Service Above Self - Making a Difference through Rotary

The Fayette Rotary Club is part of Rotary International, a worldwide service organization of community leaders who work together to create lasting change around the globe, in their communities and in themselves. Guided by the motto “Service Above Self,” Fayette Rotarians look for ways to work with other organizations and meet the needs of our local community and beyond.

Serving Our Community

Each year, our club identifies a significant community need, raises funds and works to make a difference through a District Simplified Matching Grant (DSG) from our Rotary District. This year, we helped Daly Elementary teachers purchase needed classroom supplies. Past projects have included assisting with renovations at the CMU Student Center, constructing a basketball area for the Fayette Boys and Girls Club, and helping beautify the town square with benches and trees.

Our club also supports healthcare, food programs, youth activities and other community needs. Through our Happy Can Project, members contribute at each meeting while sharing news, personal experiences and humor. The money collected is distributed to a dozen or more community organizations that help others. Recent support, including additional donations, allowed us to purchase two car seats for the Howard County Public Health Department’s Car Seat Program.

Making a Difference Around the World

Fayette Rotary also supports Rotary International’s humanitarian efforts, including PolioPlus, the worldwide initiative to eradicate polio. Our annual fall Cornhole Tournament raises approximately $1,000 for this important cause.  We also sponsor a cart for Mobility Worldwide's fund raiser in Columbia each summer.  Our cart is then sent to Kenya or some other country to be used by a leg-disabled individual.

Supporting Education and Youth

Education and youth development are important priorities for both Rotary International and our local club. During the school year, we invite four Students of the Month to attend a meeting, enjoy lunch with our members, share a little about themselves and receive certificates recognizing their achievements. 

One of our favorite projects is presenting hard back illlustrated dictionaaries to each third grade student in Daly Elementary.  The program was started in 2004 and was known as Word Power at that time.  Our present Rotary President still remembers getting her dictionary.

Each spring, we award a scholarship to a Fayette High School senior planning to attend Central Methodist University. We have also sponsored students to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), a leadership development program for young people, and welcome Fayette students to our meetings to present programs.

Fundraising for Our Projects

Our service projects are supported by three major annual fundraisers: a fall rummage sale, the Cornhole Tournament and our annual Trivia Night. These events bring people together while raising money to support local projects and Rotary’s international efforts.

Fellowship and Learning

Rotary is also about friendship, fellowship and sharing ideas. Our meetings begin with a meal, giving members time to visit and get to know one another. We often hold additional social events during the year, and members take turns arranging programs that introduce the club to a wide variety of interesting people, topics and ideas.

Fayette Rotary brings people together to serve others, strengthen our community and make a difference—one project at a time.

We welcome community members who share our interest in service and would like to learn more about our club, its activities, and the opportunities Rotary offers.