01/24/2024
Elmore County Rotary Club Celebrates 40th Year of Service Above Self
Rotary is a benevolent organization. It consists of professional and business leaders weaving friendship,
service and integrity into affirmative action. The men and women of Rotary work together to provide
clean water, fight disease, stimulate literacy, sponsor education, endorse peace and promote the sense
of service both locally and internationally.
On February 23, 1905 the first Rotarians met in Chicago, Illinois. The founder of Rotary, Paul Harris, met
with a handful of men who were searching for ways to serve their fellow man. Over the decades the
group has grown into an influential multinational organization for good.
The Elmore County club was chartered March 16, 1984 with George R. Haynes serving as President for
the first year. Later Gin Prouty joined as the first female member of the Elmore County Rotary Club and
then served as the first female President of the club for the 1995 – 1996 term.
The local club helps finance progress in our local community and all over the world.
Elmore County Rotary creates positive influences in young people’s lives by yearly sponsoring high
school students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Conference where they are taught
leadership and communication skills as well as ethical business practices. Members have also welcomed
international exchange students into their homes and lives to give them the opportunity to experience a
taste of America.
They regularly raise and donate funds to local schools. Over the past 4 decades the local club has helped
finance Richard McKenna students’ attendance at HOSA National competitions, funded lighting,
concession stand and press box for the Mountain Home baseball field, and helped provide new Choir
robes and Band uniforms for the Mountain Home schools. The group also has donated laptops to both
the Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry School Districts and continues to supply hygiene kits to the local
schools and the local domestic violence shelter.
The Elmore County Rotary club frequently partners with other organizations to provide funding for local
projects. They joined with the Mountain Home Elks Club #2276 to provide weighted blankets for local
and rural schools and law enforcement. The blankets help calm agitated children and adults in stressful
situations. And for several years they worked with the local Lion’s Club and Chamber of Commerce to
provide Christmas meals to approximately 300 needy families each year through the Cheer Basket
project.
The club also coordinated with City of Mountain Home to place an M-1 Abrams Tank on Highway 20
near the National Guard Armory as a memorial to the men and women who fight for our freedoms.
Rotary paid for the delivery and signage and continues the up-keep of the Tank. They also are
responsible for road clean-up for a mile of the road in front of the Tank.
Locally Rotary’s financial gifts have helped keep the Desert Mountain Visitors Center afloat as well as
provided funds for medical procedures and equipment for those in need in our community. They also
established and continue to care for the Rose Garden at Legacy Park and funded the construction of the
covered bridge and picnic pavilion there.
The club also helps fund aid for those in need around the world. They have helped fund trips to Ecuador
by Elmore County Eye Care to provide free eye care there and paid for the building of a mini house sent
to South America. Recently, they contributed to disaster relief for persons suffering from the Maui fires
and the war in Ukraine.
One major focus of the club is financing scholarships for Vo-Tech or academic advanced learning. To
qualify for the scholarships kids must be active in community service and write an essay of what they
intend to do with their education. About $4,000 is awarded each year. In years past the Rotary hosted
the Festival of Trees to raise scholarship funds. Today they raise money through a variety of auctions
and selling their ever popular deep fried corn dogs, pickles, Oreos, Twinkies and chocolate covered
bacon at local community events.
The Club welcomes individuals with a desire to help others and have a good time doing so! Please email
[email protected] to learn more
