Photo by Glenn Marzano.
Get ready to yell out “B-I-N-G-O” at the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary’s most festive event, the Luck O’ the Irish BingoFest! With the motto “Service Above Self,” being a member of Rotary is all about giving back, both locally and globally, but the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotarians also live by their unofficial motto of “We are Fun! We are Friendly! We Help Others!” Events like the Luck O’ the Irish BingoFest epitomize this sentiment. “As Rotarians, we’re always looking to help and be of service, but we’re also looking to have fun while we do it,” said club President Gwen Vuchsas. ‘This is one of my favorite events of the year because of the energy in the room. There’s a ton of camaraderie, delicious food, great music and the thrill of seeing if your card comes up a winner.” The Luck O’ the Irish BingoFest will take place on Saturday, March 17 starting at 6 p.m. The event will take place on the campus of Visitation School, located at 8740 Emerson Ave.
in Westchester. The cost to attend is $50 and includes 10 games of bingo, a buffet with both traditional Irish fare and Italian food provided by Cantalini’s Salerno Beach and entertainment. The games pay out $100, with the final blackout card paying $500. Cash door prizes ranging from $100 to $300 will also be awarded to three lucky guests. “We invite the whole community to join us at this fun event,” said Vuchsas. “You’ll meet new friends and learn what Rotary is all about. Most importantly, however, attendees are helping us support some
• Cantalini’s Salerno Beach • Drollinger Charitable Trust • Los Angeles World Airports
• Loyola Marymount University • Marina del Rey Hospital • Playa Pharmacy
Have you ever wondered what Rotary is or thought about joining a club for a meeting? I’ve been a member of Rotary for 26 years, and joining was one of the best things I’ve ever done! The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club was founded in 2005, and since then, we’ve helped make a positive impact in our community and abroad. Whether we’re flipping pancakes to raise money for local fire stations, participating in district humanitarian projects, helping to end polio or providing scholarships and grants for local education, each Rotarian can find a project to be passionate about and participate.
Our weekly breakfast meeting, held on Wednesdays at 7:15 a.m. at Whiskey Red’s in Marina del Rey, brings us together for fellowship, fun and to discuss our current projects. And you never know who is going to visit our club! Sometimes it’s our local firefighters, our police captain, business leaders, musicians or international Rotarians in town to visit. We love having visitors, so let us know if you’d like to visit our club! You may even decide to join! Once you’re a member of the
really worthy community projects, events and organizations, while having a green beer, bidding on great silent auction items and hoping you’ve got a lucky bingo card!” Events like the BingoFest help the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club raise money for its community, youth, vocational and international service projects. Some of these projects include supporting Fire Stations #5 and #63, providing bears to USC County Children’s Hospital, scholarships, supporting teachers with the Teacher Mini Grant program,
• Playa Vista/Brookfield Residential • Plotkin Family Foundation club, you become part of the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary family, and will hopefully make lifelong friends like many of us have. That’s why in addition to our weekly meetings, we host a monthly happy hour, social outings and parties. We’ve already started off 2018 strong by giving away more than $17,000 at our Teacher Mini Grant Program to local teachers, helping build a Habitat for Humanity home in Culver City and volunteering to run the pancake breakfast at the Rock Roll & Run
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
End Polio Now and sponsoring community events like the Fourth of July Parade and AMCS’ Spring Gala. To purchase tickets for the Luck O’ the Irish BingoFest, please call (310) 963-9494 or visit playavenice.org.
The Four Way Test The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100 languages. Of the things we think, say or do: • Is it the TRUTH? • Is it FAIR to all concerned? • Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? • Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
• Rainbow Acres • SuperbTech • William H. Hannon Foundation for Education! We’re also currently collecting mobility devices (crutches, canes, wheelchairs, walkers, etc) for Crutches 4 Africa. We’ve got a lot more projects, events and giving in store for a great Rotary year, so stay tuned! Whether you’re new to the community, looking for a dynamic group to get involved with or looking to volunteer with people that are passionate about community and giving back, please come check us out! We love new members, and we’d like to invite you to our Rotary family to share our enthusiasm for “Service Above Self!” Visit our website at playavenice.org to learn more about our awesome club!
