The Toy Drive Committee
Linda Cooke, Chair
The Toy Drive Committee is dedicated to bringing joy and support to children and seniors in need throughout our community. Committee members organize and coordinate the collection and distribution of toys for underserved populations, including those with disabilities, cancer, mental health issues, and other serious health conditions.
Each year the committee partners with six local organizations to ensure gifts reach those who need them the most. In addition to the children, the committee also includes senior citizens in its outreach, recognizing the importance of connection and kindness across generations.
Rotarians play an active and meaningful role in the program by not only donating gifts, but also personally participating in distributing the gifts. Members spend time engaging with the seniors and children – handing out toys, sharing smiles, and creating memorable experiences that reflect the spirit of service above self.
Linda Cooke, Chair
The Toy Drive Committee is dedicated to bringing joy and support to children and seniors in need throughout our community. Committee members organize and coordinate the collection and distribution of toys for underserved populations, including those with disabilities, cancer, mental health issues, and other serious health conditions.
Each year the committee partners with six local organizations to ensure gifts reach those who need them the most. In addition to the children, the committee also includes senior citizens in its outreach, recognizing the importance of connection and kindness across generations.
Rotarians play an active and meaningful role in the program by not only donating gifts, but also personally participating in distributing the gifts. Members spend time engaging with the seniors and children – handing out toys, sharing smiles, and creating memorable experiences that reflect the spirit of service above self.
Bylaws Committee
Challenge Air
Kristin LaFleur and Erick Montealegre, Co-Chairs
A Challenge Air partner for over 20 years!
For over two decades, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale's Challenge Air Local Initiative has been quietly doing something remarkable, bringing together pilots, volunteers, vendors, and the broader South Florida community every January to give children with disabilities their 1st experience of flight. Long before Fly Day arrives, our dedicated committee is already at work: recruiting passionate pilots and caring volunteers, building community awareness, securing valued vendor partners, and coordinating every warm detail of the day. From the breakfast that fuels our pilots and volunteers to the flight orientation that puts families at ease before their child climbs into the cockpit. Between 75 and 100 children take the controls each year, with a trained pilot beside them every step of the way. Our photography and videography team makes sure those breathtaking moments are captured forever. It takes months of planning, a village of committed people, and one shared belief, that every child, regardless of ability, deserves to know what it feels like to not just fly but also soar.
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https://challengeair.com/
Kristin LaFleur and Erick Montealegre, Co-Chairs
A Challenge Air partner for over 20 years!
For over two decades, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale's Challenge Air Local Initiative has been quietly doing something remarkable, bringing together pilots, volunteers, vendors, and the broader South Florida community every January to give children with disabilities their 1st experience of flight. Long before Fly Day arrives, our dedicated committee is already at work: recruiting passionate pilots and caring volunteers, building community awareness, securing valued vendor partners, and coordinating every warm detail of the day. From the breakfast that fuels our pilots and volunteers to the flight orientation that puts families at ease before their child climbs into the cockpit. Between 75 and 100 children take the controls each year, with a trained pilot beside them every step of the way. Our photography and videography team makes sure those breathtaking moments are captured forever. It takes months of planning, a village of committed people, and one shared belief, that every child, regardless of ability, deserves to know what it feels like to not just fly but also soar.
https://challengeair.com/
Challenge Air
Kristin LaFleur and Erick Montealegre, Co-chairs
A Challenge Air partner for over 20 years!
Every January, the Rotary Fort Lauderdale Challenge Air Initiative brings together the heart of our community to make the impossible feel ordinary, giving children with disabilities the gift of flight. It’s a transformative experience that instills confidence, ignites inspiration and shows these incredible kids that the sky is truly the limit to what they can do. For children that must oftentimes sit on the sidelines and watch others, this event puts them fully in the middle of everything. From months of behind-the-scenes planning to the magic of Fly Day itself, our dedicated committee coordinates every detail to ensure each child's experience is safe, joyful, and unforgettable. It's community in action, powered by people of action.
Making a child's first flight a reality takes a village, and our committee is exactly that. Each initiative works in harmony: recruiting passionate pilots and volunteers who show up with skill and heart; spreading the word so no family misses their chance to participate; and ensuring every person on Fly Day, from pilots to parents, is welcomed, fed, and cared for. Dedicated teams handle flight orientation for attending families, capture every breathtaking moment through photography and videography, and bring in valued vendor partners whose support makes it all possible. Together, these initiatives don't just run an event, they create a day that families carry with them forever.
