Since 1987, the Rotary Club of San Francisco has honored members of the City’s emergency services. Emergency Services Day is one of our signature events. In 2026, we will be recognizing once again the important and heroic work by members of the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco Sheriff's Office, and the United States Coast Guard — Pacific Area.
This year instead of holding the event at a Club luncheon, we will have an evening event on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at the Marines' Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco that will be open to members of all the Rotary clubs in San Francisco as well as to the public and community-based organizations in San Francisco.
We are reaching out now to Club Members to help with the following:
President Frank Yoke III (Development | Serra Residential Center, Inc.) welcomed everyone on Zoom or in person at the Hotel Nikko.
Visiting Rotarian and Guests
Today's Visiting Rotarian was President-Elect Jerry Winges from the Rotary Club of Burlingame Hillsborough. Our guests were Susan Upton and Richard Wenzel. Today's speaker was Ruth Wenzel. Welcome to all!
DDF Presentation
President Frank introduced President-Elect Jerry Winges from the Rotary Club of Burlingame Hillsborough. PE Jerry talked about how his Rotary club is helping to transform the lives of tribal welfare girls in rural India through education. This project came about through Bobba Venkatadri, currently the TRF Chair of the Rotary Club of Burlingame Hillsborough. Bobba has made it "his mission to help transform the lives of children with disadvantages in his native India by equipping them with 21st-century digital learning tools." You can read the full story entitled Dream Girls in the November 2025 issue of Rotary magazine.
The Joy of Cooking notes that “a host is like a general: it takes a mishap to reveal his genius.” This year, our Rotary team showed that even with hurdles, service continues with strength and unity. Under the steady guidance of Dan Joraanstad, who coordinated despite recovering from a broken shoulder, our Club once again brought Thanksgiving to The Arc San Francisco and to the Harbor Light communities.
This marked the 18th year that the Rotary Club of San Francisco participated in the preparation and delivery of a Thanksgiving meal to our friends in the community. With event chief Eric Schmautz abroad, Dan Joraanstad and President Frank Yoke worked with Chef Eric and Chef Timothy of the Salvation Army to organize meals for 450 people that included 200 at The Arc SF, 120 at Harbor Light, and 30 Rotarians and guests.
In accordance with our Club's Bylaws, the Nominating Committee has selected these candidates for open positions on the Board of Directors:
2026-27 President: Ozan Yasavur
2026-27 President-Elect: Alisha Marfatia
2026-28 Vice President of Community Service: Yana Sharma
2026-28 Vice President of Membership: Kayla Trunecek
2026-28 Vice President of Development: David Folk
2026-28 Vice President of International Service: Daniel DeSanto
2026-28 Vice President of DEI: Tim Hornbecker
All members are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting, to be held at the Holiday Party on December 16, 2025, to vote on these nominations.
Thank you to the following members for serving on this year’s Nominating Committee: Mary Fermi, David Folk, Bob Hermann, Tim Hornbecker, Scott Plakun, Sunny Singh, Anita Stangl, Christopher Wiseman, Ozan Yasavur (Committee Chair), and Frank Yoke.
I’m honored to be the first to invite you to a truly special Rotary event celebrating the historic partnership between Rotary and the United Nations. You have early access to information to share with your club, friends, and family before your October edition of Rotary Magazine arrives.
Global Goals, Local Action: Rotary Commemorates the UN at 80
San Francisco, CA — the birthplace of the UN Charter
Thursday, December 11, 2025
This one-day gathering will celebrate the historic relationship between Rotary International and the United Nations, and inspire us to take local action.
Greg Podd, Trustee from The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and member of the Rotary Club of Evergreen in Colorado, joins us to report on current international events involving Rotary International; talk about Rotary's effort and progress to end polio; and celebrate our Club's giving to TRF.
During this holiday season, join Catholic Charities in packaging dry goods for its clients. We'll work in teams and enjoy some fellowship in the process. Registration is limited to 10 volunteers; so register early!
Join us at the Westin St. Francis for this year’s Holiday Party and Annual Meeting. This is always the most festive and fun-filled luncheon of the year, so bring your family, friends, and business associates to celebrate with us! Hurry, and buy tickets! Price for individual tickets goes up on December 8, 2025. Sale of tickets for tables and sponsorships ends on December 8, 2025.
Join the Rotary Club of San Francisco's Social Committee for a performance of the Tony and Grammy Award winning musical, The Book of Mormon, on Sunday, January 25, 2026 at the Orpheum Theater. The performance is a 1 PM show. Dinner will be arranged after the performance. There are only 15 tickets for this performance in the Orchestra section. The deadline to buy your ticket is December 15, 2025.
This year, the kettles, cans, and bells will once again “invade and overtake” Union Square. Join your fellow Rotarians to ring bells, spread holiday cheer, and raise awareness for The Salvation Army and its Kettle Program.
San Francisco, CA — the birthplace of the UN Charter
This year, the kettles, cans, and bells will once again “invade and overtake” Union Square. Join your fellow Rotarians to ring bells, spread holiday cheer, and raise awareness for The Salvation Army and its Kettle Program.