Four Avenues of Service - Vocational Service

Vocational Service

2004-2005 Co-Chairspersons

Jim Lewis -Youth Services    Ken Hailpern - Outreach

2003-2004 Co-Chairpersons

Dennis Rast - Youth Services   Hal Reniger - Outreach

Dennis and Hal set to work immediately and their team came up with several excellent

ideas. They converted these ideas into action plans and the results speak for themselves.

1. We held four offsite meetings at the YMCA, Milgard Windows, Simi High

School, and Brandeis-Bardin Institute. Tours of the facilities followed and

everyone found these visits to be interesting and educational. The Simi High jazz

band entertained us and Milgard Windows donated our breakfast so that we could

use our meal income to donate to one of our charitable endeavors.

2. Our literary program consisted of book donations to the children’s library and

member participation in Dr. Seuss day.

3. Each week one of our members gives a small talk about his or her career or

business.

4. During the month of October we held a club discussion on Rotary classifications.

5. We had five R.I. Rotary Volunteers this year. They are Lora Simonsgaard, Dick

Strayer, Dennis Barbee, Ray Cruz, and Bob Mitchell.

6. We conduct an annual Business Person of the Year Program.

7. We participated in Portfolio Days at (3) Middle Schools in Simi. Volunteer

Rotarians, teachers, and parents conducted interviews on eighth grade students for

a period of ten minutes. The students were required to give the interviewer their

qualifications and tell them what it is they want to do for a living.

8. Deserving high school seniors received $9,000.00 in scholarship funds.

9. We facilitated a program at Simi Valley High School called the “4 way Test

Dilemma.” Challenging questions were presented to students in a classroom

exercise. Their answer had to incorporate the 4-way test.

10. Rotary Garden – This is a multi-year project covering 2003 to 2005. This project

is focused at developing career interest in Horticulture and Agriculture in the

youth of Simi Valley. Students will plant, maintain and harvest a producing

garden. The Junior Master Gardener Program through the University of California

Co-Operative Extension Program is assisting us. We have also obtained the use of

a piece of property for this project and obtained the cooperation of the City of

Simi Valley. We have obtained sponsors for fencing, irrigation system, seeds and

other supplies and are working with several youth groups on obtaining their

involvement and cooperation. The planting is scheduled for late fall.

11. We awarded Vocational scholarship to the Simi Valley Adult Education School.

12. We participated in and sponsored the CLU Mathews Leadership Conference