"What's Your Secret"

It's a question I hear more and more as fellow Rotarians visit our thriving San Juan Capistrano club that will soon exceed 90 members. Having experienced similar success during my time with Irvine Rotary, I've distilled our approach into what I call the Three P's: Projects, Programs, and People.

Bold Projects That Matter

The first P stands for Projects—but not just any projects. We seek out challenges that others shy away from, embracing the philosophy that "if it were easy, someone else would already be doing it." Our initiatives don't just serve the community; they challenge and transform our members.

When you're fixing the teeth of all the kids in a school in Mexico in a single day (while also providing vision checks and glasses to those same kids and their parents), or creating a first-of-its-kind local youth mentorship program like Mike Darnold did with RYLA, something magical happens. These challenges push us beyond our comfort zones, fostering a deep sense of accomplishment that no ordinary volunteer work can match. It's in these moments of shared struggle and triumph that our club's bonds grow strongest.

It also leads to extraordinary outpourings of emergency help. When the Maui fires happened, club members dug deep and raised $40,000 in just 15 minutes; just like they did when Ukrainians needed support. And each year, members support "Shoes for Souls", supplying more than 400 pair of new shoes for children in need in Tijuana.

Programs That Inspire Action

Our second P—Programs—is about curating experiences that move people to action. Take our recent speaker, Natalie Grumet. At 27, she faced aggressive breast cancer head-on and emerged victorious. Then, on the very day she was celebrating ten years of being cancer-free, she became a survivor again—this time of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, requiring a years long recovery and jaw reconstruction.

But Natalie's story isn't about victimhood. It's about choosing to take charge of your narrative, your recovery, and your purpose. These are the kinds of speakers who don't just fill a time slot—they ignite our members' passion to create change.

People Who Make the Difference

The final P represents our most valuable asset: People. Our club's strength lies in its diversity—not just in demographics, but in expertise and experience. When you bring together contractors, engineers, architects, lawyers, real estate professionals, bankers, and the other professions that make up a community, you create a powerful network of problem-solvers.

This diversity isn't accidental. It's built on Rotary's ingenious classification system, designed in the organization's early days to prevent competitive conflicts while ensuring each club had access to the full spectrum of community talent. The result? When we tackle those bold projects, we have exactly the right mix of skills and perspectives to succeed.

But perhaps most importantly, this combination of challenging projects and diverse professionals creates something extraordinary: lifelong friendships forged in the crucible of service. There's no better way to discover someone's true character than working shoulder-to-shoulder on a volunteer project that pushes you both to grow.

At SJC Rotary, we're not just building membership—we're building a community of action-oriented leaders who believe in the power of service above self. Our Three P's aren't just principles; the synergistic relationship between them is the foundation of our thriving club that continues to attract passionate individuals ready to make a real difference in our world.