History Moment: The Origins of Earth Day

By Monica M. SmithFriday, May 5, 2023

In honor of Earth Day, which is celebrated annually on April 22 in the US and in many other countries, today I would like to share a Rotary history moment about the origins of the event. I will quote primarily from a blog post written by my National Museum of American History colleague Joan Boudreau.

“What would you have done if you saw your river burning? The Cuyahoga River that runs through the northeastern corner of Ohio was so polluted in the 1950s and 1960s that fish populations were decimated because of the river’s oily, industry-produced pollution. In 1969, with a spark from a train traveling nearby, the river began to burn.

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Zafar Khan | Classification: Non-Profit-Human Values
Director of Partnerships & Development | International Assoc. of Human Values

Community Engagement Committee | Co-Chair 2026-27
Embassy & International Relations | Co-Chair 2026-27

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Zafar Khan Induction | June 24, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 11 views September 30, 2026 8:03 am

Check Presentation to the National Parks Service on behalf of the Rotary Club of Washington DC

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National Parks Service Check Presentation | June 3, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 6 views September 29, 2026 8:03 am

Derrick Terry is a two-time author, podcast host, educator, military veteran, information management professional, and community leader dedicated to education, leadership, mental health awareness, and amplifying unheard voices.

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Terry is an Army brat who moved to Maryland in 1981 with his military family. He is a graduate of Towson University, earning a B.A. in Mass Communications and an M.A. in Public Relations.

With more than 20 years of experience in education and information management, Terry was a Maryland and Virginia certified educator. Also, served as an adjunct professor at Trinity Washington University and is the owner of Edvocare, LLC, a special education advocacy company.

A 28-year military reservist and war veteran, Terry served in Guatemala, Qatar, and Afghanistan. He currently works for the federal government as a Records Officer and Litigation Hold Coordinator.

Terry is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and currently serves as Interim Vice-President and Treasurer of Light The Way Foundation where he is helping expand youth enrichment programs, film camps, and scholarships.

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Derrick Terry | Light the Way Foundation, Opening Doors to a Brighter Future | August 19, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 35 views September 28, 2026 11:05 am

Mariama Keita-Thiero and Charlotte Jones Carroll give an update on the ambassadorial reception held for the benefit of FundaMira. They also present a ceremonial check for the funds raised.

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FundaMira Check Presentation | April 29, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 0 views September 26, 2026 8:03 am

Thomas Reich is an independent consultant in the defense and aerospace industry, with expertise in international business development and sales; the US and Japanese government systems of export controls for defense articles; and defense trade with Japan.
From November 2020 to November 2023, he was resident in Tokyo as President of BAE Systems Japan GK. Prior to assuming this position, he served as Director, International Government Relations, BAE Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British defense company BAE Systems PLC. In that position, his responsibilities centered on representing BAE’s international interests with key US and foreign government officials.
Before joining BAE in 2010, he served for 29 years as a Foreign Service officer in the U.S. Department of State, and has extensive experience in international affairs issues, particularly those associated with political-military and reconstruction/stabilization affairs.
He has served overseas in the Philippines, the United Kingdom; Geneva, Switzerland; Japan (three tours of duty, including US Embassy Tokyo and as Consul General in Okinawa); and Afghanistan.
A native of North Carolina, Mr. Reich received a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations, also from Georgetown. His awards include numerous Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor awards from the Department of State. He has served on the executive boards of several business organizations in the US and Japan.

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Thomas Reich | Japan's Recent Defense Buildup | August 19, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 38 views September 25, 2026 8:03 am

Dr. Rachel Marcus was raised in the Washington DC area, where she first started volunteering in health clinics in Adams Morgan. After getting her degree in Political Science from Stanford University, she attended Stanford Medical School, during which time she went to Latin America to learn about tropical diseases. She completed her residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Stanford Hospital and then returned to Brazil to learn more about Chagas disease.

After 10 years in private practice on K St downtown, she helped launch and became the Medical Director of the Latin American Society of Chagas in 2012. This 501c3 nonprofit has an all-volunteer staff, and provides free testing, treatment, and cardiac exams for the at-risk community for Chagas disease, a potentially deadly parasitic infection of the heart.

