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Contact Us
Rotary Club of Santa Barbara
  P O Box 6268
Santa Barbara, CA 93160

Phone:  805-966-2272   Fax:  805-880-0335   Email


MEETINGS
We meet at 12 noon on Fridays at: 
   Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort
   633 Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, CA 93103.

Speaker Guidelines          PREVIOUS PROGRAMS 

CURRENT PROGRAM CALENDAR

2008
   MAY
         2     "Moral Dilemmas: WWYD?"
                    - Joe White, Psychology Professor - Santa Barbara City College
         9     SPORT 'N SPA DAY- Dark at the DoubleTree
       16     
"Guns in America:  Do the Benefits Outweigh the Costs?"
                    - Toni Wellen, Coalition Against Gun Violence
       23      WHEELCHAIR RACES - Lunch & races in the Rotunda  
       30     "The American Presidency Project" 
                    - John Woolley, Professor of Political Science, UCSB
   JUNE
         6     "Bringing King to China" 
                    - Kevin McKiernan
, Documentary Filmmaker & Author

       13     Title -- TBA 
                    - Lt. Gen. William “Willie” Shelton, Commander 14th Air Force & Commander JFCC Space
       20     "Where do All the Whales Go?"
 
                    - Dr. Charles R. Greene Jr., Principal Scientist at Greeneridge Sciences, Inc.
       27     STEP-DOWN DINNER & CELEBRATION
   JULY
         4     DARK
       11     President Laurie Yttri's Inaugural Address
       18     "The Livermore Nuclear Weapons Laboratory: From Creation to Star Wars & beyond" 
                    - Dr. James Davis, Retired Associate Director,
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
       25     
   AUGUST
         1     FIESTA PARTY- Dark at the DoubleTree
         8     Title - TBA
 
                    - Anil Garg, District Governor  
       15     
       22     
       29
   SEPTEMBER
         5     
       12     
       19     
       26     
   OCTOBER
         3     
       10     
       17     
       24     
       31     HALLOWEEN PARTY - Dark at the DoubleTree
   NOVEMBER
         7     
       14     
       21     
       28     
DARK
   DECEMBER
         5     
       12     
       19     
       26     
DARK

2009
   JANUARY
         2     DARK
         9     
       16     
       23     
       30     
   FEBRUARY
         6     
       13     VALENTINE'S DAY
       20     
       27     
   MARCH
         6     
       13     ST. PATRICK'S DAY
       20     
       27     
   APRIL
         3     
       10     
       17     
       24     
   MAY
         1     
         8     
       15     
       22     
       29     
   JUNE
         5     
       12     
       19     
       26     STEP DOWN - Dark at the DoubleTree


Club Officers
President
President-Elect
Marlene King (455-3400)
Laurie Yttri (687-0793)
 
Intl. Service Director
Vocational Service Director
Bob Fatch(964-8181)
Robert Dibley (898-4400)
 
Programs Director
Vice President
Steve Petersen (967-7979)
Bill Dutton (967-3062)
 

Secretary
Treasurer (acting)

Frank Williams(683-5775)
Bob Lucas (969-2677)
 
Community Service  


Committees & Areas of Service 

CLUB SERVICE
Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club.