GWEN VUCHSAS, PRESIDENT
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PLAYA VENICE SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB PLAYA VENICE SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB PLAYA VENICE SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB
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What is is Rotary? Rotary? What What is Rotary?
Peopleask askususallallthe the time, “What People time, “What is Rotary?” Rotary is a worldwide People ask all the time “What is Rotary?” Rotary is a worldwide is nonprofitorganization organization more 1.2 Rotary”? It isall a worldwide nonprofit nonprofit ofofmore than People ask the time “What is million business, professional and organization of more 1.2 million 1.2 million It business, professional Rotary”? is a worldwide nonprofit community leaders. Asand signified by business, professional commuand community As signified organization of leaders. more 1.2 million the motto “Service Above Self,” nity leaders. As signified by the by the motto “Service Above Self,” business, professional and commuRotary’s main Above objective is service– motto Service Self, Rotary’s Rotary’s main As objective is service– nity leaders. signified by the in theobjective community, the workplace main is service in the in the community, the workplace motto Service Above Self,–Rotary’s and throughout the world. You will community, thethe and main objective isworkplace service in the and throughout world. – You will find members inworld. more than 200 find throughout the You will community, workplace and find membersthe in more than 200 countries in with more than 34,000 members more than 200 counthroughout the world. You will find countries with more than 34,000 clubswith in the world who volunteer tries more than 34,000 clubsin in members in more than 200 counclubs in the world who volunteer in communities atvolunteer home andinabroad to the world who commutries with more than and 34,000 clubs communities at home abroad toin support and job to training, nities at education home and abroad support the world who volunteer in commusupport education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, nities atclean homewater, and abroad support provide combattohunger, improve health and sanitation and
eradicatehealth polio.and Clubs are nonpolitiimprove sanitation and cal, nonreligious and open to all. education and job training, provide eradicate polio. Clubs are nonpolitical, The Rotary Club of Playa Venice clean water, combat hunger, improve nonreligious and to all.provide education and jobopen training, Sunrise is one of 62ofclubs District health and sanitation and in eradicate Thewater, Rotary Club Playa Venice clean combat hunger, improve 5280, which covers the geographic polio. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreSunriseand is one of 62 clubs District health sanitation andin eradicate boundaries of the Pacific Ocean to ligious and open to all cultures, races 5280, which the geographic polio. Clubs covers are nonpolitical, nonreDowntown and Santa Clarita to San and creeds. boundaries of theto Pacific Ocean to ligious and open all cultures, races Pedro. We represent areas of The Rotary ofthe Playa Venice Downtown andClub Santa Clarita to San and creeds. Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Sunrise is one of 62of clubs inVenice District The Rotary Club Playa Pedro. We represent the areas of Vista,which Marina del Rey, Del Rey and 5280 covers the geographic Sunrise is onePlaya of 62del clubs District Westchester, Rey,inPlaya Venice, and of wethe arePacific committed to boundaries Ocean 5280 which theDel geographic Vista, Marinacovers del Rey, Rey andto living the motto of “Service Above downtown and Santa Clarita to San boundaries Ocean Venice, and of wethe arePacific committed to to Self,” while having a lot ofareas fun inofthe Pedro. We represent the downtown and Santa ClaritaAbove to San living the motto of “Service process! Whether passing out Westchester, Playawe delare Rey, Playa Pedro. We represent the areas Self,” while having a lot of fun inof the toys to our adopted families, supportWestchester, Playawe delare Rey, Playa process! Whether passing ing local teachers and schools or
WHY ROTARY? WHY ROTARY?
