awareness among Rotarians and help them recognize the worthiness of all useful occupations.
Present a vocational award to someone in the community who has exemplified outstanding professional achievement while maintaining very high ethical standards. Promote the presentation within the community, and consider making it an annual October event.
Invite experts to give a presentation on the vocational needs of the community and develop a project in response to those needs. Possible projects could focus on developing character, providing career information to youth, mentoring small businesses, or organizing workshops that provide employees with new skills.
Tell us what you think! We want to hear from you. Let us know if you have any suggestions or ideas; please email us at info@elsegundorotary.org. Thank you for your support.