Awards:  
The committee reviews all of the requirements from District 5240 to receive the yearly district awards (Club Service, Community Service, International Service, Vocational Service, Youth Service, Governors Citation, & Governor’s Super Club Award), and completes the necessary nomination forms in the Spring of each year.  The committee is responsible to encourage each Avenue of Service Director to meet the stated award requirements.
Banner Display:
Neatly store and display appropriate Rotary banners at the club’s weekly meeting.
Classification:
For each new Rotarian entering the club, arranges for an appropriate classification to be assigned to match the person’s vocation.  Works closely with the Membership Development Committee to assign a classification and develop a list of “open” classifications.  Usually meets monthly, or more often as needed by phone or email.
Elections:
Arranges for the yearly election of the club’s Board of Directors members.
Family of Rotary / Attendance:
(1)Makes club members aware of illness, death, or other situation regarding club members and their family.  Arranges for cards or other appropriate recognition as desired. Makes all club members feel welcome and part of a Rotary Family.
(2) Reviews weekly attendance (or make-up meetings) of club members, and takes appropriate action to help the reach 80% attendance. Helps President with recognition of members who have perfect attendance.
Historian:
Arranges for and keeps all historical records of club activities.  As appropriate, adds new items throughout the year in consultation with Club President and Office Assistant.
HUB Editor:
Writes or arranges for the weekly on-line publication of club’s newsletter “HUB”.  Includes minutes of all weekly club meetings and up-coming activities.  Coordinates with Public Relations & Publicity Chair for photographs to be included in the newsletter.  Has weekly HUB Editor turn in material weekly for publication.
Membership Development:
Establishes yearly goals and recruits in the community for new Rotary members to join this club.  Arranges for Rotary / Club information for prospective members and their sponsor.  Proposes member to the Board of Directors and club members.  If approved,   coordinates with President for induction, and with Red Badger Committee to let them know a new member is coming aboard.  Committee works weekly throughout the year.
Photographer:  
In the spring of each year, arranges for the photograph of club Rotarians who wish to up-date their photo for the yearly club roster.
PRLS (Potential Rotary Leadership Seminars):
Encourage and arrange for current and future Rotary leaders to become more effective in their leadership roles by promoting Rotary District 5240 PRLS and Master PRLS classes to club members. Class topics include: Leading a Meeting, Public Speaking, Facilitation Skills, Situational Leadership, and Rotary, Your Club and You.  May arrange for classes in Santa Barbara or support classes throughout the district.  Committee meets as needed.
Public Relations & Publicity:
Markets and promotes Rotary club activities and items of interest to the outside public.  Writes or assists club members with flyers and/or press releases for local newspapers and other publications.  Responsible to take photographs of Rotarians and guests at club meetings & activities and submit them for publication in the weekly club’s HUB newsletter.
Red Badgers:
Assists all new club members to become familiar with the club, its members, and activities.  Encourages and promotes all “Red Badgers” to complete their list of activities to graduate to a “Blue-Badger” status.  Plans and conducts the annual “Family BBQ” each September.  Meets at least monthly.
Roster:
Arranges for and prints the club’s annual Roster to be distributed to club members in the summer.  The roster will include the photograph of all current Rotarians with their names, addresses, classification, etc.  Coordinates with the club’s President to include in the roster the club meeting & event dates, names and chairs of all club committees, PRLS calendar, rules of the club, Red Badger Responsibilities, and other items of interest.  As the year progresses, coordinates with Office Assistant that new Red Badgers be included in the on-line Roster on the club’s website.
Sergeant of Arms:
Each Friday at the club’s meeting, assists the club’s president with all meeting room arrangements that include having a microphone, tables, chairs, head table, etc.  Helps President with the introduction of guests, visiting Rotarians, fines to club members, and other items as needed.
Web Site:
Regularly updates the club’s website with appropriate information that includes club activities, press releases, roster, and other items of interest. 

VOCATIONAL SERVICES

Character Counts!  
A framework for teaching the six pillars of character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship to schoolchildren.  Rotary clubs are supporting this program so that is may be promoted in all local public schools.  The Chair arranges for committee meetings periodically and works closely with the staff at the Y where a lot of the work is being done to coordinate with the schools.
Interact  
A Rotary Sponsored service club for young persons ages 14-18.  The program gives young people an opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects.  The Santa Barbara Interact Club connected to the Downtown Club is active at Laguna Blanca School.  The chair and committee coordinate special events with the school and keeps Rotarians apprised of events and special drives.
Rotaract
 
A Rotary sponsored service club for young persons ages 18 to 30.  Rotaract in Santa Barbara is a community based program sponsored by all the Group 8 clubs.  Program goals are involvement in projects that address social needs while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of service.  The chair participates in periodic meetings with other Group 8 club members to support the newly formed Santa Barbara Rotaract Club.  The Charter for the Club has just been submitted.  Periodic announcements at Rotary meetings to keep membership informed of activities.
Teacher Recognition  
Rotary sponsored recognition program to honor outstanding Santa Barbara teachers.  The Teachers are recognized at a regular meeting and given a certificate and a check for the purpose of supporting their academic need of choice.  Recognitions are arranged by the chair and coordination with the teacher chosen and their principal is involved.  Recognitions happen about 3 or 4 times a year.
Site Visits 
Periodically visits are scheduled to chosen local organizations to showcase their programs and services.  The visits take place during the normally scheduled meeting time and recent visits have included Santa Barbara County Bowl, Unity Shoppe and the Museum of Natural History.  The Goals is for 3 visits per year.
El Puente

El Puente is a County school for troubled youths who have had difficulties in the public school system for a variety of reasons.  Through the efforts of Rotarians, a vocationally based curriculum that achieves California academic standards has been designed with the goal of assisting the students to break free from counter productive activities, continue to upper education, and prepare for the responsibilities of adulthood.   The committee meets monthly to determine how best to support the students and may participate in monthly field trips with the students to Santa Barbara points of interest.

