Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Please join us on this walk and celebrate the memory of Past District Governor Chuck Pretto. Chuck made Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health his primary theme and his family have asked us to dedicate our walking team and our donations in memory of Chuck.

District 5340 will have a walking team at NAMIwalk on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Liberty Station and on April 13 at the Imperial Valley Mall. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Rotary will also be helping NAMI with volunteers. The event starts at 7:00am.  The walk is from 8:00am to 9:00am and the Wellness Expo is open until 11:00am. All proceeds will be used in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

So how can you help?

1. Register to join our District 5340 Team – click the “Join Our Team” button

2. Invite your your family and friends to join our team.

3. Donate and support our team - use the "Support Us" button.

4. Volunteer - If you would like to volunteer please email bob@aesynergy.com. 

5. Join – sign up for our District Chapter – Mental Health Initiatives email distribution to be kept up to date, click here. 

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Similar to "Who's Line is it Anyway?," All Hands On Deck!  is a hilariously fun, interactive, and family-friendly game show based entirely on audience suggestions. Each show is an utterly unique experience created on the spot by our talented ensemble of Improvisors. Family Friendly!

Our club will attend the improv night as a group to have fun and get to know each other better. Prospective members and guests are welcome! Contact us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

Our speaker program will be the student teams we helped sponsor to attend Rotary District 5340’s Model United Nations Conference in March. The 8 students from Madison High School will share how they prepared for the program, how they presented their side(s) of the issues, what their reaction was to the event, and how the program prepared them for the next step in their life journey. Their teams represented the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Burkina Faso.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Instead of our usual location at the Mission Valley Library, we will be meeting at the United Way of San Diego County this month. When you arrive, use the southern driveway to enter the building’s main entrance. There is no receptionist so we'll have a club officer posted at the entrance to welcome you until at least 6:10pm.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

For our social this month we will be attending VolunBEERS, a fundraiser for HandsOn San Diego where attendees have the opportunity to give back to the San Diego community through volunteer service while enjoying the best beer San Diego has to offer.

Attendees will make no-sew blankets and toys for our furry friends at Rescuing Cujo. The mission of Rescuing Cujo is to help abused, neglected, abandoned dogs by providing them with shelter, care and affection until a loving home is found where they can live in comfort and safety.  They do this by working with other shelters and rescues, and temporarily house dogs through their foster program at their facility in Jamul, California. They believe all dogs can be saved and provided with a loving home, no matter what size or breed.

Space and supplies are limited, so we recommend buying your tickets early.

General Admission is $25 for the Lassie ticket which includes project supplies + one non-alcoholic beverage. Drink Deals are $30 for the Scooby-Doo ticket which includes project supplies + one pour from Harland Brewing, or $50 for the Cujo ticket which includes project supplies + up to three pours from Harland Brewing. 

Join us for our club’s first new member orientation! It will be an opportunity to learn more about Rotary International, Rotary in our area, and our club. Covered topics include: Rotary history, using MyRotary, youth programs Rotary supports locally, and how you can stay in the loop with our club. All members are welcome! There will be time for Q&A at the end.

The orientation will take place at a member’s home in Mission Hills. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speaker for this meeting will be Cindy Finch, LCSW, a relationship strategist, coach, author, and keynote speaker. She will be giving a presentation called The Resiliency Curve: Exactly What to Do When Faced with Workplace Adversity.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Join us in celebrating Rotaract (Rotary’s membership type for young adults) during World Rotaract Week by spending a day of service at Paradise Canyon Open Space! Dive into the heart of San Diego’s natural beauty by helping with trail management and the removal of invasive species. It’s an opportunity to preserve our trails, ensure the survival of native plants and wildlife, and connect with like-minded individuals. Bring your gloves and let’s make a difference together!

Register here. Simply add your name to the list. See you there and thank you for joining!

