Committees
Rotary Club of Seattle Members Connect for Good
The best way to meet fellow Rotarians and make a difference is by participating in our committees which organize our philanthropic and fellowship activities. Whether you are interested in contributing to the community, networking, or sailing with fellow Rotarians, you'll be sure to find a group to fits your interests.
Meeting times and locations are subject to change - contact the committee chairs for more information.
SERVICE COMMITTEES
The work of the service committees is funded, to a large degree, by the Seattle Rotary Service Foundation.Visit the "How to Apply for a Grant" page for information and documents.
Arts
Meets 11:00 am on the second Wednesday of every month in the lobby of the Rotary Club meeting venue.
Jeff Parker, Chair
The mission of the Arts Committee is to be an advocate for the arts - not only within Rotary but within our community. Goals include learning more about the breadth and diversity of local arts through related programs and fellowship events; supporting arts organizations in their educational and outreach initiatives; and gaining an understanding and appreciation of the value of arts organizations to our economic and cultural life.
Business Mentor Program
Meets the first Wednesday of every month following our regularly scheduled Rotary meeting.
Paul Tsai and Barton DeLacy, Co-Chairs
Undergraduate student teams provide 400-600 hours of consulting services to minority and women-owned businesses and small businesses in low- and moderate-income communities. At the University of Washington, 80-90 students and 20-30 Rotary mentors are involved with this program each year. To date, more than 1,200 students and 300 businesses have been through this program, which has generated more than 5,000 new and retained jobs and $65 million in new revenues.
Community Service
Meets 10:30 am on the first Wednesday of each month on Zoom.
Mary Johnstone, Chair
The Community Service Committee promotes community service and creates projects for club members to respond to community needs, particularly for youth, education, and the homeless. They typically embark on projects right here in Seattle, where they can “get our hands dirty” and create a direct connection with the community.
Education
Meets 3:00 pm on the first Wednesday of each month on Zoom.
Yvonne Richards and Lori Walker, Co-Chairs
Seeks to promote education excellence, justice, equality, enhance the well-being of Seattle youth in our community, and bring educational awareness to the Rotary community.
International Service
Meets 10:00 am on the third Friday of each month via Zoom (except December, June, and July).
Maddy Vonhoff, Chair
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.
ISC grant application and materials
Peacebuilders
Meets 11:00 am on the last Wednesday of each month on Zoom.
Mike Hatzenbeler, Chair
The mission of the Peacebuilder Committee is to encourage and empower all members of our communities to exercise mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation; and to advocate both globally and locally for peace and the non-violent resolution of conflict. Prospective projects include anti-bullying programs for at-risk youth, planting Peace Poles at prominent public installations, and outreach to facilitate greater dialogue and collaboration between law enforcement and ethnically diverse, urban neighborhoods.
Rotaract
Meets 5:30 pm on the first and third Thursdays of each month on Zoom.
Sue Nixon, Liaison
Seattle City Rotaract is made up of young professionals ages 21-30 in the Seattle Metro area who are interested in leadership, professional development, community service, and having fun. We’re part of a global community of young adults taking action for positive change. Rotaract members identify needs in our community and work to fill them, by proposing, planning, and carrying out ideas for service projects both locally and internationally. Inspired by mentors in their own lives, Seattle City members began a pilot program in 2015 to bring personal connections and resources to incarcerated youth at the King County Juvenile Detention Center.
See their website at www.seattlecityrotaract.org or contact them at seattlecityrotaract@gmail.com.
Rotary Boys & Girls Club
Meets 11:00 am on the third Wednesday of each month in the lobby/foyer of that day's Rotary meeting location.
Did you know that Seattle Rotary established the Rotary Boys and Girls Club in 1939? It was founded as the Rotary Youth Foundation and operated in the basement of the Plymouth Congregational Church. It was known as the George Coleman Clubhouse. In 1947 the club was affiliated with the Boys Clubs of America. By 1953 the club had outgrown the church facilities so in 1954 the Rotary Club of Seattle funded the construction of the existing facility. The Rotary Boys and Girls Club continues to provide the children and youth of Seattle’s central area with a positive place where they can build the skills to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.
