This Saturday, District 5300 is offering a Rotary Essentials session focused on one of the most important things we can do: build a vibrant, welcoming, and growing club. This session is all about membership: why people join Rotary, what makes them stay, and how we can create the kind of club that people are excited to be part of. Whether you’re new or have been here for many many years, you’ll walk away with ideas on how to attract amazing new members, keep current members engaged, and strengthen our club culture.

You’ll also learn about the tools Rotary offers to help us grow and how simple shifts can make a big difference in how we connect with others.

 

 Sign up here: tinyurl.com/Southpasrotary

When: Saturday, August 9th, at 9 AM

Where: On Zoom (so you can join from the couch!)

Zoom Link: 

 

Let’s keep making Rotary irresistible together 💛

 

 

        This isn’t going to be just any Rotary lunch meeting:  it’s going to be a celebration of membership & new club development month, a time to grow, to reflect, and to invite others into the magic we create together.

 

And trust us: you’ll want them to hear this speaker.

 

🎙 This Month’s Speaker: Zoot Velasco 

        Zoot Velasco wears many hats and wears them well. He’s the Interim Executive Director of Pasadena Heritage, where he hosts events at the historic Blinn House. This fall, he’s leading his second Leadership Training Program for Jericho Road Pasadena and continuing his transformative Prison Arts Programs at SATF-Corcoran and Avenal State Prisons, using theater to help prepare inmates for parole and successful reintegration.

Zoot’s latest book, small to LARGE: Growing Social Impact Organizations Against All Odds, dives into how nonprofits can thrive even during economic downturns. He also hosts the 501(c)3(b)(s) podcast, teaches Government Leadership at Cal Poly Pomona, and serves as District 5300’s Membership Chair (I serve on his team as Membership Attraction Chair). As a longtime Rotarian, past president of Fullerton, now with Altadena Rotary,  Zoot lives and breathes our motto. Fittingly, he’s speaking during Rotary’s Membership & New Club Development Month.

And because Zoot believes in mixing work with fun, he’s also active in the Restore Altadena Grants Committee, the Summer Concert Series, and not one but two lawn bowling clubs.

💛 Why you don’t want to miss this

Zoot’s not just another Rotary speaker. He’s a storyteller with humor, heart, and a Paul Harris story you won’t forget. Come ready to laugh, maybe shed a tear, and walk away reminded of why Rotary matters.

 

 

I know we’re not used to RSVPing for Rotary meetings - back in the day, you simply didn’t miss one! Since we no longer track attendance, I don’t take it for granted that everyone will be there.

As your club president, I want to serve you as best as I can - and that includes making sure we have delicious food, and the right amount of it. To help me plan, I’d be so grateful if you could let me know if you’ll be attending our luncheon by Monday, August 4th. 

📧 RSVP: bettyrotary5300@gmail.com

 

Thank you so much - looking forward to a meaningful time together!

 

I’m heading to the Rotary Leadership Institute on Saturday, August 16 in Azusa — and I’d love for you to join me! 

This isn’t your typical training.  It’s interactive, energizing, and designed to expand your Rotary knowledge, strengthen your leadership skills, and connect you with some of the most inspiring Rotarians in our district.

You can choose to attend Part I or Part II - but not both on the same day. We’ll wrap up with a brewery tour hosted by our District Governor Elect (and brewery owner!) Dennis Franklin. 🍻

💲 Cost: $45 - fully reimbursable. As I wrote you before, we included Rotary Education in this year’s budget :)

Let’s learn, connect, and grow together!

Register here: Click to Join Us (https://www.ismyrotaryclub.org/wp_api_1-2/R_Event.cfm?EventID=77833403)

 

       Every Sunday from 7:30 to about 8:30 AM, volunteers gather in the parking lot of the United Methodist Church of Los Angeles. Tents are set up, warm meals are served, and dignity is offered. This is simple, hands-on service that makes a real difference in the lives of our unhoused neighbors. After breakfast, the church holds a service at 10 AM, but volunteers are welcome to head out after the meal is done.

 

You’ll often see our fellow Rotarian Sara Munshin there, as this is her home church and you’ll always find students from our South Pasadena High School Interact Club, who volunteer every week. It’s a powerful way to connect with the next generation of service leaders and share in their energy and commitment.

 

This is also a chance to meet some of the very people we’ll be supporting through our Joy in the Streets holiday gifting project in December  and to build relationships that bring even more meaning to that effort. One morning can change everything. Come serve, come connect, and Unite for Good.

 

To sign up to volunteer, please contact our Service Projects Chair, Elizabeth Dever:

📞 (213) 842-0229

✉️ elizmariedever@gmail.com

 

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE: MEAL OF LOVE IS A MEAL FROM YOUR HEART

 

Join us on Tuesday, August 26th at 4:00 PM as we prepare and serve a comforting Chicken & Rice dinner for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Pasadena. These families are facing some of life’s hardest moments. While their children receive medical care, a warm, homemade meal can offer a much-needed moment of comfort.

This volunteer service is heartfelt, hands-on, and healing. It’s a simple act, but a powerful one:  offering not just food, but warmth, hope, and human connection. It’s compassion in action, a chance to give back in a tangible way, and a reminder of the shared humanity that binds us all.

 

763 S. Pasadena Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105

To sign up to volunteer, please contact our Service Projects Chair, Elizabeth Dever:

📞 (213) 842-0229

✉️ elizmariedever@gmail.com

 

 

 

As we gather for our “Lei’d Back for Good” Club Social, let’s share the aloha spirit by giving local foster youth a bright start to the school year.

