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Rotary is a global network of more than 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
RYLA Announcement for 2026
By Scott Van der Linden
We have some exciting news to share with you today! This year’s RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) will once again be held at Gardner-Webb University, from Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19, 2026 (starting Wednesday, July 15 for Volunteers).
This past July 2025, we had a Wait List for Students desiring to attend RYLA. So we have increased our available seats to 112 Students! That means 112 Scholarships and additional Mentors.
Be on the lookout in January for (1) Scholarship Commitments, (2) Student Registrations and (3) Mentor Registrations.
Our website at https://Rotary7680.org/SFTL/ will be updated for 2026 soon.
Save the Dates!
Submitted by DG Donna Moffett
January 24, 2026 Mid-Year Assembly & Pre-PETS
January 26, 2026 Rotary 101
February 9, 2026 Membership Action Plan Webinar (open to all Rotarians interested in Member Engagement and Membership Growth).
February 2026 Upcoming RLI Opportunities
Did you know EVERY club has access to ignite, the smart phone app created by DACdb?
Use Ignite to find member info like phone, email or address. If your club has the DACdb Finance module, then you can pay your dues by clicking the PAY/EZ-Pay button. When you pay your dues this way it will reconcile automatically in the Finance module, making your Treasurer job a little easier. Ignite does so much, for a personal demonstration contact District Secretary Wally Olson at bikerwoe@icloud.com, and we’ll set up a zoom session. If you haven’t open Ignite lately it has new feature by swiping right and left.
To find ignite, go to the App store and look for Ignite by Member Minder Pro. Use the same log in as you do in www.DACdb.com.
Our Amazing Members – George Solomon, Lake Norman-Huntersville
Submitted by Eileen Solomon
George grew up in Long Island, NY and realized his passion for service when he joined the Riverhead Rotary Club in Eastern Suffolk County. Since 1993, George’s enthusiasm and “let’s do it” attitude has inspired others to join him on mission projects all over the world.
George has traveled to 20 different countries including Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Hungary, Uganda, Cambodia and El Salvador. His work in Haiti led to the formation of Kado Lavi, the new “Gift of Life” Haiti. Together with a partnership of Rotary Clubs throughout the world, The Rotary Foundation and other NGO’s, over 450 open heart surgeries for children have been performed in Haiti.
George has been honored nine times as a Paul Harris Fellow with a $1,000 donation to the Rotary Foundation in his name. Bringing peace and goodwill to little villages with children and families tugs at his heart strings and he hopes that his passion becomes yours.
George was invited to join the board of Rotary Gift of Life for District 7260 in 2007. The following year, he took the oath of office as District Governor with the theme “Make Dreams Real”. After his term as Governor, he was appointed as District Rotary Foundation Chair.
In February of 2011 George was honored with the Service above Self Award. The highest honor a Rotarian can receive, given only to 150 Rotarians worldwide a year. As a member of the Rotary Club of Rocky Point, he received the Citation for Meritorious Service from the Rotary Foundation.
As a new resident of Huntersville, NC, George joined the Huntersville Lake Norman Rotary Club. He has served as the Global Grants Chair for local North Carolina Rotary District 7680. In 2024, George was instrumental in forming Gift of Life North Carolina, the 84th Gift of Life International affiliate.
For the last three years, George has chaired the Gift of Life fundraising dinner at NorthStone Country Club in Huntersville raising over $90,000 to date. He invites you to support the 5 th Gift of Life dinner on Thursday, April 9 th for an evening of good food, fabulous auction prizes and shared community involvement. Whether it’s your community or communities abroad, he knows one thing for sure, Rotary Takes Action, and every small step takes us closer to making Dreams Real.
Peacebuilding in Practice
Submitted by Ashmi Trivedi, District Peace Chair
Have you ever wondered about Peace Fellows and exactly what they do? Maybe you’ve had questions about why Rotary places so much emphasis on this particular area of focus. If you have, we invite you to join us on Saturday, February 28th at 3:00 pm to hear from a virtual panel of several Peace Fellows who were all sponsored by our District! You’ll hear first hand how these individuals are changing the world through their actions!
Here are several snapshots of two of the panelists, Diego and Salim, who are turning peacebuilding ideas into meaningful action!
CART Report
Submitted by Don Seitz, CART Chair for District 7680
I am happy to report that District 7680 sits on top of the leaderboard through November 30 with $1,023,138 collected for the fund. The second-place district is 7770 in South Carolina with $89,460 in donations. Let’s keep up the good work District 7680!
The CART Fund has been recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four-Star Charity. Charity Navigator is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers free access to data, tools and resources to guide philanthropic decision making. They have rated over 225,000 charities which shines a light on the cost effectiveness and overall health of charities programs.
Last year, the CART Fund received 92 grant applications from researchers and six grants were awarded totaling $2,000,000. This year to date, the Fund has received 272 research grant applications. There are only three people on the scientific committee to review these requests.
This is the 30th Anniversary of the CART Fund. The annual meeting will again be in Charlotte on July 30-31. Our goal is to award $3,000,000 in grants at the ceremony. We are well on our way to meeting that goal with $1,700,000 collected thus far.
Together we can push the goal over the top!
I invite you to become a recurring donor to the CART Fund. Simply go to www.cartfund.org. At the bottom of the home page is a tab to sign up to become a recurring donor. Follow the directions and start making timely donations to the Fund. THANK YOU to everyone who continues to support The CART Fund as a recurring donor and as a member of the newly-created “Roger Ackerman Circle.”
We are so excited to offer this limited-edition lapel pin for donors who commit to a recurring donation of a minimum of $5/month via our online donor portal! If you have already enrolled but haven’t yet received your pin, please let us know so we can make arrangements to present it soon! If you haven’t signed up yet, you still can! Just go to mycartfund.org to make a contribution & select “recurring gift” (monthly, quarterly or annually)
MIKE’S MEMBERSHIP MINUTE – Membership Growth is Easier Than You Think
Submitted by Mike Walker, District Membership Chair
Welcome to the second half of our Rotary year! This is often an exciting time for clubs as they work to fulfill their goals for the rest of the year. It requires intentionality! Here are a few ideas that work:
- The easiest way to grow by June: A Discover Rotary event in the next 60 days! For help, reach out to our District Discover Rotary expert (Susan) Dianne LIttle in the Taylorsville club. It can be as simple as a guest-centered regular club meeting with a ‘program’ no more than 20 minutes. Talk about what you’re proud of – your club and its history, Rotary overall, and the work of The Rotary Foundation. Keep it simple – PowerPoint is optional, with the focus on a conversation. This is the one Rotary event with the guest as center of attention. And most of all, CARING FOLLOW-UP IS THE KEY.
- Create a Culture of Inviting – where it’s more normal to have guests at meetings than not. Clubs with this culture grow. Pretty simple. You may say “that’s tough because we don’t have great meals, speakers, projects, venue, size, etc.” Work to make Culture of Inviting the constant, and those issues the problems to solve. Make Inviting Normal Again.
- “What’s In It For Them?” – Sadly, no one joins Rotary to help our membership growth. They join for THEIR reasons, the Four Powerful Benefits of Rotary: Relationships, Service, Growth and Learning. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and ask “what’s in it for them?”.
- Relationships – what high quality person wouldn’t want relationships with other high quality people who recite (and hopefully live) the Four Way Test?
- Service – they can bring or find their passion. And serve locally or internationally, with support from The Rotary Foundation. And do it with fun Rotarians.
- Growth – we’re leaders by mindset as much as position, opening Rotary to those of all ages. It’s a place to improve speaking, organizing and leadership skills.
- Learning – don’t discount the value of learning about your community through speakers, projects and fellow members.
