Rotary International Theme 2025-2026	THE ROWEL Rotary Club of Durham		Rotary International President: Francesco Arezzo Rotary District 5160 Governor: Joy Alaidarous Durham Rotary President: Tom Knowles _____________ Editor: Phil Price Publisher:  Jen Liu
	March 3, 2026	Crab Feed 2026 Will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

The Meeting Opening President Tom Knowles was absent, so the meeting was conducted by Diana Selland. She asked Eric Hoiland to led the pledge, which he did.  Then she asked Glenn Pulliam to give the invocation, which he did.  Larry Bradley, in view of baseball season being about to start, led us in singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”. She then announced that the planned takeover of our meeting by the Interact Club tonight would not happen. Too many of them had to addend other things tonight.  But we had three Students of the Month to take care of.

Students of the Month

She invited Larry Bradley to present the Student of the Month for December.  Larry called up Ayden Teague. Larry talked about Ayden’s accomplishments and presented her with the Student of the Month for December award.

We then had dinner.

Following dinner Larry talked about Student of the Month for January, Natalia Bordin, who could not be here because he had to attend something at Butte College. 

Larry then called up Joshua Harding, Student of the Month for February.  He talked about Natalia’s accomplishments and presented him with her Student of the Month for February.

 

Announcements

Chico Sunrise Club will have their 10th Annual St. Patrick's Day Gala on Saturday, March 14th, at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds; and their International Service Project ~ 'Give Hope - Give a Hand Project', slated for March 25-31, 2026, in Guadalajara,Mexico.  

Butte County Search and Rescue will have their Gala on April 18, 2026 in the Siera NevadaBig Room.  Tickers are on sale on Eventbrite.com

The District will have a Membership workshop on March 24^th.  See the District Governor’s email for further information.

Camp Venture will be June 24-28, 2026.

Imogen Hinds is taking care of our club's book donation to DIS and DHS libraries for this school year.  She brought 2 boxes which she wanted member to sign, which we did.

Jessica Thorpe and Larry Bradley talked about the Durham Grange and the Durham Community Foundation, but it did not understand it sufficiently to report on it here.

Recognitions

Steve Plume talked about his eye surgery and how simple and effective it was.  I joined in since I had had the same eye surgery last year.  He contributed $15 and I added $5.

Glenn Pulliam talked about his visit to Hawaii, his son getting married and being the writer,producer and director of a successful Netflix children’s series “The Creature Cases”.   He contributed $100.

Next Meeting

The next meeting, on March 24^th will be at Butte Creek Country Club.  Alisha Rock from the Chico Municipal Airport will talk about the Airport.

Membership

Bring guests who you think you can interest in becoming a member. We Need More Members! Your dinner and your guest’s dinner will be paid for by the Club.  Also, bring a guest to oneof our occasional social gatherings.

President Tom is asking the members to bring in new members this year.

Go to the following Rotary International web site for information on membership development:  https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/learn-topic/membership .  From this website there is access to membership development and other related information.

The Rotary Foundation Donations

You can make a difference in this world by helping people in need. Your gift can do some great things, from supplying filters that clean people’s drinking water to empowering local entrepreneurs to grow through business development training.

The Rotary Foundation will use your gift to fund the life-changing work of Rotary members who provide sustainable solutions to theircommunities’ most pressing needs. But we need help from people like you who will take action and give the gift of Rotary to make these projects possible.

When every Rotarian gives every year, no challenge is too great for us to make a difference. The minimum gift to The Rotary Foundation is $25.00.   An annual $100.00 gift is a sustaining member.  Once your donations accumulate to $1,000 you become a Paul Harris Fellow.

If you have any questions, ask Steve Heithecker.

It is possible to learn more about The Rotary Foundation on the Rotary web site. 

Your gift can be made online or by sending Jessica Thorpe a check made out to The Rotary Foundation to Durham Rotary, P.O. Box 383, Durham, California 95958.

The latest District Newsletter has been uploaded to DACdb - to view it there go to the District tab, open the District Bulletin file and look for the pdf file named Rotary District 5160 Newsletter. 

{Note that the proceeding may not be the complete article.  See the complete article onRotary International’s web page.}

Note that the photos in the original article may not have been reproduced here.

