Rotaract Global Service Club
Lead the project you care about, with Rotary behind you.
Service Above Self, in action. A global Rotaract club where young leaders spend less time in meetings and more time on projects that Create Lasting Impact. Bring the project you care about, and Rotary’s family of 1.2 million members in more than 200 countries will help you make it real.
2026-27 Rotary presidential message
Create Lasting Impact
President Steve Bender joined Rotary in 2012 with one goal: to Create Lasting Impact. He was thrilled when RI President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola, known as Yinka, announced it as Rotary’s 2026-27 presidential message. President Babalola began his own Rotary journey in Rotaract in 1984. Steve met him, then president-elect, and RI General Secretary John Hewko at RIMEX IA 2026 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, February 26 to 28, 2026.
What we are creating
A new kind of club. Rotary supports Rotaract.
Usually a Rotaract club is a small add on to the Rotary club that sponsors it. We flip that. The Rotary Club of Newport Beach exists to support its Rotaract club, and our Rotaractors direct the projects.
Rotary Club of Newport Beach
Brings treasure and talent
- Sponsors pay Rotaract dues for scholarship members
- A Rotarian mentor for every Rotaractor
- Advisors, connections and Rotary’s network in over 200 countries
Rotaract Club of Newport Beach
Brings talent and time, and directs the projects
- Each member leads one real project
- A small Board of 7 leads the club together
- Decisions are proposed in writing and voted online
This is Steve Bender’s Time, Treasure and Talent message in action. The club already exists: it is chartered with Rotary International and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Newport Beach, so strong applicants can join now.
Where your project fits
The 36 elements of 4-7-8-17
Every member leads a project in one element of the 47817 framework. Projects are showcased at 47817.org.
4
Rotary Four-Way Test
Truth, fairness, goodwill and benefit to all concerned.
7
Rotary Areas of Focus
Peace, disease, water, mothers and children, education, local economies, environment.
8
Pillars of Positive Peace
From well functioning government to the free flow of information.
17
UN Sustainable Development Goals
From no poverty to partnerships for the goals.
Our flagship project: Rotary Reef
Life below water is our priority. Rotary Reef protects the oceans, because when the oceans die, we die. The club grows it every year and always supports the 47817.org format and its original Panama Project.
Come to Panama. Rotaractors can apply to attend our regular projects in Bocas del Toro, with deep discounts for members. See the Panama projects.
Our big goals
Bring back a species. Build coral reefs in all seven seas.
Most clubs pick a service project for the year. Our Rotaractors are taking on two goals big enough to change a rainforest and a coastline, and they get to do it with their own hands.
Plant mountain almonds. Bring back the Great Green Macaw.
The Great Green Macaw nests in the hollows of the mountain almond tree, the almendro de montaña, and feeds on its seeds. When the almendros disappeared, so did the macaws. So we are planting the forest back. Since 2020, volunteers have planted more than 15,000 mountain almond trees in Bocas del Toro.
Every Rotaractor who joins us in Bocas plants trees with their own hands. Picture it: you put a seedling in the ground today, and a few years from now a Great Green Macaw nests in it, back on islands where the species was lost.
Build Rotary Reefs in all seven seas.
Rotary Reefs began in Bocas del Toro with three mini reefs built as a test. They worked better than anyone expected: the fish came back, and a nurse shark now lives on the reef full time. Watch the video.
Now the goal is a Rotary Reef in every one of the seven seas, and Rotaractors can lead one where they live. A club can sponsor a 6 foot mini reef for $1,950.
The oceans give us half the oxygen we breathe and feed billions of people, and coral reefs shelter a quarter of all ocean life. When the oceans die, we die.
Coming in December 2026: our club is hosting the Mazatlán Project in Mazatlán, Mexico, chaired by Natalia Naranjo.
Our Rotaract club also mentors the student reef divers of Randolph Union High School in Randolph, Vermont. Read their story.
The 10 year plan to bring the macaw home
- 2020Volunteers plant the first mountain almond trees
- 2027Construction starts on the breeding aviary at Dolphin Bay
- 2028The first trees are expected to bear fruit
- 2030The first Great Green Macaws are released in Bocas del Toro
How many young professionals can say they helped bring a species back and built reefs across the world? In our club, that is what Rotaractors do.
Scholarships
Five seats for every Sustainable Development Goal.
Each Goal has up to 5 Rotaractor seats. The first 2 are scholarships, and the other 3 are open to members who pay $50 in dues.
Scholarship seat. Your Rotaract dues are paid. There is no cash award; being selected is the honor.
Member seat. Same project support, mentor and vote, with $50 in dues.
What we ask of you
- Lead one project in your Goal
- A 15 minute interview with the Rotary president
- A simple written report to the club each month: what you are doing, and how we can support you
1 | No poverty | |
2 | Zero hunger | |
3 | Good health and well being | |
4 | Quality education | |
5 | Gender equality | |
6 | Clean water and sanitation | |
7 | Affordable and clean energy | |
8 | Decent work and economic growth | |
9 | Industry, innovation and infrastructure | |
10 | Reduced inequalities | |
11 | Sustainable cities and communities | |
12 | Responsible consumption and production | |
13 | Climate action | |
14 | Life below water | |
15 | Life on land | |
16 | Peace, justice and strong institutions | |
17 | Partnerships for the goals |
Why join
Top 10 reasons to be a Rotaractor in our club
If you have been invited, you have already proven yourself. You care about a project that could benefit everyone it touches. Now imagine what you can do with the power of Rotary behind you.
