San Luis Obispo Daybreak

   California, USA

We provide service to others, promote integrity and advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through our fellowship of business, professional and community leaders. Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.
In the News

I was at our Sister District 4140 district conference in beautiful Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo this past weekend. I delivered a personal congratulatory message on behalf of our district in Spanish that was graciously received and accepted. It’s the beauty of being part of our global Rotary family. We meet, interact and connect.

May is Rotary’s Youth Service month.  At our Sister District 4140 district conference, I witnessed 50 Youth Exchange students participating and helping recipients into their brand new wheelchairs; offering them the gift of mobility. While the wheelchairs were granted by our Sister District 4140, involving and engaging the Youth Exchange students was an impactful experience: both on the beneficiaries and the students. It’s a moving sight that brought tears to my eyes when I saw the joy and gratitude on the beneficiaries’ faces. Their eyes spoke volumes and my heart swelled. I am sure the youths and all in attendance felt the same. It was the Magic of Rotary at work.

I also had the privilege of serving as a counselor at this year’s RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) held from May 1-4 in Ojai. About 220 high schoolers including inbound youth exchange students participated. There’s a synergy of curiosity, exuberance, excitement and possibility when you’re among youths. 

It was also my first time at RYLA and the experience had been nothing short of incredible. Even though I slept without a pillow for 3 nights, and remembering the decibels of the kids’ screams on talent night, that weekend had been one of the most rewarding times of my life. Many students came out of their shells, allowed their creative juices to flow and expressed themselves beautifully. At team building, I saw first-hand how each team communicated with encouragement and smiles, and how many times, the words, “I got your back” were repeated. Many showed their vulnerability when they bared their hearts and revealed their inner selves. Many stories were heart-wrenching. At the end of the training, almost all students exhibited confidence and made connections. Most importantly, I saw smiles instead of quietness. I have been told that RYLA transforms lives. I am transformed. I could see that the students are transformed too. 

As Rotarians, we are purposeful. RYLA was born because we saw the potential in young leaders and decided to invest in this purpose. RYLA is not just as a fun camp or weekend getaway. It’s also a dynamic platform to mold young minds. RYLA is here to stay because we believe in the youths. Our beliefs and actions will go far. So a big shout out to RYLA Chair Darin Arrasmith and his team for another successful year.

It’s just about 42 days to closing out 2024-2025 Rotary year. The world’s children are our children. In this globalized society, we need to rise to the calls - the needs wherever they are. The returns may not be direct $$$ to our clubs or district, but our hearts will be enriched because by addressing one or more needs, we would have impacted lives across the globe. So let’s join hands within and across borders, through RYLA, youth exchanges, and any other service projects; with sister clubs or districts, and/or global partners, to achieve quicker, wider and more impactful results. 

Rotary Is Love + Service = Magic of Rotary!

Always Yours in Service, 
Sherry Peckhoon Sim
Rotary District 5240 Governor 2024-2025
Rotary Club of Cayucos
Congratulations to this year's Student Scholarship recipients, each from San Luis Obispo High School, and who will be starting their jouney in higher education this fall:
 
Linda Aguirre Rojas - Agricultural Business, UC Davis
 
Liam Alsbury - Aerospace Engineering, Cal Poly SLO (STEM Award sponsored by Chevron)
 
Eliza Flushman -Biological Sciences, Cal Poly SLO
 
Roman Lowell - Enginerring, Cal Poly SLO ((STEM Award sponsored by Chevron)
 
Funds for our annual scholarships come from our club fundraisers and the support of the community.

No matter how long we’ve been with Rotary, we all benefit from the energy and fresh perspectives of our young leaders. It is my privilege to place this month’s presidential message in the capable hands of one young leader, Vitor Joventino. In his column, Vitor reminds us how teamwork and inclusivity can spark transformative change. As you read his message, I encourage you to reflect on its insights, share in his excitement, and embrace new opportunities to learn. — Stephanie Urchick

To read the article, click here.

The Rotary Club of San Luis Obispo Daybreak is thrilled to have reached our 27th anniversary under Rotary International. These upcoming weeks, we will be sharing our legacy of the various service projects, fundraisers, charitable giving and fun that we have had. Chartered in 1998 thanks to the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of SLO and the Rotary Club of SLO de Tolosa, over almost three decades, we have been demontrating "Service Above Self" throughout local and international communities. Check out our archive of photos over the next several days on Facebook and Instagram.
 
DID YOU KNOW? SLO Daybreak has created several significant projects that have added value and charm to our community, many in collaboration with other Rotary Clubs. These include:
 
This year, our club is again sponsoring four students from San Luis Obispo High School to attend the 2025 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). Each year, thousands of young people take part in this program worldwide. HIgh school students are chosen for their leadership potential to attend an all-expenses-paid weekend camp to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice. Rotary clubs within District 5240 select participants and volunteer Rotarians facilitate the event’s curriculum. 

RYLA aims to:

  • Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders;
  • Encourage leadership of youth by youth;
  • Encourage youth to make a difference in their communities through volunteer work and social responsibility; and
  • Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth.
Congratulations to Ethan Chen, Parker Marroquin, Evan Priola and Madalyn Purdy!
Do you like to have fun? Enjoy hanging out with great people? Want to serve your local and international community? Pursue your philanthropic interests? Do you enjoy the dynamic of a small club with members that like to kick off the day with laughter and friendship? Did we ask about having fun? Then come visit our club! We have a goal this year to add at least 10 new members to bring their enthusiasm for "service above self" to our efforts.
 
