A Rotarian by Blood. By Choice.

I am IC Mendoza, the Magical President of the Rotary Club of Sta. Cruz, and at 30 years old, I wear the Rotary wheel with pride. But if you had asked me as a child if I would one day lead a Rotary club, I would have laughed and firmly said, No way.

Growing up, I didn’t always like Rotary. In fact, I resented it. My father joined the club in 1999, and for my young self, that meant one thing: Friday nights at our grandparents' house while he attended his weekly Rotary meetings—meetings that lasted three to four hours every single week! The only time we were allowed to tag along was during their monthly TRF Bingo Social, where we got to enjoy dinner before the meeting started and then play the bingo cards during the fundraising portion. Looking back, maybe that’s how I unknowingly sharpened my math skills!

Over time, my perspective changed. Rotary became more than just my father’s club—it became our extended family. The friendships my parents formed through the club transcended beyond fellowship; they became our titos and titas, our second parents. My sister and I even found lifelong friends who, to this day, feel like siblings.

As I grew older, I began to understand the true purpose of Rotary—service beyond self. My parents, along with other Rotarians, brought us to various outreach programs and service projects. Some of my fondest memories include joining the club’s annual raffle fundraiser as kids, eagerly selling tickets to generous buyers (because who could say no to a child?). Then there was our Christmas tradition of gift-giving for the differently-abled members of our community in Sta. Cruz—a legacy we continue to uphold today. And, of course, Family Days, where Rotary was no longer just an organization but a home filled with love and shared purpose.

These early experiences ignited in me a passion for service and leadership—a fire that carried through my high school years at Regional Science High School - Region III. It was there that I helped establish the Interact Club of Freeport Zone (Subic Bay) and served as its charter president in RY 2008-2009. Our goal was simple yet impactful: to introduce Interact and Rotary to the student body and foster fellowship through service. The response was overwhelming. Volunteerism flourished, membership soared, and, to this day, that club continues to thrive—its influence even inspiring the creation of other community-based clubs.

This drive for service and leadership transcended until my college days-joining outreach programs of my first college organization, UP Statistical Society, in one of the orphanage houses in Metro Manila. Until I became our batch representative in the college where forwarding my batch's interest and concerns was my top priority, alongside with other outreach activities and college-based events. Which even led me to become the School of Statistics Representative to the University Student Council in the University of the Philippines-Diliman, where we spearheaded some student-centric activities, joining causes that would help not only the students but also to the marginalized, oppressed and powerless sectors of our country, including our farmers and working community.

Few years after graduation, I was inducted as a member of our Club, under the presidency of my mom. During these days, I would just help the club with the online and some techy stuff. And little by little, getting more involved with the decision making, til I was tasked to become the Club Secretary in RY 2023-2024. And was also elected as the President to serve this Rotary Year. 

Looking back, I realize now that Rotary was never just my father’s journey—it was mine, too. What began as reluctant Friday nights turned into a lifetime commitment to Service Above Self. I may have been born into Rotary, but I chose to stay, to lead, and to serve. And as I stand today as the Magical President of Rotary Club of Sta. Cruz, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.