“Service Above Self”
Marin IJ
Giving Marin
Marin IJ
City of San Rafael website
Annual Holiday Gift Cards for Disadvantage Youths Presented to St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin
Helping the Homeless Community and Families in need with the Ritter Center (Nov. 2024)
Club Pres. Otis extends his appreciation to our club members for support and services to the Ritter Center in San Rafael in helping the homeless and their families with food, clothing, shelter, and other essential services. We are honored to collaborate with and support Ritter Center Executive Director, Mark Shotwell, Chief Development Officer, Cynthia LeMonds, and Mary Burns, Annual Fund & Events Manager.
Ritter Center CEO Mark Shotwell and staff extend appreciation to RCSR members and Rotarian Pete Hurley for the longtime support for the Ritter Center’s mission of supporting those that find themselves
homeless in San Rafael.
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Rotary International President 2025-26
The Rotary International Board conducted a special session following the unexpected resignation of RI President-elect Mário César Martins de Camargo on 8 June. Guided by the RI code and policies, the Board selected the new president-elect from a pool of candidates who were considered by the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in August 2023.
The 2025-26 presidential message, announced at the 2025 Rotary International Assembly in February, will remain Unite for Good, which calls on Rotary members to be a force for unity in a world increasingly divided by politics, geography, and ideology. Through service projects, Rotary brings together people of every background — across races, religions, and professions — in a shared mission to do good in their communities.
Arezzo is an orthodontist in private practice. He is active internationally as a member of the Italian, European, and American orthodontics associations. He is vice president of the National Association of Italian Dentists for the province of Ragusa and was the founder and head for seven years of the delegation for Ragusa of the National Trust for Italy. He is a Knight of Honor and Devotion in Obedience within the Sovereign Order of Malta.
A Rotary member for more than 30 years, Arezzo has served as vice chair of the Joint Strategic Planning Committee and as RI director, learning facilitator, and as district conference presidential representative.
Arezzo is a Major Donor and Benefactor of The Rotary Foundation. His partner, Anna Maria Criscione, is an entrepreneur in the tourism field. They have two children.
Rotary International
— 14 June 2025
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She attributes her theme, "The Magic of Rotary," to a service trip to install water filters in the Dominican Republic. Two boys were watching as dirty water entered the filter, then ran out clean at the other end. “One of the boys grabbed my sleeve and said, ‘Show me the magic again,’” she said. “Obviously, the water filter wasn’t magic. We worked hard to transport those filters, install them, and work with community leaders in the area to maintain them. But those boys knew that easy access to clean water would change their lives. Knowing that I played a small part in that certainly changed my life."
End Polio Now
Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever. We've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease.
JOIN A PROJECT
RCSR Annual 3rd Grade Dictionary Project
Change your community with us by volunteering on a local project.
Change your community with us by volunteering on a local project.
PARTNER WITH US
We work with groups and organizations of all sizes to accomplish even more.
DISCOVER NEW CULTURES AND DESIGN YOUR ROTARY EXPERIENCE
Make connections, participate in meaningful service, expand your perspective, and become a Leader.
Discover and celebrate diverse perspectives with a global organization. "Service Above Self"
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2025-26 District Governor
Mitone Griffiths
Hello fellow Rotarians:
As we begin this new Rotary year together, I want to share a simple but powerful message: Every Piece Matters. Every person, every idea, every contribution matters. Each of us is an important piece of the puzzle that is Rotary. And when we come together, bringing our unique strengths, passions, and perspectives, we Unite For Good, which also happens to be the Rotary International theme.
This year, I want to put a special focus on you, our members. What you hope to get out of Rotary matters. Your experience, your voice, your energy, they all help shape the kind of Rotary we want to be. Whether you've been here for decades or just a few months, you belong here, and your contribution makes a difference.
I’m grateful to be working alongside an incredible district leadership team, and I’m inspired by our club presidents who are already stepping up with heart and vision. Together, we’ll prioritize member engagement not only to attract new members but to create a Rotary experience that’s meaningful, fun, and impactful.
Let’s make this a year where everyone feels seen, valued, and energized. Because every piece of the puzzle matters and when we put them together, we build something truly powerful.
Thank you, and let’s get to work!
Mitone
Mitone Griffiths
2025-2026 District Governor
Rotary International District 5150
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RCSR Club Members 2024-2025
"Service in Action"
BBQ at Rotary Manor!!
June 2025
Our Rotary Club of San Rafael members and Board hosted a truly nice family-style BBQ yesterday at the San Rafael Rotary Manor Senior Community! It was a special day where we joined the Rotary Manor Board of Directors and EAH staff to share our continued love, support, and service commitments to and for the senior residents at the Rotary Manor!
It was truly a Rotary family-fellowship evening enjoyed and appreciated by all in attendance! We thank you all for your continued service and support for the senior residents at Rotary Manor.
SRHS Students College Bound Scholarship Awards Ceremonies! - June 2025
June 5th- SRHS -RCSR Scholarship Awards Ceremony! We are honored to help support the academic and college future success of these deserving students!
