A New Year Begins — Let’s Begin With WE

As we close the chapter on 2025 and step into a brand-new year, we do so with hope, gratitude, and anticipation for what lies ahead. A new year invites reflection—but even more importantly, it invites intention.

So I’ll start with a simple question:

What will you do today, tomorrow, this week, and this year to strengthen your club, grow Rotary, and increase the joy and happiness of every member?

Rotary thrives when people feel connected, valued, and energized by purpose. When we work together, we enjoy Rotary more. When we focus on each other, we increase engagement. And when we lead with heart, we naturally invite new friends to experience the fellowship and service that make Rotary so special.

This year, our district and club leadership teams are grounding our work in a powerful leadership framework from Begin With WE by Kyle McDowell—the 10 WE’s. These principles remind us that Rotary leadership is not about position, but about behavior, trust, and shared responsibility.

WE do the right thing. Always.
Even when it’s difficult. Especially when it’s difficult. In Rotary, we are grounded by the Four-Way Test. It helps us determine what is right and ensures that what we do is truthful, fair, builds goodwill and better friendships, and is beneficial to all concerned. It isn’t always the easiest path—but it is the one that earns trust, strengthens relationships, and inspires others to rally behind us consistently and authentically.

WE lead by example.
Our actions speak louder than any agenda or goal. If our behavior is worth replicating, others will follow.

WE say what WE’re going to do—and then WE do it.
Trust is built through commitment and follow-through. Rotarians depend on one another. We don’t let each other down.

WE take action.
Taking action and making a mistake is acceptable. Being idle is not. Innovation requires courage, and courage requires psychological safety. When people feel safe, they take bold steps forward.

WE own our mistakes.
We are not judged by our missteps—but by how quickly we correct them and whether we learn from them. Mistakes are human. Growth is intentional.

WE pick each other up.
Strong teams lift one another, creating space for authenticity, creativity, and connection. No one succeeds alone in Rotary—and no one should feel alone.

WE measure outcomes, not activity.
Busy does not always mean effective. If something does not meaningfully contribute to impact, it deserves thoughtful examination.

WE challenge each other—diplomatically.
Healthy teams question the status quo with respect and data, not opinion. Every Rotarian has a responsibility to help us be better.

WE embrace challenge.
Growth never happens in comfort zones. When challenges are grounded in experience and facts, they are not personal—they are opportunities.

WE obsess over details.
Details matter. A lot. They are the difference between average and excellent—and excellence is what our communities deserve.

As we begin this new year, let’s recommit ourselves to leading with WE. Let’s focus on creating clubs where people feel inspired, supported, and proud to belong. When we do that, service multiplies, membership grows, and Rotary’s impact deepens.

Together, WE will thrive—in our clubs, in our district, and in the lives we serve.

Happy New Year, Rotarians! Let’s make it a great one—together.

Jim’s Journey: From Joining Rotary to Changing the World

When I moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Mesa, Arizona, I joined Rotary for the same reason many do — connection. At 28, I was the youngest member of my club, surrounded by community leaders, business owners, and mentors I deeply admired. I joined for the business network… but I stayed because Rotary became family.

I had little time, little money, but a few talents I could share. My club put me right to work — as treasurer — and soon taught me something far more valuable than business: the joy of civic generosity. (I was already paying tithes to my church, so I had learned generosity early.) From the very beginning, I sacrificed to give $100 a year to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). It wasn’t easy, but it mattered. That small act became the first seed in a lifelong journey of giving and gratitude.

The Power of Commitment

Years later, my club saw leadership potential in me and invited me to join the board — a seven-year path to the presidency. By the time I became president, our eighth child had just been born. Life was busy, yet Rotary gave me energy. I found joy in serving alongside people who believed in something bigger than themselves. With a large family, a growing tax practice, and community responsibilities, Rotary was my constant — a place where service made everything else in life richer.

After my year as president, I returned to serving quietly. I wasn’t asked to take on district leadership, and I had plenty to fill my days: family, faith, and work. But Rotary remained at the core of who I was. I kept giving to TRF each year, knowing those small gifts — my time, talent, and treasure — were helping others here and around the world.

Rediscovering Purpose

Thirty years later, I looked at my giving record and realized I had given about $3,000 to TRF — a lifetime of steady, modest generosity. And then it hit me: It would take forever to reach Major Donor level at this pace. That realization sparked something in me. I had more to give — not just money, but passion and purpose.

By then, our children were grown, and I had built a successful career. I had some appreciated investments — and being a tax professional, I knew the best way to give them new life was to share them. So I donated those assets to TRF. It wasn’t just about the deduction or even the impact — it was about what happened in my heart. The act of giving changed me. It deepened my connection to Rotary and to humanity itself.

“Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change—across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

Well You Don't Say: A Few Myths We Can Finally Retire… 

Myth 1: “Rotaract is just a college club.”
Reality: Rotaract brings together young professionals 18+—and many clubs are entirely community-based with working adults.

