Join Us For a Day of Golf, Fun & Giving!

Hit the green for a great cause at our annual charity golf tournament
—open to all skill levels!

Tee Times: 11:00 AM and 1:40 PM 

Why Play?  Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Mercer Island Foundation  which funds life-changing projects locally and around the world—from clean water and clinics abroad to fighting hunger and sex trafficking here at home.

Event Highlights:

• 18-hole scramble format

• Contests: longest drive, closest to pin, hole-in-one & more

• Free meal and beverage at Mount Si Golf Course

• Beverage cart on course

• Raffle prizes

Come swing for a cause—and help drive real change!

Register here:  https://birdease.com/MercerIsland

Join us at Luther Burbank Park to celebrate the opening of eight brand-new pickleball courts with a tournament that blends fun, community, and impact.

100% of net proceeds go to charity, with 25% benefiting The Scooty Fund (@scootyfund.org), a nonprofit founded in memory of Will Taylor (MIHS Class of 2013). The fund supports youth mental health and suicide prevention through emotional awareness, education, and resources for young adults.

The remaining proceeds will support vital causes, including cancer research, housing and food security, clean water, and more.

Rotary’s motto is “Service Above Self.” Come serve up some pickleballs while helping improve lives locally and around the world.

Want to volunteer? [Read more here.]

Read More

Well Constructed has completed over 400 projects, providing more than 220,000 people with sources of potable drinking water!

 

Read More

Natalie Lescher is the Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Washington (OLLI-UW).

The Institute offers a range of programs for intellectually curious adults over the age of 50. Osher is currently offering both in-person and Zoom courses.

About AWB (Association of Washington Business)

Founded in 1904, AWB is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association, representing every industry and region.

Serving as the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturing/technology association, AWB advocates for businesses of all sizes—from major employers like Boeing and Microsoft to small businesses, 90% of which have fewer than 100 employees.

Looking for a Simple, Meaningful Service Project You Can Do at Home?

This is the perfect opportunity—for you and your kids!

We’re collecting lost and found items from the JCC and local schools, then washing and donating them to children in need. It’s easy, flexible, and makes a real difference.

We will soon have more bags of clothes ready to go—just wash them at home and return them in the same bags. We can deliver to you or you can pick them up from Pat Turner's house—whatever works best for you.

Get involved. Make it a family project. Help kids help other kids!

Contact Pat Turner for more information: [email protected]

Dragon Park Renovation — Help Us Build an Inclusive Playground! 

The Rotary Club of Mercer Island is proud to support the renovation of Deane’s Children’s Park (aka Dragon Park) to make it accessible and welcoming for everyone.

Rotarian John Hamer is leading our effort—coordinating funding, community engagement, and volunteer support.

We’re looking for volunteers to help in any of the following ways:

• Staff the information booth at the Farmers Market

• Organize and participate in fundraising efforts

• Collaborate with other Rotary clubs to secure matching grants

• Contribute in whatever way suits your skills!

Interested?

Reach out to John directly to get involved. [email protected]

Let’s transform Dragon Park into a safe, inclusive space for all children and families on Mercer Island!

     Farm Work Day           

Harvest Against Hunger and Rotary District 5030 are bringing back monthly farm workdays—a great way to connect with fellow Rotarians and support hunger relief in South King County. 

What You’ll Do

Help plant, weed, compost, harvest produce, and more to support Elk Run Farm’s mission of growing fresh, nutritious food for local food banks. 

When & Where

• Dates: 2nd Sunday of each month, July–October 2025

  • July 13, Aug 10, Sep 14, Oct 12

• Time: 10 AM–2 PM

• Location: Elk Run Farm, 27625 228th Ave SE, Maple Valley, WA 

Why Join

• Hands-on impact: Over 10,000 lbs of fresh produce donated each year 

• Community building: Work alongside Rotarians across District?5030

• Family-friendly: Ages 12+ welcome; under 12 with adult supervision 

How to Sign Up

Visit the Elk Run Farm Volunteer sign-up page and choose your preferred date. 

Registration is required—no drop-ins, rain or shine!

What to Bring

• Wear sturdy shoes and layered clothes

• Bring lunch, snacks, and a reusable water bottle (water available on-site) 

By volunteering, you’ll help nourish our community—and strengthen connections across clubs. Sign up today and we’ll see you in the fields!

Read More

Join Us at the Mercer Island Farmers’ Market!

We’re looking for volunteers to help set up, tear down, or staff the Mercer Island Framer's Market booth during market hours—10:00 AM to 2:00 PM—every Sunday from June through September. Whether you sign up solo or bring friends, we’ve got a role for you:

Set-up & Tear-down: Help with canopies, tables, and chairs

• Booth Support: Answer questions, help with lost items, and greet visitors

• Market Day Coverage: Cover any shifts during open hours

Ready to help? Sign up here for the 2025 season!

