Mercer Island School Superintendent Fred Rundle will discuss facts regarding the upcoming (April 2025) school bond.


Mercer Island Rotary does not take a stand pro or con about the school bond. This presentation will be only a factual one with no advocacy by anyone to vote for or to vote against the bond issue.

Jon Scholes is president & CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, where he is responsible for the operations and programs of the DSA, a 650-member association formed in 1958 to create a healthy, vibrant downtown.

In this capacity, Jon is also responsible for the management of the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID), which was established by property owners and the City of Seattle in 1999 to provide cleaning, safety, transportation, marketing and public-realm management services across 285 square blocks in downtown.

He has led the growth and expansion of the organization’s services, advocacy agenda and response to the impacts of the pandemic on downtown Seattle.

City Manager Jessi Bon will provide the facts about the proposed city capital bond issue/vote in November.

Mercer Island Rotary does not take a stand pro or con about the bond. This presentation will be only a factual one with no advocacy by anyone to vote for or to vote against the bond issue.

In lieu of our typical meeting, Rotarian Tanya Su will be conducting a 45-minute workshop about identifying dementia such as is used by the Old Friends Club. This will be an interactive workshop with meeting attendees.

Old Friends Club is a network of social respite programs that offer social connection and engaging activities for individuals living with dementia, while providing care partners with affordable, dependable respite. The programs serve people in their own communities.

Stay tuned - more information to come.

Calling on Rotary volunteers from around our Rotary District 5030 (King County).  Please join us for a half-day of work restoring Seattle's Duwamish River.  

We will meet from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and work on removing invasive species from the banks of the Duwamish River and planting native species.

There will be a short talk about the EPA cleanup efforts from a member of the Port of Seattle as well as a brief  a talk from a member of the Duwamish Nation telling about the historical ties between the Duwamish people and this river.

Bring boots and working gloves.  All tools and plants as well as donuts, coffee and lunch will be provided.  (There is a Portapotty available).  

Please email Dave Spicer asap at [email protected]

 Nancy Lee and Julie Hsieh joined Jen McClellan to volunteer as judges for the WA state DECA Competition! They had a record number of students competing from Mercer Island School District at the state level! The students were so amazing! They had to role-play and pitch an idea for a start-up company.

Diane Tien and John Hamer volunteered at the Mercer Island Community Senior Resource Fair last Saturday. They had many folks interested in helping one of our local Rotary causes - updating Deane's Children's Park (also known as Dragon Park).


Attendees were also interested in what other good work Rotary does.

Lola Deane with John Hamer.

"The Amazing Life of Jim Ellis" was the focus of a special Rotary Club of Mercer Island program on March 4. His son Bob, a club member, and daughter Lynn began by recalling memories of life with their father and mother as they grew up in a house on Lake Washington. "Our dad was enthusiastic about life and that was his gift to us," Lynn said.

She described all the civic improvement projects that Ellis led, including Lake Washington cleanup, Metro sewage and transit agencies, Forward Thrust (which built Luther Burbank Park and Mary Wayte Pool on MI), the Kingdome, Farmlands preservation, the Convention Center, and Mountains to Sound Greenway, among others. "Our family is proud of dad's service and all he did for all our lives," she said. Jennifer Ott of HistoryLink, who completed Jim's unfinished autobiography after he died, noted how Jim was always willing to seek common ground to get results. 

 "He would go into a meeting with an outcome in mind. If things fail, you try again. What do both sides want?" In introductory remarks, Rotarian John Hamer said: "I believe that he did more for any city or region as an unelected civic leader than any single individual has ever done for any city in the country or maybe the world." 

Every Friday when I was growing up, my dad would tell the latest joke or pun he'd heard at his lunchtime Rotary meeting – "Why did the Rotary Club member bring a ladder to the meeting? To reach new heights in service!" We'd all groan at just how lame they were. They became known as "Pop Corn."

When you think of Rotary International today, you might picture serious business leaders working on world-changing projects. But the story of how Rotary began is full of friendship, fun, and quite a few pranks.

In 1905 Chicago, being a young professional could be lonely. Paul Harris knew this feeling well. Having grown up in a small Vermont town where everyone knew each other, he missed that sense of connection. When he started Rotary, he made sure fun was a key ingredient.

The early Rotary meetings weren't just about business - they were about breaking down walls between people through laughter. These first Rotarians would burst into song in the middle of meetings and play practical jokes on each other.

One of their favorite traditions was called "fining." If someone showed up late or broke one of the club's playful rules, they'd have to pay a small fine. The reasons for fines were often completely made up on the spot, leading to lots of laughs. Someone might get fined for wearing too nice a tie or for not laughing loudly enough at another member's joke.

Harris wrote about these early days in his book "My Road to Rotary," sharing how these moments of joy helped build lasting friendships. This blend of fun and purpose turned out to be exactly what people were looking for. Rotary clubs started popping up all over the country, then around the world. Each new club added its own flavor of humor while keeping the core idea that friendship comes first.

Today's Rotary clubs might be more structured, but that spirit of fun lives on. Many clubs still share jokes and make sure their meetings include time for fellowship and laughter. Those first Rotarians showed us that making a difference and having fun can go hand in hand.  

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR HISTORIC SHIP IN SEATTLE 
 
The S.S. VIRGINIA V, a National Historic Landmark, is maintained and operated entirely by volunteers. Based out of Lake Union Park by MOHAI in Seattle, this 103-year-old vessel is the only still operating wooden, steam-powered passenger ship in the United States. We hope you will join us as a volunteer! 
 
We are looking for people to work as deckhands, engineers, docents, bartenders, captains, mates, carpenters, woodworkers, and painters. 
 
No boating/ship-handling experience is needed!  
(The exception is any candidates for captain, who must hold an active 100-ton or greater license.) 
Hours worked on the ship count towards sea service hours for U.S. Coast Guard licensing. 
 
The Steamer Virginia V Foundation volunteers will receive the following benefits once active: 
-Complimentary tickets to public events for volunteers and their families/friends, depending on availability 
-Free membership to the foundation which includes a discount on charters 
-V5 shirt and hat 
-Invitations to onboard volunteer appreciation events 
-Invitations for families/friends to non-public cruises like fuel and positioning runs 
-Trainings such as CPR/First Aid 
 
Please be aware that deck and engine crew positions involve drug testing as required by the U.S. Coast Guard. 
 
If you are ready to get started, head to virginiav.org/volunteer for role descriptions and the application. If you have any questions, reach out to the Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected]. 

Congratulations to our Membership Director (and soon to be President Elect) of our club for her article in the latest edition of Mercer Island - City Lifestyle magazine. Diane is a force behind in bringing a new rowing club to Mercer Island!  Check out the article and support her good work.

Do you want an easy service project - one you can do in your own home on your own time?

This is the project for YOU! 

Prepare food for those in need at Operation Nightwatch in Seattle.

6:00  to 7:45 PM

This is a great project for family and friends. Bring your kids and friends. (Children leave by 7:30 before serving begins)

Contact Todd White to Volunteer.  http://[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.
 

Every day, millions of pounds of the food grown in the United States goes to waste, while an estimated 1 in 6 children suffer from hunger and food insecurity.   In Washington, roughly 2 million people turn to food pantries or hot meal programs to meet a basic human need.

Harvest Against Hunger plays a unique role in the hunger relief system by connecting farmers, transportation providers, produce packers, volunteers and hunger relief organizations to move healthy produce from farms and fields to the plates of those in need. 

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.

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.

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

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

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.


 

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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:

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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

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!


 

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