- Turn your passion into a real projectYou already have the idea. The club gives you a home to launch it and make it happen.
- It fits a busy lifeThere is no pile of meetings, and a small Board handles the routine club work so you can focus on your project.
- Join our mentor programEach Rotaractor is paired with a Rotarian in an equal partnership. You trade experience and connections for fresh ideas, and both of you grow.
- Real support for your projectWe can help you raise awareness, create a website, and set up a campaign through a third party 501(c)(3). Details are available upon request.
- Grow as a leaderLeading a project teaches you to plan, budget, lead a team, and speak up for a cause.
- Referrals for graduate school and careersWe have a strong record of recommendation letters, and many of our Rotaractors have received scholarships and grants. Our members open doors through their business connections.
- Put Rotary’s power behind youRotary is in over 200 countries. Its people, experience and reach help your project go further than you could alone.
- Be part of Rotary ReefOur flagship project protects life below water, because when the oceans die, we die.
- Cross pollinate around the globeJoin members on six continents. Share ideas, learn from each other’s projects, and grow your own program.
- See the difference you makePoint to people helped and places improved. You can also write for Revision Magazine, our global magazine launching in 2027.
Traveling? Rotaractors are welcome at Rotary club meetings anywhere in the world. Let the club president know ahead of time, and you may be invited to give a 2 to 4 minute pitch about your project.
Rotaractors at work
Real projects. Real people. Real smiles.
Our members serve side by side with Rotarians and partners like Ayuda International, from island schools to dental clinics around the world.
Our mentors
You will not do this alone.
Every Rotaractor is paired with a mentor who brings experience, connections and encouragement. Meet the people ready to back your project.
- Steve Bender
- Don Bender
- Zachary Weaver
- Natalia Naranjo
- Dr. Jennifer Stone
- Dr. Travis Hunt
- Dr. Kaity Zech
- Sophia D'Angelo
- Kathleen D'Angelo
Meetings and projects
Come to a meeting. Join a project.
You do not have to be a member to visit. Drop in to a meeting, meet the club and see what our Rotaractors are working on.
Meetings
First Tuesday of every month
Club meeting online
5:30 pm Pacific Time. Project updates, guest speakers and time to plan together.
Third Thursday of every month
Club meeting online
5:30 pm Pacific Time. Rotarians and Rotaractors working side by side on your projects.
April and August
In person gatherings
Twice a year we meet face to face. Locations will be announced here.
Projects you can join
December 2026
The Mazatlán Project
Our club hosts a project in Mazatlán, Mexico, chaired by Natalia Naranjo. Learn more
Throughout the year
Bocas del Toro projects
Plant mountain almonds, dive the Rotary Reefs and serve island families in Panama, with deep discounts for members. See the projects
Who can join
Questions, answered.
If you are 18 or older and you care about making a real difference, there is a seat for you.
Still wondering about something? Send us a message.
Who can join?
Anyone 18 or older who wants to lead a project that serves one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Students, young professionals and career changers are all welcome, wherever you live.
What does it cost?
Each Goal has 5 seats. The first 2 are scholarship seats, and your Rotaract dues are paid. The other 3 are member seats with $50 in dues. Every seat gets the same project support, mentor and vote.
What happens after I apply?
We review every application. Finalists are invited to a 15 minute interview with the Rotary president. If you are accepted, you are matched with a Rotarian mentor and start working on your project.
How much time does it take?
Two online meetings a month, both at 5:30 pm Pacific Time, and in person gatherings in April and August. Add to that a simple written report to the club each month: what you are doing, and how we can support you. The rest of your time goes into your own project.
Do I need to live in Newport Beach?
No. Our club is global. We meet online twice a month, and Rotaractors lead projects where they live.
Can I go to Bocas del Toro or Mazatlán?
Yes. Rotaractors can apply to attend our regular projects in Bocas del Toro, Panama, with deep discounts for members, and to join the Mazatlán Project in December 2026. Tick the Bocas del Toro box when you apply.
I am a Rotarian. How can I help?
Sponsor a Rotaractor by paying the dues for a scholarship seat, or become a mentor and share your talent. Tell us you want to help.
Apply
Apply for a seat in your Goal.
Tell us about the project you lead. Scholarship seats go first; if they are filled, we will offer you a member seat.
- Choose the Goal your project serves.
- Send this short application.
- Finalists have a 15 minute interview with the Rotary president.
- New members are welcomed at an online ceremony.
Contact
Talk to us.
Ask a question, visit a meeting or tell us about a project idea. We reply to every message by email.
For Rotarians
Sponsor a Rotaractor
Pay the dues for a scholarship seat and give a young leader the chance to build a reef, plant a forest or launch a project in their own community. You bring the treasure and talent; they bring the time.