Schedule.

The Great Lakes Rotary PELS planning committee is working hard to provide you with a schedule of events that balances learning, networking, and fun. 

​The schedule includes time for general and district sessions as well as informative learning sessions to help prepare you for your leadership role.

THE 2026 GLRPELS SCHEDULE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SCHEDULE

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Thursday, March 19, 2026

All times are Eastern Daylight Savings Time

1 - 8 pm ​	Registration | Upper Lobby Level  ​Vendor Shops | Lower Lobby Level
​2:30 - ​3:30 pm​ ​ ​	Pre-conference Learning Opportunities ​ DACDB Essentials | Learning Leader Patrick Logano Learn about this software system for Rotary Clubs and Districts to manage membership, events, and communication.  Club Runner Essentials | Learning Leader Mickey Dutta Learn about this award-winning, integrated platform for groups to connect, engage, and grow, managing membership, communication, and web presence.​
3:30 - 4:30 pm ​	Pre-conference Learning Opportunities ​AGs Lets Have a Chat! What's on Your Minds | Learning Leader DG Paul Wiese A conversation on best practices, challenges, and sage advice on supporting your clubs. Planning for Success: The Power of a Club Calendar | Learning Leaders PDG Holli Seabury and DGE Lorna Gunning-Fratschko  ​Successful clubs plan ahead. Using a club calendar can help organize club meeting and events. Successful Fundraising and Service Projects | Learning Leader DG Mark Andresky  Need to raise money to do more good in your communities? Need some ideas of great things you can do in your community locally or globally?  Then you won’t want to miss this session. Back Again? Encore Presidents  | Learning Leader PDG Bruce Goldsen Things change year to year in Rotary. Let’s talk about what's new in Rotary and how you can help your club can grow and adapt to new ways of doing things.   ​Leading Through Change: Building a Stronger Rotary Club | Learning Leader DG Linda Morrow Change is inevitable. Learning how to lead in time of change can help strengthen a club and drive success.
5 - 5:30 pm	Reception | Lower Lobby Level​​
5:45 - 7:30 pm ​ ​​	Dinner and Plenary Session 1 | Arcadia Ballroom Welcome by RIPE Olayinka Hakeem Babalola Keynote Speaker: Brian Hall, Rotary International Director for Zone 30/31
7:45 - 9:15 pm ​	District Session 1 | Report to your District Room Meet with your district leaders and your class of club presidents. District 6290 | Kalamazoo II District 6310 | Glens III ​District 6330 | Great Lakes IV and V District 6360 | Glens I and II District 6380 | Great Lakes I, II and III District 6400 | Prairies IV, V and VI District 6540 | Meadows

Friday, March 20, 2026

7 am - 12 pm	Registration | Upper Lobby Level
7 - 7:45 am	Breakfast | Arcadia Ballroom
7:45 - 8:45 am	Plenary Session 2 | Arcadia Ballroom Keynote Speaker | Cindie Kish Zone 32 Membership Coordinator | "Volunteers, The Unsung Heroes with Coffee Stains”
9 - 11:45 am ​​	PN Learning Session 1 | Learning Leader Kathy Gallagher ​PNs will explore leadership insights and strategies as they begin their journey to club leadership.
​9 - 10:15 am​​​ ​	Learning Session 1:  Planning the Year - Your Action Plan / Preparing to Lead Participants will be randomly assigned to a room for this Learning Session
10:30 - 11:45 am​ ​	Learning Session 2:  Managing your Club / Conducting Meetings Participants will be randomly assigned to a room for this Learning Session
11:45 am​​ - 1:00 pm​ ​	Lunch and Plenary Session 3 | Arcadia Ballroom 4-Way Test Beatbox: Dean Henricks and Stevie Soul      Keynote Speaker: Renee Yancy, Detroit Rotary - Our road to success!
1:15 - 2:30 pm​  ​ ​	PN Learning Session 2 | Learning Leader Kathy Gallagher ​PNs will explore leadership insights and strategies as they begin their journey to club leadership.
1:15 - 2:30 pm​  ​	Learning Session 3:  Engaging Club Members / Attracting New Members Participants will be randomly assigned to a room for this Learning Session
2:45 - 3:45 pm ​	Breakout Sessions - Round 1 | Select one learning opportunity  ​The Rotary Foundation and How It Can Help Do More Good In The World | Learning Leaders PDG Nathan Triplett and Edina Mehovic, Senior Annual Giving Officer, Zone 28 Learn about the various ways members can donate to the foundation and then how the resources the foundation has can be applied for various great work and programs that the foundation has.  Youth Exchange, Rotaract and Interact | Learning Leader DG Brent Sheppard and Traci Sincock  Our young leaders are the future of Rotary.  Hear about great programs available and working in communities in your area. Promoting Rotary and Telling Your Rotary Story | ​Learning Leaders PDG Keith Hodkinson and Amy Sheller We do amazing things! What are some of the best practices for telling our Story!   Let’s not keep what we do a secret. New Club Creation - This is Vital for Rotary | Learning Leaders Patrick Logano and Cindie Kish New Rotary clubs expand Rotary's reach, increase service impact, foster diversity, attract members, and ensure the organization's relevance and growth by offering innovative ways to serve communities and develop leaders. Vision to Action | Learning Leaders Holli Seabury and Julie Schumacher A well-defined vision acts as a lighthouse, guiding clubs from their current state to their desired future, fostering leadership continuity and meaningful community impact.
4 - 5 pm ​ ​	Breakout Sessions - Round 2 | Select one learning opportunity  ​ ​The Rotary Foundation and How It Can Help Do More Good In The World | Learning Leaders PDG Nathan Triplett and Edina Mehovic, Senior Annual Giving Officer, Zone 28 Learn about the various ways members can donate to the foundation and then how the resources the foundation has can be applied for various great work and programs that the foundation has.  Youth Exchange, Rotaract and Interact | Learning Leader DG Brent Sheppard and Traci Sincock  Our young leaders are the future of Rotary.  Hear about great programs available and working in communities in your area. Promoting Rotary and Telling Your Rotary Story | ​Learning Leaders PDG Keith Hodkinson and Amy Sheller We do amazing things! What are some of the best practices for telling our Story!   Let’s not keep what we do a secret. New Club Creation - This is Vital for Rotary | Learning Leaders Patrick Logano and Cindie Kish New Rotary clubs expand Rotary's reach, increase service impact, foster diversity, attract members, and ensure the organization's relevance and growth by offering innovative ways to serve communities and develop leaders. Vision to Action | Learning Leaders Holli Seabury and Julie Schumacher A well-defined vision acts as a lighthouse, guiding clubs from their current state to their desired future, fostering leadership continuity and meaningful community impact.
5 - 6 pm	Reception | Lower Lobby Level​​​​
6 - 8 pm ​	Dinner and Plenary Session 4 | Arcadia Ballroom ​Rotary Jeopardy
8 - 9 pm	Karaoke for Polio

​Saturday, March 21, 2026

7 - 9:30 am	​Registration | Upper Lobby Level
7:45 - 9 am ​	Breakfast and Plenary Session 5 | Arcadia Ballroom Keynote Speaker: RIPE Olayinka Hakeem Babalola - Our Rotary Foundation
9 - 12 am ​	District Session 2 |​ Report to your District Room​
12:30 - 2 pm	​Lunch and Plenary Session 6 | Arcadia Ballroom Keynote Speaker: RIPE Olayinka Hakeem Babalola - Go Forth and Serve! ​​Oath of Office | Swearing-in of 2025-2026 Club Presidents by ​RIPE Olayinka Hakeem Babalola