Stories
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Weekend Backpack ProgramSince October, 2013, the Rotary Club of Bigfork has been raising funds for grades K thru 12 at both Swan River and Bigfork schools to help feed students through the "Weekend Backpack Program". Bigfork Rotary receives names of students who both their teachers and their counselors feel that they need the food to make it through the weekend. The names are confidential and the food is discreetly put in their backpacks every Friday. The food consists of breakfast items, lunch items and snacks. |
Harlem Globetrotters 2021 |
Holiday Food Baskets
One of our annual projects is our Holiday Food Baskets. The Club members meet at Bigfork Fire Department early on a Saturday morning to pack up the boxes. Huge boxes are filled with a ham or turkey, potatoes, stuffing, fruit, onions, rolls, green beans, chicken broth, flour, eggs, milk plus a lot of other ingredients just right for creating an amazing Holiday meal, and with leftovers of course! About 20 families receive a Holiday Food Basket. |
Makin' Music Grant
Our club just finished up a major project to purchase new band instruments to replace old, damaged and obsolete instruments at Bigfork Middle and High School. The project incorporated a $4380 grant from Montana Rotary District 5390. The club through fundraising and club member contributions raised over $12,000 more for a total of approximately $17,000. This money was enough to purchase 21 new instruments plus some other supplies for the band program. http://www.dailyinterlake.com/local_news/20180226/grant_bolsters_bigfork_music_program    |
RYLA Campers 2017A big thank you to our two fantastic student leaders, Josie and Elizabeth, who were sponsored by our club to attend the 2017 RYLA camp! RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. and develop their skills as leaders. This year camp was help July 11-15 at Luccock Park Camp near Livingston. This week the girls shared stories of drills at camp and filled us in on their plans for taking over Interact Club at their school. Both hope to return to camp as junior counselors next year. Congratulations, ladies, on your accomplishments! We are proud of you and look forward to having you as members of Rotary in the future!  |
Youth Exchange - Italian student arrivesOur club sponsored one incoming student from the island of Sardinia in Italy (Adriano) and one outgoing student from Bigfork (Devinn) going to Ecuador this school year. Pictured here are Adriano and Devinn getting ready to attend an orientation camp SE of Great Falls and enjoying a burger and fries along the way.   |
2017 Bike Raffle a Success!Thank you to Bigfork and all the visitors in town at the annual Festival of the Arts for stopping by our club's tent and purchasing tickets this year to support the Bigfork Rotary Foundation!  |
Club awards Senior scholarshipsTwo graduating seniors from Bigfork High School were each awarded $500 scholarships this year. Gabriella Eaton (pictured) and Mariela Zavala!
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Heather Howlett honored at District Conference 2017.jpg)
Heather Howlett, charter member of our club was honored this past Saturday with the Rotarian of the Year award. Heather has served as President of our club twice, been an Asst Governor and spent many years on the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy) board. Heather has volunteered and chaired many projects including the newer Food Backpack Program serving kids in school with food packages for over the weekend. Montana has over 1,650 members and 40 clubs.  |
Centennial Grant Project
Over a period of two Saturdays in April, Rotarians dismantled tired, old landscaping at the Bigfork Playhouse Children's Theater Center and then planted and replaced landscaping rock and installed a drip system. They received serious energy from theater families and from Swan River Gardens who supplied the plants, materials and equipment. It was the finishing touch this building needed to complete a face-lift project that has taken place over the last several years. The building is primarily for rehearsal space, 3 choirs, jazz band and the ACES After School and Summer Camp program. Our club was very pleased to have been awarded this grant from Rotary District 5390 and supplied the matching funds! For more photos visit our Facebook Photo Album     |
Bigfork community shares! Rotarians heard about kids at our local school that might not have holiday gifts this year. So community members and Rotarians "passed the hat" and put together some goodies for them. |
Rotarians ring the bell! Bigfork Rotarians supplied 2 days of volunteers to host the Salvations Army's red bucket campaign this past week at Harvest Foods. Pictured are Joni Isaman (our resident elf!), Jeanie Deetz and Beverly Ferguson. Normally outside, this year's freezing temperatures drove the campaign inside the store. |
