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Welcome to RB Sunrise Rotary Club

Rotary's Motto: Service Above Self

We meet Tuesdays at 7:00 AM
Country Club of Rancho Bernardo

12280 Greens East Road
San Diego, CA 92128
United States of America

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Nov 2015 Project Mercy House Build in Mexico

President Mike Moffat Demoted!

On June 21, 2019, members and guests of RB Sunrise Rotary Club gathered at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo to celebrate events of the Rotary year 2018-2019 with Mike Moffat as our president. In an evening of light hearted jokes and a dinner event with a nautical theme, President Mike was ceremonially "demoted" from his position as club president.

In RB Sunrise traditional fashion, a skit entitled "Moffat's Island" President Mike became "Gilligan" and Jim Roth was "the Skipper." What made the skit funny was the fact that Mike did not get to see the script until he donned his costume and came into the room as "Gilligan" Mike's wife, Trisha, participated as "Ginger", in this traditionally unrehearsed skit to "Roast" our outgoing president.

After the skit there were multiple recognition messages, real and imagined to add to the festive evening. President Mike recognized the contributions of the members of his board of directors and officers of the club. A special recognition was the surprise announcement of Kim Musluskey as Rotarian of the Year. Kim not only was our coordinator for programs for our meetings, but also worked tirelessly to insure that we were able to use our Rotary Foundations District Designated funds to fund multiple projects. Her efforts in overcoming obstacles in coordinating the efforts to insure that all of the proper documents got filed so that our club could have maximum impact of the funds available and leave nothing on the table unspent.

Rob Weinberg, a former member, who was for many years our "publicity guru" attended our dinner Friday night. As the result of a unanimous vote by our board of directors at the June meeting on June 20, Rob Weinberg, was awarded an honorary membership in RB Sunrise Rotary. His honorary membership means that he will always be a member of RB Sunrise no matter what other club he joins as an active member.

Incoming District 5340 2019-2020 Governor Marta Knight concluded the evening by installing President Bret Geernaert and his board of directors.

Carl Kruse awarded another Paul Harris Fellowship

l-r: Pres. Mike Moffat, Jeanne MacLaren and Carl Kruse

On Tuesday, June 3, RB Sunrise Rotary President Mike Moffat and Rotary Foundation Chair Jeanne MacLaren teamed up to turn the tables on Past District Governor Carl Kruse. One of Carl's favorite duties as a PDG is to officiate in presenting Paul Harris Fellowships. On this day, it was Carl himself who was the recipient of a recognition pin celebrating his PHF+6 award.

Over the years Carl has supported the Rotary Foundation by awarding Paul Harris Fellowships to his family members including his grandchildren. Carl and Mary Jane Kruse are also Bequest Society and Major Donors to the Rotary Foundation.

Everyone in RB Sunrise Rotary was pleased to have the opportunity to recognize Carl's dedication to supporting the Rotary Foundation.

Who is a Rotarian?

Posted on May 26, 2019

Multiple Paul Harris Fellowships Awarded

l-r: President Mike Moffat, Foundation Chair Jeanne MacLaren, Nasrin Barbee, Dale Long, PDG Carl Kruse

Rancho Bernardo Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club recognized two of its members on May 14 for their generosity to the Rotary Foundation. Once a member achieves an initial Paul Harris Fellowship Award for donating $1000 to the Rotary Foundation, a recognition pin is awarded each time the member donates an additional $1000 to the foundation. The continuing recognitions are the way that the Rotary Foundation thanks a member for their continuing support of the work of the foundation.

Nasrin Barbee received her recognition pin for having donated an additional $6000 to the foundation through her continuing regular donations. Dale Long was recognized for having donated an additional $8000 to date through his continuing support of the foundation.

It is the continuing support of the foundation by members such as Dale and Nasrin that the Rotary Foundation can be the outstanding funding source to support the many projects that Rotarians around the world can do to change lives by eliminating polio, providing clean water, providing access to health services to name just a few areas. Thank you Dale and Nasrin for your ongoing support. You are making a difference!

