What can a Ferris wheel, a neighborhood park, a youth shelter and a historical coloring book possibly have in common?

Each began with a Rotary club identifying an opportunity to make a difference in its community. With support from Rotary District 5470 matching grants, those local ideas could reach further, serve more people and create a more lasting impact.

Burlington Rotary partnered with Kit Carson County and received a District 5470 matching grant to help bring a community Ferris wheel to life.

District grants help clubs multiply the money they raise locally. They also encourage Rotarians to build partnerships, participate directly in projects and increase Rotary’s visibility within their communities. Four recent projects demonstrate just how varied—and valuable—that impact can be.

Burlington Rotary Helps Bring a Ferris Wheel Home

The Rotary Club of Burlington joined Kit Carson County in creating a hometown carnival that can serve the community for years to come.

The club proposed contributing $5,000 toward the purchase of a Ferris wheel, matched by a $5,000 District 5470 grant. Kit Carson County committed an additional $12,000, bringing the total project investment to $22,000.

The Ferris wheel was planned in Rotary blue and gold, with a large Rotary wheel displayed at the ride’s entrance. The project provides local families with an enduring source of affordable entertainment while giving Rotary a highly visible presence at community celebrations.

Few Rotary projects illustrate “Create Lasting Impact” quite as literally—or colorfully—as a Ferris wheel carrying generations of families into the sky.

Members of the Rotary Club of Fruita gather at Rotary Triangle Park to celebrate the completion of improvements to the community space the club established in 1955.

Fruita Rotary Revitalizes a 70-Year-Old Park

Established by the Rotary Club of Fruita in 1955, Rotary Triangle Park has long offered residents and visitors a shady place to rest, gather and enjoy views of the Colorado National Monument.

Seventy years later, Fruita Rotarians partnered with the City of Fruita to renew that community treasure. The club contributed $5,204.23, supplemented by a $5,000 district grant. The city also provided labor and materials.

The completed project replaced two deteriorating picnic tables, added two benches and a bicycle rack, and restored a water fountain that reportedly had not worked in decades. The new fountain also includes a water-bottle filling station.

Rotarians participated throughout the planning and implementation process, working closely with city staff. Ten of the club’s 18 members attended a completion celebration on Sept. 30, 2025.

For a small club, the $10,204.23 project represented a significant accomplishment—and demonstrated how district support can help preserve a club’s legacy while meeting the community’s present-day needs.

Broadmoor Rotary supported The Place’s work helping young people experiencing homelessness move toward employment, stability and independence.

Broadmoor Rotary Supports Youth Experiencing Homelessness

The Broadmoor Rotary Club proposed directing $1,000 in club contributions and a $1,000 district match to The Place, a Colorado Springs nonprofit serving young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

The Place works primarily with youth ages 14 to 24 through outreach, shelter, drop-in services, case management and life-skills programming. Its goal is not only to meet immediate needs, but also to help young people achieve stability and self-sufficiency before homelessness becomes entrenched in adulthood.

Broadmoor Rotarians planned to contribute more than funding. Members would assist young people with résumé writing and job-readiness skills, combining financial support with the knowledge and experience of Rotarians.

The project shows that even a relatively modest district grant can have deeply personal consequences—helping a young person move toward employment, independence and a more secure future.

Palisade Rotary Brings Local History to Life

The Palisade Rotary Club’s historical coloring book project takes another creative approach to community service: introducing young students to the people, traditions and industries that shaped the Grand Valley.

The club proposed contributing $940, matched by a $940 District 5470 grant, to print 1,000 copies of the Palisade History Coloring Book. The books share information about the area’s agricultural heritage—especially its famous peaches—as well as annual festivals held throughout the Grand Valley.

The coloring books have previously been distributed to District 51 elementary students. Members of the Palisade Rotary Club and Palisade Historical Society President Priscilla Walker visit selected classrooms to present the books and expand upon the history featured in their pages. The front cover recognizes the Palisade Rotary Club for funding their publication.

The $1,880 project preserves local stories, strengthens community pride and helps a new generation understand the history of the place it calls home.

Together, these four projects represent more than $36,000 in community investment, including $11,940 in proposed or awarded District 5470 matching funds. In Fruita, additional in-kind support from the city stretched those dollars even further.

The projects may look very different, but the formula is the same: Local Rotarians recognize an opportunity, invest their club’s resources and energy, build community partnerships, and use district matching funds to accomplish more than they could alone.

That is the power of Rotary working together—and the lasting impact made possible when contributions to The Rotary Foundation return to our district to strengthen our communities.