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Escondido Sunrise Rotary; Meeting to Serve our Community in Person and via Zoom; and Welcome Dr. Ann Staffieri, EUHSD Superintendent
 
 
As we all try to conduct our professional pursuits in new ways, it’s appropriate to remind ourselves of who we are as a Serving Organization… Our accomplishments, our fellowship and the reminder of our many successes is valuable as we seek new opportunities to serve…
 
 
 
We met again in person at the Chamber of Commerce… Great to enjoy the fellowship again and see all your smiling faces…
 
 
 
As a Club, we honored our nation with a salute to our Flag and an invocation was offered
 
 
 
 
 
Guests and Visitors:
 
Paula Zamudio EUHSD, Kayden Pope (Liz Pope’s son),
 
      
                                                  
Now, some Sunrise Rotary member milestones…
 
Birthdays: David Casey August 26th &
LeaAnn Fey August 30th
                  
 
Anniversaries:
 
Joe and Gerri Holtz celebrate 46 years on August 28th , will be celebrating
with a stay at the Hotel Del Coronado.
 
George and Erin Beitner celebrate 40 years on
August 28, and will be taking a wine tasting trip to San Luis Obispo.
 
Gerry and Leanne Fey will be celebrating 25 years on 8/30, with a trip to NYC for the Giants v Jets game
for Gerry and Funny Girl on Broadway for Leanne.
 
                                     
Rotary Anniversaries: 
 
August 29th marked the 11th Sunrise Rotary anniversary for
Richard Agnew.
 
 
 
Rotarians Having Fun and Serving…
All kinds of fun and service and fun…
Pictures are worth a thousand words…
 
 
 
 
Jim Ponder attended the soft opening of Snapdragon Stadium
with friends and family. He encouraged all to visit for a tour or to watch a game.
 
 
 
 
High 5’s & Announcements:
 
President Tina Pope reminded everyone to mark their calendars
for the upcoming events and training: People of Action Summit – Human Trafficking
Conference on October 1st, 8th Grade Lead on October 15th and 16th , and a fun evening of
Bunco on October 21st (location TBD).
 
Special Event: Doug Shultz and Dane White are going “Mano
a Mano” on the mat on September 15th for the ultimate MME fight “Escondido City
Treasurer vs EUHSD.” This is a fundraiser the Grape Day 5k and the tickets are only
$25 per person, catered dinner by Kennedy’s Karne included. Contact Doug for details.
 
 
“Rotarians in the Wild” (Social Media): Kendra will be updating the Sunrise Rotary
Social Media sights. She asked for pictures of Rotarians having fun to draw potential
members and stated she is going to be mindful of not including pictures of minors on the
sites. Please send Kendra pictures throughout the week to keep the sites active.
 
 
 
 
Grape Day 5k Update:
 
Richard Agnew reported $70k has been raised to date and there are currently 171 registered participants. The Clash is in the lead with $16,294 and Motley Crue following closely behind with $12,037. Jim Ponder encouraged members to
have fliers available to leave at businesses and restaurants they frequent.
 
 
 
A Moment In Time:
 
What year was the Rotary motto “Service Above Self” adopted?
Barry posed this question and shared the motto was adopted in 1911 and still reflects the
heart and spirit of all Rotarians.
 
Who am I:
 
Barry Baker introduced David Luevanos, Branch Manager of the Boys and Girls Club Escondido, Conrad Prebys. David opened the slideshow sharing side by side pictures of former Boys and Girls Club students who later became staff at the center, and a family summer vacation photograph showing his kids playing in the exotic city creek of Bakersfield, CA. David is passionate about providing a safe environment for kids in our community and stability they some times are not getting at home. His goal since
becoming Branch Manager at the Escondido location is to, “Empower students to graduate the B & G programs ready for college or career.” David said one of the greatest sign of the success of the program is seeing students return as adults to thank the staff for impacting their lives for the better. Many of the students in turn want to make the same impact on the younger generation of children getting into the program by becoming volunteers or part of the staff. Rich Aeling added that while visiting the facility he asked a student in the program what they liked most about the Boys and Girls Club. Without hesitation the student answered, “My favorite part of the Boys and Girls Club is Mr. David.” We are grateful for all you do David. We are happy to have you as a fellow Rotarian.
 
