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People. Service. Community. | ||
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 A Message from the District Governor
Dear Fellow Rotarians, I’m excited to share two remarkable opportunities for fellowship, inspiration, and Rotary service coming this spring of 2026. First, please mark your calendars for our District 5030 Conference in beautiful Walla Walla April 17-19 . This gathering will be a chance to connect with friends from across our district, celebrate the impact we’ve made together, and look ahead to the future of Rotary. With Walla Walla’s welcoming community, fine wines, and rich history, it promises to be an energizing and memorable weekend. | ||
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 Basic Education & Literacy Month — Learning starts with a full stomach
September is Rotary’s Basic Education & Literacy month —a reminder that books, teachers, and technology work best when students are ready to learn. Rotary’s focus on supporting education is about building the conditions for learning to flourish in every community. Here’s the reality we can’t ignore: 1 in 5 kids in the U.S. lives with hunger—nearly 14 million children. Teachers report seeing it in their classrooms; three-quarters say students regularly arrive hungry. Hunger shows up as poor concentration, behavior challenges, and missed school—barriers that directly undermine reading growth and academic progress. The good news is we know what works. | ||
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 Kirkland Rotary Foundation Auction and GalaListed in this issue · 2025-09-12 You’re Invited! Kirkland Rotary Foundation Auction & Gala Dear Fellow Rotarians, The Rotary Club of Kirkland warmly invites you and your members to join us for an evening of fellowship, fun, and fundraising at our Annual Foundation Auction & Gala. 📅 Date: Friday, September 12 ⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM 📍 Location: Kirkland Woman’s Club Why Attend? This special evening raises money to support charity projects and scholarships, including food and clothing assistance for Kirkland families. Together, we can extend Rotary’s impact even further into our community. What’s in Store? | ||
 Harvest Against Hunger Work Party at Elk Run FarmListed in this issue · 2025-09-14 Join us at Elk Run Farm and experience Harvest Against Hunger’s mission in action. It’s a great opportunity to invite family, friends, and coworkers to join you and make an impact together. To sign up, scan the QR code or go to https://www.harvestagainsthunger.org/rotary-work-parties-at-elk-run-farm/ | ||
 Run with the Fishes (5K/10K/Kids’ Fun Run)Listed in this issue · 2025-09-28 Join us as we bring back a cherished Issaquah tradition! The Issaquah Rotary Club’s Run With the Fishes is back—featuring a 5K, 10K, and a 1K Kids’ Fun Run—and we can’t wait to run, cheer, and celebrate with you once again. | ||
 Unity Benefit 2025 – Courage is Our CompassListed in this issue · 2025-10-10 For 17 years, the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) has preserved and celebrated Black culture and heritage to cultivate hope and healing across communities. On Friday, October 10, 2025, NAAM will host its annual Unity Benefit at the Four Seasons Seattle. Unity represents the pinnacle of our fundraising efforts, and the proceeds directly fuel our most vital work—from groundbreaking exhibitions that illuminate untold stories, to education initiatives that inspire the next generation, to dynamic public programs and community events that bring us together in meaningful ways. | ||
 Happy Hour 4 Good benefitting Lake Union Rotary FoundationListed in this issue · 2025-08-21 On each third Thursday from July through October, Lake Union Rotary hosts a Happy Hour for Good on the dock at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, WA. The evening takes place from 6-8 pm and includes live music, food, beer & wine, and a few words from our partner organization. Please join us on August 21st to support this month’s beneficiary: Lake Union Rotary Foundation. To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/happy-hour-for-good-benefitting-lake-union-rotary-foundation | ||
 Happy Hour 4 Good benefitting CHILD USAListed in this issue · 2025-09-18 Join us on the docks at the Center for Wooden Boats on Thursday, September 18th from 6-8pm for food, drinks, and live music with proceeds going towards CHILD USA. Tickets are available at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/happy-hour-for-good-benefitting-child-usa CHILD USA is the leading nonprofit think tank for children. Their mission is to preserve and strengthen children’s rights. | ||
 West Seattle Community Fruit Gleaning DayListed in this issue · 2025-09-13 Do you live in West Seattle? Sign up for the West Seattle Community Glean! West Seattle is home to thousands of trees and vines that bear fruit that goes uneaten. On September 13, Rotarians and Scouts can harvest your ripe fruit and transport it to local food banks to help neighbors in need. If you or someone you know who lives in West Seattle has an apple, pear or plum tree or a quince bush, check out this opportunity! | ||
