









MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS
With our growing community of 1.4 million members,
located around the world.
WE TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES
Rotarians invest approximately 47 million volunteer hours every year, into improving the lives of those around them
WE FUND SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS
Rotary awarded $333 million to global service initiatives throughout the 2020 pandemic
Join Us
Annual Drawing 2025
Support our Scholarships & Service Projects
Tickets: $100 each

The Fort Lauderdale Chapter of Rotary, founded in 1922, uses the funds we raise to make a meaningful impact in our community.
Proceeds support the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale 1090 Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation, to fund scholarships for deserving high school seniors and community projects including:
• Over $2M in scholarships granted to date to Broward County high school students
• Challenge Air for Kids and Friends
• HOPE South Florida
• Fellowship Recovery
• Hispanic Unity of Florida
• LifeNet4Families
• Ann Storck Center
• Wheelchair Foundatio
Send Checks Payable to:
Fort Lauderdale Rotary 1090 Foundation, Inc.
1126 S Federal #171
Ft. Lauderdale FL 33316
Email [email protected] with any questions.
Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Mission
To provide business, professional, and community leaders an opportunity for service to others in order to benefit our community and to promote high ethical standards, fellowship, and goodwill worldwide.
Vision
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale will continue to be the premier service club for our community’s service-minded leaders of all ages, who enjoy each other’s company, have fun working together, and are committed to the Rotary motto “Service Above Self.”
Rotary club members are business and professional leaders who volunteer in their communities and promote world understanding and peace. Rotary’s 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and regions encourage high ethical standards and carry out humanitarian projects to address such issues as poverty, health, hunger, education, and the environment.
PolioPlus is Rotary’s flagship program. Rotary club members have contributed over $2.6B and countless volunteer hours to help immunize more than 2B children against polio. Spearheading partners in Global Polio Eradication Initiative include the WHO, Rotary International, US CDC, and UNICEF.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER IS 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352), AND THE WEBSITE IS https://www.fdacs.gov.
Last Meeting of the Month Social
March 26, 2025
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Cafe Vico
1125 N. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale FL 33304

Announcement: Meeting Venue Change
EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2025
WEEKLY MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AT
CAFE VICO
1125 N. FEDERAL HIGHWAY
FORT LAUDERDALE FL 33304

Rotary Weekly Meeting - April 2, 2025

Rotary Weekly Meeting
April 2, 2025 at 12:15 p.m.
Speaker: TBA
We meet at Cafe Vico, 1125 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.
Join us at Noon; the meeting will begin at 12:15 pm.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Click here on Wednesday anytime after 12:00 to participate in the Zoom meeting.
You can also dial in, but you will not see the PowerPoint or video feeds.
To dial in call: 646-558-8656 and use this Meeting ID: 954 424 0731
Password: 275406
Rotary Weekly Meeting - April 9, 2025
April 9, 2025 at 12:15 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Harry K. Moon
President and CEO
Nova Southeastern University
We meet at Cafe Vico, 1125 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.
Join us at Noon; the meeting will begin at 12:15 pm.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Click here on Wednesday anytime after 12:00 to participate in the Zoom meeting.
You can also dial in, but you will not see the PowerPoint or video feeds.
To dial in call: 646-558-8656 and use this Meeting ID: 954 424 0731
Password: 275406
Dr. Harry K. Moon is the seventh president and chief executive officer of Nova Southeastern University. He had been NSU’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2018 and led the integration of the university’s clinical practices to create NSU Health, a university-affiliated, integrated health care network.
Dr. Moon also reorganized the graduate admissions and student service organizations and led building and acquisitions that totaled more than one million square feet. He led the COVID Response Team through the university’s rapid transition to fully online learning during the pandemic, enabling NSU to sustain and increase enrollments.
A distinguished and internationally recognized plastic and reconstructive surgeon, he is the founder and president of Himmarshee Surgical Partners of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Dr. Moon has been a clinical associate professor of surgery in NSU’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2008. He was appointed professor of anatomy in NSU’s Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences in 2024.
Dr. Moon has been a major force in the development of medical, health, research, and educational programs in South Florida for the past quarter century. He was president and chairman of the board of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a member of the foundation’s Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2003. Dr. Moon was chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Governors of Cleveland Clinic Florida from 1997 to 2001 and president of the Cleveland Clinic Florida Health Network from 1996 to 2001.
