Posted by Rob Weinberg on Jun 28, 2017
"And then we were named 'Club Of The Year' for District 5340!" So said outgoing president Craig Craig S Brown, who collected our club's award this past Monday evening.
 
The award was for our club's outstanding performance in the classification as a medium sized club in Distriect 5340. 
 
 
Among the accomplishments were expanding membership 21.5 percent to 62 active members and raising over $100,000 for support of local and international projects including Rotary' signature program, Polio Plus, that is well on the way to eradicating polio on the planet.  In the last year to date there has been only 5 cases reported of polio compared to the hundred of thousands of cases in the mid 1980's when Rotary established the eradication of polio as a goal.
 
A partial lies of other club accomplishments include:
   
* Gave almost $70,000 in charitable grants to local charitiable groups like:
  • The Ed Brown Senior Center
  • Feeding San Diego
  • Maranatha Chapel (Operation Christmas Child)
  • Spirit of the Fourth
  • Poway Center for Performing Arts Foundation
  • Team Red White and Blue San Diego Chapter
  • Toby Wells Foundation
  • Rides and Smiles Program of Jewish Family Service
  • Toys for Tots
 
* Supported international service via:
  • Thousand Smiles Foundation
  • Rotary Youth Exchange Student sponsorship
  • Fresh Start Surgical Gifts
  • Holy Innocent's Children's Hospital
  • Oasis Haven
  • Project Mercy
  • Shelter Box
  • Ubuntu Drip Irrigation
  • Coordination with the Caster Family Trust
 
* Supported youth via:
  • Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
  • Leadership, Ethics, Aspirations & Determination Conference
  • 4-Way Speech Contest
  • SOLE Effects
 
* Strengthened vocational training via:
  • AAUW Science Camp
  • Abraxas Student of the Month Program
  • Presenting free dictionaries to area third graders
 
* Established a permanent scholarship to honor the memory of Dr. Kendra Jeffcoat, and awarded the first scholarship in the amount of $4,500.
 
"This is truly an extraordinary club," notes Craig. "Each member takes an individual responsibility to make the team a strong working unit to achieve outstanding success. Whether it be on big or small projects, the effectiveness of working with each other to get things done is what this club is all about."
 
We have a kind of special brother- and sister-hood; a camaraderie that reflects in the way we care for one another, and pitch in for each other when necessary.
 
No wonder every visitor to the RB Sunrise Rotary comments on the amazing level of warmth and energy present in our membership.
 
Well said, Craig, and well done, Rotarians. This is a club that truly exemplifies the concept of Service Above Self!