making to support the local out toys pancakes to our adopted families, fire stations, we always find time Vista, Marina del Rey, Del Rey andto supporting local teachers and schools have a little fun, laugh a lot and put Venice and we are committed to or making pancakes to support Vista, Marina del Rey, Del Rey the and smiles on the faces of those around living the motto of “Service Above local fire stations, always find Venice and we arewe committed to time us.have We’re also a diverse club! We Self” while having a“Service lot of fun in the to a little fun, a lot and put living the motto oflaugh Above have members that range in age from process. Whether we are passing out smileswhile on the faces aoflot those around us. Self” having of fun in the 21 toto 70+, our club currently is 50% toys our adopted families, supportWe’re also a diverse We have process. Whether we club! are passing out male andteachers 50% female, we comeorfrom ing local and members that range in schools age from 20 to toys to our adopted families, supportdiverse backgrounds and careers, and making pancakes to support ing teachers and schools or local 70+,local our club currently is 50%the male we also have we members that hail from fire stations, always find time to making tocome support thediverse local and 50%pancakes female, we from as faraaway as Albania and Germany! have little fun, laugh a lot and put fire stations, we always find time to backgrounds and careers, and we also The best however, is we all have smiles onpart, the faces of those around have a little fun, laugh a lot and put members that hail from as far a passion for giving back and us. For more smiles the information faces thoseabout around away ason Albania andof Germany! The supporting ouryou community and Rotary or how can help support a us. For more information about best part, however, is that we all have a projects that help make the world a Rotary youback can and helpsupporting support a passionor forhow giving better place!
VISIT VISIT OUR OUR WEBSITE WEBSITE AT AT PLAYAVENICE.ORG PLAYAVENICE.ORG VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PLAYAVENICE.ORG I live to serve! As such, having recently joined the ranks of “empty-nester” parents, I found myself seeking a service outlet for my time, energy and spirit of giving back. As fate would have it, Bobbie invited me to a weekly meeting of the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club. The second I walked in, I knew I was home. I’m now 3 months new, and it has not disappointed!
What I like best about Rotary is the variety. Variety of involvement opportunities, variety of people I get to spend time with, variety of ways to impact the community and society as a whole. The power of the global reach is so impressive, and it is also a very effective and efficient way of volunteering.
Did you know?
I am a part of the Rotary family for over ten years now. I joined Rotaract in Germany (youth program of Rotary international) because I was looking for a community service organization where I could meet young leaders and take part in community and international service projects. We were new to L.A. in June and wanting to plug in to the community. We wanted to connect with like-minded local professionals who are involved in the community and really care, and that is what we found in Rotary. Beyond the outstanding community work, the best part of Rotary is that Rotarians help each other. We didn’t find just acquaintances, but real friends.
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more information about ourFor community and projects that help Rotary or how you can help local project, please visit oursupport make the world a better place! one our local projects, please visit website www.playavenice.org, Forof more information local project, please visitabout our Rotary our website at playavenice.org or contact our Director of Membership or how you can help support one of website www.playavenice.org, sendlocal us an email (310) at playavenice@gMichael Warren our projects, please visit our contact our Director of343-5721, Membership mail.com so we can invite you to us send us an email playavenice@gwebsite at playavenice.org or send Michael Warren (310) 343-5721, attend oneorofvisit our us weekly breakfast mail.com at a weekly an email at email playavenice@gmail.com send us an playavenice@g- so meetings. meeting. The club meets every breakfast club meets we can invite you us to The attend one of our mail.com or visit at a weekly Wednesday morning at 7:15ata.m. at every Wednesday morning breakfast meeting. The club meets weekly breakfast meetings. The club Whiskey Restaurant, 13713 7:15am at Red’s Whiskey Red’smorning Restauevery Wednesday morning at meets every Wednesday at Fiji Way in Marina delMarina Rey. We look rant, 13713 Fiji Way, del 7:15am at Whiskey Red’s Restau7:15 a.m. at Whiskey Red’s Restaurant, forward to serving community Rey, CA 90292. Wethe look forward rant, Fiji in Way, Marina del to 1371313713 Fiji Way Marina del Rey. with you! serving the community with you. Rey, 90292. Wetolook forward WeCA look forward serving the to serving the with community community you! with you.
Rotary is a family affair! Our club has five married couples that are members, plus many more spouses and partners that participate in our community service projects and events!
