We've had an energetic start to the 2025-2026 year with several activities and new ideas being implemented into our club.
The new structure for weekly club/board meetings and monthly socials has been well received. Our first service project, volunteering for United Way's Stuff the Bus event, continues our tradition of supporting local students and education. The Investment Committee met with our financail advisor (our fund stands at over $320,000!), I met with the Group 10 presidents from the other SLO and South County Rotary Clubs, and the Interact Club at San Luis Obispo High School held their first meeting of the year.
Last but not least, tickets went on sale for our Drive-Thru BBQ fundraiser on September 19. Online tickets make it even easier for each member to sell at least eight tickets for a delicious, four-person meal.
One last note, August is Membership Month so invite a friend or colleague to our social on August 26th and share Rotary fellowship with them!
Enjoy the rest of your summer travels and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, and let's continue the great work of SLO Daybreak!
FYI - our average attendance in August for club meetings was 62% and 50% for the Stuff the Bus event. Thank you members for your participation!
Check out SLODaybreak.org for all the latest news, incuding volunteer events, online BBQ tickets, upcoming speakers and weekly meeting duties for members!
On August 9, club members volunteered for United Way of SLO County's 17th annual Stuff the Bus event. This is a drive for new classroom supplies that are distributed to schools throughout the county for K-12 students. Thank you to all who volunteered.
We are hosting our Annual Drive-Thru BBQ Fundraiser on Friday, September 19 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at the SLO Veterans Hall, 801 Grand Avenue. Tickets for the event are $60 each which provides a complete dinner for four including a whole tri-tip barbecued to perfection, fresh ranch chili beans, green salad and buttery garlic bread hot off the grill. Committee Chair, Eric Griffith, has provided 10 tickets to each member to sell. Tickets are also available online at slodaybreak.org. All proceeds will go to fund the club’s annual Student Scholarship program for graduating high school seniors pursuing future study at trade schools, community colleges and universities.
On August 1st, we recognized Honorary Member, Nancy Beighley, for her 25 years with SLO Daybreak! Nancy retired after 13 years from her position as the College and Career Center Technician at San Luis Obispo High School, most of those years serving as the Interact Club's on-campus advisor. Shortly after our club chartered in 1998, we created an Interact Club, a youth program sponsored by Rotary Clubs around the world.Interact provides opportunities for teenagers to connect with others in their community and globally, engaging in service projects that benefit their schools, communities, and promote international understanding. Interact members often move on to membership in Rotaract, designed for young adults ages 18-30, and eventually Rotary.
Nancy's contributions included oversight of the Interact Club, it's volunteer and fundraising activities, student scholarship opportunities and the application and coordination of students attending the Rotary Youth Leaderhsip Awards (RYLA). She also served as the club historian, saving photos, notices in the news and promotional materials created by the students. She even went out of her way to provide PB&J sandwiches at the meetings which always provided for a better turnout! In our club she has participated in numerous committees, fundraisers, community service projects, served as our “sunshine chair” and provided inspiration to all of us with her commitment to Rotary. Let's honor Nancy's service by bringing non-perishable items to restock the Little Free Pantry in front of her house. See our website for suggested items to bring. Nancy - cheers to you on this major milestone, we love you!
In this month's District 5240 news, there is an upcoming Master PRLS session on September 12-14 in Ventura. PRLS is a program that empowers Rotarians to become effective leaders in their club and community. Skills are developed in speaking, business planning, practical scenarios, teambuilding and much more. Registration includes updated materials and meals throughout the weekend.
Registration is also open for the District Conference in Ventura, October 17-19. Early bird registration closes September 1. Rotary District 5240 is home to nearly 3,000 passionate members across 67 Rotary and Rotaract Clubs and 48 Interact Clubs. Our District covers four counties in Central California, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern. To learn more about our District, click here.
In an effort to allow our members to be more informed and involved in the operations of our club, we have included Board meetings on the second Tuesday of every month so all members can participate. Members have always been welcome at these meetings and now they are part of our regular meeting schedule and decision making. In addition, in case you miss a Board meeting, we will be distributing the meeting minutes and asking for input on annual updates to our Budget, Continuing Resulutions and the use of our Investment Account to support our charitable endeavors. This fall, we will also be updating our Club Bylaws and Policy Manual to reflect changes that we have made in recent years. Your thoughts and comments are invited and appreciated.
Keep an eye out for your member invoice, due in September. If you have any questions or need to make payment arrangements, contact Char Rosales.
Did You Know?Rotary believes that everyone is unique and strives to create an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and belongs. Cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is considered essential to achieving Rotary's vision of uniting people to create lasting change. "In Rotary, we know that our differences really are our strengths. It's our diverse perspective that helps us to tackle the world's most pressing challenges".~ Jennifer Jones (First Woman Rotary International President, 2022-2023)