This link connects you to the Farmers Market volunteer page—choose what works for you. 

When it comes to international service, one of the most crucial debates is how best to provide aid: should we focus on short-term relief, or aim for long-term empowerment? For Rotary, the answer is clear. While emergency assistance has a place, real transformation happens when communities are empowered to take control of their own futures. This philosophy drives many of Rotary's most impactful projects.

Relief vs. Empowerment

Providing food, shelter, and medical care such as with ShelterBox in the immediate aftermath of a disaster saves lives. However, the challenge is that once the aid stops, communities often find themselves back where they started. Rotary believes that while this type of intervention is sometimes necessary, it should not be the primary focus. The goal is to empower communities to meet their own needs, reducing dependency on outside help over time.

Take, for example, Rotary’s micro-finance projects in India. By providing small loans to women to purchase sewing machines, Rotary not only gives individuals the tools they need to generate income but also helps entire communities break the cycle of poverty. The success of these projects lies in their sustainability. Rather than simply handing out money or goods, Rotary invests in skills and opportunities that allows recipients to thrive long after the initial support is gone.

Challenges and Benefits of Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is not without its challenges. Implementing long-term solutions often requires significant time, cultural understanding, and resources. It can be difficult to measure immediate impact, which sometimes makes it less attractive to donors looking for quick results. However, the benefits far outweigh these hurdles. Projects that focus on sustainability not only create lasting change but also foster a sense of ownership and pride within communities.

A prime example of this is Rotary’s work in clean water projects. Rather than simply digging wells or installing filtration systems, Rotary often partners with local communities to train residents on maintenance and repair. This ensures that the infrastructure will continue to serve its purpose long after the initial project is completed. Empowerment, in this sense, is not just about providing tools, but also about building the knowledge and capacity to keep those tools in working order.

Transitioning from Immediate Aid to Long-Term Solutions

For organizations used to providing immediate aid, the shift to long-term empowerment can be challenging. One effective strategy is to start with short-term relief while simultaneously laying the groundwork for sustainable development. For instance, in areas affected by natural disasters, Rotary might provide emergency shelter or medical supplies, but also begin conversations with local leaders about how to rebuild in a way that strengthens the community for the future.

Rotary’s PolioPlus program is another great example of this approach. The campaign initially focused on mass vaccinations, providing immediate aid to eradicate polio. But over time, the strategy evolved to include broader efforts in health infrastructure, education, and community engagement, ensuring that the progress made could be sustained long-term.

Rotary’s approach to aid goes beyond simply addressing immediate needs. It focuses on empowering individuals and communities to take control of their own destinies. By transitioning from short-term relief to long-term solutions, Rotary’s projects create lasting impact, fostering resilience and self-reliance. Whether through micro-finance, clean water initiatives, or global health campaigns, Rotary's commitment to sustainable aid ensures that communities are not dependent on outside assistance but are empowered to thrive.

A lot of people have heard about Rotary, but not everyone knowns what the club is all about. The Fargo-Moorhead Rotary Clubs created this short (and funny) video to clarify things.

Enjoy!


 

Read More

HOMELESS IN SEATTLE

Tiny Houses provide a stable environment on the way to more permanent housing.These houses have light, heat, a window and a door with a lock. The tiny house villages throughout the city have communal kitchens and bath and laundry facilities. The 8’ by 12’ units can be built quickly by volunteers.

Mercer Island Rotary Club members, as well as other Rotary partners, have helped construct and paint many of the homes.

There are over 11,000 homeless in the area. It is easy to assume that homelessness, especially in the US, is a choice. What we have learned instead is that there are many men, women and families in our society who actually have few choices for lack of caring support. Homelessness is not a choice in most cases, it is what happens to people with few choices, if any choice at all.  Mercer Island Rotary is making a difference. One Tiny House at a time.

For more information about Tiny Houses project in Seattle, please watch this video:

Read More

Here are the volunteer opportunities we offer with specific time
commitments:

1. Literacy or math tutor: 1 hour each week during the school year at Beacon Hill (4pm-5:30pm) or Green Lake (3pm-5pm). Volunteers can commit to a semester or the full school year.

2. Summer program tutor: 1 hour per week during our summer session (July 8 - August 8) at Dearborn Park Elementary, Rising Star, or Daniel Bagley Elementary (9am-3:30pm). Volunteers can select the weeks that work for their schedule.

3. Special events support: Sponsor a family dinner night, pizza party, boba tea party, or drop off snacks for our students. One time commitment.

4. Guest speaker: Share career experiences or special skills with our students. This is typically a one-time 30-minute presentation.

5. Tech support: Help support the program through donating your professional website development.

All volunteers receive orientation materials. We're happy to work with Rotary members to find the right fit for their interests and availability.

If you (and/or your friends) are interested, please contact Roy Chang directly at [email protected]. 

