With four Rotary clubs in Bonner and Boundary counties, each club has unique projects and stays engaged with its communities.
Each of the clubs has one thing in common — they make a difference and are always looking for more members.
The Rotary motto — “Service above self” rings true.
Meeting times, locations:
• Sandpoint Rotary — Wednesdays, Noon, Umpqua Bank Building, Marigold Cafe.
• Bonners Ferry Rotary — Tuesdays, Noon, Kootenai River Inn
• Newport/Priest River Rotary — Wednesdays at 8, Rotary Park in Oldtown
• Ponderay Rotary — First three Tuesdays at 7 a.m.. Umpqua Bank Building, Marigold Cafe.
Leadership:
• Sandpoint president: Chris Chambers.
• Bonners Ferry president: Sandy Johnstone.
• Newport/Priest River president: Elizabeth Glazier.
• Ponderay president: Carol Curtis.
In Sandpoint, the 110-member club mostly focuses on education and youth.
The club’s CHAFE 150 bike ride has raised more than $1 million for local education and even more than that for scholarships, teen leadership courses and numerous other causes.
This year, the club will generate funds for a school district initiative called: Every student graduates a reader.
In Ponderay, the 20-member club also focuses on education and on students continuing in college. Many times, the club has made scholarship funds available for students throughout college. This club also encourages students interested in the trades, not necessarily four-year degrees, but they provide money for those as well.
In Bonners Ferry, this club of 40 members fills many needs, some of which they inherited. Bonners Ferry Rotary has been meeting at Mugsy’s since its inception more than 20 years ago. It has now outgrown the friendly confines and will start meeting at the Kootenai River Inn.
The Bonners Ferry Rotarians also promote scholarships. The club also oversees Rotary Park, the Easter Egg Hunt, the Fourth of July and numerous other activities.
The Priest River-Newport Rotary club started to lose members and momentum a few years ago and then Elizabeth Glazier started attending meetings. She was instantly pulled into leadership and suddenly she was the interim president and is now starting her second year as the official president.
The membership was hovering around seven or eight when she first joined and now it is approaching 20.
The secret? Find a need and address it.
The need in West Bonner County and Newport is to address education. Glazier saw that and decided to devote the majority of the club’s time to that. And it paid off. The club started attracting members who also wanted to help.
Soon, students of the month were being recognized, teachers were getting scholarships to enhance their classroom and the club even raised money to build a new outdoor basketball court.
This club was voted the best small club in the district this year because of its phenomenal growth and outreach.
Several years ago, Sandpoint Rotary was named the best large club in District 5080. Ponderay was named the best small club.
There are 57 clubs in the district that begins in Nakusp and Golden Valley in British Columbia to the north and runs south to Orofino, east to Wallace and west to Tri-Cities.
Rotary will continue to make a difference in each community by attracting members who want to belong to something bigger than themselves.
Studies show that loneliness and depression are real issues in our society. Volunteerism and making a difference in groups like Rotary can be a cure.
A person can Google Rotary to find out what the largest service organization in the world is doing.
Trying to eradicate polio? Sending and receiving exchange students all over the world? Providing mentoring opportunities for young professionals? Giving an opportunity to do more than you could ever do on your own?
All this and more can be found in Rotary.
Come check us out and attend a meeting.
For more information, contact membership chair Bob Gumerman at robertgumerman@ gmail.com.
Rotary Club fast facts
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million leaders, problem solvers and friends who are focused on making the world a better place through peace, addressing health issues and taking action to create lasting change in the world, our communities and in ourselves.
Most people are aware of Rotary’s fight to eradicate polio on a worldwide scale. Rotary’s focus began in 1987 and polio is on its way out. Rotary and partners have spent more than $1 billion in this important fight. Rotary is also known as a peacekeeping force and was part of the United Nations when it was formed and is the only Non-Governmental Organization with a permanent seat at the U.N.
There are more than 46,000 Rotary clubs all over the world. Our area clubs are part of District 5080, which consists of 57 clubs from northern British Columbia south to Orofino, east to Wallace and west to Colville and Tri-Cities. In 2025-26, former Sandpoint President and Assistant Governor David Keyes will be the District Governor. There will be a district conference in Sandpoint from May 1-3, 2026, centered mostly at the Panida. It will be co-sponsored by the Sandpoint and Ponderay Rotary clubs.
David Keyes is the new District 5080 Governor for the Rotary Club.