Our guest speaker on Friday was Jeremy Goldsmith of the Washington State Fathers Network. The WSFN started 47 years ago at UW and was housed under Kindering from 1985-2025 but is now under the Sherwood Community Services umbrella. WAFN is a powerful voice for fathers and families of children with a disability or special health care needs. WSFN is one of the longest running father's program.

The program serves as a connected hub for father's uncles, grandpas and other male caregivers of children with special healthcare needs. Jeremy is the first coordinator under Sherwood and shared his personal connection to the work through his niece who is nonverbal and autistic. The coordinator's responsibilities include relationship-building, resource development, promoting the network and establishing chapters across Washington.

Join us in recognizing World Immunization Week during your meetings and in your communities!

Please, 

• help raise awareness of the need to keep our children healthy!

• understand that most of the children infected with polio will not present paralysis nor other symptoms, but still can pass on the virus (two wild polio cases already this year),

• inform your communities that

  • polio is only a plane ride away (the polio virus was detected in London sewage for the second time this year)

  • no child is safe until all children are safe

• ADVOCATE - DONATE - EDUCATE

• https://www.rotary.org/en/world-immunization-week-vaccines-keep-communities-healthy Rotary info

• https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/search?tab=0&dt_ourcauses=Ending+Polio&tt_lang=EN&dt_lang=EN Rotary resources

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW5Gnr_Np0YWHO info

Rotary Hands Across the Border

Rotary Hands Across the Border has become a valued annual tradition for Rotarians in our District. As the Peace Arch District, we gather beneath the Peace Arch to join hands in a visible demonstration of our shared commitment to peace, friendship, and solidarity with Rotarians on both sides of the international border. 

As in past years, each Club is encouraged to make a meaningful contribution to The Rotary Foundation and to bring a large presentation check for a commemorative group photo recognizing that gift. Since the days of GolFun fundraising for TRF, many Clubs have included this annual contribution in their budgets and in their goals through Rotary Club Central.

This year’s Rotary Hands Across the Border event will be held on August 8th 2026 at Noon. A separate invitation will be sent to all Rotarians in the District. The purpose of this message is to help you add the event to your Club calendar now and to ensure your Club has budget funds for a contribution to The Rotary Foundation at this special gathering.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Shawn
Shawn O’Donnell
District Governor 2027–28
shawn.rotary5050@gmail.com