If you did not make it to our last Rotary Club of Forest Grove meeting, here is what you missed…

This Week: We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, 12 p.m., in the Boxer Pause Room in the University Center at Pacific University. At this week’s meeting, our own Jeannine Murrell will give a presentation on The Rotary Foundation and how it works to fund projects around the world.

A reminder that we now start the business portion of our program at 12:05 p.m., so be sure to come early, grab your lunch, and enjoy fellowship with your fellow Rotarians.

Upcoming Meetings: Our meeting on Wednesday, Mar. 11, will take place at the Forest Grove United Church of Christ, 2032 College Way. We will not have weekly Wednesday meetings on March 18 (for our monthly Third Thursday social) and on March 25 (Spring Break).

Announcements At Meetings: If you have an announcement that you would like to give at a meeting, please let President Andrea know in advance. This will assist her in planning out our full meetings better. Thank you!

Coming Soon – Bring A Guest Challenge: Last week, President Andrea talked at our weekly meeting about the challenges facing Rotary International and District 5100 in terms of membership. As we think about the future and the vibrancy of our club, bringing more people to Rotary to experience the mission, service, and impact of what we do will help our club thrive for years to come.

That’s where you come in. Our “Bring A Guest Challenge” asks members to bring one person to a lunch meeting or our monthly social to learn more about the power of Rotary. All we are asking for is for one guest, one conversation, one invitation.

This is an invitation to think about someone in our lives who would benefit from being part of a group like ours. This is not about filling seats, but about identifying people who could benefit from the work we do. This is a great time to join our club.

More information on the “Bring A Guest Challenge” will be announced at Wednesday’s Rotary meeting. If you are a Rotarian, consider who you might invite to check us out and experience the magic of Rotary.

If you are not a Rotarian and you are reading this, we invite you to check us out and see if Rotary is for you. Visit our Become A Member page on our website for more details.

Crab Feed Is On April 2: Be sure to join us on Thursday, Apr. 2, for our annual Crab Feed at the Forest Grove Senior & Community Center. Join us for an evening of fellowship with Rotarians and friends of our club. We will honor members who have earned Paul Harris Fellows or their PHF level, and raise some money for The Rotary Foundation. Spouses and significant others are invited for this social evening.

Ticket Prices
Crab Dinner – $45 per person
Chicken Parmesan & Ravioli Dinner – $30 per person
Vegetarian Ravioli Dinner – $25 per person

Extras To Take Home
Steaks – Pack of Two, $20
Crab To Go – $45 per pound
Red & white wine will be available at the end of the evening for $20 per bottle

Links are good only for individual orders. If you wish to do a single order with multiple items, please see Treasurer Sharon Olmstead at a club meeting or email her. She can create a single invoice that will be emailed to you.

The Crab Feed Committee continues to invite members who want to help in the planning and execution of the evening. If you want to take part, contact our Crab Feed chair, Julia Kollar.

Steak Feed Is On May 29: Our annual Steak Feed is scheduled for Friday, May 29, 5 to 8 p.m., at the University Center at Pacific University. The Steak Feed is a fundraiser for our involvement in the Rotary Youth Exchange program and a great opportunity to show the local community what we do.

There are changes coming to this year’s event in an effort to draw more interest, including a new branding, an expanded menu and possible local entertainment. More information on the changes, along with ticket sales and work assignments, will be available soon.

Club members are invited to participate in the planning for the event. Please contact Geoff Faris or Jeff Duyck for details.

Club Scholarship Applications Now Open: Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 edition of the Rotary Club of Forest Grove’s Scholarship Program. The program is open to graduating high school seniors who live in the Forest Grove, Banks and Gaston school attendance areas. The program is made possible with proceeds from our annual Concours d’Elegance car show.

Scholarships are awarded to help pay for the first year of college or vocational school. The scholarship may be used at any such school in the United States.

The application deadline is Friday, Apr. 10. NOTE: With the Going Merry website being discontinued, the committee is working with Forest Grove High School on next steps to accept applications. More details will be announced as they become available.

