Club Meeting: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program Update
2026-05-21 11:45 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Black Bear Diner, 30175 S.W. Parkway Ave., Wilsonville, OR, 97070, United States
The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program is a joint effort between Oregon and Washington to replace the 108 year old Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River and make related interchange improvements within the five-mile corridor. Its goal is to ensure a modern, multimodal corridor that strengthens earthquake resiliency, improves safety and keeps people and our economy moving. Meghan Hodges, the IBR Program’s Community and Government Relations Manager, will provide an update on recent milestones, proposed improvements, current funding, and next steps needed in order to move into the construction phase.
About the presenter: Meghan Hodges currently serves as Community and Government Relations Manager for the IBR Program. Prior to that she worked at the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Southwest region office, in executive project management at Intel in Hillsboro, and also as the campaign manager for a local state representative. Meghan has a degree from the University of Puget Sound where she studied International Political Economy, which is where she first truly understood the connection between infrastructure, transportation, the community, and commerce. Meghan lives in Vancouver with her husband, 10-year-old daughter, and 3-year-old son. She enjoys bringing her family to parks, trails, and events across Vancouver to keep her kids entertained, see the outdoors, and experience all their home city has to offer. She is a public servant at heart and enjoys helping the community understand the impact transportation improvements can have on daily lives and on the region.
About our club: The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.

Club Meeting: The Mission of Green Empowerment
2026-05-28 11:45 - 13:00
Mica Miro, Engagement Director for Green Empowerment, will share how the organization partners with remote communities around the world to build clean water and renewable energy infrastructure. Through long-term partnerships with local organizations and deep community engagement, Green Empowerment helps communities design and implement solutions that meet their own needs.
Mica will explain Green Empowerment’s model and the importance of community ownership in creating sustainable projects. The presentation will also explore how women’s leadership and empowerment are closely connected with access to basic infrastructure such as clean water and renewable energy.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Mica Miro is the Engagement Director at Green Empowerment, where she leads fundraising and communications efforts to support community-driven renewable energy and clean water projects around the world. With a deep commitment to community-led development, Mica has spent her career working at the intersection of art, impact, and organizational leadership.
Before joining Green Empowerment, Mica worked in Oaxaca, Mexico, with Fundación En Vía, a nonprofit that supports women entrepreneurs, where she served as Responsible Tourism Program Manager and Interim Managing Director. Earlier in her career, Mica worked in arts education and program management in the San Francisco Bay Area. She brings a creative and strategic approach to engagement, helping ensure that Green Empowerment’s mission resonates with supporters and partners worldwide.

Club Meeting: The Peaceability Mindset
2026-06-04 11:45 - 13:00
Reba J. Parker, an accomplished author, keynote speaker, and professor at the College of Charleston with over 25 years of experience, teaches sociology through a peace studies lens. Curious about why the word ‘peace’ feels so challenging, Reba interviewed thousands of people, including her own university students. Through this research, she uncovered the missing link that keeps mindsets about peace outdated and stuck. She will share her insights, offering a fresh, practical path to reimagining peace.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Reba lives in Portland, Oregon, with her wife and has three children and two dogs. When she’s not teaching or writing, she nurtures her creative spirit by tending to her vineyard, playing the ukulele, and participating in a weekly writers’ group. For practical insights on integrating peace into your life and community, visit her at https://thepeaceabilitymindset.com.

Club Meeting: From Mailbox to Milestones: The Power of Books in Every Home
2026-06-11 11:45 - 13:00
Kaylee Chrystal, Community Engagement Coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon, will share insights into how consistent access to books in the home supports early literacy development, strengthens family engagement, and encourages a lifelong love of reading. Drawing from findings in the Imagination Library International Study, she will highlight how the program helps children build important early learning foundations.
Kaylee will also provide updates on the growth and statewide reach of the Imagination Library of Oregon, along with new developments expanding access for children and families across the state. Her presentation will connect research and real-world impact, showing how a simple book arriving in the mailbox can help support key developmental milestones for young readers.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Kaylee Chrystal is the Community Engagement Coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon, where she supports local program partners and works to expand access to free, age appropriate books for children across the state. She joined the Imagination Library team in 2024 and collaborates with community organizations to strengthen early literacy efforts and help ensure more families can receive books at no cost.
Kaylee is a Willamette University alumna and is passionate about connecting research and real-world impact to support young children and families.

Club Meeting: Keeping Our Kids Safe – The Fight Against Trafficking
2026-06-18 11:45 - 13:00
Trafficking is happening in every state, every city, and every community — even yours. And too often, it hides in plain sight. The good news is that communities are not powerless. We can take a stand. During this talk, we’ll explore what trafficking is — and what it is not — how exploitation has evolved over time, how to recognize warning signs, and practical ways communities can work together to help prevent child sex trafficking and keep kids safe.
Speaker bio: Elizabeth Freisinger is the deputy to the president at Shared Hope International, where she combines strategic leadership, fundraising expertise, and a passion for advocacy to help combat sex trafficking and support survivors on their path to healing. In her role, she works to mobilize communities, inspire supporters, and build partnerships that drive meaningful change. She is passionate about turning awareness into action and helping others see the powerful role they can play in protecting vulnerable individuals and restoring hope. Whether speaking to community groups, donors, or emerging leaders, Elizabeth brings authenticity, compassion, and a deep belief that lasting change happens when people come together with purpose.
About our club: The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.

