Posted by Wes Bradford on Oct 10, 2017
 

Induction of Mario Santoyo (Premier Bank), by DG Vergari & PDG Lew Bertrand

District Governor Cozette Vergari has her own law firm in Family Law and Trust & Estates. She has served as legal counsel for minor children in high-conflict custody battles. She graduated from USC in Dance and a Master's in Education. She taught high school and college dance, operated dance studios and retail dancewear, and was a professional choreographer, before her legal career.

She joined the Westchester Rotary Club in 1995 and chaired the opening-night event at the 2008 RI Convention in Los Angeles. She is also on the Board of Directors for 1736 Family Crisis Center and the US Selective Service System. Her husband is also a Rotarian. She has a grandson, and a new granddaughter is on the way in several days.

DG Vergari's theme this year is “Make Dreams Come True”. She reviewed the types of District support resources for the Clubs, including the District leaders, the office staff, and the District newsletters and website. She also reviewed her goals for this Rotary Year.

The goal of $18.20/member raised for polio has been exceeded. Rob DeCou's (Playa Venice Sunrise) Run To End Polio, from Death Valley 232 feet below sea level to Mt Whitney 14,494 feet above sea level over 3 days in August raised an amount to be revealed at our annual Rotary Foundation Celebration on October 28. (Our Club still has 6 spaces to the Celebration available.)

The District Humanitarian Trip to Colombia March 21-30, 2018, will have 130 Rotarians from our District (10 spaces are still available). The trip will be split between Bucaramanga and Bogotá; participants can choose either or both.

Our District sponsored a Child Sex Trafficking Forum in March at Loyola Marymount, with presenters from Homeland Security, the FBI, LAPD, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Court representatives explained how it deals with child victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Elected officials, mental health professionals and nonprofit organizations were also represented. Our District is creating a Human Trafficking Task Force as a model for Rotary Districts in California, Nevada, and Arizona; Cozette will be the state coordinator for California. (RI is also looking into this kind of project.)

Our Club donated $100 tonight to the Rotary Foundation in DG Vergari's honor.