 

We invite members, guests, Rotarians, and friends to join in (only if you’d like) by bringing a new adult-sized backpack filled with school supplies. Each one will go to Journey House in Pasadena, which supports foster youth ages 16–25 as they transition into adulthood and pursue their education.

 

💛 No pressure, just possibility. Whether you bring a backpack, a single notebook, or simply your good energy, your presence makes a difference. Even the smallest gesture can help a young person feel prepared, valued, and hopeful.

 

• Buy & Fill a Backpack – Pick up a new adult-sized backpack and fill it with school supplies (list below).

• Bring It to the Social – You’ll be giving someone the chance to start the school year with dignity and confidence.

• Shop Online – Order directly from our Start Strong Amazon List (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2GKUU1H7PPXZO?ref_=wl_share).

• Send a Cash Gift – Venmo @Carl-vonBibra and note “START STRONG campaign”.

 

• Notebooks

• Pens & pencils

• Highlighters

• Folders & binders

• Dividers

• Loose-leaf paper

• USB flash drive

• Index cards

• Sticky notes

• Scientific calculator

• Reusable water bottle

• Healthy snacks

• Travel-size personal hygiene items

• Gift cards (Pavilions, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco)

 

We’ll personally deliver the backpacks to Journey House in September during Rotary’s Basic Education & Literacy Month and we’d love for you to join us for this special moment (details to come). 

 

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE BACKPACK DRIVE:  please contact our Service Projects Chair, Elizabeth Dever:

📞 (213) 842-0229

✉️ elizmariedever@gmail.com

 

 

🌺 “Lei’d Back for Good”: A Hawaiian Night of Fellowship & Fun!

It won’t be just a club social: it’s a celebration of Rotary fellowship, where friendships are built, connections deepen, and new members feel the warmth of our club’s aloha spirit. Events like this are what make Rotary magnetic. Whether you’re a longtime member or just getting to know us, this is the perfect night to feel connected, inspired, and at home.

 

🎶 Feel the Aloha, Share the Aloha 🌺

Get ready to be transported. Joss Jaffe is an electrifying vocalist, percussionist, and composer whose music blends the lush warmth of Hawaiian slack key guitar, the soul of reggae, and the heartbeat of world rhythms. Internationally acclaimed for his artistry and magnetic stage presence, Joss has performed from California to Japan, sharing bills with Grammy winners and global music icons.

 

At Lei’d Back for Good, Joss will perform selections from Aum Akua, his stunning collaboration with Grammy-winning Hawaiian slack key legend Jim “Kimo” West. Expect pure island magic: sun-soaked melodies, hypnotic grooves, and the kind of feel-good energy you’ll carry long after the last note fades.

 

💛 Plus, Make a Difference

We’re also celebrating Membership & New Club Development Month with the perfect combo: Live Hawaiian-inspired music from Aum Akua + helping local foster youth start the school year strong = the ultimate feel-good evening!

 

 

Rooted in Hawaiian tradition, Hoʻoponopono is the practice of reconciliation, forgiveness, and restoring harmony. In Hawaiian, it means “to make right.” At its heart is a simple yet profound prayer: “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.”

Repeated like a mantra, these four phrases help clear negativity, heal relationships, and bring peace: first within ourselves, and then into the world around us. It’s a reminder that true healing and peace begin from within, through love, humility, and gratitude.

 

As we gather in fellowship for Lei’d Back for Good, we invite you to carry the spirit of Hoʻoponopono into the evening. Yes, there will be leis, laughter, delicious food, cocktails (think Mai Tai & Piña Colada), and incredible live Hawaiian-inspired music, but also something deeper: that feeling that only Rotary can bring you! 

 

It’s in the meaningful fellowship, the renewed sense of purpose, and the opportunity to grow as people and as members. Whether you’re new to Rotary or a longtime friend, come feel the spirit of aloha, the power of belonging, and the joy of making things right together.

 

 

For those who have not yet & wish to participate in the Hygiene Kits Drive for JOY IN THE STREETS, December 2025, here are ways to do so:

• Send a Cash Gift – Venmo @Carl-vonBibra and note “JOY IN THE STREETS campaign”.

• Drop off Hygiene Kits – David Morales‘s office 711 Mission, South Pasadena

• Contact Elizabeth Dever – (213) 842-0229 / Elizmariedever@gmail.com

 

On July 30th, we proudly inducted two dynamic new members into the Rotary Club of South Pasadena! Walter is a returning member (YAY!). 

 

Priya Trachtenberg is a dedicated educator with over 25 years of teaching experience, more than 20 of them right here in South Pasadena. Passionate about fostering compassionate, successful children, she has already joined in Rotary projects such as our holiday gift-giving for the homeless in Downtown LA and Interact Club activities. Priya loves traveling, hiking, reading, discovering new cultures, and enjoying art, and she comes from a family with deep Rotary ties.

Walter Zooi is the founder and executive director of the Los Angeles College of Music and an accomplished arts administrator with a strong track record in creative leadership. He is passionate about building vibrant arts communities and fostering talent. Walter is eager to bring his experience and creativity to Rotary while connecting with fellow members to make a difference locally and beyond. We’re so excited to see the energy, talent, and heart Priya and Walter bring to our club. Please join me in giving them a warm Rotary welcome!

 

Yours in Rotary Service,