PROGRAMS

Song/Pledge Chair
Responsible for every meeting to have someone assigned to lead the song & pledge.  This person would be required for the entire year – July through June to line up red badgers (generally assigned by the month)  Once they assign someone to each month or every two weeks, there is little to do after that, except maybe have substitutes in case someone does not show up.
Invocation Chair
Responsible for every meeting to have someone lead the innovation.  This person would also be responsible for the entire year to assign individuals for this.  Generally we have at least five people who are always willing to do this.
Fiesta Party Chair
This person would create a volunteer committee to plan our Friday lunch meeting (first Friday in August) around the Fiesta parade.  There will be committed meetings to plan the event. Rotarians who volunteer for this would attend once a week meetings probably the month of July to set up event for one hour per meeting.
Fall Family Barbecue
This is generally handled by the Red Badger leaders and red badgers for the annual barbecue at Hope Ranch Beach.  They meet 2-4 times (one hour usually) in August to plan for the September event and the red badgers entertain & do the cooking.
Red Ribbon Lunch Meeting  
This is a fall event where all eight local Rotary Clubs meet at our location on a Friday, usually the last Friday in October.  We have one or two individuals who take care of most of this.  They generally need help the day of the event to sell raffle tickets so it is limited to helping out during lunch the day of the event.
Holiday Party  
There is a chair and co-chair that get volunteers on a committee to plan the Rotary Holiday Party.  Usually it is the first or second week in December.  Volunteers on this committee would meet in Oct/November for 3-4 meetings to plan out the event, entertainment etc.  Time commitment is max. 4 meetings over a 6-week period of time generally 1-2 hours planning the event.  No one works at the event.
Valentines Party  
This is small committee effort.  Volunteers would meet in January to plan this event for the Friday closest to Valentines Day.  They decide day or evening event and what the event will be like.  Time commitment is 2-3 meetings for one-two hours maximum in January-early February.  Very easy and fun to do.
St. Patrick’s Day Party  
Committee event - A small committee that meets in early February and plans the venue for the Friday closest to St. Paddy’s Day.  Can be day or evening Friday event.  Time commitment for volunteers is 2 meetings one hour each.
Sport & Spa Day  
A committee event, one chair person needed and committee members.  They meet 2-3 times in April to plan the mid May event.  It involves planning the lunch and golf tournament for the club. Time involved 3-4 meetings usually one hour max to plan out the fun sporting day for the club. This involves planning golf tournament, tennis tournament and scheduling spa activities at a specific location for member to go that are not golfing after the lunch meeting.
Step Down Dinner Party

This is a committee event that always has the past president and at least two board members on the committee and a few club volunteers.  They start meeting in March/April to determine the location, then in May they meet 2-3 times to plan activities at the event.  This is a fun event to plan.  Time commitment, is one-two hour meeting in March to select the location, and then 2-3 one hour meetings in May to plan the event which is always the last Friday in June. 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Foster Children Giving Program
For close to 10 years our Club has raised funds for the purchase of Christmas gifts for the foster children in the Santa Barbara area. Around Christmas time the Committee orchestrates fundraising efforts & coordinates shopping outings. Many local businesses help in the effort by providing discounts on even the hottest holiday gifts. Get into the holiday spirit and help Santa work his magic in the lives of these local kids.  
Meals on Wheels  
Around for decades, our Rotary Meals on Wheels program uses team captains and drivers to deliver a fixed number of prepared fresh meals to shut-ins each week as a contributing part of the larger program in Santa Barbara.  Captains organize schedules etc., and volunteers can sign up to deliver meals one day a week, or be an alternate, or whatever you can do.  
Fighting Back Task Force  
This committee works collectively with all the other local Rotary groups to help plan and run the Fighting Back program.   This program plays a major role in Santa Barbara in helping kids stay free from drugs.  They produce the “Stay Free for a Weekend” program each year.  Volunteers attend a couple of meetings and sign up to spend a few hours during the weekend at one of the local schools to help out with programs for students.
Major Fundraiser Project  
This year the Committee developed a strategy for fundraising.  During the next Rotary year the committee will help supervise the actual fundraising project (yet to be approved) and function as liaison between the project committee and the Board.  
Rotary Mentor Program  

