Tuesday 04/21/26 Rotary meeting and luncheon

Our speaker will be Linghan Chen, a Rotary Global Grant Peace Scholar and a student at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, where she is getting her Master’s Degree in Conflict Management and Resolution. 

Linghan is from the People’s Republic of China and previously worked for the United Nations as an intern and Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining as a staff member.

I apologize to be so late sending this invitation out. Please RSVP right away so I can give the hotel our headcount.

April 24–26, 2026 | Chula Vista, California
Theme: Better Together – Better the World

www.unitedforgood2026.com  

This extraordinary gathering brings together Rotary leaders, Rotarians, Rotaractors, youth, families, and friends from across the Western United States and Mexico for three unforgettable days of unity, inspiration, service, and fellowship.

Hosted in partnership between:

• Rotary District 5340 – San Diego & Imperial Counties (Host District)

• Rotary District 5300 – Las Vegas, Southern Nevada & northern and northeastern areas of L.A. County

• Rotary District 5330 – Riverside County & San Bernardino regions

• Rotary District 5320 — Orange County & Southern Los Angeles Region

Together, we will celebrate Rotary’s power to transform communities, elevate leadership, and build lasting relationships across borders and generations.

✨ WHY ATTEND?

Better Together – Better World is more than a conference theme — it is a call to action.
Participants will experience:

• 🌍 International Project Collaboration
  Discover global grant opportunities, cross-border partnerships, and innovative service models.

• 💡 Leadership & Inspiration
  Hear from past, current, and future Rotary leaders, including keynote speakers who will challenge your Rotary purpose and ignite your vision.

• 🤝 Networking at Scale
  Build real relationships with Rotarians from California, Nevada, Arizona, and Mexico.

• 👩‍🎓 Rotaract & Youth Empowerment
  Dedicated programming for young professionals, Interact advisors, and future leaders.

• 💙 Hands-On Service & Unity
  Participate in projects and learning sessions that reflect Rotary values of compassion, hope, and collective impact.

Tuesday 04/28/26 Rotary Evening Social

Our social will be at Social at La Jolla Historical Society
Socializing on the lawn: 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Join  fellow club members and guests at 780 Prospect St. in La Jolla at 5 PM on the 28th.

Tuesday 05/05/26 Rotary meeting and luncheon

Adam Gordon, US Attorney for the Southern District of California,
 will speak on “Priorities and Trends in the Southern District of
California." More information: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/staff-profile/meet-us-attorney-0

Please RSVP by Sunday noon, so we can give the hotel our headcount.

Adam Gordon is a career prosecutor who became a nationally-recognized expert on prosecutorial strategies to combat the fentanyl epidemic. Gordon joined the office in 2019 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, serving as the district’s Criminal Division Opioid Coordinator and most recently as a cartel prosecutor in the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces Unit. 

Gordon was instrumental in creating the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team known as “FAST” in San Diego County which is now a national model. Formed in September 2022, FAST is a multi-agency task force led by Homeland Security Investigations that targets significant fentanyl distributors in San Diego County to reduce the overdose death rate. He also has personally achieved justice for the victims of fatal fentanyl poisonings by prosecuting the responsible drug dealers, including one who supplied a deadly dose to a 13-year-old boy in Coronado. Gordon received the 2025 Prosecutor of the Year Award from the California Narcotic Officer’s Association for Region IV.

Adam Gordon's outreach and prevention strategies have included unique ways to grab the attention of young people and warn them about the dangers of fentanyl, such as the production of a public service announcement that was a first-of-its-kind partnership between the Department of Justice and the Name Image Likeness Collective of the San Diego State Men’s Basketball Team in honor of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.

Additionally, Gordon extended his influence to law enforcement audiences around the nation by coauthoring an article for the Department of Justice’s Journal of Federal Law and Practice, Confronting the Chaos: Outreach and Prevention Strategies for the Fentanyl Epidemic from the Southern District of California.

Prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Gordon was a Deputy District Attorney in San Diego County where he focused mostly on violent crimes. From 2014 to 2018, Mr. Gordon was in private practice in San Diego. Gordon received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard University in 2004, and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2008. Mr. Gordon is also a Master at the Wallace Inn of Court.

Tuesday 05/12/26 Rotary meeting and luncheon

Celeste Parry, U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program

Please RSVP by Sunday noon, so we can give the hotel our headcount.

