Program: Chief Adrian Diaz, Seattle Police Department, “Leading in Challenging Times,” November 2, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz.

The program will be presented in person and on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7:00 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The in-person meeting will be at the Wedgwood Community Church at 8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle. Doors open at 7:00 a.m. and the program begins at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7:00 a.m.


Chief Adrian Diaz has been a dedicated member of the Seattle Police Department for more than two decades. His work building relationships that bridge race, ethnicity and every flavor of humanity can be seen across the Department and in every neighborhood in Seattle.

The Chief began his career in Patrol, the Mountain Bike Unit, and the Anti-Crime Team before joining Investigations. He’s a Master Defensive Tactics instructor, served as Assistant Chief of the Collaborative Policing Bureau, was named Deputy Chief, served as Interim Chief for over two years and currently serves as Chief of Police.

Chief Diaz holds a B.A. in criminal justice from Central Washington University and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington. He has completed the Major Cities Chiefs Associations Police Executive Leadership Institute, the Cascade Executive Program and the Senior Management Institute of Policing. Chief Diaz has authored numerous national publications in community policing, misdemeanor justice and juvenile justice.

Program: Maureen Kures, “Advance Care Planning–Start the Talk Now,” October 26, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for a program featuring Maureen Kures, CEO of Radiant Mourning.

The program will be presented on Zoom on Thursday morning with the Zoom line opening at 7:00 a.m.  The formal meeting including the program runs from 7:30-8:30 a.m.  No registration is required, and the program is free.

The meeting will also be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7:00 a.m.


Maureen Kures

Maureen Kures is the CEO and Founder of Radiant Mourning. She’s on a mission to guide families to decide, document, and discuss their final chapter plans to bring peace to those who live on. As an oncology, hospice, and ICU nurse for 35 years, she was privileged to provide end-of-life care for many. She saw the devastation that occurred when families hadn’t had candid conversations with their family members. Now she facilitates those conversations with families around the world and leads virtual group workshops to replace drama, trauma, and chaos with calm, ease, and peace.

Program: Coffee with District Governor Kaj Pedersen, September 7, 2023

Join the University Sunrise Rotary Club for an informal program featuring Rotary District 5030’s District Governor, Kaj Pedersen.

We will meet in person at the Wedgwood Community Church (8201 30th Ave NE, Seattle. The program is also accessible via Zoom. The meeting opens informally at 700 a.m. and the official meeting starts at 730 a.m.    We normally close the meeting at 830 a.m.  No registration is required and the program is free.

The meeting will be available via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting Thursday morning.  The Zoom line will open shortly after 7 a.m.

ROTARY: Festival of Learning

The entire month of May is dedicated to Rotary learning! The Festival of Training is open to all Rotarians, with some classes targeted to specific Rotary roles. Learn about club flexibility, how your club can use social media, how our district is taking on malaria, and how we are helping bees. If you are new to Rotary there is a session for you, and if you are taking on a specific club role there is a session to assist you.

Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at either 5:00pm or 6:30pm via Zoom. All sessions are 45-60 minutes.

Click on the session title for more information and to register: FOL 2023 Full Schedule.pdf

We hope we can Awaken you to the Extraordinary Opportunity of Rotary as we help Create Hope in the World!

Wendi Fischer – District Trainer

Rotary Litter Pick with We Heart Seattle Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to Noon

Location:  Exact location is TBA and will be announced on Facebook a few days prior.   We Heart Seattle is constantly scanning the city for where a volunteer crew is needed most.   We’d all like more advance notice for our personal planning purposes, but please be patient with the process.  There is a fair amount of pre-work that goes into making a site ready for us volunteers. We Heart Seattle is a non-profit that comes alongside homeless encampments to clear trash.  This is a harm reduction strategy for the people living there and also a beautification strategy for our city.  Along the way, We Heart Seattle offers people living outdoors referral services to housing and drug rehabilitation services.   Rest assured that if the homeless encampment we are working near is inhabited, We Heart Seattle will get permission from the residents before we clean.  It’s not uncommon for the residents to come out and clean with us.  Wear sturdy hiking boots and layers for the weather. And if you have one, wear your “Rotarian at Work” T-shirt or Rotary Hat.  They show up great in photos!  We Heart Seattle will supply gloves, PPE, picking tools, garbage bags and other cleaning supplies.  This service project is appropriate for volunteers aged 13 years and older. To learn more about We Heart Seattle go to:  www.weheartseattle.org To buy yourself a Rotarian at Work T-shirt or Rotary Hat go to:  www.bestclubsupplies.com RSVP’s are being collected on Facebook:  https://fb.me/e/13b6VzGuA

THE BIG TASTE: Thank You!!

