The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley

08/22/2026

🥕 Share the Bounty at the Friday Sonoma Farmers Market! 🍎

The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley is once again partnering with the Friday Sonoma Farmers Market and Extra Food to collect fresh produce donations as part of a community-wide effort to make Sonoma Valley food secure.

Through its Share the Bounty initiative, ExtraFood acts as Sonoma Valley’s food recovery agent, collecting surplus produce from local farms, gardens, and backyards and getting it to our neighbors who need it most.

Have extra fruits or vegetables from your garden? Bring them to the Friday Farmers Market and share the bounty! Your surplus can make a real difference for families and individuals in our community. ❤️

Pictured are Rich Lee, Chair of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley’s Environmental Committee, and Melissa Lely, Market Manager for the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market.

Bring your extra garden produce and help us nourish our community—one harvest at a time!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market ExtraFood City of Sonoma

08/22/2026

A Field Trip to the Moon House Antiquarium! 🌙🏡

This week, our Rotary lunch meeting took us on a fascinating field trip to the Moon House Antiquarium in Glen Ellen, where artist Doug Wilson welcomed us into his extraordinary home and studio.

Doug shared the remarkable story behind the Moon House, which grew from tragedy into a remarkable work of art. In 2005, a catastrophic flood destroyed the modest ranch-style home where Doug had lived for 21 years, along with many of the paintings in his studio. His new home, elevated high above the flood line on piers, became both a fresh start and what Doug describes as “his most inspired canvas.”

The Moon House brings together Doug’s passions for archaeology, futurism, Frank Lloyd Wright, Pre-Columbian architecture, and geometric patterns and low-relief design. The result is a truly unique, handcrafted home that is a work of art you can walk through. Doug also gave us a tour of his studio and shared more about his creative process and work.

A big thank you to Doug Wilson for giving Sonoma Valley Rotary such a memorable and inspiring behind-the-scenes look at the Moon House and his art!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130

08/16/2026

The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley and Vintage House recently co-hosted a farewell celebration honoring Debby and Bob Kweller and their nearly three decades of service, leadership, and generosity to Sonoma Valley.

From Rotary and Vintage House to youth services, education, FISH, and countless community initiatives, Debby and Bob have made a lasting difference in our community.

Sonoma Mayor Ron Wellander presented a special proclamation recognizing their many contributions.

We’ll miss you, Debby and Bob—but wish you all the best in Denver as you move closer to family! ❤️

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Vintage House City of Sonoma Friends In Sonoma Helping - FISH Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley

08/13/2026

Yesterday’s Rotary lunch featured Óscar Chávez, President & CEO of Community Foundation Sonoma County, who gave us an overview of the Foundation’s role in strengthening our community through philanthropy, partnerships and support for local nonprofits. He also highlighted the Foundation’s significant investments in Sonoma Valley—more than $1.9 million through 41 grants in 2025 and 2026.

We were also pleased to welcome students from Sonoma Valley High School, who shared their experiences attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp at Westminster Woods this summer. It was wonderful to hear how the experience helped them develop their leadership skills and grow personally.

Kaeti Bailie of the Sonoma Sister Cities Association also joined us to thank our club for the support we’ve provided to Sonoma’s sister city of Kaniv, Ukraine, over the past four years, including supporting fundraisers and clothing drives. We’re proud to stand with the people of Kaniv and grateful to Kaeti for recognizing our club’s ongoing support.

Thank you to all of our guests and speakers for making it another meaningful Rotary lunch!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Community Foundation Sonoma County Sonoma Golf Club Sonoma Sister Cities Association

08/07/2026

This week, the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley welcomed Sonoma Mayor Ron Wellander, who provided an informative update on the recently approved Sonoma Plaza Master Plan. The plan establishes a long-term framework for preserving, maintaining, and enhancing Sonoma's iconic Plaza while honoring its rich historic character, and will help guide future improvements for years to come.

Mayor Wellander also shared status on several proposed development projects throughout Sonoma, giving members a better understanding of what's ahead for our community.

During the meeting, we were also pleased to recognize several Rotarians for their commitment to Service Above Self by presenting Paul Harris Fellow awards to Antoine Bigirimana, Robert Lerner, Therese Nugent, Marc Aronson, and Eileen Adams. Congratulations to each of these outstanding members for their dedication to making a difference in our community and around the world!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 City of Sonoma Sonoma Golf Club

08/05/2026

We're celebrating our 80th year under the leadership of club president Jeff Walter! Read more about it in the Sonoma Index-Tribune / Sonomanews.com.

Rotary International Rotary District 5130

Jeff Walter aims to sharpen the club’s focus on environmental protection and youth investment.

08/02/2026

On Saturday, members of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley spent the morning giving back in a hands-on way at the historic pear orchards at Jack London State Historic Park. Together, we gleaned enough pears to fill 25 boxes, all of which will be donated to local food banks to help provide fresh, healthy food for neighbors in need.

We also had the chance to visit the peach trees our club planted three years ago. It's rewarding to see them thriving, and a few of the trees even have peaches beginning to develop.

Service, stewardship, and community go hand in hand. Thank you to everyone who came out to make a difference! 🍐🌳💙

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Jack London State Historic Park

07/30/2026

Today's Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley meeting highlighted the power of service in our community.

We were honored to welcome Sara Brewer, CEO of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center, who shared how the Health Center provides comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, maternal care, pharmacy, and other essential services for patients with Medicare, Medi-Cal, and those who are uninsured. Just as importantly, the Health Center serves as a vital community hub, connecting patients with local resources to provide comprehensive support.

We also recognized Rotarian Wayne Schake for his unwavering commitment to community service. Whether it's volunteering at the Sonoma County Library Book Sale, helping maintain the Sonoma Bike Path, or working at Sonoma Garden Park, Wayne is always there, ready to lend a hand. Thank you, Wayne, for your years of dedicated service!

Finally, we were proud to present an $800 donation to the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance—$100 for every run scored by the Sonoma Stompers during their July 23 game. We're honored to support an organization that helps local youth reach their full potential.

Together, we're making Sonoma Valley a healthier, stronger community. 💙💛

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 SVCHC Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance Sonoma Golf Club

07/27/2026

Helping students start the school year with confidence! 📚✏️🎒

Members of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley were proud to volunteer with the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center to stuff packs with school supplies for local kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and high school students.

A new school year brings new opportunities, and having the right supplies can make all the difference. We're honored to partner with the Health Center to help ensure students throughout our community are prepared for a successful year ahead.

We wish all of Sonoma Valley's students a fantastic school year! 💙💛

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 SVCHC Sonoma Valley Unified School District Sonoma Valley Education Foundation

07/16/2026

🚀 Shoot for the Moon!

The Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley officially launched the new Rotary year with President Jeff Walter introducing his inspiring theme: "Shoot for the Moon." His challenge to our members is to set audacious goals, embrace new ideas, and challenge the status quo as we continue making a meaningful impact in our community.

Following the kickoff, our committee chairs shared their plans and goals for the year ahead, highlighting the many ways our members will serve Sonoma Valley and beyond.

President Jeff reminded us of what makes Rotary so special: People join—and stay—in Rotary because they want to make a difference through service, and they want to have fun while doing it.

We're excited for the year ahead and look forward to serving our community together. Here's to aiming high, thinking boldly, and making an even greater impact!

Rotary International Rotary District 5130 Sonoma Golf Club