By Joni Ellis, Club President 2026-2027
Fruita Rotary grew from 13 to 20 members last year. How did we do it?
First of all, Fruita Rotarians have a good time, starting with our club president setting the tone. Chris Endresson, our president during this 57% increase, is very active not just in our club, but in the community. Chris’s engaging community spirit and his commitment to Fruita Rotary brought in new people looking for ways to give back.
Whether we’re cutting up fruit at the Food Bank, picking up trash on the highway (often ending with pizza and beer), or giving books to 1st graders, we're happy Rotarians. Our community sees and hears us (laughter seems to follow!). You might find us meeting up for a happy hour or coffee. These opportunities allow us time to have fun, kick around new ideas, and build relationships with one another.
Fruita Rotary also matches projects with the interests of our members. Someone expressed concern about people who were housebound. So we applied for a District Grant to build wheelchair ramps. Another member, a former teacher, heard about a student-led project raising threatened native fish for release into the Colorado River. So we have applied for a District Grant to build a fish hatchery at our high school. With another grant, we spruced up a local park which bore our name — Rotary Park. One of our newer initiatives is to put a Peace Pole in our community. Internationally, we have members who have traveled to the Guatemala Literacy Project, and others who have driven to the Chinle Planting Hope Project on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona (contact Debbie Wilde, Rotary Club of Glenwood Springs). When you volunteer with members from your own club and Rotarians from other clubs, you walk away with your heart filled with the power of what Rotary can achieve by working together.
New projects add spark and are a source of pride. Our members are engaged because our projects are engaging.
Additionally, Fruita Rotary is visible. Fruita Rotary maintains a good working relationship with the City of Fruita. We sponsor a City Golf Tournament that raises money for youth activities and gives us an opportunity for our club golfing aficionados to enjoy one another's company. We make sure Fruita Rotary is seen by wearing our Rotary t-shirts and submitting photos to the local newspaper. We utilized club talent and designed new club banners celebrating 90 years of service, table toppers describing our club, and water bottle stickers. Plus, we organized an anniversary celebration and invited City dignitaries. Fruita Rotary’s fundraiser at Mike the Headless Chicken Festival was even featured in the May 2026 issue of The Rotary Magazine!
We don’t have a large budget so Rotary grants are important to us. If grants are new to your club, you really need to check out the District website. District Grants can be matching and of course have qualifiers but with a little effort the parameters are easy to meet. First and foremost, your members must contribute to Rotary’s Annual Fund. Our club goes above and beyond by annually giving $100 per person to the Annual Fund. This is less than $10 a month! We believe this is well worth it for what we get in return. It’s also a source of pride that every Fruita Rotarian supports The Rotary Foundation.
Fruita Rotary is also honored to be the International Sponsor on the Guatemala Literacy Project Global Grant #2578323. While our main focus remains local, Fruita Rotary gives 10% of our fundraising dollars to international projects (afterall, we are part of Rotary International). We join more than 100 clubs in supporting the Guatemala Literacy Project (GLP) - a long-standing literacy project that is proven, impactful and Creates Lasting Change. Equally important, it is easy for your club to help. For example, if your club pledges $1,000, it could be matched by the District at 100% and the Rotary Foundation at 80%. A $1,000 contribution can grow to $2,800. District and GLP leaders help guide you through the process — easy. If you want to make a difference with an international project, contact us. We’d be happy to help. guatemalaliteracy.org
Applying for Rotary Grants feels like our “super power”. Our story might sound like your club, or maybe it doesn't. Rotary Clubs are unique and that’s another Rotary super power!
Having fun, matching projects to member interests, incorporating international components, volunteering on projects together, and staying visible in the community... that’s how we attract new members!
