Hi-Jinx Bulletin-2.3.25 Mtg

This was our annual Harvest Pack dry-meal packing event, with the meeting called to order by CHNR Pres Velyn Anderson following an early lunch. Eric Lodge led the pledge, and Pres.Velyn reminded us of other coming events, as indicated below.

 

                                          

            • Treas. Viveka Kjellgren reminds those who have not yet paid third-quarter dues to please do so. Any questions or issues: viveka@kjellgren.org or 203-984-2499

            • Brother Benno’s Food Service: Members are invited to help serve food at Brother Benno’s in Oceanside, Feb. 12, 6:15-8am. Contact Tom Applegate for more info: tjappleg8@gmail.com

            • North County Food Band: Beth Garrow is putting together a team to help pack food at the North County Food Bank, Feb. 20, from 1-4pm. Members, partners and guests are welcome, but EACH needs to register. Garrow has emailed registration link and requirements, or contact her at bethgarrow@comcast.net

 

            JoAnn Ross and Nancy Starling have began distributing scholarship raffle tickets to members. The goal is to sell them and raise $50,000 for local scholarships. Additional tickets are $20 each, or six for $100. For info or more tickets, contact Ross at ross93291@aol.com or 760-662-5385.

            The prize drawing will be during our April 14 meeting. Grand prize is $5,000, 2nd prize is a four-night stay in a condo in Sedona donated by Yvonne Finocchairo, 3rd prize is an e-bike, and 4th prize is a wine package. Last year, we were able to provide more than $41,000 in scholarships to Carlsbad graduates going to two or four-year colleges or trade schools.

 

Anyone interested in serving on the 2025 Oktoberfest Committee can contact member Jenna Dotson: jdotson@RepublicServices.com. This year's event, the major fundraiser co-hosted by the Hi-Noon and the Carlsbad Rotary clubs, will be held Sept. 20, at the Carlsbad Strawberry Fields.

 

• Feb. 28 and Mar. 1 Dine Arounds: Hosts have been set, and Danny Quisenberry has sent an email inviting participants for these two Dine Around dates.

• Hi-Noon Poker Night: Tommy Hersant will email date and time for the club’s resurrected poker night, to be hosted by Richard Weston.

• Hi-Noon Happy Hours: Hersant is seeking suggestions for Carlsbad locations for monthly Happy Hours. Contact him at thersant@me.com

 

After an early lunch, the room full of Rotarians, plus some family members and guests, took part in the club’s annual dry-food assembly-line packing event hosted by Harvest Pack. Members manned various stations at four tables to fill, seal, date and box up packages of instant oatmeal to be delivered to the North County Food Bank. Each package of oatmeal provides eight meals and includes oatmeal, cinnamon, sugar, vitamins and minerals. The packaged total was 21,125 meals, topping Pres. Velyn’s 20,000 meals goal.

 

All materials, equipment and food products were provided by Harvest Pack. Harvest Pack Rep Allie Wichman provided instruction and a short video before packing began. Any food spillage was saved, to be delivered to farm animals; all other by-products of the packaging event, including plastic wrap and cardboard, also were to be recycled. Since Harvest Pack’s inception, it has been responsible for providing more than 14 million meals to those in need, near and far.

 

Interesting sidenote: A Rotarian from Belgium was at The Westin for another event and noticed our CHNR meeting sign, saw what we were doing and dropped in to introduce himself—and to praise our community service efforts. Of course, we had to sing the CHNR Welcome Song to him!

               

 

Pres. Velyn thanked everyone who participated in this year’s event, and especially the visitors who joined in. A good time was had by all, while doing a fun and quite lively hands-on project.

 

               

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 10, at the Westin