Warm Regards for a Lovely New Year, SLC Rotarians!!!
You will notice in the Bee, that you, our Board members and Committee Leadership have a lot to be proud of, in 2025!! Thanks for everyone's hard work!
In 2026, We have a lot to look forward in continuing our commitment to Service Above Self and the Four Way Test through further implementation of our 3-year Strategic Plan of Retention of our membership, Realistic recruitment of new members and Reputation enhancements.
I recently requested your feedback in a survey sent last week. If you haven't, please take the time to take this survey and help us move our club forward! Your feedback and ideas help formulate our pathway forward.
SLC Rotary survey- 2026 - Click on the red text or in via the button in the call to action below.
I am excited to announce the wonderful work of our Nominations Committee (led by past presidents Jeff Young and Paul Stringham). They went through a painstaking process to receive nominations from our membership for Fy27. The committee took the process seriously and had several conversations in the group and with new potential leadership.
The following is our new Board candidates who will officially start their position- July 1- after our official business meeting and transition meeting in June.
New Board Members
President Elect Nominee: Duane Millard - 2027-2028
First VP: Mo Sbai
Second VP: Dave Waldman
Board Member: Marty Banks
Board Member: Laura Hadley
Continuing Members- FY2026-27
President: Don Weakley
President Emeritus: Heidi Ruster
Treasurer: Nicholas Marsh
Board Member: Tom Thatcher
Board Member: Henry Wurts
Secretary: Chris Richards
Board Member: Karmeen Kulkarni
Salt Lake City Rotary Foundation President - Christian Deputy
Rotary Foundation Representative - Brett Sutherland
We are grateful for the service of Dave Durocher who is rolling off the board this year. Mo Sbia replaced John Mertens who did not complete his term and moves to the newly elected position in July of next year.
I am excited to move forward into the new year with a shared voice and continued commitment to improvements in our processes and systems as we enhance the membership experience while making a deep impact in our community and world!
Heidi
Member Survey - Deadline Jan 11, 2026
As mentioned in the president's message above we need your honest and constructive feedback as we as a club work toward increased retention, reputation and realistic growth. Your participation helps inform our steps forward.
There are multiple opportunities in the survey to provide your feedback and expand on your thoughts. If you are invested in the future of the club, please take the time to provide us with constructive feedback.
We would like to have sufficient responses to share and discuss the results at the January 13, member meeting.
During the month of December members of the club generously devoted their time and money to the annual Franklin Elementary Sub for Santa Project directed by Linda Kruse.
All 15 family's needs were met, thanks to an additional $5000 provided by a one-time donation from the foundation and additional donations made by members
Thank you to everyone who participated.
Salt Lake City Club Global Grant in the News!
Clinician and member of the Rotary Club of Salt Lake City, Dr. Mohammed Sbai, has spearheaded two of the most significant Global Grant/Vocational Training Team (VTT) projects in Zones 26/27 in recent years. The combined $150,000 projects provided hands-on clinical training and mentorship at the Moroccan American Institute for Rehabilitation (MAIR) in Marrakech.
With the initial GG#1413782 and GG#1528108, 16 multidisciplinary teams comprising 74 U.S. medical professionals, including physiatrists, neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, traveled to Morocco between 2014-2019. Their mission was to deliver hands-on clinical training and mentorship at MAIR, introducing modern, evidence-based neurorehabilitation practices that had previously been unavailable in that country.
The projects also included three teams of Moroccan therapists who came to Salt Lake City to complete a month-long intense clinical training at the University of Utah Neurorehabilitation Hospital, Intermountain Health and the Neuroworx clinic. In total, more than 35 Moroccan therapists benefited, extending the program’s impact well beyond MAIR and contributing to national capacity building.
Building on this success, a new $220,000 GG #2465306 in partnership with Casablanca Marina Rotary is now under way, supporting the creation of Morocco’s first master’s degree curriculum in neurological rehabilitation, with plans for expansion across Africa.
If you like to learn more about this project, contact Mo. We hope to invite him to share his work in a presentation in the coming months along with other Global Grant projects.
Service Projects in 2025 - Did you know?
Members of Club 24 participated in service projects and in multiple pop ups and social events in 2025. Thanks to Kristy Walker and members of the Programs/ Pop Up Committee for their work in scheduling and exploring opportunities for the club. What would you like to help us accomplish in 2026?
2025 Projects & Socials
August
Adopt a Native Elder Food Pantry Help
Adopt a Native Elder Stocking Stuffer
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
Sept
Hop on Hop off Bus Tour with owner and club member Moe Egan
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
October
Gala 2025
Tree Utah Planting
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
November
Lunch at First Step House - Veterans
Holiday Coat Drive
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
December
Sub for Santa
Holiday Party
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
Planned 2026 Projects - Things we are working on for 2026
Do you have a suggestion or would like to join the committee? Send us your idea
January
Top Golf Social - scheduled and booked
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
February
Cooking Class and Taste Testing - TBD
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
March
Utah Food Bank - March 5
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
April
Symphony Night - Cocktails and Social before Concert - April 18
Franklin Elementary Reading Mentor
May 2 - Great Strides Walk - Sugarhouse Park - Service Event
June - TBD
July - IN THE WORKS - Rotary Clubs BBQ Competition
August - Adopt a Native Elder - Food Boxes, Stocking Stuffer
Sept 11 - City Murals Walking Tour
Committees in Action Update
Scholarship Committee - Actively soliciting scholarship applications and planning for the May Awards Luncheon. Seeking event sponsorship to offset costs. Stay tuned for details.
