Home Page | Rotary Club of Camarillo

We are a nonpolitical, nonsectarian leadership organization of local business, civic and professional leaders, meeting regularly to get to know each other and form the friendships that help us get things done in our community. We meet weekly on Wednesdays. If you're interested in joining us, please contact president@camarillorotary.org

COMMUNITY GRANTS AWARDED TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Recently, our Camarillo Rotary Foundation awarded grants to organizations whose applications were focused on providing support for programs/projects that align with the Foundation's specific areas of interest. The recipients are shown above.

Back row left to right: Paul Ward (Camarillo Rotary), Max Copenhagen (Camarillo Rotary), James Espinoza (Mission FISH), Paul(Mission FISH), Megan Voshell (YMCA), Jennie Parkinson (Boys & Girls of Camarillo), Jeff Walker (Camarillo Rotary President), Rebecca Solodon (Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation), Carrie Hughes, Kevin Brannon(Reel Guppy Outdoors).

Front Row, left to right: Chrissy Stamegna (Brain Injury Center), Shawna Morris (Casa Pacifica), Julia Stermer (VCCF), Barb Filkins (VC Chapter of the Ninety Nines),

Seated: Lynda Bowman (TEACH), Heather Hoffman (St. John’s Healthcare Foundation), Janet Young (New West Symphony, Mary Ann Novak (Pleasant Valley Historical Society), DW Donovan (St. John’s Healthcare Foundation).

HERITAGE DAYS STREET FAIR

Camarillo Rotarians provided information to festival attendees and sold Heritage Days Street Fair T-Shirts on behalf of the Camarillo Old Town Association, who organizes this great community event.

NEW RECORDS SET AT TRACK MEET

Saturday, May 17, 2025 saw 14 schools and 545 athletes (a new record) compete in 100+ events at Camarillo Rotary's annual Hap Rapp Memorial Track Meet, held at Adolfo Camarillo High. Ribbons were awarded to 1st through 5th place finishers in all events, and high point winners in grades 4 through 8 (shown here with Meet Chair Dave Drumright) received trophies. More than a dozen new records were set this year. The meet began in 1960, and is Camarillo Rotary's oldest community service event .

SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN TO DESERVING STUDENTS

Our club's annual Scholarships are one of our oldest community service projects, second only to the Track Meet. They began in 1962 as the Honn Memorial Scholarships, named in honor of two sons of then club president Charles Honn; the boys tragically drowned in an accident off the Oxnard coast. From one award annually in the early days, the program has grown over the years, and recently we were happy to honor an outstanding group of deserving students with $1,000 Camarillo Rotary scholarships. The winners, shown here left right with club President Jeff Walker, are:

• Elizabeth Hernandez, a Hueneme High School senior and first-generation college student in her family. Her ultimate goal is to attend UC Davis and specialize in small animal care.
• Michael Arteaga, a student at Adolfo Camarillo High who wants to major in Mechanical Engineering and pursue a career in robotics at CSU San Diego, UCLA, or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
• Angel Montoya, an Adolfo Camarillo High senior whose initial goal is to become an X-ray technician majoring in Radiologic Sciences at CSU Channel Islands or CSU Northridge.
• Oliver Martinez, a first-generation college student in his family, intends to major in Computer Science at UC Berkeley or Stanford.

• Andrea Pascual, a Hueneme High senior who is currently a student medical assistant and wants to major in Public Health for a healthcare career.
• Kimberly Orellana, who plans to attend a four-year institution and become a nurse.
• Nayeli Garcia Martinez, Hueneme High, another first-generation college student whose goal is to become a Pediatric Nurse. She has applied to Long Beach State, San Diego State, UCLA and UC Irvine.

NOT SHOWN:

• Maria Sonbol, a Rancho Campana High student who plans to attend UCLA, UC Berkeley, or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and pursue a degree in Biology, aspiring to be a physician.

• Angeliza Martinez, a Hueneme High senior who plans to major in computer science or cognitive science with a focus on AI and machine learning. She is applying to UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

• Mina Yudanis, a Rio Mesa High senior who plans to study Forensic Science at a major university.

Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners. We are so proud of your hard work and dedication, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

FOUR-WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

One of the world’s most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is Rotary's Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor when he took charge of a company facing bankruptcy. This 24-word philosophy for employees to follow in their business and professional lives is credited with helping to save the company. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, the Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages.

Every year, the Camarillo Rotary Club has a Four-Way Test Essay Contest for local students, asking the question "How can the Rotary Four-Way Test assist you and/or others to make the world a more peaceful place when confronting or dealing with the area of conflict?"

The year's winners:

GRADES 1-3
1st Place: Beckett Springgate, CAPE
2nd Place: Rastin Bailey, SRTMS
3rd Place: Carmela Heisserer, Las Posas

GRADES 4/5
1st Place: Arlene Nayak, La Mariposa
2nd Place: Morgan Jones, La Mariposa
3rd Place: Giavana Ryff, La Mariposa

GRADES 6-8
1st Place: Anton Pacheco, CAPE
2nd Place: Isabelle Karas, CAPE
3rd Place: Halima Yusuf, SRTMS

ANOTHER GREAT VIVA LA COMIDA!

Our 54th Viva La Comida on Monday, March 31, 2025 was a big success. Thanks to all who attended! A longtime Camarillo tradition, Viva La Comida began in 1971 as a fundraiser for the Camarillo Boys Club. Today, proceeds from the event benefit the Boys & Girls Club, YMCA and many other worthwhile local causes through the Camarillo Rotary Foundation.

2025 RANDY CHURCHILL BUSINESS ETHICS AWARDS

One of the key pillars of Rotary is Service Above Self, which can be carried out in a number of ways, including through one’s vocation. Recently, Camarillo Rotary presented its annual Randy Churchill Business Ethics Awards, recognizing and celebrating individuals and businesses in the Camarillo community who have exemplified service to others and have operated under the highest ethical standards.

Our 2025 winners, shown above (left to right) are Joel Brinkman (Arborist Crew Tree Service), Dr. Aaron Ayala (Perform Better Chiropractic) and the McKee Family (Castle Air, Inc.).

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