Rotary Community Heroes of Hope

Send us Fan Mail Discover how a simple mission can transform entire communities as we sit down with Dep Thuani, a relentless missionary worker bringing clean drinking water to South Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya. Join us as Dep recounts his inspiring journey, which began in 2009, and continues with his ambitious goal to purchase a drilling rig by 2025. Through engaging with churches and businesses, Dep...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on a heartwarming journey as we spotlight incredible community heroes like Biren Shukla and Tina Runter. Hear firsthand from Biren, a past president of the City of Corona Rotary Club, and Tina, the pioneering first lady president of the Rotary Club of Mumbai Royals, as they share the moving story of their global grant project in Mumbai. Discover how their collaboration led...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a community unites to support life-saving initiatives? Join us as we explore this compelling question with Kevin Taylor from the Palm Springs Sunup Rotary Club, alongside Kim Bollinger from Lifestream Blood Bank and Yvonne Moreno of Hanson House. Discover the importance of local blood donations, particularly in the holiday season when supplies run low, and how yo...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the heroic efforts of Rotarians in Southern California as they tackle the challenges posed by the devastating Lion and Airport fires. Join us, Jamie Zinn and Judy Zolfakar, along with our community service director, Chuck Weisbart, as we promise to reveal how Rotary District 5330 mobilized swiftly to provide rooms for evacuees and essential supplies to firefighters. You&a...

Send us Fan Mail What if a simple device could be a beacon of hope in times of despair? Today, we have the privilege of sharing Andy Lennick's extraordinary journey—a story rooted in personal history and a commitment to making a difference. As a child of Ukrainian political refugees, Andy's life has been deeply intertwined with Ukraine. Through Rotary, he has led remarkable humanitarian...

Send us Fan Mail Can the spirit of collaboration and service truly transcend borders and transform lives? On this episode of Rotary Heroes of Hope, we share the awe-inspiring stories of Rotarians like Rafael Larios, Jim Weaver, and Melvin Tejada, who have united their local clubs across continents to bring crucial aid to Honduras. Hear how a devastating personal experience with hurricanes inspired...

Send us Fan Mail Discover how seventh graders can blossom into future leaders as Jackie Chapman from the Desert Hot Springs Rotary Club shares the secrets behind the life-changing PRYDE program on this episode of the Rotary Heroes of Hope podcast. Jackie opens up about her journey into Rotary through youth initiatives and sheds light on the Personal Rotary Youth Development Experience—an engaging...

Send us Fan Mail What if a single project could change lives and unite communities across the globe? Join us as we explore this reality with Biren Shukla, past president of the City of Corona Rotary Club, and Tina Runter, president of the Rotary Club of Mumbai Royals. We dive into their incredible global grant initiative that brought essential orthopedic equipment to a government hospital in Mumba...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how math can be both fun and competitive? Join us on this episode of Rotary Heroes of Hope as we spotlight the Math Field Day initiative in the Coachella Valley! Hosted by Judy Zulfiqar and Jamie Zinn, we explore the rich history and evolution of this engaging event with Sue Stedding, past president of the Indio Rotary Club. From its humble beginnings in the late 199...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to transform communities through heartfelt service and diligent stewardship? Join us on the Rotary Heroes of Hope podcast as we sit down with the inspiring Dr. Helene Kalfas, a visionary in the Rotary community. Dr. Kalfas, a past district governor and current global grants chair of Rotary District 5330, shares her remarkable journey and the impactful global gran...

Send us Fan Mail Discover how community service can thrive even in the most challenging times as we spotlight the "Angels of Service" program from the Palm Desert Rotary Club. Buffy Kavaniss joins us to share the inspiring origin story of this initiative, which began during COVID-19 to ensure community needs were met despite restrictions. Partnering with Albertsons, this program supports...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the transformative power of the Rotary Peace Centers and the Rotary Peace Fellow Program as we sit down with Vicki Pullitz, past District Governor and Vice Chair of the Rotary Peace Centers Committee, and Peace Fellow Christina Chang. Vicki unravels the core elements of the Peace Centers, including notable partnerships with leading universities and the provision of fully...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a beloved local event undergoes significant changes but still manages to captivate thousands? Join us as we sit down with Ken Gutierrez, president of the Riverside East Rotary Club, and Finn Comer, the dynamic co-chair of the Show and Go fundraiser, to explore the fascinating evolution of Riverside's iconic car show. From its beginnings as a three-day event...

