Service Above Self

 
Service Above Self
 

The Rotary Club of Billings was the fourth chartered Rotary Club in Montana. Our Club was born on April 1, 1916; the first president was David Roe. Over the years we have assisted with the formation of five other clubs:  Roundup in 1926, Laurel in 1935, Red Lodge in 1938, Billings West in 1987, and Billings East Sunrise in 2002.  Our club has produced seven District Governors and we now have over 70 Paul Harris Fellows.  Several of those have multiple Paul Harris awards. 

Key sponsorships over the years has been:

  • The Rotary Boys Band from 1922-1941
  • Crippled Children's Summer Camp in 1932
  • YMCA Training Swimming Pool $15,000 in 1964
  • Kitchen at the Boys' Club $2,000 in 1972
  • Equipment @ Northern Rockies Cancer Treatment Center $8,000 in 1976
  • Billings CPR Programs $5,000 in 1977
  • J.K. Ralston Studio Relocated to RMC $10,000 in 1988
  • Two Handicapped Accessible Vans for Special Transportation $25,000 in 1992 and 1994
  • Observatory telescopes and computer system for Billings School System $25,000 in 2001 and 2004
  • Centennial Project building two affordable Billings homes for low-income buyers $40,000 in 2004 and 2005
  • Zimmerman Park Signage $8,000 in 2005
  • ZooMontana Lynx Exhibit $2,500 in 2013
  • Downtown Billings Association $2,500 for the creation of pocket parks in 2013
  • Swords Rimrock Park and Yellowstone Kelly's Grave projects $25,000 in 2013

We have also served several other community projects.  During September of 2005 our club members made donations of $7,730 for Hurricane Katrina restoration through Rotary's Foundation.  In 2014, the club raised $217,000 to help build a new kitchen and classroom for Friendship House, a South Side faith-based nonprofit that serves children and families in the area.

We've also made a difference in the international arena.  We provided clean water and sanitation to a remote community in Liberia in 2013.  Our club sponsored four wells and six latrines where the people were previously drinking dirty stream water.

Don't forget those food baskets!  For 26 years we have provided Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets through Family Services, Inc.  With the help of a matching grant in 2005, we were also able to provide Easter food baskets.  Then there is the Foundation.  Our club has given over $345,000 to the Rotary Foundation which includes $110,005 to the Polio Plus Campaign.

THIS IS SERVICE ABOVE SELF IN ACTION!

Congratulations Rotary Club of Billings. You should be very proud!