Save The Date – Club Social With Daybreak & Hillsboro Clubs: Mark your calendars for an evening of fellowship with Rotarians from the Forest Grove Daybreak and Hillsboro clubs on Thursday, Apr. 30, from 5-7 p.m. The location of this social is still to be determined. If you are interested in being part of this social gathering, please let President Andrea know.

Vision To Action Workshop – May 9: Help us shape the future of the Rotary Club of Forest Grove. Club members are invited to a Vision To Action Workshop, facilitated by District 5100, on Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Boxer Learning Center in Pacific University’s Stoller Center (athletic complex). The workshop is designed to help us think about how we want our club to progress and grow into the future, and help shape our club’s three-year action plan (something that Rotary International is now requiring for all clubs). All club members are invited to participate. More details coming soon.

Pickleball Evenings: Our club is sponsoring the weekly indoor pickleball gatherings for the second straight year. The evening weeknight games (5:30-8 p.m., Monday-Thursday) are in full swing. Follow The Forest Grove Pickleball Facebook group to get all of the details. The armory is located at 2950 Taylor Way, Forest Grove.

Membership Committee: The club’s Membership Committee meets the second and fourth Tuesday, 4 p.m., in the conference room at the Forest Grove/Cornelius Chamber of Commerce. Its next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 10. For more information, or to get involved, please contact Evelyn Orr or Bruce Cummings.

Youth Exchange Drivers For Weekly Meetings Needed: One of the requirements of the Youth Exchange program is that both inbound and outbound students attend our Rotary meetings. The Youth Exchange Committee is still in need of someone who can pick up Lara and our outbound student, Sophie, from Forest Grove High School weekly at 11:30 a.m., and return them to the school after. While a consistent driver for the semester would be ideal, the committee is open to having people sign up for one-month shifts at a time.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact our Youth Exchange Officer, Sarah Barbour. NOTE: To assist with the transport of Youth Exchange students, you must complete the District 5100 Youth Protection Training and undergo a background check with the district.

Concours d’Elegance News
Concours Committee Meetings: Club members are invited to take part in the weekly online meeting of the Concours Committee, which takes place each Friday at 9 a.m. (note the change in time and frequency of meetings). The Google Meets link to the online meeting is available for club members in our email newsletter, the Rototeller.

Poster Reveal: At last week’s meeting, Concours Chair Bruce Cummings unveiled the draft of this year’s 2026 Concours d’Elegance poster. This year’s poster features two cars, a pre-war classic and post-war classic, and highlight’s Rotary official colors of blue and gold. The poster is expected to be finalized soon and sent for printing. Special thanks to Amanda Hartmann, Mackenzie Carey and Amy Tracewell for their assistance in bringing the poster this far.

Concours Committee Updates: Here are the latest updates in the planning for our 52nd Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance, Sunday, July 19 on the Forest Grove Campus of Pacific University.

• The new scoring system has been selected. Mackenzie Carey, who will be tabulating results this year, will be learning the new system over the next few months.

• Claudia & Michael Yakos are our point people with vendors for this year’s show. Mallory Hiefield is working on a Google Form to communicate with potential vendors.

• Sponsorship procurement for the show has begun. If you have leads on potential sponsors, please direct those leads to Amy Tracewell, Janet Peters or Stephanie Magoulas.

Merchandise At Willow & Ash: Are you interested in some Concours merchandise, like a poster, a coffee tumbler or a hat? Willow & Ash is offering some Concours merchandise available year-round! Current selections include Concours posters, hats, coffee tumblers and keychains. Items can be purchased online on the Concours website or purchased at Willow & Ash at 2036A Main Street, Forest Grove. Sorry, no shipping is currently available. Items purchased online will need to be picked up at Willow & Ash.

For More Information: If you have Concours-related questions or are interested in opportunities, please contact Concours Chair Bruce Cummings.

Service Opportunities
Share Your Volunteer Opportunity With The Club: Are you aware of service opportunities in our area that our members might be interested in? We can advertise those here! This space is not limited to club-sponsored activities but to any service opportunity in the community. To promote the service activity, please send a detailed description of the project, the date and time, contact information and a link to register to Rototeller editor Blake Timm, blakertimm@gmail.com.

