Hello District 6630 Family!

With our first month behind us, I’m thrilled to share that my club visits are officially underway! Meeting so many wonderful Rotarians across our region has been a highlight. Thank you all for sharing your Rotary “whys” and the powerful stories of service taking place in your communities—your enthusiasm is truly contagious. Let’s keep sharing these inspiring stories with our neighbors to showcase our impact and invite others to join us. If your club hasn’t scheduled a visit yet, please reach out so we can get a date on the calendar (especially for our snow belt friends before the flakes start flying!).

August brings a key focus from Rotary International - Membership and Club Development.

Strengthening our membership isn't just about growth—it’s about meaningful engagement. It means having fun during meetings, building genuine connections, and delivering hands-on service opportunities that spark our members' passions. It’s also about opening our doors to new faces and perspectives. I encourage every club to explore how you can engage current members while inviting new ones along for the journey:

• Has your club connected with our District Club Creation Team yet?
• Are there neighboring communities without a Rotary presence where a new club could thrive?

If you’d like tools, fresh strategies, or a sounding board for your club’s ideas, please reach out to our District Membership Committee Chair (Dale Smith)—we are here to support you!

Youth Exchange Highlights 

It is also an exciting time of year for our Youth Exchange Program! Our inbound exchange students are arriving and preparing to start the school year in Northeast Ohio. Even if your club isn't hosting a student this year, you can still be part of their experience! We are currently looking for a host club or team to organize a fun December activity for the students—they cherish every chance to gather and share stories.

Additionally, now is the time to start recruiting students for our outbound program. Applications are due by the end of November, with interviews following in early December. The earlier students apply, the sooner we can invite them to join our inbound activities so they can experience the magic of Rotary firsthand.

If you need promotional materials or guidance on reaching local schools, contact our Youth Exchange Committee today.

Thank you for everything you do to make District 6630 a vibrant community of Action Makers. Let's keep the momentum growing!

As we begin our journey to create a District of Peacebuilding Clubs, it is necessary to understand what we are talking about when we talk about peace. Peace is not simply the absence of war or conflict. That is called Negative Peace. A nation may not be involved in a conflict, but the attitudes, institutions, and structures within that nation may be more conducive to conflict than to peace.

Positive Peace is the presence of attitudes, institutions, and structures that create and sustain just, harmonious, and resilient societies. There are eight pillars of Positive Peace that help develop and maintain a peaceful nation. They are:

A Well-Functioning Government – Delivering quality public services and maintaining political stability.

Equitable Distribution of Resources – Ensuring that opportunities are not concentrated among only a few.

Free Flow of Information – Providing access to independent, accurate, and accessible information.

Good Relations with Neighbors – Building positive relationships within communities and with other states and countries.

High Levels of Human Capital – Developing people through education and skills.

Acceptance of the Rights of Others – Promoting understanding and respect among all groups.

Low Levels of Corruption – Building trust in institutions.

A Sound Business Environment – Supporting economic productivity and opportunity.

These eight pillars are mutually reinforcing, meaning that improvements in one area often strengthen the others, creating a solid foundation for lasting peace.

As Rotarians—and even as individual citizens—we can influence each of these areas. We do so when we vote, striving to elect leaders who will govern effectively. We also influence these pillars through our daily actions. If we remember last year's presidential message, Unite for Good, we realize that our impact is even greater when we work together. By serving as a united organization, we become a powerful example of how communities can grow and sustain peace.

Rotary has always been at the forefront of Service Above Self, working to make the world a better place. We should use that legacy not only to promote peace, but also to help build communities that are well-governed, equitable, and resilient. We need to demonstrate that Rotary is not simply a network of service clubs, but part of a global movement for peace.

We accomplish this by educating, engaging, and empowering others to promote peace. We do this every time we volunteer at food banks, serve meals at shelters, award scholarships, mentor youth, promote literacy, respond to disasters, or complete the countless other service projects our clubs undertake.

Please consider becoming a Peacebuilding Club in our District. (Contact Bob Oborn rorotary20252026@gmail.com or 330-801-0159) Each club that joins strengthens our commitment to being a global movement for peace and provides a great model for others to emulate.

Congratulations to 2026-2027 President Georgeann Jones who was inducted on July 30 by her husband, PDG David Jones.  

Past President Steve Warren passed the gavel and pinned her with the original President's pin from their beginning.  

The Club welcomed family and friends along with current District Governor Terri Speck who inducted the board.  In addition, several Past District Governors took time out of their schedules to support this dynamic club.

In addition, Past President Steve had the honor of presenting two first-time Paul Harris Fellows with their new pins and certificates - Lulu Mahood-McKee and Georgeann Jones, thank you for your generous donations to Rotary International!

Welcome - Bienvenido to Iker Rojas Flores, our first arriving Rotary Youth Exchange Student for the 2026-27 Year!

District 6630 RYE Chair Kevin Wermer and Medina Sunrise Rotary RYE Chair, Troy McClowry welcome Iker Rojas Flores, from Mazatlan, Mexico to Northeast Ohio. Iker is enrolled as a sophomore in Medina Senior High School. He began soccer practice on his first day of arrival.

Good luck to Iker and all our incoming Rotary Youth Exchange Students as they begin their year of adventure and new friendships with us in Rotary District 6630.