Brian Powell, RCSR Scholarship Chair, and Otis Bruce, JR, President were honored to represent our Club! Our Club provided $32K in scholarships this year! Thank you to Brian and our Club Scholarship Committee on a service well done!
The Award Ceremony was very nice and a special evening for the students, parents, SRHS, and the SR community! Service job well done!
Club member Natu Tuatagaloa, SRHS Alumni Board Member, also presented separate scholarships to other students on behalf of the SRHS Alumni Board!
Our members donated $25,000 to San Rafael High School Seniors ($5,000 each). Since 1966, we have donated over $420,000 in scholarships.
RCSR continues Mini Grants Program: Supporting Teachers & Students since 2000
Our Club members are proud to support the needs of educators and students for classroom supplies, arts and crafts supplies, field trips, etc., through our annual RCSR Mini Grants! Your excellent committee work is vital to the program’s success! Our members have donated over $212,600. to our San Rafael school teachers in the form of mini-grants (~$500 each) benefitting thousands of San Rafael students.
CLICK HERE TO READ the Beautiful messages sent to our Rotary Club members from teacher Lauri Peters from Sun Valley Elementary School and the letter from 5th grade teacher Pierre Littée from Bahia Vista Elementary School. They both expressed their heartfelt appreciation for our Mini Grant Awards they received. The overwhelming expressions of joy and appreciation from the little TKers.
See Club Mini Grants in Action!
RCSR Special Induction and Pinning of
3 New Members - May/June 2025
Kyleigh Kuhn (classification Social Entrepreneur), Judy King (classification Civil Engineer), and Sheila Aceves (classification Nonprofit Development Director) were inducted into the San Rafael Rotary. It was a special day in our RCSR membership history", said Otis Bruce, Jr, RCSR President '24-'25. Past Presidents, Diane Glischinski and Jerry Suyderhoud officiated at these ceremonies.
These membership inductions were celebrated history in our Club as we will officially pin 3 women professional-community leaders as new members.
Rotary International officially welcomed women into Rotary clubs in 1989. This change followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1987 that ruled clubs could not exclude women on the basis of gender. The Council on Legislation voted to eliminate the membership restriction in the Rotary Constitution. To read more click on the blue button below. The Rotary International website provides further information on this historical event.
Fish 'n' Fowl Feast Fundraiser: SUCCESSFUL!
April 2025
WE DID IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Our RCSR Fish N' Fowl Feast Fundraiser was a huge success benefitting the senior tenants assistance fund at Rotary Manor located in San Rafael!
We appreciate the use of the event location at the beautiful SR Airport hanger! We were pleased to have the seaplane as the back drop for our special fundraiser. The beautiful melodies of the evening was provided by S & S Jazz Duo.
Our Club members are incredibly grateful for the support we received from Marin and Bay Area attendees and donors, District 5150 Rotary club members, volunteers, and community supporters! We appreciate the many donated auction and raffle items, including from the Bamboo Organization as well as from the community, and Rotary members and friends!
Yours in Rotary and Service!
Otis Bruce, Jr., Esq., President
Rotary Club of San Rafael
SR Chamber of Commerce - Marin Business Showcase - September 2024
President Otis said: “Our Club Members continued active involvement with community and business members throughout the Marin community, showcasing the club's dedication to service and Rotary presence. We set up our presence with display tables and a new EZ-Up booth with a backdrop at events such as the Chamber Business to raise awareness and attract new members. As a SR Chamber member, we continue to expand and promote vocational service, networking, business mentoring, and Rotary recruitment opportunities!
Our Club members enjoy fellowship and engagement with community and business members!”
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Coastal Cleanup - September 2024
Pres. Otis said the Club’s Coastal Cleanup event on Saturday, September 21st was a great success. He gave a shout-out to club members: Community Services Director Sherry Rogers, Beth Fernbacher, and Tom Davey for their work on the Shoreline Trail area near Target near Home Depot in San Rafael. It was a family affair for club Past President Madeleine Moore, Skip & Rotary Dog Quincy, and Pres. Otis with his son Faudel. Members from the Marin Evening Club also pitched in.
Rotary Clubs of Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties (District 5150) annually sponsors high school youth to the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA). Located at Redwood Glen Camp & Conference Center Scotts Valley, California. RYLA is a transformative, five-day camp to foster youth’s leadership and personal development, plus promotes well-being through social connections.
2024 - 2025 President & Board of Directors Instillation Ceremony and Reception -
June 2024
2024-2025 Club President Otis Bruce, Jr., Esq
"A Vision to Lead RCSR in Expanding Collaboration, Fellowship, and Community Service Opportunities"!
Our Club service theme for this Rotary Year:
"Show the Spirit of Rotary!
Let the work you do and the service you provide speak for you!
Do it all through Rotary!" -OBJ, Esq.
Better Together District Conference- Reno Nevada - May 2024
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Coastal Cleanup - April 2024
RCSR Coordinated with the city of San Rafael's Sustainability Program Manager Cory Bytof on the April 2024 Coastal Cleanup of the San Rafael/San Francisco Bay Shore at Pickleweed Community Park.
District 5150 Assembly - March 2024
D5150 PRESIDENT ELECT TRAINING SEMINAR (P.E.T.S.) - March 2024