Our club meets every Tuesday from 7:00-8:30am at Hoagie's, 1234 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo. You don't have to be invited to attend, but if you know a Rotarian in our club, reach out to them and you can be their guest. (We have great breakfast meals of your choice!). Information about our club's activities, including the weekly lineup of speakers, can be found at slodaybreak.org and if you have questions, email us at slodaybreak@gmail.com. Come check us out, we'd love to meet you!
Each year. the Rotary Club of SLO Daybreak designates charitable funds towards supporting K-12 teachers and nonprofit programs that serve residents of the City of San Luis Obispo. We are proud to announce the following awardees which will be presented to our club on Tuesday, March 18 - please join us in thanking them for their work that benefits our community!

Teacher Grants:
  • Beatriz Huizer, Hawthorne Elementary School - Wordless book for developing reading skills
  • Sally Lamas, Sinsheimer Elementry School - Supplies for an entry mural to be created by students
  • Christine Lintner, Bishop's Peak Elementary School - Special needs equipment for students
  • Dana McClish, Pacific Beach High School - Tools and supplies for the construction class
  • Robin Minkel, C.L. Smith Elementary School - Phonics based reading books
  • Daniela Rothberg, Bishop's Peak Elementary School - Special needs equipment
Community Awards:
  • Central Coast Junior Golf Inc.
  • French Hospital Medical Center Foundation
  • San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden
  • SLO Food Bank
Show your SLO Daybreak pride, share it with others and don't miss out on any Rotary news, events, recognition, photos and club meeting announcements! Not on social media? Totally fine. Just bookmark and check out our club website regularly to stay in the know and please update your information with us and Rotary International as it changes. It's an important task that helps our club run smoothly. Any questions on how to access and update your information, contact Club Administration Director, Char Rosales, she can assist you. 
 
  • Is your personal/professional member profile up to date at SLODaybreak.org? Click hereWhy? Your fellow members and committee chairs want to be able to contact you, your Club President wants to celebrate milestones with you and your family and your Board of Directors needs your information to be correct for quarterly reporting to our District and Rotary International.
 
  • Are you following SLO Daybreak on Instagram? Click here. Why? See what we are up to with events, speakers and community service projects.
 
  • Have you "liked" SLO Daybreak's Facebook page? Click here. Why? See what our club and other clubs in SLO and in our District are achieving and make new friends with other Rotarians. 
 
  • Have you "liked" the District 5240 Facebook page? Click here. Why? Rotary is a local, regional and international service organization and our connectivity with our District leadership and the oversight of its 68 clubs brings us together with 1.4 million members in over 47,000 clubs all over the world.
 
  • Have you created a My Rotary account at Rotary.org? Click here. Why? My Rotary is where you can see your history in Rotary, your status in overall contributions to the Rotary International Foundation and how your impact is changing the world.
Family and Friends of Rotary - thank you for making our 2024 Drive Thru BBQ a success! This fundraiser supports our student scholarships which will be awarded in Spring 2025 to local graduating high school students. 
 
We would like to thank this year's sponsors: American Riviera Bank (Dustin Reese), Carmel & Naccasha LLP (Victor Herrera), Covelop Collaborative Development (Pat Arnold), Hoagies (who also hosts our weekly meetings), Mustang Private Wealth (Ryan Olson), Richardson Sotheby's International Realty (Linda Wilson), Shalimar Restaurant (Aasim Sajjad) and The Sanctuary (Kevin Owens and the barbecue crew). When you see these folks or do business with them, please say, "thank you" for supporting our local youth!
Club Information
SLO Daybreak

We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 7:00 a.m.
Hoagies Restaurant
1234 Monterey Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
United States of America
Tuesdays 7:00-8:30 a.m.
Our Mailing Address
P.O. Box 906
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
 
Club Executives & Directors
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Community Service
Membership
Club Administration
The Rotary Foundation
Youth Service
Sgt-At-Arms
Social Media
Teacher Grants
Community Awards
Student Scholarships
Guest Speakers Q1
Guest Speakers Q3
Guest Speakers Q4
Executive Assistant Governor Group 4
Speakers
DARK - No Meeting
May 27, 2025
Memorial Day Holiday
Tracey Deakin, Author
Jun 10, 2025
"Tailor Made to Fly"
DARK - No Meeting
Jun 24, 2025
Meeting Responsibilities
June 3
Greeter
Herrera, Victor
 
Inspiration
Janetski, Lucas
 
Flag Salute
Duncan, Veryl Ann
 
Photographer
Griffith, Eric
 
June 10
Greeter
Nilsen, Dave
 
Inspiration
Janetski, Matthew
 
Flag Salute
Lewis, Berni Ann
 
Photographer
Reese, Dustin
 
Rotary Moment
Rosales, Char
 
June 17
Greeter
Sicanoff, Steve
 
Inspiration
Waterbury, Chris
 
Flag Salute
Wilson, Linda
 
Photographer
White, Jennifer
 
 
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