Iowa City Rotary Club Downtown

10/18/2026

A HUGE THANK YOU to an AMAZING GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS!
What a difference a day—and a wonderful group of volunteers—can make!
Open Heartland extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to the incredible students from Regina Interact Club, the University of Iowa Rotaract Club, and Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Iowa City Downtown, Iowa City A.M. Rotary Club, and Iowa City Thursday Noon Rotary Club for rolling up their sleeves and helping us tackle some much-needed exterior landscaping cleanup!
The energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork were absolutely outstanding! Overgrown shrubs were trimmed, unwanted vegetation was removed, and by the end of the day, we had hauled away FIVE PICKUP TRUCKLOADS of branches and overgrown shrubs!
But the real story isn't about the number of truckloads—it's about the incredible spirit of service demonstrated by people of all ages coming together to make a difference in our community.

10/18/2026

Thank you Runners!
Rotary Club of Iowa City Downtown enjoying volunteering at Mile One water station at Run for the Schools.
Great job everyone!

10/08/2026

Thank you Briana Hoffman for taking lead on this humanitarian effort! And being a member of our club! And speaking the Ukrainian language! And being a really cool human! 

09/13/2026

❤️ Sometimes the simplest things can mean a brand-new beginning.

A group of Rotarians recently gathered with a very special purpose: to help turn newly built townhomes into homes for families rebuilding their lives after domestic violence.

The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) has created these townhomes for families who have recently sought emergency shelter. They are more than four walls and a roof. They are a safe place to breathe, to heal, and to begin building a new future.

Led by the Rotary Club of Iowa City A.M., Rotarians have worked together to provide many of the everyday things a family needs when moving into a home: window blinds, towels, bathmats, bed comforters, pantry shelving, flashlights, scissors, jar openers, nightlights, step stools, toilet brushes, microwaves, toolkits—and so much more.

They may sound like ordinary household items.

But imagine starting over with nothing.

Imagine leaving a dangerous situation with only the clothes and belongings you could carry. Suddenly, a towel matters. A warm comforter matters. A microwave matters. A nightlight for a frightened child matters.

And perhaps most importantly, knowing that people you have never met care about your future matters.

That is what Rotary service can look like—not simply donating things, but helping restore safety, dignity, independence, and hope.

To our fellow Rotarians who envisioned this project, gathered the supplies, installed the blinds and shelves, assembled furnishings, and helped prepare these homes: thank you.

Because sometimes changing a life begins with something as simple as helping someone finally feel safe enough to say:

“We’re home.” ❤️

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

Want to learn more about Rotary's operations? Want to get more involved? Consider attending the October 17-18, 2026 Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI), October 17 and 18th in Cedar Rapids. RLI is for all Rotarians interested in learning more about Rotary: Leadership, Service and Membership. Contact PDG Steve Wieneke for more details: [email protected]

09/01/2026

$54,010 WORTH OF SERVICE — AND COUNTING!

That’s the estimated value of the 1,802.75 volunteer hours contributed this past year by members of the Rotary Club of Iowa City Downtown!

Our members are truly People of Action—giving their time and talents to organizations and projects including Houses into Homes, Open Heartland, CommUnity Birthday Bags, Iowa Miles of Smiles medical missions in Guatemala, food assistance programs, youth activities, environmental projects, and many other community and nonprofit organizations.

At an estimated volunteer value of $29.96 per hour, those 1,802.75 hours represent $54,010.39 in service.

But the real impact is much greater than a dollar figure. It’s measured in families helped, children supported, communities strengthened, and lives touched—here at home and around the world.

- 1,802.75 volunteer hours
- $54,010.39 in estimated value
- Countless lives touched

That’s Service Above Self.

That’s Rotary in Action!

08/27/2026

Rotarians in Action — Making Birthdays Special! 🎈

This evening, members of the Rotary Club of Iowa City Downtown came together to assemble our Birthday Bags for local children whose families depend upon CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank because they are experiencing food insecurity.

For families working hard to meet basic needs, celebrating a child's birthday can be an added financial challenge. Our Birthday Bag Project helps ensure that these children can still experience the excitement and joy of having their special day celebrated. Each bag is assembled with care and provides families with items to help create a memorable birthday celebration.

A very special THANK YOU to Hills Bank and Trust Company for its generous financial sponsorship of the Birthday Bag Project. Your support helps us continue this long-standing Rotary tradition and bring joy to children and families throughout our community.

And thank you to all of our Rotary volunteers pictured here who gave their time this evening to assemble the bags!

Service Above Self — helping make every child's birthday special! 💙💛

08/23/2026

Finding our WHY?

Today, District 6000 is coming together for a special Public Image Session centered around one powerful question: What’s your WHY? 💙

This session will explore what public image really means and how everyone plays a role in telling the Rotary story—from clubs and members to the projects we support, the people we serve, and the impact we make in our communities and around the world. 🌎

Public image isn’t just one person’s responsibility—it’s everyone’s opportunity to share who we are, why we serve, and the difference Rotary makes.

Let’s discover, share, and celebrate our WHY!

Find your WHY. Share your WHY. Be part of the Rotary story. ✨