Rotary Club of Hilliard

06/04/2026

While we're pretty proud of how our projects impact Hilliard, year to year, check out these Rotary International projects....and how they impact millions around the world.

The deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses on the Hawaiian island of Maui in August 2023. Searching for healing and reflection, the community group Aloha Amplified organized a twilight walk and ceremony this past September, su...

05/31/2026

As Columbus prepares to host some of this summer's World Cup games, members in the 16 World Cup host cities in North America plan events to showcase Rotary and foster international understanding

Wing-Kai To grew up watching international soccer and idolizing its stars. As a child in Hong Kong, he followed players like Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, and Diego Maradona.

05/23/2026

🚒 A huge THANK YOU to Norwich Township Fire Chief Dave Baird for joining us Friday at Hilliard Rotary & Hilliard Connections Coffee Chat! Chief Baird gave our group a fascinating and eye-opening look at the department keeping our community safe every single day.

Here are the highlights:

🔥 Elite Personnel – Nearly 100% of the department's firefighters are certified firefighter-paramedics. All new hires must be paramedics, and continuous training — including mandatory Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) — is standard.

📚 Community Education – The department runs ~30 CPR classes annually and partners with Hilliard City Schools to certify 1,900 students per year through a "train the trainer" model. They also offer CRASE (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events) training to the public.

💰 Funding Matters – 88% of the department's $30 million budget comes from property taxes, serving Norwich Township, the City of Hilliard, and Brown Township. Chief Baird was clear: eliminating property taxes would threaten the department's very existence.

🚨 Always On Duty – 113 firefighters across 4 stations handle ~8,000 calls per year, 24/7 — training, maintaining equipment, and responding to emergencies of every kind. One community member shared a powerful personal story of the department saving his life during a surgical emergency.

Chief Baird's passion and the incredible stories shared reminded us all how fortunate Hilliard is to have such a dedicated, professional team serving us.

👋 Want in on conversations like this? Join us every other Friday at 7:30 AM at Coffee Connections on Main Street in Hilliard. Great people, great coffee, and topics that truly matter to our community!

05/21/2026

☕ COMMUNITY COFFEE CHAT — MAY EDITION ☕

Live in Hilliard but work outside the city? Wish you had a simple way to connect with your community without rearranging your week?

Hilliard Rotary and Hilliard Connect invite you to our Community Coffee Chat — a casual, no-agenda conversation with the people shaping life right here in Hilliard. End your work week the right way: with great coffee, great company, and real conversation.

📅 TOMORROW - Friday, May 22
🕢 7:30 AM
📍 Coffee Connections — Main Street, Hilliard

Tomorrow, we're proud to welcome a true Hilliard hometown hero:
🚒 Norwich Township Fire Chief Dave Baird

Chief Baird is Hilliard through and through. He grew up here, graduated from Hilliard High School, and has spent his career keeping our community safe. Since joining the Norwich Township Fire Department as a full-time firefighter in 2002, he's risen through the ranks — Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, and ultimately Fire Chief in 2021. He's a certified paramedic, a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive program, and a Hilliard dad raising three kids right here in the community he serves.

Chief Baird will share what's happening with Fire and EMS across Hilliard and Norwich Township — but the real magic of Coffee Chat is YOUR questions.
What do you want to know?

🔥 What should every Hilliard resident know about local fire and EMS services?
🔥 How has the department grown and changed over the years?
🔥 What are the biggest challenges facing first responders today?
🔥 Curious about response times, staffing levels, or new equipment?

This is your chance to sit down with a community leader over a fresh cup of coffee and get straight, honest answers. No formality. No PowerPoint. Just conversation.

👋 All are welcome — residents, business owners, newcomers, longtime neighbors.