Even if you have not previously attended (or even don't play or even like golf), we need folks to pitch in to make this fundraising effort a success.  

If you want to get more involved, please contact Benson Wong at [email protected]. or by text or phone (206) 940-9294.
 

Remember that familiar feeling from "Cheers"—where everybody knows your name? In today's increasingly disconnected world, the Rotary Club of Mercer Island offers something similarly precious: a place where genuine connection and purpose intersect.

At its core, Rotary transcends the typical community service organization. While the global network's impact is undeniable, the true magic happens in the small moments—when members share coffee after a project, mentor each other naturally, or celebrate a community milestone together. These seemingly simple interactions weave together to create something rare and valuable: a sense of belonging that extends far beyond meetings and service projects.

What sets the Rotary Club of Mercer Island apart is its unique ability to transform individual good intentions into collective impact. Here, a retired executive might work alongside a young entrepreneur, each learning from the other while working toward a common goal. A quiet retired CFO might discover her voice leading a significant community initiative, while an outspoken business owner might find joy supporting "behind the scenes". This diversity of perspectives and talents creates a rich blend of experiences and abilities, all united by a shared commitment to service.

The camaraderie that develops while doing service projects isn't just about networking or socializing—it's about creating a second family bound by shared values and purpose. When our members roll up their sleeves together, whether they're organizing a local food drive for Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, feeding the homeless at Operation Nightwatch in Seattle, collecting kids' clothes for Treehouse, educating our youth to help stop sex trafficking in King County or implementing global health initiatives like building a health clinic in Africa, they're crafting a legacy of connection, understanding, and impact that ripples through the Mercer Island community.

This magic isn't accidental. It's cultivated through intentional inclusion, celebrated through shared achievements, and sustained through genuine care for one another. In a world that often feels fragmented and distant, Mercer Island Rotary stands as a beacon of what's possible when people come together with open hearts and willing hands.

For those seeking more than just another membership or networking opportunity, Rotary offers something invaluable: a place where you can be yourself, grow alongside others, and make a lasting difference in the world. It's where purpose meets belonging, and where everybody truly does know your name—and values what you bring to the table.

The buzz of a Rotary meeting isn't just noise - it's the sound of purpose. Our motto, "Service Above Self," isn't a lofty ideal; it's our daily fuel.

I've seen it transform lives, including my own. It's not about martyrdom, but finding strength in responsibility. It's the spark that turns personal ambition into collective impact.

Sure, balancing Rotary's values with our own can be tricky. I've wrestled with it, juggling work, family, and service. But here's the secret: when we align with Rotary's ideals, everything else falls into place.

We're not just talkers; we're doers. From building Tiny Houses, to supporting the Mercer Island High School Interact club and the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, to feeding the homeless, building a health clinic in Uganda, or providing clothing for kids in need in Seattle, we roll up our sleeves and make things happen. It's about meaningful action, not empty promises.  

One of the most powerful Rotary volunteer activities I experienced was giving polio vaccines to children in the villages of Ethiopia.  (See the video below.)

These values of Service Above Self aren't just words on a page—they're the DNA of who we are. They challenge us, shape us, and connect us to something bigger than ourselves.

Leadership in Rotary? It's not about the spotlight. Our best leaders listen more than they speak, lifting others as they climb. It's humility over ego, and it's powerful.

In a world that often feels fractured, Rotary's values are a unifying force. They remind us of our shared humanity and our power to create change. It's not just about MAKING a difference - it's about BEING the difference.


 

Read More

In appreciation for our Club's generous and longstanding support to reduce hunger in our community, Harvest Against Hunger invited our club to be recognized as a member of the newly created

For more than 115 years, the members of Rotary have bridged cultures and connected continents by championing peace, fighting illiteracy, poverty and disease and promoting clean water and sanitation.Recently, growing local economies and protecting the environment has been added to the causes we support.

To this end, The Rotary Club of Mercer Island is uniquely positioned to have its own Foundation (the Mercer Island Rotary Foundation), which funds grants for projects that have measurable goals, are sustainable, based on community needs, and are centered on at least one of our areas of focus listed above.

If you think your request qualifies, please click on the link below to complete a grant request application!

MIRF Grant Application

For over 60 years, The Mercer Island Rotary Club has been made up of active community members from all walks of life working together to make a lasting change on Mercer Island, in Washington, and around the world. We are part of the larger global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change. 

Interested in joining or learning more?  
Visitors are always welcome and there is no cost to visit.
Join us at our meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St. Mercer Island, WA 98040.   A catered lunch by Pogacha (a restaurant on Mercer Island) is available for $25, or bring your own.

Socializing 12:00 - 12:30    Meeting and a speaker 12:30 - 1:30

You can also reach out directly to Diane Tien, Mercer Island Rotary Membership Director, [email protected]

Rotary International Causes
Global Rotary Network