Posted on Jun 01, 2017
Club President, Frank Silva, declared the start of the The Rotary Foundation Centennial Celebration with VIP Introductions: Mayor Matt Hall; District Governor Elect 2017-2018 – Scott Carr; Past District Governors – Jim O’Meara, Marge Cole; Assistant District Governors, Mike Curtin and David Lam; Club Presidents - Vista High Noon, Devon Richardson; Vista Evening, John Viereck; San Marcos Noon, Holly Mahan; Carlsbad HiNoon:  Dawn Van Siclen; Rotary Club of Carlsbad Peace Award Winners: Jill McManigal.
 
Frank recognized the Carlsbad Rotation Foundation Committee: Chair Renuka Sethi lead the group along with Co-Chair Chungsam Doh. TRF committee members: Dave Saviage, Joe Bear, Terry Maher, Kevin Clark, Jim O’Meara, and Jeff Moses.
 
The  individuals in the group photo are
Sitting, L to R:  Lisa Rodman, Renuka Sethi, Janice Gonzalez, Sunita (Sunny) Cooke, Nina Movaheddian
Standing, L to R:  Frank Silva, Hamid Movaheddian, Carlton Lund, Scott Carr, Bruce Bandemer.
 
Carlsbad Rotary has been exceptionally generous and demonstrated significant support to the Centennial year:
  • 32 PHF were Recognized during the 2016- 2017 Rotary Year.  A club Record
  • 100% Member Contribution in a TRF Celebration Donation.  Gifts ranging from $26.50,  $100 and even 1 gift of $2,650 were made for a total of   $4,783.50.
  • Frank personally recognized TRF Committee Chair Renuka Sethi for the her leadership, establishing the programs, encouraging donations and for going beyond the call of duty.
  • Carlsbad Rotary members and a special donor donated a total $54,984 to the TRF; a Club record.  A total of $28,611 was donated to the Annual Fund…surpassing the Goal of $12,300; a Club record.  The Rotary Club of Carlsbad is #1 in the District with Annual Fund per capita of $484.94 - 4X higher than the District Average.
  • Carlsbad Rotary, thru our Polio + Jar, and a generous contribution by a Donor provided Rotary Foundation with $12,076 specifically for Polio eradication support. 
  • Carlsbad Rotary supported 3 International Global Grant Projects for a total of 15,350  directly from our Philanthropy Budget and Club fundraising efforts. 
  • The following philanthropic contributions were made this Rotary Year: Jim O’Meara – Orphans for Africa - $5,000; Doreen Tate – Uganda Medical Clinic - $2,250; Jeff Moses – Smiles for Tecate, $ 8,100.
  • Carlsbad Hi Noon, San Marcos Noon Clubs and the San Diego Global e-Club provided additional generous funding support for Smiles for Tecate Global Grant
At this point, Frank Silva handed charge of the TRF celebrations Foundation Chair and Master of Ceremonies, Renuka Sethi.
 
The Rotary Paul Harris Foundation Celebrations
 
Renuka introduced a special award to Rotary Benefactor, Janice Gonzalez. Bruce Bandemer lauded Janice Gozalez for her donation.  Scott Carr Placed the Ruby Pin; Bruce Bandemer placed the PHF Medallion; Frank Silva read the PHF Award.
 
Renuka announced Carlsbad Rotary TRF Committee decision to recognize 3 distinguished members of the community who have made significant contributions in the areas of: Health, Education and Community Service and honor each with PHF Recognition. As part of the ceremonial, Scott Carr, District Governor Elect 2017-2018, placed the Paul Harris Medallion on each person receiving an award.
 
Paul Harris Recognition in Healthcare  - Dr. Hamid Movahhedian, Tri Cities Medical Center:
 
“Dr. Mo” as he is affectionately known has absolute passion caring for the fragile babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Tri Cities Medical Center. He cares for them as if they were his own children, remembering each child and their families personally – not an easy feat, considering that he has cared for 12,000 babies and counting. 
 