Rotary Peace Center at Symbiosis International University will train peace anddevelopment professionals from across Asia

By Etelka Lehoczky

Leaders of Rotary International and Symbiosis International University gathered in Pune, India,to inaugurate a new Rotary Peace Center at the university. Supported through The Rotary Foundation, the center will provide experienced peace builders from across Asia with one-year professional development certificate fellowships to study subjects such as conflict transformation, sustainable development, and social change.

“With India’s rich diversity and complex social landscape, the peace center will offer unique opportunitiesfor cultivating leaders who can navigate conflict with empathy and innovation,” says Bharat S. Pandya, a trustee of The Rotary Foundation and member of the Rotary Club of Borivli, Maharashtra, India. “This center will nurture a new generation of leaders in Asia who are dedicated to strengthening dialogue,understanding, and sustainable peace.”

The new center will host up to 40 Rotary Peace Fellows per year to earn a postgraduate diploma in peace and development studies. The program is designed for mid career professionals with experience working in peace and development fields, including within governments, non-governmental and community organizations, educational institutions, media outlets, and international agencies.

Symbiosis International University’s motto, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or The World Is One Family, reflects a commitment to internationalism and cultural understanding that dates to its founding. Established in 1971 as a cultural exchange center for students from other countries (particularly Africa) who were experiencing discrimination, Symbiosis today has more than 55,000 students from at least 85nations.

The Lavale campus of Symbiosis International University, the site of the new Rotary Peace Center, in Pune, India 

©Symbiosis International University Press 2025

“The university has been focused on nurturing global citizens through quality education and cross-cultural sensitization as well as empowering thoughtful leaders — essentials for creating a harmonious world,” says Anita Patankar,director of the Symbiosis Centre for International Education and executive director of the university’s campus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. “The Rotary Peace Center, with its unique academic program, joins the Symbiosis family in extending this vision.”

Symbiosis already has a history of collaborating with nearby Rotary Districts 3131 and3141, which will jointly welcome and support peace fellows during their time in India. The university hosts annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and Rotarymembers organize professional development opportunities for teachers. The Rotary Foundation recently awarded a global grant for a project at theuniversity hospital, which provides free medical services to the community.

“Symbiosis has consistently sought to build meaningful alliances that enrich learning and foster inclusive, knowledge-driven, and sustainable progress,” says Vice Chancellor Ramakrishnan Raman. “Our collaboration with Rotary further  reinforces this commitment, enabling new opportunities for scholarship, peace building, and human development.”

The peace center will be housed at the university’s hilltop Lavale campus.Highlighting issues relevant to Asian countries, the curriculum will include many opportunities for the fellows to gain real-world experience through field visits outside of Pune as well as locally. Symbiosis has close relationships with more than 35 nearby villages, whose residents use its legal aid clinic and vocational training programs. The fellows will work with faculty members, other students, and village residents to learn about the villages, propose strategies for their development, and meet with local leaders for feedback.

This kind of practical learning is possible thanks to the ethic of social responsibility that Symbiosis and Rotary share, says Laura Descher, the Rotary Peace Centers program director. 

“The university’s commitment to the advancement and well-being of not only their own students, but all people in their community and beyond, strongly aligns with Rotary’s mission to do good in the world,” she says. “Peace can only be achieved when dignity, integrity, and inclusion are prioritized across society.”

With the opening of the new peace center, Rotary’s eighth, The Rotary Found ation will be able to award up to 170 fully funded peace fellowships each year. More than 1,800 fellows have completed Rotary Peace Center programs around the worldsince 2002, going on to leadership roles in government agencies, NGOs, educational institutions, and international organizations. The first applications to attend the Symbiosis peace center are being accepted through 15 May 2026, and it will welcome its first group of fellows in early 2027.

By training leaders in the strategies and practices of peace building, Rotary Peace Centers have a wide-ranging impact on the world that will be felt for years to come, says Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo.

“In this interconnected world, peace can no longer be viewed as an abstract ideal.It must be cultivated through institutions that combine knowledge, ethical leadership, and action,” Arezzo says. “The Rotary Peace Center at Symbiosis International University reflects Rotary’s commitment to nurturing leaders who understand and act with integrity toward a cause. The center will contribute not only to regional peace building in Asia, but to a stronger global framework for shared responsibility.”

Learn more about Rotary’s peace fellowships.

— February 2026

© 2026 Rotary International. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy