As the season of light begins, we celebrate Hanukkah—a time that honors resilience,
hope, and the miracle of light lasting beyond expectation. It is a reminder of the power of
faith, perseverance, and coming together
in community.
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PVSR Holiday Break & New Year Return
🌟 Join us for our LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR,
this Wednesday December 17! 🌟
Please note that PVSR will be DARK on
Wednesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 31. We look forward to seeing
everyone again for our traditional White
Elephant gathering on January 7, 2026.
✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ We wish you and yours a memorable,
peaceful, and joyous holiday season,
and a very Happy New Year!
Wont you join us Wednesday as our Adopt-A-Family teams share their experiences
— the families they met, the moments that
touched them, and the impact of this
year’s program.
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Birthday Wishes
A morning full of cheer set the stage for the
Birthday Fairy to sprinkle her magic on our December birthday celebration.
🎂 Happy Birthday to Jim Vuchsas, Lucy
Wegner, Diane Barretti, Jamie Altshule,
and Shosh Wambaa. 🎉
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A Choir That Made Our Morning
What a great Wednesday morning meeting, topped
off by the St. Bernard College Preparatory School
choir — 15 strong! They had us clapping and
swaying along as they performed several
Christmas melodies. Deep gratitude to each
student and to the faculty members who made
it possible: Darnell Grant, Music Program Director;Nate King, Choir Director;
and Mrs. Nate King, Vocal Coach.
We were honored to present the choir with a
check for $1,000. Inspired by the enthusiasm
of Foundation President Gail, Rotarians then
gave an additional $483 in spontaneous,
heartfelt contributions.
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100% Paul Harris Recognition
Awarded to PVSR
Dean Reuter presented PVSR with the 100% Paul Harris Certificate for the 2024–2025 club year.
That year’s Co-Presidents, Governor-Elect Brady Connell and Lisa Schwab, proudly accepted the
award on behalf of the club. Congratulations, PVSR!
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📸 Wednesday Meeting Captures
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Winter Fest Pancake Breakfast
Warms the Community
Winter Fest - hosted by Councilwoman Traci Park,
featured a pancake breakfast presented by PVSR
and the Stephanie Younger Group and welcomed
over 300neighbors and families. Guests enjoyed
pancakes, sausages, hot chocolate, coffee, and
orange juice, along with festive fun including a
visit from Santa, a snow play area for children,
arts and crafts, and a photo booth. It was a
joyful celebration of community and
holiday spirit.
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The Reindeer Rotarians -
Go Above and Beyond
Team 2 - The Reindeer Rotarians- truly embodied
the spirit of Adopt-A-Family when their family’s
needs extended beyond traditional gift-giving to
include two small sofas. Matthew generously
helped transport the furniture, while Rich, Rob,
and Dad worked together to assemble the sofas.
The surprise delighted the children and brought
broad, grateful smiles to Mom and Dad —
an unforgettable moment of care and
community in action.
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Holiday Cheer and Wrapping Fun!
This year’s Holiday and Gift Wrapping Party was a
wonderful success! Teams arrived with smiles and
plenty of ho-ho-hos as gift wrapping got underway,
accompanied by music by Stellan Swandlund -
a former PVSR scholarship winner now
attending UCLA.
A big thank-you to Rob and Gail for supplying
gift wrap, ribbons, and boxes—always an
appreciated contribution.
Dinner from Cantalini’s was generously provided,
with heartfelt thanks to Lisa for her kindness and
support. Special recognition goes to the Venice
Interact Club for adding their creative touch to the
gift wrapping. And a warm note of appreciation to Gwen, whose tireless dedication and attention to
detail ensured everything was perfectly organized
for a truly memorable event.
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Food For Friends
Our Northgate gift cards are now making their
way to the families who need them most. Lucia
Diaz joyfully shared photos of families receiving
our gift with deep appreciation.
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Events This Week
LAX Coastal Mix & Mingle December 18th
đź“ŤAC Hotel by Marriott
⏰ 5:30 PM - 8 PM
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Events Coming Up
Teacher Mini-Grant Awards Meeting January 14th
⏰ 7:30 AM - 9 AM ___________________________________
Habitat for Humanity Kick-Off January 17th
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WE’RE PROUD TO BE PLAYA
VENICE ROTARIANS
“LET’S GROW - LET’S GLOW!”
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PLAYA VENICE SUNRISE ROTARY
 Serving our Community since 2005
