Who Are We?

We are People of Action! Together We Can...

Build a Better and Stronger Community

Promote Literacy -

Since 2000, Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary has, and continues to, distribute dictionaries to all 3rd grade students in Jefferson County, including Home schoolers, Swan School, Sunfield, Seventh Day Adventist School, Salish Coast Elementary, Chimacum Elementary, Quilcene and Brinnon State schools plus Quinault over on the West coast of Jefferson County. Number distributed each year, somewhere around 200 to 230 Dictionaries.

“A dictionary kindles the fire for the love of words and from a love of words a passion for reading and writing”

Author Unknown

Help With Food Insecurity

Sunrise Rotary is excited to partner with Jefferson Healthcare on Tiny Pantries in both Port Townsend (between Dove House and the Hospital Express Clinic) and Irondale at the Irondale Church, 681 Irondale Rd, Port Hadlock WA 98338

Additionally, we are proud to provide a grant to the Population Health department at Jefferson Healthcare, "First days Food Bag" nutritious food for new mothers (low income) on discharge from the hospital with a new baby.

Empower Youth Through Involvement and Leadership

Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help younger leaders build leadership skills, expand education and learn the value of service.

Interact: Together with our co-sponsor, the Port Townsend "noon" Club, we sponsor the Interact Club at Port Townsend High School. Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power and fun of Service Above Self.

Support The Next Generation of Leaders:

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards "RYLA" is a leadership development program for young people who want to learn new skills, build their confidence, and have fun. Events range from one-day seminars to weeklong camps.

RYLA is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where you develop your skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.

Each year Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary sponsors one to three student leaders to participate in this program.

Build World Peace Through Rotary Youth Exchange-

Each year, Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary, through Rotary International, inspires young leaders to serve as catalysts for peace and social justice in their local communities and throughout the world, long after their exchanges end.

Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time. Students spend up to one year in a new country, they learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. In a true "exchange" Sunrise Rotary club and our community "hosts" a student from another country here for up to one year. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.

Act Globally

Promote Health and Human Dignity -

Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary is a proud contributor to The DIgnity Toilets in Togo, West Africa. The international community is called upon to expand access to safe toilets and reminds that sanitation is a human right. Recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2015, the human right to sanitation entitles everyone to have physical and affordable access to sanitation, in all spheres of life, that is safe, hygienic, secure, and socially and culturally acceptable and that provides privacy and ensures dignity.

Additionally; we help children, mostly orphaned, through education and a safe place to live in the Republic of the Congo (the Love More Foundation) and also in the Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda Rising)

Eradicate Polio!

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years. Our goal of ridding the world of this disease is closer than ever.

As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Today, polio remains endemic in only two countries. But it’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

Every donation helps us obtain the vaccines, transport and materials needed in the fight against polio.

DONATE NOW

History of Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary

It all began on June 11, 1999, when a new morning club was chartered in Port Townsend. Sponsored by the Port Townsend Rotary Club which is now known to the Sunriser's as the Noon Club.

The new club was formed to help those that found it difficult for a mid-day lunch meeting. Other than rising early to do "good in the world" (one of the main reasons for Rotary International's existence) the Sunrise Club raises money for local and international charitable projects, with projects like Running of the Balls, Driving in the Dark, Guess who's Coming to Dinner, administration of the SATs for college hopefuls in Jefferson County and much more.

Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary began with a focus on youth and it remains to this day. All projects and donations must meet the criteria: Will it benefit the youth of our community and beyond.

Paul Harris Fellowship Award

The below listed Paul Harris Fellows have distinguished themselves and our Club by being the recipients of one or more Paul Harris awards. Paul Harris fellowships may be awarded by our Club's Board for exceptional service to the club and/or community. They are also earned from Rotary International by accumulating personal contributions of $1000 to Rotary Foundation in order to do good in the world. The plus numbers beside the member's name indicate multiple Paul Harris Awards.

Current Pt Townsend Sunrise Members Paul Harris Fellows

Bob Sokol	+2
Charles Neu	+1
Chuck Henry	+3
Donna Doney
Hank Sukert
Jayne Neu	+2
Joannie Williams	+2

John Mackey
Lois Sherwood	+1
Marianne Walters	+2
Marilyn Hughes-Pinkerton	+4
Richard Moore	+1
Richard Wojt	+2
Rita Huubbard	+2

Globally....

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

Locally...

Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club consists of 30 something members ranging in age from 18 to 88 years old who come as they are, and do what they can to give back in our community and beyond to help all those in need. We meet every week to get informed, plan projects and identify new and pressing needs.

And did we mention FUN? We have lots of fun!