May is Youth Service Month in Rotary. It is a reminder of the remarkable impact young leaders are already making in the world. They inspire, uplift, and drive change through a powerful blend of hope, enthusiasm, and courage. With determination, they embrace challenges and pursue their aspirations with unwavering energy.
It brings me great joy to see so many young people across Rotary District 5050 stepping forward, committing to personal growth while living Rotary’s vision of taking action to create lasting change in their communities, around the world, and within themselves. Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but they are also leaders today. Their role is essential, not simply as participants, but as partners in service and stewards of what lies ahead. Youth leadership is fundamental to the future of Rotary and to the strength of our communities.
Young people consistently demonstrate compassion, resilience, and a strong commitment to Service Above Self as they support one another and respond to the needs around them. They identify challenges, take initiative, and inspire us all through their vision and determination.
What is most striking is not only what youth accomplish, but how they lead. They show up with authenticity. They ask important and sometimes difficult questions. They bring urgency to issues that require our attention now. In doing so, they remind us why we chose a path of service. Through my Club visits across District 5050, my research connected to the UNESCO forum on youth, and my conversations with Rotaract leaders, one message is clear: young people are seeking genuine partnership and space for their voices to be heard, valued, and acted upon.
Across District 5050, we are grateful for the programs and dedicated leaders who build meaningful connections with Interact students aged 15 to 18. Through the dedication and support of AG Peter Tam in establishing a new Interact Club in Maple Ridge, the District now proudly has 25 Interact Clubs. By engaging youth in Rotary initiatives and providing opportunities to participate in projects such as Starfish Packing and Green Bag food collection, we demonstrate the power of collective action to support the most vulnerable. At the same time, we affirm our trust in young people, encouraging them to lead with integrity, to challenge the status quo, and to imagine new possibilities.
Youth leadership is evident throughout our District: in the courage of Interactors initiating change, in the leadership of Rotaractors strengthening communities, and in the transformative experiences of those participating in programs like the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), Youth Engaged in Service (YES), Youth Adventures In Leadership (YAIL), and Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). These opportunities cultivate leadership skills while fostering a deep commitment to service, ethics, sustainability, and strong character.
On 28-31 May 2026, RYLA 2026 will be in action, with dozens of youth from throughout the District gathering at Stillwood Camp in Chilliwack, BC, for a weekend of team and leadership building, while having fun and developing lasting friendships. These programs do not happen by chance. They have tremendous impact due to the dedicated leaders, and their subcommittee members, who give their heart and soul to each program, leaving no students out.
Special recognition to:
Youth Services Leaders: Felicity Dye and Norm Samuelson
RYLA Leaders: Sharon Crowson and Adam Hill
YAIL Leader: Jaymee Lynn
YES Leaders: Bernie Halliday and Bev Harrington
Youth Exchange Leader: Scott HermanRotaract Leaders: Nav Sangha and Carmen Mendonca
Each of these champions has dedicated thousands of volunteer hours to uplifting the youth they support, strengthening their communities, and making a meaningful impact in the world. Please join me in congratulating and celebrating their achievements, as well as recognizing the dedicated committee members whose collaboration and commitment ensure these programs thrive.
As Rotarians, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to support and uplift youth in meaningful ways. How can we strengthen the connections between our youth programs and our Rotary clubs? How can we create more meaningful opportunities for collaboration? Shared meetings, multi-club gatherings, and joint service projects are a starting point, but how do we ensure youth are leading in these spaces, not simply participating?
Our role is not to shape youth in our image, but to walk alongside them. To listen without assumption, to create space where their ideas are amplified rather than filtered, and to offer guidance when it is sought, along with encouragement when the path is uncertain. This is where true intergenerational collaboration blossoms, not in structure alone, but in mutual respect.
When we intentionally invest in youth, engaging and including them, we strengthen our communities and help ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for Rotary. This month, and throughout the year, I invite each of us to reflect on:
Are we creating environments where young people feel they belong?
Are we listening as much as we are leading?
Are we open to being changed by those we seek to empower?
I encourage every Club to consider how it is engaging with youth in its community. Are there opportunities to deepen connections, listen more intentionally, or collaborate on projects that matter to them? Remember, even small, thoughtful steps can lead to lasting impact.
