SPINNINGS

Week of February 20, 2025
 

IT'S SCHOLARSHIP SEASON!

Scholarship Committee CoChair Jeff Lowenstein opened Scholarship Season at the February 13th meeting by unveiling the plans for providing $130,000 in scholarships this year.  
 
Every year the Club raises scholarship funds in 4 ways:
 
                              Fun Run                                
                              Scholarship Club
                              Car Show                              
                              Foundation Investment Growth
 
This year's Scholarship Club needs to raise $35,000 to meet the $130,000 goal. When you do the math, that equates to a suggested donation of $400. We're also hoping for 100% Rotarian participation.  If you can donate more than $400, it would be great!  If $400 is a stretch, please give whatever works for your budget because we want to meet our 100% participation goal!   
 
How are the funds allocated?
 
          $73,500           4-Year College or University Scholarships
          $26,500          Community College Scholarships
          $32,000          SMART Award Program
 
The good news?  The Scholarship Club has already raised $9,628.17! That means we need an additional $25,371.73.  So, it's time to step up and make your annual Scholarship Club donation. It's easy, just click on the link below to see all the different ways you can make your gift, including a handy monthly $50 donation option.  
 
Thanks for supporting our Club's efforts in providing scholarships to our community's college-bound young people.
Rotary Scholarship Club

a warm thank you

Houssein Taghar, a previous Rotary Scholarship recipient, attended Thursday's meeting via Zoom to share his academic journey.  He is currently a research fellow at the Stanford Medical School.  This fall he will be heading to Portland to attend medical school at the Oregon Health & Science University.  View his warm Thank You to Rotary on the Click Me link below.

so easy to donate!

Just point your personal device at the QR code above & you'll land on the donation site for the Scholarship Club where you can make your gift.
 
Or, if you'd like to donate another way, go to the Click Me link below.
 
Thank you!  
 

Elijah pays a visit

Elijah has now attended his first Rotary meeting at the ripe old age of three months. Always good to get an early start!  Looks as though Peter is a pro at bottle feeding little ones.  Elijah seems to be enjoying his bottle as he checks out the Rotary scene. Bet he then proceeded to take a nice long nap! Thanks to Angel & Osh for introducing Elijah to us in person!

dictionary distribution

San Mateo Rotarians are busy distributing dictionaries to 3rd graders throughout San
Mateo! President Joan has done a magnificent job of organizing all the logistics.  
 
Click on the link below to watch a quick video of students receiving their dictionaries. With thanks to Videographer Peter Webb and to all the Rotarians assisting with getting the dictionaries into the hands of excited 3rd graders!
 
 

this week's speaker

Our very own Dr. Darvin Scott Smith will be this week's speaker. Scott recently retired from his role as Chief of the Department of Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine at Kaiser Redwood City. He's a great asset to our Club and is currently assisting with organization of the 2025 Fun Run. We look forward to welcoming him to the podium this Thursday.