Held only once a year, District Training Assembly offers training for Rotarians including club officers, directors, and committee chairs to help them become more effective club leaders. All club members, especially Red Badgers, are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

Come learn club management tips and best practices from other Rotarians throughout our region. This is a great opportunity to learn about Rotary and network with other Rotarians. We expect full attendance for each class, so don't miss out.

Register here. Attending the training sessions is free. An optional sandwich lunch is available for $10.

Join us in traversing an area of the San Diego River to help remove trash and debris with the San Diego River Park Foundation. Clean-up locations can be anywhere from Ocean Beach in San Diego to Walker Preserve in Santee.

An estimated 1 million pounds of trash enters the San Diego Riverbed annually, and the River Rescue team works diligently to remove an average of 2,000 pounds out of the riverbed at every clean-up!

Volunteers should expect to get dirty, physically exert themselves, and occasionally trek through treacherous terrain.

Signing up on the San Diego River Park Foundation’s site (linked below) is required to attend.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speaker for this meeting will be our own International Service Chair Arna Lewis. Arna will share about the Tepehua Centro Comunitario in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico. Arna lived in Chapala and was a member of the Rotary Club of Ajijic. The Tepehua Centro Comunitario was established  in 2010. Arna was especially passionate about teaching sewing skills to women there so they could become financially independent. This center was to enable the women and children in the community to learn their worth and provide for themselves. 

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Instead of our usual location at the Mission Valley Library, we will be meeting at the United Way of San Diego County this month. When you arrive, use the southern driveway to enter the building’s main entrance. There is no receptionist so we'll have a club officer posted at the entrance to welcome you until at least 6:10pm.

Meet and get to know our club members while enjoying award-winning and experimental brews, ciders, seltzers, wine, and canned cocktails drinks at Ballast Point. We’ll be outside on their patio. Current and prospective members and their guests are welcome! Bringing a friend and/or a coworker is encouraged!

This is no-host event. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming!

Join Rotarians throughout the District for this informative seminar that will provide an opportunity to learn and engage in discussions about how to attract new members and enhance the club experience for existing members.  Participants will be provided with a list of available resources and will participate in break-out discussions with other Rotarians who will share their thoughts and practices on membership.

This seminar is for Club Presidents, Membership Chairs, and all Rotarians who would like to know more about how to help their clubs grow and thrive.  

Zoom information will be provided to registered participants three days before the event.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speakers for this meeting will be Steve Walker and Brian Butler who are both docents at the USS Midway Museum and will be sharing “The Midway Story.” They will discuss the Battle of Midway, provide a summary of the aircraft carrier Midway’s active duty history from 1945 to Desert Storm, and a virtual tour through the USS Midway Museum. Steve is a retired top gun pilot and Brian joined the Navy in the late 60’s, serving on two aircraft carriers.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

Instead of our usual location at the Mission Valley Library, we will be meeting at the United Way of San Diego County this month. When you arrive, use the southern driveway to enter the building’s main entrance. There is no receptionist so we'll have a club officer posted at the entrance to welcome you until at least 6:10pm.

On December 16, 2023, Wreaths Across America will be at Miramar National Cemetery to Remember and Honor our veterans through the laying of Remembrance wreaths on the graves of our country's fallen heroes and the act of saying the name of each and every veteran aloud.

We will be volunteering to place wreaths on veterans’ gravestones and taking time to honor the fallen. The wreath placement will take place after a ceremony.

ALL volunteer parking will be offsite, unless you have an official handicap placard.

If you have a loved one for whom you want to place a wreath, you MUST sponsor a grave specific wreath. You can do this by clicking sponsor, scrolling down until you see "Grave Specific" and follow the outline. You will receive special instructions the first week of December.

Email us at mverotary@gmail.com if you’re interested in volunteering with us!

Our annual holiday party will include a potluck and white elephant gift exchange. Participating in the gift exchange is optional and the limit is $25. You can sign up to bring an item here. This event will take place at a member’s home in Kensington and is for members and invited guests only.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speaker for this meeting is to be determined.