To the young leaders of Rotary District 5050: your voice matters. Your leadership matters. And your impact is already shaping a future that will continue to unfold for years to come.
Let’s continue to move forward together, with humility, with intention, and with a shared commitment to service that transcends generations.
1pm - Registration opens at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort 100 Esplanade Ave
Enjoy the morning and afternoon at various activities that you have registered for or are planning to take part in, whether it is the boat tour, a Mural tour championed by Assistant Governor Michael Berger, golfing, a guided tour, a walk around town, or a lazy afternoon at the mineral pool – relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
5:30pm - Welcome party at Harrison Country Club RV Resort: 400 Hot Springs Rd
Enjoy entertainment from Sister Todd – Live band & delicious food from Seriously Good Catering
Music & refreshments start at 5:30 – Dinner at 6 pm
Saturday, May 2nd
Conference Centre at Harrison Hot Springs Resort: 100 Esplanade Ave
Registration opens @ 7:30 am in the upper lobby
8 am Breakfast - Conference rooms
9 am Welcome and Flag Ceremony Forum Room
10:45 Morning sessions include a deep dive on climate action and youth mental health/opioid crisis, followed by facilitated sessions where ideas come from participants.
11:45 am During Lunch we will be celebrating Rotarians in the District.
1:45 pm Afternoon sessions will include the Memorial Service, Youth Presentation, and Painting for Mental Health and facilitated sessions.
We will showcase two amazing projects in District 5050, followed by a thoughtful exploration of the HIP program led by Rotarian and Assistant Governor, Linda Mross. The Rotary Club of Langley has also sponsored the wonderful and engaging Sasquatch Dancers.
5:45 pm take a break to refresh and join us at the Conference Centre at 7 pm for a delicious dinner and enjoy Keynote speakers Honourable Steven Point with his spouse Dr. Gwendolyn Point as they share their personal experiences of resilience and impact in BC.
Sunday, May 3rd
A time for reflection, welcoming the new Rotary year, and giving back to the community that hosted us
Incoming District Governor Kathleen Olson will share the upcoming year of project implementation and goals.
On Saturday, 11 April 2026, I attended the Rotary District Assembly for the first time.
As a new member, I did not know what to expect but felt welcomed from the moment I walked in.
As participants gathered and the first session began, I felt eager to learn and experience what was unfolding. It felt both welcoming and eye-opening. I appreciated the warm interactions with fellow Rotarians and the shared ideas. From this, I began to think about how much we can learn from each other and was reminded that as each of us brings something unique, it is simply the coming together that strengthens our impact.
Public Image and Public Speaking workshops were the two sessions I signed up for ahead of time.
I went into the Public Image Workshop thinking it would focus mainly on social media, and found it went above and beyond my expectations. It went deeper into how we communicate, how we show up, and the importance of willingness to be open, and how authenticity really matters.
In the Public Speaking workshop, I was not prepared to give a speech, but I was glad the opportunity arose where I learned to apply the same principles that were taught. The insights I gained are as valuable as they are unforgettable.
What really stayed with me is knowing your purpose and the general purpose before giving a speech, and the idea of allowing the sentence “You reap what you SOW” to lead you in giving a speech.
S - emphasized stage time, the importance of practice and experience, getting feedback, and looking inwardly of what can be done better
O - Out of your comfort zone - engaging the audience, learning new things, and balancing standing still and moving: Step outside your comfort zone
W - Widen your perspective. Finding different ways to talk to people. Widening your perspective opens you up to more things
I am grateful for not only what I learned but also what I felt. My first District Assembly provided much more than information. It provided a sense of belonging, and the meaningful work that was accomplished and continues within Rotary. I left feeling welcomed, encouraged and inspired.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) kicks off once again at the end of May near beautiful Cultus Lake, B.C with a jam-packed, fun-filled schedule lined up by this year’s Head Facilitators–Carmen Mendonca and John Daly Crompton, both District 5050 Rotaractors.
For those that don’t know, RYLA is a powerful four day leadership program that transforms potential into action. It’s an experience designed for aspiring leaders, passionate advocates, and those looking to get more involved in their communities, ages 18-30.