Kristin LaFleur and Erick Montealegre, Co-chairs
A Challenge Air partner for over 20 years!
Every January, the Rotary Fort Lauderdale Challenge Air Initiative brings together the heart of our community to make the impossible feel ordinary, giving children with disabilities the gift of flight. It’s a transformative experience that instills confidence, ignites inspiration and shows these incredible kids that the sky is truly the limit to what they can do. For children that must oftentimes sit on the sidelines and watch others, this event puts them fully in the middle of everything. From months of behind-the-scenes planning to the magic of Fly Day itself, our dedicated committee coordinates every detail to ensure each child's experience is safe, joyful, and unforgettable. It's community in action, powered by people of action.
Making a child's first flight a reality takes a village, and our committee is exactly that. Each initiative works in harmony: recruiting passionate pilots and volunteers who show up with skill and heart; spreading the word so no family misses their chance to participate; and ensuring every person on Fly Day, from pilots to parents, is welcomed, fed, and cared for. Dedicated teams handle flight orientation for attending families, capture every breathtaking moment through photography and videography, and bring in valued vendor partners whose support makes it all possible. Together, these initiatives don't just run an event, they create a day that families carry with them forever.
Club Administration and Governance
Club Administration Committee
Community Service
The primary purpose of this committee is to provide educational information to club membership related to environmental impacts and provide direction to those members seeking to make a difference. We believe the first step in caring about our environment is to have an understanding of the imminent ecological threats we face and how we as Rotarians may contribute to real solutions. This Seventh Area of Focus was added by Rotary International due to a belief that the other Six Areas are not possible without clean water, air, food, and a stable climate.
Rotary Causes in Eswatini: Bridge and WASH Projects
Tony Abbate, Chair
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale is engaged in Rotary causes in the tiny kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). We support the Florida Atlantic University Bridge Program, which has impacted over 13,000 rural residents. Our successful working relationships have expanded to the first Global Grant to tackle a nationwide challenge to provide access to water to every school.
Our club and our partners, the Rotary Club of Mbuluzi-Mbabane, sponsor the design and construction of suspended footbridges through a collaboration between Florida Atlantic University, Engineers In Action, and Microprojects Eswatini. Each year a team of senior civil engineering students raise funds, design, and lead the construction of a footbridge to serve as many as 5,000 rural residents, providing safe access to schools, health facilities, and markets. The success of this partnership has expanded to the first global grant application for a nationwide pilot WASH project: "Emanti - Water for Every School in Eswatini." The grant will pilot an innovative strategy for providing access to the most remote regions of the country, with portable drill technology and a local training program that is coordinated through the Ministries of Economic Development and Education. Our work in Eswatini is also generously supported by Rotary Clubs in Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Eswatini, and Uganda.
Tony Abbate, Chair
The Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale is engaged in Rotary causes in the tiny kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland). We support the Florida Atlantic University Bridge Program, which has impacted over 13,000 rural residents. Our successful working relationships have expanded to the first Global Grant to tackle a nationwide challenge to provide access to water to every school.
Our club and our partners, the Rotary Club of Mbuluzi-Mbabane, sponsor the design and construction of suspended footbridges through a collaboration between Florida Atlantic University, Engineers In Action, and Microprojects Eswatini. Each year a team of senior civil engineering students raise funds, design, and lead the construction of a footbridge to serve as many as 5,000 rural residents, providing safe access to schools, health facilities, and markets. The success of this partnership has expanded to the first global grant application for a nationwide pilot WASH project: "Emanti - Water for Every School in Eswatini." The grant will pilot an innovative strategy for providing access to the most remote regions of the country, with portable drill technology and a local training program that is coordinated through the Ministries of Economic Development and Education. Our work in Eswatini is also generously supported by Rotary Clubs in Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Eswatini, and Uganda.
Financial, Budget, and Fundraising
Fundraising Committee
Grants Committee
Holiday Party Committee
Key Initiatives
The Membership Committee
Linda Cooke, Chair
The Membership Committee plays a vital role in building a strong, vibrant and sustainable club. Its primary responsibilities are to attract, engage and retain members who are committed to service above self and the values of Rotary.
