I’m delighted to share that in the 2026 Community Favorites poll, we were named Favorite Non-Profit and Service Club, and the Saratoga Rotary Art Show was a favorite in two categories: Favorite Festival and Favorite Outdoor Event.
What a wonderful start to our Rotary year. It meant so much to see so many of you at our first meeting, where the energy in the room set an inspiring tone for the months ahead. Passing the Gavel is one of my favorite traditions, bringing wisdom, humor, and heartfelt encouragement from our esteemed past presidents.
We also enjoyed an exceptional lineup of speakers: our own Reiko Iwanaga, who shared leadership lessons from decades of service in Saratoga; Mary Gardner, who explored women’s leadership styles; May Lee, also known as Ms. Purple, who shared remarkable stories from McMurdo Station in Antarctica; and John Danner, who spoke about the future of AI in education. Each speaker brought insight and inspiration.
Thank you to Dave Eshelman and Sangita Seshadri for kicking off The Rotary Foundation (TRF) giving campaign. It was informative and engaging!
This month, we welcomed new member Alyssa Lynch and celebrated Isabelle Guh’s promotion to a Red Badger. Welcome, Alyssa, and congratulations, Isabelle.
A special thank-you to Debby Rice for hosting our first fellowship of the year. Her Hawaiian Luau brought joy, Aloha spirit, delicious food, and even a lesson in the hukilau.
At Family Giving Tree, seven of us joined other volunteers to help pack 995 backpacks filled with school supplies, contributing to their goal of 35,000 backpacks for students. Together, we are helping children begin the school year feeling prepared and supported.
I’m grateful for the ways our club is already learning, serving, welcoming new members, and building fellowship—and excited for all we will do together as we Create Lasting Impact.
Charles Jack Hickling, August 2,1946-July 15, 2026
On the morning of July 15, Charles, Jack Hickling left this earth.
A remarkable human being, Jack brought kindness, wisdom, and generosity into the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know him. His friendship, his gentle humor, and his genuine interest in others created lasting bonds that will continue to live on in our hearts.
Beyond his many contributions to Rotary and his community, Jack carried a deep appreciation for the beauty of life, including his love of classical music, which reflected his thoughtful and graceful spirit.
During his years managing the Saratoga Inn, he delighted others with wonderful stories of the celebrities who had stayed there, bringing history and personal connection to every conversation. He enriched every gathering with his warmth, humor, and remarkable ability to make people feel welcome, leaving behind memories filled with laughter, friendship, and joy.
Please welcome Alyssa Lynch, our newest Red Badger, to Saratoga Rotary!
Alyssa Lynch is a longtime education leader and community advocate who recently joined Saratoga Rotary. She lives in Campbell with her spouse and brings over three decades of experience in education, including roles as a high school business teacher, school administrator, and 11 years as a superintendent. Alyssa holds degrees in fashion and educational leadership, along with a teaching credential, and has a strong background in marketing.
Since retiring two years ago, Alyssa has remained highly active. She co-founded Golden State Advocacy Partners, a boutique lobbying firm focused on education. She currently serves as President of the ACSA Region 8 Retired School Administrators chapter. Alyssa enjoys traveling—having visited Europe multiple times and Taiwan on several occasions with Katherine Tseng. She also enjoys gardening, running, graphic design and the San Francisco 49er games.
Joining the Saratoga Rotary Club has been a wonderful experience, and I’m truly grateful for the warm welcome and friendships I’ve found here.
A little about me—I enjoy reading, traveling and meeting new people. I also love learning from other people's stories and experiences, and that’s one of the things I’ve really enjoyed about Rotary.
Since joining Rotary, I’ve tried to get involved as much as I can. I’ve volunteered at the Art Show with the banner team and Kids Korner, helped with service projects, participated in fellowship events, joined the International, Membership, and Fellowship Committees, helped evaluate scholarship applicants, and most recently became part of the Lunch Lady team. One of my favorite Rotary moments was watching "Is It the Truth?" It was absolutely hilarious!
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) is proud to announce that Superintendent Heath Rocha has been selected as a 2025-2026 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association(NSPRA), a national organization that recognizes exemplary leadership in school communication and community engagement. Superintendent Rocha was recognized at the NSPRA National Conference on July 20, 2026.
Each year, NSPRA recognizes a select group of superintendents in their first five years of service from across the nation who exemplify dynamic leadership and a strong commitment to transparent, two-way communication and community engagement. For the 2025–26 honor, 30 superintendents nationwide were selected from a highly competitive pool of nominees.
Superintendent Rocha was recognized for his people-centered leadership and his ability to guide the district through a period of significant challenge while rebuilding trust, strengtheningengagement, and establishing communication as a core leadership value. Since stepping into the Acting Superintendent role in Fall 2024, Rocha has emphasized visibility, accessibility, and listening as the foundation for meaningful connection with staff, students, families, and the broader community.
Under his leadership, LGSUHSD has implemented a range of communication initiatives designed to increase transparency and two-way dialogue, including next-day Board Meeting Summaries, parent and student advisory committees, expanded survey engagement, and a districtwide approach to celebrating staff and student contributions.
Our first Fellowship event of the new Rotary year got off to a fantastic start with a Luau TGIF hosted by Debby & Tom Rice, where members enjoyed an evening of delicious food, tropical fun, music, Huki Lau dancing, and plenty of laughter. It was a wonderful reminder that Rotary is about building friendships as much as serving our community.
Mark your calendars for our next Fellowship gatherings on August 12 (TGIF) and September 17 (Bocce Ball)—we look forward to seeing you there!
Today, July 24, is recognized as International Self-Care Day. The date—24/7—is a reminder that caring for ourselves is not something we do occasionally, but something we should practice every day, around the clock. Self-care promotes healthy habits, resilience, and well-being.
Interestingly, July 24 also marks another extraordinary moment in history. On this day in 1969, the crew of Apollo 11safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after accomplishing the first human landing on the Moon. Their achievement was far more than a technological milestone, it was the result of vision, meticulous preparation, teamwork, courage, and countless individuals working together toward a common purpose.
There is a powerful parallel with Rotary. Every successful service project begins with a vision. It is strengthened through planning, collaboration, and perseverance. And just as Apollo 11 demonstrated that no dream is too ambitious when people unite with purpose, Rotary reminds us that together we can transform lives and create lasting change in our communities and around the world.
As we reflect on these two observances today, perhaps they offer us one shared lesson: great service begins with a healthy, committed team. By taking care of ourselves, we strengthen our ability to care for others. And by working together with a shared vision, we can accomplish what once seemed impossible.
May we continue to care for ourselves, support one another, and together reach for new horizons in service.
On the morning of July 15, Charles, Jack Hickling left this earth.
Alyssa Lynch is a longtime education leader and community advocate who recently joined Saratoga Rotary. She lives in Campbell with her spouse and brings over three decades of experience in education, including roles as a high school business teacher, school administrator, and 11 years as a superintendent. Alyssa holds degrees in fashion and educational leadership, along with a teaching credential, and has a strong background in marketing.
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) is proud to announce that Superintendent Heath Rocha has been selected as a 2025-2026 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association(NSPRA), a national organization that recognizes exemplary leadership in school communication and community engagement. Superintendent Rocha was recognized at the NSPRA National Conference on July 20, 2026.
