Our July social will be one of the free Sunset Sunday Concerts at the outdoor amphitheater in Civita Park, located at the intersection of Civita Boulevard and Russell Park Way in Mission Valley. It’s a picnic-style event so bringing a beach chair and/or blanket is recommended. Each concert features a lineup of food trucks offering tasty local eats. Feel free to bring food for yourself or to share.

The musician will be Cassie B, a San Diego native who brings an infectious mix of pop, funk, rock, and soul. Perfect for a summer night of dancing on the lawn.

Prospective members and guests are welcome! Contact us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming.

Join Rotary District 5340 in the 2025 San Diego Pride Parade!
Support the launch of the new Rotary Club of Hillcrest and show your Rotary pride in one of the most vibrant celebrations of the year!

📅 Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025
💵 Registration Cost: $35 (Club Growth Contribution) 
📍 Location: Staging area near Park & University, San Diego

We’re aiming for at least one participant from every club in District 5340 – and yes, we’re in a friendly competition with Hillcrest Kiwanis, so let’s show up strong!

Event Details:

• Arrive between 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM to learn a few easy group moves with a ribbon wand.

• Parade kicks off mid-morning (exact step-off time will be announced in July).

• Route is 1.5 miles to Balboa Park (no resting spots, so come prepared).

• Parade ends near the entrance to the Pride Festival (tickets sold separately).

What to Bring/Wear:

• Solid colored T-shirt in a bold color of the diversity flag (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, or brown).

• Water, hat, and sunscreen.

• First 30 registrants get a special Rotary vest to wear! The Rotary Club of Hillcrest will retain the vests to use at future volunteer events.

🎉 Let’s come together as People of Action and celebrate community, love, and inclusion.
Register today and proudly represent your club!

Hillcrest Rotary is a satellite club of Mission Valley Evening Rotary that meets on 2nd Mondays. Our club is basically acting like an incubator for their club while they recruit members and get established until they are ready to become an independent club. MVE Rotary members are encouraged to attend Hillcrest Rotary meetings and events to show our clubs’ support.

Hillcrest Rotary hosts their meetings at Négociant Winery. The closest parking is metered street parking along University Avenue. Free parking may be able to be found on Richmond Street or Essex Street nearby. Light snacks are provided and wine/drinks are available for purchase.

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

PLEASE NOTE that this meeting will take place on the 1st Tuesday instead of the 1st Monday because the Mission Valley Library is no longer open on Mondays.

The speaker for the meeting will be Walter Lam, President and CEO of the Alliance for African Assistance. Walter, a refugee himself, founded Alliance for African Assistance in 1989 to assist refugees. In 2007, he established Alliance Health Clinic. The organization expanded internationally with offices in Italy, Kenya, and Uganda. Walter Lam is passionate about serving and assisting refugees and the underserve communities, both in San Diego and globally.

The mission of Alliance for African Assistance is to uplift refugees, immigrants, and the most vulnerable among us. They strive to help them become self-sufficient, thriving community members. As an affiliate of the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) they've successfully resettled 14,700 refugees from various countries.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Join us for a walk along the San Diego River to fundraise and raise awareness about Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate Polio. Participants are encouraged to donate to Rotary International’s PolioPlus fund prior to the walk. Please try to wear an End Polio Now t-shirt, your Mission Valley Evening Rotary t-shirt, or a red shirt.

We’ll meet at the Mission Valley Branch Library at 5pm then walk along the Ben & Nikki Clay San Diego River Trail, picking up trash along the way. Pickers, bags, and gloves will be provided. Feel free to bring your own! At 6:30pm we’ll enjoy happy hour and dinner at Pho Ca Dao’s patio (same shopping center as the Mission Valley Library). You’re welcome to join us at happy hour even if you can’t join the walk.

Please park behind the library at the park or in the main parking lot for the mall area, so we don’t take up the library’s parking spaces.

Hillcrest Rotary is a satellite club of Mission Valley Evening Rotary that meets on 2nd Mondays. Our club is basically acting like an incubator for their club while they recruit members and get established until they are ready to become an independent club. MVE Rotary members are encouraged to attend Hillcrest Rotary meetings and events to show our clubs’ support.

Hillcrest Rotary hosts their meetings at Négociant Winery. The closest parking is metered street parking along University Avenue. Free parking may be able to be found on Richmond Street or Essex Street nearby. Light snacks are provided and wine/drinks are available for purchase.

You won't want to miss this year's Governor's Dinner slated for June 7, 2025 at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley. This is going to be an evening of celebration for what we’ve collectively accomplished in Rotary year 2024-2025 and what the next Rotary year has in store.

