Rotary Club of Austin Westlake

Rotary Club of Austin Westlake We are members of the Austin-Westlake community that focus on Service Above Self. We live by the principles of Truth, Fairness, Friendship, and Goodwill.

Rotarians have not only been present for major events in history—we’ve been a part of them. From the beginning, three key traits have remained strong throughout Rotary:

We’re truly international. Only 16 years after being founded, Rotary had clubs on six continents. Today we’re working together from around the globe both digitally and in-person to solve some of our world’s most challenging proble

ms. We persevere in tough times. During WWII, Rotary clubs in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Japan were forced to disband. Despite the risks, many continued to meet informally and following the war’s end, Rotary members joined together to rebuild their clubs and their countries. Our commitment to service is ongoing. We began our fight against polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines. By 2012, only three countries remain polio-endemic—down from 125 in 1988. Source: Rotary International/History

05/25/2026

Coffee social at Trianon: Thursday at 8:30ish

Austin Clemens with Austin Community Capital Podcast and Loyal Home Concierge will speak on Friday, May 29, at West Lake...
05/24/2026

Austin Clemens with Austin Community Capital Podcast and Loyal Home Concierge will speak on Friday, May 29, at West Lake Hills City Hall. Our meeting starts at 11:30 and concludes at 12:30 PM. Order lunch from Westlake Modern Market on Thursday (identify yourself as being from Rotary, and it will be delivered before our meeting) or bring your own lunch.

The Austin Community Capital podcast is a local show dedicated to celebrating the culture, hospitality, and resilient spirit of Austin, Texas. Hosted by Austin Clemens and proudly presented by Loyal Home Concierge, the show explores the city's "true wealth" through interviews with local founders, entrepreneurs, makers, and dreamers.

Our meeting starts at 11:30 and concludes at 12:30 PM. Order lunch from Westlake Modern Market on Thursday (identify yourself as being from Rotary, and it will be delivered) or bring your own lunch.

All are welcome to attend!

05/18/2026

No meeting Friday, May 22.

We hosted our annual EISD Educators of the Year today at West Lake Hills City Hall. Teachers of the Year from each camp...
05/15/2026

We hosted our annual EISD Educators of the Year today at West Lake Hills City Hall. Teachers of the Year from each campus were recognized and awarded $1000. The EISD District Educator of the Year was Ginger Bolden, who was awarded $2000. Our club is honored to recognize these outstanding teachers.

Rotarians Doug Hinzie, Jeff Weeks, and Dana Rushing served on the Educator of the Year selection committee.

Bridge Point: Ginger Bolen, Kindergarten Teacher**District EISD Educator of the Year.
Barton Creek: Amanda Wilson, Fourth-Grade Teacher
Cedar Creek: Olivia Jacobi, Special Education Teacher
Eanes: Jackie Boice, Third-Grade Teacher
Forest Trail: Desire Davis, Kindergarten Teacher
Hill Country: Cathy Yenca, Math Teacher
West Ridge: Lily Wing, Life Skills Teacher
Westlake: Vanessa Bañuelos, Collab. SPED Teacher & Coach

We are proud to announce that we have officially added 12 new active members and one honorary member this year, marking ...
05/14/2026

We are proud to announce that we have officially added 12 new active members and one honorary member this year, marking our highest growth in nearly a decade. Our club now consists of 34 members, including two honorary members.

Please join us in welcoming our two newest members:

Kirk Koennecke
Kirk began serving as the superintendent of Eanes Independent School District in January 2026. He brings a decade of experience to the role, most recently at the Indian Hill Exempted Village School District in Ohio. There, he successfully passed a historic bond levy and launched the IH Promise strategic plan, now a national model for educational planning. In 2023, he was named National Superintendent of the Year by the National Association of School Superintendents (NASS).

Jonathan Grammer
Jonathan’s career spans over twenty years in oil and gas development and law. His land acquisition and consulting company has advised on over $1 billion in projects across the oil, gas, solar, and wind sectors. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers and the Federal Bar Association’s Energy and Natural Resources Division, among many other prestigious committees. A contributing author to various business publications, Jonathan has been named one of the Top 500 business leaders in North Texas by D Magazine for the past four years. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Business Hall of Fame and the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas Tech University.

We are honored to have such distinguished professionals join our ranks and look forward to their contributions to the club.

Left to right: Kirk Koennecke and Jonathan Grammer

05/12/2026

I was interviewed today by the Austin Community Capital Podcast as a representative of the Austin-Westlake Rotary Club. The program won't air for three months, but here's a preview.

SCHOLARSHIPS, SERVICE, AND SOLUTIONSToday was the kind of meeting that reminds you why all the preparation matters — cre...
05/08/2026

SCHOLARSHIPS, SERVICE, AND SOLUTIONS

Today was the kind of meeting that reminds you why all the preparation matters — creating the agenda, setting up the room, coordinating presentations and recognitions, confirming attendance, and ultimately leading a gathering that leaves everyone energized and inspired. I am proud to serve as President.