He joined the Cleveland Clinic in 1984 and served in administrative and medical positions, including head of microvascular surgery; head of the microvascular surgical, teaching, and research laboratory; and chairman of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He was chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Florida Health Plan from 1992 to 2001.
Dr. Moon is a civic leader and has served on the boards of numerous Florida-based organizations, including the Museum of Discovery and Science, Clearwater Historical Society, Economic Development Council of Collier County, Florida Gulf Coast University, Broward County Girl Scouts of America, Carquest and Blockbuster bowls, Broward County Library Foundation, Y-Me of Florida Breast Cancer, and Hospice 100 of Broward County. He has also served on the boards of Bank of Florida Southeast, Bank of Florida Corporation, Community Bank of Naples, and Nations Bank of Fort Lauderdale.
He was elected in 2024 as a Fellow ad hominem of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd), the oldest surgical college in the world, founded five centuries ago. Dr. Moon is a frequently published researcher and sought-after speaker in the United States and abroad, appearing at the XXVI World Congress of the International College of Surgeons; the Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery; the International Congress of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery in Budapest, Hungary; the Southern Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery; and the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia.
A Fellow in the American College of Surgeons (FACS), he earned his medical degree in 1978 from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and completed surgery residencies at the University of Hawaii, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English at Tulane University.
Dr. Moon was an outstanding and decorated high school athlete in Alabama, an all-state basketball player, and a state record-holder in the decathlon, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, 440-yard dash, and mile relay. He earned an athletic scholarship to Tulane.
He and his wife, Ann Marie, live in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and have four adult children and four grandchildren.
Meeting Location
New Meeting Venue Effective Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Café Vico Restaurant
1125 N. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Map It
Instead of a lunch meeting on the last Wednesday of each month, we have a social.
Please go to Club Events below for the date and location.
WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE MONTH

For more information, please visit rotary.org.
Donate to Rotary 1090 Foundation
Click below to make a tax-deductible donation.
Donate to the Fort Lauderdale Rotary 1090 Foundation Inc.
Click here to Donate
Thank you!!
Annual Fund
ANNUAL FUND
Your gift to the Annual Fund helps Rotary and Rotaract clubs take action today to create positive change in communities close to home and around the world. Your contributions help us strengthen peace efforts, fight disease, provide clean water and sanitation, save mothers and children, support education, grow local economies, and protect the environment.
The Rotary Foundation's Annual Fund includes SHARE, the World Fund, and our areas of focus funds. The Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative asks all members to donate to the Annual Fund each year and take part in at least one Foundation project or program each year.
Make a Donation to the Rotary 1090 Foundation
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale 1090 Foundation is a 501 (c)3 corporation. Donations are used to fund college scholarships to local high school graduates and for other community projects such as Thanksgiving meals, Have a Heart helping our hungry and homeless population, Challenge Air benefitting special needs children, neighborhood clean-up and restoration projects, youth leadership programs and more.
Click below to make a tax-deductible donation.
Thank you for your support!
Registration Number CH 8789A copy of the registration and financial information may be obtained from the State of Florida Division of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State of Florida.
Meeting Makeups
Need to make up a Rotary meeting that you missed?
Choose an option below:
Make Up On-Line Via the World Wide Web
Rotary Club Locator
https://www.rotary.org/en/search/club-finder
1090 Articles & Bylaws
These docments require that you be logged into DACdb (you will be prompted to login if you are not already logged in) and then you can download and open them.
Click here for the Articles of Incorporation for the 1090 Foundation.
Click here for the Bylaws of the 1090 Foundation.
The above were updated in May 2014.
Click here for 1090 History & Accounting as of October 2013.
Becoming a Member
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Rotarian. Rotary International is an association of individual clubs, with each club operating autonomously. Membership is extremely important to us, and we are always eager to hear from individuals interested in our mission and in joining a Rotary club. The RI universal premise is that the membership of each club constitutes an accurate representation of the business and professional population within the community served.
Membership in a Rotary club requires available business or professional classification opportunities as well as an invitation and sponsorship by a member of the club. Sometimes an individual cannot be invited or sponsored for membership.
Rotarians are business and professional leaders who take an active role in their communities while greatly enriching their personal and professional lives. A Rotary club contains a diverse group of professional leaders from the community that the club serves.