Recruitment is a key focus of the committee. Members actively identify and invite prospective Rotarians who reflect diversity, professionalism, and service-minded spirit of the community. Equally important is member engagement. The committee works to ensure that every Rotarian feels welcomed, valued, and connected. The committee also monitors and addresses attrition. By maintaining awareness of attendance, participation, and member satisfaction, the committee can identify early signs of disengagement.
The committee promotes a culture of appreciation through Rotarians honoring Rotarians, New Member Celebration and Honoring Longevity.
Linda Cooke, Chair
The Membership Committee plays a vital role in building a strong, vibrant and sustainable club. Its primary responsibilities are to attract, engage and retain members who are committed to service above self and the values of Rotary.
Recruitment is a key focus of the committee. Members actively identify and invite prospective Rotarians who reflect diversity, professionalism, and service-minded spirit of the community. Equally important is member engagement. The committee works to ensure that every Rotarian feels welcomed, valued, and connected. The committee also monitors and addresses attrition. By maintaining awareness of attendance, participation, and member satisfaction, the committee can identify early signs of disengagement.
The committee promotes a culture of appreciation through Rotarians honoring Rotarians, New Member Celebration and Honoring Longevity.
Corrine Rasquinha, Chair
The Rotary Social Committee is responsible for building the relationships and sense of community that keep members engaged—not just showing up, but actually wanting to stay involved. They plan social events, build fellowship, engage new members, and support the Club culture.
Nominating Committee
Program/Speaker Committee
Project Ideas
Public Image Committee
Carol Koepke, Chair
The Public Image Committee plays a vital role in telling Rotary’s story and strengthening the club’s presence in the Fort Lauderdale community. It also manages the club’s social media channels and collaborates with local media to promote our initiatives and impact.
Carol Koepke, Chair
The Public Image Committee plays a vital role in telling Rotary’s story and strengthening the club’s presence in the Fort Lauderdale community. It also manages the club’s social media channels and collaborates with local media to promote our initiatives and impact.
Rotary Community Corps
Rotary Connection
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA, Evelyn) is a 3-day leadership development program for sophomores at Sea Base Islamorada.
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
Scholarship Committee
Les Campbell, Chair
The scholarship committee facilitates the award of college and technical school scholarships to deserving high school students in the Fort Lauderdale area. Awards are primarily based on financial need, academic achievement, and community service, and to date, we have awarded about $3 million in scholarships to dozens of incredible young students. Awards are funded by the 1090 Foundation, our club's charitable arm.
Les Campbell, Chair
The scholarship committee facilitates the award of college and technical school scholarships to deserving high school students in the Fort Lauderdale area. Awards are primarily based on financial need, academic achievement, and community service, and to date, we have awarded about $3 million in scholarships to dozens of incredible young students. Awards are funded by the 1090 Foundation, our club's charitable arm.
Scholarships
Les Campbell, Chair
The Fort Lauderdale Rotary club was established over 100 years ago and has to date awarded over $3 million in scholarships to deserving high school students in the Fort Lauderdale area. Currently, we service six schools:
Fort Lauderdale High School
Dillard High School
Stranahan High School
Cardinal Gibbons
St. Thomas Aquinas
Westminster Academy
All applications made in this program will be considered for our General scholarships. These are $6,000 awards, paid over the first two years of college. We also offer several special scholarships, which are described in the application. We also have technical school scholarships.
Our scholarships are awarded to recipients based upon financial need, academic achievement, and other factors such as community service and work experience.
To learn more about our scholarship program, please visit our application site at
https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/107730-Rotary-Club-Of-Ft-Lauderdale
Les Campbell, Chair
The Fort Lauderdale Rotary club was established over 100 years ago and has to date awarded over $3 million in scholarships to deserving high school students in the Fort Lauderdale area. Currently, we service six schools:
Fort Lauderdale High School
Dillard High School
Stranahan High School
Cardinal Gibbons
St. Thomas Aquinas
Westminster Academy
All applications made in this program will be considered for our General scholarships. These are $6,000 awards, paid over the first two years of college. We also offer several special scholarships, which are described in the application. We also have technical school scholarships.