RB Sunrise Welcomes a new member

At the meeting on March 12, 2019, RB Sunrise Rotary inducted a new member, Gerrick Jan Frederik van Glabbeek. Mr. van Glabbeek, who prefers to be called Jan, is a naturalized US citizen, who originally from the Netherlands. He was a key executive in several large corporations during his career in business. He and his wife, Thea, moved to San Diego at the first of the year in order to be closer to two of their children and their families. We have already witnessed Jan's humor and look forward to having him as an active member of the club.

In the photo above, Jan is in the center. Bret Geernaert led the induction and Mary Stanton and Jesse Garza assisted. Jim Dunny is Jan's sponsor and mentor. Jan's family is to Jim's right.

Passionate about Rotary

Posted by Jim Dunny on Feb 12, 2019

l to r: RB Sunrise President Mike Moffat, Susan Marsh, Rotary Foundation Chair Jeanne MacLaren, Tom Hoy

Two members of RB Sunrise Rotary were presented with Rotary Multiple Paul Harris Fellowship Recognition Pins. RB Sunrise Rotary Foundation Chair Jeanne MacLaren presented Susan Marsh with a Paul Harris Fellowship +4 pin. Tom Hoy received recogniton for Paul Harris Fellowship +2. Paul Harris Fellowship is named in honor of Rotary Founder, Paul Harris. A pin is awarded each time a member donates $1000 to the Rotary Foundation. As you can see from the recognition pins these two Rotarians received, they have donated a total of $8000 to the foundation.

These two members, Thomas Hoy and Susan Marsh, has been members less than 3 years, but have become very involved in their service to the club. Susan Marsh is the club's treasurer and has played a key marketing role in success of our club's fundraising event , Rancho BEERnardo. Tom Hoy also has been very involved in the club by being responsible for helping our speakers with computer support for their audio visual presentations and also taking photographs during event.

Congratulations to these two Rotarians who, by their service and financial support of Rotary exemplify Rotary's Motto - Service Above Self.

RB Sunrise Hosts Visiting District Governor Elects

Posted by Jim Dunny on Jan 17, 2019

l-r: DGE (1730) Jean-Jacque Titon - France ,Valerie Titon; DGE (6540) Afred Brothers, Sandra Brothers USA; DGE (2540) Yasuko Shimada Japan; Scott Wilm -spouse of DGE (5390) Sandy Wong USA; DGE (7430) Herb Klotz, Ronnee Klotz USA; DGE (9700) John McKenzie, Fayah McKenzie Australia; DGE 5400 Rich Kirkham, Kathy Kirkham USA, RB Pres-elect Bret Geerneart

On Wednesday evening, January 16, RB Sunrise Rotary had the opportunity to host a dinner for a group of District Governor Elects who are attending training in San Diego. The training is in San Diego at the Rotary International Assembly held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. (RB Sunrise Rotary Club normally meets on Tuesday mornings, but for this special hosting event, our meeting time was moved to Wednesday evening to accommodate the schedule for hospitality hosting event.)

Our club's hospitality dinner this year was held at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo. RB Sunrise President Elect Bret Geerneart met each of the guests and accompanied them in the chartered mini bus to Rancho Bernardo.

When our guests arrived, we had a social time so that our members could meet them and find out more about them. RB Sunrise President Mike MoffR then began the evening's events by formally welcoming them to our meeting. After the buffet of dinner chicken, salad, pizza and chocolate cake, Past RB Sunrise President and Past District Governor Carl Kruse presented our Rotary International Foundation Chair Jeanne MacLaren with a pin in recognition for achieving another level as a major donor to the foundation.

Carl Kruse then address guests and members to tell them briefly about our club and our district. One fact they all could recognize is the fact that the Paul Harris Society began here in District 5340 and is now adopted worldwide by Rotary Internationl. Honorary RB Sunrise member Peter Meisen used two large flat screen place behind the podium to display maps, websites and other information about Rancho Bernardo and District 5340. This was the format for what was to follow.

RB Sunrise Rotary President Elect Bret Geernaert then called each of the visiting District Governor Elects to come forward and speak about their district and tell us what they planned for their district. As each spoke, the screens displayed the map and website and photos from their districts.

DGE Herb Klotz (Allentown, Pa ), Peter Meisen in background working on slides (not shown)

As each DGE spoke, it was clear that, though diverse in size and resources, each district shared the same commitment to service both locally and internationally. Each district also shared the same problem about how to attract and retain members. What was apparent as each spoke is that Rotary is united by the shared dedication to Service Above Self make significant improvement in the welfare of people everywhere.

