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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.

Greetings District 5150 Rotarians,

September is Basic Education and Literacy Month. We know that these skills are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace. Yet in many urban areas, even our own S.F. Bay Area, many underserved and at-risk children are not meeting basic education standards. In 2019, before the pandemic upended instruction, only 35% of 4th graders met the standards for reading proficiency set by the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

We also have many adults facing low literacy issues, especially where English is their second language. California ranks in the bottom 5 states, where 1 in 4 people over the age of 15 lack basic English reading and writing skills. Adults who are functionally literate are able to engage in activities that enable them to function effectively in society. Adults tend to be more motivated to learn when they understand the practical outcomes they can gain. Acquiring functional literacy skills fosters a sense of self-fulfillment, empowers learners with the ability to improve their families’ living standards, and may also encourage parents to be more active in their children’s education...

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

Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling

Take charge! Recycle your lithium-ion batteries responsibly by dropping them off at Vintage Oaks Shopping Center, 208 Vintage Way, in Novato on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Thanks to the generosity of the event sponsors--Rotary Clubs of Novato, Novato Sunrise, and Ignacio--you can drop off your unwanted rechargeable items and never leave your vehicle!

Popular rechargeable items include:

Cell phones
Electric toothbrushes
Laptops
Power tool batteries
Tablets
Wireless headphones

You may also bring

Any other rechargeable device with a lithium-ion battery
The entire item if is it difficult to remove the battery

Any remaining data on your device will be safe guarded and destroyed.

To learn more, please visit www.lithionrecycle.com

Run, Walk, or Ride to End Polio Now

We’re closer than ever to eradicating polio but we’re not done yet. We still need funds to continue immunizations and surveillance efforts. Your participation will get us closer to the finish line. Walk, Run or Ride with us to End Polio Now. Rotary District 5230 is sponsoring this fun outdoor event that is open to all ages and abilities. Your contribution of $85 will help them reach their fundraising goal of $50,000 AND provide you with a commemorative T-Shirt. Space is limited to the first 500 people who sign up, so register now.

Help us meet our fundraising goal! Have others contribute to YOUR Run, Walk or Ride, by creating your own fundraising page at: https://raise.rotary.org/Bruce-Mackey/challenge4. Share your page across all your social media platforms! (By registering your own team you will receive 100% of the credit towards your Paul Harris Fellowship). An added bonus of Raise.Rotary.Org is that 100% of the funds raised go directly to End Polio Now.

Can’t make it to the event? Consider a donation or sponsorship from yourself, your business or your Rotary Club.

Please contact Belinda Daguio at bdaguio@aol.com for more information and sponsorship deadlines.

Learn How to Combat Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a cruel crime—one that exploits vulnerable people for profit without any concern for their humanity. It’s the second largest criminal activity in the world, with only illegal drugs exceeding it, and it’s growing. The United Nations’ International Labor Organization estimates that 27.6 million people are subject to forced labor, and 3.3 million of them are children. It might be forced work, which is essentially modern-day slavery, or sexual exploitation, and it’s everywhere: in our own communities as well as countries that are far away. The ILO reports that more than half of all cases are in wealthier countries and calls for an international effort to address and solve the problem. Rotarians can help by learning how to recognize human trafficking, finding ways to prevent it and aiding its victims.

To give people a greater understanding of the issue and ways to combat it, Rotary Zones 26 and 27, which are comprised of 30 districts in the western United States and British Columbia, Canada, are hosting a joint virtual and in-person People of Action Summit on human trafficking at San Diego’s Liberty Conference Center on Sat., Oct. 1. It will give participants the opportunity to learn from experts and develop action plans and playbooks for their clubs, providing them with strategies for protecting their families and communities from this heinous crime.

Walk in Their Shoes: Polio & Abilities Awareness Expo

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two polio-endemic countries (nations that have never interrupted the transmission of wild poliovirus). So when the idea of promoting a local polio and abilities awareness program came to be, little did District 5150 organizers know that suddenly the U.S. would be thrust back into the conversation. Since 1979, no cases of wild polio have originated in this country. Then on July 21, a young adult with Polio paralysis was confirmed in Rockland County, and on August 4, Polio is found spreading in Rockland County wastewater.

"Walk in Their Shoes" is the polio and disability awareness expo being held on Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Lander Hall on the Touro University campus in Vallejo. Sponsored by Sanofi and PDG Russ and Kathy Ketron, the interactive experience will allow attendees to see what it is like to have accessibility challenges. The expo will also feature post-polio syndrome education as well as other helpful resources.

Scheduled speakers include:

Dr. Michael Greenberg, Sanofi Pasteur, Poliomyelitis and Importance of Childhood Vaccinations

Dr. Carol Vandenakker Albanese, U.C. Davis, Post-Polio Syndrome Update

Russ and Kathy Ketron, Polio Survivor and Rotary International District 5150 PolioPlus Chair

Bob Rogers, Polio Survivor and Rotary International PolioPlus Chair

Sarah Sweitzer, PhD, Provost, Touro University Medical School

For more information and to register, please click here: https://rotarydistrict5150.regfox.com/polio-alternate-page

Rotarian of the Month - September 2022

Congratulations to Harry Eng of the Rotary Club of Peninsula Starlight for being selected as Rotary District 5150's Rotarian of the Month for September 2022!

If there were a fifth way of the Four-Way Test, it would likely be "Does it make the world a better place?" Harry Eng of the Rotary Club of Peninsula Starlight is the very embodiment of that ideal. Harry joined Peninsula Starlight in 2020 (only a year after its chartering) and immediately set about to widen the scope and impact of the new club. Whether it was organizing a street clean-up in the Tenderloin or a beach clean-up in San Mateo, Harry led the charge. Whether distributing PPE or rallying against hate crimes against the Asian-Pacific Islander community, Harry was in the front row. Harry’s other accomplishments included planting trees, feeding the homeless, and spearheading a first-time club effort to fund Alzheimer's research.

Join Us on California Coastal Cleanup Day, September 17

All Rotary clubs in District 5150 are invited to participate in the 38^th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon as one of the District’s Community Service events.

Since the start of California Coastal Cleanup Day in 1985, over 1 million Californians have removed over 20 million pounds of trash and recyclables from our state’s beaches, lakes, and waterways. Several District 5150 Rotary Clubs have participated in the cleanup efforts in past years. Our District would like to have all clubs be part of this worthwhile effort to protect our environment, especially because this project works well with all levels of abilities.

District Governor Message - August 2022

Greetings Rotarians,

August is Rotary Membership Month. Members are the lifeblood of our organization. With your enthusiastic participation, we can provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace though our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

To this end, it is incumbent upon all of us to nurture our members, so that they feel included and engaged.

Team PIPR is Looking to Grow

Are you a wiz at creating a beautiful flyer? Are you in charge of your club’s website and/or newsletter? Do you enjoy creative writing? Or would you like to advance your skills in any of the above? We are looking for a dedicated group of Rotarians who have a passion for and/or curiosity in public image/public relations. What is public image and public relations?

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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