Remember, yours may be the only Rotary invitation someone receives in their life! I was over 50 when I was first invited, and I thank that annoying, relentless Rotarian who kept inviting me!
Public Image/Public Relations Update
Submitted by Mark Daniels
Happy New Year!
Please register and attend January’s Rotary Public Image webinar on January 27th at 6PM. January’s webinar is: Stop posting boring stuff!
Join the Zone 33/34 team for a lively, tip-packed webinar on creating scroll-stopping social media posts. Hear from our own Amanda Grover (RAPIC Zone 34) and Kelsey Sola, incoming Zone 34 Public Image Coordinator. This live Zoom session is fun, practical, and packed with ideas you can use immediately.
Registration and Info is here – https://www.cognitoforms.com/RotaryZone34/_202601PIWebinarStopPostingBoringStuffARotaryIntervention
EPIC UPDATE:
Latest numbers show District 7680 with 10 clubs actively participating in the EPIC Program to help them actively engage and improve Rotary public image. These EPIC tasks are designed to help clubs be intentional and consistent in Public Image efforts, which drives Membership attraction and engagement.
Participating clubs know who you are…kudos and let me know anything I can do to help (Dannyhood1985@gmail.com . For clubs NOT participating, let me know how I might help you get started. Here is the link if you want to start on your own (EPIC) Award.
Submit global grant applications by 1 March
Submitted by Kam Chandan, District Rotary Foundation Chair
Four-Star Rating for 17 Consecutive Years
The Rotary Foundation is proud to announce that we have recently received a four-star rating — the highest level possible — for the 17th consecutive year from Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator in the United States.
We owe this success to the unwavering support and dedication of individuals like you. Thank you for being a crucial part of what makes our Foundation a powerful force for meaningful change and lasting impact through service.
Charity Navigator determines its ratings by examining how nonprofits use their funds, how sustainable their programs are, and how well they adhere to industry standards of transparency and accountability. You can learn more about how Rotary does that in our most recent annual report.
Your support of The Rotary Foundation inspires others and directly makes a difference with initiatives around the world, as well as projects based in your local community.
We’re deeply grateful for donors like you, who are dedicated to Doing Good in the World.
Rotary Peace Centers
Congratulations to the incoming 2026 Rotary Peace Fellows representing more than 60 countries!
As we welcome our new cohort of peace fellows this year, we also look forward to launching the application for our 2027 Rotary Peace Fellowships in early February. Visit our website now to learn about funded master’s degrees and professional development certificate programs in disciplines related to peace and development offered at leading universities around the world.
Belmont Rotarian parade Grand Marshall
Submitted by Ted Hall, Belmont Rotary
Belmont Rotary Club’s longest-serving member, Richard S. (Dick) Cromlish, Jr., led the Belmont Christmas parade in December as Grand Marshall in recognition of the club’s 100th anniversary celebration. Cromlish has been a member of the club for 56 years and served as president in 1978-79. The Belmont club was elected to membership in Rotary International on December 14, 1925.
Diego’s Journey Forward: A Testament to Healing, Hope, and the Gift of Friendship
By Erika Hudson, President Charlotte South Park
One of the most beautiful aspects of Rotary is our ability to come together in moments that truly matter. As Rotarians, we are united not only by service projects and meetings, but by genuine care for one another — especially when a fellow member of our extended Rotary family is navigating a challenging season.
We are pleased to share an update on Diego’s continued progress as he focuses on healing and rehabilitation. As you may know, Diego was severely injured in a cycling accident a few months ago. Diego is currently residing at his new address:
5350 Pinehurst Park Dr., Apt. 185, Charlotte, NC 28211
Under the direction and care of his medical team, Diego is being transported regularly to the Carolinas Rehabilitation Center for treatment. These therapies are an important part of his recovery journey, and we are grateful for the skilled professionals who are supporting him every step of the way.
