In the Beginning...
This Friday, May 20th,
President Betsy Watson called the meeting to order where we welcomed students, parents, school representatives and, of course, Rotarians to our annual RCOEF Scholarship awards luncheon held outdoors at Boccali’s restaurant in the East End, in the rain!
Betsy thanked our greeters, Sue Gilbreth, Bret Bradigan and Patricia Anderson, Al West for stepping in to lead the club in the flag salute and Leslie Bouche for giving us the following invocation:
Praying to Be Kind
by Danna Faulds
I used to think that
being smart, successful,
and accomplished was
the key. And then I
believed that being a
disciplined seeker would
open the doors to divinity.
Now it seems to me all
that really matters is
being kind - kind to my
stumbling, imperfect self,
kind to every other being
I meet along the way.
I pray for the rough edges
of my judgment to be
smoothed so what remains
is kindness and acceptance
of this unfolding moment.
Inside this kindness may I
find truth and may truth
illumine my way today. Amen
Betsy also thanked Deirdre Daly for working the front desk, Dewayne Boccali and his staff for hosting us, Carl Gross for being our photographer, and yours truly, Kevin Davis, for writing this week’s newsletter.
Announcements:
- Next week’s meeting will be held at the Aquinas Center of St. Thomas Catholic Church, 185 St. Thomas Drive on Friday on June 3rd at noon at the Aquinas Center where we will hear from Francesca Gold of Breathe Ojai.
- We did not have “confessions” and “finings” this week due to the nature of our special event. Please remember that confessions and “finings” are the principal way we pay for the club activities, so everyone is encouraged to give, give a lot and give often.
- The Rotary Club of Ojai West is having their 34th Annual Wine Festival at Lake Casitas on June 18th. They need help with everything from setup, security, ticketing, etc. Ojai West did a great job helping us with the Taste of Ojai. Let's return the favor! Contact Lillian Talley for details at LillianTally316@gmail.com if you can help.
Here is what is needed:
Friday, June 17 - Set-up help any time from 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday, June 18 - Set-up help from 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Parking Lot Security 7:00 am - 11:00 am
Restock assistance (lift cases of water and bags of ice) 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Ticketing Counter - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Parking Lot Assistance (great job for teen-agers) - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Clean-up Help - 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Sunday, June 19 - Clean-up help from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
The Program-Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation Scholars
Betsy then introduced David Watson, Chair of the Scholarship Committee of the Rotary Club of Ojai. David then introduced Mike Weaver, Chair of the Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation.
As Mike explained, prior to 1991, the Rotary Club of Ojai provided scholarship assistance for Ojai students, but then expanded that year to form the RCOEF as a 501(c)(3) Federally-recognized not-for-profit organization with the stated mission of “building a better community through education of our youth and support of local charities.”
This year alone, the Foundation and club working together will award 27 scholarships, based on both merit and need for a total of $155,000. In addition, the club will spend over $50,000 this year fulfilling its mission to support youth, vocational, community and international services bringing the total provided in direct support by the club to $205,000.
We are able to do this through prudent investment of our endowment and through the generous donations from Rotary Club members and fellow citizens throughout the Ojai Valley.
Then Dave Watson, Mike Weaver, Al West, Tony Thacher, Don Reed and Jack Jacobs presented scholarships to students at local high schools as follows:
|
Student
|
School
|
Scholarship
|
College
|
|
Sean Reed
|
Nordhoff
|
Alice Skankey "Service Above Self" Scholarship, The
|
American University
|
|
Sebastian Cuevas
|
Nordhoff
|
Armand & Florence Amado Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Cal State Monterey
|
|
Kevin Rajapaksa
|
Nordhoff
|
Bjornstedt Family Trust Scholarship, The
|
Cal Poly SLO
|
|
Austyn Malleck
|
Chaparral
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships for Career & Technical Education
|
Ventura College
|
|
Mary Dunleavy
|
Chaparral
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships for Career & Technical Education
|
Santa Barbara CC
|
|
Raniya Chaoui
|
Chaparral
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships for Career & Technical Education
|
Ventura College
|
|
Sydney Leis
|
Chaparral
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships for Career & Technical Education
|
Ventura College
|
|
Alexandra Gonzalez
|
Nordhoff
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships, The
|
Santa Barbara CC
|
|
Ashley Johnson
|
Nordhoff
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships, The
|
San Diego State University
|
|
Emma Sobenes
|
Nordhoff
|
Canterberry-McCurley Memorial Scholarships, The
|
Santa Barbara CC
|
|
Harmony Wright
|
Chaparral
|
Carl Huntsinger Career and Technical Educational Scholarship, The
|
Ventura College
|
|
Cassius Ginger Calzini
|
Oak Grove
|
Dana Huffman Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Hampshire College
|
|
Haruka Hahn
|
Nordhoff
|
Dr. Youssef and Patricia Mawardi Career and Technical Education Scholarship, The
|
Ventura College/CSUN
|
|
M. Valentine Kenig
|
Thacher
|
Eleanor Rupp Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Haverford College
|
|
Rene Churchill
|
Nordhoff
|
Father Glynn Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Portland State University
|
|
Harrison J. Love
|
Oak Grove
|
Frank & Maduette Finck Scholarship, The
|
Bennington or SBCC
|
|
Lola Henderson-Thomas
|
Thacher
|
Friend's Family Scholarship, The
|
Middleburg College
|
|
Racheal Fransen
|
Nordhoff
|
Godfrey & Jeanette & Allan Jacobs Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Santa Barbara CC
|
|
Ella Giuliani
|
Nordhoff
|
John and Ginger Wilson Scholarship The
|
Cal Poly SLO
|
|
Mazy Neufeld
|
Nordhoff
|
Robert E. Chesley Memorial Scholarship, The
|
UC Santa Cruz
|
|
Dylan Davis
|
Nordhoff
|
Shari Skinner Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Cal Poly SLO
|
|
Siena Clayton
|
Oak Grove
|
Ted Fauvre Memorial Scholarship, The
|
Willamette University
|
|
Sofia Moreno-BoydBarrett
|
Nordhoff
|
Terry J. Hanrahan Memorial Scholarship, The
|
NYU, Tisch School for the Arts
|
|
Jennifer Donohue
|
Nordhoff
|
Thacher Family Scholarship, The
|
CSU SD
|
While it would be impossible to list all of the people the various students who attended thanked, every student was very grateful to the Ojai Rotary Club, but even more importantly their parents, friends and high school counselors who supported these exemplary young people through their formative high school years.
Mike Weaver ended the presentation by saying that while we understand that families putting their kids through college may not be in a position to give support to Rotary and the Rotary Educational Fund today, we hope that they will think about joining and supporting us when they can in the future. Mike was also sure to suggest to each scholar that they come back and let us know how they’re doing in the future.
Last Thoughts...
Then, at 1:30 pm – just before group photos with all our scholarship recipients – President Betsy Watson closed the meeting with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi:
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
