Rotary Community Heroes of Hope
Introducing "Rotary Community Heroes of Hope" - a podcast dedicated to showcasing the profound impact of Rotary in District 5330 and beyond. Join us as we explore the remarkable stories of rotary heroes and initiatives that are transforming communities and creating hope around the world.
Rotary Community Heroes of Hope
The Economics of Service: From Rotaract to Cadre Leadership
When persistence meets pizza, amazing things happen. At least that's how Frances Vegas discovered Rotary - after declining three invitations to join a Rotaract club as a busy graduate student, she finally agreed when offered dinner in exchange for helping carry boxes to a meeting. Little did she know this seemingly small decision would spark a lifelong journey of service that would take her from Mexico to California, transforming countless lives along the way.
Frances shares her powerful "Rotary moment" that occurred while fundraising for children's cleft palate surgeries in Ciudad Juarez. Seeing before-and-after photos from grateful parents revealed the profound impact simple interventions could have - not just on appearance, but on children's ability to eat, breathe, and develop normally. This experience cemented her commitment to an organization creating meaningful change in vulnerable communities.
As an economics professor at UC Riverside and current Riverside Sunrise Rotary Club president, Frances brings professional expertise to her service work. She's taken her doctorate in economic development to the international level, serving as a Cadre Technical Advisor ensuring Rotary's global grants are properly implemented and sustainable. Her story illuminates lesser-known pathways within Rotary where specialized knowledge can maximize impact - from Action Groups to technical advisory roles.
Perhaps most refreshing is Frances's practical wisdom about engagement: don't just invite people to meetings; invite them to make a difference. Whether building Corazon homes, cooking meals for veterans, or supporting youth programs, hands-on service creates deeper connections than formal gatherings ever could. As she prepares to apply her United Nations experience to Rotary's Model UN program, Frances continues finding new ways to merge her professional skills with humanitarian goals.
Ready to find where your talents can create meaningful change? Subscribe to Community Heroes of Hope and join us in discovering how ordinary people are transforming lives through extraordinary service.
Hello and welcome to the Community. Heroes of Hope, a podcast where we shine a light on the remarkable individuals and projects in Rotary District 5330 that bring hope and change to our local and global communities. I am Judy Zelfikar, your co-host and the current District Governor of Rotary District 5330.
Speaker 2:And I'm Niren McLean, the Rotary District Governor-Elect. Together, we're diving deep into the heart of the community service, showcasing the impact of dedication and collaboration in addressing some of the most pressing challenges our communities face.
Speaker 1:Each episode will tell stories of incredible people making a difference, innovating solutions and inspiring others to take action.
Speaker 2:We'll also be giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the projects that are transforming, making a difference, innovating solutions and inspiring others to take action. We'll also be giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the projects that are transforming their lives, and we'll discuss how you too can get involved, contribute and be part of the positive change. Whether you're a seasoned Rotarian or just looking to give back, this podcast is for you.
Speaker 1:So join us as we explore the journeys, challenges and successes of people like you who have stepped up to make a difference. Let's celebrate the spirit of community and the power of hope together.
Speaker 2:Don't forget to subscribe to the Community Heroes of Hope on your favorite podcast platform. Stay with us on this journey of inspiration and let's spread the message of hope further than ever.
Speaker 1:Thank you for tuning in. Let's get started, niren, we have your very own club president with us today.
Speaker 2:I know this is so exciting for me.
Speaker 1:So I'm going to let you set the tone.
Speaker 2:Well, frances has been just a dynamo for our club and I really appreciate she's very assertive, she's creative and she is really a really, really good source of energy for the club and I'm excited that you're with us today, frances. She is an economics professor at University of California, riverside. Wow economics professor at University of California.
Speaker 1:Riverside Wow.
Speaker 2:And has also come up through the ranks in Rotary as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she has a really great Rotary story and that's what we hear from Frances today. Frances, can you introduce yourself and take us into when you first connected with Rotary?
