Rotary Club of Mercer Island
Rotary President Message
Since public service has always been a large part of my life, my involvement in The Rotary Club of Mercer Island is a natural transition after serving the Island as an elected official. I am honored and looking forward to serving as the club’s president this year. The club is a place for developing connections, friendships, and community. The club is also a place where you can individually and collectively make a difference not only on the Island, but in our local region, and abroad. The Rotary motto of “Service Above Self” drives the actions of all Rotarians. If the club sounds like a place for you, please join me and other Rotarians at our club meetings or at our service projects. Let’s work together to do good and promote peace. This year we will have fun and camaraderie as we meet the challenges ahead, and serve others. What I love most about our club and what you will love is that it provides “service for the soul”.
Upcoming Events
Club News
NOVEMBER 27 - Operation Nightwatch
Contact Todd White to Volunteer. http://[email protected]
DECEMBER 7 - Let's support our Chamber of Commerce at the Holiday Maker's Market
DECEMBER 13 - Do You Want to Inspire Emerging Leaders and Entrepreneurs?
Do you have time to assist students with their career goals? DECA students need your help as a competitive events judge. You’ll be assisting high school students as they work toward successful careers.
As a judge, you will participate in role-play activities during which students will act out their solutions to real business world situations. Following training that morning, you will then evaluate the students’ performances using a brief, easy to complete evaluation form. Contact Jen McLellan to volunteer. [email protected]
DECEMBER 14 - Ringing Bells for the Salvation Army
These times were still available as of 11/21/24, but double check with Benson Wong who is coordinating the volunteers. [email protected]
Walgreens
9-11 AM - one spot open
11-1 - two spots open
QFC SOUTH
1-3 PM - one spot open
QFC NORTH
All spots are filled
DECEMBER 17 - Annual Meeting via ZOOM
Please plan to attend this brief meeting via ZOOM as we need a quorum to approve the slate of officers and directors for the 2025-26 Rotary year, and to make a few changes to the bylaws.
SAVE THE DATE: Harvest Against Hunger - Annual Fund Raising Event
SAVE THE DATE: Mercer Island Rotary's FIRST Golf Tournament
A Terrific Opportunity
Our Rotary Club is at an inflection point, where we have the opportunity to match effective Club Leadership with new fund-raising avenues that will enable on-going investments in worthwhile causes, both locally and internationally. Identified causes have been and will continue to be funded through our MI Rotary Foundation.
Reasons for optimism include:
- The leadership of Dr. Fred Rundle, who heads up our Community Grants Team.
- The leadership of Vyvienne Stumbles, who heads up our International Grants Team.
- The plans for a Summer 2025 Pickleball Tournament, which will raise funds for the MI Rotary Foundation.
- Initial plans for a Summer 2025 Golf Tournament, which will also raise funds for the MI Rotary Foundation.
NOW is a great time to get personally involved in our grant activities. This is a big reason why we are Rotarians. If you have an idea for a worthwhile grant, please bring it forward.
Here’s a great equation for 2025:
Your idea for a worthwhile grant project
+ a group of MI Rotarians who come together with details and planning
+ effective fund-raising planned for 2025
+ MI Rotary Foundation funding
__________________________
= SOMETHING GREAT GETS FUNDED
Let’s do this together. Please let me know if you have ideas or questions. [email protected]
Wally Boos
Foundation President
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
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.
DECEMBER 3 - Club Meeting - Speaker Andy Hobbs - The Challenges and Importance of Local Journalism.
Empowering Communities
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.
Make a Difference - Join Today!
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
Reducing Hunger in Our Community
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
Lifetime Giving Society
VALUES IN ACTION - Why We Serve
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.
Tiny Houses--Big Impact
HOMELESS IN SEATTLE
The Home First Model--getting homeless men, women and families into a safe, clean home with outreach services--is a transitional step toward permanent housing. Living on the streets impacts the body and the mind. Housing people first and addressing health and mental well-being along with finding jobs and education is a scaffolding strategy that has been proven to work.
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:
The Rotary Club of Mercer Island Foundation - Donate or Request a Grant
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
What is Rotary International all about anyway?
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!
Rotary Club of Mercer Island
We are currently meeting at the MI Community and Event Center 1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month starting from noon to 12:30 pm for socializing, with the main program beginning at 12:30 pm.
We are changemakers for good in the community, region, and world.
Full house today at our Rotary meeting! Wonderful recognition of the November and December Students of the Month presented by MISD Superintendent Fred Rundle. Congratulations to the deserving students! Many thanks to today’s featured speaker Andy Hobbs from MI Reporter. A memorable time today! Hope to see you next time. ... See MoreSee Less
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Hobbs will discuss the state of newspapers at Dec. 3 Rotary meeting | Mercer Island Reporter ... See MoreSee Less
Hobbs will discuss the state of newspapers at Dec. 3 Rotary meeting | Mercer Island Reporter
Andy Hobbs will discuss his journalism career as well as the state of newspapers in Mercer Island and King County and beyond at the Rotary Club of Mercer Island’s meeting on Dec. 3 at the Mercer Isl...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. Looking forward to seeing you at our next Rotary meeting on Tuesday December 3rd from noon - 1:30 pm at Mercer Island Event and Community Center. Andy Hobbs from Mercer Island Reporter will discuss the state of newspapers at the Rotary meeting. ... See MoreSee Less
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WE CONNECT PEOPLE
Rotary unites more than a million people
Through Rotary clubs, people from all continents and cultures come together to exchange ideas, and form friendships and professional connections while making a difference in their backyards and around the world.
WE TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES
We take action locally and globally
Each day, our members pour their passion, integrity, and intelligence into completing projects that have a lasting impact. We persevere until we deliver real, lasting solutions.
WE SOLVE PROBLEMS
No challenge is too big for us
For more than 110 years, we’ve bridged cultures and connected continents to champion peace, fight illiteracy and poverty, promote clean water and sanitation, and fight disease.
where people unite and take action
to create lasting
change across the globe,
in our communities, and in ourselves.
where people unite and take action
to create lasting
change across the globe,
in our communities, and in ourselves.