While the road to recovery can be demanding, Diego’s resilience, determination, and spirit remain strong. Each day brings new milestones — some large, some small — all of which reflect the power of perseverance and the importance of a supportive community.
The Gift of Friendship in Action
Rotary often speaks of The Gift of Friendship, but moments like this give that phrase deeper meaning. Friendship in Rotary is not limited to fellowship hours or shared meals; it is demonstrated through compassion, presence, encouragement, and showing up — especially when it matters most.
The gift of friendship means:
- Taking a moment to send a handwritten note of encouragement
- Offering kind words that lift the spirit
- Sharing hope when days feel long
- Letting someone know they are not walking alone
For Diego, a simple card, letter, or visit can make a tremendous difference. These gestures remind him that his Rotary family stands beside him, cheering him on and holding him in our thoughts.
How Rotarians Can Support Diego
Rotary members are encouraged to write Diego or stop by, when possible, in accordance with his care schedule and medical guidance. A brief visit, a note filled with well wishes, or a message sharing club updates can provide comfort, motivation, and a sense of connection.
Even the smallest acts of kindness have lasting impact. They reinforce that Rotary is not just an organization — it is a family built on service, empathy, and genuine relationships.
Service Above Self — Even Beyond Projects
Diego’s journey reminds us that Service Above Self is not limited to community initiatives or global projects. Sometimes, our greatest service is simply being present for one another, offering friendship without expectation, and extending love without condition.
As Diego continues his rehabilitation, let us surround him with encouragement, patience, and positivity. Let us demonstrate the true heart of Rotary through our actions — by lifting one another during challenging times and celebrating progress together.
Please continue to keep Diego in your thoughts and prayers, and thank you for exemplifying what it truly means to be a Rotarian.
Together, through friendship and service, we make a difference — one life, one moment, and one act of kindness at a time.
Diego has always been an active member of the community, whether through biking, being an F3 enthusiast, or serving as a soccer referee. Now, he needs our support more than ever. A Go Fund Me has been established to assist him. Any contributions made through the GoFundMe will directly assist Diego and his family during this challenging time. Your help, no matter how big or small, can make a significant difference in their lives. Please consider donating to this cause and sharing the link with others who may want to help. Let’s rally together to support Diego as he continues to fight through this.
Magazine features Gaston Rotary clubs
Submitted by Ted Hall, Belmont Rotary
Six Gaston County Rotary clubs are featured in the January-February 2026 issue of “Gaston Lifestyles Magazine.
“Gaston County Rotarians Unite For Good to Serve Our Community.”
— Gaston Lifestyles Magazine
A two-page feature on the Rotary clubs of Gaston County appears in the current issue of Gaston Lifestyles Magazine. The article includes information on all six local Rotary clubs and features three photos related to Belmont Rotary Club’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2025.
Past Rotary Area Assistant Governor and District Governor-Nominee Sharon Heinrich of the Gastonia Rotary Club wrote the article incorporating information on services and projects provided by each club.
The article appears on pages 22 and 23 of the magazine’s January-February 2026 issue in a section titled “Did You Know” under the headline “Gaston County Rotarians Unite For Good to Serve Our Community.”
Gaston Lifestyles Magazine is distributed free and is available for pick-up in Belmont at Harris-Teeter, the Stowe Family YMCA and the offices of advertisers. A list of all distribution sites is on page two of the magazine. Deborah Ally is CEO and Publisher.
Read the Rotary article online by clicking this link: www.GastonLifestyles.com.
Charlotte Dilworth South End Pickleball Event!
Submitted by Amarja Webb, Past President
We hope you can join us as for our second annual Pickleball for a Purpose event on March 28, 2026 at the Cornwell Center in Charlotte! Your support in helping us to do good in the community, is greatly appreciated!! Two ways to support us: Register at the link below OR consider becoming a Sponsor!! Or do both!!
LINK TO REGISTER: https://www.zeffy.com/…/pickleball-for-a-purpose–2026