For the second year in a row, RYLA will be held at Camp Stillwood in Lindell Beach, B.C, 28-31 May 2026. Over the course of the weekend, participants will hear from a variety of speakers covering topics such as: Breaking Down Barriers, Ethics & the 4-Way Test, and Diverse and Inclusive Leadership. Beyond that, the participants will compete in a series of “RYLANTICS” (teambuilding activities) as well as take on indoor and outdoor projects that allow them to utilize newly learned collaboration and communication skills brought forth during the weekend.
Registration for RYLA 2026 has been extended to May 9th, so please help spread the word by nominating young, aspiring leaders in your life to attend RYLA–a life-changing opportunity no one should miss out on! Click here to register!
The RYLA Committee would like to thank all the Rotary Clubs that have already financially sponsored and committed to sending participants to RYLA—no RYLA could ever happen without your Club’s support, and the impact you all have cannot be overstated! 😊
May has arrived and we are attending this year's District Conference at Harrison Hot Springs Resort in British Columbia. We are looking forward to see many of you at the Conference, learning more about our impact on the environment, how we can help youth navigate many of the challenges they face today, work with the aging population amongst us to have fulfilling lives and wrap up our time in Harrison Hot Springs giving back utilizing our time and talents. The Conference Planning Committee, led by Robyn Curtis, has packed so much into such a short time you won't want to miss any of it!
Speaking of packed activities, the District Assembly last month was a huge success. Thank you PDG Sean Hogan for spearheading that. It appears that “down under” has a new definition!
District 5050 Assistant Governors and Friends: Steve Ban, Malcolm Kennedy, PDG Brad Whitaker, George Henny, Erin Osterberg, Linda Mross, Ruth Richardson, Maureen Boyd, Audrey Gravley, Peter Tam
RYLA is this month as well! There is still room for motivated young adults to participate. Register today and help that young person in your community make a difference!! Read the RYLA article above to find out more! As PRIP James Lacy said “We cannot talk about the future without talking about children.”
If you are planning to attend the International Convention in Taipei we would love to have you be our field reporter. Would you be willing to share your adventures enroute, while at the Convention and on the return home with the District? If so, drop us a note and we will follow up. Thank you!
We invite you to share the Peace Arch Journal with your family, friends and even Rotarians in other Districts. Share the wonderful things that District 5050 Rotarians are doing!
If you want your Club's program, initiative, fundraiser and success story to be seen by the entire District (and our friends outside of the District), send us the information! With graphics or photos. And please make sure you identify everyone in the photos. Remember, the deadline is the 23rd of the month before publication. Thank you to those that are sending material. Best to use the Story Submittal forms available at the District website and photos should be separate in jpeg format with everyone identified. Word documents are the best. Make sure any graphics or images you use in your submissions are original, perhaps even created by your own members and not taken off of the internet unless you have received copyright permission.
Sometimes you will never know the value of
a moment, until it becomes a memory.
District 5050 Clubs
San JuansBarbara Marritt
What could be more appropriate than the local Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands finding a 233 lb tractor tire a.k.a. “Rotary wheel“ during an Earth Day beach cleanup on 18 April. Rotarians Scott Sluis and Paul Mayer had the Herculean task of removing it from a hillside to the beach, then carrying it over driftwood logs, rolling it up a flight of rustic beach stairs and up a long, steep dirt pathway, then lifting it into a truck bed.
The Club collected the most debris/trash of any of the hundred participants in the cleanup. All totaled, our Club collected 300 pounds of the approximately 1,000 pounds collected from beaches and roads on San Juan Island.
Scott Sluis and Paul Mayer
It was a beautiful sunny day, and the perfect way to give back to our community.
This monthly publication is a service to District Members and Friends. It is intended as a source of news and opinion from throughout the District.
The mission of the Peace Arch Journal is to promote communication, understanding, fellowship and fun beyond club meetings, in a manner complementary to shared efforts at placing Service Above Self.
Please send articles and news with or without pictures attached to emails. Photographs are always a plus! Note that the editor appreciates conservation of space in order to meet the sender’s needs and the editor’s time.
The deadline is the 23rd of the month.
Address any and all information to the Peace Arch Journal Editor.
Through Rotary, police officer Joanne Serkeyn expanded her view of how to make a difference. In July, Serkeyn will become the governor of District 7090
Members of the Rotary Club of Custer, South Dakota, played a role in the construction of the Crazy Horse Monument and continue to support its federation