One particular child that has made an impact on him is a boy named Caleb.  This little boy was brought to the Emergency Room unresponsive.  He was resuscitated, and Dr. Mo was urgently called to the ER. 
Since Dr. Mo is both a neonatologist and a pediatric cardiologist, he was able to quickly diagnose Caleb with a potentially fatal congenital heart condition that required surgery.  Thankfully, this story had a happy ending!  After Caleb was transferred to Rady Children’s Hospital for surgery, the cardiology department at Rady’s later told Caleb’s family that had it not been for Dr. Mo’s quick detection and diagnosis, Caleb would not be alive and well today.  You can imagine the joy and gratefulness of the family!
 
Due to this near tragic incident, Dr. Mo and the Tri-City staff pushed for the Emergency Code, Caleb to be put into effect.  Now, any infant 60 days or younger who comes to the ER in significant distress, receives the same, specialized care that helped save Caleb’s life.  Since its inception, Code Caleb has been called nearly 150 times – ensuring that those live saving minutes needed to save the tiniest patients are in place.
 
Not only has Dr. Mo saved the lives of countless children, he truly is one of the most generous and kind people you will ever meet.  Glen Newhart, Tri-City Medical Center’s Foundation President, said it best when referring to Dr. Mo: “He is an exceptionally caring person and an outstanding physician that has devoted his life to caring for NICU babies.  We are blessed to have him!”
 
Paul Harris Recognition in Education - Dr. Sunita V. Cooke, Superintendent/President, MiraCosta College:
 
With over 23 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke has served as a community college president for 10 years. She currently serves as Superintendent/President of MiraCosta Community College District. MiraCosta College has four campuses that serve over 20,000 students in North Coastal San Diego.
 
Dr. Cooke has lead statewide efforts to diversify state workforce and economic strategy in Texas and California based upon sector-based approaches.  Most recently she chaired the California Board of Governor’s Strong Workforce Taskforce, which led to 26 different recommendations to ensure community colleges engage with businesses and other partners to strengthen the state’s workforce development efforts. She has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels in Biology and Leadership Development for over 13 years. She continues to develop community college leaders and serves as a mentor to those aspiring to leadership roles.
 
Dr. Cooke is active in San Diego on the boards of Chambers (including Carlsbad), the Workforce Investment Board, the Economic Development Corporation, and Biocom. She also serves on the national advisory boards such as the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Academy’s Board of Science Education.
 
Dr. Cooke received her B.S. in Biology from American University and her Ph.D. from Georgetown University both in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her post-doctoral research at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas before becoming a founding faculty member of Lone Star College-Montgomery (Houston) in 1995. 
 
Highlights of the last three years:  In 2016, Dr. Cooke led the successful bond campaign (Measure MM), which will allow the MiraCosta Community College District to implement its Facilities Master Plan and construct career training facilities for science, nursing, health care, engineering, math, technology,  and skilled trades; improve job training, counseling and support services for veterans; repair and renovate aged buildings. She serves as Chair of the San Diego and Imperial Counties College Association. She was a leader in bringing a $13 million grant to San Diego County to align high school and college career pathways and partner with businesses to train the future workforce.
 
Paul Harris Recognition in Community Service – Lisa Rodman:
 
Lisa Rodman has been a part of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation team for 7 years. She has 30+ years of business development experience, raising funds, building relationships, and developing markets in various settings. She holds a BA in Communication from California State University San Marcos.
 
A Carlsbad resident since 1983, Lisa is passionate about building awareness of Carlsbad's most unique lagoon, "The People's Lagoon". Lisa is a member of Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary, Fund Development Chair of Hospice of the North Coast Board of Directors, Chair for the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Sustainability Committee, Member of the Events Committee for North County Philanthropic Council, Planning Commissioner for Carlsbad and served 12 years as Carlsbad Unified School District School Board Trustee.
 
In Rotary she is the past president, began Senior Helping Hands, a monthly outreach to complete “honey do lists” for our neediest seniors and is on the fundraising team for Brewfest.