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.

We are hosting a shopping day for Just in Time for Foster Youth’s My First Home program. We secured a matching grant from Rotary District 5340 to help purchase household items for the foster youth that participate in the program and we’re recruiting 24 volunteers to help out. The time for this project is tentative and will be determined as the date nears.

Just in Time for Foster Youth's (JIT) is a San Diego nonprofit based in Mission Valley that focuses on engaging a caring community to help transition age foster youth (ages 18-26) achieve self-sufficiency and well-being.

The My First Home service assists youth in creating a place they can call home, which is fundamental to creating their foundation for success. Youth attend their Distribution Center for a shopping day, where they can select everything they need to create a safe, comfortable and reliable environment they can be proud of. These items can include dressers, nightstands, dining tables and chairs, desks, dish sets, utensils, bedding, lamps, and much more.

There are typically 6 participants attending a shopping day which requires the support of approximately 24 volunteers. Each participant gets assigned a team of volunteers to support throughout their shopping experience in the following roles:

• 1 Shopper (Total of 6 volunteers): Helping a youth select items on their wish list and ensure all the items are marked for movers. The shopper will also be taking notes on items selected by the participant.

• 2 Movers (Total of 12 volunteers):  Once items are selected at the Distribution Center, the mover will move the items to a designated area outside and will help load furniture/household items into the moving vehicles, drive to the youth's home, and unload and move items into the youth's home. There is a lot of heavy lifting, and you must be comfortable with lifting heavy items.

• 1 Driver (Total of 6 volunteers): Help transport items using their SUV, pick-up truck, or a larger vehicle. Drivers do not need to arrive until 10am.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Join our Community Service Chair Linda at Banding Together’s Jam Session in El Cajon. She volunteers there every Thursday during the 6-week program. Email us at mverotary@gmail.com so we can register you through our team on HandsOn San Diego.

Be a mentor to 1-4 teen/young adults with special needs, such as autism, while they learn to play music. Volunteer mentors provide encouragement, model expected group behaviors, give compliments, give directions, and help their mentees build friendships and practice social skills. Mentors are important because they help the students with special needs gain social skills (e.g. learning how to make eye contact, have a conversation, have self control, etc.) that are essential to living a meaningful life in their community.

No matter your level of musical experience, you'll have a great time shaking a shaker, playing a drum, signing along and much more. Before and after the group, volunteers assist with set up (unloading musical equipment, setting up chairs, music stands, music books, etc.), process with the volunteer team after (complete a journal entry about experience and rate mentee responses), and tear down (load equipment).

About Banding Together

Founded in 2009, Banding Together’s mission is to bring music opportunities to individuals with special needs in our community. This is accomplished through key objectives that include providing: music therapy scholarships, free Jam Session programs, mentorships, and instruments.

Join us for a Friendsgiving potluck at a member’s home in Mission Hills. Sign up here to bring a dish to share. This event is for members and invited guests.

We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday to share updates and upcoming events, hear from a speaker representing a community organization, and to connect with one another. Upcoming events include volunteering and networking opportunities. A light dinner will be provided.

The speaker for this meeting will be Dr. Alain Lescart who will be discussing common themes and archetypes in science and fantasy fiction books and movies. Dr. Alain Lescart joined PLNU in 2005 as a professor of French and world literature. He also teaches two special classes on science fiction and fantasy literature. His main specialties are in 19th century French literature and in French fantasy literature. In addition to being a professor, Dr. Lescart is a published author whose books include:

• The Adventures of Candice Holloway (2 book series)

• The Extraordinary Adventure of the Sacred Cat of Burma

Prospective members are welcome! Email us at mverotary@gmail.com to let us know you’re coming. If you aren’t a member, your first meeting is free. We ask $10 to cover the cost of dinner from members and visiting Rotarians.