As the evening ended, everyone in attendance was inspired by the shared enthusiasm we all experienced during the evening.

Rotary International President Elect Unveils His Theme and Logo

Posted on Jan 17, 2019

SInce 2011, District 5340 has been privileged to be the host district for the Rotary International Assembly each January. The assembly is a week long mandatory training event for District Governor Elects from every Rotary district in the world.

During this assembly the incoming Rotary International President addresses the assembly on the first day and after announcing his goals for the upcoming Rotary year. As part of his address, he also announces the theme for the year and the theme logo. On the first day of the current assembly, Jan 14, the theme for 2019-2020 was unveiled.

President-elect Mark Daniel Maloney's theme for 2019-2020 is "Rotary Connects The World" and is represented in the logo seen to the left above. The theme is a recognition of the fact that Rotarians work together across the world in order to improve lives of people everywhere. Rotarians provide, not only the funding for projects everywhere in the world, they also provide much of the workforce for those projects

For more information about President-elect Maloney and his insights from his address to the International Assembly, go here.

Why I Joined Rotary - Jim Dunny

In 2000, I heard the retiring senior pastor of the church my wife and I were attending announce that he would be the next president of the Rotary Club of San Diego. Since moving to San Diego in 1974, I had briefly been a member of another organization, but that club folded. At that time I was looking for a way to be involved in Rancho Bernardo, where I owned my own dental practice. As a dentist, you meet people who are patients, but you don’t get to know people in the community. At the annual RB Alive event in 2000, I went up to Rotarians who were in a booth at that event and inquired about how to become a member. After attending several meetings of RB Sunrise Rotary, I joined the club in August.

My initial reason for joining was to get to know people in RB. However, the reason I have remained a member of RB Sunrise is that I became very impressed about what I learned about all the things that Rotary does to make a difference in people’s lives around the world.

I was especially impressed with Rotary’s Polio Eradication effort. I went to dental school at the University of Pittsburgh. The dental school was built as an addition to the front of an old hospital where Jonas Salk did his polio vaccine research in the basement. I can still remember the fact that after the Salk vaccine was proven to be effective, swimming pools that had been closed because of the fear of getting polio were reopened.

I retired from the practice of dentistry 11 years ago. In retirement I continue as a member of RB Sunrise because I get to help other leaders in RB raise money and support projects around the world. RB Sunrise Rotary is a club that fosters community involvement and true caring for others. Most of us are involved in multiple organizations in the community. We all share, however, the common goal of Service Above Self.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Nasrin Barbee

Posted by Nasrin Barbee on Oct 09, 2018

My name is Nasrin Barbee, and I’m a residential architect servicing all of southern California. I’ve been a member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary since 1994.

Like most people, I spent years volunteering without any long-term strategy for my life. The irony of an architect not having a blueprint hasn’t been lost on me.

With my children in school, I joined community organizations and professional groups hoping to expand my network. When the RB Sunrise Rotary appeared on my radar I saw it as a good resource for business development and signed up.

I joined to meet other professionals, but never realized how Rotary would affect my life. This incredible International organization fascinated me with all it was doing for local communities across the globe. Whatever my interest, from hands-on efforts to clean water projects 5,000 miles away, there was always something I could enthusiastically dig into.

Appealing opportunities began to arise weekly as this club helped seniors in need, elementary school children, and arranged educational scholarships for traveling teenagers and college students. We’d get involved with community cleanup projects, supporting our veterans and troops overseas.

At every turn I enjoyed raising funds for our amazing club projects. I was honored to serve in almost every senior club position, including president.

Most Rotarians experience an “AHA!” moment, when the proverbial light bulb goes on over your head and you suddenly “Get it.” I’ve been fortunate to experience many such moments, with one of my favorites being our annual trip to Tijuana to build a house in a day. It’s an emotional experience to see a team of 40 committed Rotarians taking their day off to build a home for a family they don’t know and will likely never meet again. And when the keys to the new home are handed to the family, it’s hard to keep from crying and appreciating the good life that we, ourselves have.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Rosemarie Bergdahl

Posted by Rosemarie Bergdahl on Sep 07, 2018

My name is Rosemarie Bergdahl, and I’m a manager working for the American Cancer Society. I’ve been a member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary since January, 2016.

