Service Above Self. Friendship. Community. Aloha in Action!
This is what Rotary Club of Hilo is all about! From preparing meals for Hawaiʻi Island Home for Recovery, to welcoming new members into our Rotary ʻohana, to joining hands with Assistance League of Hawaiʻi to help our keiki shop for free school clothes — every moment reflects the power of people coming together to make a difference.
We serve. We connect. We build friendships. And together, we make Hilo an even better place to call home.
Hilo Rotary Club volunteered with Assistance League Hawaii members who provide our keiki with $75 gift cards they could use to buy their school clothes. Our Rotarians were at the Hilo Walmart this past Saturday, Oct 17th helping each family to buy clothes for school. So much fun and rewarding for all! #rotary
Volcano History Tour yesterday. Shout out to Liana and RC of Volcano members… they were fantastic hosts!
Residents at the Hawai’i Island Home for Recovery enjoyed a homemade spaghetti meal on Thursday courtesy of the Rotary Club of Hilo. #GoCookEm #ServiceBeyondSelf
October is Economic & Community Development month for Rotary International. The Rotary Club of Hilo is proud to partner with @TheRotaractClubofEastHawaii(UHHilo) to offer a new Professional Mentoring Program for UH Hilo students. This program will pair a student with an experienced professional leader for one-on-one mentorship to guide the student in the career of their choice. It's not too late to join for the 2026-2027 scholastic year - there are a few open spots! UH Hilo students, contact your campus Rotaract Club leadership to get started and get the mentoring your future career deserves. #serviceaboveself
It's October… and our Club welcomes three new members - Seleste Tai (center left ) Christian Morgan (center), and Emma Wright (center right.) Alongside are their sponsors left to right , Wally W. & Kelley S. also Connie I. (AG) Jen T. (Club Pres) & Beverly Heikes (DGN)
Rotarians served up pork and beans with a side of aloha for this week’s homemade lunch at the Hawai’i Island Home for Recovery. #ServiceAboveSelf #GoCookEm
Club members joined others at the September 30 “Peanutbutter Ministry” that created food for 18 people. Way to go, club members!
Pet Therapy arrives at Adult Day Care each month with cute and social puppers! Club members bring these cuddly doggies and get to enjoy all the smiles!
Deliveries of meals continue for displaced Ka'u residents staying at the Hotels!
This evening's (Thursday, Sept. 3) Dinner Delivery for displaced Ka'u Residents staying at the Grand Naniloa. Kuhio Grill's Shannon and Salvation Army's Board Advisor - Grant Omura
Our Community Cares! 38 meals for 7 Hurricane Lala displaced families living at the Hilo Hawaiian and Naniloa Hotels just received ready-to go meals today (Tuesday). The meals, supplied by by various local restaurants (pictured her by Hawaiian Style Café) via Salvation Army - Hilo Corps, were delivered by Rotary Club of Hilo members Kerry Glass and Susan Munro. Way to go, our amazing local community! #Ka’u Strong #Rotary # Community # Salvation Army
Walking around Hilo town and learning its history… that's a Harvey “Walk and Talk”… So much information mixed in with fun stories. Don't miss the next one!
The Rotary Club of Hilo was just awarded First Place in Membership for Large Rotary Clubs in Hawaii! More members mean more Rotarians who can help change the world for better. Club member Connie Ichinose accepts the award from Rotary International’s representative, Johrita Solari, Nancy and Randy. Congrats, Club and hard-working Membership Committee!
Congrats to Rotary Club of Hilo “Youth Service” which received the First Place Award for Large Club Category. Accepting the Award on behalf of the club was 2025 - 2026 East Hawaii Rotaract Club at UHHilo President Kennedy Moniz and Secretary Lacey Wong. The Rotary Club of Hilo, a club with deep roots in Youth Service, knows that mentoring and encouraging youth makes for stronger leaders of tomorrow.
Stacy Katakura, of Accumulus Advisors, LLC, was installed into the Rotary Club of Hilo this past Friday, August 21, 2026. Stacy, CEO and Founder of this accounting service, is proud that her business actively supports accounting services for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. Welcome Aboard!
Welcome, Roy Brewfogle into the Rotary Club of Hilo! Roy was inducted on Friday, August 7, and was welcomed into our Rotary family. Roy is “semi-retired” as a CPA and is living in Tennessee, but often visits the Big Island. We all look forward to seeing Roy again soon!
Club members show up to support George Applegate at the arrival of the first Southwest flight direct from Las Vegas to Hilo. Roundtrip flights are now available… who is ready to go to Las Vegas!?
Our own George Applegate was instrumental in bringing Hilo to Mainland roundtrip flights back to our airport! Southwest Airlines is now offering direct flights from Hilo to our "9th Island". Great work, George!
This past Sunday, August 2nd, The Rotary Club of South Hilo’s annual fundraiser “Hilo Huli” brought out our members from our Rotary Club of Hilo and the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay for an afternoon of great fun, beautiful hula, amazing entertainers, and onolicious Hawaiian food. Pictured here with our 2026 - 2027 DG Benson Medina, PDG Nancy Cabral, DGN Beverly Heikes, and a few of our RCH members.
