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Welcome to Arlington Rotary Club

Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service, fellowship and networking. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of people who share your drive to give back.

We are part of Rotary International, the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. Rotarians are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and fight disease under the motto Service Above Self.

Speakers, Events and News

Thursday meetings are currently In Person or Zoomed, depending on the week, from 12:15 to 1:30. (Room opens at 11:45 for fellowship). Meetings start with club business and "Happy Talk", followed by a speaker about 12:30.

Members: To attend a lunch at Ragtime, sign up in advance. See ARCLight for details.

Guests: Select "Contact Us" from the main menu to send an email to the Club President or Membership Chair.

Thursday, August 11th (Zoom) - Peter Irvine, Classification Talk

Peter is Deputy Director and “COO” of the Office of Aviation Analysis, an analytical and program office in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, with five programs, a $400 million budget, and thirty professionals. Peter also serves as the agency’s Executive Lead for Aviation Policy, a change management role that requires working with the Federal Aviation Administration and other organizations to develop cutting edge aviation policies.

Peter lives in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighbood of Arlington, Virginia with his wife, Monica, two school-aged children, Pierson and Marshall, and Penny the sheepdog. In addition to education and professional endeavors, which are necessarily the focus of most days, the family enjoys travel and outdoor activities. He loves DC United, the English Premier League, and the Denver Broncos. He is a third generation Rotary International candidate, following his grandfather and father who were part of Rotary for years. Peter completed a Rotary exchange in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the late 1990s.

Upcoming Speakers

August 25 – Ragtime Restaurant - Eileen Smith, Classification talk
September 1 – Virtual - Emily Cassell, Update on Arlington Tourism
September 8 – Ragtime Restaurant - Dr. Jeremy Campbell "Amazon Rainforest: Social and Environmental Dimensions of Crucial World Region.”
September 15 – Virtual - Michelle Stafford, Arlington Neighborhood Complete Streets
September 9 – Ragtime Restaurant - Whytni Kernodle, Arlingtonians for Justice, Activist, and Arlington Independent Media

* In "classification talks", new Rotary members talk about their career and personal history.

Service Above Self

Wednesday August 24th 6pm -- Volunteers Needed: Backpack Packing Party

It's back to school time! We'll be packing backpacks with school supplies for Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) to donate to kids in their affordable housing on Wednesday, August 24th at 6pm in the Wilson Room at the Central Library. Please let Chelsi know if you can make it or if you have any questions.

There are several projects going on in August this year due to consequences of timing, so it would be a great opportunity to get back into community service with one of these projects if you haven't attended one in a while. We'd love to see everyone's faces at either the backpack packing party (8/24), the blood drive (8/28), or AFAC (8/29).

Sunday, August 28th 9am to 2pm -- Rock Spring Congregational/UCC Blood Drive

Make sure to sign up for the INOVA Blood Drive on August 28th at Rock Spring Congregational Church (5010 Little Falls Rd, Arlington, VA 22207). To make an appointment contact hugh.barton@comcast.net

Monday, August 29th -- Packing Food at AFAC

Volunteers needed! We are scheduled to pack food at Arlington Food Assistance Center on Monday, August 29th at 7pm. We turn large quantities into multiple smaller portions for AFAC clients to take home.

Please let Chelsi know if you would like to participate. Remember, they require volunteers to wear a hair covering or they will provide a hairnet (super fashionable). They also require closed-toed shoes and that volunteers be vaccinated.

Arlington Rotary Club has supported AFAC in various ways for many years.

January 17, 2022 -- A Successful MLK Day of Service

For the fourth year in a row, Arlington Rotary Club sponsored a no-sew fleece blanket assembly project during Volunteer Arlington's Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer Day.

Like 2021, this year was a little different! Everything was done in a Covid-safe fashion with contact-free pickups and returns of the blanket kits.

The blankets were donated to three local non-profits, who in turn gave the blankets to their clients. They were:

AHC Inc., which develops and manages affordable housing;
Bridges to Independence, which helps individuals and families avoid or end homelessness; and
A-SPAN, an NGO committed to ending homelessness in Arlington.