Nov 12 – Foundation Day and a Salute to Veterans with Everett McCorvey, University of Kentucky Opera

ROTARY FOUNDATION DAY 2026 

Imagine a young girl standing beside a water pump in her village. As her bucket fills, she sees enough clean water for her family that day. In that same bucket, her mother sees less reason to worry about illness, and her teacher sees a student who can spend more time in the classroom. For the girl, that bucket of clean water is the beginning of a future filled with possibilities. 

One act of service can reach further than we can imagine. 

As we recognize Rotary Foundation Day, we celebrate the generosity that helps turn our commitment to service into lasting change. A gift becomes more than a contribution. It becomes an opportunity to help a family, strengthen a community, and give someone a reason to hope. 

The accompanying illustration captures that spirit: people working together to provide clean water, share knowledge, care for others, and build stronger communities. At its center, many hands hold the globe. No single pair carries it alone. Together, they support something far greater than anyone could hold. 

That’s the spirit of The Rotary Foundation—and the opportunity before our club. 

Our goal is to raise $22,000 for The Rotary Foundation this fiscal year. To reach that goal, we’re asking each member to consider a gift that’s meaningful to them. Whether this is your first contribution or part of a longstanding tradition of giving, your participation matters. 

Our financial goal gives us a clear target, but the purpose behind it is personal. Behind every project are people: a family needing safe clean water, a parent seeking care, a child eager to learn, or a community working toward a better future. 

On Rotary Foundation Day, please join us in making a gift and helping our club reach its $22,000 goal. We may never meet everyone our gifts help, but the opportunities we create can last for years. 

Doing good in the world begins when we ask, “What can I do?” It grows when we ask, “What can we do together?” 

—Keith Key 

 

EVERETT MCCORVEY 

Everett McCorvey’s career has taken him to stages around the world, but Kentucky remains central to his work as a performer, conductor, teacher, and arts leader. 

A native of Montgomery, Alabama, he earned his doctorate in musical arts at the University of Alabama. He has performed in more than 23 countries and at venues including the Metropolitan Opera, Kennedy Center, and Radio City Music Hall. 

At the University of Kentucky, McCorvey serves as director of opera, executive producer of UK Opera Theatre, and professor of voice. He also holds the OperaLex Endowed Chair of Opera Studies. 

Beyond UK, he leads the National Chorale and Orchestra of New York City, serves as Opera Columbus’s principal guest conductor, and chairs the Kentucky Arts Council. 

Throughout his career, McCorvey has encouraged young artists and championed American opera and choral music, guided by his belief that music can transform lives and bring people and communities together.