Membership in a Rotary club offers a number of benefits, including:
- effecting change within the community
- advancing business and professional contacts
- developing leadership skills
- gaining an understanding of — and having an impact on — international humanitarian issues
Through Rotary International's service programs, a Rotary club can have a significant effect on the quality of life in its community. Rotary Foundation programs offer opportunities to form international partnerships that help people in need worldwide. Some 1.2 million Rotarians in 30,000 clubs in more than 160 countries make significant contributions to the quality of life at home and around the globe.
Click here for the application form. Click here for The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale Brochure. Click here for our Membership Categories Brochure. Click here for photos and more information about the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale.
Object of Rotary - First formulated in 1910 and adapted through the years as Rotary’s mission expanded, the Object of Rotary provides a succinct definition of the organization’s purpose as well as the club member’s responsibilities. The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life; FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Club Constitution & Bylaws
These docments require that you be logged into DACdb (you will be prompted to login if you are not already logged in) and then you can download/open them.
Click here for the Club Constitution as of July 2018.
Click here for the Bylaws as of Feb 2019.
Click here for the Dues and Fees as of July 2018.
Contact Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Mail:
Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
1126 S. Federal Highway #171
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Email:
[email protected]
Five Avenues of Service
The Object of Rotary is to “encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise.” Rotary is a service organization. Since 1910, the Rotary Motto has been “Service Above Self.”
Rotary strives to achieve it’s objective of “Service Above Self” through activities in five primary areas. These are often referred to as the Five Avenues of Service.
Club Service
This “Avenue” promotes the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service. It involves the activities necessary to make the Club function successfully and achieve its goals. Click here to find out more about Club Service at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale.
Vocational Service
This area represents the opportunity that each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and utility of one’s vocation as an opportunity to serve society. Rotarians promote and foster high ethical standards in business and professions and promote the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations. Click here to find out more about Vocational Service at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale.
Community Service
This “Avenue” relates to the activities that Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community. Particular emphasis is given to helping children, needy families, the aged, the handicapped, and those most in need of assistance. Rotarians strive to promote the ideal of service in their personal, business, and community lives. Click here to find out more about Community Service at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale.
International Service
In this area, Rotarians strive for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service. International Service Projects are designed to meet the humanitarian needs of people in many lands, with particular emphasis on the most underprivileged children and families in developing countries. International Service at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale: We partner with Replenish to provide Lifestraws in South Africa. We partner with A Spring of Hope to drill wells in South Africa and provide waterless toilets. We are working on a Rotary International Global Grant to provide education for teachers in Africa.
Youth Service
Youth Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities such as RYLA, Rotaract and Interact club service projects, and creating international understanding with Rotary Youth Exchange. Youth Service at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale: We sponsor an Interact Club at Cardinal Gibbons High School, we sponsor an exchange student each year and serve as host families for visiting students.
Free Parking 10:45 am to 2:30 pm at First Baptist
Please note that on Wednesdays during our lunch meetings, we have free parking from 10:45 AM to 2:30 PM. If you need to park in the lot outside of those hours, please be sure to pay for the time you need to avoid getting a ticket. If you are planning to be there for a Rotary committee meeting outside of the hours listed, please email [email protected] at least 2 days in advance to request additional free parking time.
Instructions for Club Documents
Once you have logged in, click on My Club and then click on Club Files,
Click on the Secure Files Tab (to the right of Public Files), and open the file you are looking for.
For example, if you want to look at a new member application, click on the New Member Application Folder and then click on the application name you want to open.
If you do not know your login, please email [email protected]
Instructions for Login
Please click the Member login tab at the very top of this page, above the header.
If you are on a mobile device, click the box at the top right for the menu and select Member Login.
You will Login using your DACdb user name (email) and password.
If you do not know those, please email
[email protected]
You will now have access to the other menu items under this tab while you are logged in for this session.
You will need to login again, the next time you use the system.
Instructions for Member Directory
You use the same login you use for the district site and our website. Once you have logged in, click on My Club and then Members and you will see a list of all our members, then click on the member you need contact information for and it will open up for you.
If you do not know your login, please email [email protected]
To add a shortcut to your smart phone
If you are on an android phone, you can click the three dots near the top right to see options and then click Add to Home screen and you will have a button that you can put where you want on your phone and have easy access to the directory.
