A Night to Celebrate Impact

District 5870 Foundation Gala Recap - What a beautiful evening with our Rotary family. Old friends. New friends. New connections. Shared stories. Shared purpose. Our recent District 5870 Foundation Gala was more than a celebration,  it was a reminder of who we are when we come together around something bigger than ourselves. And this year, we had powerful evidence of that impact. View the photos.
We premiered our District 5870 Rotary Foundation video, a moving snapshot of what your generosity makes possible. From club projects funded through SHARE to global initiatives fighting disease and advancing peace, the video told the story clearly:
 
Rotarians in District 5870 are changing lives. If you were unable to attend or simply want to experience it again, we invite you to watch and share the video below.
 
Milestones of Meaningful Impact
 
At the Gala, we took a moment to thank those of you who help our district “garden” thrive. Because that’s what this really is.

We plant through giving. We nurture through service. And together, we harvest impact.
 

From 2024 to 2026 alone, District 5870 invested:

  • More than $1.5 million in Annual Fund SHARE projects

  • Over $350,000 toward PolioPlus

And that doesn’t even include contributions to the Endowment Fund, Disaster Response, and other critical areas of The Rotary Foundation.

Step back even further.

Over the past 20 years, our district has contributed:

  • Nearly $11 million to Annual Fund SHARE

  • More than $1.5 million to PolioPlus

That’s almost $15 million supporting life-changing projects and helping move the world closer to the eradication of polio.

And just in the past 12 months, through limited-time matching programs, you contributed an additional $250,000 to the Annual Fund.

That is extraordinary.

Membership May Shrink But Commitment Grows
 
Our membership numbers may be shrinking but your support of The Rotary Foundation continues to grow.

Why? Because those who remain understand the power of this work.

We see the impact.

We see the children vaccinated.
We see the clean water flowing.
We see the scholarships awarded.
We see the district and global grants transforming communities.

We understand that Rotary is not measured only by attendance.
 
It is measured by impact.

And District 5870 continues to lead with generosity.
 
Commitment That Changes the World
One of the evening’s proudest moments was honoring the Rotarians who advanced to new levels of recognition through their continued generosity and unwavering commitment. We were privileged to recognize those who reached new or higher levels of dedication this year, including:
 
  • 429 Paul Harris Fellows
  • 11 Members of the Bequest Society
  • 29 Major Donors
  • 6 New Triple Crown Donor Society members
  • 2 Arch Klumph Society members

And recipient of The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, Rich Kaye

Each of these honors represents far more than a milestone.

It represents belief.
Belief that Rotary matters.
Belief that generosity multiplies.
Belief that together, we can leave the world better than we found it.
 
A Rotary Family
 
More than the numbers, the Gala reminded us of something deeper.

We are a Rotary family.

We celebrate together.
We serve together.
We invest together.
We believe together.

To every Rotarian in District 5870 who contributes - whether your gift is large or modest - thank you.

You are tending the garden.
You are fueling the mission.
You are ensuring that Rotary’s impact continues long into the future.
 

And if you missed the evening, we invite you to watch our District 5870 Foundation impact video and see what your generosity is accomplishing.

Because when Rotarians believe in something … The world changes.

DRFC Shannon Coleman