Our club awarded one-half of a scholarship to one of our outstanding students, Aubrey Bolton. The other half will be awarded after the first college semester. Aubrey has made an impressive impact at Westlake High through band, community service, and multiple leadership roles. This fall, she will attend Johns Hopkins University. She represents the very best of the next generation — intelligent, compassionate, engaged, and ready to make a meaningful difference in the world.

We also honored our member, Susan Hinzie, with her first Paul Harris Fellow recognition. Her contribution to the Paul Harris Fund will help support Rotary projects around the globe, including immunizations, clean water initiatives, and other life-changing humanitarian efforts.

We then heard from Jeff Connally, who spoke about the Free Up Foundation's innovative work in addressing homelessness. Rather than offering temporary fixes, the organization focuses on creating long-term support systems that help unhoused individuals access services, regain stability, and build productive, sustainable lives.

It was one of those meetings where every presentation reflected service, leadership, and hope for the future — the kind of day that makes all the behind-the-scenes work worthwhile.

OUR IMPACTFor nearly 45 years, the Austin-Westlake Rotary Club has served the Westlake community with meaningful contrib...
05/05/2026

OUR IMPACT

For nearly 45 years, the Austin-Westlake Rotary Club has served the Westlake community with meaningful contributions.

Austin-Westlake Rotary is part of Rotary International, which was founded in Chicago in 1905 to promote fellowship through community service, a principle that continues today. Since 1985, Rotary International has led the global fight against polio, helping immunize 3 billion children and reducing cases by 99 percent. Volunteers remain active in areas where polio persists.

The primary goal of Westlake Rotary is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through fellowship.

If you see individuals in reflective vests labeled “Westlake Rotary” collecting trash along Bee Cave Road, they are Westlake Rotarians. You may have seen the Rotary Peace Pole at Laura’s Library or the Rotary benches and playground equipment at Westbank Community Library. Additionally, the Westlake Rotary Club has installed many Little Free Libraries across Austin in areas where public libraries are not easily accessible.

Westlake Rotary awards scholarships to Westlake High School seniors each year. The club also sponsors students to attend Rotary Youth Leadership Camp during the summer.

The club supports outstanding educators in Eanes Independent School District with monthly and annual monetary awards, culminating in the Educator of the Year Luncheon in May.

Other service activities include clearing brush along Eanes Creek and preparing and distributing sandwiches to unhoused individuals through Mobile Loaves & Fishes at St. John Neumann’s. The club also donates to Mobile Loaves & Fishes and frequently collaborates with other Austin-area Rotary Clubs on service events, etc.

The club meets most Fridays from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at West Lake Hills City Hall. Guests are welcome. For details on upcoming speakers, events, membership, and attendance, visit austinwestlakerotary.org.

Service Above Self: Volunteer with us at Mobile Loaves & Fishes on Monday from 4-5 PM for sandwich-making and/or from 5-...
04/30/2026

Service Above Self: Volunteer with us at Mobile Loaves & Fishes on Monday from 4-5 PM for sandwich-making and/or from 5-6 PM for loading the truck and distribution. The ML&F building is located on St. John Neumann's campus.

Next Friday, May 8: Jeff Connally from the Free Up Foundation will speak to us at West Lake Hills City Hall. Meeting begins at 11:30 AM and concludes at 12:30 PM:
Jeff is a visionary business leader whose career spans decades of innovation, entrepreneurship, and compassionate service. He began his professional journey at IBM, where roles as a systems engineer, salesperson, and executive grounded him in both the technical and strategic dimensions of the technology sector. That foundation propelled him to found and co-found several successful technology startups.

Jeff’s blend of entrepreneurial success, franchise expertise, and systems-based leadership uniquely positions him to guide Free Up Foundation as it launches its initial demonstration sites and scales them across the country. Having supported the growth of hundreds of franchise locations, he brings seasoned expertise in replication, operational discipline, and sustainable expansion— core ingredients for Free Up’s national vision to restore tens of thousands of lives.

For more than a decade, Jeff has also been a committed volunteer with Austin’s Mobile Loaves & Fishes, delivering essential items and human connection to those living on Austin’s streets. He is dedicating his time and talents to Free Up Foundation to help bring hope, restoration, and pathways to self-reliance for individuals struggling with homelessness.

04/30/2026

Coffee social at Trianon this morning from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM (come and go).

No Rotary meeting tomorrow. Details on next week's presentation at our meeting will be posted in a few days.

Address

4010 Bee Caves Road
Austin, TX
78746

Opening Hours

11:30am - 12:30pm

Telephone

+15128061809

Website

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