Come as you are. Bring your questions. Bring a friend. Better yet, bring a coworker who's been meaning to get more involved in Hilliard.
We'll see you Friday morning! ☕🚒

05/17/2026

🇺🇸 STUDENTS OF THE MONTH — MILITARY SERVICE EDITION 🇺🇸

At our May 14th meeting, the Rotary Club of Hilliard was proud to recognize our second-to-last Students of the Month for the 2025-26 school year! A big thank you to Amy and Camille for presenting these two outstanding seniors, honored this month under the theme of Military Service.

⛳ Robert Cunningham — Hilliard Bradley High School
Robert is a member of the Bradley golf team and has given back to the sport by mentoring young golfers at a local golf camp. His servant's heart extends well beyond the fairway — he served as a camp counselor at Kelleys Island for Ohio Military Kids, supporting children of service members. Robert also trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, building the discipline and grit that will serve him well in his next chapter. This fall, he heads to Ohio University through the Air National Guard program after officially enlisting in the ANG. Congratulations, Robert!

🌊 Macie Arnett — Hilliard Davidson High School
Macie has built an incredible legacy of service throughout her high school career. She teaches 4- and 5-year-olds in Sunday School (a role she absolutely loves), volunteers at the Hilliard Food Pantry, and gives her time at Festa Summer Camp.
As a Freshman Focus Leader, she helped welcome and guide new students into high school. A dedicated athlete, Macie has been part of school swimming clubs for 11 years. This fall, she heads to Ohio University for Navy ROTC with the goal of going active duty in the U.S. Navy. Bravo Zulu, Macie!

Both Robert and Macie embody the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self," and we couldn't be prouder to send them off into their military journeys with our full support. Stay tuned — one more Student of the Month recognition still to come before we wrap up the school year! 🇺🇸👏

05/16/2026

The world feels heavy right now. Conflict is showing up in headlines, in communities, and in places we love — and it can be easy to feel like there's not much one person (or one club) can do about it.

But here at the Rotary Club of Hilliard, we don't accept conflict as just "the way things are." Neither does Rotary International.

Peace doesn't happen by accident. It's built — through education, relationships, and showing up for one another. That's why Rotary invests in peace education and capacity building, fosters strategic partnerships around the world, and weaves peacebuilding into every program and service project we do.

Here's what we believe: when people work to create peace in their own communities, that ripple becomes a wave. Local action has global impact.

Through hands-on service projects, peace fellowships, and scholarships, Rotarians are tackling the root causes of conflict head-on — things like poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and the unequal distribution of resources. It's not flashy work. It's steady, faithful, and it matters.

Peace starts here. It starts with us. It starts with you.

Want to be part of it? Come visit a meeting and see what Hilliard Rotary is all about. We'd love to have you at the table.

05/13/2026

What an eye-opening conversation at last week's Hilliard Connect Coffee Chat!

Huge thanks to fellow Rotarian and Attorney Aaron Epling for leading a thought-provoking discussion on gerrymandering — what it is, how it shapes our elections here in Ohio, and why it's so tough to solve.

A few highlights from Aaron's talk:

The term "gerrymander" dates back to 1812, when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved a district shaped like a salamander.

The two main tactics: "packing" (cramming opposition voters into one district) and "cracking" (splitting them across many districts to dilute their voice).

Closer to home — Franklin County has 1.3–1.4 million residents, enough for two Democratic districts, but the map carves it into one Democratic and one Republican seat. The 15th District even uses a narrow corridor to stitch distant areas together.

In 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled partisan gerrymandering is a "political question," not a legal one — meaning federal courts won't step in.

Proposed fixes (independent commissions, AI-drawn maps, geometric rules) all come with trade-offs. Even California's "independent" commission produces lopsided results.

The reality? 80%+ of congressional races are non-competitive, and the incumbency rate sits around 94%. As Aaron put it, the system lets politicians choose voters instead of voters choosing politicians.

Aaron's takeaway: gerrymandering is a legal, entrenched problem with no perfect fix — but understanding it is the first step toward demanding better.

Thanks to everyone who showed up, asked sharp questions, and kept the conversation flowing.