Speaker 3:Well, thank you. Yes, my name is Francesca Vegas and I go by Frances. Well, thank you. Yes, my name is Francisca Vegas and I go by Frances. And my realtor story started, actually, in a very interesting way. I am from Mexico and then I, when we moved to the US, we landed in El Paso, texas, right there at the border between Texas and Ciudad Juarez, and over there at El Paso I joined the University of Texas at El Paso and I started doing my master's. While I was doing my master's, I joined an entrepreneurship center at the university and one of my co-workers was a very energetic undergrad student. Her name is Karina Schumacher and she was the president of the Road Track Club, so she was the one that invited me to Road Track At the beginning. I have to say that I declined three times.
Speaker 1:And she kept on asking because she was not taking a no for an answer. Persistence, persistence.
Speaker 3:So she said, oh, join us. And I'm like, no, I'm done asking, because she was not taking a no for an answer Persistence, persistence. So she said, oh, join us. And I'm like, no, I'm too busy. And you know like when you're a grad student, I'm like, oh, please, I have more important things to do than joining an undergrad club. And she invited me three times and then at the end, one day, she took a different approach and said like, oh, can you help me carry all these pizzas and all these sodas, because we're going to have our club meeting and then you'll stay there and then you'll have three pizza for dinner. I'm like I'm sold. I'll help you out with a pizza, pizza that's the way to go.
Speaker 3:And that's actually the first time that I joined. I was super excited about seeing students from different backgrounds, from different walks of life to get together and do community service projects. I have to confess that I had never heard about Rotary before. It was until then in my late twenties. And then I always get really emotional about this because I keep telling people. It's like I got my Rotary moment when I was a Rotaractor Because we were actually helping fundraising for the plastic surgeries for kids that are affected with cleft palate in Ciudad Juarez.
Speaker 3:So, we were doing bake sales, spaghetti nights and all those things. So we did the fundraising for just the medical supplies, not even the medical equipment or to pay in the doctors or anything like that. At that time it was just a few thousand dollars. But what stuck to me was that the parents were so kind and sent us thank you cards and the before and after pictures of the kids and I was like I want to be part of this organization because they have a profound impact on the lives of others.
Speaker 1:Is that Operation Smile within Rotary correct?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, I think they. Yeah. Ovarian Health Pass. They call it a different name, but it's similar to a thousand smiles or muleson recess.
Speaker 1:And the life change. That surgery is truly a life changing surgery for these kids here in the States that gets done, you know, when they're little tiny, tiny, tiny little babies if they have a cleft palate, I mean, but that prevents them from being able to eat properly. For them having breathing issues dental issues and then sometimes they're, you know, not thought of well in the community because they have this challenge. That's really a simple surgery.
Speaker 2:Super simple surgery Thrown to the side. Thrown to the side.
Speaker 3:It is a simple surgery Super simple surgery.
Speaker 3:Thrown to the side Thrown to the side Right and, as you said, it's like in other countries, it's something that it takes immediate attention over there at the hospitals as soon as they report. But in Ciudad Juarez and in many other I mean Mexico and many other countries it's actually something that is not done, not even for free, or sometimes the process is lengthy for who receives that plastic surgery and, as you said, it has a huge impact not only in, obviously, physically and their appearance, but also in their I mean the way that they live. It affects them, as you said, feeding and even the whole development for the kids. So it was super transformational for them. But I was very touched by that and then they kicked me out Not really. I graduated.
Speaker 3:And then I moved to us.
Speaker 1:You became a big Rotarian.
Speaker 3:I joined the club, the West El Paso Club, and they were actually the sponsors of the Rotary Club, so it was just a natural transition. That's awesome, and since then I've been a Rotarian, and wherever I move to a different city, I just join a Rotary Club.
Speaker 1:So how many different cities have you been a Rotarian in?
Speaker 3:Well, I was in the West El Paso Club. That was when I was living in El Paso, and then in Las Cruces in the Mesilla Valley Club.
Speaker 1:That's where I was born, in Las Cruces.
