Since 1959, the Rotary Club of Hinsdale has been a keystone of the community and the Rotary Run Charity Classic is the organization’s main event. This community of service-minded individuals with diversified backgrounds commits to a wide range of causes on local, national, and even worldwide levels. From supporting local youth programs to assisting the impoverished, Rotary Club of Hinsdale has made an impact proving their motto, “service above self.”

On October 3, mark your calendars, get set, and go to the Rotary Run Charity Classic. The Rotary Club of Hinsdale’s annual event has been running strong for 27 years and the entire family can join—even down to man’s best friend. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., each participant is invited to walk or run their way towards a good cause in 3K, 5K, or 10K races. Parents with stroller-bound babies can enter in the Walk and Roll, and four-legged friends and their owners can hold on to their leashes in The Mutt Strut.

This year the club has inducted the superintendent of District 181 as the grand marshal of the run. Dr. Hector Garcia has been a dedicated Rotarian for three years and has been an outstanding pillar of the community. During his time with the club, he has participated in various community services and built a strong partnership between the Rotary Club of Hinsdale and District 181. In 2019, he led District 181 and the Rotary with a drive to donate school supplies to students affected by the hurricanes in North Carolina. In 2020, District 181 partnered with the Rotary to collect clothing and supplies for local families in need through Cradles to Crayons. And in the summer of 2020, District 181, in tandem with the Rotary, volunteered to deliver meals to families locally who were impacted by COVID-19.

“The Rotary makes a deep impact in our community and has a long tradition of lifting up important institutions in the Hinsdale area including District 181 schools and the District 181 Foundation,” says Dr. Garcia. “Participating in the Rotary Run Charity Classic directly supports our students, schools, and families, and we hope to see our community members show their support at this year’s race.”

Dr. Garcia finds it most rewarding to come out and see students participating with their friends and families. “I’m genuinely excited about seeing the community come together for such a special event and one that benefits countless organizations and people in the community and around the world,” he says. “This has been an extraordinarily difficult time that has been filled with divisive issues and isolation.”

However, with the Rotary Run Charity Classic, Dr. Garcia hopes it serves as a reminder of the principles that bring us together, the joy of seeing the community as one, and most importantly, having a fun day with family and friends.

Dr. Ingrid Raiser, president of the Rotary Club of Hinsdale, says the club decided to extend the grand marshal honor to Dr. Garcia based on his outstanding community service and dedicated efforts to make District 181 one of the best school districts in Illinois. “Rotary is about connecting, networking, friendship, and service,” says Dr. Raiser. “We support our schools, hospital, library, The Community House, the Hanson Center, food pantry, and provide need-based scholarships and participate in community programs.”

Rotary International is the world’s oldest service organization founded in 1905. With 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas, they pull their efforts together to fulfill Rotary’s goal of doing good in the world. The Rotary Club of Hinsdale meets every Friday at 12:15 p.m. at The Community House with lunch, a speaker, and a fellowship.

Rotary Club of Hinsdale is located at 415 W. 8th Street in Hinsdale, 630-286-9541, runsignup.com.