By Héctor Ericksen-Mendoza, Past President 2015–2016
In Escondido, California, a group of small business owners, community activists, educators, politicians, retirees, and artists got together who had two things in common—we were Latino/a and we supported charities in North County San Diego. That was how Route 78 Rotary Club was chartered on March 4, 2013. Of the original 35 charter members, 33 were new to Rotary.
Route 78 Rotary is unique in that we are a Latino-themed Rotary Club and the only regional club in San Diego County. Our primary mission is to serve and support diverse communities in North County San Diego. Our club is comprised of members from cities along the Route 78 corridor and beyond—Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Valley Center, and Vista.
Besides our near-perfect gender balance, we tout a broad member age range—from early 30s to mid-70s, enabling us to draw on both experience and fresh perspectives that contribute to our diverse interests and successes. Another unique feature of Route 78 is that more than three-quarters of our members are bilingual (English/Spanish), which allows us to serve North County San Diego’s Latino community better.
After chartering our club, the first order of business was to develop a signature fundraising event. We hit upon a Mariachi Festival to be held at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido.
In just a few years, our Rotary Club has earned recognition for attracting large, diverse, intergenerational crowds to our annual Mariachi Festival from surrounding communities and throughout the state. By showcasing a Mariachi Festival, we are helping to uplift the image of U.S. Latinos and the cultural traditions of Mexico and other Latin American countries.
Proceeds from our annual Mariachi festival fund Route 78’s educational and charitable programs. We have awarded college scholarships as well as financial support for education and leadership programs for young boys and girls, such as Encuentros and MANA. In addition, we collaborate and support Education Begins in the Home (the director is a member of Route 78), an organization that supports education and literacy by donating books to children.
Another member is the founding director of Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts. Tierra Caliente fosters education, personal identity, leadership skills, values, and the power of self-initiative.
In the international arena, our work includes financial and material donations and volunteer services to nonprofits such as 1000 Smiles in Ensenada, Mexico; ShelterBox for international disasters; and Project Mexico, a boy’s orphanage in Rosarito, Mexico. We also support a nonprofit medical clinic in Zimbabwe that takes care of the medical needs of those who are underserved. One of our members who returned to her home in Zimbabwe started this clinic.
Our efforts were rewarded when Rotary District 5340 named Route 78 Best Club of the Year in 2015. Together, Rotary clubs, Rotary International, and the Rotary Foundation work to make lasting improvements in our communities and around the world. Become a member of Route 78 Rotary today and work with us to support North County San Diego communities and beyond.
- Rotary is made up of three parts: At the heart are the clubs supported by Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. Today, there are more than 34,000 clubs with 1.4 million members worldwide.
- Rotary clubs bring together dedicated individuals to exchange ideas, build relationships, and take action. Rotary International supports Rotary clubs worldwide by coordinating global programs, campaigns, and initiatives. The Rotary Foundation uses generous donations —$333 million this year—to fund projects by Rotarians and our partners around the world. As a nonprofit, all the Foundation’s funding comes from voluntary contributions made by Rotarians and friends who share our vision of a better world.