West Tuality Habitat For Humanity: West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to assist both with construction projects at its Countryman Estates build site on 23rd Avenue and at Habitat’s ReStore. The construction site is open most Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The ReStore is looking for both single volunteers and pairs of volunteers Monday through Saturday.

If you are interested in volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, please visit their online Volunteer Application. You can also visit Habitat’s Website for more details on the opportunities available. If you are already registered as a volunteer with West Tuality Habitat for Humanity, visit their Volunteer Calendar to see what shifts are currently available.

Questions? Please email volunteer@westualityhabitat.org or call 503-359-8459.

Centro Cultural Volunteer Opportunities: Centro Cultural, located in Cornelius, is in need of volunteers for some ongoing projects.

Centro Mercado Volunteer: Centro Cultural’s Mercado is a free food pantry set up like a grocery store, providing the community a welcoming and dignified space to get free, fresh and local food. Volunteers are needed during the Mercado’s open hours, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m., and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to help staff and maintain the pantry. The Mercado is located at 1216 E. Baseline St., Cornelius. Visit SignUp Genius To Register & See Available Shifts.

Volunteers for Centro Cultural must sign-up for opportunities through SignUp Genius and must be pre-approved before the event. Walk-up volunteers are no longer allowed by the organization. Information on how to register can be found on those pages or by contacting Evelyn Orr, eorr@centrocultural.org.

Friends Of Trees Planting Event: Friends of Trees invites Rotarians and community members to participate in a project on Saturday, March 7, to plant native trees and shrubs along Gales Creek. The project runs from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., along 18th Avenue at Dee Court in Forest Grove (west of B Street). Sign-in begins at 8:45 a.m., with the planting starting at 9 a.m.

You are asked to wear study shoes or boots and to dress for the weather. All other equipment is provided (including gloves, tools, planting guidance, hot chocolate or coffee and snacks). Youth ages 15 and under are welcome with a parent or guardian. Youth ages 16 and 17 are welcome with a youth waiver form signed by a parent or guardian.

For more information, including registration links, visit the event calendar on the Friends of Trees website, or contact Friends of Trees at 503-595-0213 or volunteer@friendsoftrees.org.

Family Resource Center: The Forest Grove School District’s Family Resource Center, located at Cornelius Elementary School, is in need of volunteers to assist with sorting donations and preparing food boxes to go out to families in need in our community. The center is generally open and available for volunteers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you want to volunteer or have questions about volunteering, please contact Melissa Timm.

Volunteers are required to complete a volunteer application through the Forest Grove School District. Visit the District’s Website (Linked Here) To Complete The Application.

If you do volunteer (or have already volunteered) at the Family Resource Center, please report your hours to club secretary Claire Agner. We are working on tracking hours for reporting to Rotary International.

Around District 5100
Rotary Clubs Celebrate Community Servants: March is a month of celebration as clubs across Rotary District 5100 honor those who give back to our communities.

The celebrations begin on Tuesday, Mar. 10, as the Rotary Club of Lake Oswego hosts its 10th annual Educational Excellence Awards at the Lakewood Center for the Arts. The event recognizes educators and students who have exhibited excellence. Award recipients receive a $1,000 award to donate to a school, service activity, or other nonprofit.

The accolades move north of the Columbia River on Thursday, Mar. 19, as Greater Clark County Rotary hosts its annual Greater Clark County Service Awards Breakfast at the Vancouver Hilton. The event honors community members who embody Rotary’s enduring values of service, commitment and compassion that strengthen the community. Proceeds from the breakfast benefit the Greater Clark County Rotary Foundation.

Celebrating also means having fun for a cause. Clackamas Sunrise Rotary does just that on Saturday, Mar. 14 at its 20th annual Bowl-A-Fun. Twenty teams of bowlers engage in friendly competition to raise funds for the Clackamas Sunrise Rotary Foundation, which benefits a number of community service projects.

Rotarians from across Rotary District 5100 come together for some fun for Rotary Club Day at the Portland Timbers on Sunday, Mar. 22. Rotarians can purchase a special ticket package for the day’s match against the L.A. Galaxy, with $5 of each ticket benefitting ShelterBox, a disaster relief organization partnered with Rotary International.

