District Governor Mike Dutra and his wife Cindy visited SLO Daybreak in early November. It was a treat to share our work so far this year hear about Rotary activities throughout the District 5240 region and to gain insights from Mike. Here is his monthly message…

November Highlights & December Preview 

"Cindy and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It has been inspiring to see how many of our District clubs spent the holiday serving others, sharing meals, supporting families, and reminding us all how fortunate we are to be able to serve our communities.

In November, we visited nine more clubs, three of them within a 20-hour stretch! Events included a ground breaking ceremony for an inclusive park, Morrison Park, a Peace Pole ceremony for the Boys and Girls Club in Carpinteria, celebrating four new Interact clubs for our district and one new Rotaract club at Moorpark Collage.

December will be another full and festive month as we visit six more clubs (three in one day), be part of the Santa Maria Parade of Lights, enjoy Holidays in the Village in Thousand Oaks, and celebrate at several club holiday parties. This season is also a great opportunity for clubs to bring members and families together, whether through socials, small service projects, sharing traditions, or simply gathering to enjoy friendship."

December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month

"As you know, every month is dedicated to one of the major themes of our Rotary lives; this month the theme is that which RI is perhaps best known for, at least among non-Rotarians.

The eradication of polio has of course been Rotary International's s major worldwide, corporate effort since the early 1980’s.  And remarkable progress has been made.  The job is not finished however and you can rest assured that we will not, cannot, set this torch down until that job is finished. What can you do? 

See what Rotarians are doing in Disease Prevention and Treatment and learn more about our efforts to End Polio."

To read DG Mike's entire message, click here.

"This month’s special issue of Rotary magazine is all about happiness, that most elemental of human yearnings. More than a feeling, though, this state of positive well-being, and the conditions necessary to create and sustain it, should be considered a universal right.

December also marks Rotary’s Disease Prevention and Treatment Month, when we highlight our members’ work to promote health and wellness, including mental wellness. Globally, nearly 1 in 7 people have a mental health disorder, according to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report. Yet only 9% of people with depression receive adequate treatment.

We are fortunate in Rotary to have a powerful way to support emotional well-being and happiness: friendship. The connections we build in Rotary can be a powerful force for change.

That fellowship gives us the courage and means to create lasting change in the world as well, and mental health services are in desperate need of improvement. The WHO reports that governments on average devote only 2 percent of their health budgets to mental health, and only 11 percent of that funding reaches community-based services. In some countries, only one trained mental health professional is available for every 100,000 people. The WHO has called for strategic and urgent action to close the gap.

Rotary can answer that call by championing mental health awareness in our clubs, working with local health systems, funding training for community health workers, and supporting initiatives that bring care to places where none exists. Even small investments in mental health yield enormous returns in productivity, public health, and happiness.

While we are creating lasting change in the world, we cannot forget to take care of each other. Past RI President Gordon McInally wisely reminds us that we must go beyond asking, “How are you?” We owe it to each other to instead ask, “How are you really?”

As we transition to a new year filled with new possibilities, let us Unite for Good — for healing, friendship, and access to happiness.

To read the RI Presiden'ts entire message, click here.

• 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