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Welcome to Rotary District 5150

Rotary District 5150 stretches across Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties of the San Francisco Bay area. Our Rotary club members are people of action and inspired individuals who translate their passions into relevant social causes to change lives in communities, both locally and globally. Rotary International forms a global network of business, professional, and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve communities and form strong, lasting friendships in the process.

Dear District 5150 Rotarians,

In 1949, the Rotary International Board adopted the slogan "Every Rotarian an Example to Youth" as an expression of commitment to children and youth in each community in which Rotary clubs exist. Serving young people has long been an important part of the Rotary program.

Youth service projects take many forms around the world. Besides the programs that we are all familiar with, including Interact, Rotaract, RYLA, Rotary Youth Exchange and Youth Scholarships, Rotarians also sponsor Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, athletic teams, centers for disabled children, school safety patrols, summer camps, orphanages, recreation areas, safe driving clinics, county fairs, child-care centers, and children's hospitals. Many clubs provide vocational counselling, establish youth employment programs, and promote the use of The 4-Way Test. Increasingly, drug/alcohol abuse prevention and AIDS awareness projects are being supported by Rotarians.

Protecting The Environment

Rotary shares an interest in protecting our common legacy: the environment.

More than $18 million in funding from The Rotary Foundation has been allocated to environment-related projects over the past five years. Creating a distinct area of focus to support the environment gives Rotary members even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact.

Learn more about our work

2024 Rotary Foundation Fundraiser Cruise

Greetings! Rotary District 5150 has sponsored three successful fundraiser river cruises for The Rotary Foundation (TRF) since 2017. We have sailed the scenic rivers through France, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Contributions from these fundraiser cruises resulted in donations of nearly $250,000 to The Rotary Foundation, most of which was donated to eradicate Polio.

We are excited to announce our 2024 TRF Fundraising Cruise to support PolioPlus! Please join us as we enjoy a fabulous 7-night cruise on AmaWaterways through Holland and Belgium. Our cruise begins and ends in the amazing city of Amsterdam. We are especially thrilled to let you know that AmaWaterways has reserved the entire ship for our Rotary Foundation Cruise!

District Governor Message - May 2023

Greetings 5150 Rotarians,

May is Rotary Youth Services Month.

In 1949, the Rotary International Board adopted the slogan "Every Rotarian an Example to Youth" as an expression of commitment to children and youth in each community in which Rotary clubs exist. Serving young people has long been an important part of the Rotary program.

Youth service projects take many forms around the world. Besides the programs that we are all familiar with, including Interact, Rotaract, RYLA, Rotary Youth Exchange and Youth Scholarships, Rotarians also sponsor Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, athletic teams, centers for disabled children, school safety patrols, summer camps, orphanages, recreation areas, safe driving clinics, county fairs, child-care centers, and children's hospitals. Many clubs provide vocational counselling, establish youth employment programs, and promote the use of The 4-Way Test. Increasingly, drug/alcohol abuse prevention and AIDS awareness projects are being supported by Rotarians.

In every instance, Rotarians have an opportunity to be role models and mentors for the young people of their community. One learns to serve by observing others. As our youth grow to become adult leaders, it is hoped each will achieve that same desire and spirit to serve future generations.

It is the responsibility of each Rotarian to prepare the New Generations—all young people up to the age of 30—by improving their life skills to ensure a better future, while recognizing the diversity of their needs. All clubs are encouraged to undertake projects that support the fundamental needs of the New Generations: health, human values, education, and self-development.

Fundamental to all Youth Service activities is our commitment to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all participants in Rotary activities. It is the duty of all Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses, partners, and any other volunteers to safeguard to the best of their ability the welfare of, and to prevent the physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of, children and young people with whom they come into contact. Please refer to our Youth Protection Guidelines (District 5150 Guidelines for Rotarians When Working with Youth) on our District website to learn the simple steps you need to follow to protect our youth.

Thank you for being the change you wish to see in our youth. After all, they are our future!

Yours in Rotary,
Gary Chow
Governor, 2022-2023
Rotary International
District 5150

Rotary District 5150 Honors Our Veterans on Memorial Day!

May 27, 2023

We remember those who served the cause of freedom and many who made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day. Join us for a meaningful celebration at one of three venues to celebrate our Veterans.

In San Bruno at the Golden Gate National Cemetery on May 27, 2023 (the Saturday before Memorial Day) from 7 AM until 2 PM, join the Scouts and our Interactors in decorating the graves with flags. Go online to register at https://scoutingevent.com/031-MemorialDayFlags2023

In San Francisco at the Presidio National Cemetery on Monday, May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day) at 10:30 AM, join the ceremony beginning with a band concert and ending with a memorial flyover.

In Marin at the Marin Civic Center on Monday, May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day) at 9 AM, join the celebration with music, a Flag Display, and a Wreath Laying Ceremony.

