Rotary Club of Fort Wayne

06/18/2026

Goal: SMASHED! 💥⚙️

Our Foundation Chair, Jeff Peat, gave us an exciting update on our giving to the Rotary Foundation as our rotary year winds down. The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne sets the highest annual fund giving goal in our entire district ($25,000)—and we are thrilled to announce that our members have officially blown past it, raising $30,000 so far! Additionally, thanks to the immense generosity of a local donor, we are the #1 club in the district for direct grant funding, with a total of $68,000 generated across all foundation buckets this year.

Now, we need your help to push across the finish line for 100% member participation! 🏁👇

We have just two weeks left in the rotary year to hit two vital milestones:
💉 Polio Plus: We are currently at $4,800 of our $5,000 goal to eradicate polio worldwide (fully matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation!). Remember, your $5 desk check-in donation for these final two weeks goes straight to this fund.
📊 Every Member, Every Year: We are sitting at 64% member participation. If you haven't given yet this year, please see Kathy or Mark after the next meeting to use the card square, or click the PayPal link in The Spin to make a quick $5 donation!

Let's finish this year strong, Fort Wayne Rotarians!

https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

06/16/2026

What does it mean to advocate with "one region, one voice"? 🗣️🏢

At our weekly meeting yesterday, we welcomed Bill Konyha, President and CEO, Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana! Bill shared incredible insights from his career—moving from a drafted pro baseball catcher and 24-year NCAA Division I umpire to a powerhouse champion for economic development across 11 Hoosier counties.

Bill walked us through how the Regional Chamber works closely with 17 local chambers and key policy committees to drive sustainable wealth, improve rural investment, and enhance our regional infrastructure.

Key Takeaways from Bill’s Presentation:
🚚 The U.S. Route 30 Initiative: Converting US 30 into a freeway to support our manufacturing-heavy region, drastically reducing travel times, lowering carbon emissions, and eliminating major cross-traffic safety hazards.
👶 The "Tri-Pay" Childcare Experiment: An innovative pilot program dividing early childhood care costs equally between employers, employees, and grants to expand workforce accessibility.
🌾 Importing Capital: Why sectors like manufacturing and agriculture are the true wealth-creators for Northeast Indiana, transforming local resources into fresh economic growth.

Thank you, Bill, for your dedicated, non-partisan leadership in shaping the business climate and quality of life across our region!

Learn more: https://neinadvocates.com/

06/12/2026

Our speaker on June 8 was Jamee Lock, Executive Director, The Isaac Knapp District Dental Society.

The organization is preparing to celebrate its 100th year. Jamee shared the story of who Dr. Isaac Knapp was and why the society was established. 8 out of 10 dentists in our region are members of the Society, for a total of 333 dentists last year. Their work comprises 3 areas: a voice in dentistry, continuing education, and mentorship and community.

Learn more: https://ikdds.org/our-history/

06/10/2026

On Monday, June 1, our speaker Stephane Frijia, President & CEO, NEI. He provided a brief overview of their mission and vision. They are currently celebrating their 20th year. The organization was created to tell the story of our region to attract businesses.

Learn more: https://neindiana.com/

06/08/2026

At last week's meeting, Dee Hoffman presented our "Rotary Swagger." She introduced members of the Homestead Interact Club and they provided a brief overview of what their club accomplished in the 2025-26 school year:

- The hosted their 3rd Annual Pickleball Tournament, raising almost $2,000
- They introduced a new event: A beach volley tournament, raising $700
- They made blankets for the cats at the shelter and donated them.
- They did face painting at sporting events.
- Held a Penny Wars contest, raising over $200

Pictured: participants from the Pickleball Tournament

05/30/2026

Shout out to Input Fort Wayne for helping us get the word out about our Impact Club’s initiative to assess the over 90 Little Free Libraries our Club helped establish 10 years ago. To know which libraries need attention, the Rotary Impact Club is asking the community of Fort Wayne to find a nearby Little Free Library and report on its status on a survey link. This crowdsourcing approach is essential for surveying all the libraries efficiently. It also helps the Rotary Impact Club understand the financials needed to repair these endearing book homes across Allen County.

It’s been ten years since Little Free Libraries were built in Fort Wayne. Now one local club is reassessing their conditions and is asking for your help.

