Olentangy Rotary Club

08/28/2026

At our meeting yesterday, we had the honor of listening to a powerful presentation from Jim Rogers, District 6690 PolioPlus Chair. Jim reminded us of the incredible progress Rotary has made, and the crucial final stretch ahead of us.

When Rotary committed to ending polio in 1988, there were over 350,000 cases recorded every year; that’s nearly 1,000 children paralyzed every single day. Today, thanks to global vaccination efforts led by Rotary and its partners, cases have been reduced by over 99.9%, with wild poliovirus now active in only two remaining countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan. So far this year, only 19 cases have been reported worldwide.

But as Jim pointed out, "eradication is zero." Until polio is completely eliminated everywhere, unvaccinated children in every corner of the world remain at risk. If we stop now, estimates show the disease could easily surge back, paralyzing hundreds of thousands of children each year.

The good news? We have a massive opportunity to finish the job. Every single dollar raised by Rotary for polio eradication is matched 2-for-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, turning every $1 donated into $3 for global immunization efforts.

Our club has officially accepted Jim’s challenge to raise $3,000 by World Polio Day on October 24. https://www.endpolio.org/ We are proud to be part of the legacy to end polio forever. Visit the End Polio website for details on how you can support our upcoming World Polio Day initiatives! 🔴

08/25/2026

08/23/2026

Cheers to a fantastic social event! Our Rotary club gathered at Nocterra Brewing for a casual night of fellowship, great conversations, and local craft drinks.

Events like these remind us that serving our community is even better when you're doing it with great friends. Thank you to the team at Nocterra for hosting us!

Want to learn more about what our club does? Drop a comment or send us a message—we'd love to connect with you.

08/18/2026

Congratulations Mike Miller on achieving a monumental milestone: Paul Harris Fellow +6 recognition! 🌟

Named after Rotary’s founder, the Paul Harris Fellow recognition is awarded to individuals who contribute or have contributions made in their name to the Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative, the Annual Program Fund, or an approved Foundation grant. Reaching a +6 level represents a profound, sustained commitment to the mission of Rotary and our ongoing efforts to create lasting change locally and globally.

Thank you, Mike, for your remarkable generosity, leadership, and unwavering dedication to Service Above Self! 👏

08/15/2026

A huge thank you to the one and only Dino Tripodis for joining us at our club meeting this Thursday! 🙌

For years, many of us knew Dino as the familiar and entertaining morning voice on Sunny 95. Today, he’s as busy as ever—whether he’s making us laugh through stand-up comedy, hosting podcasts like Whiskey Business and The Premise, or traveling the state for From Bottle to Bar.

During our meeting, Dino shared powerful insights about his vital work as an Ohio Ambassador for Man Therapy—a unique and humorous initiative created in partnership with the Ohio Su***de Prevention Foundation. He spoke candidly about how using humor can break down stigmas and open up essential conversations around men's mental health.

Thank you, Dino, for an engaging, meaningful, and unforgettable presentation!
To learn more about the incredible resources discussed, check out:
🔗 https://mantherapy.org/
🔗 https://www.whiskeybusinesspod.com/

08/08/2026

💛Moving for a Cause: Support "Keegan's Krew" This September💛

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is approaching this September, and our fellow Rotarian Joe Keaney has shared a deeply personal story that hits close to home.

In September 2023, Joe’s family tragically lost his nephew, Keegan, after a brave 6.5-week battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Today, on what would have been Keegan’s 3rd birthday, we come together to honor his memory and fight for pediatric cancer research.

We are asking our Rotary family and community to support Keegan’s Krew in the 2026 CancerFree KIDS 100 Mile Challenge.

How You Can Help:
🏃‍♂️ Move With Us: Complete 100 miles of activity (walking, running, biking, swimming, etc.) throughout September.

🤝 Donate: Support the team to fund life-saving childhood cancer research.

👉 Join or donate to Keegan's Krew here:

https://cfk.donordrive.com/participant/KeegansKrew

Let's rally together, show our support for Joe’s family, and make a real impact.