Rotarian of the Month - May 2023

Congratulations to Angelo Capozzi of the Rotary Club of Tiburon-Belvedere for being selected as Rotary District 5150's Rotarian of the Month for May 2023! Dr. Angelo Capozzi joined the Rotary Club of San Francisco in 1971. In 1992, he and Past District Governor Peter Lagarias also from the Rotary Club of San Francisco founded Rotaplast International to treat children with a cleft lip and palate anomaly, who otherwise would not have had access to corrective surgery. Since then, Rotaplast has treated thousands of children around the world with this anomaly.

After retiring from medical practice in San Francisco, Angelo, in 2014, joined the Rotary Club of Tiburon-Belvedere, which is closer to his home in Tiburon. He is currently the Club’s membership chair and is also serving on District 5150’s Strategic Planning Team. The following are some of his many accomplishments on behalf of his Club:

District Governor Message - April 2023

Greetings 5150 Rotarians,

Rotary International's monthly theme for April is Maternal and Child Health. Every day mothers risk their lives giving birth, and millions of children die each year from treatable, preventable causes. At least 6 million children under the age of 5 die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation—all of which can be prevented. To help reduce this rate, Rotary provides immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improves access to essential medical services, and supports trained health care providers for mothers and their children. Rotary’s projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.

Although most of our efforts are focused in developing countries, these challenges exist right here in the United States, which has the highest mortality rate of any high resource country. The U.S. is the only country—outside of Afghanistan and Sudan—where the rate is rising.

Your club can address these issues by advocating for increased access to:

Support for working mothers
Pre-natal/postpartum education
Maternal Mental Health Services (the most common complication of birth)
Affordable childcare

Rotary makes high-quality health care available to vulnerable mothers and children, so they can live longer and grow stronger.

Thank you for being the change you wish to see in your communities!

Yours in Rotary,
Gary Chow
Governor, 2022-2023
Rotary International
District 5150

District Governor Message - March 2023

Dear District 5150 Rotarians,

March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month. Clean water is a basic need for human beings. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, they live healthier and more productive lives. However, at least 3,000 children die each day from diseases caused by unsafe water, which is what motivates our members to build wells, install rainwater harvesting systems, and teach community members how to maintain new infrastructure.

While very few people die of thirst, millions die from preventable waterborne diseases, providing the impetus for our members to also improve sanitation facilities in undeveloped countries. Members start by providing toilets and latrines that flush into a sewer or safe enclosure and then add education programs to promote handwashing and other good hygiene habits to create greater and longer-lasting change.

These same hygiene principles also apply here at home, where handwashing is one of our major defenses against COVID, Influenza, RSV, the common cold, and a host of other diseases. Many food borne illnesses are caused by food handlers who have poor personal hygiene habits.

These are all opportunities where your club can engage with communities and its leaders as well as collaborate with professional organizations to provide interventions to keep our residents healthy and thriving. For more information on how you can participate in this efforts, please contact our District’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action Group Liaison, Richard Chinn at: rbarry.61@gmail.com

Thank you for continuing to “Be The Change” you wish to see in your communities!

Yours in Rotary,
Gary Chow
Governor, 2022-2023
Rotary International
District 5150

2023-2024 District Grants Workshop

Apr 15, 2023

All 2023-2024 Club Presidents and District 5150 Rotarians are invited to attend an in-person workshop about District Grants and the District Grant application process on Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 9 AM to 12 noon at Rotary Terrace in South San Francisco. The workshop will also be available via Zoom, but in-person attendance is recommended and will be more fun!

The deadline to apply for a 2023-2024 District Grant is June 1, 2023. Now is the time to start thinking about how you will utilize your Club's 2023-2024 District Designated Funds (DDF). DDF is allocated to your Club as a result of your members’ charitable giving to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund. Your Club has DDF — so spend, spend, spend!

Calling All Rotary Peace Center Fellow Candidates

ROTARY DISTRICT 5150 (the Counties of San Francisco, Marin, & San Mateo) is tasked each year with finding qualified applicants for Rotary Peace Center Fellowships. Will you and your club join the effort to find the persons we need?

Rotary Peace Fellowships are designed for non-Rotarians who already have some experience in peace building and/or conflict resolution. For example: former Peace Corps volunteers, social workers, doctors and nurses, police and military veterans, teachers, etc. Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,500 fellows who now work in over 115 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments, NGOs, education and research institutions, peacekeeping and law enforcement agencies, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.

A Message from RI President Jennifer Jones

As we look ahead to all the ways we can Imagine Rotary in the upcoming year, perhaps our most important task will be to build the most welcoming experience possible for every Rotary member. In her recent video message, RI President Jennifer Jones challenges us to engage with our members to ensure they’re getting what they want from their Rotary experience and reminds us that clubs who are welcoming and engaging will thrive. Watch the video and encourage your clubs to share it with their members so they can discuss how to ensure that the comfort and care of their members is a priority.

Welcome to Rotary District 5150

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