Projects
Service Above Self in Action
Woodinville Rotary projects reflect our club’s commitment to service, community impact, and meaningful action. From local initiatives to regional and international efforts, our projects are driven by Rotary values and carried out by dedicated members working together to make a positive difference.
Community Parks
In the spirit of public-private partnerships, Woodinville Rotary has played a key role in the development and ongoing maintenance of three Woodinville community parks.
Wilmot Gateway Park
17301 131st Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072
When the City of Woodinville incorporated in the late 1990s, it had a bold vision to create a signature, multi-use park in the heart of the city. The Rotary Club of Woodinville stepped forward to lead the effort, launching a campaign to raise $1 million in private funding. Rotary’s leadership helped define the kind of community Woodinville aspired to be. The club contributed $127,000 and inspired members, local businesses, and friends to rally behind the cause, ultimately raising more than $700,000.
Today, Wilmot Gateway Park stands as a vibrant gathering place for residents and visitors alike. Enjoyed daily by Burke-Gilman Trail users and serving as a hub for community events, the park remains a lasting symbol of what’s possible when people come together in service.
Rotary Community Park
19518 136th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072
Woodinville Rotary pledged $90,000 over three years, along with a long-term commitment to stewardship and care of Rotary Community Park. Today, the park offers something for everyone, including a skateboard facility, picnic shelter, and playground. A winding boardwalk trail system, built by Rotarians, invites visitors to explore 18 acres of beautiful natural habitat.
Without Rotary’s visible show of community support, this property may have been lost to development. Instead, it has become a lively, well-loved gathering place, used daily by people of all ages.
Rotary Peace Poles at DeYoung Park
13680 NE 175th St, Woodinville, WA 98072
DeYoung Park is in the heart of downtown Woodinville. Named after the DeYoung family, the park provides a tree-shaded spot for lunch and features colorful artwork. In 2018, this park was renovated as part of a community-wide effort.
Rotary Peace Poles stand as quiet yet powerful symbols of unity in various Woodinville parks. Bearing messages of peace, the poles reflect Rotary’s global commitment to peace, understanding, and goodwill. Placed in this welcoming community park, they invite visitors to pause, reflect, and remember our shared hope for a more peaceful world.
Rotary-Inspired Little League Diamonds
In its first charter year, 1987, the newly formed Rotary Club of Woodinville raised funds to partner with King County and help Northshore Little League secure a long-term lease for much-needed baseball diamonds in Woodinville. Rotary’s early leadership, including the construction of the park restrooms, helped pave the way for the ballfields that families and young athletes continue to enjoy today. Thanks to the vision and determination of our legacy members, these beloved community spaces remain a lasting part of Woodinville’s story.
Then and Now: Pictured here are the original Little League Diamonds from 1987, made possible through Woodinville Rotary’s early leadership and community partnership—alongside today’s vibrant ballfields, still serving generations of Woodinville families and young athletes.
Environment
We turn environmental stewardship into hands-on community action by restoring habitat, educating neighbors, and supporting pollinators across our region.
Partners in Pollination
We believe in being good stewards of our environment, and Partners in Pollination is one way we expand that impact. This community alliance brings together the City of Woodinville, 21 Acres, Pollinator Pathway NW, Woodinville Rotary, and the Woodinville Garden Club to raise awareness about the benefits of planting native species and supporting pollinator habitats.
Woodinville Rotary helped launch the first Pollinator Fest in 2022 and remains actively involved through outreach and education. Alongside our Rotary Tri-Club family, we share resources, provide seed packets, and strengthen collaboration among local organizations by empowering neighbors to support pollinators in their own yards and gardens.
Keep it Cool. Keep it Fresh.
Woodinville Rotary proudly partnered with District 5030 to provide a cold storage refrigeration unit for farmers in the Sammamish Valley. This innovative project, called “Keep It Cool. Keep It Fresh,” helps local growers extend the shelf life of their produce and reduce food waste throughout the year.
Powered by a solar-operated battery contributed by project partners, the unit operates in all seasons without relying on the electrical grid. It’s a powerful blend of sustainability, economic support, and environmental stewardship that strengthens the region’s rich agricultural legacy while building community resilience for the future.
Coding for Conservation
Woodinville Rotary is proud to sponsor Coding for Conservation, a special educational initiative in partnership with the Planet Bee Foundation, supported through a Rotary International Global Grant. This innovative program connects STEM learning with environmental stewardship, empowering students to become conservation leaders as they design and build Smart Native Bee Homes using sensor technology and coding skills.
Coding instruction in the Northshore School District begins in Spring 2026.
Families + Children
Supporting children and families through service projects that provide essential resources, build confidence, and strengthen our community from the ground up.
Operation Warm Coats
In 2003, Woodinville Rotary launched the national Operation Warm Coats program for Northshore and Eastside families, distributing more than 2,000 new winter coats to children through the Bothell Santa Breakfast and Hopelink’s holiday family baskets. Funded by the club’s annual auction, which raised $21,000, the program delivered high quality coats at exceptional value. By its second year, the effort expanded to include other Rotary clubs and community partners across the district, with our club coordinating logistics, warehousing, and distribution.
More than two decades later, Operation Warm Coats remains one of the club’s most cherished traditions. Each December, Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact members come together to deliver warmth to local families. To date, Woodinville Rotary has provided more than 10,000 winter coats to Northshore schoolchildren, offering not only protection from the cold but also confidence and dignity that support academic success.
Essentials First
Woodinville Rotary is proud to support Essentials First, an organization dedicated to empowering dignity and strengthening community wellness by providing equitable access to vital hygiene products and food assistance. For families facing hardship, these everyday essentials can make an immediate difference, offering stability, comfort, and the reassurance that they are not alone.
Our club partners with Essentials First through both financial support and hands-on volunteering. By showing up, lending a helping hand, and investing in this mission, Woodinville Rotary helps ensure that local families have the resources they need to care for themselves and their loved ones, building a healthier, more compassionate community for all.
Woodinville Storehouse Food Bank
Woodinville Storehouse Food Bank serves the Woodinville, Kirkland, and Redmond communities with healthy, nutritional food and compassionate support. Operated by a coalition of volunteers, Storehouse welcomes anyone experiencing food insecurity to receive quality groceries, including dairy, baked goods, and fresh produce.
Woodinville Rotary is proud to partner with the Woodinville Storehouse through community food drives and special efforts, such as our Food & Farmer Sustainability Drive, which collects both nonperishable items and funds to purchase local produce for clients. We’ve also committed to an annual monetary donation to help keep shelves stocked and ensure neighbors are served with dignity and care year-round.
International
We strengthen communities worldwide through global partnerships, international conferences, and hands-on service.
Building Peace Through Global Partnerships
Connection and learning are central to our global impact. Woodinville Rotarians regularly attend local, regional, and international conferences to collaborate with fellow Rotarians and strengthen partnerships. In 2025, members of our club joined more than 12,000 Rotarians from across the globe in Calgary, Canada, to share ideas and advance peace through service worldwide. That spirit of connection fuels our work abroad.
Woodinville Rotarians have participated in medical missions in remote areas of Peru and Pakistan, and regularly support families living in Vallarta Abuelos in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We also support End Polio Now and helped fund a plant in rural Kiminini, Kenya, producing up to 10,000 safe water filters each year. This $25,000 investment, inspired by UW Bothell students, reflects our commitment to sustainable, community-driven solutions.