I know it’s not Thanksgiving but I just don’t want to wait another month! I am so humbled by the Rotary clubs I’ve had the chance to visit these past two months. From Soda Springs in the lower east side of the state to Baker City, Oregon it has been an eye-opening experience and one I will never forget. All the clubs I have had a chance to visit (and there are many more to come) have been energetic, happy and most of all caring Rotarians. I learned about membership concerns and helped them walk through a couple things that might help.I had the chance to help serve buffalo burgers in Oregon where the highlight of my day was having a little girl come up to the stand and thank the Rotarians for the ping pong table they installed at the park. I sat with Rotarians concerned about their club inactivity and shared some ideas with them. Most of all, I felt their passion for Rotary – that’s something that comes from within and it is alive and well in our District!
I’m excited to share that we’re launching a new community-based Rotaract Club right here in the Treasure Valley, serving Boise, Meridian, and Nampa.
Young adults have so much to contribute to building a stronger community, and Rotaract is a space where they can do just that. Rotaract is part of a global movement of leaders age 18+ who:
Everyday Leadership is a collaborative effort to build self-confidence and share life skills with students attending low-income schools. Ultimately, the program seeks to inspire participants to graduate from high school and obtain degrees and/or professional licenses.
Everyday Leadership is a collaborative, neighborhood school-based effort that brings together the skills and resources of (1) local schools, (2) parents, (3) the Treasure Valley YMCA, and (4) the Rotary Clubs (Boise Sunrise, Boise Metro and Caldwell) to achieve a shared goal.
Once fertile and biodiverse, the landscapes of coastal Manabí Ecuador now face drought, erosion, and unstable markets due to decades of deforestation, monocultures, and chemical dependency. This global grant project supports smallholder farmers to restore their land, increase income, and build climate resilience through a replicable model of regenerative cacao agroforestry. This grant is a large follow on project to a first pilot grant that successfully demonstrated the concept works. The partner clubs Guayaquil Astillero Ecuador and Santa Rosa East/West CA USA are leading the effort, but need more financial support. For each $500 your club or club Rotarians contribute turns into $1,750 real money going directly to the project thanks to the district DDF and The Rotary Foundation’s World Fund matches.
Please contact Todd Fischer, your friendly global grant chair, for more details on how you can get involved.
Civic Fair: D5400 will be hosting a table at the next Institute for Advancing American Values event hosted by BSU as part of their Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) on October 16, 2025.
This year’s DLS will feature Hillsdale College Historian Wilfred McClay, who will speak at 7:00 PM in the Jordan Ballroom in the Student Union Building on the Boise State campus.
Rotary Peace Force meets on October 23rd at 4 pm (virtually). Check out the District Calendar below for all the meeting information.
A wonderful SW Idaho evening was had by many supporters of Gorongosa and the Boise Zoo in June. The Zoo after hours is a delightful place to stroll.
We were there to support the development work being done in and around Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Boise has numerous connections to Gorongosa through BSU, Zoo Boise, the Carr Foundation, and many Rotarians in District 5400.
John Lodal is the Public Image Officer for Boise Sunrise, and he is an exceptional storyteller. Each month, he writes articles about various community projects in which District 5400 and Boise Sunrise are involved. One of John's personal goals was to be featured in the Rotary magazine.
Earlier this year District 5400 hosted a design contest to represent the geography and beauty of the District across eastern Oregon and Idaho. Several Rotarians submitted amazing entries that were considered by a District Leadership Counsel judging committee. The chosen design was submitted by Rotarian Michelle Rentzch from the Rotary Club of McCall.
Enroll in Rotary’s recurring giving program, Rotary Direct, which makes giving easy, fast, and secure. You can schedule a monthly, quarterly, or annual donation that empowers Rotarians to change lives in communities around the world.
I know it’s not Thanksgiving but I just don’t want to wait another month! I am so humbled by the Rotary clubs I’ve had the chance to visit these past two months. From Soda Springs in the lower east side of the state to Baker City, Oregon it has been an eye-opening experience and one I will never forget. All the clubs I have had a chance to visit (and there are many more to come) have been energetic, happy and most of all caring Rotarians. I learned about membership concerns and helped them walk through a couple things that might help.I had the chance to help serve buffalo burgers in Oregon where the highlight of my day was having a little girl come up to the stand and thank the Rotarians for the ping pong table they installed at the park. I sat with Rotarians concerned about their club inactivity and shared some ideas with them. Most of all, I felt their passion for Rotary – that’s something that comes from within and it is alive and well in our District!
