March and Spring have arrived, and our club has continued to spring into action. The High Tea for Women of Hope on March 8 was a fun event for members Shelley Stark, birthday girl Eva Hainer, Lois Koch, and Paulinda Babbini. They wore beautiful hats to help Ken Craft succeed in his mission to stop homelessness in Los Angeles.
Bingo at LAJH has become a club favorite. . . just ask Christy Pinto and Drew and Jordy Rosenthal how you can help. We continued to provide great programs for the Rescue Mission with a fun Pizza Night. Penny Leon and others joined in the festivities at the District 5280 Polio Walk and Culture Fest. Our district is one of the most diverse in Rotary, so a variety of food, music, art, and entertainment were on display. The club enjoyed a fabulous presentation at a Zoom meeting by Dr. Ross Porter, Jr., that highlighted Stillpoint, an organization he leads which helps kids with Down syndrome. Our club has now officially sponsored the Rotaract Club of Pepperdine University for at least a year.
Karen Schnee and Shelley Stark brought the wonderful “Mini Horses” to ONEgeneration’s facility that services school kids and seniors with memory care issues. After that event, we helped pack food for the LA Food Bank Program facilitated by Khalsa Temple. Pami Kaur welcomed us to the amazing Sikh community, which was started by our beloved Surinder Singh. After working the food line, we prayed and then dined on incredible Indian food cooked by the temple members. Betty West said the pizza was fabulous. We will repeat this spiritual and fulfilling project. On March 29, we partnered with the Granada Hills Rotary at a LAFD and LAPD community event in Porter Ranch. A $7,500 donation was presented by Bryna Hornstein to Shepherd Church as part of the District 5280 Fire Response grant.
Past President Michelle Rodriguez received her first Paul Harris Award and Past President Shelley Stark became a Paul Harris Major Donor. Congratulations to Nargiz Zadeh and family on the birth of her son.
On April 5, I will be in San Pedro for the Youth District Brunch at 7:00 a.m. and then join the club and community at the Anti-Human Trafficking Event at the Rose Goldwater Center in Woodland Hills. Thank you to Ferne Saltzman, Christy Pinto and Robin Kellogg for organizing this important event.
You are all amazing in your continuing efforts to bring H.O.P.E. and Rotary Magic.
At the March 26 meeting, DGE 2027-2028 Janice Lowers, delivered a presentation about the upcoming Rotary Humanitarian Trip to Barbados. About $500,000 will be available to conduct projects that will impact children, communities, and medical facilities. PDG Jay Saltzman handed out a Major Donor Award to Past President Shelley Eisinger Stark. Past President Michelle Rodriguez received her first Paul Harris Award and Pin. The club celebrated 163 years of birthday Bundts with the young Jeff Stern and youthful Eva Hainer. Rotarian Geovanny Ragsdale of the Boys and Girls Club of West Valley shared information about the March 31 Golf Tourney at Calabasas Country Club.
Superheroes were in action at LAJH Eisenberg Village for bingo. Young superheroes Jordy and Drew (pictured) and Ethan called numbers. The residents loved every minute.
The Rotaract and Interact clubs of District 5280 are leading the third and final District Breakfast of the Rotary year! This youth service-led event is so special the district decided to make it a Brunch! And it's more than just brunch - it includes an optional afternoon of exploring the best of San Pedro. The brunch is on April 5 at 9 a.m. at Altasea at the Port of Los Angeles, Berth 58, 2451 Signal Street.
Pure magic was witnessed at the the Rotary District 5280 Pageant of the Arts—the kind that comes from young dreamers, artists, and visionaries showcasing their incredible talent. From all across Los Angeles County, these gifted young adults—sponsored by area Rotary Clubs—brought their talents to life in art, music, vocal performance, speech, and dance. It was as if each brushstroke, each note played, and each word spoken cast a spell of inspiration over everyone in the room.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work - As District Governor Albert Hernandez (left in photo) said at the End Polio Now CulturalFest on March 15, "I am encouraged to create a vision and then hope that our team will support me achieving that vision. This year I wanted to amplify the diversity of our Rotary District 5280-the heart of Los Angeles County Our region has some of the first Culture Based Service Clubs in the world."
There were wonderful performances today from drum players to Bollywood dancing, to dancers from Oaxaca to traditional dances from Thailand and the Philippines. "My goal was to create an environment where we can gain a better understanding of our traditions while building new relationships that can lead to peace and kindness. Sharing our diverse cultures is vital in fostering mutual understanding and respect for our varied backgrounds. As Cesar Chavez wisely said, 'Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.' Embracing this philosophy enriches our community and strengthens the bonds that unite us." Click on top photo to hear an important message from our president.
There was a truly memorable, impactful and inspirational presentation by humanitarian Dr. Ross Porter at the March 19, 2025 Zoom meeting. Porter and his wife, Jennifer, founded Stillpoint Family Resources in 1998, as an offering of gratitude for the gift of their son John Michael, who has Down syndrome. Stillpoint has, from the beginning, been about changing lives, strengthening families, and shaping culture by offering enrichment programs and educational materials (workshops, seminars, blogs, and books) that celebrate life in all its beautiful diversity.
21851 W. Victory Blvd.
Canoga Park, CA 91303 United States of America
NOTE MEETING DETAILS: We will meet on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month live, in-person at PINSTRIPES Topanga for a lunch meeting; it will also be on ZOOM. Meetings on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of each month will be on ZOOM only.
Fellow Rotarians, 
Bingo at LAJH has become a club favorite. . . just ask Christy Pinto and Drew and Jordy Rosenthal how you can help. We continued to provide great programs for the Rescue Mission with a fun Pizza Night. Penny Leon and others joined in the festivities at the District 5280 Polio Walk and Culture Fest. Our district is one of the most diverse in Rotary, so a variety of food, music, art, and entertainment were on display. The club enjoyed a fabulous presentation at a Zoom meeting by Dr. Ross Porter, Jr., that highlighted Stillpoint, an organization he leads which helps kids with Down syndrome. Our club has now officially sponsored the Rotaract Club of Pepperdine University for at least a year.
and then dined on incredible Indian food cooked by the temple members. Betty West said the pizza was fabulous. We will repeat this spiritual and fulfilling project. On March 29, we partnered with the Granada Hills Rotary at a LAFD and LAPD community event in Porter Ranch. A $7,500 donation was presented by Bryna Hornstein to Shepherd Church as part of the District 5280 Fire Response grant. 
Pure magic was witnessed at the the Rotary District 5280 Pageant of the Arts—the kind that comes from young dreamers, artists, and visionaries showcasing their incredible talent. From all across Los Angeles County, these gifted young adults—sponsored by area Rotary Clubs—brought their talents to life in art, music, vocal performance, speech, and dance. It was as if each brushstroke, each note played, and each word spoken cast a spell of inspiration over everyone in the room.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work - As District Governor Albert Hernandez (left in photo) said at the End Polio Now CulturalFest on March 15, "I am encouraged to create a vision and then hope that our team will support me achieving that vision. This year I wanted to amplify the diversity of our Rotary District 5280-the heart of Los Angeles County Our region has some of the first Culture Based Service Clubs in the world."
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