(July 22, 2025)
David Hensler (dhenseler@socal.rr.com), of the South Bay Sunrise Rotary Club, is an Area Assistant District Governor and co-chair of the Rotary Foundation Celebration and of the periodic Camp Pendleton collection for needy Marine Corps families stationed there. He began by reminding us of important upcoming District events, including:
- Aug 2 District Breakfast, 8:30-11 AM, 3930 W Century Blvd;
- Aug 23 District Picnic, 200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach;
- Sept 20 Dodger Night Fundraiser for Rotary Youth Programs (Dodgers vs Giants);
- Nov 1 Rotary Foundation Celebration, Battleship USS Iowa, San Pedro.
Our District has been active in supporting Rise Against Hunger (https://riseagainsthunger.org/), which is dedicated to end hunger in the world by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable people, and to mobilize a global commitment to provide the necessary resources. Our District organizes periodic volunteer events to pack food resources and provide other support to this worthwhile charitable world organization.
One in 9 people in the world go to bed hungry each night. Many don’t get the food they need for healthy living, even though there is enough food in the world to feed everyone. Feeding programs promote education & improve student health. Pathways to end hunger include responding to emergencies, empowering communities, supporting nutrition-based safety net programs, and building awareness and the will to end hunger. He discussed programs in Malawi and Ukraine as examples.
David Hensler has been active for years in organizing periodic District 5280 Camp Pendleton collection events, to provide new and gently-used items for young Marine families. Camp Pendleton has 70,000 Marines and 10,000 children under age 5. With low incomes, most of them lack much of what they need to establish a new household for newborns and small children and to furnish their apartment and set up a kitchen.
The Rotary Clubs of District 5280 collect new and gently used items for these young families. Our contributed items will be brought to Hawthorne High School (4859 W El Segundo Blvd in Hawthorne) for our next collection event on Sat, Oct 4. Rotarian volunteers will deliver them to the “Warrior Warehouse” at Camp Pendleton, where these young families will be able to select the items that they need. Among the items needed are:
- Diapers, diapers and more diapers!
- Toys, books, bathtubs, strollers, cribs, high chairs;
- Dishes, cookware, pots and pans (in good condition);
- Non-perishable food (not expired);
- Bedding, sheets, blankets, towels;
- Gift cards ($25) to Target/Walmart.