The Rotary Club of Bigfork was chartered on June 13, 2001.  The club now has 40 members.  Most of the members live and work in the village of Bigfork which is nestled in the beautiful mountains of northwestern Montana on the shores of Flathead Lake.   The Rotary club works to improve our local community and communities of other countries.  We work with the youth of the community by sponsoring an Interact club in the high school, giving scholarships and leadership training.  We give free dictionaries to third graders and occasional grants to  a children's theater, camps  and sports programs.

In 2007, we have begun our most ambitious project: a bike and foot path that children and their families can enjoy.

Internationally we have focused on  malaria-ridden Zambia and on a Siberian orphanage that the club has "adopted.  In past years our club has donated money to drill wells in Zambia, to buy a van for a health clinic in India, provided wheelchairs to children in Peru, and provided medicine to an orphanage in Siberia.  We hope to do other projects that will improve people's lives and foster world peace. 

The Rotary Club of Bigfork sponsors the Urik Shelter and works with The Rotary Club of Irkutsk

CLUB MEETINGS

    2008-09 President         Neil Navratil serves lunch             Larry Whitney and Bruce          High School students tell the club about

      Joanne Knutson                                                           Piasecki in line for lunch            their week at the RYLA camp

               Rotarians enjoying lunch while Past Pres. Ed Nolde                               Rotarians at lunch

                  presents awards

    Steve Moksnes presents program        PDG Carl Prinzing speaks to club about             Rotary celebrates veterans service to USA

    about OrphanAct                                                               the Rotary Foundation 

SERVICE PROJECTS

     Ted and Yvonne Weaver take down                 Rotarians cleaning up the highway               Children from our adopted shelter

     bleachers for the school district in Bigfork.                                                                        in Russia

                         The RC of Bigfork sponsored a combination birthday and harvest celebration at the Urik Shelter.  The

                         3-4 year olds performed a Russian folk story about a huge turnip grown in the family garden.  The whole

                         family and domestic animals helped pulled the turnip.  The older children join in the celebration.

           Rotarians Carolyn Hummel, Pres. Ed Nolde, Karin                            Induction of new members Brian, Cheryl, Diane

           Henion, PE Joanne Knutson and Donna Lawson fill                            Shown with sponsors Clint, Joanne and Bruce

           boxes with cookies to send to soldiers fighting in Iraq. 

CLUB ACTIVITIES

            the Barn Dance 2008 features a delicious dinner, Connie and Joanne enjoying themselves and Mister serving at the bar.

    The cowboys/girls get their picture taken                                Rotarians take a walk on the site of the future bike trail project

  Rotarians enjoying Christmas Party, 2007    President Ed Nolde and Susan enjoy the party           Rotarians enjoying an art day

    August 2008,  Bigfork Rotarians had a picnic with families.  It was held in a wonderful wooded area at Rotarian Mary Knoll's.  Fun was 

    had  by all.

  OrphanAct Presenter, Heather Howlett and          Rotarians Donna and Gretchen enjoy            OA President, Steve Moksnes and Heather

  Bigfork Rotary President, Joanne Knutson            the picnic                                                   enjoying the picnic with baby, Taylor.