Two men hang a Saratoga Rotary Club banner in the Buy and Save parking lot in preparation for the Rotary Art Show in 1959. The annual Saratoga Rotary Art Show, which began in 1957, has become one of the most highly regarded art shows in the region and the largest fundraiser for the Saratoga Rotary Charitable Foundation.
Each month I would like to take the opportunity to highlight a special organization that is a cornerstone of giving in Saratoga. This month I would like to highlight the Rotary Club of Saratoga. This club has been and continues to be actively involved in numerous projects that benefit residents in our community and beyond. Our club is a strong supporter of Saratoga’s youth programs, providing scholarships, leadership development initiatives, and sponsorship of local school activities, as well as providing hands-on and financial support to nonprofit and charitable organizations.
One of the club’s greatest contributions to the community is the annual Saratoga Rotary Art Show, which began in 1957. The show has become one of the most highly regarded art shows in the area and the largest fundraiser for the Saratoga Rotary Charitable Foundation, which provides grants to local nonprofits and clubs’ youth and community service programs. In the past decade alone, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in grants to organizations, most recently benefiting children, students, teachers, educational facilities, summer camps, senior services, and the arts.
The Rotary Club of Saratoga is a member of Rotary District 5170, along with 62 other clubs in the South Bay and Silicon Valley. This spring, District 5170, Saratoga Rotary, and other local clubs participated in Rise Against Hunger, preparing 24,000 meals to fight hunger and support those in need. This is just one example of the humanitarian programs the Rotary Club of Saratoga contributes to, as well as other hands-on programs and fundraisers with clubs in the South Bay, including Cupertino, Los Gatos, and Sunnyvale.
I am proud to have been an active member of the Rotary Club of Saratoga for over 10 years. This club has allowed me to contribute to student art programs, including supporting art teachers and students who are pursuing art. It has been a wonderful experience, and I encourage others to get involved in service organizations like this.
Yang Zhao is the mayor of Saratoga.