I’ve spent my entire life being interested in community service, and at 13 I saw for the first time the kinds of positive results I could personally generate. That was the year when I spearheaded a local carnival at an elementary school in Laguna Beach (my hometown), with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

I was driven to make this event a success, and was able to partner with local businesses to get food and prizes donated. I think that’s quite ironic, given my current position at work.

Ever since I handed over the check so many years ago, I’ve been driven to help in bigger and better ways. For the last 20 years I’ve volunteered for many organizations including Elder Help of San Diego, Big Brother/Big Sister, GOLDdiggers, Countinueing Education, Wednesday ETC and now the RB Sunrise Rotary.

Meet Our 2 Newest Members

Posted by Rob Weinberg on Aug 29, 2018

Meet the two newest members of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club; Sandi Menderson of Bella Reflections and Brian Gansert of Ace Parking. We're delighted to have them as part of the Rotary family, and look forward to getting to know them better over the coming years.

Shown here, from left: Club president Mike Moffat; Phil Schneider; who will help guide Brian through the Red Badge process; Brian Gansert; Sandi Menderson; Sandi's husband Jon Svendson; Past District Governor Carl Kruse; and Membership Chair Mary Stanton.

To learn how you can be part of this thriving Rotary club, join us any Tuesday morning at 7am at the Rancho Bernardo Country Club. We guarantee you a great time, and promise you'll want to come back...again and again.

Meals on Wheels for Breakfast

Posted by Rob Weinberg on Aug 21, 2018

Another week, another good cause for us to help.

That's just the way life is at the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary, where we are always on the watch for groups and individuals within the community who can benefit from our time and our treasure.

This morning we met with Charlotte Fan, who runs the North County San Diego Service Center for Meals on Wheels. She walked us through the thousands of San Diegans who volunteer huge blocks of their lives to making sure seniors who wish to live independently can do just that! With Charlotte's help we left with a much better understanding of the meals and other services that are made available to seniors, the team-building opportunities this can create for groups and businesses, and the help they're looking for at every level throughout their organization.

Not to be left out of the fun, club president Mike Moffatt then gave Charlotte a check for $2,500, which should be enough to feed around 700 people tomorrow. You, too, can get involved with Meals on Wheels by calling Charlotte at 760-736-9900. Or visit them online at www.meals-on-wheels.org to learn more.

RB Sunrise Rotary has great speakers all the time, and you should come down to hear them and meet the gang at our weekly breakfast meeting. Each Tuesday we gather at the Rancho Bernardo Country Club for friendship and to find ways to give back to the community. We'll be there next Tuesday, 7am-8:30, and hope to see you there.

Don't have time right now? Learn about the club at www.rbsunrise.org. And be sure to connect with us on Facebook to keep up on all our activities.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Kim Muslusky

Posted by Kim Muslusky on Aug 16, 2018

My name is Kim Muslusky, and I am recently retired. I’ve been a member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club since July, 2014.

I have always enjoyed finding ways to give back to the community; especially when it means interacting with children. I’ve been a big sister, mother, grandmother, soccer coach, and Girl Scout leader. I’ve worked in special education, and was the Rotary Interact Advisor at Mt. Carmel High School.

Rotary…it has been a constant in my life since 1993. When one of my clients invited me to a Rotary meeting, I envisioned picking up some new customers for my art business. And though that didn’t happen, here I am 25 years later leading a much different life than I would have without Rotary’s influence.

For that I credit my being “voluntold” to take on the task of International Director…a job nobody else wanted. All I can say is WOW!

At my very first District Conference I learned about the Thousand Smiles Foundation; caring for children living with cleft palates and facial deformities that made it hard for them to be seen, let alone to thrive.

Diving right in, I attended a clinic in Ensenada…and was hooked. From that day forward I found my calling, helping underserved kids to become whole over the course of 2…5…even 10 surgeries within a few short years. We save lives with free surgery, dentistry, orthodontia, speech therapy and audiology care.

