Home Page | Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore

Rushmore Rotary is a local club composed of inspired individuals who translate their passions into relevant social causes to change lives in our community. We were organized in March 1986 and currently have 95 members. Rushmore Rotary Meetings are held every Tuesday morning at 7am at Elevation Inn & Suites, 950 North Street, Rapid City, SD. Virtual Zoom meeting logins are available.

We also have an Impact Club, a service-oriented arm of Rushmore Rotary that meets every second and fourth Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Zymurcracy, 4624 Creek Drive #6, Rapid City, SD. This is a good option for anyone who can't make it to a morning meeting.

Press here to contact our President or membership chairperson for a zoom invite or to find out how to join.

For information about Rotary International visit Home | Rotary International

Presidents Transition Dinner 2025

Our club President transition dinner was Tuesday June 10, 2025 at the Mount Rushmore Society. It was a great event catered by Qdoba. Jeff Kingbury and Deb Kjerstad were wonderful emcees! President Heidi Bell Gease handed the gavel to incoming President Roger Heacock. It was a fantastic year and we look forward to the next one.

2025 Rotarian Of The Year

Rushmore Rotary’s Rotarian of the Year was awarded at Tuesday night’s Presidents transition dinner. The 6 nominees were Jeff Kingbury, Tiffany Gikling, Rene Sorensen, Jennifer Rollins, Roger Heacock and Heidi Bell Gease. The winners name was in a piñata that the nominees had to whack open. Our President Heidi ( former softball player) was all in!
The Rotarian of the Year is Rene Sorensen. She is a dedicated and hard working Rotarian who exemplifies Service Above Self. She is involved in RYLA, heading the membership committee and working on the district conference committee among many other things. Congratulations Rene, well deserved!

June 10th meeting

Today was Rotary Day

Kara Flynn received her new member badge by completing the new member checklist. Congratulations!

Dana Foreman received his Paul Harris Fellow for $1000 in donations to the Rotary Foundation. Congratulations Dana.

June 3, 2024 Meeting

Our meeting today was “off campus” At One Heart in Rapid City. One Heart opened their doors in 2021 and provides a long term program seeking long term solutions to poverty. They teach job skills and offer education and life skills to individuals and families who are referred by outside agencies. Housing and meals are also provided on their secure campus. Right now they have 130 people there, 1/2 being kids. All their services are free to the residents. They partner with Complete Health, credit counseling, mental health, YMCA for child care and Western Dakota Tech. One hope is a private non-profit, with no city support. For more information visit their website www.oneheartrc.org.

May 20, 2025 Meeting

Our speakers today were From WellFully Care Center, Si Issler and Carrie Linn.

WellFully is a Premier Adolescent Care Center that provides Addiction Recovery, Psychiatric Residential Treatment, Adolescent Crisis Care and Promotes Mental Health.

Residential treatment is for all girls ages 10 - 17 with 24 hour supervision.

More information visit www.wellfullypacc.org.

Congratulations to this quarters students of distinction from Rapid City Alternative Academy.

May 27, 2025 Meeting

2 of our new members, Deb Kjerstad and Laurie Cope completed their new member checklists and received their official Rotary Badges. Congratulations!

We were honored to host Ralph Zuke, a visiting Rotarian from St Louis making his way by bicycle (with a rickshaw) to the Rotary International Convention in Calgary, Canada in June. He is raising money and awareness for Polio Plus, Rotary’s program to eradicate polio worldwide .

Our speaker today was Dr. Matthew Simmons, neurologist. He spoke on medical history in western South Dakota. He discussed Native American medicine and as white settlers arrived they shared knowledge. Lewis & Clark documented medical findings and depended on the native population for help. Many future expeditions brought a lot of doctors to the area, along with many pioneers bringing medical books to take care of themselves.

Serving at Cornerstone Rescue Mission

Rushmore Rotarians help serve lunch Tuesday at the Cornerstone Mission.

Feeding South Dakota volunteers

Rushmore Rotarians braving the elements to help distribute food in Rapid City.

Community Action At Work

Rushmore Rotary and friends at work cleaning up a portion of Highway 16 as part of the SD DOT Adopt a Highway Program and our Community Action Committee. Great work!!

Members and friends also served at the Cornerstone Mission fulfilling a monthly commitment. WE ARE PEOPLE OF ACTION.

The Rotary Foundation

Every day, Rotary members respond to challenges big and small, emerging and ongoing. And when members like you participate through service or with a donation to our Foundation, we make an even bigger impact.

Please donate online or send your contribution by mail to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund-SHARE or one of our Annual Fund's areas of focus. Your gift will support projects like these and make Doing Good in the World possible.

Rotary's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Code of Conduct

What we say and how we behave matter. Although free expression is important, we must take responsibility for how our words and actions may affect others. The RI Board has approved a new DEI Code of Conduct to help Rotary members create and maintain an environment that is collaborative, positive, and healthy for everyone. Simply put, the DEI Code of Conduct asks you to: