The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley

10/27/2026

🌎 Eco Know-How: Give Your Old Bulbs a Proper Send-Off! 💡

Got fluorescent bulbs that have burned out? Don’t trash them—give them a proper send-off! 🫡 These bulbs contain mercury, so they need special handling to keep our environment safe.

Take them to:

📍 Household Toxics Facility, Central Disposal Site, 500 Mecham Road, Petaluma
🗓️ Thursday–Saturday, 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
🪪 Bring ID to verify residency.

✨ Light up your commitment to a cleaner environment—recycle those bulbs responsibly!

Rotary District 5130

10/23/2026

🎭 Behind the scenes at Transcendence Theatre Company!

This week, Co-Founder and Executive Director Brad Surosky welcomed our Rotary Club to Transcendence’s rehearsal studio and warehouse. He shared the story of how he and Amy Miller built the company from its first show in 2011 to today’s spectacular productions. We even got a peek at the costumes, staging, and equipment that bring the magic to life!

🔥 We also welcomed the PolioPlus Torch on its journey through District 5130, passing it along to its originator, Renee McKenna, along with a $3,150 check from our club to support Rotary’s fight to end polio.

From live theater to a polio-free world, Rotary makes a difference! 💛🌎

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Transcendence Theatre Company End Polio Now

10/20/2026

Thanks Sonoma Valley Sun for helping us get the word out about our Fall 2026 grants! We are accepting applications from Sonoma Valley nonprofit and education groups until November 3rd. Access the grant application on our club's website at sonomavalleyrotary.org.

https://sonomasun.com/2026/10/08/rotary-club-of-sonoma-valley-announces-fall-2026-community-grants-cycle/

The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley will open its Fall 2026 community grants cycle for local education and nonprofit organizations on October 15, 2026. “During the past twelve months, our Rotary club awarded over $125,000 in grants to local groups, including the Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma Splash...

10/20/2026

🍂🎉 ROAR! Rotary’s Outdoor Autumnal Revelry was a Bavarian blockbuster bonanza! 🇩🇪

What a beautiful Saturday evening in Sonoma! Our Rotary club brought Oktoberfest to life with accordion music, unbelievable magic, door prizes, games, and plenty of great food and fun.

Officially, it was ROAR. Unofficially? Hogtoberfest! 🐖🔥 A whole BBQ’d hog took center stage alongside bratwurst, grilled chicken, German potato salad, sauerkraut and of course lots of b**r and w**e. Add great friends, plenty of laughs, and a little Bavarian flair, and you’ve got a recipe for an unforgettable evening!

A huge thank-you to everyone who helped make this celebration such a roaring success. That’s how we do it in Sonoma! 🍻🍂

Rotary International Rotary District 5130

10/15/2026

🌉 Building Bridges, Connecting Communities! 🌉

We had a great lunch meeting yesterday with Rotary District 5130 Governor Jeff Kolin! Jeff shared his focus for the year: bringing people together to build understanding, expand opportunities, and create lasting change through Rotary.

💜 Healthy people are the foundation of strong families and thriving communities. That’s why Rotary’s work to end polio is such an important part of our mission. From October 2 through World Polio Day on October 24, District 5130 clubs are carrying one torch and one mission from Crescent City to Petaluma in the End Polio Now Torch Relay. 🔥 And the excitement is coming to Sonoma Valley! The torch will visit our club at next Wednesday’s lunch meeting on Oct 21!

🎉 We also had plenty to celebrate! We welcomed three new members into our Rotary family and recognized four repeat Paul Harris Fellows for their continued support of The Rotary Foundation.

New members, outstanding service, and a shared mission to make a difference — that’s Rotary in action! 💛

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Sonoma Golf Club End Polio Now

10/15/2026

🌟 Accepting Applications for Fall 2026 Community Grants!🌟

We're accepting applications for our Fall 2026 Community Grants until Nov 3. Local nonprofits and education organizations serving Sonoma Valley are encouraged to apply.

📅 Applications open: Oct 15, 2026
📅 Deadline: Nov 3, 2026

🔗 Apply here: www.SonomaValleyRotary.org
(see the Grant Application tab on our homepage)

Funding comes directly from the proceeds of our annual Luck of the Irish Raffle.

Help us spread the word so local groups can benefit! 🙌

10/08/2026

This week at our Rotary lunch meeting, we welcomed Evelyn Mendez, Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, who gave us an inside look at how Sonoma County prepares for and manages elections.

Evelyn told us that Sonoma County has the highest voter turnout rate in California and assured us that the upcoming election is “business as usual” for the County.

A few interesting takeaways:

🗳️ Ballots were mailed on October 5, and 23 ballot drop boxes are now in place throughout the County, each staffed by two monitors. Evelyn encouraged all of us to vote early!

📬 If you mail your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service, allow plenty of time. Evelyn explained that ballots can take up to two weeks to reach the registrar's office in Santa Rosa because they are now sent to San Francisco for postal processing following the closure of the postal processing center in Petaluma.

⏰ 8:00 p.m. on Election Day is the deadline for returning your ballot to a drop box. The boxes will be sealed at that time.

✍️ About 0.7% of ballots require “curing”—a process in which election officials verify a voter's signature when there is a question about whether it matches the signature on file.

Thank you to Evelyn for giving our members a behind-the-scenes look at the election process and answering our questions!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Sonoma Golf Club

10/02/2026

This week, we welcomed back investigative business reporter and author Mary Fricker for Part 2 of her presentation on America’s financial system.

Mary continued her look at how deregulated financial markets, shadow banking, and growing wealth inequality are interconnected. She then laid out nine steps she believes Congress could take to reduce financial system risks and address the economic disparities she sees as a consequence of the current system.

From banking and taxes to corporate stock buybacks, credit cards, and bankruptcy laws, Mary offered plenty for our members to consider and discuss.

Thanks to Mary for sharing her research and perspective with our club—and for giving us a deeper look at some complex issues affecting our economy.

Learn more about Mary’s work at RepoWatch.org.

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Sonoma Golf Club

09/28/2026

🍎 Don’t let your extra garden produce go to waste!

Do your fruit trees or vegetable garden produce more than your family can enjoy? Through our partnership with ExtraFood’s Share the Bounty Program, you can donate that fresh, healthy food to neighbors in need.

“Gleaning” is the harvesting of surplus produce from local farms, gardens, and backyards that would otherwise go to waste. ExtraFood redistributes that produce throughout our local community to help feed people in need.

Have more than you can use? Share the bounty and help turn your garden’s surplus into a meal for someone in our community.

Learn how to donate at extrafood.org/get-involved/sharethebounty.

ExtraFood Rotary International Rotary District 5130