Speaker 3:Yes, we have something in common we do. And I stayed there when I was doing my doctorate and then after that I joined the Silver City Grocery Club because I was a faculty member over there at the university it's called Western New Mexico University and then I stayed there and then I stayed as an honorary member when I moved to Mexico and then I moved to Riverside and I joined the Riverside Sunrise Raspberry Club. Tell us about your journey.
Speaker 1:Well, that's along with you there, Naira. What has your journey been at the Riverside Sunrise Club.
Speaker 3:Well, I joined the club in February 2022. And it was super interesting because I just walk into a club meeting and say, like I want to be a part of your club. I'm a Rotarian and I was just like this works for me because it's a Friday mornings and I'm like that way I can just do laundry during the day, do my weekly meeting and then go to work and obviously continue doing community service projects. And there I started, just like you know, when a new club trying to get a sense of what's going on with their culture and all those things. And then Chandler McKenzie invited me to serve as club president. And, yeah, I started serving as club president in 2024. And I have a couple months to go.
Speaker 3:You're right along my path I'm so proud to be working alongside of you in this year. No, thank you. It's an honor to be a part of this leadership group and I appreciate you, yuri, and I appreciate Naren as well.
Speaker 2:Well you know, frances is one of our emerging Rotary leaders.
Speaker 1:She absolutely is.
Speaker 2:So we're excited about her being able to go on to Zone and get some additional knowledge and make some connections there that we know she'll take that energy with her and really impact not only the club but do some things in our district. So congratulations on that.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Yeah, I've had the opportunity and pleasure of building a house, a Corazon home, with Francis. We rode together and we were painting together and we had a great time, didn't we?
Speaker 3:Yes, one of the things that I love is I participate in other community service projects from other clubs, because I love to do those ones in a more hands-on exercise, because it is what we do as Rotarians we go and build things and we go and help others and I love that idea of going out there to work on these community service projects.
Speaker 1:The true spirit of what we do.
Speaker 2:That engagement is so important. That is really an opportunity that I think that our club should take more advantage of, because it's not necessarily inviting me to breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:It's hey, grab a paintbrush or grab a rake, let's go make a difference. And with seeing somebody who's willing to do that, then you know they're of the same mindset. And therefore you've seen me do this a number of times. And you say let's invite Niren, let's invite Judy, let's invite Frances.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that's great and it's a great testament to what you're saying, niren, of community services is the way in right. When you ask somebody to come just to have a meal or come to another meeting when they're super busy, they're like no, I don't have time for that, but you invite them, like Frances was invited Come help me, come help me do this. Then you're going to get that person more engaged.
Speaker 2:Come make a difference.
Speaker 1:Because that's where Francis's heart was was helping and obviously it's shown that throughout the years.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, and I had a blast. I don't know if you had fun. I love having the opportunity to interact with other Rotarians and then, here and there, we talk about our lives, but we're doing that, as you say, like while we're painting, we're building walls and all those things. So it is actually a part of this fellowship spirit that we all of us share as Rotarians.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you really do. And Frances and I had a long conversation on the bus ride back, I think, from our course on house build and we learned that you know we have a lot of things in common where Frances went to school and where I was born and Silver City is where my mom lives. I mean, it's just so many things in common and you really find those relationships are built in that avenue of service, in actually the doing of the work that we do in this world.
Speaker 2:It makes such a difference. And that's how I was introduced to Rhody, because the work I was doing in Haiti. But I remember on one of those trips we had a lady who was a neurosurgical nurse from Texas since we're talking about Texas, actually she was on the trip and she says I hope you don't mind, but I really don't want to do nursing. Is there something else that I can do? And at the time we were in addition to our medical and dental trips. We also I mean teams we also had we were building four wells, digging four wells, and we're building toilets and houses. So I said you can join the construction team and put her on there. At the end of the week she said this is the most fun I've ever had. Right, she's not doing nursing, she was hammering, she was sawing.
Speaker 2:She was doing something different than her job, which is what she wanted out of this experience, she loved it, she was so turned on and again, that engagement finding because you bring so much joy, the simple thing like four walls and a roof makes a difference in somebody's life and we take it for granted. So I'm really excited about the engagement in Francis and our club and that's one of the things I love about our club. We've been involved. We do the ADD Center, as Francis was saying, where we have our young people, and we cook meals for the seniors and do that. Last week we cooked meals for the homeless veterans at March Air Force Base.