 
Program:
 
 
 
EUHSD Superintendent, Dr Ann Staffieri, was introduced by President Tina Pope. Tina, who has been on the School Board for 20 years, praised Ann for her leadership since being appointed to Superintendent, and especially for her resilience during the Covid-19 school closures/remote learning. Ann opened with speaking on behalf of her employees, staff and students saying, “This is
the best we’ve felt in a long time.” Although the pandemic did have a negative impact both at home and in the education system, the High Schools and mental health services are working together to provide a “back to normal” environment and sense of security for returning students. She shared that the biggest challenge facing the schools post pandemic are the increased numbers of students falling under the High Needs category. A staggering 78% of EUHSD students fall under this category! The category includes homelessness, students in foster care, and families in need. She believes this may be the direct cause of a decrease in student enrollment with each passing year. In the fall of 2022, the school’s enrollment has dropped by 7k. Although, some was attributed to families moving out of state or relocating to more affordable counties in California.
Regardless of the reason for the decline in enrollment, Ann has found that more state resources have been required to assist with the post pandemic impact on student’s mental
health. The school district is combating this crisis by providing wellness centers at every campus. The centers are intentionally designed to not look like a campus or class, but rather a place where students can come and rest in a living room or one’s favorite coffee shop. It is welcoming and lowers a student’s guard to relieve anxiety, allowing an
opportunity for dialogue between the student and counselor, support services representative, and social worker.
 
Ann expressed her gratitude to President Tina Pope for being instrumental in the development and financial support of the Wellness Centers through Neighborhood
Health. Other organizations that have invested in getting the program on campuses include the Church of RB and Behavioral Health Services. Ann was especially grateful
for Neighborhood Health securing a Mobile Health Unit through a grant. The Mobile Health Unit provides dental, behavioral health, among other medical services. Student’s
who have barriers to access health care due to logistics and/or come from a lower socioeconomic background will be the beneficiaries of the Mobile Health Unit.
 
Other exciting things happening at the Escondido Union School District include the district signing an MOU with the city to improve the Aquatics program. The school will
be investing $2 million dollars for upgrades in exchange for students having priority for use. The high schools are now offering 35 pathways into careers for students seeking
career certifications. Careers in this program include pathways into graphic production and construction that will get them straight into careers in the industry of their choice.
 
Anne also reminded the group about the success of the Adult Learning Center in Escondido that offers diplomas and other enrichment classes. The top work force training and certification given at the Escondido location is in Phlebotomy and Medical Assistant.
 
Anne closed the presentation with a deep appreciation for the Sunrise Rotary Club, thanking them for all the support and scholarships provided to the schools and students.
 
 
 
 
 
Next Week’s Meeting:
Will be in person and online at the Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 AM on September 1st.….
 
Thanks for Attending Today’s Meeting…
 
 
 
 
Support for our Escondido Community …
Our great community and the success of its businesses is all of our responsibilities… Support the businesses that are doing all they can to survive during this challenging time… Take out some chow… Be ready to support them when the economy begins working again…
The ‘Giving Arch’ on Grand Avenue and Centre City Parkway reminds us that Escondido is a caring, giving community…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To all; be safe and be well…. God Bless those men and women that carry the load at our medical facilities, and God Bless our first responders… May our governmental leaders be wise, thoughtful and smart as this pandemic is overtaken by our hard work and collective support…
 
Online Meetings:
Technical Support for Online Meetings:
Our meetings will begin as a hybrid setting with in-person and on-line opportunities…The meetings will be technically managed by President Richard Agnew… Thanks for that Richard… And, Richard is prepared to support all of our attempts at joining the on-line meetings… Look for his email with details and links to log on to the upcoming Zoom meetings…
Watch for emails defining the next meeting. The system works fine, dependent upon your technical support available through your PC or laptop…
SEE YOU SOON……  In Person or ONLINE… Next meeting; September 1st, 7:30 AM at the Chamber of Commerce…
Check President Tina’s email for the reminder…