Founded 1909 Weekly News and Highlights July 31, 2026
Next Lunch Meeting on August 5
Wednesday, August 5 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM WAC
Fifth Avenue Theatre Performance and Director Bill Berry
Keeping the Curtain Up at The 5th Avenue Theatre
For nearly a century, The 5th Avenue Theatre has brought Broadway-caliber musical theater to the heart of downtown Seattle—entertaining generations of audiences, developing new productions and introducing thousands of young people to the performing arts.
On August 5, we’ll welcome Bill Berry, Executive and Artistic Director of this beloved Seattle institution. Bill has been a creative force at The 5th since 2002, directing acclaimed productions including West Side Story, The Music Man, Cabaretand Carousel. He also made his Broadway directing debut with the musical First Date.
Today, Bill is directing more than shows. He is helping lead The 5th through one of the most consequential periods in its history.
Like performing arts organizations across the country, The 5th is still rebuilding audiences and subscriptions following the pandemic while confronting sharply rising production costs. The theater has responded with difficult budget reductions, a major fundraising campaign and a creative new alliance with Seattle Theatre Group designed to make fuller use of its historic venue.
There are also encouraging signs. Subscriptions are beginning to rebound, an exciting 2026–27 season is ahead, and The 5th Avenue Theatre building will soon celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Bill has said theaters are places “where we go to dream,” imagine, create empathy and foster community. Join us August 5 for an uplifting and candid conversation about the resilience of the arts, the importance of The 5th to Seattle’s cultural and economic life—and what it will take to ensure the curtain keeps rising for another hundred years.
When you support the Seattle Rotary Service Foundation (SRSF), you are supporting work happening locally and globally! Thanks to club member Jim Moore for providing this picture from Noah's Ark Orphanage, a Rotary supported project overseas.
Thanks to all club members that spent the month volunteering at Rising Star Elementary through our SRSF grantee, School Connect WA! It was a great opportunity for us to connect our donation dollars to actual “boots on the ground” service in our local community! Thanks for the pictures, Cynthia!
President John welcomed members to the first meeting of the new Seattle Rotary year, describing an exciting agenda focused on celebrating the accomplishments and service of fellow Rotarians. He recognized the many volunteers whose efforts strengthen the club.
Mary Goldie then introduced several guests and acknowledged the long-standing contributions of dedicated members, including past president Dorothy Bullitt. John praised Dorothy for her continued leadership and commitment, particularly her work on the program committee. Mary explained that Dorothy suggested inviting Beth Knox as the featured speaker because of her exceptional leadership in bringing the FIFA World Cup to Seattle. The committee enthusiastically agreed, believing Beth's experience would inspire members. John emphasized that Rotary thrives because of members who continue to serve long after their presidential terms end.
Dorothy Bullitt introduced Beth Knox, President and CEO of the Seattle Sports Commission, Board Chair of Seattle's 2026 FIFA World Cup Local Organizing Committee, and a past president of Seattle Rotary. She credited Beth's leadership with helping Seattle deliver one of the most successful FIFA World Cup host-city experiences. Dorothy highlighted Beth's decades of experience producing major events, including the MLB All-Star Game, NHL Winter Classic, NCAA basketball championships, Seafair, the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, Bumbershoot, the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory parades, and the Sounders MLS Cup celebrations. Beth also leads the Seattle Sports Commission Foundation, which expands youth and women's access to sports. Dorothy praised Beth's remarkable career.
Beth Knox thanked Rotary for the invitation and reflected on the remarkable journey that led Seattle to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She explained that while planning intensified over the past seven years, the vision actually began in 1997. Attorney Fred Mendoza convinced Paul Allen that public support for a new stadium depended on embracing Washington's passionate soccer community. As a result, the stadium legislation specifically envisioned hosting a future World Cup.
When the United States, Canada, and Mexico announced their joint World Cup bid in 2017, Seattle organized a local bid committee. After FIFA awarded the tournament to North America in 2018, Seattle spent four years preparing an extensive proposal covering transportation, hotels, attractions, security, human rights, and community impact. In 2022, Seattle earned one of eleven U.S. host-city selections, launching years of detailed planning.
Join your club members and other district Rotarians for monthly work parties at Elk Run Farm! Now until October!
Please note that all volunteers must be signed up for a specific role and shift prior to Aug 11. The fair will be held inside and outside, so please dress appropriately for the weather, and wear comfortable shoes. If you have a Wellspring shirt, please wear it. If not, please let us know your size and we will provide one. If this is your first time volunteering with Wellspring, you will need to complete an application. Some volunteer roles may require a background check or additional training.
In an effort to better inform membership of the health of the club, we will start posting member additions and resignations after each month's club board meeting. Please see below for our August report.
We love to see our Rotary members promoting good works in our community and abroad! If you have a project or fundraiser that you are excited about and would like to promote to your fellow club members, please check in with our Club Director, Mary Goldie, before distributing information or invitations through our email roster. We value the privacy of our members’ contact information and can let you know the appropriate ways to reach out to folks in our club. Thank you!!
Serves to fulfill Rotary's mission of "advancing international understanding, goodwill, and peace." The committee selects projects that positively impact the health, education, and welfare of less advantaged people in other countries, with a particular emphasis on youth. Actively works with clubs in our District and abroad to leverage — via matching grants — the amount of money available for a project. Members get involved through direct knowledge of the project or by volunteering. Prior focuses have included malaria projects in Zambia, Tanzania, and Uganda; microcredit and water projects in India; de-mining projects in Vietnam and Lebanon; AIDS orphan support in South Africa and Ethiopia; education/literacy projects in Nepal, Chile, and Hungary; and more than a decade of wide-ranging projects in Russia.
For more information on this committee, please email info@seattlerotary.org.
Meet fellow Rotarians and get involved in service. See below for a list of committees. Email the committee chair by clicking on their name. Or, contact Mary Goldie for more information.
4. Invite your connections to a weekly meeting, and let mary@seattlerotary.org know so they may be introduced.
If you don't already have a LinkedIn profile, CLICK HERE to learn how to get started.
SEATTLE 4 ROTARY AUDIO VISUAL SPONSORS
Video of Seattle 4 Rotary Programs are available online thanks to the generous support of our Seattle Rotary Audio Visual Sponsors.
In addition to supporting our club, becoming a Seattle 4 Rotary Audio Visual Sponsor brings many benefits. To learn more, click here, or contact Mary for more details at mary@seattlerotary.org.
Do You Have Any Musical Instruments to Donate to Students in Need?
Music4Life is a non-profit and project of Rotary District 5030 that distributes musical instruments to public school students in need.
We welcome any gently used musical instruments you wish to donate. They can be delivered directly to these local music stores that are now open: American Music in Phinney Ridge and Kennelly Keys Music in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Everett.
Please accompany your instrument with the PDF donation form, linked below.
Our Rotary Cares team is ready to listen and to support you. One of the wonderful things about our club is that you have many friends --you just need to reach out to tap into our amazing network of caring people. Please contact our Rotary Cares Committee Chair to let us know how we can help.
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