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TRANSFORM

TOGETHER, WE

CONNECT

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INSPIRE

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SAVE LIVES

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FIGHT HUNGER

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EMPOWER

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MENTOR

Attend a meeting

Join us on a Wednesday convenient to you and experience the fun and friendship of the Rotary Club of San Jose!

Contact our Executive Director, Leslee Hamilton for more details and to RSVP at (408) 297-6101.

Join us

Fill out an application and join community leaders. Become a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose.

Take action

“Service Above Self”

Rotary is a service organization of business and community leaders united worldwide.  Rotarians are making a positive impact in our local and global communities.

The Rotary Club of San Jose

Benefiting the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship.

The Rotary Club of San Jose is the largest, most active and well-known service organization in the community. We are a leadership organization working together to make a difference. Our members include local business, nonprofit, professional and civic leaders. We form lasting friendships through our shared Rotary experiences including weekly meetings with interesting speakers, committee meetings and projects, social events and group service projects within our community and internationally.

Diversity & Inclusion

Having a diverse and inclusive Rotary Club means we value and welcome individuals of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, and races to our Club. We invite younger people, women, and minorities who support Rotary’s values, ideals, and mission to join our members in service to our community, and we strive to give all members equal opportunities to serve as leaders within our Club.

No Meeting on July 1st


The Office is Closed on July 3rd

Happy 4th Of July Vector Art, Icons, and Graphics for Free DownloadThe office is closed on Friday, July 3rd in observance of 4th of July.We'll be back in the office on Monday, July 6th.


Festival Style Lunch for Women at Lifted Spirits

On July 1, the Unhoused Impact Committee (UIC) will provide lunch for the women from 11:00am to 1:00pm. We invite you to participate by helping with setup and staying for the meal and tear-down. You can see the store and mingle with the women. It will be held at 

Front Door Communities @ Trinity Cathedral 
81 N. 2nd Street 
San Jose, CA 95113 USA

We are expecting about 40 women and are planning to have an Independence Day holiday theme.

Activities include:

  • Adult coloring stations
  • Music
  • Decorated tables to visit and eat at
  • Lunch
Lifted Spirits is a program within Front Door Communities that serves the unique needs of vulnerable women in downtown San Jose. 
 
You can sign up through DACdb or by contacting Irene Smith at ir.smith99@gmail.com.


Rose, White and Blue Parade


Please RSVP so we know how many to expect https://givebutter.com/RWB2026

Sarah Janigian will be hosting an after party with light refreshments. Sarah's house is near the end of the parade route. It will be easier to leave after the parade if you park in Sarah's neighborhood.


VIP Rotary Fireworks


To register and purchase your tickets, click here or use the QR code.


Community Grants Application

Our 2026-27 Community Grants application window will open on July 1st and closes Wednesday, September 30.

Thanks to our generous members, we have $200,000 to distribute to local non-profit organizations.

Please help share this opportunity with non-profit organizations you are involved with - click link for Grant Guidelines and the Grant Application. Both are available at https://www.sjrotary.org/ under Applications.

 


The Meeting Summary for June 24, 2026

Members and guests of the Rotary Club of San Jose enjoyed tasty hors d’oeuvres and a selection of fine Joseph George wines before the club’s 5,527th meeting on June 24, 2026. This set the mood for the rollicking sendoff of Matt Braker, who convened the final meeting of his year as president and clearly enjoyed the traditional “debunking” of departing presidents as much as the audience did.

President Matt thanked Scott’s Seafood and the ever-generous Bert George for the reception and the former presidents organized by Karen Philbrick for the greeting line. He also noted that former President Brian Adams would be honored by History San Jose at its annual Valley of Heart’s Delight fundraising event on Oct. 8 and encouraged Rotarians to attend.
Then outgoing trustees were thanked for their service, and incoming members were welcomed. Stepping down are Christine Burroughs, Jaime Chavez and Alfreda Eghan, Janikke Klem and Scott Paine. Incoming trustees are Tom Bondi, Terri Chapman, Mitch Fulton, Dave Peterson and Sarah Janigian. Steve Prouty will take over as Foundation president from Audrey Fox, who is President Matt’s big sister.
 
The outgoing Board of Directors were also recognized. They are Bonnie Bamburg, Sarah Clish, Karen Fox, Arthur Jue and Darren Sparks. Then the incoming Board of Directors were recognized. Stepping up are Tracy Adams, Stephanie Bielanski-Fehr, Jeff Faulkner, Megan Fluke and Bill Schroh. Tim Gill will be our new club president.

