Seattle Rotary Club members gathered this week for a wide-ranging program that linked philanthropy, historical memory, and civic responsibility, highlighting both $200,000 in new Rotary grants and the upcoming arrival of America’s foundational documents at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI).

The meeting opened with Lillian Sherman announcing the Seattle Rotary Service Foundation’s latest grant awards. The International Service Committee received 21 proposals, reviewed 14, and selected 13 international partners. Locally, the new Local Service Committee reviewed more than 33 proposals, brought eight forward for presentation, and ultimately chose four grantees: FareStart, School Connects Washington, Operation Nightwatch, and UW Business Mentors, alongside continued support for Harvest Against Hunger and the Rotary Boys & Girls Club.

“These grants, in total $200,000, will revitalize downtown, address homelessness and food insecurity, promote education, and save lives around the world,” Sherman said. “This is Service Above Self in action.” She urged members who have not yet contributed to the foundation to join in: “For the 35% of you who haven’t made a gift to SRSF yet this year, there is still time… Together we can still do more.”

Music and inspiration framed the theme of service. Linda and Jevon led the club in Glen Campbell’s “Try a Little Kindness,” preceded by a story about how audiences “don’t care if you mess up” when the intention is sincere.

Tracy Brown followed with a reflection on museums and monuments as guardians of civic memory. She described MOHAI as “a treasure space that guardians our Puget Sound collective memory, connecting the past and the present, inspiring future generations,” and highlighted the life of Dr. George Edmund Haynes, co-founder of the National Urban League. Brown connected his legacy to the Extra Mile Pathway in Washington, D.C., which honors individuals whose volunteerism and civic engagement have driven social change.