On a regular basis, our resident photo pro Warren Smith, submits pictures of what is going on at the weekly meetings. You can always find the most recent pictures at the websites photo journal called "Meeting Sighting" Please note that all the meeting photos for the entire Rotary year are at this location with the most recent on the last page.

Thanks for all the great pictures Warren! Link to Meeting Sightings. The most recent are on the last page!

Rotary has a way of surprising you.

It surprises you when a stranger across the table becomes a lifelong friend. It surprises you when a small project in one neighborhood ripples outward in ways you never imagined. And it may surprise you when you realize that the person Rotary has changed most … is you.

That is why this year, we are called to harness the change within ourselves, to look to the future, and to Create Lasting Impact.

Now, I want to be clear about what those words mean. Change is only the beginning. Impact is what endures. We must think of the long-term impact of every project. How can a new water system contribute to the long-term health of a community? Can residents help other communities build their own? How can a new classroom be part of a wider strategy to improve education in the area? That is the sort of thinking we need.

As we prioritize impact, we must also consider how our actions can contribute to peacebuilding. Peace does not happen by accident. It must be built deliberately and strategically. As you plan your next project, ask yourself: “How does this create the conditions for peace?” Consult the Pillars of Positive Peace to learn how we can bring the world one step closer to peace in everything we do.

The more you change your community and the world, the more you will change. Don’t just tell people about the projects you have run or the funds you have raised. Tell them how Rotary has shaped who you are. Those personal stories open doors, inspire new members, and remind all of us why we are here.

Storytelling is also an excellent way to recruit new members and raise funds. We need more people standing with us and more resources if we are to end polio, spread peace, and have a lasting impact on the world. We have set a goal of increasing membership to 1.25 million Rotarians and more than 125,000 Rotaractors by 2030, just in time for Rotary’s 125th anniversary.

Sit down with your club and look back over your accomplishments in the last few years. Find your best year. Maybe it was a record year for new members. Maybe you reached a fundraising milestone. Maybe you completed a project that the whole community is still talking about. Once you find that year, I challenge you to do better than your best.

In these ways and more, we will Create Lasting Impact across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Thank you, my dear friends. Now let’s get to work.

I love the idea of a gratitude journal. The practice is simple: Write down three things each day that you are grateful for, and watch how it shifts your mindset, your energy, and even the way you move through the world.

To me, gratitude is more than a feeling; it is a force.

And in Rotary, gratitude is a reflection of who we are. When we thank our donors, we are acknowledging their contribution and honoring their belief in a better world.

I write in my gratitude journal often — not every day but enough to keep me grounded. I want to share with you an entry from January, written during the International Assembly. The assembly is more than our annual learning event for district governors-elect; it’s a gathering filled with inspiration and moments that stay with you long after the lights dim.

My first entry was in gratitude to Debbie and Russell Doby.

In 2022, Debbie, then a district governor-elect, missed out on that inspiring assembly experience because of the pandemic. Then, a year later, just a few days before the district conference she was excited to host, Debbie and her husband were in a head-on collision. The other driver was killed; Debbie and Russell survived, miraculously.

Out of tragedy, they found grace. They created an endowment fund for their district at the Arch Klumph Society level, choosing to transform pain into purpose.

My second entry reflected on Ravishankar and Paola Dakoju from the Rotary Club of Bangalore, India. At the assembly, the couple pledged $50 million to The Rotary Foundation, an extraordinary gift representing 85 percent of their wealth. Ravishankar said, “When you give more than you think you can, life returns to you more than you can ever imagine.” That single sentence captures the heart of Rotary.

My final entry was in gratitude to Moh Eid and Chuck and Carol Stocking. After Moh’s brother, Ibrahim, a humanitarian aid worker, was killed while helping victims of war, Chuck was moved to create the Ibrahim Eid Fund to support Rotary Peace Fellows. Their leverage gift was $100,000 toward a million-dollar goal. That is what it looks like when grief becomes hope.

And today, my gratitude entry is for you. For longtime members and brand new faces, for those who give year after year and those preparing to make their first gift. Thank you.

Let gratitude be our compass this year.