Club Information
Welcome to the Rotary Club of Ojai - #674
Ojai
We meet In Person
Fridays at 12:00 PM
Aquinas Center of St. Thomas Catholic Church Activity Center
185 St. Thomas Drive
Ojai, CA 93023
United States of America
Home Page Stories
Pam Davis has over 30 years of experience in high school teaching and college counseling, including 8 years as the Director of Life Planning at Vistamar School in El Segundo, California. She has shepherded hundreds of students through the college admissions process and connected professionally with myriad college admissions officers over the years. Since 2022, she has served as a Senior Research Associate for Level All, an up-and-coming educational technology company creating content designed to improve the outcomes of high school and college students across the U.S. As part of that effort, she recently wrote a guide entitled “Inside the College Admissions Business” as well as guides to the college essay, the college interview, and building a smart college list. Pam holds a BA in English/Creative Writing from Stanford University, and a PhD in English from Brown University.
 
August 25, 2023 Ojai Rotary Club Presentation - Retired Col Jack Jacobs
 
Jack Jacobs is a retired colonel in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the Vietnam War. He serves as a military analyst for NBC News and MSNBC and previously worked as an investment manager. His program will be beamed to our meeting via Zoom and introduced by our friend and many time presenter of programs, local resident Keith Nightingale.
 
 
The Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation (RCOEF) annually gives over $150,000.00 in scholarships to High School graduating seniors from the Ojai Valley. In 2023 we awarded $150,000.00 in scholarships.
Submitted by Betsy Watson, Rotary Club of Ojai Community Grants Chair
 
Community activists of the Rotary Club of Ojai faced tough choices in awarding $25,000 to local non-profit organizations when requests totaled four times that amount.  The proposals, ranging from enrichment activities for area youth, event support, and storm damage repairs, underlined the deep ongoing needs in our bucolic community. 
 
The committee volunteers included new and seasoned Rotarians with varied community experiences. Despite that (or because of it?) they coalesced around requests that address basic needs.  At the end of the meeting, ten smaller organizations that provide direct services to residents of the Valley were selected for funding.  
 
Rotarians of Ojai proudly support youth who are transitioning from foster care, first-in-family college applicants, mental health services for at-risk youth and families of young children, music education, and outdoor volunteer experiences for students.  
Learning more about the substantial needs and services in our community underscores the importance of robust fundraising. Rotary Club of Ojai community grants are funded by our major fundraiser Taste of Ojai, an all-hands-on-deck annual event. In the large Taste committee and in the smaller community grants committee, we model the credo Service Above Self.
Photo below: Girls Empowerment Workshop received a $2000 Rotary Club of Ojai Community Grant
.
 
 
Every year the Rotary Club of Ojai awards the Fred Clapp Memorial Business Ethics Award to a non-Rotarian business owner in the Ojai Valley who exhibits a commitment to providing ethical service and improving the lives of people in our community.  On March 17 Carolina Murillo of Flora Gardens Nursery received the award at a Rotary meeting, including a plaque that will be displayed prominently at her nursery. She also was featured in an article with photo in the Ojai Valley News.  Together with her husband, Carmen, and her son Danny, Carolina has managed Flora Gardens for almost 14 years. 
 
Carolina is grateful that her business allows her to pursue her love of plants.  “I’ve had an insane love for plants since early childhood.  I am a certified arborist with a strong background in pest management.  I thank the many people who took the time to talk to me about their garden and share their dreams and goals while I poked around their garden,” Carolina said.
 
Rotary Club of Ojai is especially appreciative of Carolina’s advice and service in obtaining trees for the club’s annual Arbor Day tree planting.  For the past 22 years the Rotary Club of Ojai has celebrated Arbor Day by planting trees with students at a local school. The Rotary Club meets at the school for lunch, and students put on an Arbor Day program and also learn more about trees from Rtn. Al West, retired Deputy Chief U.S. Forest Service. 
Photo: (Left to right)  Al West, Clapp Business Ethics Award Recipient Carolina Murillo, Vocational Service Director Larry Beckett, Co-Presidents Marty Babayco and Kay Bliss
 
 
 

Taste of Ojai 2023!

