Year-End Report for 2025-26
July 2026, by Barbara Wilson
Our 2025-2026 Club President, Nicci Beninger, began the Rotary Year with an Announcement that this would be the Year of Opportunities… opportunities to serve, to engage, to reflect, to create and to expand our friendships, membership and public image in the Lakeside Community… And that we did!
Some of our successes from opportunities this past year include:
- Growing our membership to 50 members.
- The completion of our Global Grant for the Wetland Waste Treatment System in the village of Ojo de Agua.
- To date 33 kidney transplants have been performed in partnership with the Hospital Civil Viejo, the Lila K Foundation and the Rotary Heart to Heart Group, including 7 transplants that were completely funded by our own Global Grant.
- Renovations are underway for the La Cuesta/Mezcala Medical Clinic. This clinic will bring public health services and education to an immediate population of 5000 people with a catchment area of 14,000. It will provide primary health, nutrition, dental and psychological services and a pharmacy with 24-hour staff. Clinics on diabetes, dental, nutrition, and heart healthy awareness will be offered monthly. Renovations are currently underway with an anticipated opening in late fall.
- We continue to provide Diabetes Education and Treatment through our monthly educational meetings focusing on healthy eating, weight management, and exercise
- Our own Dr. Cerda contributes his time to educate low-income families on the importance of Dental Care. This year, his primary focus has been to provide education, follow up with former patients and free dental cleaning for kids.
- We have two ongoing projects to support the Tepehua Community in Chapala.
- Firstly, every Friday, Rotary volunteers help to distribute hot meals and entertain upwards of 91 children with games and activities.
- Secondly, we offered 8 post-secondary scholarships to students who are attending vocational or university programs.
- We hosted five clubs with members from the United States, Canada and Mexico to join us for our 5-day Friendship Tour. We got to know each other, share ideas, visit projects, and tour the towns of Ajijic and Chapala. This tour was written up in the June issue of “The Rotarian” magazine.
- And finally, we provided community service by:
- hosting visiting artisans in our homes,
- providing set-up and take-down service to an artisan fair,
- arranged a posada Christmas party for several hundred children
- and provided Christmas Eve dinners to 120 families
The Chapala Sunrise Rotary Club wishes to thank our members, supporters, partners, and the Lakeside Community for your efforts to help us serve the residents of Lake Chapala.
