Wake Forest Rotary Club

09/29/2026

What is Wake Forest Rotarian James B Holding’s connection to our community’s first library? Read below.

09/28/2026

Club members enjoyed assisting The Joel Fund with yard clean up on Saturday. It was a beautiful fall morning to volunteer our time.

09/23/2026

Every great business starts with someone brave enough to share their vision. 🚀

But turning that vision into a confident, compelling pitch takes practice, encouragement, and a community willing to help you grow!

That’s exactly what Launch Wake Forest is all about.

Founded through the Rotary Club of Wake Forest Launch was created to give local entrepreneurs the tools, mentorship, and connections they need to move their businesses forward.

This week, we had the opportunity to give our newest entrepreneurs a space to practice their business pitches, share their stories, receive feedback, and build confidence in what they’re creating.

Because sometimes the most valuable thing we can give a small business owner is an opportunity to be heard, encouraged, and challenged to grow.

This is what Service Above Self looks like in action. Investing our time and experience into the people building the businesses that make our community stronger.

We’re proud to support the next generation of Wake Forest entrepreneurs and can’t wait to see where their businesses go!

Learn more about Launch Wake Forest:
🌐 www.launchwakeforest.com

09/21/2026

Tonight we welcomed State Senator Haseeb Fatmi, who provided us with a North Carolina legislative update and in particular the budget that was passed in June.

09/16/2026

We celebrated our Interact clubs at Wake Forest and Rolesville high schools by enjoying a picnic dinner that included ice cream from Mama Birds!

08/27/2026

Dolly’s connection with Rotary:

What a sad day today.

The world has lost an extraordinary entertainer, philanthropist and genuinely remarkable human being with the passing of Dolly Parton.

Most people will remember Dolly for the music, the rhinestones, the humour and that unmistakable voice. But for millions of children and families around the world, her greatest legacy may well be something much quieter, a book arriving in the mail. 📚❤️

Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995, inspired in part by her father, who never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. The idea was beautifully simple: give children free, age-appropriate books from birth until the age of five and help create a lifelong love of reading.

And that is where Dolly's story became intertwined with Rotary International

Since 2009, Rotary clubs have worked alongside Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to help bring books into the homes and hands of children in communities around the world.

It was a partnership that made perfect sense.

Literacy. Education. Opportunity. Community.

The very things Rotary members have championed for generations.

For me, Dolly's passing also brings back a very special Rotary memory.

I first saw Dolly in person at the Rotary International Convention in Montréal, Canada, in 2010.

I remember sitting there thinking just how impressive she was. Yes, she was a superstar, one of the most recognisable entertainers on the planet, but what struck me was the person behind all of that.

She was warm, authentic and incredibly passionate about giving children opportunities through literacy. She was also incredibly funny! I remember when Past RI President John Germ presented her with a Paul Harris Fellow and was awkwardly struggling to decide if he should put the lapel pin on her dress. She said "Oh just pin it on honey, it might be the 1st thing people notice for a change" 🤣

But Dolly understood something that I think sits right at the heart of Rotary:

You can use whatever platform you have to make somebody else's life a little better.

She certainly did that!

Her songs will continue to be played. Her movies will continue to make us smile. Her unmistakable image will remain part of popular culture.

But somewhere, a child will open a book because of an idea Dolly Parton had more than 30 years ago.

And perhaps that child will discover a love of reading, dream a little bigger and see possibilities they hadn't seen before.

Now THAT is a legacy that is working much longer than 9 to 5!

Thank you for the music, the laughter, the books and, most importantly, for showing the world that kindness and generosity never go out of style.

Rest peacefully, Dolly. 🌸📚🎶

We will always love you. ❤️

08/26/2026

Wake Forest Rotarian Vivian Jones was honored last week with the first ElectriCities of NC Public Power Lifetime Achievement Award🏆 during the organization’s annual conference.

She was recognized for her
vision, conviction, and an unwavering commitment to public service as the Town of Wake Forest Mayor for two decades—leaving both her community and North Carolina’s public power network stronger💪🏻 than she found them.

Vivian served on the ElectriCities Board of Directors from 2014 to 2019, including terms as Secretary, Vice Chair, and Chair, and provided leadership on numerous committees and boards.

We’re proud of you Mayor Vivian Jones! Congratulations! 🎉

08/19/2026

Fall 2026 Launch Wake Forest class 🚀

08/19/2026

Launch Week is officially underway for the Fall 2026 Launch Wake Forest class! 🚀

And we’re starting with one of the largest classes of accepted small business owners in the program’s history!

Launch Wake Forest is a volunteer-run organization, supported by the Wake Forest Rotary Club, bringing together local leaders and subject matter experts who give their time and experience to help entrepreneurs build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

Today’s subject matter expert and speaker was Mark, a past president of the Wake Forest Rotary Club. A great example of the knowledge and leadership our Rotary members continue to pour back into the Wake Forest community.

There’s something powerful about a community investing in the people who are building businesses right here at home. ❤️

Here’s to Day 1, big ideas, new connections, and everything the Fall 2026 class is about to build!

08/11/2026

250 school backpacks assembled in 25 minutes during our Wake Forest Rotary club meeting. They will be distributed to students and families at Hope House, Inc. this Saturday.