People gathering in Fort Collins to talk about issues and how they can help is nothing new.

We are a civic and local-minded community. From the government to the private citizen, the people of Fort Collins have taught me to consider my impact in all the things that I do.

Rotarians have been doing this forever. They are one of the groups that brought such thinking into the mainstream.

And in Fort Collins, we've been lucky enough to have an early morning group in our midst who love to have breakfast together to forward Rotarian ideals.

On May 29, 2014 the Rotary Club of Fort Collins Breakfast celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a panel of five of the 32 charter members presenting memories of the club’s founding at the club’s weekly meeting.  Panelists John Carroll, Jim Dawdy, Mark Korb, Herb McCulla and Tom Welsh described how club founders held several meetings to plan for a new Fort Collins Rotary Club.  The idea of a breakfast club emerged to allow professionals who had less flexible work schedules to participate in Rotary without having to take time out of their work day.

The club was officially chartered on April 4, 1989, and has grown to over 75 members who are involved in numerous local and international service projects.  The May 29th celebration included distribution of a 25th anniversary coin to all club members and cake and sparkling cider after a delicious breakfast prepared by staff of the Midtown Arts Center.

The Breakfast Club’s local service projects include a monthly work session at the Food Bank of Larimer County, distribution of Meals on Wheels, reading to students at Laurel Elementary School and numerous grants to local charities.  During the past 25 years, international projects have been launched in Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, Lebanon, Liberia, Mexico and Peru.

In 2011 club members initiated the annual Peach Festival fundraiser with proceeds used to purchase dictionaries for all third grade students in the Poudre School District.  Other Fort Collins Rotary Clubs have joined the Breakfast Club to host the festival which has grown to over 10,000 attendees and expanded to provide funding toward the Poudre School District STEM Education Fund.  The 2014 festival will be at CSU’s Hughes Stadium on August 23rd.

About Rotary Club of Fort Collins Breakfast

Rotary Club of Fort Collins Breakfast is a service organization which brings together men and women from all walks of life to serve our community, both locally and internationally.  The club meets every Thursday morning from 6:45 – 8:00 a.m. at the Midtown Arts Center in Fort Collins, CO.    For more information about the Breakfast Club, visit www.fcbreakfastrotary.org.  For information about Rotary International, visit:  www.rotary.org.

 

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