CancerFree KIDS funds novel research to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children

07/24/2026

👟 We are honored to serve this year’s Supplies for Scholars event. Best of luck to all 750 Delaware County students as they step into the 2026–27 school year!

👟🎒 What a day at the Strengthening Families United Way of Delaware County Supplies for Scholars event! A big shout-out to our team for coordinating the distribution of PIN’s School Shoes gift cards. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we are able to help 750 Delaware County students start the 2026-27 school year “on the right foot!”

Our gratitude to Primrose School of Lewis Center, Saint Peter Saint Joan of Arc Parish, and the Olentangy Rotary Club, as well as an anonymous donor, for their presenting sponsorship of this program - serving more students than ever before!

Additional thanks to Powell United Methodist Church, Lewis Center United Methodist Church, The Homestead at Scioto Reserve, and Asbury United Methodist Church for their support of Delaware County students.

07/24/2026

🔨This week, the Olentangy Rotary Club welcomed Mike Gregory, Marketing & Administrative Director for Habitat for Humanity of Delaware & Union Counties. 🏠

Mike shared how Habitat's mission goes far beyond building houses, it's about creating stability, opportunity, and hope for families in our community. Through strategic marketing, community partnerships, volunteer engagement, and donor support, Mike is helping connect more people to Habitat's life changing work and expanding its impact throughout Delaware and Union Counties.

One of the biggest takeaways from Mike's presentation was that everyone has something to contribute. Whether it's swinging a hammer, making a financial gift, advocating for affordable housing, or simply spreading the word, every act of support helps a local family build a brighter future.

Want to make a difference? Consider volunteering at a build site, donating to support Habitat's mission, or sharing their work with someone who may want to get involved. To learn more or find ways to help, visit Habitat for Humanity of Delaware & Union Counties at habitatdelawareunion.org. Together, we can help create stronger neighborhoods and brighter futures right here in Delaware and Union Counties.

07/09/2026

🦊We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Rebecca Rose to our community today! As the Conservation Liaison for the Ohio Wildlife Center, Rebecca brings an incredible wealth of knowledge from her 40-year career in wildlife conservation and environmental education. The Ohio Wildlife Center stands as the largest rescue and rehabilitation center in central Ohio, dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation for our native wild neighbors. Through their invaluable hospital services and community programs, they play a vital role in keeping Ohio's ecosystem healthy and helping thousands of injured or orphaned animals find their way back to the wild every single year.

To learn more about the organization please visit their website at: https://ohiowildlifecenter.org

06/29/2026

Passing the Gavel: Celebrating Our Annual Transition Dinner! 🦅🎉

Every summer, Rotary clubs around the world take part in a time-honored tradition: the Annual Transition and Officer Installation Dinner. This event marks the official passing of the torch from one leadership team to the next. It’s a moment to look back with gratitude on the incredible service projects and milestones achieved over the past 12 months, while looking forward with renewed energy to the goals of the upcoming Rotary year.

This year's dinner was a beautiful celebration of dedication, community, and service above self.

We want to extend our deepest gratitude to our exiting President, John O’Connell, for his outstanding leadership and vision over the past year. Under his guidance, our club has truly thrived. As John steps down, we are thrilled to welcome our incoming President, Jo Sexton, for the 2026–2027 year! President Jo and the Board were officially installed by District Governor Pat Knott. We are excited to see where Jo’s leadership takes us in this new chapter.
The evening was also filled with well-deserved recognition for several of our outstanding members:

Paul Harris Fellows: Club Foundation Chair Bryan Lake had the honor of recognizing three individuals for their immense contributions to the Rotary Foundation: Jo Sexton, Mike Miller, and John O’Connell.

Rotarian of the Year: Outgoing President John O’Connell presented the prestigious Olentangy Rotary Club Rotarian of the Year Award to Mike Miller! Mike has been an absolute powerhouse this year, leading the charge in welcoming new members, diving headfirst into our service projects, and spearheading our meaningful Peace Pole initiative.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate, and to all our members who continue to make the Olentangy community a better place. Here’s to an incredible 2026–2027 year ahead under President Jo Sexton!