If you are on an iPhone, make sure you use safari to go to m.dacdb.com and at the bottom of your screen you can click the icon that looks like a folder with an arrow, then click, Add to Home screen and you will have a button you put where you want and have easy access to the member directory.
Leadership/Committee Contact List
This docment requires that you be logged into DACdb (you will be prompted to login if you are not already logged in) and then you can download and open it.
Please click here to download a pdf of our Leadership and Committee Chair Contact List. If you would like to pick up a hard copy, please check with Registration Desk and they will give you one.
Lifestraws
WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM INITIATIVE
Our Rotary club’s water filtration program involves funding for the purchase and maintenance of portable water filtration system, primarily for rural, underprivileged schools in Kenya. The filtration systems we finance through this program are primarily Community LifeStraws, which can clean 100,000 liters of water, providing safe drinking water for up to 100 people for 5 years. Community LifeStraws cost an average of $350, and their useful life can be extended with monitoring and maintenance costing average of $100. "Lifetime LifeStraw" which is $500 for new units which includes the delivery and the maintenance and replacement parts as needed. Every $5 does give a child clean water for 5 years at this pricing.
The need for these filtration systems in tremendous. 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. Lack of access to safe drinking water contributes to the staggering burden of diarrheal diseases worldwide, particularly affecting the young, the immunocompromised and the poor. Nearly one in five child deaths – about 1.5 million each year – is due to diarrhea.
Approximately 43% of the global population, especially the lower-income populace in the remote and rural parts of the developing world, is deprived of household safe piped water. “Point-of-use” treatment is an alternative approach, which can accelerate the health gains associated with the provision of safe drinking water to the at-risk populations. It empowers people to control the quality of their drinking water. In many rural and urban areas of the developing world, household water-quality interventions can reduce diarrheal morbidity by more than 40%. Water filters have been shown to be the most effective interventions amongst all point-of-use water treatment methods for reducing diarrheal diseases.
For our water filtration program, we partner with Replenish, a 501(c) 3 organization based in Arlington, Texas outside of Dallas. Replenish identifies schools in need, purchases the LifeStraws and coordinates the distribution of the LifeStraws.
Our Rotary club thanks you for your support of our water filtration initiative with Replenish. If you would like to make a donation to support this program, please click on the link below. If you would like additional information, please also feel free to contact Les Campbell, our club’s Water Projects committee chair, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 800-593-9172.
On behalf of the children whose lives who literally will be saved through your support, we again thank you for your support!
Click below to donate to our LifeStraws program:
Make a Donation to the Rotary 1090 Foundation
Mission & Vision Statements
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Mission:
To provide business, professional, and community leaders an opportunity for service to others in order to benefit our community and to promote high ethical standards, fellowship, and goodwill worldwide.
Vision:
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale will continue to be the premier Service Club for our community's service minded leaders of all ages, who enjoy each other's company, have fun working together, and are committed to the Rotary motto
"Service Above Self"
The Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; high ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; the application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life; and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
Past Presidents
Past Presidents of the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
1922-23 John D. Sherwin
1923-24 Charles E. Fritz
1924-25 Reverend R.D. Tracy
1925-26 C.J. Joiner (½ year)
1926-27 J.S. Rickards (½ year)
1927-28 A.J. Beck
1928-29 Russell Snow
1929-30 William A. Glass
1930-31 J.A. Raymond
1931-32 Ulric Bennett
1932-33 Maxwell Baxter
1933-34 C.C. Freeman
1934-35 J.B. Fannin
1935-36 W.J. Eastman
1936-37 Dr. O.C. Brown
1937-38 August Burghard
1938-39 Jackson McDonald (½ year)
1939-41 Holt McPherson (1 ½ year)
1941-42 W.M. Ketchin
1942-43 Howard Pierce
1943-44 Dallas Swindle
1944-45 Carlyle Sweet
1945-46 Harry Randel
1946-47 Paul W. Myers, Sr.
1947-48 J.B. Patterson
1948-49 A.W. Putnam
1949-50 E. Thomas Wilburn
1950-51 C.I. Pierce
1951-52 Robert A. Childers
1952-53 Robert V. Roberts
1953-54 Richard W. Ward
1954-55 Harlow Davock
1955-56 E. Peter Clements
1956-57 Mark S. Bibson
1957-58 Grant I. Clarke
1958-59 Ernest N. Orr
1959-60 William B. Hulett
1960-61 Thomas A. Cook
1961-62 William J. Burke
1962-63 Thord M. Marshall
1963-64 Sam O. O’Bryan, Jr.