University Sunrise Rotary Logo - JPEG

Thank you for your support of the 2023 The Big Taste. We hope you had a great evening with us and will plan on returning next year.  Please expect a “save the date” announcement for next year’s Big Taste in the near future.

More than 600 people attended this year’s event held at the historic Sandpoint Naval Air Station “Hangar 30” in Seattle’s Magnuson Park, and we as a community raised over $44,000 to benefit Outdoors for All, who provides adaptive and therapeutic recreation for children and adults with disabilities,  We Heart Seattle, an action-based, boots-on-the-ground movement that organizes trash cleanups in our public spaces and offers resources to those in need and the University Sunrise Rotary Foundation, which creates positive, lasting change locally and globally through service, investments in the community, and building close relationships.

To see photos from this year’s event provided by Garrett Padera, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USRotary/photos

Thank you to all our corporate sponsors:

Thank you to all the amazing tasting vendors:

  • Bacovino
  • Bauman’s Cider
  • Beauchamp Imports
  • Bellingham Cider
  • Cedar River Cellars
  • Dahlman Cellars
  • Drum Roll Wine
  • Elevation Cellars
  • Empyrical Orchard & Cidery
  • Fremont Brewing
  • Georgetown Brewing
  • Greenwood Cider
  • Guardian Cellars
  • James Bay Distillers
  • Julian Margot
  • Magnuson Brewing
  • Market Vineyards
  • Naches Heights Vineyard
  • Northwest Spirits
  • Nota Bene Cellars
  • Patterson Cellars
  • Republic of Cider
  • RR Poet
  • Sky River Mead
  • Smoky Rose Cellars
  • Structure Cellars
  • Sunken Cellars
  • T2 Cellar
  • Temple Distilling
  • Wohlfert Craft Distilling
  • Zzaphoria Spirits

Non- Alcoholic Tastes From:

  • All the Bitter Zero Alcohol Bitters
  • Alpenglow Cocktail Co. Mixers
  • Amass Riverine Zero Alcohol Spirits
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Blurred Vines – Spark & Sharp Zero Alcohol Wine
  • Casamara Sparkling Botanical Waters
  • Cheeseland Cheeses
  • Grüvi Zero Alcohol Beer & Wine
  • Joyous Zero Alcohol Wines
  • Lolo Hops Zero Alcohol Beer
  • Noughty Zero AlcoholWines
  • Pathfinder Zero Alcohol Spirits
  • Roots Divino Zero Alcohol Vermouth
  • Spinnaker Chocolate
  • The Mighty Truffle
  • Tost Sparkling Refresher
  • Wilderton Zero Alcohol Spirits

We hope you enjoyed the free Photobooth sponsored by Fremont Dock, live music from the Ranken File, and delicious food from Off the Rez and Yummy Box.

We look forward to seeing you again next year.

With sincere gratitude,

-Victoria Wenick

University Sunrise Rotary Event Co-Chair

Big Taste Logo 2023

Joseph Thomas, Law School Graduate!!

Want to say thank you to each of you and the rest of the club for the support to accomplish this. It has been the dream of my beloved Claudia and myself, and all helped us make it happen. We can now see a way to be of help to our fellow American Citizens. Airborne, all the way! –Joseph Thomas

The Big Moment Video……

Program: John Pierce, “An Analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,” February 16, 2023


The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is an important federal act which endeavors to curb inflation by reducing the deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and investing in domestic energy production, and promoting clean energy. The law will raise $738 billion and authorize $391 billion in spending on energy and climate change, $238 billion in deficit reduction, three years of Affordable Care Act subsidies, drug reform to lower prices, and tax reform. 

John Pierce

John F. Pierce, Partner, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, focuses his practice on the structuring, development and financing of energy and infrastructure projects.  He represents clients in connection with power generation projects fueled by an array of traditional, renewable, and unconventional energy sources.  John also works with carbon mitigating credits, offsets and trading structures, the creation of carbon trading protocols and markets, carbon sequestration, other environmental attributes and related market-based means to add value to certain energy projects. John has advised and structured various financings of energy and energy-related projects. Additionally, he has infrastructure project experience where he has counseled on the development of port facilities (bulk and container), airports, toll roads, terminals, refineries and associated pipelines, and industrial zones.

Sunday Breakfast

The University Sunrise Rotary Club’s informal Sunday gathering at Katina’ Kitchen. We meet almost every Sunday morning at 730. Join us! (We rarely miss a Sunday morning, but check with Tom Ranken to confirm).

The owners (of over 50 years) along with Paul Meehan, Mike Madden, Dave Mushen, Colleen White, Lincoln Ferris, Tom Ranken, Bruce Balick, Paul Weibel, Stuart Weber, and Ted Hunter.