The Rotary Club of Waikiki is pleased to welcome Arleen Velasco as our guest speaker this week.

Arleen Velasco is an engineer with a small research firm in Honolulu and has worked for Hawaiʻi-based companies for more than 30 years. Fourteen years ago, she moved to Hawaiʻi and finally had the opportunity to devote more of her time to causes she has long cared about: protecting the ocean and strengthening local communities.

Arleen currently serves as Vice Chair of the Oʻahu Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and Vice Chair of Diamond Head Neighborhood Board No. 5. Her engineering research background, combined with her deep love of the ocean, has led her to become actively involved in many of Hawaiʻi’s environmental challenges, including plastic pollution, coastal erosion, and ocean-water contamination caused by sewage.

Arleen will discuss the past and current work of the Blue Water Task Force, a Surfrider Foundation citizen-science program that tests beaches on Oʻahu for evidence of sewage pollution. Through this program, community volunteers help monitor coastal water quality and provide valuable information that can help protect Hawaiʻi’s beaches, ocean, and communities.

We look forward to learning from Arleen's experiences, insights, and contributions to our community.

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Support HRYF Through Foodland's Give Aloha Program

You can support the Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation (HRYF) through Foodland's annual Give Aloha Program!

Friends, family members, and Rotarians can make donations at any Foodland, Foodland Farms, or Sack N Save store. Simply provide the HRYF organization number found on the attached flyer or tell the cashier that you would like to donate to the Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation. Foodland will also make a contribution to participating organizations, helping increase the impact of your donation.

Best of all, every dollar donated through this program counts toward your club's 2026-2027 per capita giving goal, helping support scholarships and educational opportunities for Hawaii's youth.

The Give Aloha Program runs from September 1 through September 30. Please review the attached flyer for instructions on how to make your donation at checkout and ensure that your contribution is properly credited to HRYF and your Rotary club.

Support HRYF to Help Provide Scholarships to Hawaii’s Students!

Contribute to: Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation Organization Code: 77199 From September 1-30, 2026

How to Help:

1) Show your Maika`i Card and make your tax-deductible donation to HRYF (up to $249 per person) at any Foodland, Sack N. Save or Foodland Farms checkout from September 1-30, 2025. Please check to make sure that the Hawaii Rotary Youth Foundation name appears on the receipt.

2) Foodland and the Western Union Foundation will donate a matching gift percentage of between 20-25%.

3) Give a copy of the receipt to your Club Donation Rep or email a copy to office@hawaiirotaryyouthfoundation.org. Please be sure to include your name and club for credit to your HRYF contribution account. Foodland does not provide the donor’s name so please help by sending in your receipt.

Mahalo for your Support!

HRYF – 3536 Harding Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock - Chinatown Community Leader

Our President, Fred Brooks, is organizing a special evening of delicious food, fellowship, and community engagement. We are honored to be joined by Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, one of Chinatown's most respected community leaders, who will share insights about the neighborhood, its history, and ongoing community initiatives. Seats are expected to fill quickly, so be sure to reserve your spot early!

Event Details:
Legends Seafood Restaurant, Chinatown

Friday, September 4, 2026

Cost: $50 per person

Limited to 20 seats

We are pleased to welcome Denny Roy, Senior Fellow at the East-West Center in Honolulu and a recognized expert on Asia-Pacific security and international relations.

Denny's research focuses on China, Taiwan, North Korea, and the geopolitical issues shaping the Indo-Pacific region. Prior to joining the East-West Center in 2007, he held teaching and research positions at several prominent institutions, including the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, the Naval Postgraduate School, the Australian National University, and the National University of Singapore. He has also lived and worked in Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore, providing him with firsthand insight into the region.

Denny will discuss Taiwan's significance to U.S. economic interests, regional stability, and global security. This timely presentation will offer valuable insights into one of the most important issues affecting the Indo-Pacific region today.

Mark your calendars for next week's program. We are pleased to welcome Denny Roy of the East-West Center, who will present "Why Taiwan Matters to America." Denny is a recognized expert on Asia-Pacific security issues and will provide valuable insights into this important and timely topic.

Denny Roy's work has focused mostly on Asia Pacific security issues, particularly those involving China.  Recently Roy has written on Chinese foreign policy, the North Korea nuclear weapons crisis, China-Japan relations, and China-Taiwan relations.  His interests include not only traditional military-strategic matters and foreign policy, but also international relations theory and human rights politics.
 
Before joining the East-West Center in 2007, Roy worked at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu for seven years, rising to the rank of Professor after starting as a Research Fellow.  In 1998--2000 Roy was a faculty member in the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.  There he taught courses on China, Asian history, and Southeast Asian politics.  He also designed and taught an innovative course titled Human Rights and National Security in Asia.

Sara Kunz  is a professional speaker for corporate events, webinars, and workshops specializing in bringing joy to topics like resilience, adaptability, and burnout.

You can see her in action on the Discovery Channel show ‘Naked and Afraid’ - don’t worry, it’s censored!

20th Annual Extravaganza

Celebrating Waikiki Rotary's 87th Anniversary! 

Honoring David Livingston.
The recipient of the Richard Matti Award.

Saturday, October 17th, 2026 5:30 pm

Located at the Honolulu Country Club
1690 Ala Puumalu St, Honolulu, HI 96818

Tickets: $200

Join us for an evening of Great Entertainment! Delicious Buffet, Silent & Live Auctions. 

For Event Sponsorship Opportunities Visit: WaikikiRotary.org

Contact: James Pierce

Phone: +1-321-591-6328

Email: jpierce@us.ibm.com

Proceeds will help fund Waikiki Rotary projects.