$8,755 Check Presentation to Jacqueline Guan for Reality Changers
Jacqueline Guan of Reality Changers attended the meeting to thank DMSB Rotary for its recent $8,755 donation to Reality Changers. Reality Changers was one of the two Major Beneficiaries of the Club’s 2018 BocceFest fundraiser, receiving 20% of its net proceeds. Reality Changers’ mission is to transform lives by providing youth from disadvantaged backgrounds with the academic support, financial assistance, and leadership training to become college graduates. It is a homegrown organization, started 18 years ago. It serves students throughout San Diego County from its main facility in the City of San Diego and branch in Solana Beach. Jacqueline updated us with news that their main facility now has 15,000 square feet, a major increase from their recent, crowded 3,000 square feet space, and their search for a new leader now that its founder, Christopher Yanov, has stepped down as CEO.
Molly’s My Three Things
Molly Fleming told the Club of the 3 big things in her life: Family, Health, and Career. We learned that she had great, loving parents, even though they were quite strict. She seemed to like her brothers, too. Her parents taught her to work hard (jobs since age 14, including waitressing and phone solicitations while at SDSU), get a good education, and help others through charitable activities (that’s how we found Molly, checking in donors at a mobile Blood Bank event in Solana Beach).
Health is important to Molly, partly due to her experience with panic attacks in college, which she overcame through help, meditation, and increased attention to her overall health.
Molly spoke about her career, why she chose real estate (more personal control), some great mentors (two really great ones), and now her balancing act between career and baby Riley (with Tim’s help, of course).
Program Speaker, Jim Bettencourt of the California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol officer Jim Bettencourt provided our program this morning, covering much good information. With 19 years as a CHP’s officer, Jim now serves as a Media Information Officer. He does outreach and news reporting among his many jobs There are two main CHP facilities in San Diego County, one off Ruffin Road in San Diego and the “Oceanside” facility actually in Vista. Their Transportation Management System watches over all of the roads in San Diego County and is worth a visit by the club.
CHP has a Freeway Service Patrol to clear highway lanes clogged by vehicle breakdowns, out of gas, or health and other issues. It also serves as eyes and ears for CHP officers. Call 511 if you need help; it’s free. CHP also provides many educational programs, including its Smart Start education program that teaches high school students (with their parents) about safe driving, including the many poor decisions that can impact them and others. Other programs include Just Drive (for business drivers), Age Well (for older drivers), and Cheaters Program (concerning residents who don’t register their cars in California to save money).
Other tidbits included: In a no-injury crash, clear the lane first and stay in a safe area. Deaths from crashes normally involve at least 1 of 3 causes - Speed, DUI, No Seatbelts. DUI check points catch relatively few abusers, but they serve as a caution to drivers. Most DUI stops are made by patrolmen who notice unsafe driving. The CHP is California’s state police, having absorbed the early California State Police some time ago. So, the CHP can enforce laws anywhere within the state, not just on highways. CHP officers are paid well (about $100,000/year after 5 years), but recruiting good officers is still difficult. CHP emphasizes respect for all, with training and the practice aimed at verbally de-escalating situations verbally if at all possible.
In the end DMSB Club President Ken Barrett presented the speaker with the Joshua certificate that represents our club DMSB donating school supplies to schools in Malawi in the name of the speaker.
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