Message from the District Governor

I can't believe it is already October. The Fall is in the air and the leaves are starting to be seen on the ground. As we start to feel a little chill, let's think about Rotary learning, that always warms me up. We have a Rotary training session coming up called Club Action Plan Summit, aka CAPS, on Saturday, October 10th at West Chester University from 10 am to 2 pm. The Four Action Plan Priorities are; Engage, Reach, Impact, and Adapt.
October is Rotary International's Economic and Community Development Month. Rotary clubs all over the world are helping their communities and people in other countries with projects that aim to provide ongoing sustainability. Our district's Foundation assists clubs in their endeavors to assist others globally. Let's get involved by seeking within our communities and communities around the world that are in need of assistance. Find out what kind of help we can provide and as Nike states, JUST DO IT!
Carol Lerner
District 7450 Governor 2026-27
Monthly Theme: Economic and Community Development
Nearly 1.4 billion employed people live on less than $1.90 a day. Think about that. Let it soak in.
Rotary members promote economic and community development and reduce poverty in underserved communities in various ways. Projects range from providing people with equipment to offering vocational training. Rotarians around the world and right here around Philadelphia work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
What can one club or one member do? Does it seem like an overwhelming problem to address? I encourage you to reread the start of this article then remember what Dr. Seuss said: “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.”
It only takes one person to have an idea or dream to help others. What can you do to get your club to go beyond a meeting or a meal and really commit to Service Above Self? Rotary has so many great tools to help you and your club do something, somewhere to lift up a single woman to help her family. Or take action in your own backyard by inspiring a student class to get involved in their own community.
If the paragraphs above sparked in you a desire to do something, follow this link to a one-minute video. Then read on to see how Rotary International can partner with you and your club to take action. You can be that one person who will mean the world to someone in need. Maybe in your hometown, or maybe somewhere that you will never travel to. Either way, that place needs you.
Pictured: Ana Maria Aguilar Aguilar (left) and Eliécer Vargas at an aquaponic garden. In partnership with CATIE, a group of women living near Turrialba, Costa Rica, launched an ecotourism cooperative to attract visitors and grow their community-based tourism businesses. Members of Rotary clubs in Cartago, Costa Rica, and in Denton, Texas, USA, partnered with CATIE to support the project through a Rotary Foundation global grant.
Thirsty for Rotary Knowledge?
You’re Invited: Meet the Membership Committee
Join us to meet the Membership Committee Chairs and learn how the newly organized committee will support stronger, more engaged Rotary clubs.
What You’ll Learn:
- Our district and club-focused membership goals
- Each Chair’s role and responsibilities
- Our shared vision for welcoming new members, retaining current members, strengthening connections, and growing your club
- Ways we can work together to put that vision into action
Event Details:
Thirsty Thursday 30October 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Click here to register
Learn, connect, and help shape your club’s exciting next chapter.
District 7450 Membership Committee
Making membership buzz!

Club Action Plan Summit
Help Shape What's Next for Your Club
Click here to register.
Discover How the Rotary Action Plan Can Help Your ClubTogether, we will explore how to:
- Create greater IMPACT by developing a signature service project that becomes the centerpiece of the Rotary year
- Expand your REACH by telling Rotary stories that attract partners and prospective members
- Enhance ENGAGEMENT of your members by providing an experience that attracts, retains, and inspires Rotarians
- Increase your ability to ADAPT in an ever-changing world by operating your club with clarity, shared leadership, and a healthy culture
What: This four-hour, hands-on session is an opportunity for Rotarians to bring ideas, ask questions, and plan for a stronger, more engaged and impactful club.
When: Saturday, October 10
Where: Sykes Student Union, West Chester University
110 West Rosedale Avenue
West Chester, PA 19382
The venue is conveniently accessible from Route 202.
If you attended last year and/or your club already works with the Action Plan, CAPS can help you build upon what you started. If you’re new to the Rotary Action Plan, you’ll discover how it can give your club greater purpose, a clear path forward, and the ability to achieve meaningful and measurable results in the months and years ahead.
Cost: $20 per person, includes lunch.
Registration: Click here to register.
Early registration is greatly appreciated and will help your fellow Rotary volunteers plan effectively for the event. Thank you!
Celebrate RI Foundation's Impact

All District Rotarians are invited
| Date: November 19, 2026 Time: 5:45 p.m. Registration and networking 6:15 p.m. Dinner and program 8:30 p.m. Closing |
Location: Springfield Country Club 400 West Sproul Rd. Springfield, PA 19064 |
Dress: Business Casual
Register HERE.
Resources Available to Expand Your Club's Reach
Learning Session: Storytelling That Connects and Expands Our Reach
Great stories are what turn "another service club" into "the club I want to join." In our first session of the Ignite Public Image Learning series, we're exploring how storytelling — and the right platform to tell it on — can expand our reach and unite us through service.
Our Zone Public Image team will facilitate interactive practical, effective storytelling strategies designed to empower clubs and Rotary members to share their Rotary experiences with confidence and impact.
Register HERE for the Storytelling That Connects and Expands Our Reach learning session, Tuesday, October 13, 7:30 p.m.