Our scholarships are awarded to recipients based upon financial need, academic achievement, and other factors such as community service and work experience.
https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/107730-Rotary-Club-Of-Ft-Lauderdale
Plans and implements humanitarian projects locally and internationally. It includes subcommittees for
Vocational Service (professional networking and ethics)
Community Service (local impact)
International Service (global humanitarian efforts)
Youth Service (supporting programs like Interact and RYLAP
Vocational Service (professional networking and ethics)
Community Service (local impact)
International Service (global humanitarian efforts)
Youth Service (supporting programs like Interact and RYLAP
Thanksgiving Baskets
Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale Celebrates 25 Years of Giving: Annual Toy Drive Brings Joy to Children in Need
For a quarter of a century, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale has brought smiles, hope, and holiday cheer to children in need through its Annual Toy Drive. This cherished community tradition, now in its 25th year, continues to embody the Rotary spirit of Service Above Self by providing gifts and joy to some of the most vulnerable children in our community.
Each holiday season, Fort Lauderdale Rotarians, together with generous local businesses and community members, collect hundreds of new toys to brighten the holidays for children facing extraordinary challenges. This year, the Club will deliver toys to children coping with cancer, disabilities, and mental health conditions, ensuring that every child knows they are remembered and cared for during the holidays.
With Santa Claus joining in the festivities, Rotary members will personally visit six local organizations, distributing toys and spreading holiday joy. The visits are often filled with laughter, excitement, and heartfelt gratitude—reminding everyone of the true meaning of giving.
“The Toy Drive has become one of our most meaningful traditions,” said Linda Cooke, Toy Drive Chair. “It’s about more than just gifts—it’s about bringing comfort, hope, and happiness to children who may be going through very difficult times.”
The success of the Toy Drive relies on the compassion of Rotarians and the generosity of the Fort Lauderdale community. Year after year, their contributions make it possible to reach more children and families in need. As the program celebrates its 25th anniversary, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale looks forward to continuing this mission of kindness for many years to come.
For a quarter of a century, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale has brought smiles, hope, and holiday cheer to children in need through its Annual Toy Drive. This cherished community tradition, now in its 25th year, continues to embody the Rotary spirit of Service Above Self by providing gifts and joy to some of the most vulnerable children in our community.
Each holiday season, Fort Lauderdale Rotarians, together with generous local businesses and community members, collect hundreds of new toys to brighten the holidays for children facing extraordinary challenges. This year, the Club will deliver toys to children coping with cancer, disabilities, and mental health conditions, ensuring that every child knows they are remembered and cared for during the holidays.
With Santa Claus joining in the festivities, Rotary members will personally visit six local organizations, distributing toys and spreading holiday joy. The visits are often filled with laughter, excitement, and heartfelt gratitude—reminding everyone of the true meaning of giving.
“The Toy Drive has become one of our most meaningful traditions,” said Linda Cooke, Toy Drive Chair. “It’s about more than just gifts—it’s about bringing comfort, hope, and happiness to children who may be going through very difficult times.”
The success of the Toy Drive relies on the compassion of Rotarians and the generosity of the Fort Lauderdale community. Year after year, their contributions make it possible to reach more children and families in need. As the program celebrates its 25th anniversary, the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale looks forward to continuing this mission of kindness for many years to come.
Veterans Program
Water and Sanitation Projects
Les Campbell, Chair
Our club provides support to programs addressing critical water and sanitation issues in foreign communities. We provide financial and other support to two NGOs in this area: 1) Replenish, which distributes community water filters in Kenya, and 2) Spring of Hope, which digs wells, supports microbusiness developments and provides other services to indigent communities in South Africa.
Les Campbell, Chair
Our club provides support to programs addressing critical water and sanitation issues in foreign communities. We provide financial and other support to two NGOs in this area: 1) Replenish, which distributes community water filters in Kenya, and 2) Spring of Hope, which digs wells, supports microbusiness developments and provides other services to indigent communities in South Africa.
Les Campbell & John Aquino, Co-chairs
Youth Services includes Interact (high school Rotary) + Youth Exchange + RYLA. + Junior Achievement (which our Club founded) to learn how to operate a business and teams split their earnings.
Our aim to encourage Rotary involvement and ultimately membership once they are in the work world
- Strives to involve high school in Interact Clubs to learn service above self (we are active at Fort Lauderdale & Dillard High Schools) (Evelyn Ciocco, Gail Auguston-Koppen & John Aquino);
- Youth Exchange sends a sophomore or junior abroad to study for a year while hosting an inbound student from another country (Gail Auguston-Koppen & John Aquino);
- Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA, Evelyn Ciocco) is a 3-day leadership development program for sophomores at Sea Base Islamorada.
- Junior Achievement Business Consultants (Les Campbell)