February: Honoring Our Past, Strengthening Our Impact
February feels like a turning point. The days grow a little longer, the temperatures beginning to slightly rise, and we’re reminded that renewal is always possible. As Rotarians, this is a natural time to honor our past and recommit to our purpose—building peace, strengthening fellowship, and serving others together.
On February 23, we celebrate Rotary’s anniversary. I invite you to pause and reflect on a young attorney in Chicago, seeking connection, who gathered a small group of professionals for friendship and fellowship. From that simple idea, Rotary grew into a global force for good—serving communities and building lasting friendships around the world. We owe our gratitude to Paul Harris for launching a movement that continues to change lives.
Here is What’s Ahead for February - Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month
- Heartland President Elect Learning Seminar (PELS) – Thursday evening, March 26th to Saturday morning, March 28th in Wichita for all president-elects. Club president elect nominees or vice presidents are also encouraged to attend. Leadership focused round tables will also be offered for Assistant Governors and other district leaders. Featured presenters & round table facilitators include RI President Nominee Larry Lunsford, RI Director-Elect Tom Gump, and Zone Public Image Chair Patrick Harrison.
And that’s not all! Following PELS on Saturday afternoon, Patrick Harrison will lead Public Image Basics for club presidents-elects and public image chairs
- Gathering for Good – April 11, 2026. Our annual fundraiser for the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund returns to the DoubleTree - Lawrence. Please begin planning silent auction items and wine or liquor pull donations—there will be exciting experiences to bid on—including a special dinner experience with RI President Nominee!
- Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Recruitment Is Critical! RYLA will be held May 31–June 4 at the University of Kansas with participants being housed in Hashinger Hall. Applications and payments due February 28. This year, KU will require 60 students to host RYLA— If we do not meet this number, KU will not hold RYLA in 2026. —please prioritize recruiting participants now.
Invite past RYLA participants to help recruit and engage your Interactors, as you reach out to local high schools. After RYLA, thank students and parents, invite them to your club, and share how Rotary serves your community.
Rotary International Club Excellence Award – Scoreboard
Earning this award is the first step towards winning the District 5710 Governor's Cup
As of January 31:
- 23 clubs have set 14+ goals
- 8 clubs have set less than 13 goals
- 9 clubs have not yet entered goals
To earn the RI Club Excellence Award, clubs must achieve at least 13 goals. If you’re close, now is the time to add one or two more.
Beginning in April, we’ll report the number of clubs that have achieved 13 goals.
Official Club Visits – Very Warm Welcomes
In January, I completed my final “official” District Governor club visit. Your hospitality, creativity, and passion were inspiring. I truly enjoyed learning more about your service projects and witnessing your generosity in support of The Rotary Foundation and so many other causes.
While my official visits are complete, I look forward to visiting your clubs again for projects, socials, and celebrations. Please let me know what’s coming up—thank you again for your warm welcomes.
Our District Has TV Stars!
Check it out!! Rotary Club of CAAHT Rotarian Patti Mellard and District 5710 Rotary Peace Fellow alum Jennifer Montgomery recently appeared on WIBW to share the Intersection to Care program. Thank you both for raising awareness and supporting survivors of human trafficking—and thank you to WIBW’s Melissa Brunner for hosting a wonderful interview.
February - Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month!
Peacebuilding begins locally—through listening, understanding, and connection. Fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, supporting education, improving maternal and child health, and growing local economies all create the conditions for peaceful societies
Across District 5710, our clubs already build peace through youth leadership, mental health initiatives, community partnerships, and service projects that strengthen trust.
This month also gives us the opportunity to reflect on how The Rotary Foundation advances
peace worldwide through Global Grants and the Rotary Peace Centers—made possible by our
Annual Fund giving
Call to Action:
I encourage every club to do one intentional peacebuilding activity this month—host a program, complete a project, or share a peace-focused story. Then tell that story on social media, in local news, and in our district newsletter. When we make peace visible, we strengthen our impact and our public image.
February is also a great time to begin identifying Rotary Peace Fellow candidates in your community. These highly competitive, fully funded fellowships prepare leaders for careers in peace and development. Qualified candidates may not be Rotarians.
Looking Ahead
March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month and includes World Rotaract Week.
Final Thought for February
Thank you for creating sustainable change across northeast Kansas and around the world. Together, we are answering our Rotary International President’s call to Unite for Good—and living Service Above Self every day
“If you have a dream and cannot realize it alone... join Rotary”
RI president Francisco Arezzo