• Tickets: $105/person

  • We’ve already booked a table for 10 with all seats claimed. We’re collecting interest in a 2nd table of 10. Contact us at mverotary@gmail.com including your dinner selection: Beef Short Ribs, Salmon, or Red Chili Roasted Cauliflower (Vegan/Vegetarian).

  • Early Bird Discount Ends May 3, 2025 - prices go up to $125.50/person

  • Event Registration Closes May 30, 2025

• Parking: $10

• Attire: Cocktail Dress/Gown, Dark Suit/Tuxedo

• Schedule:

  • 4:30pm Check-In/Registration Opens

  • 5:00pm Reception at Garden Terrace (No Host Bar)

  • 6:00pm Dinner & Program

    • District 5340 Awards presented by District Governor Dianne Crawford

    • Induction of 2025-2026 District Governor-Elect Luis Carranza

    • Induction of 2025-2026 Presidents-Elect & Assistant Governors

  • Dancing !!!

• Contacts for Event:

  • Co-Chair: Diana Marlip-Chuh, dmjchuh@gmail.com

  • Co-Chair: Colleen MacKinnon, cdmesescondido@gmail.com

  • Registration: Bonnie Welch, bawelch@pacbell.net

• Overnight Stay: You can book a room at the Marriott Mission Valley here.

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

Our speaker will be Jordan Harrison, a professional speaker, educator, and social entrepreneur based in San Diego who is also a Club 33 Rotarian and SDSU Rotaract alum. Jordan will share his “Rotary moment,” when he decided he’ll be a lifetime Rotarian. He will also share about his past experience supporting first-generation students with getting into college.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Join Rotarians from District 5340 in picking up flags after the second annual American flag placement at Miramar National Cemetery. The Rotary District Military Coordination Committee (DMCC) is placing 22,000 flags at gravesites on Saturday May 24 for Memorial Day and will need to pick them all up on Tuesday May 27.

The cemetery is divided into 11 sections and volunteers will be assigned to a section. There is ample parking at the cemetery but carpooling is encouraged. Volunteers from the same club will be kept together as much as possible. Detailed instructions will be sent via email the week of May 21 which will include cemetery section map, distribution plan and instructions, and parking scheme with diagram.

Join Rotarians from District 5340 for the second annual American flag placement at Miramar National Cemetery. The Rotary District Military Coordination Committee (DMCC) has 22,000 flags to place at gravesites on Saturday May 24 in preparation for Memorial Day.

The DMCC anticipates needing between 250 and 300 volunteers and expect that the flag placements will take no more than 4 hours. The cemetery is divided into 11 sections and volunteers will be assigned to a section. There is ample parking at the cemetery but carpooling is encouraged. Volunteers from the same club will be kept together as much as possible. Detailed instructions will be sent via email the week of May 21 which will include cemetery section map, distribution plan and instructions, and parking scheme with diagram.

Join our team for trivia! We're going to play trivia at San Diego Brewing Company in Grantville. Along with a full beer list, San Diego Brewing Company also offers ciders, seltzers, kombucha, non-alcoholic beer, pizza, and appetizers. We’ll start arriving at 5:00pm and trivia starts at 6:00pm.

Prospective members and guests are welcome! Contact us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. This is a no-host event.

Dear Rotarians, Rotaractors, professionals, community leaders, alumni, and students,

We are excited to invite you to Rotaract at UC San Diego’s first-ever Professional Development and Networking Day event in collaboration with IEEE on Sunday, May 18th from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Price Center Forum located at the UC San Diego campus.

Bringing together students, working professionals, nonprofit leaders, alumni, and members of the greater San Diego community, we hope to foster an accessible environment for students and attendees to:

• grow professionally

• build meaningful networks

• share ideas and experiences

Event Details:

Date & Time: Sunday, May 18th, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Price Center Forum located at the UC San Diego Campus

Dress Code: Professional Attire Required

Food & Drinks: Light food and refreshments will be served (Free)

Please direct any questions regarding this event to president@rotaractucsd.org or text 562-658-9536. If any special accommodation is needed or you would like to speak during the event, please reach out to us as well.

More details regarding the event will be shared as the date approaches. 

See you there!

We would like to thank ERC student council for funding our event and Center for Student Involvement for assisting us with the planning!

Sincerely,
UC San Diego Rotaract

Hillcrest Rotary is a satellite club of Mission Valley Evening Rotary that meets on 2nd Mondays. Our club is basically acting like an incubator for their club while they recruit members and get established until they are ready to become an independent club. MVE Rotary members are encouraged to attend Hillcrest Rotary meetings and events to show our clubs’ support.