The Rotary Club of Hilo has again sent a wreath of bright red anthuriums to our Sister Rotary Club of Hiroshima South to be placed at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park which honors the A-bomb victims on the 6th day of August. Over 55 years ago, our then club President Russ Oda began this honorary tribute which has continued until today. In a note from the Hiroshima Club, "Vice President - Hiroshi Kumagai; Director of International Service Committee -Tohru Nakamura; Secretary − Naoto Kawai-; and Deputy Secretaries, Yuhei Miyasako, Ryuji Tanaka; and I, (Toshiyuki Nakamoto, President) placed the flower wreath at the entrance to the Park. We are very honored to help deliver your thoughts and wishes for peaceto Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park."
WAIAKEA INTERACT High School Reunion 2026! Going back 20 years for a few former advisors and students.
Rotary Club of Hilo members regularly cook lunch for the residents of the Hawaii Island Home for Recovery… but today's “Go Cook 'Em” crew were joined by Steve Handy who brought boxes of brand new shirts from PGA Hall of Fame golfer Vijay Singh!
SOOO many Hours to plan and stage a major Fundraising Event! Take a look at this CROWD of Club Brewfest Committee Members … backed by all the “getting ready to help” Rotary and Community Volunteers!
The above photo was about 2 weeks BEFORE the Brewfest. The next photo is a part of the hard-working AFTER THE BREWFEST CREW!
Tonight we bid farewell to Newton “It's a Dark & Stormy Night” Chu and welcomed our 2026-2027 president, Jennifer Tanouye. Jen and her new board officially start the new Rotary year on July 1 and they are all ready to meet the challenges of leading the Rotary Club of Hilo.
In true embodiment of "Service Above Self," Rotary Club of Hilo President Newton Chu is taking his commitment to new heights—or rather, new distances. This June, Newton will represent District 5000 and Hawaii at the Rotary International Convention in Taipei, Taiwan, but not before tackling an inspiring challenge: joining over 300 Rotarians from around the world to ride more than 500 kilometers around Taiwan to raise funds for Polio Plus.
"I have learned that International Rotarians are more alike than we are different," Newton shares. "They care about their communities, they care about the world, they care about others." This ride represents more than just a physical challenge—it's a testament to our global Rotary family's shared dedication to eradicating polio worldwide. As our club celebrates its 105th year, Newton's journey reminds us that service knows no borders. Support his efforts and join him in making a difference by donating at https://raise.rotary.org/Newton-Chu/challenge031.
Mahalo and aloha!
We were lucky to call him a fellow Rotarian. We were lucky to see what a life of purpose and genuine aloha looks like up close.
Our club, our community, our island—we're all going to miss him.
Mahalo, Kazuo. You showed us what service really means.
Share Your Memories
Leave a comment with your favorite memory of Kazuo, or share a photo that captures who he was. This past August, our club got together to celebrate his birthday—one of those good days you don't forget. If you have moments like that, please share them. Let's remember him together.
At the Rotary Club of Hilo, we take “Service Above Self” to heart — but we also know how to have a great time! Our Halloween meeting was full of laughter, creative costumes, and fellowship that reminds us why we love being Rotarians.
Amid all the spooky fun, we also celebrated something even more meaningful: presenting donation checks to three incredible local nonprofits — Aloha ʻIlio Rescue, YWCA of Hawaiʻi Island, and Friends of the Children’s Justice Center — made possible through the success of our annual Brewfest fundraiser.
From supporting our community to sharing smiles, we’re proud to live the Rotary spirit every day. Mahalo to everyone who makes it happen!
See the full article!
August 6th, 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, a moment in history that changed the world forever.
With President Chelsea Mack questioning contestants and Membership Chair Connie Ichinose staffing the answer board, two “families” battled out a rousing game of Family Feud, Rotary style. Winners: Family 2, Newton Chu, Susan Munro, Dee Scott, and Cathy Ogino-Williams. Family 1 members, Jay Hopfensperger, Grace Manipol-Larsen, Kazuo Todd, and Beverly Heikes, put up a good fight.
L-R: [L of vehicle] Marisol Nelson (SMVF) & her son; [kneeling] Shauna Moore’s husband & Shauna (RCSH); Leroy Funai & Deborah Funai (SMVF). [R of vehicle] Mike Meyer; Kanoa Wilson (SMVF), Kanoa’s daughter, wife, and newborn son; Connie Ichinose. Not shown is Jeno Enocencio (SMVF), who drove another vehicle. See accompanying article for explanation of abbreviations.
Connie’s already scheduling a holiday Mini-mixer at the Yacht Club for December 4 for 20 members and guests.
L-R: Sera Lu, Kanoa Wilson, Marisol Nelson, Barney Nelson, Past-President Jeremiah Leonard.
Past-President Jeremiah Leonard inducted four new members into our club’s newest satellite club for Service Members, Veterans & Families, and First Responders (SMVF). The ceremony took place August 28, 2024, at Kuhio Kalanianaole Park (aka Rotary Park). Inductees are Sera Lu, Kanoa Wilson, Marisol Nelson, and Barney Nelson. Katherine Baca sponsored Marisol; Connie Ichinose sponsored Sera, Kanoa, and Barney.
President Chelsea Mack and Jeremiah also officially installed SMVF, Chaired by Deborah Funai, as a satellite club.
The club was officially formed during the last month of Jeremiah’s tenure.
Service Above Self Since 1920
Hilo, HI 96720
United States of America