Send us Fan Mail Can the power of one small, nutritious peanut butter product change the world? Join us to discover how Dr. Mark Maneri’s innovative ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is revolutionizing the fight against severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Maneri, visionary CEO and founder of Project Peanut Butter, alongside Arthur Santos, President-Elect of the Palm Sprin...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how creativity and community service can transform lives? Join us as we sit down with visionary designer Hunter from Power Speaks Louder, who shares her incredible journey from the world of design to becoming a community leader. Hunter enlightens us on the origins of Power Speaks Louder, an organization dedicated to empowering youth through words and actions. Discove...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the groundbreaking strides in combating severe acute malnutrition as we host an insightful conversation with Dr. Mark Manary, the trailblazing mind behind Project Peanut Butter, and Arthur Santos, the president-elect of the Palm Springs Sunup Rotary Club. Prepare to be moved by tales of innovation and compassion that have reshaped the lives of countless children across su...

Send us Fan Mail Every community has its quiet champions, and today, we're shining the spotlight on those extraordinary individuals with Rob Haskins, president of the Murrieta Rotary Club. Prepare to be moved by tales of compassion and courage as we discuss the Vocational Service Awards, honoring those whose daily deeds typically go unnoticed. From the heart-rending sacrifices of fire enginee...

Send us Fan Mail Stephanie Urchick, Rotary International President-Elect, steps into our podcast studio, exuding the wisdom and strategy that she's poised to bring to one of the world's most impactful service organizations. She doesn't just sit at the helm; she actively steers the Rotary community towards greater diversity, inclusion, and global peace. Throughout our conversation, S...

Send us Fan Mail Embark on a stirring journey with us, as we share the riveting tales of Rotarians embodying the spirit of 'Heroes of Hope'. Our latest episode captures the heart of true service, featuring the remarkable Stephen Gale, Dan Cortese, and Nicholas Campbell, who bring their water system expertise to the beautiful but challenged landscapes of Thailand. Tune in to hear how thei...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the monumental impact of providing children with the gift of sight as we're joined by the passionate Nora and Damian Carroll from Vision to Learn. Together, we uncover the startling reality that up to 40% of kids in areas like Riverside County are hindered academically due to uncorrected vision problems. This episode is a deep dive into the roots of Vision to Learn&a...

Send us Fan Mail Esther Phala, the District 5330 4-Way Speech contest winner, joins the conversation about how preparing and performing in this contest changes the lives and perspectives of the students who participate.    Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Immediate Past District Governor Don Casper gives us a sneak peek at what the upcoming iGNITE Festival offers. This festival, which will be held at Lake Skinner on June 15th, will be open to everyone and will be one that no one will want to miss.   Support the show

Send us Fan Mail PDG Dan Goodrich and PDG Ricardo Loretta unveil the impactful Human Trafficking Awareness interactive exhibit, a project born out of a deep-seated passion for eradicating human trafficking in our region. They delve into the profound inspiration behind this initiative, which will soon be introduced in District 5330 to raise community awareness about this pressing issue.   Support t...

Send us Fan Mail  PDG Bob Duistermars, PDG Dan Goodrich and Jennifer O'Farrell from the Vocational Training Team, headed to Thailand to help fight against human trafficking, join us to discuss this vital mission.  We learn what a Rotary Vocational Training Team is about and how Rotarians worldwide work together to make a more significant impact.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail PDG Marilyn Sanderson and MaryAlice Owens give a detailed outline of what attendees can expect at the Club Leader and Member Training Assembly scheduled for Saturday, April 6th from 8am to 1pm.  This dynamic training session is open to all Rotarians and those interested in learning more about Rotary and how it works. Support the show