And, of course, Rotary clubs continue to provide service to their local communities. That includes the Oregon City Rotary Club, who assists Friends of Trees at a tree-planting event on Saturday, Mar 14 at Hillendale Park, and Milwaukie Rotary, who will perform a road cleanup on Saturday, Mar. 22, around the campuses of Rowe Middle School and Milwaukie High School.

Tues., Mar. 10 | 6:30 p.m. | Rotary Club of Lake Oswego
Educational Excellence Awards Celebration

Join the Rotary Club of Lake Oswego at its 10th Educational Excellence Awards celebration, honoring the top individuals in education in the Lake Oswego community. Teachers and students are recognized for long-standing community contributions, performance above and beyond their job description, and those who have impacted a large number of people, either once of through long-term service. Educator and student honorees received an award plus a $1,000 gift to be donated to a school, service activity, or other nonprofit. Tickets to the celebration are $10 and can be purchased online at rotarysasee.org.

Sat., Mar. 14 | 8:30 a.m. | Oregon City Rotary Club
Friends of Trees Planting Event

The Oregon City Rotary Club will join Oregon Friends of Trees and other volunteers in a tree-planting event on Saturday, Mar. 14, at Oregon City’s Hillendale Park. Dozens of large trees will be ready for planting in their new homes. Please wear sturdy shoes, bring shovels and rakes. Gloves, tools, snacks and warm drinks will be provided. Volunteers must register at the Friends of Trees website.

Sat., Mar. 14 | 11 a.m. | Clackamas Sunrise Rotary
20th Annual Bowl-A-Fun

Bowl for a cause and help support the service projects of Clackamas Sunrise Rotary. The club’s 20th annual Bowl-A-Fun includes two hours of lane time, bowling shoe rental, lunch, and a costume contest. Entry is $55 for single bowlers or $275 for teams of five players with a maximum of 20 total teams. The club will also raffle off a 22-inch Blackstone grill and griddle package. All proceeds support the Clackamas Sunrise Rotary Foundation’s service efforts, including local literacy, food security and houselessness program, and the youth exchange program at Rex Putnam High School. Register for the event online.

Sat., Mar. 22 | 9 a.m. | Milwaukie Rotary
Adopt-A-Road Cleanup

Join Milwaukie Rotary in their effort to beautify the community. Rotarians and friends will meet at 9 a.m., for its Adopt-A-Road cleanup around the campuses of Rowe Middle School and Milwaukie High School. All tools and equipment will be provided at this family-friendly event. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

Thurs., Mar. 19 | 7 a.m. | Greater Clark County Rotary
Greater Clark County Service Awards Breakfast

This inspiring event shines a spotlight on individuals and groups who make the powerful choice to dedicate their time, skills, and energy to helping others. These “everyday heroes” embody the values of service, compassion, and commitment that strengthen our community. Nominees represent fire and police departments, nonprofits, medical facilities, schools, and military personnel as well as business and civic endeavors. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased online at the Greater Clark County Rotary website. Proceeds benefit the Greater Clark County Rotary Foundation.Sun., Mar. 22 | 1:30 p.m. | Rotary District 5100
Rotary Club Day At The Portland Timbers

Rotarians from across the region unite at Providence Park to enjoy a Portland Timbers soccer match and raise funds for ShelterBox. Join fellow Rotarians as the Timbers host the L.A. Galaxy. A special ticket offer is available for Rotarians, with $5 of the ticket proceeds benefitting ShelterBox, an international disaster relief organization partnered with Rotary International. Tickets can be purchased online.

Last Week’s Program: Sarah Barbour, Rotary Youth Exchange
Rotary Youth Exchange has been an important part of the life of our Rotary club for almost seven decades. Our Youth Exchange Chair, Sarah Barbour, gave a comprehensive overview of Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE).

Exchanges have been a part of Rotary for over 100 years. Rotary’s first exchanges began in 1927 as short-term international exchanges for high-school aged youth. In 1958, Rotary began sponsoring full-year exchanges. Today, RYE sponsors around 9,000 student exchanges per year in over 80 countries.

