Who We Are

We are neighbors, friends and community leaders who come together to create positive, lasting change in our communities and around the world. Our differing occupations, cultures and countries give us a unique perspective. Our shared passion for service helps us accomplish the remarkable.

President's Welcome

Creating Lasting Impact in Watsonville for 100 Years

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Watsonville!

I'm honored to serve as our Club President for a second term, following my first term in 2020–21, when I had the unusual distinction of serving as Watsonville Rotary's "Pandemic President." Our weekly meetings and Board meetings were held entirely via Zoom, and while we found creative ways to stay connected and serve our community, nothing compares to the fun, friendship, and fellowship of gathering together in person. I'm especially grateful that we are once again able to roll up our sleeves and work side by side on service projects that benefit our local community.

That spirit of fellowship and service is what I love most about Rotary.
Our club offers many opportunities to make a difference, both here in the Pajaro Valley and around the world. This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Rotary International Convention in Taipei, Taiwan, joining 37,000 Rotarians from around the globe. Experiencing Rotary on that scale—and seeing so many people united by a commitment to creating positive change—was truly inspiring. I returned home with new international friendships, new ideas for service, and an even greater appreciation for Rotary's global reach.

At the same time, some of Rotary's greatest impact happens right here at home. Through the Rotary Club of Watsonville, I have made lifelong friendships and have seen firsthand the difference our members make throughout Watsonville and the greater Pajaro Valley.

Rotary's motto is "Service Above Self," ;and our club puts those words into action in many ways.

Our annual Claws for a Cause lobster dinner has consistently raised more than $20,000 in recent years. Those funds are returned directly to our community through grants to local nonprofit organizations doing important work in the Watsonville area.

At our weekly meetings, we also recognize outstanding young people through our Student of the Month program. We celebrate students from E.A. Hall Middle School, New School, Renaissance High School and, new this year, Diamond Tech Institute who have distinguished themselves and made meaningful contributions to their school communities.

Each year, we also award $12,000 in Rotary scholarships to high-achieving, college-bound local students to help them continue their education. It's incredibly rewarding to see where their educational journeys take them, both locally and across the country—and especially meaningful when former scholarship recipients return to share their experiences with our Club as featured speakers.

Service also means getting our hands dirty—sometimes literally! Our members have cleaned up a flooded mobile home park, planted trees, packed food at Second Harvest Food Bank, mucked out animal pens at Live Earth Farm, removed invasive plants from the Watsonville Slough and worked with the Pajaro Valley Sports Foundation to help install new soccer fields and parking facilities at Freedom Elementary School, among many other projects. We work hard, make a difference, and have a lot of fun together along the way.

Our commitment extends beyond our local community as well. We proudly support Rotary International's longstanding effort to eradicate Polio through vaccination, to stop the spread of Malaria, and other global initiatives.

Celebrating 100 Years of Service

This year is particularly meaningful because I have the privilege of serving as President as the Rotary Club of Watsonville celebrates its 100th year. Founded in May 1927, our Club has a remarkable history of service, fellowship and leadership in the Pajaro Valley. I hope you'll save the date for our Centennial Celebration, when we'll recognize this important milestone and honor the generations of Rotarians and community partners who helped make it possible.
I'm also delighted to serve during the year of Rotary International President Yinka Babalola of Nigeria. His Rotary journey began as the charter president of his Rotaract club in college, and ultimately, led him to serve as Rotary International President. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at the Rotary International Convention in Taipei and found him dynamic, warm, and inspiring. His theme for 2026–27, "Create Lasting Impact," beautifully captures what Rotary is all about.

Come Join Us!

If you're curious about Rotary, I hope you'll come experience it for yourself.

The Rotary Club of Watsonville meets every Wednesday from 12:15–1:30 p.m. on the back patio at Jalisco Restaurant in the heart of downtown Watsonville. Our meetings include fellowship, Student of the Month celebrations, some fundraising fines from our weekly Detective, and interesting and entertaining programs featuring people and organizations from throughout our community. We learn together, build relationships, network, laugh, and plan service projects that make a difference locally and around the world.

We have fun outside our weekly meetings, too, with social gatherings including our annual barbecue at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, holiday celebration and occasional after-hours get-togethers at local establishments.

Whether you are interested in serving your community, meeting new people, developing friendships and professional connections, or becoming part of a worldwide organization committed to positive change, there is a place for you in Rotary.

I invite you to join us at one of our meetings as my guest. Come meet our members, experience the fellowship, and discover how you can help us Create Lasting Impact—together.

Warmly,

Kristin Fabos
President, 2026–27
Rotary Club of Watsonville

What Makes Us Different

Our distinct point of view and approach gives us unique advantages. Our multidisciplinary perspective helps us see challenges in unique ways. We apply leadership and expertise to social issues and find unique solutions. Our passion and perseverance create lasting change. We make a difference at home and around the world.

How Do We Work

Our impact starts with our members, people who work tirelessly with their clubs to solve some of our community's toughest challenges. Their efforts are supported by Rotary International, our member association and the Rotary Foundation, which turns generous donations into grants that fund the work of our members and partners around the world. Watsonville Rotary is led by our members, responsible leaders who help to carry forward our generation's mission and values in their elected roles.

Our History

The Watsonville Rotary Club was founded on May 21, 1927, the same day that Charles Lindbergh landed in Paris. A small article on the front page of the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian newspaper covered the first meeting with huge headlines above the article about Lindbergh's feat. The club has an average of 70-80 members with our most veteran member having joined the club in 1947. We have always been an active club in the community and around the world. Our Rotarians have provided funding and sent members to Peru and Guatemala over the last 20 years to work on a variety of projects including literacy, health education, medical support and water sanitation. We provide support for local schools including financial support, student college scholarships, equipment and enrichment activities. We have an annual grant program for local non-profits that serve Watsonville youth through an annual grant program We host a Job Shadowing Day for 80 students from Watsonville High where our members and other professionals provide quality career "hosting" for the students. We sponsor foreign exchange students through the Rotary Exchange program. We sponsor an annual speech contest and recognize student achievement at local partner schools at our weekly meetings. Our weekly Speakers engage the membership and guests with information about local, national and international issues.

 

ROTARACT meets most Wednesday evenings 8:00 pm in the Amah Matsun Conference Room above the Baytree Bookstore on the UCSC campus. UCSC Rotaract annually invites 20 high school Interactors to the UCSC campus to tour the university and to attend workshops about applying for college and campus life.