 Seattle International District – DEI Book Group – DiscussionListed in this issue · 2025-09-20 Understood to be the definitive account of the Great Migration of 6 million Black citizens as they moved from the South to the North and West from WWI to 1970. Sharing the stories of unforgettable protagonists in 1937, 1945 and 1953 we come to understand this generally unrecognized immigration within our own country. join us for open conversations, where Rotarians can strive to deepen their understanding of life experiences. Contact Nancy Merrill at nancysmerrill@gmail.com for the zoom link. | ||
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 Remembering SangKoo Yun, Rotary International President-Elect
It is with deep sadness that we share the news that SangKoo Yun , Rotary International President-Elect for the 2026–27 Rotary year, passed away on September 5, 2025 , at the age of 75. Yun, a distinguished member of the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang in Seoul, South Korea , had only recently stepped down from his role as President-Elect due to health reasons. He was preparing to serve as only the second South Korean Rotarian in history to hold Rotary’s highest office. | ||
 Ignite Your Rotary Spirit in Walla Walla: April 16–19, 2026
Get ready to experience Rotary like never before at the 2026 District 5030 Conference, themed “Ignite Your Rotary Spirit,” taking place April 16–19 at the historic and elegant Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla, Washington . This year’s conference is more than just a gathering—it’s a celebration of purpose, connection, and inspiration set against the backdrop of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most charming destinations. A Destination Worth the Journey Nestled in the heart of southeastern Washington, Walla Walla is a town that blends small-town warmth with world-class appeal. | ||
 Hunger Strike Expands Beyond District 5030
What began as a bold idea here in Rotary District 5030 has now grown into a movement that is spreading across Rotary. Hunger Strike—our 30-day fundraising competition that rallies clubs, communities, and partners to fight food insecurity—is no longer just a Seattle-area initiative. This year, other Rotary Districts have joined us , bringing even more energy, creativity, and impact to the effort. District 5170 (California) Joins the Movement Rotary District 5170, which first piloted its own version called Stamp Out Hunger in 2023, is officially part of the growing Hunger Strike initiative this year. | ||
 Take on the Under the Net Challenge!
Mosquitoes transmit malaria, a preventable disease that continues to take hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are one of the most effective tools for prevention, creating a barrier against bites and helping reduce transmission across communities. The Under the Net Challenge invites Rotary Clubs in non-endemic regions to engage with this reality. Sleeping under a mosquito net may not be comfortable or familiar, but taking on that discomfort can deepen our understanding of what families in malaria-affected communities face every night. | ||
 Rotarians Come Together to Restore the Duwamish River in Seattle
Rotarians Come Together to Restore the Duwamish River in Seattle Back in the spring on Saturday, May 3, Rotarians from all around District 5030 came together and helped restore the Duwamish River. We worked at Diagonal Ave Park Shoreline Habitat on the shores of the Duwamish River. It involved significant work removing invasive species and planting native shrubs and trees. This project was sponsored by the District 5030 Environmental Sustainability Committee in partnership with the Duwamish River Community Coalition. | ||
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 Rotary Club of Duvall Invites the Community to Celebrate International Day of Peace with “Picnic for Peace”
Free Family-Friendly Event on September 21 at Depot Park in Downtown Duvall Duvall, WA – August 15, 2025 — The Rotary Club of Duvall is inviting neighbors from across the Snoqualmie Valley to gather for a joyful celebration of community, connection, and peace at its Picnic for Peace , taking place Sunday, September 21, 2025, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at Depot Park in Downtown Duvall . The event coincides with the United Nations International Day of Peace , a global day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples. | ||
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 Climate Change is NO Hoax
Op-Ed: Voices from Our District By Dave Spicer For several years now, there have been repeated efforts to call climate change a “hoax” and a “scam” based on “fake science.” In the past several months, there has been an all-out assault on reversing efforts to protect our environment and slow climate change. | ||
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The Pulse Rotary District 5030 · People of Action Archived issue · September 2025. Article summaries reflect the WordPress content available when this archive was rebuilt. Events and offers may have ended. Visit Rotary District 5030 |
