Rotary Club of Villa Park, California

10/23/2026

Making a Difference Locally and Around the World!

Yesterday, the Villa Park Rotary Club had the pleasure of welcoming Cisca Stellhorn, Past District Governor (2021–2022) of Rotary District 5320, as our guest speaker!

Cisca, a California attorney and dedicated community volunteer, shared her passion for service and the incredible impact of The Rotary Foundation.

From humanitarian missions in Mexico and dental and vision clinics for underserved communities to youth leadership programs, scholarships, and support for local families, Cisca truly embodies Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self.

During her presentation, she explained how donations to The Rotary Foundation come back to support our clubs through District and Global Grants, helping us turn generosity into meaningful action.

One powerful takeaway: A $100 contribution to the Annual Fund can generate $50 in District Designated Funds after three years, helping Rotary clubs support projects that make a lasting difference.

A special thank you to Cisca for reminding us that every contribution matters and that together, we can accomplish so much more!

When we give to The Rotary Foundation, we invest in stronger communities, brighter futures, and lasting change around the world.

10/19/2026

10/08/2026

Fire Safety Starts with Awareness!

Today, the Rotary Club of Villa Park welcomed Dean F***h, Education Specialist with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), for an informative presentation on fire prevention and lithium-ion battery safety.

With a fire service career beginning in 2015, Dean shared valuable insights from his experience in firefighting, hazardous materials response, and urban search and rescue.

A few important safety reminders:

* Avoid overheating lithium-ion batteries.
* Always use the manufacturer-recommended charger.
* Charge devices on hard, nonflammable surfaces.
* Never attempt to fight a lithium-ion battery fire yourself. Get to safety and call 911.
* Properly dispose of batteries at designated hazardous waste facilities.

An interesting fact about Dean: Outside his work in fire safety, he also creates cryptic crossword puzzles for The Wall Street Journal!

Thank you, Dean, for sharing your expertise and helping our community stay informed and safe.

10/02/2026

💛💙 Rotary Yellow Pages: Connecting Rotary With Our Community!

We were honored to welcome Past District Governor Dan Ouweleen and Daphne Fletcher to share an exciting initiative designed to expand Rotary’s visibility, strengthen community connections, and grow membership — the Rotary Yellow Pages!

Dan is a longtime Rotarian and Fullerton business leader who joined Rotary in 2007. He has served as President of the Fullerton Rotary Club, District 5320 Governor in 2022–23, and currently serves as a Rotary Public Image Coordinator for Zone 26. Professionally, Dan is President and co-owner of PacMin, a Fullerton-based company serving the aviation and aerospace industries.

Dan’s commitment to service is just as impressive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped lead Rotary’s Project Shield, which produced and distributed more than 90,000 face shields to healthcare workers. 💙

Together with Daphne Fletcher, Dan helped develop the concept of the Rotary Yellow Pages — a directory designed to promote Rotary, increase community outreach, support membership growth, and create new opportunities for Rotary clubs and districts.

📖 The directory is available in both print and digital formats, with digital access through a QR code. Districts can create their own directories, generate revenue through advertising, and feature community impact stories and member spotlights.

And exciting news for us — District 5320 is already in the process of creating its own directory! Advertising space is currently being offered at 50% off.

Dan and Daphne hope to eventually see the Rotary Yellow Pages expand nationally, creating another way for communities to discover, connect with, and support Rotary.

Dan also encouraged Rotarians to explore the Zone 26/27 website to learn more about Rotary activities and resources throughout our region.

💙💛 Another great example of Rotary innovation and Service Above Self!

09/25/2026

Today at the Rotary Club of Villa Park, we were honored to welcome Dr. Tom Turk, Professor of Strategic Management and Interim Dean of Chapman University’s Argyros College of Business and Economics, as our guest speaker.

Dr. Turk shared a fascinating perspective on leadership principles that have stood the test of time, drawing from The Book of Pastoral Rule, written by Pope Gregory around 590 AD.

He highlighted six leadership principles that remain remarkably relevant today:

✨ Prudence: Create a vision that matters to the people you serve.
💪 Fortitude: Stay focused on the vision and avoid distractions.
🌟 Engender Hope: Help people believe the vision can become reality through their participation.
🚪 Opportunity: Show that there is hope for a better future and that everyone can contribute.
🤝 Servant Leadership: Great leaders serve the people they lead.
🙏 Humility: Give credit to those who helped achieve the goal.

One especially interesting takeaway was the importance of inspiring people rather than leading through threats or fear, which can cause people to retreat rather than engage.

It’s amazing that leadership lessons written more than 1,400 years ago can still be so relevant today.

Thank you, Dr. Turk, for joining us and giving our Rotary members so much to think about!

09/19/2026

Symphony on the Go!

Saturday, September 26th @ 6:30 PM

Bring your lawn chairs and join us for the wonderful Villa Park tradition. The Pacific Symphony musicians will be performing a free outdoor chamber music concert in the Villa Park Town Center.

*Starting at 5:30 PM
Rockwell’s will be serving “The Rock Burger” with chips for just $13! Come hungry and get dinner before the show!

www.vpcsfoundation.org

09/18/2026

Troop 850 joined Villa Park Rotary to share their activities, experiences, and many accomplishments. It is always inspiring to hear directly from one of our local troops!

Rotary is proud to invest in our youth through leadership, education, service, and fun. Troop 850 is a wonderful example of young people learning, growing, and making a difference in our community. 💙💛

09/18/2026

✨ Now you see him…now you don’t! 🎩🪄

Today, the Villa Park Rotary Club had the pleasure of welcoming internationally recognized close-up magician Johnny Ace Palmer!

Johnny amazed us with his extraordinary sleight of hand using cards, coins, and everyday objects, all while keeping us laughing. His incredible performance left our entire Rotary audience in awe!

In 1988, Johnny became the first close-up magician in history to win the Grand Prix at FISM, the world championship of magic. He has since earned numerous prestigious awards and performed at the world-famous Magic Castle and many other venues.

Thank you, Johnny, for sharing your remarkable talent with us and making today’s meeting truly magical!

📞 To book or contact Johnny: 714-373-8749

09/18/2026

Rotary Club of Villa Park 2026-2027 Board
Top row: Curtis Condon, Nils-Oliver Hoeppner, Risa Scott, Jay Applebaum, Chad Zimmerman, Dave Holler

Bottom row: Stephen Ashley, Roy Berelowitz, Marjan Roshangar, Pam Dunn, Ola Al Asadi, Jay Lieberman, Craig Beinlich, Michael Brunhober