I enjoy the camaraderie with likeminded individuals to give and do more for our community and the world. It’s the little things that people do that can move mountains, and Rotarians have been known to move some pretty big mountains. One example of this effort is the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary’s drive to collect walkers and crutches from the community and send all the donations overseas to Africa. A big thanks to Rotary for allowing me the opportunity to make a difference in the world.
I joined Rotary to be a part of something bigger than myself, to push myself to be a better person and to surround myself with selfless human beings who would give the shirt off their back for a stranger in need. As Rotarians, we spend our time improving our community and bringing resources to local organizations. I have found that it is also a great place to mingle with likeminded individuals who quickly become like family.
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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PLAYA VENICEROTARY SUNRISE PLAYA VENICE SUNRISE CLUB
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is Rotary? SpreadingWhat Cheer
Build-A-Bear
People ask all the time “What is Rotary”? It is a worldwide nonprofit organization of more 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service – in the community, the workplace and throughout the world. You will find members in more than 200 countries with more than 34,000 clubs in the world who volunteer in communities at home and abroad to support
education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation and eradicate polio. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds. The Rotary Club of Playa Venice Sunrise is one of 62 clubs in District 5280 which covers the geographic boundaries of the Pacific Ocean to downtown and Santa Clarita to San Pedro. We represent the areas of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa
WHY ROTARY?
Teddy bears help cheer everyone up, and that’s exactly what Rotarians aim to do with their annual Build-ABear event benefiting USC County Children’s Hospital patients. For the last five years, the club has met at Westfield Culver City’s BuildA-Bear with the goal of selecting and outfitting bears, dragons, monsters, cats, dogs and other creatures to help spread cheer to kids that are battling illness. Rotarians and their families
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Vista, Marina del Rey, Del Rey and Venice and we are committed to living the motto of “Service Above Self” while having a lot of fun in the process. Whether we are passing out toys to our adopted families, supporting local teachers and schools or making pancakes to support the local fire stations, we always find time to have a little fun, laugh a lot and put smiles on the faces of those around us. For more information about Rotary or how you can help support a
local project, please visit our website www.playavenice.org, contact our Director of Membership Michael Warren (310) 343-5721, send us an email playavenice@gmail.com or visit us at a weekly breakfast meeting. The club meets every Wednesday morning at 7:15am at Whiskey Red’s Restaurant, 13713 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. We look forward to serving the community with you.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PLAYAVENICE.ORG
work hard to make the coolest, cutest or most heroic stuffed animals, which are then delivered as special gifts by the hospital staff. Afterwards, Rotarians meet at a local restaurant for fellowship and an event recap. This event is typical of a great Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary service project because it involves getting together for a good cause, camaraderie and teaching our “future Rotarians” the importance of Service Above Self!
PVS Rotary Special Section
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Photo by Glenn Marzano.