No Meeting June 25
2026-06-25 11:45 - 13:00
There will be no regular Thursday meeting on June 25.
Our Installation and Awards Banquet will be held that evening at the Hilton Garden Inn in Wilsonville.

Club Meeting: End Polio Now Update
2026-07-09 11:45 - 13:00
Ending the crippling disease of polio worldwide is Rotary International’s signature cause. Larry Hatch, End Polio Now Chair for Rotary District 5100 — which includes Wilsonville — will talk about the history of polio, and give an update on how things stand currently. He’ll discuss some of the challenges that still exist, and how Rotary and the Global Polio Eradication Effort plan to meet them head on.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Biography:
Larry joined Rotary as a charter member of the Forest Grove Daybreak Club in 1991. He served as club president resident twice. He served three years as an assistant district governor, then served as district governor in 2018–19. He currently serves as club treasurer, as well as End Polio Now chair for District 5100. After serving as a Military Police officer for the Army in Vietnam, Larry began a 41-year career in public safety. He served 13 years as a police officer, then became assistant director of Washington County 911 for 28 years, retiring in 2015. He believes we must all be global citizens and chose Rotary his pathway for service. To that end he is a proud Rotary Foundation Triple Crown donor and recently achieved major donor level 3 status with The Rotary Foundation. He lives in Forest Grove. He has a daughter (Christy), a granddaughter (Abbey), and a great-grandson (Elias).

Club Meeting: A Career in Sportswriting
2026-07-16 11:45 - 13:00
Kerry Eggers, known as “The Dean of Portland Sports,” will share stories and insights from his 45-year career covering sports in Oregon and beyond. From major championship events to local teams, he offers a behind-the-scenes look at sports journalism and how it has evolved over time.
He will reflect on his journey as a writer, share memorable moments from his career, and talk about his latest book Scrolls of a Sports Scribe. There will also be time for questions about sports, writing, and the stories behind the headlines.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Kerry Eggers is a journalist, sportswriter, and author who covered sports for Portland newspapers for 45 years. Since 2020, he has continued his work through his website, kerryeggers.com, where he has published more than 600 articles.
A six-time recipient of the National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year Award, Eggers was honored in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011, and 2018. He is also a past president of Track & Field Writers of America and received the Jesse Abrahamson Award as the nation’s top track and field writer. In 2014, he received the DNA Award, recognizing extraordinary passion and dedication to sport in Oregon.
Born and raised in Corvallis, Eggers graduated from Corvallis High School, where he lettered in football and basketball and was an all-league defensive end on the 1970 state AAA championship team. He attended Oregon State University, serving as sports editor, managing editor, and editor of The Daily Barometer.
Following his graduation in 1975, Eggers began his professional career with the Oregon Journal, later writing for The Oregonian and the Portland Tribune. Over the course of his career, he covered a wide range of major events, including two Summer Olympic Games, four Super Bowls, a World Series, multiple NBA Finals and All-Star Games, and numerous other national and international competitions.
Eggers is the author of 12 books, including Jail Blazers, Jerome Kersey — Overcoming the Odds, and his most recent work, Scrolls of a Sports Scribe, volumes 1 and 2.
Kerry and his wife, Stephanie, live in Charbonneau.

Club Meeting: Stories from a World Class Guitarist
2026-07-30 11:45 - 13:00
Jennifer Batten, world renowned guitarist, will share stories from her extraordinary music career, from early inspiration to performing on some of the world’s biggest stages. Inspired by seeing the Beatles at age 6, she pursued music through years of study before moving to Los Angeles to attend the Musicians Institute.
Jennifer will talk about auditioning for Michael Jackson and spending ten years touring globally with his band, as well as recording and touring with British guitar icon Jeff Beck. She will also share the realities of life as a professional musician, including the “in between” years, and how creativity and diversification can sustain a long career.
Later that same day, Jennifer Batten and Full Steam will take the stage as the headliner for the Wilsonville Summer Concert at Town Center Park. For more information, visit https://www.wilsonvilleconcerts.com/
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville meets weekly Thursdays at noon to carry out its purpose of providing service and fellowship to members and the Wilsonville community. Guests are welcome. Lunch is available off the menu; please arrive and order by 11:45 a.m. if you are ordering lunch. For more information, email president@wilsonvillerotary.com.
Official bio:
Jennifer Batten rose to prominence through the guitar underground, gaining recognition from guitar magazines for her innovative approach to electric guitar. She was selected from over 100 guitarists to join Michael Jackson’s touring band, where she spent ten years performing worldwide on the BAD, DANGEROUS, and HISTORY tours, including the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show.
Between tours, she released solo albums and was later invited to join British guitar icon Jeff Beck’s band, contributing to albums and international tours. Jennifer has also toured globally with her solo multimedia show, held a guitar residency with Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity in Las Vegas, authored books and instructional videos, and led music workshops around the world. She is a recipient of the She Rocks Icon Award and has been inducted into Guitar Player Magazine’s Gallery of the Greats. She now balances international touring with performing locally in Portland with her band, Full Steam.