- Read the full Input story bit.ly/4fWnx2i

05/29/2026

We have a compelling lineup of speakers for June.

June 1: Stephane Frijia, President & CEO, The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
June 8: Jamee Lock, Executive Director, The Isaac Knapp District Dental Society
June 15: Bill Konyha, President and CEO, Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana
June 22: Dr. Pamela Whitten, President, Indiana University
June 29: Andy Zay, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission

Want to attend a meeting? Reach out to us and we'd be happy to host you as a guest.

The Rotary Club of Fort Wayne meets Mondays at Parkview Field, second-story suite level. Attendees should use the entrance at the corner of Brackenridge and Ewing. Weekly meetings begin at 12:00 PM, with the featured speaker segment typically starting between 12:20 and 12:30 PM.

05/20/2026

At our club meeting on Monday, we celebrated some of the region’s most impactful change makers at our annual awards luncheon. Each year, the Club recognizes non-Rotarians in Allen County who have made extraordinary contributions of their time, talents, and resources through community service. Funds from the “Kap” Kilbourne Trust are used to recognize individuals as Paul Harris Fellows.

“Kap” was a long-time member of Rotary, a successful businessman, and a servant leader in Fort Wayne.

This year's distinguished honorees include Don Cates, Angelo & Marie Mante, Irene Paxia, and Wendy Stein. We will post more about each of these recipients in the coming weeks.

05/09/2026

One life, lived with quiet purpose, can shape an entire community—and that was Jane Wilks. 💛

Following Monday’s meeting, we gathered to celebrate Jane’s life, guided by a heartfelt tribute from Justin Clupper, CFRM and Kurt Beuchel, MBA. They reminded us that Jane’s impact wasn’t loud—it was steady, faithful, and deeply transformational. Her legacy calls each of us to serve with humility, consistency, and joy.

Jane’s life was rooted in service long before Rotary. From her early days as an educator to raising her family and leading community organizations, she never treated service as an obligation—it was simply who she was. Whether through church, schools, or nonprofits, Jane showed up again and again, making sure others were supported, seen, and cared for.

Within Rotary, Jane became the heartbeat of our club. For over 30 years—and especially during her 15 years as secretary—she worked behind the scenes to ensure everything ran seamlessly. She didn’t seek recognition, but her impact was undeniable; she built systems, strengthened leadership, and made our club a model for others to follow.

Perhaps what stands out most is how Jane lived: practical, joyful, and always thinking of others first. Even in planning her own celebration, she reminded us to choose joy, share stories, and keep moving forward. Her example challenges us to do the same—to serve without needing credit, to lead with kindness, and to find meaning in the small, everyday moments. ✨

As we honor Jane, we invite you to carry her legacy forward:

• Show up for your community in simple, consistent ways
• Offer kindness where it’s least expected
• Support organizations that are making a difference

Let’s continue the work Jane loved so deeply—together. ❤️

05/08/2026

What if one weekend could unlock the leadership potential already inside our students?

At this week’s Rotary meeting, Chris Bien shared how the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is shaping confident, service-minded leaders across Northern Indiana. In just three days, students grow through connection, challenge, and encouragement—often returning home inspired to lead in ways they never imagined.

RYLA isn’t just a camp—it’s a transformation. Students arrive unsure, sometimes quiet, and leave energized, confident, and ready to make a difference in their schools and communities. Through team-building, powerful speakers, and meaningful reflection, they discover that their voice matters and that they belong in leadership spaces.

What makes RYLA so impactful is the intentional environment created for growth. Students are placed in new groups, encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, and challenged to listen, collaborate, and lead. By the end of the weekend, they’re not just participants—they’re teammates, encouragers, and emerging leaders.

The ripple effect doesn’t stop there. Many students return home eager to serve, start Interact Clubs, and get more involved in their communities. As one student shared, “This experience really changed my life… it built my confidence and helped me grow in so many ways.”

Here’s where YOU come in 👇
• Know a student who just needs a spark of confidence?
• See leadership potential in a young person who hasn’t seen it yet?
• Want to invest in the future of our community?

Invite them. Encourage them. Sponsor them.

And if you’d like to learn more about how Rotary is making an impact in our community, send us a message for an invitation to next week’s Rotary meeting as we recognize outstanding local leaders with our Community Service Awards. 💙