Visit our weekly breakfast meetings on Wednesdays at 7:15am! Meet us at Whiskey Red’s, 13813 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club is a 60+ member strong club with Rotarians of all ages, backgrounds and careers! The club’s 2017-2018 executives and directors include: President Gwen Vuchsas; President Elect Brady Connell; Treasurer Maria Davis; Secretary Lucy Wegner; Club Service/Social Club Service Jerry Jen; Club Service/Administrative Jeff Kim; Director of Community Service Bobbie Casalino-Lewis; Director of Vocational Service Matt Tecle; Director of International Service Joe Chehade; Director of Youth Service Sharma Henderson; District Liaison Juliet Oman; Membership Director Brady Connell; and Sgt. of Arms Joerg Rose.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Playa Venice is a Proud Supporter of Education
Teacher Mini-Grants The Teacher Mini-Grant Program is one of the largest and most successful programs of the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club. In January, the club celebrated the 21st year of the program and received the most grant requests in the program’s history: 152! The purpose of the program is to fund creative and innovative projects for the classroom. This year, the club was pleased to give away more than $17,000 in grants of up to $400 each to deserving teachers in all grades for both public and private schools in the local community. Over the years, the projects have helped pay for planting and growing vegetable gardens, creating meditation spaces, robotics equipment, teacher development, outdoor education, field trips and basic simple needs such as classroom rugs. Teachers very often pay for these types of projects or basic needs out of their own pockets,
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but the Rotary Teacher Mini-Grant program helps to alleviate some of that cost burden. This year, 70 grants were funded through the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Foundation. The club administers the program with partnerships and donations from organizations and would
PVS Rotary Special Section
like to thank our 2018 supporters: the M & M Foundation (The Plotkin Family); Howard Pollack, Rainbow Acres Washington Blvd.; Gail Goldstein; Joe & Maria Davis; Garrett Smith; the Stephanie Younger Group; Jim Bunch Memorial Fund; Playa Vista; SuperbTech; Sarlo Tax Service; Mike & Katie Wallace and the LAX Coastal Chamber. Education is a priority of the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club. In addition to the thousands of dollars given to teachers for these worthwhile projects through these grants, the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club proudly supports education through a book donation program, sponsoring the LAX Coastal Chamber’s Teacher Eddy Awards, providing volunteers for the Rock Roll and Run for Education, purchasing Venice High School Jackets of Excellence and awarding numerous high school scholarships!
Scholarships Awards Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club has always been committed to providing scholarship opportunities in the community. Each spring the club is thrilled to fund $10,000 in scholarships to deserving high school graduates. Following the review of numerous applications from local area high schools, Rotarians present ten $1,000 Rotary scholarships to amazing students. Participating high schools and organizations include Venice High, Animo Venice Charter, Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet, Culver City High School, St. Bernard High School and Co-Op. The scholarships include an Interact Scholarship, Leadership Scholarship, Exceptional Achievement Scholarship, “Service Above Self” Scholarship, Tony Steinhart Scholarship for a deserving LAPD cadet, Carol Goldstein Memorial Scholarship, Trudy Bird Memorial Scholarship, Don Culton Memorial Scholarship and Most Improved Student. The scholarships are presented at a special Rotary Breakfast Meeting for the recipients and their parents. The winning students are given an opportunity to share their future plans with the club members, whether at a university, community college or trade school. The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club believes all students are destined for continued success and very proud that the Rotary Club can play a role in supporting their efforts.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Photo by Glenn Marzano.
Thank you for your interest in our Playa Venice Rotary Club. We proudly live the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” by dedicating our efforts to our Community, International, Youth and Vocational Services. Community Service
Youth Service
• LAX Coastal 4th of July Parade • Pancake Breakfasts at Fire Stations #5 and #63 • Holiday Adopt-A-Family Program • Charity Build-A-Bear • Annual Cultural Dinner with presentation of Sunrise Community Service Award • Westchester/Playa Village Volunteer • Meal deliveries for Meals on Wheels West • Feeding the Homeless at Midnight Mission • Rock Roll & Run 5k/1k for Education • Habitat for Humanity • Utility Box Mural Project • Santa Tour
• Support of Interact Clubs at Venice High School, Animo Venice Charter HS, and Co-Op • Scholarship Program for High School Seniors • Holiday parties for McBride and Carousel Schools for handicapped children • Academic Jackets of Excellence Program at Venice High School • Sponsorship of HS students to Rotary Youth Leadership Academy
International Service
Vocational Service
• Sister City Club in Mexico • International Clean Water Projects • Building Homes for the Poor in Mexico • Support of Schools and Orphanages in Africa • Partnership with LAFD bring supplies and equipment to firefighters in Lake Chapala, Mexico • Jacaranda Project • Crutches 4 Africa • End Polio Now • Build a Better Benin • District Humanitarian Trips
• Teacher Mini-Grants • School Supply Program • Teacher Eddy Awards Sponsor with LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce • Book donations to local area schools • Pageant of the Arts Scholarship program for high school students …and much much more!
Come visit us at our weekly breakfast meetings every Wednesday at 7:15 a.m. at Whiskey Reds!
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News