Hillcrest Rotary hosts their meetings at Négociant Winery. The closest parking is metered street parking along University Avenue. Free parking may be able to be found on Richmond Street or Essex Street nearby. Light snacks are provided and wine/drinks are available for purchase.

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

Please note that this meeting will not be taking place at the Mission Valley Branch Library since it is not available on the 1st Monday. Instead we will be meeting at the Linda Vista Branch Library.

Our speakers for this meeting will be students from Madison High School that we sent to Rotary District 5340’s Model United Nations Conference in March and RYLA in April. The Model UN students will share how they prepared for the program, how they presented their side(s) of the issues, what their reaction was to the event, and how the program prepared them for the next step in their life journey.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or “RYLA,” recognizes and rewards deserving 11th grade students for their leadership and service. Each April, about 200 young leaders attend an all-expenses-paid weekend in Idyllwild, where they are inspired by a diverse group of exceptional speakers, make life-long friends, and discuss ethical and social issues affecting leadership today.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Please join us on this walk and celebrate the memory of Past District Governor Chuck Pretto. Chuck made Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health his primary theme and his family have asked us to dedicate our walking team and our donations in memory of Chuck.

District 5340 will have a walking team at NAMIWalks on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Liberty Station. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Rotary will also be helping NAMI with volunteers. The event starts at 7:00am. The walk is from 8:00am to 9:00am and the Wellness Expo is open until 11:00am. All proceeds will be used in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

So how can you help?

1. Register to join our District 5340 Team – click the “Join Our Team” button

2. Invite your your family and friends to join our team.

3. Donate and support our team - use the "Support Us" button.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, or “RYLA,” is a program that originated with Rotary International and has since been specifically designed by Rotary District 5340 for students in San Diego and Imperial counties.

RYLA encourages servant leadership in youth by recognizing and rewarding deserving 11th grade students who are chosen to attend RYLA as an "award" for their past and present leadership and service activities.

These select young people attend an all-expenses-paid full-day experience where they are inspired by a diverse group of exceptional speakers, make life-long friends through fellowship activities, and discuss the ethical and social issues of today. These activities are conducted in an atmosphere of trust and respect. The result is that these students return to their schools and communities motivated to take on additional leadership roles and to find additional ways to serve.

RYLA's intent is to encourage students to be more effective servant leaders. RYLA is not a camp intended to teach leadership skills (it is assumed that the students in attendance already possess those skills), however the following topics naturally arise in the course of RYLA activities and discussions:

• Fundamentals of leadership

• Ethics of positive leadership

• Qualities of a "servant leader"

• Importance of communication skills in effective leadership

• Conflict management and problem solving

• Building self-esteem and self confidence

• Elements of community and global citizenship

• Rotary's purpose of service to the community and world

Facilitators

One of the great joys of being a Rotarian is to share your vision of leadership and service with young people. RYLA gives you the opportunity to participate in leadership, learning and fellowship activities with some of the District’s finest high school juniors.  

Your RYLA "Family"

Families are the essence of the RYLA conference. Participants will be divided into families to provide a more intimate learning and sharing experience. Each family consists of a Rotarian facilitator and up to 10 students from different high schools throughout our Rotary District. The family will become a close-knit community as a result of working together and sharing ideas after each major presentation and activity. 

​The process of facilitation is to guide or lead the family as it reflects on an experience, whether that experience was a speaker, a workshop or an activity. Effective facilitation enables students to share perspectives on a common experience through a productive dialog and then develop behavioral changes through enriched communication, trust, and teamwork. 

What's required?

• A desire to spend a weekend in a beautiful location with a group of inspiring young leaders.

• All facilitators must undergo the Rotary District 5340 youth certification process.

• Facilitators have a list of supplies to bring, which typically cost around $100. If you need assistance with this cost, please contact the facilitator coordinator.

• RYLA takes place at a youth camp in Idyllwild, which is at an elevation of about 5,400 feet.

• Facilitators may share a dorm or cabin with students. In this case, they are expected to ensure students are accounted for each night before lights out.

• RYLA is a busy three days starting at around 7 a.m. and ending between 9 and 10 p.m.  You won't have time to check in with the office, take phone calls or much else while you are with your student family.

• The terrain at the RYLA camp is uneven with some hills. Facilitators need to be able to walk a couple of miles a day and sit on the ground.

If you have questions about becoming a RYLA facilitator, contact our club’s Youth Chair Bélgica Crespo.

Join Rotarians from across District 5340 for Padres baseball and fellowship. This time the Padres will be playing the Chicago Cubs. The game will start at 6:40pm. We will be seated as a group with other Rotarians throughout the district. The tickets cost $43.00.