Over the past 13 years, she has developed an international reputation as an expert in this condition, speaking frequently to medical audiences and publishing in the medical literature about Chagas cardiomyopathy. Most recently, she joined the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at NIH to develop a Chagas disease research program, but her first love remains the work of LASOCHA.

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Dr. Rachel Marcus | Chagas disease in the DC Metro Area and USA | August 5, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 7 views September 24, 2026 8:03 am

Songs, Stories and Service - The Importance of Family, Identity and History While Serving Our Communities

Eli Lev is an award-winning singer-songwriter, storyteller, educator, and community builder whose work is rooted in the belief that songs and stories have the power to bring people together. Based in the Washington, DC area, Eli has spent more than a decade touring throughout North America and internationally, performing in listening rooms, theatres, house concerts, schools, libraries, faith communities, and festivals.

His latest album, Past Lives, reached #3 on the Folk Alliance International chart and earned three 2026 Wammie Awards, recognizing his contributions to the contemporary folk and Americana community. Before becoming a full-time musician, Eli taught eighth-grade English on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, an experience that deeply shaped his understanding of service, community, and the importance of listening. He has also lived in Israel, Australia, and Europe, experiences that continue to influence both his music and his worldview.

In his presentation, Songs, Stories and Service "The Importance of Family, Identity and History While Serving Our Communities," Eli combines original music with personal storytelling to explore how the stories we inherit from our families and communities shape our values, relationships, and desire to serve others. Through songs, reflection, and conversation, he invites audiences to consider how listening deeply to one another can strengthen communities and inspire meaningful service.

Whether performing a concert or speaking to civic organizations like Rotary clubs, Eli believes that meaningful service begins by hearing another person's story. His programs leave audiences encouraged to build deeper connections, celebrate our shared humanity, and recognize the extraordinary impact that compassion and curiosity can have in service and everyday life.

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Eli Lev | Songs, Stories and Service | July 29, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 15 views September 23, 2026 8:03 am

Todd Mason gives our Club an update to this year's Dictionary Project, and invites Club members and the community to get involved in the Kickoff Event scheduled for Wednesday September 23 at Washington DC's University Club immediately before our regularly scheduled lunch meeting.
Major Todd Mason serves as the Area Commander for The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command, which includes Northern Virginia, The District of Columbia and Suburban and Southern Maryland.

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Todd Mason Dictionary Project Committee Update | August 5, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 1 views September 22, 2026 8:03 am

DC Community Affairs - Meeting People Where They Are and Helping Them Get to Where They’re Trying to Go.

Director Lamont Carey, a native Washingtonian, with a long-standing career as an internationally known and award-winning spoken word artist, author, motivational speaker, filmmaker, and playwright, using his platform to address social issues. His career in reentry work spans over two decades, and he has worked with legislators, nonprofits, philanthropists and other groups that focus on policy, prevention and reducing recidivism.

In 2019, Carey joined the Bowser Administration as Director of the Mayor's Office of Returning Citizen Affairs (MORCA), where he expanded services and programs. Under Director Carey’s leadership, the MORCA team more than doubled in size and the office increased both program and service offerings. Among the enhancements are 24 innovative, high-impact programs and the creation of opportunities for entrepreneurship, wealth building, homeownership, and civic engagement.

His work has touched multiple underserved communities, and he is constantly creating programming to overcome different cultural barriers. This includes D/DB/HH accessibility for all events, technology training for returning citizens and seniors, wage negotiation for women returning citizens, advocating for DOC Policy changes for LGBT?IA+ inmates, assistance with vital records and more.

Director Carey has received a multitude of awards for his work; those include the ROASA’s New Black History Makers Award, The Metropolitan Police Department Community Engagement Award, the Court Service and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) Community Partnership Award, and the National Black Caucus of State Legislators Visionary Award.

Carey was appointed in October 2025 as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs (MOCA) where he looks forward to continuing his expansion expertise with all the cultural and community partnership offices within his purview.

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Lamont Carey, Director, Mayor's Office of Returning Citizen Affairs | July 22, 2026

Rotary Club Washington DC 28 views September 21, 2026 3:48 pm

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