Inbound and outbound students are great ambassadors. It’s not unusual for parents and host families to end up getting involved in Rotary. The program also promotes closer relationships with local schools and the community as a whole. Our students get involved in a variety of activities, people throughout the community end up meeting our students and learning about Rotary. The exchange program creates memorable experiences that deepen members’ connection to the club as well. Meeting regularly with students, listening to student presentations, and even farewell speeches become part of the club’s identity and traditions. And of course, the exchange program helps support Rotary’s mission of promoting peace.

Rotary offers two types of youth exchanges. The long-term exchange program is available to students during their junior year in high school. Students typically live with two or three host families over the course of 10 months. In most cases, it is not a direct one-to-one exchange where our club receives an inbound youth from the same country our outbound is going to, but it does happen on occasion.

Families of exchange students typically incur costs between $5,000 and $8,000, which covers flights, in-country tours, visas and more. The cost to clubs is typically $2,000 for an outbound student and $1,600 for an inbound student. The club covers required training and orientation sessions and a monthly stipend.

The short-term exchange program is a direct exchange that lasts between three and six weeks. A student from our district would spend a few weeks with a family abroad, and a child from that family will come and stay for a few weeks in the U.S. Short-term exchanges are available to students ages 14 to 19. The cost to families is between $2,000 and $3,000, with little to no cost to the sponsoring clubs.

District 5100 currently is involved with long-term exchanges with students from over 20 countries. Currently, our district only exchanges with non-English speaking countries. This requires students to not only learn a new language, but to also learn a new culture.

Exchange students create lasting relationships with host families. There are a lot of really lovely stories about students who’ve stayed in touch with their host families. Students have gone back to visit, and host families have come to visit them here. They also make friends from around the world. They’ll meet students in their new country, of course, but they’ll also meet other Rotary students from many other countries. 

And of course, it’s a great way to introduce students to Rotary. In most cases, they’re required to attend regular Rotary meetings like this one and participate in Rotary activities. Many of our exchange students go on to get involved with Interact and Rotaract and eventually Rotary itself. Great way for them to learn about service and participate in their communities, even at a young age.

There are many ways for both Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike to be part of RYE. Our club is always looking for members who want to spend time with our exchange students, wither to get to know them better or take them on an activity. We also need volunteers to help drive students back and forth from school to required Rotary meetings. Training and a background check is required to actively volunteer with our youth exchange students.

We are always looking for those who would want to be a host family for an inbound exchange student. Host families provide room and board to a student for about three-and-a-half months, integrating them into the life of your family. Families must be able to provide a bed and a place for the exchange student to study (students can share a room with a child of the same gender). A more extensive background check and training process is required to be a host family.

To learn more about how to become involved in the program, please contact Sarah. You can also visit the Youth Exchange page on our website, fgrotary.org, or visit the District 5100 Youth Exchange website.

Club Calendar
Wed., Mar. 4: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Boxer Pause Room, University Center, Pacific University
Program: Rotary Foundation Presentation

Fri., Mar. 6: Concours Meeting, 9 a.m.
Online

Tues., Mar. 10: Membership Committee Meeting, 4 p.m.
Forest Grove/Cornelius Chamber of Commerce, 2417 Pacific Ave., Forest Grove

Wed., Mar. 11: Weekly Meeting, Noon
Forest Grove United Church of Christ, 2032 College Way
Program: Mallory Hiefield, RYLA

Thurs., Mar. 12: Executive Board Meeting, 7 a.m.
Via Zoom

Fri., Mar. 13: Concours Meeting, 9 a.m.
Online

Thurs., Mar. 19: Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
Zesti Food Carts, 2131 Yew St., Forest Grove

Monthly Social, 6:30 p.m.
Zesti Food Carts, 2131 Yew St., Forest Grove

Thurs., Apr. 2: Crab Feed
Forest Grove Senior & Community Center

Sat., May 9: Club Vision To Action Planning, 9 a.m.
Boxer Learning Center, Stoller Center, Pacific University Forest Grove Campus

Friday, May 29: Steak Feed, 5 p.m.
University Center, Pacific University Forest Grove Campus

Sunday, July 19: Concours d’Elegance
Pacific University Forest Grove Campus