Tuesday, November 4 - 5240 District Governor Mike Dutra's Vist; Board meeting to follow with our DG immediately after the club meeting at Keffein Coffee
Tuesday, November 18 - Club Business/Board Meeting
Tuesday, November 25 - No Social, Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, December 23 & 30 - Dark, no club meeting
"Of course, the highlight of the month was our District Conference in Ventura! We were thrilled to welcome about 185 Rotarians who joined us for engaging breakout sessions filled with learning, fun, and fellowship. The energy in the room was contagious, with great networking among clubs and inspiring speakers whose messages truly resonated. The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing that the event “delivered on every promise” and left them energized to bring that momentum back to their clubs.
A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated District Conference Committee, who met every week for months to make this event such a success. And a special shout-out to our District Conference Chair, Margarida Eidson, for her exceptional leadership and vision, you made it all happen!
We also loved seeing our clubs out in the community, from Goleta at the Lemon Festival to Simi Sunrise at their Oktoberfest, connecting with neighbors, raising funds, and showcasing what Rotary is all about: People of Action!"
November is Foundation Month
The Rotary Foundation transforms the generosity of Rotarians into sustainable, measurable change both globally and locally. Through its seven areas of focus, including peacebuilding, disease prevention, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, education, economic development, and environmental, the Foundation funds thousands of projects each year that improve lives and strengthen communities. Globally, it has played a pivotal role in nearly eradicating polio and advancing peace through the Rotary Peace Centers. Locally, clubs use district and global grants to address urgent needs such as literacy, hunger, clean water, and youth empowerment, ensuring that every contribution supports tangible results close to home and around the world."
To read DG Mike's entire message and an update on the People of Action campaign, click here.
Yours in Rotary,
Mike Dutra
District Governor 2025–2026
Rotary District 5240
Please bring any warm clothing that you may have to upcoming meetings to donate to our Interact Club's clothing drive which closes on Friday, Nov. 7. Socks, jackets, scarfs, hats, thermal garments are particularly helpful as the winter season approaches. Thank you!
Please bring non-perishable food items to an upcoming Rotary meeting so we may restock the pantry in front of Honorary Member Nancy Beighley's home. Nutritious canned food such as tuna, fruits and vegetables, energy bars, soup, rice, pasta, peanut butter, cereal and instant coffee are all good choices. In addition, personal care items such as toothpaste, feminine hygiene products and soap are also helpful. Cash donations will be used to buy more goods to add to the pantry. Thank you!
"This November, as we celebrate The Rotary Foundation, I invite you to consider not only what we give but why we give. The Foundation is more than a fund for projects. It is the beating heart of our promise that service, rooted in trust and friendship, can create lasting change.
Our Action Plan calls us to increase our impact, and the Foundation is how we make this vision real. Since 1988, Rotary and our partners have immunized nearly 3 billion children against polio. We have committed more than $2.6 billion to this cause, and last year alone we directed $146 million toward the final push for eradication. These numbers are significant, but the true impact is not in statistics — it is in the lives of children who will never again fear polio. It is in the hope restored to families and the peace built in communities once defined by disease.
But polio is only one story among many. Each year, Rotary Peace Centers train new generations of leaders who will transform conflict into dialogue and division into understanding. In 2023-24, nearly 100 new fellows began their studies, continuing a legacy of more than 1,800 peacebuilders from over 140 countries. When we invest in them, we are planting seeds of peace that will bear fruit for decades to come.
The Foundation also touches lives through district and global grants, supporting projects large and small. A clean water well for a rural community, scholarships for young professionals, medical care in the wake of disaster — these are not temporary gestures, but steps toward dignity, resilience, and opportunity. This is how Rotary service becomes lasting impact. And when natural disasters strike, our Foundation allows Rotary to act quickly with disaster response grants.
Our Foundation is not about what we can do alone but what we can do together. Each contribution, no matter its size, joins with others to create a collective act of faith in humanity and in the future.
The last mile of any great journey is always the hardest. We see this in our final steps toward ending polio, in our work for peace, and in every project that seeks to lift people out of despair. Yet every time we give, we declare that our work will continue regardless of the challenge.
This November, let us give with gratitude, with joy, and with hope. Through our Foundation, we Unite for Good, and in doing so, we leave behind not only projects but a legacy of peace, trust, and Service Above Self.
Thank you to our local community for coming out to support our Drive Thru BBQ on September 18, including the San Luis Obispo High School Interact Club, the Cal Poly Rotaract Club and all our sponsors - American Riviera Bank, Carmel & Naccasha, CoVelop, Mustang Private Wealth, Obispo Wealth Management, Richardson Sotheby's International Real Estate - Linda Wilson, Shalimar and The Sanctuary Tobacco Shop crew for the fantastic meals. Funds raised will go towards our annual student scholarship programs for high school students working to advance their education. Catch a peek of the event here on KSBY.
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:
From night markets to tea plantations, American chef Rick Bayless leaves no avenue unexplored as he tastes his way through Taipei. Find out what flavors he’ll never forget. Then, get ready to pick up the culinary journey yourself during the 2026 Rotary International Convention.
Learn how Rotary clubs are taking action in Peru, the United States, Canada, Scotland, India, and the Philippines.
Sustained by donations from nursing women, milk banks provide a lifeline to vulnerable newborns
