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Epic Day for Literacy

Four clubs. Thirty-eight volunteers. Ten little libraries.

The numbers alone can't begin to tell the story of the excitement, the connections, and the impact of our East San Diego County clubs coming together for the 2026 Rotary International Epic Day of Service! So here are a few photos.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Rotary Club members spent an April morning at Sharia's Closet in the SDSU College area, learning about the organization's mission and filling bright purple bags with items requested by people in need. Sharia's closet provides free emergency clothing to people in crisis, most of whom are referred by local social service agencies. The small but very organized space was filled with clothing, shoes, baby items, and other supplies - as well as volunteers working hard to fulfill orders!

Spring Into Service!

March was a busy month with Club members participating in a service project and a fundraising event, and hosting a Model United Nations Team from Costa Rica!

The month began at Groundwork San Diego's EarthLab at Millennial Tech Middle School in Southeast San Diego where Club members worked to improve the native plant garden.

Hello to Centifonti's!

NEW MEETING LOCATION starting Friday, March 20, 2026! Centifonti's Bar & Restaurant at 8365 La Mesa Boulevard, in the heart of La Mesa Village.

Farewell to Hooley's

After five memorable years we bade a bittersweet farewell to our "home" at Hooley's Irish Pub in La Mesa. Since March 2019 pub owner Craig MacDonald provided a welcoming spot and delicious breakfast for our twice-monthly meetings. Grossmont Center construction required the pub to close this month so the Club will meet at a new meeting location in La Mesa. Hooley's Rancho San Diego location is still open so stop on by!

LMSR supports Crawford HS Thrift

Members of La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club join with Crawford High School students to organize "Colts Thrift"

New Year, New Members!

Three new Club members joined our final service project of 2025 on New Year's Eve at Serving Seniors in downtown San Diego. We had the honor of serving a lunch meal to two shifts of seniors with Fred and Gabby, our guides for the day, helping make this experience fun and meaningful. We hope to make this an annual event to enrich all who participate, whether serving or being served. Thank you to all club members who were there, having FUN, and exemplifying Service above Self!

Growing Collaboration with MAKE Projects

What happens when members of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club collaborate on a service project with two other Rotary clubs, the San Diego State University Rotaract Club, and a Rotary Global Scholar from Japan? Conversation, connection, and positive impact for a great cause: MAKE Projects! https://www.sdmake.org/

Support for Safe Parking

The Jewish Family Services Safe Parking Program provides seven locations to offer people a pathway out of homelessness and a return to stable housing. Club members gathered on August 30, 2025 to assemble more than 30 bags of hygiene and comfort items to give to those in the Safe Parking Program.

Supporting Food Security with the San Diego Food Bank

On July 26, 2025 Club members, family, and friends arrived bright and early at the San Diego Food Bank's Miramar Warehouse.

Bowling Fundraiser Strikes Again!

The 2025 Bowling Fundraiser on May 2 continued a tradition begun in 2001 of fund and friend-raising at Parkway Bowl in El Cajon.

Filled Bags and Full Hearts

La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club members were up to the task of helping nearly 1,500 neighbors take home bags of fresh produce at Feeding San Diego for Rotarians at Work Day on April 26, 2025.

Connections Made at SDSU Rotaract Network Event

Did you know that the San Diego State University Rotaract Club is 30 years old and 93 members strong? The SDSU Rotaract Club's First Annual Network Event on April 13 was an ideal opportunity for La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club members and others to connect with this impressive group of student leaders!

SDSU Rotaract Board members provided highlights of their goals and accomplishments

Twice the Fun for a Good Cause

For the second time in a year, the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club was able to provide funding and volunteer assistance to help young people realize the dream of moving into a place to call home.

Climate Action Programs Benefit La Mesa and Beyond

Did you know about 40% of all food produced in the U.S. ends up in a landfill? Or that the methane organic waste produces is 70 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide?

Those important facts and others were shared in a presentation on the recent update to the City of La Mesa Climate Action Plan at our meeting on February 7.

Serving Seniors - A Win for All

On Saturday January 11, 2025, Rotarians and friends went to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center to serve lunch, assemble blankets to give away, and host a bingo game. Run by the nonprofit Serving Seniors, the downtown San Diego center provides breakfast and lunch to seniors age 60 and over, as well as enriching activities and connections to important resources.

A Weekend Well Spent

In loving memory of Club member Fern Platt-Hall, four dozen bags of supplies were put together for distribution to community members living on the streets.

SDSU Rotaractors Celebrate 30 Years of Service

Officers of the San Diego State University Rotaract Club attended our Club meeting on Oct. 4, 2024 to share information on their club's core values, recruitment and application process, and service projects.

Service on Both Sides of the Border

On September 28, Club members joined forces with partners to complete work projects in San Diego County and Ensenada, Mexico.

Public Hero Award

Shannon Coleman, Pubic Assistance Investigator with the San Diego County Bureau of Public Assistance Investigations, was honored as a Public Safety Hero by the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club. Nominator and Speaker Chair Camille Chenoweth-Moyer and President David Harris presented a certificate and gift card to Shannon in recognition of her dedication to her job and going above and beyond her job description to demonstrate "service above self" to improve conditions in her department and community.

A Moving Experience with JIT

Furnishing a new home can be especially challenging for young people who have experienced disruptions in their lives that led them into the foster care system.

In and Out Party 2024

On June 15 the Club extended a warm welcome to new President David Harris, and gave a big thank you to outgoing president Ron Rice for a year of leadership and laughter!

Club Honored for Service to Students

For more than 10 years our Club has provided support to the students at Diego Hills Central and its Learn for Life (L4L) sister schools. In recognition of this continued partnership, L4L Community Liaison Carlos Solorio presented a glass plaque to incoming Club president David Harris at the June 7 meeting. Club members Lisa Youngflesh, L4L principal, and Ivy Blumberg, retired L4L teacher, joined Carlos in expressing gratitude to the Club for providing Diego Hills Central students with college scholarships, a food pantry, and wrapped holiday gifts for their babies and young children.

NAMIwalk 2024 on Land and Sea!

LMSR Club members showed their support of the NAMIwalk 2024 at Liberty Station and aboard the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas during the District 5340 conference on April 28. The 60+ Rotary members participating and volunteering at the event raised $17,000 while at the same time joining Kim Pretto and some of her family members in celebrating the memory of Chuck Pretto, a strong supporter of mental health programs.

Rotary members joined more than 30,000 walkers in raising a record $255K for NAMI programs in San Diego and Imperial County, demonstrating the awesome power of partnerships!

For more info about NAMI visit https://namisandiego.org/

Annual Bowling Fundraiser

Our bowling fundraiser at Parkway Bowl on May 10 was lots of noisy, flashing, bidding fun, and raised nearly $3,000! Thank you to everyone who found items to donate for the raffle, helped with the planning, set up, and clean up, including Marco who brought the giant inflatable Rotary sign. Hooray!!

Back Packs for Just In Time For Foster Youth

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Please join us!

Service Above Self

We meet In Person

Fridays at 7:15 a.m.

Centifonti's Bar & Restaurant

8365 La Mesa Blvd.
La Mesa, CA 91942
United States of America

You are welcome to join us at our meetings on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Buffet breakfast starts at 7:30am. Most meetings are streamed on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/la.rotary

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