What Is Rotary — and What Do We Actually Do?

If you've lived in the Vail Valley for any length of time, you've probably encountered Rotary without fully knowing what it is. Maybe you've spotted the blue-and-gold wheel on a trail sign, cheered at the Vail Duck Race, or heard a neighbor mention their weekly meeting. Yet for many people, Rotary remains a pleasant mystery.

Neighbors, Not a Network

At its core, Rotary is simply people who live and work here choosing to show up for each other — and for the broader community. Rotary clubs exist in cities and small towns around the world, but each one is shaped by its own place. Ours is shaped by Eagle County.

That means we support youth programs and education — including annual scholarships for local high school seniors — improve trails and community spaces, respond to local safety and environmental needs, and address food insecurity. One recent example is our Meals of Hope project, where we partnered with The Community Market to pack 10,000 meals for neighbors here in our community. We don't work in a silo — we partner with nonprofits, schools, and community leaders to put resources where they're really needed.

That local focus is part of something much bigger. Rotary is a global network of more than 1.2 million members — neighbors, leaders, and problem-solvers in communities like ours — united around creating lasting change across the globe and close to home. We support projects around the globe to clean water, technology,

The guiding principle behind all of it: Service Above Self.

More Than a Meeting

Service is what drew me to Rotary and at its core, why Rotary clubs exist. Fellowship is what makes it last.

Rotary brings together people of different ages, professions, and backgrounds who might not otherwise cross paths. We hear from guest speakers, stay informed on local and global issues, and build relationships grounded in shared values — not shared politics or shared beliefs. Rotary is explicitly nonpolitical and nonreligious. It is, at its heart, a place for people who care about their community to find each other.

In a moment when many people feel increasingly disconnected, that's not a small thing.

A Place to Grow

Members don't just volunteer — they lead. We organize projects, guide the club's direction, and learn by doing. Many Rotarians, including me, will tell you they joined to give back and discovered they gained so much more: friendships, perspective, and a deeper sense of belonging to the place we love and are proud to call home.

Rotary Today

Today's Rotary is evolving. We now offer an Impact Club — a flexible membership model centered on service projects, without the expectation of weekly attendance. What connects our members is a shared commitment to showing up for our community.

If you've ever thought Rotary might be for you, I invite you to come find out. Join us at a meeting. Participate in a project. See what happens when good intentions become collective action.

This is the first in a quarterly column I'll be writing as our club president. I hope it's the start of a longer conversation about what community service looks like — and what it can become — right here in the Vail Valley.

Robin Litt has lived in the Vail Valley for over 37 years and resides in Eagle, Colorado. Currently President of the Vail Edwards Rotary Club, she can be reached at 970.471.0021 or via email RobinLittRotary@gmail.com. To learn more, visit VailEdwardsRotary.com