Club News

Every hero has an origin story. “I was 10 years old when the entire journey started,” explains Binish Desai. It began with a cartoon called Captain Planet, an animated TV series from the 1990s about an environmentalist with superpowers. Desai can still recite the show’s refrain: Captain Planet, he’s our hero / Gonna take pollution down to zero! “That tagline stuck in my mind,” he says. “I wanted to do something to help Captain Planet.”

An estimated 500 million people worldwide became infected. Many cities closed theaters and cinemas, and placed restrictions on public gatherings. Rotary clubs adjusted their activities while also helping the sick.

This is how Rotary responded to the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and came in three waves, lasting more than a year.

The Rotary Club of Berkeley, California, USA, meets in John Hinkel Park during the 1918 flu pandemic.

Photo by Edwin J. McCullagh, 1931-32 club president. Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Berkeley.

Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world.

During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter. 

Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.” 

 

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Penn Yan

 
Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

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Change your community with us by volunteering on a local project.

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We work with groups and organizations of all sizes to accomplish even more.

DISCOVER NEW CULTURES


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Welcome to our Club!
We meet In Person
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM
Lakeside Country Club
145 Rt. 54
Penn Yan, NY 14527
United States of America
We have an alternating meeting schedule. 1st Tues at 8am at Wagner Restaurant (124 E Elm). 2nd & 3rd Tuesdays at noon at Lakeside Country Club during the summer season and at Outlet 111 during the winter season.
Speakers
Jessica Bacher
Sep 08, 2026 12:00 PM
Yates County Chamber of Commerce President
Emily End
Sep 15, 2026 12:00 PM
Yates County Public Health Educator

August 2026

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‘One simple word’
‘One simple word’
Leaders highlight the power of gratitude at The Rotary Foundation Donor Summit
Talking reading and Rotary with Dolly Parton
Talking reading and Rotary with Dolly Parton
The entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton died 25 August 2026. This Q&A was originally published in the March 2010 issue of The Rotarian (now Rotary) magazine. Later that year, she spoke at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada.
A safe transition beyond the wire
A safe transition beyond the wire
A Rotary club in Kansas helps women break the cycle of incarceration and elude dangers on the outside
Rotary projects around the globe – August 2026
Rotary projects around the globe – August 2026
Learn how Rotary clubs are taking action in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Thailand.
Food as medicine for TB recovery
Food as medicine for TB recovery
Rediscovering a weapon against the deadliest infectious disease, TB advocates look to better nutrition
Club Executives & Directors
President
Immediate Past President
Secretary
Co-Treasurer
Co-Treasurer
Chair - Scholarship & Awards Committee
Social Director
Sunshine Report
Co Chair YE Committee
RYLA Chair
Advisor
Student of the Month
Student of the Month
Club newsletter
Facebook Monitor
Club Photographer
International Grants
Chair - Environmental Service Committee
Camp Onsenyawa