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We are the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8

Established in 1910, the Rotary Club of Tacoma is the 8th oldest Rotary Club in the world. We believe in the power of in-person connection, enhancing our beautiful local community, and contributing to the well-being of the world in which we live. We would be delighted if you would join us at our next club meeting. Please contact the office at 253.473.7723 for information.

This Week at Rotary

Thursday, March 23, 2023

VOL. NINETY-NINE, Issue 38

The Gearshift is a weekly publication to inform members of current events in the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8.

This Week at Rotary

March 23, 2023

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David Fischer

How to Innovate a 3,000 year old business

David Fischer’s professional background in the arts began as a professional theater artist in 1977. His degrees in theater and film (BA, MFA), combined with his Leadership Certificate from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, furthered by his work experience, have allowed him to become deeply invested in the arts through theater production, performing arts presenting, youth education, arts management, fundraising, advocacy, university teaching, and urban design. Previously, he has worked as: Producing Artistic Director for Tacoma Little Theatre, Executive Director of the Pierce County Arts Commission, Deputy Executive Director of Broadway Center for the Performing Arts and Executive Director of the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa, California

Fischer reorganized the Luther Burbank Center, including its staff, fundraising, capital investment, endowment growth, governance, and programmatic impact resulting in an improvement to the balance sheet of $14 million in 5.5 years, and the creation of a new community hospital adjacent to the arts campus.

Since 2006, Fischer has served as Executive Director of Tacoma’s non-profit performing arts center, Tacoma Arts Live, working to transform the organization to focus on strengthening its service to the community, particularly in: Education through the arts,, DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and access), Historic facility improvements and preservation, Economic development for Pierce County, Professional theater production and Advocacy for public funding of arts, heritage and science non-profits.

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Auction 2023

The planning is underway for our largest fundraiser of the year. Save the date and stay tuned for more details. In the meantime help us out by being a sponsor or procuring an item!

Sponsorship form Procurement form

Diversity Statement of the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8

The Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 is open to all people who want to make positive changes in our community and world. We welcome all members and guests, regardless of race, nationality, religion, faith, gender, sexual orientation, cultural background, and ability.

We will not tolerate racism. We strive to become an anti-racist organization. We are committed to learning more about how systemic racism has led to inequality in all systems – including education, housing, health, employment, wealth accumulation, policing, prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration – and working to eradicate inequality wherever we encounter it.

We will take these actions:

We will review and update our Club’s procedures, policies, meetings, events, communications, grants, projects, scholarships, and traditions.
We will broaden our recruiting practices to align our membership more closely with the demographics of Tacoma.
We will use our grants, projects, and scholarships to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice in our community.

Rotary In Action

Rotary is an international organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, to encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. Rotary is open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. There are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in over 35,000 Rotary clubs worldwide. The Rotary motto is "service above self.”

Within Tacoma, the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 invests in non-profit organizations throughout the community, recommended by the Community Grants Committee, that serve low-income children and seniors. Rotary #8 also has many “hands-on” projects where Rotarians offer their service. Some of these "hands on" projects that have been supported are:

. Food Drives and Repacks - for the Emergency Food Network. Regularly club members volunteer to participate in repacking food for distribution into the community; and

. Little Free Libraries - Rotarians build and install these libraries, filled with good children's books, near low-income elementary schools.

Rotary #8 has international projects such as clean water projects in Ethiopia and India, has brought firefighting equipment to Mexico, and has delivered school materials to Malawi. Tacoma Rotarians have given Polio immunizations to children in India and Africa.

Throughout the world, Rotary Clubs, including Rotary #8, have contributed nearly $900 million to eradicate polio in the world. More than one half billion children in developing countries have been immunized against polio, through Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign.

Rotary’s Youth Exchange sends 7,000 high-school age students abroad each year, to study in another country and to learn about its society and culture. The goal is to promote world peace. Rotary # 8 has always welcomed inbound students and have identified local students to travel to other countries to participate in this life-changing experience.

Our Projects Committee: Rotarians at Work

Supporting Our Community

December 2, 2022

Partnering with Catholic Community Services, Tacoma Rescue Mission and YWCA to deliver hundreds of gifts to children in Pierce County.