This is a very important program where Rotary members volunteer, are screened and if approved, serve as mentors to local children in need.  This committee has been designated by the Rotary Board to alliance with the CADA Fighting Back Mentor Program.  This is a very formal and carefully developed program here in SB. 
During this present fiscal year, presentations were made twice to our club in hopes of generating volunteers to mentor.  As of today we have generated two potential mentors from the Montecito club and nine from our club.  During this next Rotary year this committee will be watching how our mentor program operates and succeeds.  This is a year long (or more) commitment.  
Salvation  Army Bellringers  
Salvation Army Bellringers occurs each December.  Volunteers from our club serve for a short period (usually one hour) on a given day and encourage people walking by stores, e.g. Borders, to make donations. 
Senior BBQ & Service  
Each year in the fall our club puts on a BBQ for the Parks and Recreation Department Senior Volunteers.  The chairman rounds up some regulars from our club and a few new recruits.  The help produce a luncheon for about 125 people.   

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE  

Honorary Paul  Harris Selection  
Reviews and selects individuals who are awarded the honorary Paul Harris Fellowships by our club.  These honors are given to both club members and  community volunteers who exemplify the “service above self” philosophy.   See club roster, page 10, for more details.
Rotary  Scholars  
This committee administers two Rotary Scholarships:
   1.      AMBASSADORIAL Scholarship.  Recruits applicants and selects candidate to represent our Rotary club and be interviewed by District Ambassadorial Scholarship selection committee.   See club roster, page 11,  for detailed explanation of selection process and candidate requirements.
   2.      PEACE Fellowships / scholarships.  This is a new opportunity for scholars to receive a master’s degree in the field of international peace.  Currently six universities throughout the world offer these degrees.  The scholarship pays for one year of study at the university of the recipients choice. 
International Special  Projects  
Reviews requests for support of international service projects and makes recommendations for funding to the board of directors.  The club foundation allocates about $5,000 each year to be such projects.  The WheelCharity event evolved from this committee.
Group Study Exchange  
Works with District committee to recruit and select local Outgoing Group Study Exchange team members, and acts as hosts for Incoming international team. See page 12 of roster for details about the Group Exchange.
International Rotary  Foundation  
Provides club members with information about the Rotary International Foundation, in the form of presentations at meetings or articles in the HUB.  Coordinates presentation of Paul Harris Fellowships that are purchased by club members for themselves or others.  Works with club office assistant to ensure that club members who have enough credit are awarded their Paul Harris Fellowships in a timely manner.  See page 10 of club roster for details about Paul Harris Fellows.
Youth Exchange  
An international exchange program for either a summer or a full year for high school students.  Focus is on developing international understanding, cultural appreciation, and building a global community through international youth exchange.  Youths are sponsored by Rotary Clubs around the world to live with both Rotarian and other community families.  Rotarian youth are eligible.


Santa Barbara Rotary Charitable Foundation

The Santa Barbara Rotary Charitable Foundation supports several local charitable organizations and a few international charitable projects.  The funding of the Foundation comes through the investment of certain endowed monies plus periodic contributions from the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara, its members and friends.  In the current fiscal year, July 2007-June 2008, the Foundation is anticipated to have on the order of $50,000 total available for distribution.

Interested charitable organizations wishing to submit a request for a grant should obtain the ‘Common Grant Application’ from the Santa Barbara Nonprofit Support Center’s web site http://www.nscsb.org/common_grant.html.  Thereafter, one completed (1) copy of the Grant Application should be submitted to the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara's office.  A Grants Committee will review the Application and make a recommendation to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.  The Board will make the final determination as to whether a grant can be made, and at what funding level.

The Grant Committee and Board uses the following guidelines to evaluate Applications:

  1. Funding decisions are independent of Rotary members’ involvement in any applicant organization.
  2. The Common Grant Application is required for grant requests over $500.  However, only the cover sheet of the Application is needed for requests under $500.
  3. Priority will be given to requests in the Foundation’s immediate geographic area.
  4. Generally, the Foundation prefers to make one-off grants for capital items only, since it is not in a position to guarantee its support for program expenses on an ongoing basis.
  5. Applications are reviewed three times a year, and must be received by the end of August, December, and April for consideration by the Grant Committee and Board at meetings held in October, February and June.
  6. No single organization shall be awarded more than $5,000 in a year.  Since there are usually more requests made than there are available funds, the Foundation often has to make partial rather than full awards, and occasionally can offer no funds at all.
  7. Applicant organizations shall note in their new request the date and amount of their last award from the Foundation.
  8. Applications will only be considered from organizations incorporated as a 501(c)3.

