About

The Mad River Valley Rotary is a service club dedicated to supporting the mission of Rotary International by creating a fellowship of local business and professional people who are committed to improving the communities of the Mad River Valley (Fayston, Waitsfield and Warren), the State of Vermont and the world in which we live.

Rotarians believe that worldwide fellowship and international peace can be achieved when business and professional people unite under the banner of service, which will help make our community, our country and the world a better place.

History

Our Rotary Club was chartered May 1976 with 26 members. Ed Eurich, born and raised in the valley and a life-long resident, was instrumental in forming and developing this group.

At the time of its organization those invited to become a member were all actively employed in a profession representative of the community at large such as agriculture, education, insurance, legal/law, banking, politics, hospitality, accounting, building, metal manufacturing, mechanic, grocer, specialty food, public relations, recreation, plumbing, and real estate.

Rotarians from Barre helped guide this group through the organizational process required by Rotary International. At the time of the start-up, Rotary International was an organization for men only (spouses were known as Rotary Annes).

The club’s first home was the Valley Inn (now Evergreen Place) where members met for dinner. The Inn was owned by a member; his wife and two daughters prepared and served the meal. Over the years the Club has met in several Valley restaurants — for breakfast or dinner, but never as a luncheon club.

Rotary is a service club — Service Above Self — therefore its members develop programs and projects to raise funds that benefit the local community and larger, even global programs that Rotary underwrites. From its beginning the Valley Rotary Club has had a great track record with these activities. A few of the earlier ones include helping with traffic control to the activities area on the school grounds following the 4th of July parade, an evening street dance in the Village Square, an annual auction (for a few years) of donated items — including vehicles and, more recently, the Outhouse Raffle and the Duck Race.

Additionally, members are encouraged to contribute personal funds to various categories of projects Rotary International supports through all local clubs.

A particular characteristic of the membership of The Valley Rotary Club today is that the majority are retired and new to the area, having joined the organization for the first time as a way of becoming a productive newcomer in the Valley community at large. The strict regulations of Rotary International membership has been modified over the years.

As contrasted with the original charter members who were all engaged in their professions and for the most part had been long time residents of the Valley, the majority of members today are seeking yet another avenue of becoming a productive member of their retirement community by participating in efforts to serve not only the immediate area but the broader, international community.

From the original 26 male members who founded the club in 1976, membership has fluctuated over the years to as high as 70. Today, our membership includes women and men of all ages. New members are joining who are younger business professionals in the community as the membership is becoming an energized conglomeration of active retired business professionals and the up and coming movers and shakers in the Valley.