Rotary projects around the globe
March 2026
United States
Everett Singleton was an educator who helped integrate schools in Collinsville, Illinois, in the 1950s. When Interactors from Collinsville High School learned that Singleton’s gravesite lacked a marker, they organized a Dine-to-Donate event to raise the $1,700 needed for a proper headstone. Honoring Singleton, who died in 1970, was second nature to the civic-minded students, says Brad Skertich, the club adviser. Singleton, who grew up in the town’s Black neighborhood during segregation, served as a teacher at various schools and as a principal. “Our students have been eager to get involved, give back to their community, and help others,” says Skertich, a member of the Rotary Club of Collinsville, Maryville, Caseyville.
Canada
The Rotary Club of Chilliwack Mt. Cheam in British Columbia aced its volleyball tournament in November, attracting 28 teams to a fundraiser that the club has hosted since 1995. “Many local businesses participate by registering a team, and they have their staff come out and play,” says Kim Ashley, the club’s president. “Each player brings a new toy to donate to Chilliwack Community Services as part of the Christmas Sharing Program.” The project supports the club’s foundation, which focuses on the needs of children, including dental work, medical assessments, and counseling. In all, the matches have raised more than $300,000 and collected 15,000 toys over the past 30 years.
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$1.00K to $3K
Average headstone cost in U.S.
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19.0000
Volleyball introduced in Canada
England
An event to celebrate Indian culture featured local luminaries with Bollywood connections and raised about $2,200 for the Rotary Club of Maidenhead Bridge’s service work. Attendees included Chittal Shah, choreographer to celebrities, and vocalist Atul Pushkarna, both of whom now reside in the United Kingdom. Ten of the club’s 55 members are from India or have Indian heritage. “The laughter, dancing, and genuine sense of connection in the room showed just how powerful cultural celebration can be in bringing people together for a good cause,” says Lisa Hunter, charter president of the club. The November event helped fund a Parkinson’s disease support group and a trip by the club’s vocational training team to Uganda for a maternal and child health initiative.
Malta
The Rotary Club of Gozo has discovered a formula for civic and social media engagement: Tell community members just how much they’re appreciated. After rolling out the glitzy Pride of Gozo Awards in 2022, the club saw a burst of interest in the work of Rotarians on Gozo, one of Malta’s three populated islands. “The event is our showcase of the year,” says Tom Welch, a past president of the club who proposed the ceremony, which is supported by the Times of Malta newspaper and a government ministry. “While not a fundraiser, it raises our profile: a touch under 40,000 views on Facebook, 600 new followers, and over 2,000 engagements. It also provides us with a collection of wonderful speakers and drives membership growth.”
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1.00.9 million
People of Indian ethnicity who live in England and Wales
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41.00,000
Population of the island of Gozo
Japan
The Rotary Club of Tokyo Hiroo embarked on a melodic mission in October, collaborating with the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills in California to bring the music therapy program Music Mends Minds to people with Alzheimer’s. Over several visits, club members brought drums, cowbells, and other percussive instruments to care facilities and encouraged participants to clap along as the Rotarians struck up tunes. “Music Mends Minds helps older adults with memory loss reengage,” says Miyuki Ochi, president of the club. “Watching older adults’ faces light up through music is one of the greatest joys of our service.”
This story originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Rotary magazine.