Rotary Club of Ottumwa
About Our Club
The Ottumwa Rotary Club was founded in May of 1916 and since then we were responsible for helping to charter six other clubs in Southern Iowa. Although we are mainly known for our Annual Chicken Barbecue (our largest fundraiser), the club prides itself on giving back to the community. Whether that is through volunteer service activities or through grant projects that are supported financially by our club, we are happy to support the “Service Above Self” motto that Rotarians around the world believe in.
Through our club dues, we are all financial supporters of the Rotary International Foundation and have given time and time again to the Polio Plus Foundation to help eradicate Polio across the globe. Our club has also supported international endeavors such as water projects, hurricane/earthquake relief, a women’s shelter, rhino conservation, and others.
The club meets each Monday at 12:15 (with social networking and lunch prior) at Indian Hills Community College in the cafeteria. There is an opportunity to get together with members for a monthly breakfast at Second Street Café, as well as at quarterly social mixers and service projects.
Here are some of the community projects Ottumwa Rotary has been involved in:
- American Gothic Performing Arts
- Babe Ruth Field Improvements
- Bicycle Repairs
- Blessings Soup Kitchen
- BVC Eagle
- Camp Invention
- Cheer Uniforms
- Civic Music Association
- Clean Up Projects
- Coats for Kids
- Dolly Parton Library
- Dictionary Project
- Eagle Watch Station on Railroad Bridge
- Food Bank Volunteering
- High School Scholarships
- Human Trafficking
- IHCC Incubator Project
- Interact Club at OHS
- Little League Dugouts
- Market on Main Donation
- McCreery Cancer Center
- Municipal Band
- Odyssey of the Mind
- Ottumwa Public Library
- Ottumwa Sportsplex donation
- Ottumwa Symphony
- Ottumwa Trails
- Pickwick mobile book organizers
- Picnic Pavilions at the Beach Ottumwa
- RYLA (Rotary Young Leaders Awards)
- Salvation Army Bell Ringing
- SEIA Symphony
- Seton Playground
- Trunk or Treat
- Whatsoever You Do Inc.
We would love to have you join us! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact any Rotary Club member, or email us at: rotaryclubottumwa@gmail.com