Welcome
Connie Ichinose
Club President
2022 - 2023
Aloha and Welcome!
What an honor and a pleasure it is to serve as the Rotary Club of Hilo’s president in our 102nd year of service. Our club was chartered in 1920, the second Rotary club in the state of Hawaii. Sometimes known as the “Friday” club, our Rotary Club meets on the first, third, and fourth Friday of the month from noon till 1 p.m. at the Hilo Hawaiian’s WSW (formally the Queen’s Court Restaurant).
Although the past two years have been challenging, Rotary has continued its commitment to “Service Above Self.” We have served our community and our world in the many areas. Locally, we’ve collected and donated food, school, and hygiene supplies for those in need. We continue to prepare and serve food in small groups and support our keiki through virtual book readings in kindergarten classrooms, dictionary donations to 3rd graders, and leadership building events for high school students. We are also environmentally conscious and conduct clean ups and tree plantings year-round. We fully support Rotary International’s ongoing battle to eradicate polio around the world. Rotary launched PolioPlus in 1985 and was a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Through decades of commitment and work by Rotary and our partners, more than 2.5 billion children have received the oral polio vaccine
Our major fundraiser is the Brewfest, held annually in June. Our beneficiaries this year are the Hilo Medical Center Foundation, the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, and the Boys and Girls Club of Hilo.
To top it off, we have FUN! Working side by side helps build relationships and lasting friendships, but we also have many social gatherings where fun is our main agenda!
Are you ready to join with nearly 100 Rotary Club of Hilo members and make a difference in our community and the world? If you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to email me for more information: connieichinose@gmail.com.
Yours in Service,
Connie Ichinose
Our mission statement: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
Our vision statement: Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.