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Welcome to Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club!

The Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club (CHNR) welcomes Rotarians and other visitors to its Monday meetings. The club meets at the Westin Carlsbad Resort and Spa, 5480 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008. A buffet lunch with salads and hot entrees is open at noon, with the business meeting beginning at 12:20 pm.

The Club, chartered in February 1980, has over 70 members. The membership is very active and committed to the Rotary principle of "Service Above Self." The club sponsors an energetic Interact Club at Carlsbad High School and each year sends both facilitators and students to the annual RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) conference for high school juniors and the Rotary LEAD symposium for eighth graders. The club sponsors Oktoberfest a Family Fall Festival--Oktoberfest 2025 is Number 42--including German food, German music, costume contests, games and a beer garden. Check out the website for event specifics: www.RotaryOktoberfest.org. This event has been designed and implemented since its inception by BOTH Rotary Clubs in Carlsbad: Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary and Carlsbad Rotary. Proceeds from Oktoberfest are shared with Carlsbad charities and used by each club for its many local community service projects.

Additionally, CHNR also supports our Carlsbad students via the AVID program at Carlsbad High School with a business and ethics conference plus college and trade school scholarships, a literacy project and book fair at Jefferson Elementary School, Junior Achievement and What Grown-Ups Do For Work, music instruction and a competition for middle school students, an essay contest for middle school students, and a speech contest focusing on the Rotary Four-Way Test for high school students. CHNR members provide extensive community: service every weekday, all year, through meal delivery to seniors; once a month to Brother Benno's to serve breakfast to the homeless; once a month to the North County Food Bank; and a massive 20,000 food packaging event to assist the Food Bank. Additionally, the club provides financial support (resulting from our fundraising events) to a variety of nonprofit organizations in Carlsbad assisting food insecurity, the homeless, Solutions for Change, the Carlsbad Educational Foundation, Hospice of the North Coast, Casa de Amparo, the North County Food Bank, the Veterans Association of North County, La Posada, Stand Up for Kids, the Carlsbad Boys and Girls Club. We are People of Action.

During the 2023-2024 Rotary year, club members provided 1338 hours to ease food insecurity locally, 207 hours to elementary school projects, 237 hours to middle school training sessions, 1606 to high school conferences and activities, 1273 hours to senior citizen and family needs projects, and 2701 hours to international Rotary projects relating to potable water, pediatric health, Ukranian refugees, school design in Nairobi and gifts for disabled children in Mexico. In addition to all the service members provide, they also have time to socialize and enjoy one another. During the 2023-24 Rotary year, members had an opportunity to attend over 22 separate social events.

Guests are always welcome at Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Club . . . come to a meeting and learn more about the activities (service and social) that members enjoy. Join us!

Hi-Jinx Bulletin - 1.6.25 Mtg

Next Meeting: Jan. 13, 2025

at the Westin

Volume 7, Issue 1

Reporter: Julie Walker

Photographers: Yvonne Finocchiaro

and Julie and Jeff Walker

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary

President Velyn Anderson

The first meeting of 2025 was held at the home of Maureen Taylor, with a pizza and salad lunch in her backyard on a beautiful sunny day. Pres. Velyn Anderson called the meeting to order, Julie Walker led the pledge, and Ken Clark led us in “Auld Lang Syne” after Pres. Velyn shared some fun facts about new year’s traditions. She also introduced our guests, District 5340’s District Gov-elect Luis Carranza and District Gov-nominee Jeb Bakke, and we sang the welcome song to them. Tommy Hersant shared a limerick about New Year's.

During the meeting, we broke into teams of two and attempted to answer multiple-choice questions about how New Year's is celebrated around the world. Winners, who received gift cards, were the teams of Dave Dana and Rick Huenefeld and Beth Garrow and Rocco Ciesco.

President Velyn, right, thanks Maureen Taylor for hosting the club’s Jan. 6 meeting. Below, some of the more than 30 who attended the meeting.

KEY HI-NOON DATES 

• Jan 13 CHNR Board Meeting

• Jan. 16 North County Food Bank

• Jan. 20 DARK (MLK holiday)

• Feb. 12 Brother Benno’s Food Service

** CHNR 3rd QUARTER DUES NOW DUE

Treas. Viveka Kjellgren has sent out the dues notices for the 3rd quarter of the 2024-25 Rotary Year. Any questions or issues: viveka@kjellgren.org or 203-984-2499

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• CHNR Board Meeting: 10:15am Mon., Jan. 13 at the Westin

• Dine-Around hosts are being sought for the January-February timeframe. Danny Quisenberry is looking for some members who would like to host 8-10 guests at their home, a restaurant, a winery, the beach, a park, etc. Dine-Arounds provide an opportunity to get to know CHN Rotarians in a casual setting. Contact him at quiz@mbeachlaw.com or 760-994-0778.