PHOTO (L to R):

Kevin Wermer - Iker Rojas Flores - Troy McClowry

Kelly D'Annolfo, 8th Grade PLTW Science of Technology Teacher, accepted a $1,500 check on  behalf of the Highland Schools Intercultural Program from Dr. Shail Jain, International Service Chair for the Medina Sunrise Rotary Club.

PHOTO (L to R): Kelly D'Annolfo & Dr. Shail Jain

Medina Sunrise Rotary International Service volunteers work to expand the Rotarians’ humanitarian work around the world. This important service promotes understanding and peace, sponsors projects in other countries and works with international partners to support projects, such as the Highland Schools Intercultural Program, within our own community.

It is always an honor to be with such talented and respectful school students.

Thank you to The Educational Service Center of Medina County for including Medina Sunrise Rotary in the 2026 Medina County Fair Honors Ensembles program.

With compliments to you, Dr. Bob and the ESC; Mike McClintock; Pam Haberkorn; Alison MacDonald; Lauren Patyak; Louis Rispoli; Valerie Roman; Nate Rudolph and all the wonderful students.

Very respectfully,

David
Medina Sunrise Rotary

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS FORM

- DEADLINE TO ORDER IS SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 -

"Cleveland Day” Returns for District 6630’s Rotary Youth Exchange students - Saturday, September 26!

Each year, Rotary Club of Cleveland hosts our district’s inbound RYE students and their host families for a morning full of all things “Cleveland” with a tour of some wonderful sites and sights that make CLE unique, including a tour of Playhouse Square, a visit to Global Cleveland, a stop at the Terminal Tower Observation Deck and more.  Rotarians are welcome to join us - Saturday, September 26th, 9am! Contact us to RSVP. Email: RotaryCle@gmail.com.

Visit RotaryCampRegatta.com for more information

We had a great turnout for our first hands-on service project at the Rocky River Assistance Program Food Bank - 15 people including prospective member, Steve Mattern.

Westlake-Bay Village Rotary Club

Hosts 2026 Annual Golf Outing & Clambake Fundraiser

Hit the Links for a Great Cause!

Mark your calendar for Friday, October 9, 2026, as the Westlake-Bay Village Rotary Club hosts its Annual Golf & Clambake Fundraiser. It will be a fun-filled day on the green combining great golf, delicious food, and community support. Set on the prestigious Nicklaus Design course at Valley of the Eagles Golf Club in Elyria, Ohio, this event is more than a day on the fairways, it’s a fundraiser that fuels meaningful change right here in our local community. 

Event Highlights

• Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
• Time: 8:30 am Registration | 10:00 am Shotgun Start | 2:30 pm Clambake, Awards & Prizes
• Location: Valley of the Eagles Golf Club, Elyria, Ohio
• Player Packages: Foursomes ($600), Single Players ($175), and Clambake Only tickets ($50)
• Features:
  • 18 holes of golf with cart, sack lunch, swag bag, and full evening clambake
  • Contests for Closest to the Pin, Longest Putt, Longest Drive (Men/Women), Putting Contest, and Skins
  • Raffle Baskets and Silent Auction during the clambake 

Making a Difference

Proceeds from the Golf Outing & Clambake directly fund Westlake-Bay Village Rotary initiatives, including local community grants, youth scholarships, and service projects that make a lasting impact right here at home. 

Play on a Nicklaus Design Course

Golfers will experience Valley of the Eagles, Northeast Ohio's premier Nicklaus Design golf course, offering picturesque views along the Black River and an unforgettable round for players of all skill levels. 

Get Involved

• Golfers & Diners: Ready to play or just want to join us for the clambake? Player packages and individual clambake tickets are available online now!
• Sponsors: Want to support the cause while promoting your business? We offer sponsorship opportunities ranging from Tee Box Hole Sponsors ($150) to exclusive Title & Headline packages ($2,500–$3,500). 

Join the Celebration!

Whether you’re swinging for a hole-in-one, bidding on auction baskets, or enjoying a classic autumn clambake, we look forward to welcoming you for an incredible day of fellowship and philanthropy! 

For questions, player registration, or sponsorship inquiries, please contact Katie Yeager at knyeager@gmail.com.

LET'S COLLABORATE!

One of the many challenges facing Rotary Clubs today is engagement. What better way to foster and promote engagement than to provide high quality speakers at our weekly meetings. To that end, District 6630 has created a page on the district website under the Club and Member Resources tab titled Find and Share a Speaker. As the incoming program chair for our club, The Rotary Club of Hillcrest Sunrise, I took a look in hopes of making my job for the upcoming year a bit easier. 

There are some great speakers listed, but nowhere near enough to fill the thirty plus spots that I need to fill. So, I thought I’d reach out via the district newsletter to appeal to other clubs in the district. 

Please help me and the other fifty some program chairs in the district by sharing contact info from any of your previous speakers whose message would resonate with other clubs throughout the district. We will add them right this District website page   https://rotarydistrict6630.org/page/find-a-speaker or you could email me directly at mike.johns@jcmemorials.com.   I will be sure to get them compiled and to the webmaster to be added to the site.

I know I’m not alone in thinking that this is a critically important job and finding interesting speakers is often challenging, especially in this day and age. So, please help out. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Mike Johns Jr

Rotary Club of Hillcrest Sunrise