School Partnerships - along with our recently completed Sub for Santa, Linda Kruse continues to schedule opportunities for reading mentors. A summer reading book purchase will be made in April to support the summer reading program at Franklin. The club will also connect with United Way, Utah's Promise and the School District to bring information to the club to better understand education priorities on and needs on a district level.
Acts of Kindness - from July to December AOK awarded 59 applicants with one time grants up to $500. Utility bills, health, automotive and household items were the volume of the request. The committee has worked hard to help applicants and the agencies that advocate for clients to understand that we do not support rent or housing. Total amount awarded to date. $25,006.75.
Homelessness and Transitional Housing Committee - on approval by the board the committee was sunsetted and service activities transferred to the programs/service committee. Funds allotted the committee in 2024 were transferred to AOK for one time use. The board approved the remainder of the Milestone projects funds, following donor approval, to implement the purchase of a home at The Other Side Village in the club's name.
Environmental Committee is exploring opportunities to expand our single use plastics initiative with the Utah Recycling Alliance and a deeper focus on Great Salt Lake preservation service and advocacy projects. This committee is seeking new members to help build on these initiatives.
International Service Committee continues to build relationships and better the lives of families and communities abroad. Along with Dr. Sbia's project highlighted above, Paul Stringham and team travelled to Cambodia, Dr. Leckman is working on multiple initiatives including ambulances, snake bit, ending Polio and TB. Mark Maxfield is working on social enterprise initiatives and a water program with Mabel Langford. As is Mike Nebeker. Sabrina Morales is assisting with a new project to secure dental chairs in South America and more.
Interact - We are pleased to share that Eric Thompson is taking the lead on Interact while Paul Young is on his mission. We need new leads for our schools, if you are interested in helping rebuild our Interact program, promoting RYLA and our scholarships to West, Highland and AMES we would welcome your help. Eric is leading the effort at East. We are fortunate to have received a grant from the district and need to complete a service project by May 30th. To learn more about Interact
Rotaract - Is re-establishing a relationship with the University of Utah and encouraging all recipients of our scholarship, which makes them automatic members of Rotoract. The club pays the minimal membership fee. Rotaract members are encouraged to engage with their higher ed campus as a Rotaract representative. We have 4 student recipients at the U of U, one at SUU and SLCC. Some of the students who are recipients of the Dean Collett Scholarship have also joined. You may have met several of them at the Gala when they volunteered as docents. We look forward to identifying additional opportunities for collective service with them.
Membership -The membership committee is still hard at work streamlining processes, building connections and working on organic membership opportunities. In partnership with board and programs committee we are working to identify ways to engage and build interest about our club. Thanks go out to Franci for continue to recruit and schedule members for the Welcome Committee.
Programs - Speakers, Service, PopUs(Socials), Welcome - Under the guidance of Don Weakley, President Elect the programs committee is building out a schedule of speakers for the year. Kristy Walker is working with members of the committee to identify social and service opportunities for the club. If you have an idea or would like to help organize a social event, service project or suggest a program please reach out or attend a committee meeting. You can find the schedule on our website calendar.
Do you know who the committee chairs are? If you have recommendations for a project or want to get involved with a new committee, please reach out. The rewards for ourselves and our community are well worth your time investment. It's why we joined Rotary after all.
Committee reminders, budget and project planning for the 2026-2027 year is underway. If you are a member of a committee please begin to evaluate your activities to date, what you need to complete and committed to and plan for future growth and budgetary needs. Ideas and initial funding plans will be discussed at the Jan 22, board meeting.
Membership Billing - Auto Pay, Lunches and Past Due Invoices
Since transitioning to our new billing system with Jitasa, we have experienced a few expected and some unexpected hiccups. These include some invoices being routed to junk mail, delayed lunch fee payments, and a past-due discrepancy related to the June/July transition.
This change was made for several reasons: to streamline payments, better align with our banking system, and more effectively utilize QuickBooks Online. As well as few cost savings.
In July, during the crossover to the new system, members received two invoices:
A final invoice from ClubRunner for June charges (arrears), and
A new invoice from Jitasa reflecting the board-approved Net 30 payment terms.
As a reminder, the board approved the move to Net 30 billing to allow the club to manage expenses and cash flow more efficiently. Under the previous arrears system, the club often paid expenses in advance of collecting membership dues. While this generally did not impact overall cash availability, it did create timing challenges—particularly when paying Rotary International and foundation obligations.
With Net 30 billing, when invoices remain unpaid beyond the 30-day period, the club carries those costs until payment is received—similar to a shortfall in an escrow account. When members leave the club or accounts fall into arrears, the club still remains obligated to pay our lunch invoices and committed foundation and Rotary International contributions, even if member payments have not yet been received.
I will be reaching out individually to members whose accounts reflect a crossover or timing issue to help bring accounts up to date. If you believe you may be affected or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Please reach out if you have any questions or want to explore setting up a different payment method for membership and lunches. Lunch charges are still collected in arrears following lunch meeting attendance. Unless you would like to pay onsite. We will continue to provide that option.
I appreciate your patience, assistance and understanding as we work through this transition as valued members of the club.
Jacqui Voland Executive Director Rotary Club of Salt Lake City
How are your dues broken out?
Membership Fees & Donations - $105.00
$80.24 - Administrative expenses, salary, licenses, storage shed, merchant and venue fees, business subscriptions, contract accounting firm.
Rotary Foundation - $8.50 - accrued and disbursed to the Rotary Foundation annually according to membership count.
Salt Lake Rotary Foundation $6.25 - accrued and disbursed to the foundation every two months. This money comes back to the club in support of annual committee funding
Rotary District - $3.34 - held in account and then paid annually by invoice.
Rotary International $6.67 - held in account and paid in Jan and July according tied to membership numbers - goes toward Magazine, liability insurance and parent organization fees.
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