Join us Friday, May 22 at 7:30am when we welcome Norwich Township Fire Chief Dave Baird to our next Coffee Chat. Bring your questions, bring a friend, and we'll see you there!

05/08/2026

☕🚒 If you missed this morning's Coffee Chat — you won't want to miss the next one. Because it is HOT! 🔥

Join Hilliard Rotary & Hilliard Connect on Friday, May 22 at 7:30 AM at Coffee Connections on Main Street in Hilliard for our second Community Coffee Chat!
This month we welcome a true Hilliard hometown hero — Norwich Township Fire Chief Dave Baird.

Chief Baird has deep roots in our community. He grew up here, graduated from Hilliard High School, and has dedicated his career to keeping us safe. He joined the Norwich Township Fire Department in 2002 as a full-time firefighter and has worked his way up through the ranks — serving as Lieutenant and Battalion Chief before being appointed Fire Chief in 2021.

He's a certified paramedic and a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive program. He and his wife live right here in Hilliard and are raising three children in the community he serves every day.

Chief Baird will share what's happening with Fire and EMS in Hilliard and Norwich Township — but more importantly, we want to hear YOUR questions!
💬 What do YOU want to know?

• What should every Hilliard resident know about fire & EMS services?
• How has the department grown or changed?
• What are the biggest challenges facing first responders in our area?
• Curious about response times, staffing, or new equipment?

This is YOUR chance to sit down with a community leader over a cup of coffee and get real answers. No agenda. No formality. Just great conversation.

📅 Friday, May 22
⏰ 7:30 AM
📍 Coffee Connections, Main Street, Hilliard, OH

All are welcome — residents, business owners, newcomers, and neighbors. Come as you are. Bring your questions. Bring a friend!

05/06/2026

Hilliard — this one's for you.

You've heard the word. Maybe you've debated it at the dinner table or scrolled past it in the news. But do you know how gerrymandering is actually shaping YOUR community?

We're bringing in someone who does.

Aaron Epling, President of Epling Law, joins us at the next Hilliard Connections to talk about where gerrymandering came from, where it stands today, and what's happening right here in Hilliard and Central Ohio.

This is YOUR chance to sit down with a community leader over a cup of coffee and get real answers. No spin. No jargon. Just an honest conversation about maps, power, and your voice.

📅 Friday, May 8
⏰ 7:30 AM
📍 Coffee Connections, Main Street, Hilliard, OH

All are welcome — residents, business owners, newcomers, and neighbors. Come as you are. Bring your questions. Bring a friend!

04/29/2026

☕🚒 Coffee Chat #2 is coming — and this one is HOT! 🔥

Join Hilliard Rotary & Hilliard Connect on Friday, May 22 at 7:30 AM at Coffee Connections on Main Street in Hilliard for our second Community Coffee Chat!

This month we welcome a true Hilliard hometown hero — Norwich Township Fire Chief Dave Baird.

Chief Baird has deep roots in our community. He grew up here, graduated from Hilliard High School, and has dedicated his career to keeping us safe. He joined the Norwich Township Fire Department in 2002 as a full-time firefighter and has worked his way up through the ranks — serving as Lieutenant and Battalion Chief before being appointed Fire Chief in 2021.

He's a certified paramedic and a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive program. He and his wife live right here in Hilliard and are raising three children in the community he serves every day.

Chief Baird will share what's happening with Fire and EMS in Hilliard and Norwich Township — but more importantly, we want to hear YOUR questions!

💬 What do YOU want to know?
• What should every Hilliard resident know about fire & EMS services?
• How has the department grown or changed?
• What are the biggest challenges facing first responders in our area?
• Curious about response times, staffing, or new equipment?

This is YOUR chance to sit down with a community leader over a cup of coffee and get real answers. No agenda. No formality. Just great conversation.

📅 Friday, May 22
⏰ 7:30 AM
📍 Coffee Connections, Main Street, Hilliard, OH

All are welcome — residents, business owners, newcomers, and neighbors. Come as you are. Bring your questions. Bring a friend!