Seattle Rotary’s legacy of support for the Rotary Boys and Girls Club continues today. The Rotary Boys and Girls Club Committee offers Seattle Rotary members opportunities to be involved with the club through regular tutoring and mentoring, and special project volunteers.
Environmental Sustainability
Meets 11:00 am fourth Wednesday of the month except for June- September on Zoom.
Eric Christensen, Chair
The Environmental Sustainability Committee has five primary goals:
- EDUCATING - ourselves, our Rotary colleagues, and the public about how - and why - we should all conserve energy and resources, and adopt sustainable solutions.
- DEMONSTRATING - the benefits to ourselves and future generations of a sustainable approach to business and living.
- INNOVATING - with ideas promoted by our Rotary Club to switch to sustainable practices in all Rotary projects.
- DONATING - to a Rotary Club project that offsets your unavoidable personal carbon emissions.
- ADVOCATING- to our Rotary Club the importance of sustainability as the world wrestles with carbon emission reductions and other resource constraints.
We work to achieve these goals through educational, fellowship, service, and advocacy opportunities for Rotarians in our Club, our families, and the community.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEES
Diplomacy Round Table
Dr. Skip Rowland, Chair
This special task force seeks to impact our community by expanding our global engagement. This chance for club members to interact with members of the Consular Association of Washington and emeritus diplomats in the region.
Member Engagement
Susie Roe & Stephen Morse, Co-Chairs
Works to ensure new members are becoming engaged in the club by helping them identify opportunities and providing a greater understanding of the benefits of membership. Also identifies increased opportunities for engagement and connectedness to the club to ensure all members feel a sense of belonging; outreach to members who may have become disengaged for a variety of reasons.
New Member Introduction
Joe Phillips, Chair
Interviews and then introduces new members to the club at the regular Wednesday meetings. Creativity and polished speaking skills are usually the hallmarks of members participating in this committee.
Rotary Cares
Marsha Mutisi, Chair
Actively communicates with club members whose circumstances - career, family, health - warrant an expression of congratulations, caring and/or concern from fellow Rotarians. May take the form of a note, call or visit, relevant to the circumstances.
Rotary Mariners
Nicole Klein, Commodore
Seattle Rotary Mariners is a fellowship of the Rotary Club of Seattle. Whether you are a master sailor or just dreaming of getting your first float, boating with fellow Rotarians and friends is a delightful way to make lasting friendships and practice the ideals of Rotary. We also have fellowship events not related to boating. Our fleet is one of over 90 in 22 countries that together form the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians (IYFR)—the oldest and largest of many fellowships of Rotary International.
Visit the Rotary Mariners website
Young Rotary Leaders
Meets 11:00 am on the last Friday of the month.
Tabitha Claus, Chair
The purpose of the Young Rotary Leader Committee is to build the future of Seattle Rotary by strengthening our network of young members to one another and the club at large. We connect young Rotarians socially and professionally through social and service events.
The best way to stay in the loop about upcoming events is to join the YRL Committee email list. This is open to all club members. Please contact the YRL Committee Chairs to be added.
Seattle Rotary offers a special Young Rotary Leader membership program featuring reduced fees for candidates who are 35 or younger. Please contact the YRL Chairs or Rotary Office for more information.
PROGRAM COMMITTEES
Programs
David Frum, VP of Programs
Arranges and schedules both the main program as well as the shorter segments for each Wednesday luncheon. Strives to have high-quality, interesting, and provocative programs that maintain the club's position as the most influential platform in the Pacific Northwest.
Music
Jevon Powell and Linda Rough, Co-Chairs
Committee members prepare and perform opening songs at regular Wednesday meetings. Song leaders and instrumentalists are welcome.
Newsletter Report
Pete DeLaunay, Chair
This committee functions as a part of the Communications Committee. The newsletter committee members author program "Reviews" which are the official record of each week's club meeting and included in the weekly newsletter sent to all members every Friday.
Meeting Services
OTHER COMMITTEES
Finance
Standing Committee
Jeff Parker, Treasurer