Speaker 1:That's a great program.
Speaker 2:She's really very dynamic with that, so we appreciate your leadership on that.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, and, as I said, like in our club, we try to help with those two specific groups, with the veterans and with the youth. But I'm always very close to that youth thing and I say to my roots of like helping interactors and realtors, because those are my people, you know, that's how I started and I want them to also get motivated to continue working on it and be the new generation of librarians.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Speaking of that, what does your future look like? What are you excited to do after you complete your year as president?
Speaker 3:Well, I'm super excited about many things Like. The first one is you probably know this that I am more active now on the community and economic development action groups, and I know that a lot of people don't know about the Realtree Action Groups, but I was invited to join that regulatory action group for community and economic development particularly because of my background, Since I have a doctorate in economic development.
Speaker 1:That was a good fit. It is a great fit.
Speaker 3:And then on the other thing after that, actually Dan Goodrich was the one that told me he's like why don't you apply to become a member of the Cadre Technical Advisors? And I'm like I don't know what that is. Explain what that is. And so he educated me on that and then I followed that all the educational part of Rosary as to the Rotary Foundation and international and global grants, and then I applied to become a cadre technical advisor. I got accepted last year. Congratulations, thank you. I'm super excited about it. I believe it's an honor and a huge responsibility to assist clubs with global grants applications and continue doing that work because it's like to oversee the sustainability of the global grants and particularly again on the area of close to my background on community and economic development.
Speaker 1:And that's a really important piece of what we do in our international and global grants. Maybe could you just define that a little bit. I know a lot of what you just said. It really brings it to light. But maybe explain to our audience that is not familiar with Rotary, Global Grants and this cadre position and how it works within that construct.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Well, the cadre of technical advisors are a group of experts on all the areas of focus that get together to provide assistance, support and guidance to all the clubs and the districts when they're doing planning stages, so that way they understand that they have to comply with Rotary Foundation guidelines in terms of the needs assessments and then even who's going to be the host club, who's going to be the partner club, and give that guidance and support in the planning stage up and give that guidance and support in the planning stage Once the global grants get approved. Our advisory serves just to monitor the global grant and then at the end it's also helping with the sustainability aspect after the grant has ended. But also it gives the opportunity to do site visits to see if actually what we promised in our global grants was actually implemented and see how we can expand the reach. So it's actually, I guess some days it's like an auditor or supervisor, but also, as I said, a lending hand, as like a person that can guide you in the process and that support.
Speaker 1:I think it's so important. We often talk a lot about fundraising for foundation, but I don't know that we put as much emphasis on what's happening. I mean it's happening. I don't know that we put as much emphasis on what's happening, I mean it's happening. It's not like when we bring money in as Rotarians and we put it towards these global grants. And our district alone this year has invested $333,000 in global grants all over the world. That's amazing.
Speaker 1:And to know and we're just one district and we're not even a big district, I mean we're a good-sized district, we've gotten a lot of impact.
Speaker 1:But to know that those dollars aren't just being thrown at projects, but the projects are very intentionally thought out, that they have a certain level of criteria to make sure that it's going to be successful, that there is auditing and there are cadre professionals that are looking at the finance side of it, the implications to the community, making sure the needs assessment is correct, making sure that we're not just going and building, just going out and spending money, because a lot of times you know people that want to do good are here. I'm going to throw some money, we're going to build you a well in Nigeria, for example, but then they don't figure out. Oh well, who's going to maintain that? Well, how is you know the well is going to be good for a month and then it's not going to be good anymore, and then we wasted all those dollars. We do our grant process and implementation in Rotary is really effective because we're making sure that those dollars are going not only for a good cause but that that is going to be sustainable over a period of time.
Speaker 2:And that's why we have such a wonderful ranking with GuideStar, because we're monitoring as well and paying attention, and that's one thing I think that Rotary can feel good. So not only are we giving, but that money's being spent and closely watched and ensure that it's being applied the way it was originally intended to.
