President’s Message – 2024-2025

President Casey D’Angelo, 2024 – 2025

Rotary International President-elect Stephanie Urchick announced that the 2024-25 presidential theme is The Magic of Rotary and called on members to recognize and amplify the organization’s power to save lives.

“Don’t misunderstand me – we are not going to end polio or bring peace to the world by waving a wand and saying some funny words,” Urchick told incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly on 8 January. “It’s up to you. You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member.”

 Now in our 103^rd year as the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa, we serve our community and world in seven areas of focus: water and sanitation, economic and community development, maternal and child health, supporting the environment, basic education and literacy, disease prevention and treatment, peace and conflict prevention/resolution. We strive to live by our motto “Service Above Self.”

Rotary is an international service organization comprised of 1.4 million members in over 200 countries around the globe. Locally our club has 68 members who are local businesspeople, leaders and community volunteers bringing their diverse backgrounds and talents to serving our community and the world.

We work to change lives both locally and internationally. We support water projects in Mexico and Tanzania, provide for education to children in Mexico and Guatemala, telemedicine in various locations in Africa, support Rotary International efforts to eradicate polio worldwide (only Pakistan and Afghanistan remain with active cases), and supply first aid kits and humanitarian aid in war torn Ukraine. Locally we provide the National Geographic Book of Why to every third grader in Santa Rosa, support youth in agriculture at our local high schools, we purchased the Salvation Army Canteen disaster relief truck, we plant native grasses at Pepperwood Preserve, bag produce at the Redwood Empire Food Bank, and support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which a monthly book to young children monthly for five years.

As we continue to expand our reach both locally and around the world, we invite you to become a part of the “Magic of Rotary”.