1964-65 A.W. Saarinen, Jr.
1965-66 Robert H. Six
1966-67 John C. Miller
1967-68 Ben A. Bolinger
1968-69 Clem E. Bininger
1969-70 Walter F. Dunn
1970-71 Robert E. Shepard
1971-72 Robert H. Pfeifer
1972-73 E. Birch Willey
1973-74 Clinton D. Hamilton
1974-75 Charles Creighton
1975-76 J.B. Richner
1976-77 Mitchell J. Alles
1977-78 Donald T. Glenn, Jr.
1978-79 Charles H. Bolton, III
1979-80 Ralph A. Marrinson
1980-81 Harvey E. Ramsey, III
1981-82 James E. Houston
1982-83 I. Fred Anderson
1983-84 R. William Weimer, Jr.
1984-85 Allan C. Sorensen
1985-86 William L. McGee, Jr.
1986-87 Romney C. Rogers
1987-88 Eugene M. Jones
1988-89 G. Wilkerson Gilbert
1989-90 John Dorner
1990-91 Ian C.R. Gail
1991-92 Thomas L. Tapp
1992-93 M. Scott Whiddon
1993-94 Roger Arndall
1994-95 R. Stephen Botkin
1995-96 Gene A. Whiddon, Jr.
1996-97 Walter L. Morgan
1997-98 Lloyd Rhodes
1998-99 John Siegle
1999-00 John Carroll
2000-01 Lynn Hayes
2001-02 Melissa Aiello
2002-03 Dan Arnold III
2003-04 Steve Picha
2004-05 Michael Grimme
2005-06 Marvin Chaney
2006-07 Jon Erik Gundlach
2007-08 Marty Kurtz
2008-09 Ray Williams
2009-10 William Gundlach, III
2010-11 John Gustafson
2011-12 Robert M. Easton, Jr.
2012-13 Charles Felix
2013-14 Steve Leinicke
2014-15 Anthony J. Abbate
2015-16 Mike Sanchez
2016-17 Tom Powers
2017-18 Jonathan Keith
2018-19 David Kramer
2019-20 Pat McNamara
2020-21 Perry Monioudis
2021-22 Terry Robinson
2022-23 Jaye Abbate
Pay Membership Dues
President's Message
Dear Rotarians and Guests:
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Downtown Rotary," was founded in 1922, 95 years ago. With 160 members, it is the oldest service organization in Broward County and largest club in our Rotary District. The original 13 charter members of the club believed service did not only apply to better business and professional conduct but to service for the betterment of humanity and fellowship in the everyday affairs of life.
Please join us at the Global Events Center in Downtown Fort Lauderdale for a Wednesday lunch meeting, or the evening social on the last Wednesday of every month. You will find engaging speakers, fellowship and learn about the passion for service that is shared among 1.2 million Rotarians in 35,000 clubs in over 200 countries who come together to create positive, lasting change in communities and around the world.
Jonathan Keith
2017 - 2018 President
Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Projects & Programs
Projects and Programs Supported by
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
The Rotary Motto is “SERVICE ABOVE SELF”
Rotarians are “PEOPLE OF ACTION”
The following alphabetical list includes the ways members of the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale are serving others during the Rotary Year.
Adopt-a-Street: April and October: The Rotary Club has volunteered to clean a street in Fort Lauderdale for nearly a decade. Keeping our city streets clean is very important to Rotarians. Volunteers (members and non-members) who want to “get their hands dirty” should contact Jorg Hruschka at 954-709-3197. We do provide gloves, trash pickers, buckets, and bags.
Books for the Bahamas – September: Rotarians collect used text books from one or more local schools, pack them on pallets, and ship them to Rotarians in the Bahamas where the books get a second life.
Challenge Air –January: This program builds self-esteem in children/youth with special needs through the exhilaration of riding in a private aircraft. If able, the child can sit in the co-pilot seat. Annually, about 90 children/youth fly from Fort Lauderdale’s Executive Airport. Contact Terry Robinson at 954-494-8242.
Children’s Toy Drive - Rotarians provide hundreds of toys to children at the Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital at Broward Health, Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center, the Ann Stork Center, and Henderson Behavioral Health at Christmas. Contact Linda Cooke at 954-494-7779.
