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Moments That Matter
Stories, reflections, and moments from our Rotary journey.
These are some of the stories that shape who we are. From heartfelt member reflections and inspiring service experiences to club milestones and community impact, Moments That Matter captures the spirit of the Palo Alto University Rotary Club. Each story reflects our shared values—service, fellowship, and the joy of making a difference together.
Civic leaders rally to save The Food Closet as parent organization shutters
Downtown Palo Alto pantry has been operated by the Downtown Streets Team, which is shutting down
With its parent organization shutting down this month, The Food Closet is forging a new partnership with the Peninsula Healthcare Connection, ensuring that the downtown Palo Alto pantry will continue to provide groceries to local men, women and families who are homeless or food insecure.
......... Community members and city leaders teamed up to ensure that The Food Closet would not close.
Civility, Rotary, And The U.S. Constitution
By Hon. Abraham D. Sofaer
Presented at PAUR Civil Discourse Salon, Sept. '23
Rotary’s Rules.
First, as you know, Rotary has no “civility” rule as such. The Four-Way Test, however, necessarily rests on the obligation to be civil. How else could a person think, say, or do?.........
Political Reality.
We support these rules and the civil conduct they require. But these rules have little (if anything) to do with American political reality.
Between Cynicism & Naivete: Lessons from Northern Ireland
By Byron Bland, Associate Director -
Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation
Presented at PAUR Spring Gala, May '24
Imagining a Shared Future
While working in Northern Ireland, I had the privilege of meeting individuals from all walks of life. Many were heartbroken, many were angry, and many were both. Yet, even in the face of such adversity, there were moments when small glimmers of hope broke through, showcasing their resilience. Their dreams of peace, which seemed pure fantasy before, somehow became slightly less fantastic. One of those moments had to do with a handshake.
Rotarians Fighting Hunger
Photos & Story by Katie Cooney
Ten to eighteen volunteers descend upon the East Palo Alto Senior Center every other Thursday morning. Loading boxes of fruits and vegetables onto hand trucks, volunteers steer them back to a recreational room turned make-shift warehouse. There bananas, cereal, granola bars, milk and tomatoes are sorted, repackaged, and readied to be handed out or delivered to the hungry.
BooksPlus Targets the End of “Summer Slide”
by Katie Cooney
Summer has passed and children are not going back to school due to the pandemic. Now, more than ever, the digital divide affects children in poverty by limiting their ability to access online learning and resources. For many years, PAUR donated a children’s book, in honor of the weekly club speaker, to Belle Haven Elementary school’s library. In 2019, Palo Alto University Rotary (PAUR) Club launched the BooksPlus initiative.......
For the friendships: Meet the three local Rotary Club chapters
Palo Alto, Palo University and East Palo Alto Bay Shore Rotary Club presidents discuss their work
Local Rotary Clubs are community service organizations a part of Rotary International, which began in 1905 as a space for young professionals to exchange ideas. Over time, the group turned to a humanitarian aid service, with chapters across the world. Rotary clubs can be established anywhere, and each has a different focal point. Members of the club will work together to take on local and international issues.
Care On Wheels
Rotary Mobile Health Clinic
In early December, more than 80 rotary club members gathered in the parking lot of the Sheraton Hotel in Palo Alto to tour the newest addition to their local work: a large, brand-new mobile health care clinic. The new clinic, a part of Palo Alto University Rotary Club’s RotaCare, will provide free health assistance in Santa Clara County, including Medi-Cal enrollment services, food assistance and behavioral health support among other care.
El Salvador - One Community, One Vision
PAUR's over two decades of commitment
For over two decades, the Palo Alto/University Rotary Club (PAUR) has been committed to transforming lives in the Central American country of El Salvador. What began as a vision by early club members—to focus our resources and energy on a single country—has resulted in an investment of over $575,000 in health care, education and economic development.
A Club That Serves: PAUR Observes Rotary National Week of Service
Palo Alto, CA, September 20, 2023 – 39 volunteers from Rotary Club of Palo Alto/University (PAUR) contributed 87 hours of service during the Rotary 9/11 National Week of Service from September 10 through September 17. 23 members also brought food, hygiene products, winter clothing for Ecumenical Hunger Program, WeHOPE Homeless Services, and Karat School Project and raised more than $1,500 for the three organizations.
Building a Love of Books
Book Cubby Workshop
A beautiful spring day created the backdrop for children at The Primary School of East Palo Alto to jump start their reading careers by creating their own personal book cubbyholes. Each child chose two new books to fill their “cubbies” and begin their book collection. Organized to support access of books to under-resourced children, more than 100 three- to eight-year-old children and their families participated in this socially distanced activity, organized by three local Rotary Clubs: Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, and East Palo Alto Bayshore.
Volunteers make a difference by building book cubbies
Educational resources have been in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Silicon Valley Sunshine Interact Club and University Rotary Club of Palo Alto made a dent in addressing that need on a local level by building 41 book cubbies for The Primary School in East Palo Alto, (Interact) club President Jerry Zhang said. About 12 members of the club spent around five hours last week using wood materials to construct the cubbies, also known as book corners, that aim to serve low-income students.
