At the Rotary District 6380 Annual Conference in early June, the Rochester Rotary Club was honored with the Living the Action Plan Award, recognizing its exceptional commitment to Rotary International’s strategic priorities. Founded in 1905 as the world’s first service club, Rotary International guides its global network through an Action Plan centered on seven key areas: Peacebuilding and conflict prevention, Disease prevention and treatment, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Maternal and child health, education and literacy, Community economic development, and Support of the environment.Clubs around the world are encouraged to design and implement service projects that make a measurable impact in these critical areas, and Rochester Rotary’s efforts stood out among its peers for their dedication and effectiveness.
“We were surprised and honored to receive this award,” said Rochester Rotary Club President Christine Hage. The Rochester Rotary Club, composed of 85 members, was recognized for its impactful service in several of Rotary International’s areas of focus, including disease prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, basic literacy, and environmental Support.
Club members contributed both time and financial resources to these efforts. In some cases, members participated directly in hands-on projects; in others, the Club provided funding to support initiatives led by partner organizations. One recent example is the Club’s recent donation of more than $5,000 to the Clinton River Watershed Council to purchase water testing supplies, enabling Rochester-area students to help monitor the health of the Clinton River. Each year, the Club raises and distributes nearly $100,000 in Support of local and international service projects.
Several Rochester Rotary members were also recognized for individual contributions. Dr. Jay and Linda Eastman received the Terry Youlton Award for International Humanitarian Service in honor of their work at Casa Colibri, a medical center they established in Guatemala. “Our mission is to help the Mayan people of northwest Guatemala improve the quality of their lives through programs in health, education, and related infrastructure,” said Linda Eastman. The clinic provides medical, dental, and vision care, as well as midwifery and literacy training in remote rural areas.
Club President Christine Hage was also honored with the Virginia Nordby Women in Rotary Award, recognizing her leadership and advocacy. Earlier this year, she led an Open World library development delegation from Kazakhstan. The one-week visit, funded by the U.S. Congressional Office for International Leadership, brought six librarians to the United States to explore public library development. Hage organized visits to 13 public libraries across southeast Michigan to showcase how American libraries serve their communities.
District Governor Sharna Hatcher attended a recent Club meeting to celebrate the awards alongside Rochester Rotary members.
A highlight of the evening was the “People’s Choice Best Taste” contest, where guests voted for their favorite culinary creation. The 2025 winner: Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, located at 301 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy. Known for its distinctive gaucho-style service and impressive salad and appetizer bar, Fogo de Chão brought bold flavors and culinary excellence to the event.
At the May 20 meeting, Rochester Rotaries Charities President Tom Townsend presented Neighborhood House with a check for $10,000 to support the Food Pantry and Sustainability Services.
From left to right, we have Nurzhan Zholdybalinov, Deputy Head of ElectronicRresources at the National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Next is Zhanar Kulzhayeva, the American Corners program coordinator at Kazakhstan's US Embassy and Consulate. Zhanar is fluent in English and is the delegation's facilitator. Ainur Shaimukhanbetova is the Chief Executive Officer of Karagada Regional Universal Research Library. and is head of reference at the East Kazakhstan regional library. Altoty Saliyeva is the Department Head of the Aktobe Regional Universal Scientific Library. Meruyert Zhailibayeva is the head of reference at the East Kazakhstan Regional Library. Last but not least is Meiram Beltembayev, the director of the centralized Library system of Almaty. 
We began our journey at Hitsville USA, home of the Motown Museum, where we saw the iconic hat and glove Michael Jackson wore in the Billie Jean video—an incredible piece of music history he personally donated during his visit. 
The day culminated at Orchestra Hall, where the Detroit Symphony Orchestra delivered a stunning concert performance of Bizet’s Carmen. As we departed, we had the unexpected pleasure of meeting one of the performers, who graciously posed for a photo with members of our delegation.
