Home Page | Rotary Club of Volcano

Members of our Rotary Club journeyed to Pahala in April to help with a general cleanup at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, just in time to get it spic and span for Holy Week. Shown here are members Alida Gandy, Catherine Cornwell, and John Lakatos. Afterwards, members of the congregation rewarded our efforts with a delicious lunch.

Forty two young leaders from across Hawaii Island were at Kilauea Military Camp this month to participate in the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, an intensive leadership training and development program designed for high school students, The students spent the weekend at KMC and participated in workshops and leadership exercises. They also helped our local Rotary Club members clear invasive ginger in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hosted by Rotary International's District 5000 Rotary Clubs, RYLA is held on the Islands of Hawai'i, Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. It's funded by the Rotary Clubs in our district.

Incoming Rotary presidents for 2025-26 gathered in Los Angeles this month for a training session in Los Angeles that was high on energy and engagement . In all more than 800 people from across the Southwest Districts attended the annual President Elect Training Session.

Sometimes Rotary touches people in small ways

I was on the Micronesian island of Pohnpei last week when I had a small encounter with the worldwide reach of Rotary. I had already seen everything I had come for: the fabulous ruins of Nan Madal, the splendor of Sokehs Rock, and the sacred fresh water eels the island is known for. Time to head homChange e.

Only problem was that the three-times-a-week United flight that would bring me back to Honolulu was canceled. I was almost out of cash and now had two more days to spend there and nothing to pass the time. It was raining hard and thereʻs no nightlife to speak of in Pohnpei, so I was standing in a long line at the island’s only working ATM wondering how I was going to pass the next two days and nights. More than anything, I needed a good, long book to keep me occupied.

Just then a young woman stepped forward to tell everyone in line that the Rotary Club of Pohnpei was celebrating the opening of its brand-new little free library — you know, one of those give-one, take-one kind of places you see in some local neighborhoods — on the street. Rotary members had built the library in a non-working phone booth in front of town’s telecommunication building. They were also selling beautiful 2025 Micronesian calendars for $5 each.

When I finally got my money about an hour later, I walked down to the phone booth and introduced myself as a fellow Rotarian. I bought four calendars to bring home as gifts, and browsed the library’s selection, where I found an original copy of a great book I had read but forgotten almost 30 years ago: Jan Karon’s “At Home in Mitford.”

That 540-page book not only got me through two more nights in my 2-star hotel, but almost lasted me all the way home to Honolulu, a 10-hour flight. And it made me just a little more appreciative of all the projects big and small that thousands of Rotarians around the world take on every year to make their communities better.

Kalahngan, Pohnpei. I owe you a book. I’ll pay it forward. It's what Rotarians do.

Rotary launches a new holiday tradition in Volcano

Volcano Village has long been known for its Fourth of July parade and celebration. It’s a decades-old tradition that nearly every one in the town turns out for year after year. There’s really nothing like it the rest of the year.

This November, the Rotary Club of Volcano set out to change that. We wanted to start a new tradition, one that some day might rival the Independence Day party in Volcano. And what better time to do that then the Christmas holidays?

With the participation of all 22 of our members and help from several community groups, we did just that by hosting Volcano’s first-ever Christmas tree lighting party. Nearly 200 people from the village and nearby neighborhoods turned out to join in the celebration on a cool, misty night right after Thanksgiving, kicking off the holiday season.

It was a true community effort spearheaded by Rotary members working with others.

First, the Volcano Art Center offered to host the event and even provide the “tree” — the 30-foot-tall remains of a once vibrant but now dead ‘ōhiʻa right outside the art center’s entry way. A local tree-trimmer volunteered to climb the tree and string hundreds of multi-colored lights. Volunteers from the Village Church provided hot chocolate, coffee, tea and cookies. Others set up a table where youngsters could make their own Christmas ornaments. Luminarias lined the art center’s parking lot. Visitors could visit the art center’s galleries to pick up an early holiday gift. Rotary members sold $1 hot dogs, led a Christmas caroling session and passed out paper glasses that turned the tiny lights into dancing bears, angels, swaying bells and more. Santa (one of our Rotary members) moved through the crowd, with help of a red suit provided by Volcano’s Cooper Community Center.

And then came the lighting. With a 10-second countdown, we threw the switch on the lights, the tree came alive and a new Christmas tradition was born in our town. We’re already making plans to do it again next year, with even more holiday and community spirit.

Click Me!

District governor joins our highway road gang

Every year, the Rotary District 5000 governor, who oversees the goings-on in all 52 clubs in Hawaiʻi, comes to visit our club in Volcano and update us on what’s happening with Rotary around the state and the world. This year, since his planned Big Island visit coincided with our regular monthly highway trash pickup, we decided to put him to work. And he was eager to help. That’s a pretty good example of Rotary’s motto: Service Above Self. After all the trash was gathered, Faigle joined the whole group for coffee and pastries and told us about Rotary efforts to increase current membership across the state, as well as new initiatives being planned to raise the profile and impact of Rotary everywhere. The key, he said, is getting — and keeping — people involved: “When they see what we’re doing, they often want to know how they can help, too,” he said. We hope that’s the case here in Volcano. Next time you see us along the highway, at the Cooper Center food distribution, or at any of our other projects in the area, take a moment to ask us how you can help too. It will be good for you and the community, too.

Click Me!

We love the Fourth of July parade.

Club members and friends gathered in Volcano for a social event at a home in the Volcano Golf Course subdivision

The Rotary Club of Volcano is partnering Sept. 24 with the community in Pahala i to place a new International Peace Pole near the entrance to the town. A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. Each Peace Pole bears the message May Peace Prevail on Earth in different languages on each of its four or six sides. There are estimated over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world, including one outside the Volcano Art Center, Planting a Peace Pole is a way of bringing people together to inspire, awaken and uplift the human consciousness the world over and the Pahala dedication ceremony was attended by community members, elected officials and Rotary Club members from throughout East Hawaii. Take a look at it the next time you are in Pahala town.

Balikbayan Boxes arrive in Philippines

Several big boxes of medical supplies, childrenʻs clothing, books and toys collected by the Rotary Club of Volcano have reached their destination in the Philippines. The oversized Balikbayan Boxes arrived at a municipal medical clinic in the town of Salvacion in July, all in good condition. All the supplies in the boxes were donated by people in Volcano and nearby areas and packed by Rotary Club members, then shipped to the Philippines. “It feels like Christmas in July,” said one of the recipients. A big shout out and thank you to all the community members who helped the Rotary Club of Volcano make this possible.

Service Above Self

We meet In Person

Thursdays at 8:00 AM

Volcano Art Center

19-4074 Old Volcano Rd.
Volcano , HI 96718
United States of America

We are now meeting in person at the Volcano Art Center on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 8:00 A.M. We do a road clean-up the second Thursday of the month, meeting at Cooper Center at 8:00.

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map