Direct Grant-in-aid – Grants from between $1,500 and $4,000 to fund local organizations including AMIKids Greater Fort Lauderdale, Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Challenge Air, Power of One Hour, Early Literacy Project/Free Little Libraries, Henderson Behavioral Health, Hurricane Relief, Project Stable Foundation, Thanksgiving Meals, Turkeys Take Flight (Thanksgiving meals), and other qualified organizations approved by the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale and the 1090 Foundation Board.
Early Childhood Development – Global Grant: Our club provided $6,500, and other clubs in the United States contributed as well, to fund the education and training of a group of 16 ECD practitioners in Haenertsburg, South Africa. Upon completion of the training, these ladies will return to their homes in the bush and provide much needed education for parents and children before the child enters public school. Children who are in formal classes before Kindergarten have a much higher graduation rate from high school than those who don’t.
End Polio Now: Through The Rotary Foundation, our club supports an international project called Polio Plus. Rotarians, with the help of the World Health Organization, have almost eliminated Polio from the world. Work began in the late 70’s when there were 350,000 “wild” cases of polio annually and in 2018 there were only 33 reported “wild” cases in the world. The goal is to eliminate the disease and prevent it from ever returning.
Hurricane Relief – Following hurricanes, our club mobilizes very quickly to collect and distribute needed supplies to the affected areas. In the past three years, money and supplies have been sent to the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Florida’s Panhandle region, North Carolina, and Fort Myers.
Interact Clubs: Our Rotary Club sponsors and supports two Interact Clubs for High School students, one at Cardinal Gibbons High School and one at Dillard High School. Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club that gives young people an opportunity to participate in fun and meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new friends. The basic principle of the Rotary Interact is to help others.
Power of One Hour – By cleaning and planting new landscaping, Rotarians improve the physical environment of public spaces throughout our community. We work with the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Community Civic Volunteer Corps and the Broward Partnership for the Homeless.
Rotary Youth Exchange – The club supports inbound high school students from other countries who are selected through a competitive application process to study in the United States during a year of their high school career; in exchange, American students also spend a year abroad learning a new culture.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing – The club supports the Salvation Army with member’s individual contributions and 40 to 50 volunteers who ring the bell at “kettle locations” throughout Fort Lauderdale. We are very proud that our Rotary Club has consistently been the one organization that yields the highest dollar value in “kettle contributions”.
Sanitation Project: The club funds grant requests from A Spring of Hope to help with the cost of waterless toilets in South Africa. The schools who receive the waterless toilets are so grateful because they only had a latrine before. The waterless toilets help reduce illness caused by poor sanitation and hygiene. .Contact Gail Auguston-Koppen at 503-804-4844.
Senior Care – Rotarians provide gifts for seniors at Christmas and also fellowship with them. Contact Linda Cooke at 954-494-7779.
Scholarships for College and Vocational/Technical Schools – Distribute approximately $50,000 to eligible Broward County high school graduates pursuing higher education and vocational education. Over the past 50 years, over $2 million has been awarded in direct aid to very deserving students.
Thanksgiving Baskets: November 19, 2022. Provides full Thanksgiving dinners for needy families in Fort Lauderdale in collaboration with the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale. Volunteers are needed to deliver many of the meals to people who can’t come to the church to pick them up. Contact Sally Botkin at 954-651-1004.
Turkeys Take Flight: Provides full Thanksgiving dinners for needy families in Immokalee, FL and volunteers fly them in their private planes from Fort Lauderdale to Immokalee and they are given to the families who work in the feels growing many of the vegetables we consume every day.
Water Projects – The club gives grants to A Spring of Hope and Replenish, Inc. to fund the construction of potable water wells in South Africa and the purchase of water filtration systems in Kenya. These projects are located at schools which encourage the parents to send their children to school.
Weekly Wheelchairs – The club dedicates the delivery of a wheelchair to a person in need of hope and mobility somewhere in the world, in the name of the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale’s weekly club meeting.
Wheelchairs - Sponsors the delivery of wheelchairs from the Wheelchair Foundation to people around the world in need of mobility. Many times this is the first time the recipient has had any mobility in their lives.