A Journey of Food, Wine, and Art

2:00-5:30PM - Sunday, April 16, 2023 - Libbey Park

Get your tickets and view all the details now at www.tasteofojai.org

Proceeds from Taste of Ojai benefit the Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation. The Rotary Club of Ojai and its Educational Foundation have raised nearly one million dollars over the last two decades with Taste of Ojai being our primary fundraising event. Nearly $130,000 of scholarships are awarded each Spring to Ojai students for Fall enrollment at a recognized college, university, community college or technical school, with over 400 scholarships awarded to date. In addition, each year more than $30,000 of community grants are awarded to Ojai schools and non­ profit organizations.

In celebration of Rotary Club of Ojai’s 75th anniversary year, we’re giving $25,000 to Ojai Valley area non-profit organizations.  Organizations that serve residents anywhere in the Ojai Valley are encouraged to apply.  This year’s focus will be on projects with an environmental, youth and/or educational impact. 
Submit completed applications to ojairotarygrants@gmail.com before the February 28 deadline.
 
 
 
 
Please click on the link below to read a great story by Leslie Bouche, Chair of the International Committee.  It describes the efforts to generate a global grant for Prashanti International School in India.  It provides details of the grant and lists the many Rotary Clubs and other partners which provided the support.  The story was written for the District 5240 newsletter.
Rotary Club of Ojai: International Service Committee
 
The Rotary Club of Ojai’s International Service Committee (ISC) is a very active part of our Club. Over the past several years, we have developed long-term, close working relationships with communities in several countries such as Roatan, Niger, India, Bosnia, Ghana, and Cuba. Ojai Rotary has provided grants to support and help create sustainable, positive change in the areas of medical care, economic development, education & literacy, and water & sanitation. Here is a partial list of our club’s international projects:
 
Community Service
 
Bulletins
Club Executives & Directors
Co-President
President-Elect
Secretary
Treasurer
International Serv
Club Service Co-Chair
Membership Co-Chair
Club Service Co-Chair
Vocational Service
Public Relations
Youth Service
Membership Co-Chair
Co Chair
Co-President
The Rotary Foundation
Youth Service
Peace Chair
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays:
  • Christopher Williams
    September 6
  • Jack Jacobs
    September 10
  • Kay Bliss
    September 12
  • Catherine Lee
    September 13
  • Deirdre Daly
    September 13
  • Terry Beckett
    September 17
Anniversaries:
  • Marty Pops
    Barbara
    September 1
  • Allan J. West
    Joyce
    September 4
  • Terry Twichell
    Marion
    September 22
  • Michael Scar
    Suzanne Scar
    September 29
  • Suzanne Scar
    Michael Scar
    September 29
Join Date:
  • Bill Hatch
    September 5, 2008
    15 years
  • Suzanne Scar
    September 7, 2012
    11 years
  • Bruce Brockman
    September 11, 1987
    36 years
  • Kay Bliss
    September 14, 2001
    22 years
  • Bruce Hanson
    September 15, 2022
    1 year
  • Leslie Bouché
    September 18, 2015
    8 years
  • Barry Verga
    September 21, 1994
    29 years
  • Renee Halbrook
    September 30, 2021
    2 years
Make Payments Online
Member Dues & Fining
Click Here
 
Rotary Club of Ojai Educational
Foundation Donations
Click Here
Speakers
Marty Pops, M.D - Affirmative Action. (MP)
Nov 03, 2023
A new and old look at affirmative action for admission to medical school
Sergio Aragones (JJ)
Dec 08, 2023
Cartooning
Richard Camp (WB)
Jan 05, 2024
tba
Judith Vander (BB)
Jan 26, 2024
Musicologist & Composer
Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Fed (JJ)
Feb 16, 2024
The story of P-22 and building of the wildlife crossing in Thousand Oaks
JB White (BB)
Mar 01, 2024
A Writer & Musician's Life
Capt. Trina Newman (BB)
Mar 08, 2024
Policing Ojai
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