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With our growing community of 1.4 million members,
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WE TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES

Rotarians invest approximately 47 million volunteer hours every year, into improving the lives of those around them

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WE FUND SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS

Rotary awarded $333 million to global service initiatives throughout the 2020 pandemic


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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

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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

International Projects

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
  • Salvation Army Bell Ringing – Steve Botkin – December
  • Challenge Air – Dan Rizzi – January 2025
  • Agape Love Breakfast – Gail Auguston-Koppen – February

Rotarians In Action


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