All donations and in-kind gifts to the Fort Lauderdale Rotary 1090 Foundation, a Florida 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation, are tax-exempt to the extent permitted by law. There are no fees or overhead costs associated with the programs supported by our foundation as club volunteers undertake all our activities. Contributions may be made payable to the Fort Lauderdale Rotary 1090 Foundation, Inc. Our Federal EIN number is 23-7247846.
Rotary & District Links
Click here for the Rotary International link.
Click here for the Rotary Foundation link.
Click here for the District 6990 link.
The Rotary Foundation
The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary "to do good in the world." It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more than US$73 million contributed in 2000-01. Its event-filled history is a story of Rotarians learning the value of service to humanity.
History of The Rotary Foundation
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In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary's sixth president, proposed to the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . . for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational, and other avenues of community service." A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, the fund was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International. Five Trustees, including Klumph, were appointed to "hold, invest, manage, and administer all of its property. . . as a single trust, for the furtherance of the purposes of RI."
Two years later, the Foundation made its first grant of US$500 to the International Society for Crippled Children. The ISCC — created by Rotarian Edgar F. "Daddy" Allen — later grew into the Easter Seals organization.
The Great Depression and World War II both impeded significant growth for the Foundation, but the need for promoting a lasting world peace generated great post-war interest in developing the Foundation. After Rotary founder Paul P. Harris died in 1947, contributions began pouring into Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Memorial Fund was created for the purpose of building the Foundation.
That same year, the first Foundation program was established — Fellowships for Advanced Study, which was the forerunner of the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships program. Then in 1965-66, three new programs were launched — Group Study Exchange, Awards for Technical Training, and Grants for Activities in Keeping with the Objective of The Rotary Foundation, which was later called Matching Grants.
The Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) program was launched in 1978, with the Rotary Volunteers program being created as a part of 3-H in 1980. The PolioPlus program was announced in 1984-85, and the following year saw the introduction of Rotary Grants for University Teachers. The first Peace Forums were held in 1987-88, leading to the establishment of Rotary Peace Programs. Then in 1989, 1963-64 RI President Carl P. Miller and his wife, Ruth, donated US$1 million to establish the Discovery Grants program.Throughout this time, support of the Foundation grew tremendously. Since that first $26.50 donation in 1917, the Foundation has received contributions totaling more than US$1 billion. More than US$68 million was donated in 1998-99 alone. To date, some 726,000 individuals have been recognized as Paul Harris Fellows — that is, someone who has contributed US$1000 or has had that amount contributed in his or her name.
Such strong support and involvement of Rotarians worldwide ensures a secure future for The Rotary Foundation as it continues its vital work for international understanding and world peace.
Water Projects Overview
THE MISSION
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale actively supports water projects which provide clean, sustainable water, sanitation and economic development to underprivileged areas, primarily in Africa.
THE NEED
Consider the following facts relating to the urgent need to improve safe drinking water supplies and better sanitation throughout the world:
WATER FACTS:
- 1 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water, roughly one-sixth of the world's population.
- 50 percent of people on earth lack adequate sanitation
- Every minute of every day a child dies from a water-related disease
- 2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene.
- Half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water related illnesses.
- In the past 10 years, diarrhea has killed more children than all the people lost to armed conflict since World War II.
- 358 million children in Africa don’t have clean drinking water
- African women walk an average of 3.6 miles to collect water
- The average American uses 100 gallons of water per day vs. 5 gallons per day for the average African family.
HOW WE ARE HELPING
Since our club began its water project initiative in 2007, we have contributed over $500,000 to the two principal programs which we support. These programs are:
WATER WELLS
Our club provides funding for the construction and operation of water wells in rural, underprivileged schools in South Africa in desperate need of water. For this initiative, we partner with A Spring of Hope, a 501(c)3 organization. Spring of Hope identifies, locates promising well site and coordinates construction of each well. The average well costs about $10,000, and we are proud of the fact that every well that we’ve ever funded is still in operation!
WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS
Our club provides funding for to purchase of LifeStraw community water filtration systems, primarily for schools in Kenya. For this program, we partner with Replenish, a 501(c)3 organization based in Arlington, Texas. Replenish identifies schools in need, purchases the filters and coordinates distribution. Each Community LifeStraw can clean 100,000 liters of water, providing safe drinking water for up to 70 people for 5 years. Community LifeStraws cost average of $350, life can be extended with monitoring and maintenance costing an average of $100. "Lifetime LifeStraw" which is $500 for new units which includes the delivery and the maintenance and replacement parts as needed. Every $5 does give a child clean water for 5 years at this pricing.