Rotary Announces $96.5 Million in Polio Eradication Grants

Posted on Aug 20, 2018

EVANSTON, Ill. (August 15, 2018) — Rotary today announced nearly $100 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children each year.

The announcement comes as Nigeria marks two years without any reported cases of wild poliovirus, following four reported cases in 2016.

“The fact that no new cases of wild poliovirus have been detected in Nigeria points to the improved surveillance and rapid response protocols Rotary and its Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners have established, particularly in insecure and inaccessible areas,” said Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. “While this progress is promising, it’s time to redouble our efforts so we can continue to maintain the political and financial support necessary to end polio for good.”

Saved In America

The breakfast speaker at this week's Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club meeting was educated, informative, and interesting as he told the story that is every parent's nightmare.

For a full half hour, Joe Travers, Executive Director of Saved In America, held a group of executives who have seen it all and done it all in rapt silence. He outlined how a non-profit organization of former law enforcement officers and Navy SEALS have become licensed, insured private investigators dedicated to assisting parents and law enforcement in locating missing and runaway children. "This group of children is one of the most vulnerable to becoming victims of child sex trafficking," he pointed out.

Because everyone associated with Saved In America is volunteer, they're able to accomplish their tasks for about one-tenth the cost of having law enforcement do it. And due to their focus on child sex trafficking, they have a stronger record that only comes with specialization. "We've gone after 82 children to date...and have recovered 82."

No matter how you slice it, this is IMPRESSIVE!

Don't have time right now? Learn about the club at www.rbsunrise.org. And be sure to connect with us on Facebook to keep up on all our activities.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Adrienne Wells Holmes

Posted by Adrienne Wells Holmes on Jun 06, 2018

When you spend your working life in the non-profit community and collaborating with the family to run Blue Apple Ranch, a facility that connects animals and people while teaching youngsters to be mindful and kind, that should be enough, right?

When layered atop maintaining a foundation honoring Toby Wells, dedicated to making positive contributions to the San Diego Community by investing in a brighter future for both people and animals, you might be tempted to think I’d want a little “ME” time.

But when you’re taught from an early age the importance of giving back to the community around you, participation in a group like Rotary is a natural step.

So it was for me, having been raised with a philanthropic heart and a desire to do what I can to help others.

My membership in the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club came about originally because of my long-term friendship with numerous current members. I knew them all to be the highest quality people…and, perhaps not coincidentally, they were all members of the RB Sunrise Rotary.

I visited the club…first with one of my friends, then another…and found the spirit and the personality of the room to be a great fit. Here were people always willing to lend a hand, and who took volunteering much more seriously than they took themselves.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Fred Nasseri

Posted by Fred Nasseri on Apr 12, 2018

My name is Fred Nasseri, and I’ve had the pleasure of being a member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club since 1989.

I immigrated from Persia when I was a young chap, and I left behind a world where many people would watch out for themselves without necessarily watching out for the other guy. This was completely opposite to the way I was raised by my parents, and I promised myself that as soon as I was in a position to help my community to be a better place to live, I would do just that.

America and this community gave me the chance, and it’s a promise I have never forgotten.

Today my family and I live in Poway, and I’m blessed to have built a successful business in Rancho Bernardo over the past 38 years. As the owner of Unicorn Jewelry I am regularly approached to help non-profits throughout the region, and I’m always happy to help where I can.

I see these opportunities as a chance to build bridges and to spread goodwill…not just to improve my business’ visibility, but as deeds that help the needs of humanity as it should be. I know each of the non-profit groups we help through Unicorn Jewelry, my personal efforts, or Rotary International will help to heal the world a little bit. And I firmly believe if enough people take a positive attitude towards healing the world, it will actually become a better place for all of our future generations.

I’ve brought this attitude with me to the RB Sunrise Rotary, where I sit with people of different faiths, different beliefs and different political persuasions. We talk, work together, and find common ground to act as a cohesive force helping to solve community problems. My hope is that by being part of a multi-national structure like Rotary, tomorrow truly will be a better day for us all.

Rotary is a leadership organization.

We're made of of local business, professional and civic leaders.

We meet regularly on Tuesday mornings, get to know each other, form friendships and through that, we're able to get things done in this community.

...and we have fun doing it !!

You are welcome to visit us as our guest to learn more about our fun organization.