Mission San Rafael Rotary Club

🎉 A wonderful start to a new Rotary year! 🎉

Last Thursday evening, Mission San Rafael Rotary proudly welcomed our 2026–27 leadership team during our annual Installation Celebration.

Congratulations to our new Club President, Gary Pape, who was officially installed by District 5150 Governor Yuhui Chen. We're excited about the year ahead under Gary's leadership as we continue to live Rotary's motto of *Service Above Self*.

The evening was also filled with other special moments:
✨ A warm welcome to our newest member, Barbara Brown.
✨ Welcome back to returning member Dameion Brown—we're so glad to have you with us again!
✨ Congratulations to Paul Simmons, recognized as our Rotarian of the Month for his outstanding dedication and service to our club.

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the beginning of what promises to be another year of friendship, fellowship, and making a difference in our community.

Here's to an inspiring 2026–27 Rotary year! 💙💛

https://missionsanrafaelrotary.org/

Happy Fourth of July from Mission San Rafael Rotary!

Mission San Rafael Rotary was proud to join Rotarians from Novato and San Rafael clubs this morning as we marched together in the Novato Fourth of July Parade.

What a wonderful way to celebrate our nation’s birthday—surrounded by friends, neighbors, and fellow Rotarians, all sharing in the spirit of community and service. From our decorated truck to our enthusiastic walkers, it was a morning filled with smiles, flags, and plenty of patriotic pride.

A special congratulations to our incoming Club President, Gary Pape, who proudly represented Mission San Rafael Rotary in today’s parade. Gary officially begins his Rotary year this month, and we’re excited for the leadership, enthusiasm, and service he’ll bring to our club. Here’s to a wonderful year ahead!

A big thank you to everyone who participated and to the thousands of spectators who cheered us on. We love being part of this incredible community.

❤️🤍💙 Happy Independence Day! ❤️🤍💙

Please join us in welcoming our newest Mission San Rafael Rotary member, **Kim McClure**, who was inducted on June 4!

Kim brings a lifetime of service, leadership, and dedication to education. After nearly three decades teaching young children in San Francisco and Marin County schools, she recently retired from the classroom and now serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Education at Dominican University, mentoring the next generation of teachers.

Her commitment to community extends well beyond education. Kim volunteers with the Marin Food Bank, serves as a Bridgewatch Angels su***de watch volunteer, supports her church community, and enjoys tending her plot at the Terra Linda Community Garden.

When asked why she wanted to join Rotary, Kim shared that she was seeking "a way of contributing to something larger than myself." Her belief that communities thrive when people invest their time and talents in support of others aligns perfectly with Rotary's motto: **Service Above Self**.

We are honored to welcome Kim to the Mission San Rafael Rotary family and look forward to serving our community together.

Past President Mike, Kim, Mentor Gayle, Incoming President Gary, and current President Maika.

It’s official… and now we have the sign to prove it! 🎉

The Mission San Rafael Rotary Club was honored to be recognized as one of the “Best Clubs” in Rotary District 5150 — one of just 6 clubs selected out of 40 throughout the district.

This recognition reflects the heart, dedication, and service of our incredible members, who show up again and again to support our community, local scholarships, service projects, and one another.

Thank you to every member who helps make MSRR such a welcoming, hardworking, and impactful club. We’re proud of what we accomplish together. ❤️💙💛

Thank you for attending our April social! We hope to see you tomorrow May 6 at San Rafael Joe’s. Our special speaker guest is Lori Fregoli. We start at 12:15. See you there!

🌟 **Local Hero Spotlight: Ron Albert** 🌟

We were honored to welcome Ron Albert of the Sausalito Rotary Club to speak at Mission San Rafael Rotary on April 9. And what an inspiring visit it was!

Ron was recently named Rotarian of the Month for February 2026 by Rotary District 5150, and it’s easy to see why.

Over the past year, Ron has taken “Service Above Self” to an extraordinary level: traveling to Ukraine multiple times to support humanitarian relief efforts in active war zones. With no personal ties to the region, he answered a simple calling: to help.

🛠️ He assisted with clearing debris after missile strikes
🏠 Helped rebuild damaged homes
🚆 Traveled over 20 hours by train into uncertain conditions
🤝 Built connections with Rotary clubs in Kyiv

Ron didn’t just talk about service. He lived it, stepping into some of the most challenging conditions imaginable to support people he had never met.

His courage, compassion, and quiet leadership are a powerful reminder of what Rotary is all about. 💙💛

👏 Please join us in congratulating Ron Albert on this well-deserved recognition and thanking him for representing the very best of Rotary in action.

https://www.facebook.com/ronald.albert.9