• Beth Garrow announced the Polio Plus piggy bank has collected about $800 in spare change at our meetings since the 2024-45 Rotary year began. The goal remains $1,500 for the End Polio Now campaign.

• Funeral mass and internment for member Terry Green will be Fri., Jan. 10, 1:30pm at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. A reception at The Crossings in Carlsbad will follow, from 3:30-6:30p. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Children’s Hospital LA in his honor.

OKTOBERFEST SURVEY

Yvonne Finochiaro urged everyone to respond to the online survery seeking input on our Oktoberfest, the major fundraiser each year for Hi-Noon Rotary and the Rotary Club of Carlsbad. The deadline for responding is Jan. 13. Members of both clubs have been emailed the link to the survery.

Finocchiaro said the leadership of both clubs is seeking input, particularly: Do we retain this event, re-invent it or cancel it? There are opportunities to voice your opinions and ideas. “We would like as much feedback as possible,” Finocchiaro said.

A committee from both clubs, she said, is looking at possibilities, including moving the event to September, whether we stay at the Strawberry Fields, and having a chair and assistant chair from each club instead of one chair for both clubs, as has been done all along.

“Do our members want to continue to do this? Are our members willing to commit?” Finocchiaro said. “We want your input, your ideas!”

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The club’s annual Jefferson Elementary School Christmas Shopping Project made Christmas a little brighter for 13 low-income families. Each family was adopted by a club member, who then shopped for the children, most with funds set aside by the club for this event by the club ($100 per child), while several members signed on as sponsors and covered the shopping costs themselves. The club provided a blanket for each family member, plus a grocery gift card for each family. Mary Fritz-Wilson hosted a gift-wrapping party at her home. Below, is Cindy, our contact at the school, with those who delivered the gifts to the school on Dec.18.

Santa's gift delivery team on Dec. 18, with Cindy, far left: Julie Walker, Carm Finocchiaro, Richard Weston, Mary Fritz-Wilson, Yvonne Finocchiaro, Beth Garrow and Jim Brubaker (not pictured: Jeff Walker). Some of the boxes, below.

ROTO-ROOTER

Yvonne Finocchiaro recognized January birthdays, including Tom Applegate, whose birthday was this very day and Jim Brubaker who will celebrate his on Jan. 29, and we sang the abbreviated birthday song.

Finocchiaro then fined herself for telling us just how special her holidays were. She got to visit her mother, who is 99-1/2 years old, and she got to hug not only her mother but all the kids and grandkids. But a highlight was when one of the gals, who was married in Finocchiaro’s home last May, gave out bottles of wine with a label that said: You can drink this, but I can’t. We’re havng a baby!

PROGRAM

District Gov-elect Luis Carranza

Jeb Bakke, Beth Garrow and Luis Carranza

Luis Carranza, a member of Rancho Santa Fe Rotary and district governor-elect for our Rotary District 5340 visited our club this day, along with Jeb Bakke of Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary, who is the district governor-nominee. Carranza will be District 5340's governor for the 2025-26 Rotary year. Bakke will follow, for 2026-27.

Carranza shared some of what he hopes to accomplish when he becomes district governor. His emphasis will be on more support for youth programs, he said, and thanked Hi-Noon Rotary for its strong emphasis on such programs. Carranza would like to see such a focus districtwide, including a restart of the Rotary Youth Exchange prograrm within District 5340, something not done in several years.

He is seeking Rotarians interested in helping to invigorate and shape the district’s youth emphasis and welcomes ideas and input.

NEXT MEETING

Jan. 13, 2025 at the Westin

Program

Mark Anderson

Thermo Fisher Scientific

A biotechbology firm and Carlsbad’s largest employer

RI Theme 24-25

Velyn Anderson President 24-25

Rotary International Honors

Army/Navy Academy Award

Bob Stonebrook Rotarian of Year 23-24

BMW of Carlsbad, Major Sponsor

Mark Ealy, Wealth Management Group, Major Sponsor

Service Above Self

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