I’ve been watching the Buddhist monks Walk for Peace that started in late October and will end later this week. The 19 monks and a rescue dog are walking 2,300 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC to promote world peace.
It’s perfect timing that their walk will end during Rotary’s Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month. Peace is one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus, and yet all of our areas of focus contribute to peace. When we feed the hungry, provide economic development opportunities, or help the environment, we are creating conditions for peace to flourish.
We also engage in direct peacebuilding activities. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with The Boulder Rotary Club’s Peacebuilding Committee. The committee and the club engage in a wide array of peacebuilding activities, including hosting an annual Boulder Builds Peace Initiative, a two-week series of programs. The club created an Infinite Walk of Peace, with Peace Poles throughout, that is part of the Boulder International Peace Garden.
During my club visits this year, I have encouraged each club to dedicate a Peace Pole in their community. More and more are being added throughout our district and the world, and it is my dream to see each club in our district have at least one Peace Pole. They are relatively inexpensive (around $300) and easy to install.
I also want to highlight the visit by Rotary International Director Wyn Spiller to our district in January. She was a guest at a reception thanking our Major Donors, she visited Project C.U.R.E. with me, and she attended the Rotary Night at the Stock Show, a fun event that attracted 300 Rotarians and friends.
DG Cindy Rold
FEBRUARY IS ROTARY'S PEACEBUILDING & CONFLICT PREVENTION MONTH
Rotary has a long history of promoting peace in the world through a wide variety of initiatives, including its commitment to starting Rotary Peace Centers, which have educated more than 1,800 Rotary Peace Fellows, who have become catalysts for peace in over 140 countries.
On January 21, we had record attendance at Rotary Night at the Stock Show with a sold-out dinner of 150 people and over 300 Rotarians and friends at the rodeo. RI Director Wyn Spiller, DG Cindy Rold, and Denver Club President Chris Marseilles rode on a hitch pulled by six beautiful Clydesdale horses from Kansas. While they rode, the announcer spoke about Rotary and District 5450.
THE DISTRICT IS HERE FOR YOU
FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE: Founded by Rotarians in 2003, Reunite Cultures Fund (RCF) has organized and coordinated dozens of international friendship and cultural exchange trips. Over the years, these programs have inspired hundreds of young people to engage with Rotary, build international friendships, and serve as cultural ambassadors, building bridges between people and nations, and creating a more connected and compassionate world. Click here to read more and see upcoming trips - they are also willing to present to your club.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY | WorldDenver hosts one of the largest International Women's Day (IWD) celebrations in the country with nearly 800 community and business leaders, elected officials, and supporters attending. The March 6 event this year is being co-chaired by a Rotarian, and they are offering a discounted sponsorship to our Rotary clubs: a $2,000 Advocate Sponsorship for a table of 10 for any club in Rotary District 5450.
There is a rich history between our district and WorldDenver’s World Affairs Challenge education program. And, there are several aspects of this year’s IWD event that align with Rotary and our commitment to WASH around the world. AY Young, a WASH advocate, will be performing at the event and Water For People is the 2026 Organizational Honoree.
LEADERSHIP LAB - SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, May 2, 2026 - 8:30 am to Noon at Front Range Community College, Westminster, CO | A Rotary Experience - A hands-on, idea-driven morning where Rotarians test ideas, sharpen skills, and take-home tools that actually work in real clubs.
Leadership Lab is designed for leaders at every level — new voices, seasoned Rotarians, and those quietly doing the work behind the scenes. This is not a lecture series - It’s a lab — where ideas are tested, skills are sharpened, and leadership becomes practical.
WOMEN POWERING CHANGE| Thursday, May 7, 2026 – 4:00 to 7:00 pm at University Memorial Center, Boulder, CO | The Women Powering Change event is an annual expo showcasing the work and stories of women making a difference for a more just and sustainable world. You will meet amazing community members, activists, philanthropists and women led non-profits and women owned B-corps organizations who are making a difference locally and globally. Rotary District 5450 Membership Committee will host a booth at the expo! General Admission is Free or on Donation.
Registration is now open!!! The worldwide EPIC Day of Service was started by D5450 Rotarians and Rotarians in the Northeast. They had a vision and made it happen. Did you see the article in the Rotary magazine about EPIC Day? Brianna Sherman of the Denver Metro South club was quoted throughout. The 2026 EPIC Day of Service will be May 16 - planning is already underway to make this year's event even greater! Find tips and resources to get started at epicdayofservice.org
MARKETING IN A BOX - the District has FREE marketing materials that your club can use at your next event to educate the public about Rotary, including a pop-up tent, printed brochures, a table banner and more! CLICK HERE for more information!
FOLLOW THE DISTRICT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Follow the District's Facebook page to get up-to-date news and information about interesting things happening in our District and in Rotary around the world. Please follow us:https://www.facebook.com/District5450Rotary/
CLUB CONNECTIONS
AT THE TABLE WITH DR. KING, Sat. April 4th 3:00 pm EPIC Campus, Littleton. A one-hour dramatic presentation using live music, spoken word and multimedia to bring to life Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "Knock at Midnight". Presented by Denver Southeast's DEI Committee. Admission is free and a link to register will be forthcoming.
Make sure to check out the CLUB EVENTS page and see all of the events happening around the District.
Post your story on your club's website or Facebook page and then send the link to office@rotary5450.org. Doing so will give your club more exposure - readers will see the story on your club's site, which will let them know more about your club and members.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
The Rotary Foundation – February
February’s theme of Peacebuilding & Conflict Prevention reminds us that peace does not happen by chance. It is built intentionally — through education, understanding, thoughtful leadership, and sustained commitment.
Through The Rotary Foundation, Rotarians around the world support programs that address the root causes of conflict and help create conditions for healthier, more resilient communities. Peacebuilding efforts focus not only on responding to conflict, but on preventing it by strengthening systems, relationships, and opportunity.
Here in District 5450, we are honored to be part of that work through our sponsorship of 2025-2026 Rotary Peace Fellow, Alexis Romero. Alexis has been awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship to pursue a Master’s degree in Peace Studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan. Her academic focus centers on structural violence — the ways in which economic systems, healthcare access, education, public policy, and justice structures can unintentionally contribute to conflict and harm.
Through her research, Alexis will examine how policy pressures and cultural ideologies in the United States intersect and shape outcomes related to physical health, mental health, and direct violence. Her work reflects Rotary’s commitment to developing leaders who are equipped to translate research and theory into real-world peacebuilding impact. Learn more about these programs here: Rotary World Peace Fellowships.
Peacebuilding requires consistency and long-term investment. Contributions to the Annual Fund help make this work possible and support a wide range of initiatives, including District and Global Grants that address needs both locally and globally.
This month is also an opportunity to reflect on the impact of sustained giving. Members of the Paul Harris Society demonstrate a deep commitment to Rotary’s mission by giving at a level that allows the Foundation to plan thoughtfully and invest with confidence year after year.
For Rotarians interested in becoming Paul Harris Fellows, District 5450 offers a points matching program that can help accelerate recognition. Through this program, accumulated Foundation Recognition Points may be matched with district points, making it easier for members to reach Paul Harris Fellow status while supporting the work of The Rotary Foundation. Please contact me, and I will be glad to help you become a new Paul Harris member.
Whether your passion is peace, education, community health, or our ongoing fight to end Polio, your generosity makes a difference. Learn more about Rotary’s work toward a Polio-free world here: Polio Eradication.
Thank you for the role you play in advancing understanding, goodwill, and peace in the world.
