Stories

“There’s a satisfaction that comes from positively impacting the local community while helping those most in need,” Ray says. His love of being an active force for good in the world around him is what led him to a career in the cable industry, where he’s spent the past 40 years helping spread the word about everything from children’s programming to fashion accessories.

Having lived on both coasts, Brian’s spent decades in the insurance and precious metals industries, coming at the business world from a wide variety of directions. Walking through our doors almost two years ago with both an MBA AND a law degree, Brian joined us looking to extend a career that’s helped a lot of people. Originally from Carlsbad, he, his wife Lorrie, and children Kyle, Matthew and Allison are longtime members of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Carlsbad.

Like most of us, Brian originally joined Rotary because he was looking for an opportunity to have an impact in the local community and to work with others with a similar set of values. “I was a Rotary Youth Leadership Award winner as a high school student and had a lot of respect for the organization,” he says. Becoming a part of our international service group thus became a natural step and the perfect way for him to give back within…and beyond…Carlsbad’s borders.

Like so many southern Californians, Dan Sweeney said “Adios” to the cold weather of Chicago and Cincinnati, choosing in 2002 to make Carlsbad his permanent home.  And BOY are we glad he did!

Having shepherded three kids through the Carlsbad school system, Dan has had innumerable opportunities over the years to get integrated into the fabric of our community. That’s why he’s worked so hard since 2013 actively supporting Carlsbad Fill-a-Belly, which operates with the simple belief that we can all make a difference in our community, one meal at a time.

At the urging of Carlsbad Rotarian Ray Pearson, Dan joined our intrepid troupe this past January. “I saw Rotary as the perfect opportunity to leverage my contacts, resources and sales and marketing experience. My goal at every turn is to always support the larger community’s philanthropic demands to help those around me most in need.”

"Be the change you want to see in the world." This Gandhi quote still echoes through me, and was the impetus for my involvement with Rotary.

13 years ago at a Carlsbad Village mixer, I overheard two men discussing people/communities around the world they were helping.  I was curious, introduced myself, and soon was invited to my first Rotary meeting....and my life has never been the same.

My sponsor missed the initial meeting, but I introduced myself to several people, ate lunch, and settled in for the speaker.  When the PowerPoint began, it showed visions of abused African mothers and children.  Hundreds of children were sent from their homes to live in train stations to survive gang violence. These firsthand accounts shook me to the bone. I contributed to the speaker’s organization, but needed to find out more about Rotary and its effect on the world.

My father worked with Cesar Chavez in Ventura County in the 1960s, arbitrating on behalf of migrant farm workers protesting for better working conditions for the migrant farm workers.

I grew up in the Oxnard area, surrounded by those who felt strongly about the need for human justice and treating others fairly, so I got to see a lot of the civic activities they were involved with. For obvious reasons, I quickly learned to appreciate the impact one person could have on the world around him.

Meet the Future of Carlsbad

The Carlsbad Rotary Club recently held its Four-Way-Test Speech Contest, designed to encourage high school students to prepare and give speeches that apply the Four-Way Test to everyday activities and issues.

We caught up with Gale Tweedy, one of our newest members, to learn what motivated her to join Rotary International. A state licensed Holistic Health Practitioner/Massage Therapist who has spent her entire life in the Oceanside/Carlsbad corridor, Gale’s bubbly personality and can-do attitude would gladly be welcomed anyplace.  

As a child I remember watching my mother get prepared to go out for the evening. In her jewelry drawer she always had a dozen white envelopes into which she’d slip a few dollars each for donation to a variety of charities. And each week, without fail, she’d give these envelopes out to help those in our community who were in need. 

After 20 years in the Marines, I found myself torn between wanting to maintain my relationship with the Corps and a desire to help teenagers in my adopted home of Carlsbad.

I tried public speaking at Camp Pendleton, and that helped fill some of the void in my soul, but it just wasn’t enough.

After years on the corporate side of TV & Radio sales & marketing, and 20 years as head of my own boutique advertising agency, I’ve learned the importance of being a “life learner.” Because of this desire to learn, I found myself attracted to the high-quality level of the speakers at the meetings of the Carlsbad Rotary.

The Rotary Club of Carlsbad participates in The Rotary Foundation’s Global Grants. Since 2005, when 17 Rotarians visited South Africa, our Rotary Club has been consistently raising funds and matching them in Partnership with District 5340, The Rotary Foundation and other concerned parties.

“As is so often said, you get out of Rotary what you put into it!” says Julie Norby, who joined Rotary in 2006. She adds “I am proud to be a Rotarian and I am even more proud to be a member of THE Rotary Club of Carlsbad!”

“I joined Rotary shortly after Peder and I were married, having attended a few meetings with him while we were dating. Each meeting I attended left me feeling better than when I arrived, and I quickly realized it’s the people who make Rotary in general…and this club in particular…such a special organization. It’s among these wonderful, kind-hearted, involved, and genuinely good people who are all there for the right reasons that I want to invest my personal time.”

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Griff Lewis

Like many young professionals, my early career was focused on career development and advancement. As my family grew, a new emphasis was added to my life. But I was still a work-a-holic.

WHY I JOINED ROTARY: Rob Weinberg

I have a friend in Westfield, Massachusetts, who spent my entire nine years in that community trying to persuade me to join the local Rotary club. My typical response: “Go play in traffic!” To me, Rotary was a bunch of old white men having lunch each week. I had no interested in understanding it, and even less interest in being a part of it.

1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Club members joined host parents Todd and Trisha Maggs to welcome Belgian exchange student Arthur Vieillevoye at the airport Wednesday evening. Arthur will be attending Carlsbad HS as a senior this year.