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A Message From Dee
ROTARY CLUB OF SANTA MONICA 2003-2004 For the past twelve months, I have had the distinct honor of presiding over the Rotary Club of Santa Monica and its remarkable members. I never cease to be amazed by the degree of commitment and the strength of character displayed by this community. I am yet to encounter individuals who surpass the work ethic and the high moral standards of the Rotarians of the Santa Monica Club. The FAMILY OF ROTARY has been the focus of our year. Many activities included spouses, children, parents, and widows. This year the “Gotta Go Group” took day trips to local points of interest. They traveled by bus. Providing an ideal opportunity for our seniors, former members and widows to socialize and remain connected, this new endeavor has been quite popular. Adding still another dimension to our FAMILY OF ROTARY, our Roteract Club members joined the Club for social functions and assisted us with many projects. They are extremely dedicated, and they were voted one of the most active Roteract Clubs in District 5280. Membership development is a critical aspect of our Club. Fireside Chats and New Member Breakfasts were educational and welcoming to newcomers. The new Rotarians were immediately integrated into our Club and, therefore have a better chance of becoming long term members. Supporting the community of Santa Monica, our Club provides immunization clinics at St. John’s Hospital, reads to children in the public elementary schools (Rotary Reads to Kids), supplies books to schools, provides over $25,000 in community grants to non-profit organizations who work with disadvantaged or needy families, and awards scholarships to deserving students. We honored the police, firefighters and teachers with annual awards, and we served a holiday meal on Thanksgiving Day at the new police station. Rotarians “rang the bell” for the Salvation Army on Red Kettle Day. Santa Monica Rotary raised approximately $6,000 for the Army, and our efforts surpassed those of all other local service clubs. Additionally, twenty-five Rotarians and their families participated in “Relay for Life”, the 24-hour fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Lastly, we celebrated a night at the symphony. Fellowship is an important facet of Club life in Santa Monica. This was evidenced at our Friday luncheon meetings, as well as at our many social events. Host/Hostess dinners, holiday parties, volleyball and golf tournaments, fellowship evenings, and our International Food Festival were a few of the many avenues where fellowship was highlighted. Governor Colville and other district dignitaries joined the fun on many occasions. Our Centennial Project promises to be one of the most outstanding projects ever to be completed by our Club. Partnering with Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District and the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica, we will open the first joint venture care program for children in Santa Monica. A total of approximately 200-300 less fortunate children will be served daily by this amazing project. Our Rotary year has been successful, and I’m the luckiest person in the world to have had the opportunity to work with this outstanding Club and its august body of Rotarians. Thank you for this “once in a life time” experience. Your support has been greatly appreciated. Dee Menzies, President
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