Myth 2: “Rotaractors aren’t interested in joining Rotary.”
Reality: Plenty are. Historically, the pathway just hasn’t always been clear or accessible. As Rotaract stabilizes and matures, more members are choosing dual membership, transitioning into Rotary, and finding spaces that match their stage of life—especially when mentorship and flexible formats are on the table.

Myth 3: “Rotaractors don’t understand Rotary traditions” / “Rotaract is replacing Rotary.”
Reality: Rotaract and Rotary strengthen each other. Rotaractors connect through impact first, and as they find their footing, Rotary’s traditions become part of their story too. They bring energy, modern perspectives, and digital fluency; Rotary brings deep experience, structure, and wisdom. Together, they’re far more powerful than they’d ever be apart.

So… What Is Rotaract Really?

Amidst a sea of old assumptions, Rotaract is emerging with a clearer identity than ever before. Rotaract is a community of young professionals and emerging leaders who come together to serve, connect, and build real-world skills—much like our Rotarian counterparts. We partner closely with Rotary while operating as our own membership type, shaped by a growing and increasingly diverse demographic.

Before 2019, Rotaract lived under Rotary’s youth services program as a bridge between Interact and Rotary, most active on college campuses. Even though Rotaract technically served ages 18–30, many young adults fell through a growing gap as they entered early careers, moved cities, or navigated major life transitions. Continuity was hard to maintain, and the pathway forward wasn’t always obvious.

That changed in 2019 when the Rotary International Council on Legislation voted to elevate Rotaract from a “program” to full Rotary membership status. The intent was simple: give young professionals recognition, belonging, and a clearer place in the Rotary family. The change took effect in July 2020, and Rotaractors began paying dues in July 2022.

Since then, Rotaract has been reshaping its identity as a generation of transitioning Rotarians; people stepping deeper into the Rotary world with commitment, experience, and real personal stake. This evolution mattered even more in a post-COVID landscape, where involvement across all areas of life dipped. Arizona’s Rotaract numbers reflect that same storyline: as clubs recovered, Rotaract evolved into something steadier, more intentional, and more reflective of real adult life.

November is Rotary Foundation Month — Building Bridges, Changing Lives

This month, we celebrate The Rotary Foundation — the heart of Rotary’s mission and the engine that turns compassion into action. Every project we undertake, from local literacy efforts to international peacebuilding, begins with the generosity and vision of Rotarians like you.

Just days ago, Rotarians from both sides of the border gathered in Yuma for the USA–Mexico Friendship Conference and Global Grants Exchange. Together, members from many clubs and districts built partnerships, forged friendships, shared project ideas, and committed resources to fully fund 14 global grant projects — an amazing achievement and a new record! Lives will be changed forever on both sides of the border. It was Rotary at its finest — Service Above Self, multiplied through collaboration.

But our work doesn’t stop there.

This year, we’ve embarked on something truly transformational — a campaign to raise millions in new gifts through our Together We Raise, Together We Rise, Together We Thrive initiative. All gifts made since our last District Conference recognition event last May — and before April 15, 2026 — will be celebrated. Our goal: to raise more than $1 million in new gifts to The Rotary Foundation.

Here’s the best part: Everyone is invited to celebrate, but those who make—or commit to make—a new gift of $10,000 or more during that period will be honored at a very special celebration on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Mesa Sheraton Wrigleyville West — the night before our District Conference. This won’t be just another dinner — it will be a night of joy, inspiration, recognition, and unforgettable stories of the lives you’ve touched through your generosity. The program details are still under wraps, but I can promise you this — it will be the event of the year!

Your gift can go where your heart leads — ending polio, bringing clean water, supporting education, building peace, or strengthening our Annual Fund to meet needs wherever they arise. You can give in many ways: a one-time cash gift, appreciated stock, a pledge over three years, naming Rotary as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, a life income agreement, or even by including Rotary in your estate plans.

We are deeply grateful to those who have already given so generously over the years. Because of your past gifts, children have clean water to drink, classrooms have light and books, and families live in safety and peace. You are the Foundation’s heartbeat — the reason Rotary continues to change the world, one act of service and one act of giving at a time.

A special thank-you also goes to Laura Mello, our RI Regional Major Gifts Officer, who spent this past week presenting at clubs and meeting with donors across Arizona. Laura is a tremendous resource and is happy to assist with any questions — large or small — as you explore how best to make your giving count in ways that are meaningful to you.

Rotary has always been about turning compassion into action. This is our moment to do something extraordinary — to build peace, prosperity, and hope that will outlive us all.

Let’s make sure that when we gather on April 30, 2026, we’re celebrating your name among those who stepped forward to change the world.

Together We Thrive — and together, we make a difference that endures.

— DG Jim Schmidt