International Service Project
Mexicali Weekend
A Rotary Club of Palm Desert international service project — hands-on service, warm fellowship, and lasting friendship just across the border.
Each January, Rotarians from across District 5330 make the easy two-hour drive to Mexicali, Mexico for a weekend of hands-on service and fellowship with our sister club, the Rotary Club of Mexicali Oeste. It’s affordable, it’s fun, and it changes lives on both sides of the border.
How it began
Mexicali Weekend began in 2011, when Past RI President Frank Devlyn introduced Palm Desert Rotarians to the Rotary Club of Mexicali Oeste. Soon after, the two clubs signed a Sister Club agreement — and it has been a complete success ever since.
Chartered in 1976, Mexicali Oeste is a small-but-mighty club where everyone participates, and it’s the proud home of two Past District Governors. Over the years, Palm Desert Rotarians and friends have traveled south for service and fellowship — and nearly every member of Mexicali Oeste has reciprocated by joining events here in the USA.
What a Mexicali Weekend looks like
It starts Friday afternoon on the first weekend in January with a short drive down to Mexicali. We stay at a five-star hotel for about $100 a room, and the cost to participate — including three meals — is just $100. We wrap up Sunday morning and drive home after breakfast.
In between, we roll up our sleeves: painting classrooms, exteriors, murals, and fences at a school for deaf youth; delivering clothes, toys, and blankets to children in need; and sharing great dinners — with dancing! — alongside our Mexicali Rotarian friends.
What we do down there
A weekend of practical, hands-on projects — alongside warm fellowship with our sister club.
Paint & Build
Classrooms, exteriors, murals, and fences at CAM Eduardo Huet, a school for deaf youth.
Clothes, Toys & Love
Blankets, toys, piñatas, and clothes for Desayunador UREDAE, a charity serving children in need.
Clean Water
4,000 refillable water bottles, a purification plant, and four campus refill stations at Mexicali Technology University.
Fellowship
Great dinners, folkloric dancing, and warm friendship with the Rotary Club of Mexicali Oeste.
What we’ve given over the years
- Money and food for families in need
- A fire truck and an ambulance — coordinated with the Fontana and Joshua Tree Rotary clubs
- Clothes, toys, blankets, and piñatas
- A woodworking machine-shop tool set
- 4,000 refillable water bottles (2024), supported by eight District 5330 clubs
- A dining hall for the Eduardo Huet School for the Deaf — kitchen, appliances, and all — built during COVID, spearheaded by a $16,000 gift from Palm Desert Rotarian Arnold Kirschenbaum
Coming soon: a refurbished Angelique Park playground, a cervical-cancer clinic, scholarships, and computers for libraries and schools.
A gift of culture, too
Our friends in Mexicali share more than service. The folkloric dance group Tecolotl Macehuani has traveled to the Coachella Valley many times — at no cost — to perform at the District Conference, the Galilee Center, the Dr. Carreón Foundation, and other partner events.
Join the next Mexicali Weekend
All District 5330 Rotarians, family, and friends are welcome. It’s easy, affordable, and unforgettable — reach out and we’ll help you get there.