December Highlights
HolidayParty by Saratoga Rotary
 
The Rotary Foundation and the Power of Giving Back
By Sangita Seshadri
 
In the world of philanthropy, few organizations allow donations to come full-circle, returning in ways that benefit the very people who contribute. One notable exception is The Rotary Foundation (TRF), a global powerhouse of goodwill and service.
 
Spotlight On Grants

During the current fiscal year Saratoga Rotary Charitable Foundation Granted $35,796. This is all made possible by the Art Show and donations to SRCF.  Thank you for helping to make a positive impact on our community! Following are some of the worthy projects for which the Saratoga Rotary Charitable Foundation Board of Directors granted :

  1. Art in Action:: Our grant will be used to purchase art materials to create 1,200 art kits for children challenged by medical treatment or socio-economic conditions and for seniors. 

  2. Assistance League of Los Gatos-Saratoga::: This grant will support the Assistance League’s Operation School Bell, which will send 80 underprivileged fifth-graders to Science Camp.  

  3. Freedom Insight.:: We will join the City of San Jose in funding Freedom Insight’s creation of a platform that will train 6,000 San Jose International Airport workers how to identify human trafficking victims and how to respond.

  4. Saratoga Mechanical Science and Engineering Team::  We will fund robot parts, materials, tools and software to allow Saratoga High students to build robots and compete in robotics science competitions             

In Mike Nichols’ Oscar-winning 1967 film The Graduate, young Benjamin Braddock was given this word of advice regarding his business future: “Plastics!”.
 
Now, nearly sixty years later, that advice has come back to haunt us all. The world is now awash in plastic waste. Microplastic particles pollute our food, our water, even our blood. And the problem is getting worse. Plastic production is expected to triple by 2060, according to the Global Plastics Outlook Database.
 
While we may feel we’re doing our part by putting plastics in our recycling bins, the sad truth is that only a small portion of that ever gets recycled. While worldwide action is needed to mitigate the crisis, Saratoga Rotarians Nancy Shih and Phil Young decided to act locally.
 
 
The Thompson Scholarship Fund has been the primary source of scholarship funds for Saratoga Rotary for the last 13 years. Fund oversight is provided by the Saratoga RotaryCharitable Foundation (SRCF). We are very fortunate to have this Fund to provide scholarships to local deserving students!  Thank you all for your support!
This year, the Thompson Fund Scholarship Committee accepted applications and conducted interviews with students for both types of Thompson Scholarships.  Our Thompson Recognition Scholarships are one-time awards, granted upon proof of enrollment in college. There are seven recipients this year.  We also granted three additional Thompson Legacy Scholarships in 2025. (Bringing the total to ten current Legacy Scholars!) Legacy Scholarships provide up to four years of scholarship money and adult mentors for a student who is selected based on merit, financial need and other circumstances that warrant a long-term, personal involvement in a student’s college career.  The $27,000 promised to 2025 scholars is the largest allocation of funds to high school students to date! 
A Legacy of Learning: Sesh Ramaswami Memorial Scholarship Reaches First Milestone
 
A young student at Prospect High School is now dreaming bigger, thanks to the first-ever Sesh Ramaswami Memorial Scholarship awarded this year. Tylen Brown, the inaugural recipient, will attend West Valley College for his first two years before transferring to a University. He was awarded $4,000, which will be given over four years to support his educational journey.
 
Last year, under the leadership of Past President Renee Paquier, the Rotary Club of Saratoga established this scholarship to honor the life and legacy of Sesh Ramaswami – a Rotarian who dedicated his life to empowering others. Sesh was known for his quiet strength, compassion, and lifelong commitment to education and service.
 
International Service Projects
  •  Acquisition of ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG )-NCV Machine for PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL ( PGH ) 

    Project cost $70, 539  RC Saratoga contributed $3000 DDF

  •  Preventing Trafficking in Vietnam - Changing Their Stories

    Project cost: $ 90,600 This grant has been transferred to our club from RC of Madison, Wisconsin along with $32500 in cash. The funds have not yet been transferred yet. The project is in collaboration with a non-profit organization called Pacific links and RC Saigon International. Club contribution: ~6000 DDF

  • Romania Hospital Project: This project is led by RC Reno, Nevada. The Community Needs Assessment showed that the greatest need of the community was to improve the quality of medical care in the area. To address this need we will provide 6 GE Carescape (All in One) Monitors and 1 GE R860 ventilators to the Stei Municipal Hospital. These are brand new state of the art pieces of equipment. This project will be in collaboration with Assist International based in Scotts Valley, CA.

    RC Reno contributed $10,000 towards our Global Grant project to support procurement of an MEC for Ukraine. 

    Club contributed 3000DDF. 

West Valley Community Service Projects
  • Mobile Pantry/ Park-It Market at Saratoga Fellowship Plaza
    • On the 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the Month from 10:15 to 11:45 AM
 
Operation Care and Comfort Projects
  • Packing supplies for troops in October for the holiday season
 
Youth Service Events
  • Mentoring Interact Club of local high schools 
  • Enterprise Leadership Conference (ELC) for high school students
  • Scholarships for elementary, middle, high school and Community college students 
  • Speech Contest for the high school students
  • Rotary Youth Exchange Programs
                                                Read more .......
Fellowship Events
  • Super Bowl Chili and Corn Bread Cook Off
  • Fun at Bocce Ball Court
  • Halloween Spirit
  • Christmas Party
  • Annual Dessert Bake Off

Dates to Remember

Donate

Doing Good Together

1) TRF (The Rotary Foundation): Show your generosity and dedication to Service Above Self. Your dollars impact globally

2) SRCF (Saratoga Rotary Charitable Foundation) : Your dollars impact locally.

 

 

Volunteer

1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesday (10:15 to 11:45 AM)  - Food Distribution to Seniors with West Valley Community Services.
 
Please click on this link for more information
Saratoga Rotary

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Fridays at 12:30 PM
Saratoga Community Center
19655 Allendale Ave.
Saratoga, CA 95070
United States
Socialize from noon to 12:30pm. Zoom available by request.
May 2 - 3, 2026 :: 10 AM to 5PM
FREE EVENT
West Valley College Campus
 
Upcoming Speakers
Hector Estrada, Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention
Jan 23, 2026
Fire Prevention Tips & Best Practices
Kim Miller, ED, Southwest YMCA
Jan 30, 2026
Latest & Greatest Happenings at the YMCA
Sridhar Pursai, Local Photographer
Feb 06, 2026
Night Sky Excursions and Techniques
Past Speakers
Michael Hirsch, South Bay Musical Theatre
Jan 16, 2026
What it Takes to Put on a Musical
Heath Rocha, Superintendent
Jan 09, 2026
State of the District: Serving Students, Strengthening Community
Past Saratoga Rotary Presidents
Dec 05, 2025
Past Presidents Luncheon

January 2026

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