Favorite Rotary Moments

Members of the Beverly Hills Rotary Club share their heartfelt stories of service and humanitarian impact

Submitted by Myra Lurie

Wanda Presburger

In February 2012, my then 11-year-old grandson Skylar traveled with me on our Annual Humanitarian Mission to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our mission was to distribute 180 wheelchairs to handicapped people, many of whom traveled for a day or two in the hope of going home with one. As the boxed wheelchairs were taken off the truck, a call was made for a “Project Manager,” a person familiar with wheelchairs, to take each one out of the box and put it together. My 11-year-old grandson raised his hand and volunteered. He explained that I bring his grandfather, my husband, to his house on weekends, and it is his job to take his grandfather's wheelchair out of the van, put it together, and sit his grandfather in it. He proceeded to open the box, took the wheelchair out, and explained how to assemble it. Four hours later, after we put together 180 wheelchairs, Skylar was named the “Project Manager” for our future Rotary wheelchair projects. On March 20, 2014, we put together another 180 wheelchairs, with Skylar, now 13 years old, managing the project. Afterwards, we danced until exhaustion took over. Teaching my grandson about Service Above Self and opening his eyes to the idea that not all of us on this planet are as lucky as we are brought many rewards in my life. Skylar has grown to be not only brilliant but also a most loving and giving human being.

Sharona Nazarian

Rotary embodies the noble principle of "Service Above Self," a philosophy that I am proud to uphold alongside my Rotary family, both locally and beyond. A particular moment that stands out for me is during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills truly demonstrated ingenuity and creativity in serving our community. We secured hand sanitizers and produced personalized, reusable masks for our members and, notably, the most vulnerable members of society - our senior citizens. Simultaneously, we provided meals to school families who were facing difficult times or living below the poverty line. By sourcing the food from local businesses, we not only supported the families but also our community's economy. Witnessing the immense gratitude on the faces of those we served is an experience that will forever be etched in my memory. I am grateful for these moments that make our work meaningful and memorable.

Charles Black

My Rotary moment would be when we helped young Anastazia from a small village in the South of France, who flew to San Francisco and Los Angeles to perform surgery on her ears to allow her to hear. We partnered with various Clubs across the world, raised money to alleviate the expense burden, and acted as a local guide and escort. And amazingly, she now has ears and can hear...it was truly life-changing for her.

Amie Sherry

I had the pleasure of being inducted as a Rotarian during the first year of the pandemic. In a time that felt so lonely and disconnected from my community, I remember feeling so much love, friendship, and a shared desire of wanting to be of service beyond our homes. I can guarantee when you meet a fellow Rotarian, you are greeted with the biggest smile and warmth that will fill your heart!

Cindee Rood

My Rotary Moment is actually a lot of little Rotary moments that led to my very own “full circle moment." I became a member of the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills in 2018. I immediately met a group of passionate people who live the Rotary motto of “Service over Self” and whose generosity supports dozens of local and international missions. I truly believe my love of travel led to my life of service. The more "off the beaten path," the travel - the more I love it. When I can truly experience other cultures – especially when people welcome you into their homes – the better the experience and understanding of others. I have traveled to 70 countries and no matter where in the world I was, I would see that Rotary logo attached to development projects – many in the most “off the beaten path” places in the world. I truly had no idea what Rotary was, but I knew it was something attached to doing good.

Cut to many years later, I took a leap of faith and started my own nonprofit, FormidableJoy.org. I could no longer “unsee” the suffering I witnessed and felt compelled to do something. The sole mission of Formidable Joy is to provide access to clean water in Malawi, Africa. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, where more than 70% of the population live in poverty, and only 8% have access to electricity, and yet it is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa,” because of how friendly and kind Malawians are. The beautiful people of Malawi are the inspiration for the name - Formidable Joy. Our 200 projects to date have impacted more than 400,000 people and can be found in some of the country's most remote schools, villages, and health centers.

The full circle moment: Thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills, that very same cog-and-wheel Rotary logo I saw all over the world on other development projects can now be seen on my nonprofit’s projects – supporting and providing access to clean water projects in Malawi, Africa!

I am a proud member of the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills and even more proud to serve as VP of International on the Board of Directors. We support international development partners and other Rotary clubs throughout the world with food, water, education, housing, women and girls empowerment, disaster relief, and more. Our Rotary Club of Beverly Hills projects can be found in all corners of the globe: Turkey, Rwanda, Ukraine, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Israel, and…Malawi! Fun Fact: There are 7 Rotary Clubs in Malawi.

Sandy Pressman

I have been considering my favorite Rotary moment, and it comes on Monday mornings when I realize that I am attending Rotary at noon at the Beverly Hills Hotel with all my Rotary friends. I remember a college sorority song which is most likely a parody of another song that now can represent my special moment about Rotary: A House, A Home, A Home Away from Home, A Feeling of Belonging, Knowing we are not alone...That is Rotary to Me.

Alissa Roston

 One of my happiest Rotary memories was being with our fellow club members and my two children visiting orphanages in Tijuana. It was such a joy spending time with the children and continuing to help them with scholarships as they grow and attend college. I hope we can do more.

Michael Moline

I have met many incredible people and had countless wonderful Rotary moments, including listening to some fascinating and renowned speakers and introducing and interviewing major celebrities and dignitaries. A favorite memory, and an extremely challenging task, for me, was interviewing the late, great Ed Asner and June Squibb. After the event, Mr. Asner pulled me aside and privately told me that I did an outstanding job. He said he felt at ease and comfortable and that I should continue doing interviews as I have a sincere and genuine tone with kindness coming through, AND he actually thanked me. Understanding that I have no formal training in media or in broadcasting, his compliment meant a great deal to me, and this was one.

Susan Berk

When we were in Puerto Rico during my year as Club President, we did a project to bring clean water to a village that had no access to clean water but had always been forced to drink muddy water. As we were opening up the project, the village women greeted me with hugs and kisses, thanking us so much for this gift. They served us fresh fruit and cookies that they made. It was one of those moments that really got to my heart, especially as this brought clean water for the first time to a place that is a part of the United States.

Myra Lurie

Of my two decades of wonderful experiences as a Rotarian, I especially treasure memories of the humanitarian trips I’ve taken to Colombia, Panama, and Puerto Rico. In Colombia, I loved playing with the children in after-school programs supported by Rotary, planting a hydroponic garden, and visiting the small shoe factory that Rotarians equipped for a group of young widows who could now support their families by making and selling shoes. But my most rewarding Rotary Moment took place in a Bogota surgical center where I sat with a young mother who traveled by bus for days with her infant son so that the baby could have a Rotary-sponsored surgery to correct his cleft palate. Hungry because he couldn’t eat before the operation, he screamed for an hour until he finally fell asleep. I was allowed to watch the surgery in the operating room and then returned to sit with the anxious mom. An hour later, the little guy was awake and returned to her arms for a long-awaiting feeding, his facial deformity surgically corrected, and his entire family’s future made easier and brighter, thanks to the good work of Rotary.

Gidas Peteris

The "Rotary Moment" encompasses memorable humanitarian experiences that leave a lasting, positive impact. One such moment occurred during a trip to Puerto Rico, where we distributed wheelchairs to local recipients. Witnessing the joy on their faces as they received life-changing mobility was truly moving.

Another memorable experience took place in Colombia, where a Rotarian donated funds to build a small house for a family in need. This act of generosity inspired fellow Rotarians to raise over eighty thousand dollars to construct additional homes, making a tangible, meaningful difference in the world.

Photos courtesy Myra Lurie