Welcome to September as we celebrate the 5th Official Avenue of Service- New Generations Month!

Children can bring out the best and the strangest parts of us! Think of the moment of their birth. We immediately love them, unconditionally. They are innocent, free of fault, trusting, loving and we introduce them to the world with “baby talk”. Our high pitch “goo goo” talk is the first hint of communication they hear. We brag, we compare and we hope for the best. But then, at some point the reality of the situation seeps into view.

It's RYLA time again.  We are once again starting the planning process for RYLA 2011, the Rotary Youth Leadership Assembly.  This year's event will take place on Catalina Island, Friday, April 15-Sunday, April, 17, 2011.   We are pleased to let you know that we are able to keep the cost for each attendee at the remarkable low price of just $200 per person.   We hope that this will encourage your club to send 1 to 2 additional students.   This truly is a life-changing weekend for the students that attend and is well worth every penny spent.

The 7-District Interact Symposium is an outstanding opportunity for Rotary Advisors, Interact Faculty Advisors, Interact Club Presidents and other club officers to improve leadership skills, exchange ideas about how to make an Interact club successful and share fellowship. The Symposium is a 3-day program that is held at a local camp setting. It has provided information and training to thousands of participants since it was first held in 1993. New and old Interact clubs from 7 adjoining Rotary Districts in California and Nevada are invited to participate in the Symposium, which is led by experienced Rotary and student leaders. The program is similar to Rotary's President Elect Training Seminar (PETS).

If you want your Interact program to be more effective and even more successful, please plan to join us on October 22-24, 2010 at the Outdoor Education Center in Orange, California. Visit the Interact Symposium website for registration, schedule and more.

Join your fellow Rotarians for the District Family Picnic September 12 at Seaside Lagoon! Great Food! Fabulous Fellowship! Games Galore! Crafts for the kids! Cardboard Boat Race! Above is a photo of last year's District Picnic Cardboard Boat Race winners, the Colombo-Americano Rotary club. Visit the District Picnic page for full details, including how your club can contribute!

(Story by DJ Sun, Koreatown Rotary).-Last month, I went to Korea and gave a presentation to seventeen Governor-Elects representing Zone 9 and Zone 10A about surgeries for children with cleft-lips and palate.  I was invited by District 3650 (Seoul, Korea) Governor-Elect, who is also the head of the group of Governor-Elects.  I showed them the slides we took during our mission in Vietnam.  The club I belong to, Koreatown Rotary club has been involved with Operation Smile in helping children with cleft-lips and palate to restore their smile for the last four years.  So far we have given 287 children their smiles back. 

When DG Doug visited the Hollywood club, a lot of "jocularity" took place. It was a full house plus high energy. The Governor expressed clear promise of the Hollywood club enjoying a renaissance. The DG Visit was also made special by a visiting Rotarian from Rugby, England who applauded the wonderful fellowship and future promise of the club. In the photo are DG Doug Baker, Hollywood Rotary President Melody St. John, and new member Alex Chivarsky.