Any organization requiring further clarification should contact the Chairman of the Grant Committee Mike Smith (963-4595), or Grants Committee Member Monte Fligsten (898-9459).


Club History
  (Click here to see the club's Family Tree)
  
The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara was chartered by the International Association of Rotary Clubs--now Rotary International (RI)--as Club No. 351, effective January 1, 1918.  Preceding that date, a number of events had occurred. 
   James Briscoe had been a member of the Oakland, California, Rotary Club, before coming to Santa Barbara.  Here, he operated a ladies ready-to-wear business but missed the fellowship and service aspects of Rotary.  Early in 1915 he wrote RI asking permission to organize a club in Santa Barbara.  The reply, dated March 9, 1915, advised Briscoe that it would be ineffective to organize in a city of only 13,000 people.  Byron Terry, a real estate man, had previously been a member of the original Rotary Club in Chicago and knew Paul Harris.  He sought permission in 1916 to start a club, but was refused on the same grounds as Briscoe. 
   Through RI and the Los Angeles Rotary Club No. 5, Briscoe and Terry were brought together.  Finally, in the fall of 1917, permission was granted to Briscoe to try out the Rotary system with leading businessmen of the community.  He called a meeting of an organizing committee comprising himself, Dr. C. A. Bell, M. W. Beadle, Thomas Mason, D. H. Shauer, and C. M. Gidney.  They drafted a list of 20 men representing various classifications.  Interviews and small meetings followed. 
   With a very favorable response, a meeting was held on October 19th.  There was an impressive attendance and a large amount of business was transacted.  It was ordered that proposal blanks be distributed among those present and to other likely new members.  The minutes stated “It was moved, seconded, and carried unanimously, that a Rotary Club of Santa Barbara be organized.” 
   On November 2, the first election was held with James W. Briscoe named President, D. H. Shauer, Vice President, and R. H. Paulin, Sergeant-at-Arms.  At the next weekly meeting, the additional members of the Board of Directors were elected: H. G. Chase, M. W. Beadle, J. S. Reynolds, T. M. Storke, and Winfield Hogaboom.
  
Charter Night was held at the Arlington Hotel on December 14.  In attendance was a large delegation from the sponsoring Los Angeles Rotary Club along with District Governor Dewey Powell, representing the International Association of Rotary Clubs.  
  
The Charter bears the date January 1, 1918, although the Club was fully operational with officers, bylaws, & constitution on November 2, 1917.  On this date, the first weekly newsletter, “The Hub,” was distributed and it has been published ever since.  Charter members in addition to the officers, directors, and organizing committee were: S. L. Boyd, Frank A. Conant, A. J. Dingaman, George R. Drysdale, J. I. Eisenberg, L. W. Gaguier, W. N. Grant, William R. Hayward, Fred G. Law, Henry Levy, Michael Levy, Major MacGregor, Burt Moore, F. C. Nicholas, L. W. Northrop, A. C. Olney, Charles A. Ott, John Parma, C. E. Phoenix, W. H. Pratt, Fred H. Shauer, W. J. Spaulding, Charles Spear, and Bryon Z. Terry.  
   Club membership rose from the initial 35 members to nearly 100 by the end of the 1920s.  Members provided great assistance to the community following the disastrous 1925 earthquake.  The Depression resulted in a loss of about one quarter of the membership but the Club rebuilt to over 100 members in the early 1940s.  World War II drew about half the Rotarians into serving their country.  After the war, a rapid growth spurt took the total to 160.  In the 1950s, membership peaked at over 200.  In the early 1970’s, due to the expansion of new clubs in the community and a lack of a sufficiently large meeting place, membership was held to the 150 – 160 range, where it remains today.  High levels of perfect attendance have always occurred, including many weeks of perfect attendance.  Hundreds of members have achieved many years of perfect attendance.  
  
The Officers and Directors are elected from nominations by an elected nominating committee and from the floor.  To facilitate the training, planning, and preparation necessary for the Presidency, the election is for President Elect; he or she then becomes President the following year and Vice President for the third year.  Of the 37 living Past Presidents, 21 continue to serve as active members of the Club.  In earlier years, the Board of Directors administered the charitable funds with a committee taking care of the details.  In 1962, the Santa Barbara Rotary Charitable Foundation was formed for tax purposes with a separate elected board and officers with the Vice President serving as liaison.  
   Leadership for many community and professional organizations is provided by Rotarians.  Our list of accomplishments and successful activities is but a prologue for the future and a challenge for new members.  We proudly salute our past and welcome the opportunities for further service and fellowship in the future.  


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