Davis Cracroft leads us again in this annual fun service event.  Shirt, snacks, and coffee provided

To sign up email:  daviscmd2021@gmail.com

Saturday May 16th Kiwanis Half Marathon

Fellow Rotarians,
Once again, we have been asked by the La Jolla Kiwanis Club to staff Water Station #6, located on Torrey Pines Road near Scripps Clinic Green Hospita (Ample parking available onsite). The water station, located after the long and grueling Torrey Pines grade climb, is a key hydration station for most of the overheated and taxed runners. The water or sports drink you hand to the weary runners, along with your encouragement, provides the needed boost for many runners to keep on going. Interact students from La Jolla High along with La Jolla Rotarians and their guests work together to make certain all the runners can quickly grab a drink on the run.  Come join us for a fun and rewarding morning!
 
A sign-up sheet will be provided at our meetings, or you can email, text, or call me anytime to confirm your participation.
Thanks in advance for pitching in to support our La Jolla community! 

If you have questions about this social,

contact Davis
Phone (619)341-0909
daviscmd2021@gmail.com  

Tuesday 05/19/26 Rotary meeting and luncheon

Please make sure to attend this special luncheon as we honor this year’s scholarship recipients. We will recognize five Riford Scholarship recipients (with two additional recipients unable to attend) and nine Rotary Scholarship recipients (one unable to attend). Many of their parents and school counselors will also be joining us for this meaningful occasion.
This is one of the most inspiring meetings of the year — a chance to see firsthand the real impact our club has on the lives and futures of local students. Celebrating their achievements is always a powerful reminder of why Rotary’s work matters.

Please RSVP by Sunday noon, so we can give the hotel our headcount.

Our scholarship recipients from the four La Jolla high schools, and their parents join us for lunch.

The students tell us their their college plans and often their intended (at least now) major.

This is always a fun meeting to get a glimpse of our leaders of the future.  May be held outside on the patio,

Friday 06/05/26 Rotary Joint meeting with the Golden Triangle Rotary Club

The speaker will be Pradeep Khosla, Chancellor of UC San Diego and one of America's higher education's most accomplished leaders. Here is more information about him https://chancellor.ucsd.edu/about/about-the-chancellor/index.html

Parking will be in the visitor spaces at Scholars Garage and will be self-pay. If you have attendees without Disability Plates who need closer parking due to mobility issues, we can arrange it in advance for $11 per space—just send  a list with license plate numbers at least 10 days in advance. We will confirm availability first, and then you can add it to the check for meals.

Faculty Club at UCSD here is how you get there https://facultyclub.ucsd.edu/directions/index.html

Please pay the cost ($32) of the meeting to our Rotary Club of La Jolla and we will forward payment to the Golden Triangle Rotary. There will be some opportunity for walk-ins, but Golden Triangle prefers advance notice for planning purposes.

Thank you!

Russel

Cost $32 - RSVP by noon May 29

The Golden Triangle Rotary Club has invited us to join them for a joint Rotary meeting, from 6:35 AM to 8:30 AM at the UCSD faculty club to hear Chancellor Pradeep Khosla of UC SanDiego, on;

      Leadership, innovation, and the future of higher education

 Consider the scope of what he overseas: a flagship research university of more than 46,000 students, 12 academic and professional schools, eight undergraduate residential colleges, a world class, health system, and the legendary scripts institution of oceanography.  It is by any measure an  extraordinary enterprise – and Chancellor Khosla has not merely managed, but transformed it:

Register with Natascha to reserve a spot cost will be $20 per person UCSD Faculty Club, 3035 Muir Ln, La Jolla, CA 92093.

This will be a good chance to find out what's going on at UCSD and meet some of our fellow La Jolla Rotarians oveer breakfast. 

Kim Heinle is the Executive Director of Bayside Community Center where she works to empower San Diego’s diverse Linda Vista community through education, advocacy, wellness, and community development programs. With more than 20 years of nonprofit and community leadership experience, Kim has become a respected advocate for equitable access to resources, affordable housing, food security, and youth development. She holds a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature and an M.A. in International Relations, and previously worked with the University of San Diego’s Justice in Mexico Project and Trans-Border Institute.

Andy Friedenberg is an author, filmmaker, entertainment industry veteran, and Director of the Cinema Society. With decades of experience in Hollywood, Andy has worked alongside celebrities, filmmakers, studios, and media professionals, building a career at the intersection of film, publicity, and storytelling.

He is the author of Celebrity War Stories: Confessions of a Publicist, a candid and entertaining behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry, sharing personal stories, industry insights, and unforgettable experiences from his years working with high-profile personalities and productions.

As Director of the Cinema Society, Andy continues to support film, media, and creative storytelling while engaging audiences through conversations about Hollywood, celebrity culture, and the realities behind the scenes of the entertainment world.