Our Membership Chair Patti already purchased tickets for the 10 members who signed up to attend. If you haven’t signed up but would like to attend, you can purchase tickets using the link below.

SDSU Rotaract is excited to host a district-wide networking event designed to build meaningful connections among Rotary members while showcasing our club’s initiatives and future plans to Rotarians! This event is open to ALL, and they encourage everyone to join them for an evening of networking, collaboration, and community-building.

Event Details: 

• When: Sunday, April 13th 

• Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

• Where: Montezuma Hall, SDSU 

• Dress Code: Professional Attire Required

• Food and drinks: Available on a first come first-serve basis!

** Please keep in mind that check-in will begin at 4:45 pm **

If you have any questions please text or email SDSU Rotaract President, Evelyn Arredondo

Phone Number: (760) 550-2005 

Email: sdsurotaractpresident@gmail.com

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

Please note that this meeting will not be taking place at the Mission Valley Branch Library since it is not available on the 1st Monday. Instead we will be meeting at the Linda Vista Branch Library.

The speaker for this meeting will be our own member Craig McNulty. Craig will be sharing about his recent experience donating part of his liver to a friend with liver failure. He will also share about woodworking - how he got into it as a hobby and what he has made.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Held only once a year, District Training Assembly offers training for Rotarians including club officers, directors, and committee chairs to help them become more effective club leaders. All club members, especially new members, are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Come learn club management tips and best practices from other Rotarians throughout our region. This is a great opportunity to learn about Rotary and network with other Rotarians.

Attending the training sessions is free.

Join us in celebrating a belated St. Patrick’s Day! Meet and get to know our club members while enjoying specials on draft beers, wine, mules, and select appetizers at Rosie O’Grady’s in Normal Heights. Current and prospective members and their guests are welcome! Bringing a friend and/or a coworker is encouraged!

This is no-host event. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming!

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

Our speaker will be Kim Musluski, a member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club. Kim will be presenting on the Thousand Smiles Foundation and her (and her club’s) work with the foundation. Thousand Smiles provides free maxillofacial surgery, dental treatment, and various associated procedures to children from financially challenged families in Mexico. The foundation is totally funded by donations including but not limited to Rotary International Grants, other foundation grants, Rotary Club donations, and personal donations. Thousand Smiles is completely managed and run by volunteers.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at least 24 hours prior to the meeting at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Join us in packing 10,000 high-protein meals for the San Diego Food Bank to be distributed to San Diegans experiencing food insecurity!

California food banks are seeing more families requesting food assistance now than before the pandemic, and fewer donations of food. Our goal is to provide thousands of shelf-stable, protein-rich meals to the San Diego Food Bank to help them meet the demand for healthy food options.

All training and instructions will be provided. This opportunity is open to volunteers ages 7+ when accompanied by a parent. This project is hosted in partnership with Old Mission Rotary and with grant funding from Rotary District 5340.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Meet and get to know our club members while enjoying specials on draft beers, wine, cocktails, pizza, and appetizers at Yard House in the Mission Valley Mall. Current and prospective members and their guests are welcome! Bringing a friend and/or a coworker is encouraged!

This is no-host event. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming!

Fires throughout LA County have displaced thousands of families and left them without basic resources, adding to already difficult challenges for people trying to make ends meet in Southern California. They need food and essential resources to recover.

We plan to pack 30,000 meals and they will be transported (for free) by the Convoy of Hope, who will take it to distribution locations in the LA area.  We need 200 volunteers to pack the meals.

For every $0.40 raised, we can feed one person. Our goal is $12,000 in online donations to provide 30,000 meals. EACH PERSON IS ASKED TO GIVE JUST $35 (that's 87 meals)!

Outreach Program meals are nutrient-rich and shelf-stable with 7-11 grams of plant-based protein per serving. Easy to assemble, they provide complete nutrition for kids and families.

Please share the registration site with your San Diego friends and family, business connections, and coworkers. The more people we can touch with this message, the more mouths we can feed.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

We meet once a month to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speaker for this meeting will be Bogdan "Bogey" Matuszynski who will share about his experience as a Rotary Peace Fellow. In 2018 Bogey was awarded a fully-funded Rotary Peace Fellowship to study and earn a Professional Certificate in Conflict Management at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand in 2019.

Bogey is the Founder and International Operations Manager of iServe, an international education company that fosters global citizenship through experiential education, mentoring, and skill-building based on needs/interest assessment. Bogey is also the Peace Chair for San Diego Coastal Rotary.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.