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Click here for more information about A Spring of Hope and our Water Wells Program. | Click here for more information about Replenish and our Water Filtration Program. |
Click below to donate to our Water Wells Program: |
Click below to donate to our LifeStraw Program: |
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale registration number is CH6195
and the Rotary 1090 Foundation registration number is CH8789.
Water Wells
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352)?) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale registration number is CH 6195
and the Rotary 1090 Foundation registration number is CH 8789.
What is Rotary?
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.22 million Rotarians belong to more than 34,558 Rotary clubs.
Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds.
The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.
Although Rotary clubs develop autonomous service programs, all Rotarians worldwide are united in a campaign for the global eradication of polio. In the 1980s, Rotarians raised US$240 million to immunize the children of the world; 2005, Rotary's centenary year, the PolioPlus program contributed US$500 million to this cause. In addition, Rotary has provided an army of volunteers to promote and assist at national immunization days in polio-endemic countries around the world.

Dan Rizzi
2024-2025 Club President
Club President Letter 2024-25
Dear Rotarians and Friends of Rotary:
I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the role of your 102nd President for the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale. As we embark on this new year, I stand humbled by the legacy of our esteemed past presidents who, for over a century, have leveraged their knowledge and dedication to build a remarkable organization committed to service.
Rotary International’s Theme: The Magic of Rotary
This year’s theme, “The Magic of Rotary,” compels us to consider the transformative power of our collective efforts. Imagine a world free from polio, with communities empowered to secure clean water, cultivate their own food, and connect via bridges that bring families and education closer. This, my fellow Rotarians, is the magic we create when we unite in service.
The Enduring Impact of the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Locally, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale has consistently embodied this spirit. Our enduring impact is evident in a multitude of initiatives, including:
- Partnering with Challenge Air to provide transformative flight experiences for 84 children facing physical and mental challenges, with the invaluable support of 19 pilots, 160 volunteers, and generous sponsors.
- Annually distributing hundreds of toys and gifts to brighten the holidays for underprivileged children and seniors.
- Awarding over $3 million in scholarships to deserving students within the Fort Lauderdale school district.
- Supporting the Wheelchair Foundation, fostering mobility for those in need.
Beyond Service, Building Community
We foster strong bonds within our club through:
- Engaging monthly socials and happy hours, fostering connections and camaraderie.
- Annual events like Thanksgiving baskets, Salvation Army bell ringing, and festive holiday and fall picnics that celebrate the joy of giving and shared experiences.
- Disaster relief efforts whenever communities face hardship.
A Look Forward
While we celebrate our past achievements, we also embrace new initiatives designed to elevate our service and engagement. These include:
- Weekly member introductions, fostering deeper connections within the club.
- Inviting inspiring speakers from the business community to share their expertise.
- Reintroducing the “Teacher of the Year” program, recognizing outstanding contributions within the educational sector.
- Establishing a “Rotarians Honoring Rotarians” program, acknowledging the exceptional contributions of dedicated members throughout their years of service.
Invitation to Serve and Connect
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale offers a unique space for individuals who seek to serve their community while forging meaningful connections. Our weekly meetings, held Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. at the Global Event Center at First Baptist Church in downtown Fort Lauderdale, followed by a social gathering on the last Wednesday of the month at a local venue, provide the perfect opportunity to experience the magic firsthand.
We warmly invite you to join us as a guest. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Together, let’s continue to weave the magic of Rotary, one act of service at a time.
Sincerely,
Daniel Rizzi President 2024-2025
Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale
Volunteer With Us
As we begin our Rotary year, here is a quick reminder of the service projects we have on our schedule so far. We do not have exact dates for everything, but please keep these projects in mind and be on the lookout for more information. If you would like to help with any of these projects, please contact the chair directly. If you have ideas for new projects, please contact Kristin LaFleur or St. George Guardabassi.
- Find Your Way Home – Jorg Hruschka – Select Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Holiday Toy Drive – Linda Cooke – October – December
- Thanksgiving Baskets – Steve Botkin – November 23
- Salvation Army Bell Ringing – Steve Botkin – December 7
- Challenge Air – Dan Rizzi – January 2025