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Movie Night for "Lincoln Lawyer" was huge success
 Last Saturday's Rotary movie night event at the BCPA was a huge success with local Bigforkian, David Ogden, introducing and enlightening attendees about "The Lincoln Lawyer". Some fabulous intermission desserts were made and sold by Rotarians and members of the Bigfork Interact Club. The Bigfork HS culinary class also contributed 3 desserts. The author, Michael Connelly donated signed DVDs and books for Rotary! Lets do it again soon! |
Rotary members donate "extras" to those overseas in the serviceThe Bigfork
 Middle School coordinated a project to bring together care package items for men and women serving overseas. Representative, Josie Howlett, from the student council presented our club with their project a couple weeks ago. Yesterday, members brought in items like packaged snacks, batteries and sundries to bring to the Middle School. They will be sent off in time to arrive for Valentines Day. Pictured here is Matt Porrovecchio, Rotarian from the Bigfork School System loading his truck up with the club donations. |
Interact Club formed in Bigfork
This November, a dozen or so local high schoolers answered the call to restart an Interact Club in Bigfork. They quickly elected officers and decided on their first community project. In December they partnered with our club to meet with Susie Carter, Rotarian at the local grocery store. There they ordered food for 17 families in Bigfork for a holiday food basket and then met with the Captain of the Bigfork QRU and Fire Dept to use the firehall as space to put the baskets together. Last Sunday at the crack of dawn the Interacters picked up loads of food and then coordinated the baskets. Later in the morning Rotarians picked up the baskets and delivered them to all the recipients. Photo Album link:
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Engaging Rotary and Changing Lives.jpg) Clean water is available to Zambian villagers, thanks to a little help from Bigfork Rotary
This year’s theme is “Engage Rotary, Change Lives.” Local members Marilyn and Gordon Graham are excellent role models. They have been engaging Rotary and changing lives for many years. With the assistance of the Rotary Club of Bigfork, the Grahams helped secure a $23,000 grant from Rotary Foundation to help a small village just outside the town of Kitwe in the Central African nation of Zambia.
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Raffle Raises Money for Swan River Bike Path
Dr. Suzette Johnson of New Jersey (center) - winner of the raffle - with Renny Johnson (left) and Nancy O'Kelly (right). |
Wheels and Spokes
Photo: Nancy O'Kelly, woman with a path. by David Vale Nancy O’Kelly is good for my heart. And I’m not referring to her natural warmth, endearing charm, or ebullient personality. While those are self evident, it’s her work on the Swan River Bike Path that has my attention right now. Having just had one of those chats with my family doc who said my heart needs less nourishment and more exercise, I could use a good bike path. And Nancy, president of the Bigfork chapter of Rotary International, seems just the person to deliver it. |
Rotary raises $1,500 for Swan River bike path |
Bigfork Rotary Club makes Holiday Donation to Bigfork Food Pantry
Nancy O'Kelly and Karen Henion delivered 145.3 lbs of fresh fruit for Christmas. Bigfork Food Pantry was thrilled to receive it, and very thankful for the generosity. |
Six Rotary clubs join to support symphony
To recognize the contribution by Rotary, Glacier Symphony and Chorale is providing each Flathead Valley Rotarian with one free concert ticket during the symphony’s opening weekend. |
New Website in 2012Visit our new website: www.clubrunner.ca/bigfork !
Keep current with upcoming club activities by checking the "Calendar" and "Speakers" sections. Enjoy the stories of our adventures. The menu bar is located just below the club banner.
Do you have a Rotary story to tell, a noteworthy news item or photos of Bigfork Rotary members in action? Please share it with us! |
Bigfork Rotary reaches goal for Swan River Bike PathBigfork Eagle Posted: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 8:10 am
Work - Bigfork Rotary helped work on the initial part of the bike path in 2009. The Bigfork’s Rotary Club reached its goal of a $41,000 match to fund the two miles of bike and walking path on Swan River Road. The Flathead County Commissioners unanimously endorsed the county contract on June 14, 2012. |
Quote of the Week - Who Said It?
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Rotarian Joe Pratt, just one of two Americans who successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest from the north side in 2012, spoke at FVCC on Friday, October 17. Rotarians and community members were mesmerized to hear his awesome and personal story of this climb and how it became dedicated to the eradication of Polio.
