Stories

Service is at the heart of who we are as Rotarians, but the real magic happens when more of our members get involved. One of Rotary International’s priority goals this year focuses not on how many service projects we complete, but on how many of our members participate in them. District Action Plan Champion Bill Harvey explains what the Service Participation goal means, why it matters, and how your club can help District 5650 reach our goal.

Club officers, watch for your 2026-27 District Dues invoice this month. You may notice that the amount is less than you’ve seen on past annual invoices, and that’s because District 5650 is changing the way dues are billed this year.

Registration is now open for the Rotary International Convention in Barcelona, Spain, 26-30 Jun 2027. 

Click Here to Learn More and Register Now

Be sure and join thousands of your fellow Rotarians in this beautiful European destination to celebrate Rotary and learn more about the good Rotary is doing all over the globe.

Don’t Miss it!

October 24 is World Polio Day, and it’s an important opportunity to tell one of Rotary’s most powerful stories: our promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio. That promise is still being fulfilled. There is encouraging progress, but there are also significant challenges ahead. District Polio Chair Gary Bren takes us beyond the headlines with a closer look at where eradication efforts stand today. Read on, learn the latest, and then help us share the story of why ending polio still matters.

Rotary Challenge!

Become a “ShelterBox Hero” by Helping Displaced Families in Nepal

On the morning of August 26, a glacial collapse on the Nepal-Tibet border of the Himalayas triggered a chain reaction of mass flooding, decimating villages for more than 40 miles along the Trishuli River. Nearly 1500 persons have died. More than 6000 are still missing.

It has been estimated that more than 80,000 people have been displaced, almost half of them children. These displaced families are in desperate need of shelter.

Want to help?  Keep reading…

It’s a common issue with Rotary Clubs.

The Rotary Action Plan can help change the mindset and let your Club continue to move forward year after year.

Picture a club that spends a year building something worth building. A new signature project. A membership turnaround. A giving culture that finally sticks. Now picture the gavel changing hands on 1 July.

How much of it survives?

In too many clubs, the honest answer is: not enough of it. The president who inherits the work didn't help design it, wasn't in the room when the tradeoffs were made, and has a year of their own to think about. So the club quietly resets. New theme, new committees, new priorities. The needle moves a little, then falls back.

This is not a failure of leadership. It is a structural flaw, and Rotary has a way to address it.

Think your AG Area has what it takes to come out on top?

I'm excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2026 District 5650 Conference, taking place October 23-24 at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our clubs, learn from fellow Rotarians, strengthen friendships, and be inspired by the impact Rotary is making throughout our district. Register early, as conference rates will increase on September 24. I hope you'll make plans to join us!