As summer begins and our children and grandchildren are home from school, many local families face an increased challenge in keeping food on the table. The Brazos Food Bank’s Summer Hungry Project helps fill that gap for school-aged children who may no longer have access to school meals. Rotary members can make a meaningful difference by simply adding a few nonperishable food items to their shopping carts during their regular grocery trips. A few extra cans, boxes, or pantry staples may seem small, but together our collective generosity can help ensure that no child in our community goes hungry this summer. We are collecting these items at every Wednesday lunch meeting for the next couple of weeks.

We are pleased to welcome Royce Hickman as our special guest speaker today at The Phillips Event Center. A lifelong resident and proud advocate of the Bryan/College Station community, Royce has spent decades helping shape the growth and success of the Brazos Valley. Before retiring, he served for 19 years as President of the B/CS Chamber of Commerce and has held leadership roles with numerous organizations, including Brazos Blue Ribbon Bakery, The Association of Former Students, the Houston A&M Club, and the Friends of Sterling C. Evans Library. Royce’s deep roots, community service, and passion for the region make him a remarkable voice and an outstanding guest for our Rotary Club.

Please join us next Wednesday at our regular noon meeting at The Phillips Event Center as we celebrate an important Rotary tradition—the passing of the gavel. We will honor the outstanding service of our current Club President, Melissa Green, whose dedication, heart, and leadership have guided our club through a successful year of service and fellowship. At the same time, we will welcome incoming President Mark Browning as he takes the reins and leads us into an exciting new chapter. We hope you will join us as we thank Melissa for her remarkable contributions and show our support for Mark as he begins his year of leadership.