Speaker 1:And I learned something about you today, francis, that I didn't know. I did not know you were a CADRE member. I think that is brilliant, first of all because you are so smart and it is in your area of education and excellence, and I think it's a testament to other Rotarians that are in our field of influence. You know, if you're really good at finances, or you're really good at economic development or you're really good at whatever you're really good at that, you have a place to be a potential cadre to help these grants go forward. And you don't have to be a district governor, you don't have to have been a president, you just have to be really good at what you're doing. And you can have a whole other opportunity in Rotary that maybe you didn't think about.
Speaker 3:And Rotary needs you.
Speaker 1:I know we don't talk about cadre. I mean, we've got so many things to talk about in Rotary. This is one of the things that I'm excited we're talking about today, because it's something we have not talked about, even on this podcast.
Speaker 2:And we have a lot of talent in this district that really needs to find themselves available to help Rotary in this way all around the world. To put their knowledge to great use. Yes, their expertise Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Yes, well, you're preaching to the converter.
Speaker 3:It's like I actually think that and to your point, Aaron, is that I think that us returns, we can offer obviously our time, our time to community service projects and to be active in our clubs and participate in our club meetings. But also we have the other parties like the talent and, as you said, all the Rotarians have a talent that obviously has a place in Rotary. Is it like in accounting, in marketing, in social media, in economics, economic development and all the areas of focus is like I mean some people that are really experts in educations, Others that are experts in health and providing opportunities for children, Others are in water. I mean so many areas that many returnees can tap into at the cadre of technical advisor level or even at the real reaction group level. Right, go to a road reaction group and go and meet with people from all over the world that are actually working and passionate about that specific area, or you can actually join road reaction groups are actually open to everybody and that's interesting that it's a well-kept secret, I know right.
Speaker 3:I actually talked to economic developers pretty much all the time and one day I was telling this person that lives actually in the Northeast of the US and then I was like we were talking that she's a Rotarian as well. We are Perlman Economic Development Association together and I was like how does it join the World Reaction Group for Economic Development? She's like I don't know anything about it and I'm like well, there's another World Cup secret I can't tell you.
Speaker 1:So now we get to talk a lot more about it, right?
Speaker 3:Yes, obviously continue that conversation, but to elaborate on another thing that I'm doing now, as soon as I guess we finish this year, is work a little more also at the district level, and Naira will tell you a little bit more about this, and this is a project that I'm super excited about. This is the United Nations model.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:This is the United Nations model, yes, and I'm super excited to learn more about it because I participated in the UN model when I was at UTEP, but also in my previous life, before joining UCR, I was actually working with the United Nations Development Program, with the United Nations Development Program. So I'm super excited to see how World Trade explores that relationship with the United Nations and educate the youth groups about the role of the United Nations, the role of World Trade and all that idea of diplomacy and working together to solve real-life problems.
Speaker 2:And that's so needed in our world today.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is.
Speaker 2:On both national and international levels.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:So that Model UN program I think is very exciting. And again it comes back to youth and giving the opportunity for youth to expand their horizons, to realize they're in control, to make a difference and to take charge. So it's really exciting things that Rotary does and that's what I love about the collaboration amongst districts and going to even going to international conventions. You get to take classes and meet people from all around the world who are doing what you want to do and they can say, hey, let me advise you on that, this is what we did. We fell in this hole. Don't do that, but go over here and succeed.
Speaker 1:And this worked for us All working together to do good in the world, right? Absolutely, yeah, awesome. Well, thank you so much, francis, for joining us today. We really appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Well, no, thank you for the invitation. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about my story and keep inviting people to participate more in all these other projects.
Speaker 1:Awesome, have a good day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you too, thank you.
Speaker 2:Bye-bye.
Speaker 1:Adios, bye. So that wraps up this episode of Heroes of Hope. We are so happy that we have an audience out there listening. We want you to subscribe, share and tell your friends about the Rotary Community Heroes of Hope, because that's how we get the word out about the impact we're having in this world.