Rotary Club of West Des Moines

06/20/2026

✨Social Event Highlights✨
Our Rotarians have been having fun for the past couple weeks. From celebrations of our very own Kenn Yu and Chris Nelson to the Principal Classic and flower design event with Hive & Petal!

06/10/2026

✨Service Project Highlights✨Service above self in action! 💙 Today members of our club volunteered with Meals From The Heartland helping package meals that will make a difference for families facing food insecurity around the world. We packed a total of 45 boxes which includes 1,620 bags of meals, which will be going to Zambia, El Salvador or Senegal.

It was a rewarding opportunity to come together, serve our community, and support an organization that is making a meaningful impact. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to help make this event a success. Together, we can accomplish great things! 🌎🍽️

06/10/2026

✨Congratulations to our newest/50th member, our longtime friend - Robin Nelson!!✨ Welcome to West Des Moines Rotary! We have officially reached our goal of having 50 members this year! Since we celebrated our 100th year anniversary this year we have set our goal on membership as 50 for 100! Congratulations to everyone in our club, our current President, and our Membership Committee!

06/08/2026

✨Weekly Meeting Highlights ✨
For the past couple weeks, we had the pleasure having Brian Mulcahy from the Des Moines International Airport and our very own, Sadagopan Govindan as our keynote speakers.

The Des Moines International Airport is in the middle of its most significant transformation in decades. The $557 million new terminal is well underway. The project is officially on track to open to passengers in January 2027. The building is already enclosed, and crews are currently working on interior finishes and mechanical systems. This type of improvement reminds us that organizations should never become static. Great organizations evolve, change and grow over time. This would be true of our own club. We should always be growing in membership, growing in service and growing in our impact to our community. That means we must cast a vision and chase our goals relentlessly!

As part of our series, Around the World with Rotarians, our own Sadagopan shared his passion and enthusiasm about Rotary and Rotary clubs in India. It was inspiring to hear Sadagopan tell us about his Rotary journey and share a peek into his life in India, travels with Rotary and about his transition to America. It was also inspiring to see how Rotary has played such an important role in his life as well as his sons!

05/30/2026

🚲Service Project Highlights🚲 Yesterday was an incredible day for our club as we had the opportunity to give away a total of 37 bikes to local elementary school kids through our service project!

Seeing the excitement, smiles, and joy on the kids’ faces reminded us what Service Above Self is all about. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event possible — from our fellow Rotarians to school teachers and other local partners. Moments like these are why we do what we do. Proud to be part of a group that continues to make a positive impact in our community!

05/28/2026

✨Weekly Meeting Highlights ✨For the past couple weeks, we had the pleasure having the students from Valley High School selected by their peers to deliver graduation speeches with the JROTC presenting the colors and Chris Connolly with the Iowa Events Center General Manager.

It was such an uplifting experience to see our JROTC cadets present the colors for our meeting. And likewise there is a bright future for all of us knowing the commencement speakers are transitioning into a new phase of life and will begin to impact our world in such a positive way! It was a great program for us to know and celebrate our wonderful students!

The program with Chris was very informational. The Iowa Events Center is a significant economic engine for Des Moines and Polk County. We loved the passion and enthusiasm Chris had for the Iowa Events Center and opportunity that venue provides the metro area and state of Iowa.

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

✨Social Event Highlights✨ Happening now! West Des Moines Rotarians joined Evening Rotary Club of Ankeny for the social night out at Principle Park! Check out the first pitch Reel video with Mia Kelly, President Elect of The Rotary Club of Ankeny Evening!

05/20/2026

✨Interact Club✨ Yesterday was the last meeting of the school year for our Valley High School Interact Club. This year, the Valley High School Interact Club thrived thanks to the exceptional dedication and steadfast support of Saima, Carol, and John. Together, they formed an invaluable leadership team, consistently going above and beyond to guide the club's initiatives and mentor its members. From coordinating impactful community service projects to managing behind-the-scenes logistics and fundraising efforts, their combined energy kept the club organized, motivated, and deeply engaged with the local community. Their shared passion for service not only ensured the success of this year's programs but also created an inclusive, inspiring environment that empowered the students to grow as young leaders.

05/19/2026

✨Congratulations to our newest members, Michael Herting and Jacinta Senghore! Welcome to West Des Moines Rotary!!✨