The theme Matt had chosen for his year in office was “Showtime”, and one feature was an occasional “Spotlight” segment singling out a Rotarian of extraordinary accomplishment. His final Spotlight shone on incoming trustee member Sarah Janigian, whose volunteer work and leadership over the years has spanned from helping schoolchildren to the elderly, feeding the homeless, and never failing to fulfill a challenge she accepted.
Oh, and for the second year Sarah is hosting a gathering at her home for participants in the 4th of July Rose, White and Blue Parade in her neighborhood. Members were encouraged to join the group participating in the parade–a party at the Janigian-Herhold home is a great incentive–and to attend the San Jose Giants game and fireworks at sundown. (Just think of the Giants’ stadium as the OK Corral.)

Then came the real Show: The debunking of President Matt’s record, chaired by Jason Stein, who’d spent the year identifying themes to, well, mock. Or glorify. For example, Matt’s revival of fines for members who didn’t wear their Rotary pins. The targets were warned, of course, and the segments entertaining. It is rumored but unconfirmed that Matt’s fines earned more money for the club than the gala. Other signature features of his meetings were the prevalence of country-western music (Jason presented Matt with a big white cowboy hat to wear for the show) and what satirists said was really a continuation of Karyn Sinunu-Towery’s presidency.
Every segment and participant in the show–most of them former presidents, but also the police chief–was crisp entertainment and very funny. Closing the show was a country song, Matt Braker’s Town, an impressively professional presentation in the style of Garth Brooks. Jay Alexander, former president Heather Lerner’s partner, produced it with a little help from AI to implement his creative ideas. A magical accomplishment.


Then came the bittersweet exchange of pins between the outgoing president and the incoming: attorney Tim Gill, who will lead the Rose, White and Blue contingent and whose first meeting as president will be July 8, when he will talk about his own agenda for his year and welcome award-winning investigative journalist, author and publisher Russ Baker as the speaker. He asked the audience if they’d like to have the Aug. 12 meeting offsite at a San Jose Giants game, and hands flew up, so it’s on.
President Tim then rang the bell to adjourn.


 

Respectfully submitted by Barbara Marshman, Meeting Summaries Committee
To see all pictures, click here thanks to Carl Cilkerr, Photography Committee.
Video is available here.


New Member Jeanne Lazzarini


Sponsor: Mark Lazzarini

Jeanne Lazzarini is a distinguished Master Math Educator, published author, presenter, and teacher trainer in elementary to adult levels. She currently serves on a board of directors for two math associations.  Her website is: 
www.mathmeetsart.org

Her educational background includes a B.S. in Math with honors from Santa Clara University; Masters in Math Education studies at UC Davis; a lifetime Single Subject Teaching Credential in Mathematics; 10 years teaching satellite tracking courses as Systems Analyst/Training Specialist for Unisys Corporation in the Blue Cube at Moffett Air Force Base; with post-graduate studies in Computer Science at Santa Clara University.
Jeanne taught math to K – 5th graders at San Jose’s Selma Olinder school; 1st grade at St. Leo’s, 7th and 8th grade Algebra at St. Leo’s; and summer High School Geometry at Bellarmine College Prep.
For 10 years she was also the Math Master Educator and R&D Specialist at RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) training/coaching educators and students of all ages; presenting at national Conferences/workshops; creating over 150 activities; writing articles for the California Mathematics Council; was contributing Editor for the NCTM (National Council for Teachers of Mathematics); and the Program Specialist for graduate students and teachers at the AIM (American Institute of Mathematics).
She was West Coast Editor for Victorian Homes Magazine and contributing Editor for several national magazines and newspapers on historic design and lifestyles.
 
She lives in San Jose, CA, with her husband, Mark in their restored 1887 Victorian home (which has been featured on HGTV and has won national recognition from the National Trust and others for its restoration). They have 2 happily married sons, Daniel and Robert, and 3 wonderful grandchildren.
 
Jeanne is an avid distance swimmer, stained glass window artist, and more! She has a zest for learning, loves writing and looks forward to engaging in San Jose Rotary!

 


Calendar

International House Committee Meeting
CT (GMT-06:00) Central Standard Time
More info

Office Closed due to 4th of July
CT (GMT-06:00) Central Standard Time
More info

Rose, White, and Blue Parade
CT (GMT-06:00) Central Standard Time
More info

VIP Rotary Fireworks
PT (GMT-08:00) Pacific Standard Time
More info

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS

Summit Center Dark due to 4th of July
Speaker: Summit Center Dark due to 4th of July

July 1st 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info

Russ Baker
Speaker: Russ Baker
The Story Behind the Story
July 8th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info

Tim Nichols
Speaker: Tim Nichols
songwriter and member of the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame
July 15th 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info

Ian Choudri, CEO
Speaker: Ian Choudri, CEO
California’s Corridor of Opportunity
July 22nd 2026 at 12:15 pm
More info