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 90 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

July 15, Meeting

Today was Rotary Day and we honored Jeff Kingbury earning his Paul Harris Fellow +7. Every $1000 donation to the Rotary Foundation earns a Paul Harris Fellow. Thanks Jeff for helping Rotary International do great things in the world.

Our club president, Roger Heacock gave a classification speech to let us know all about himself. He has been a Rotary member for 25 years and is a retired credit union CEO. He is also an avid runner, having run 81 marathons! He and his wife Chris of 43 years have 3 children.

Roger also covered his goals for 2025-2026 which can be viewed on our website rushmorerotary.org. Some of them he set for our club like a Rushmore Rotary 40th anniversary celebration, completing the Rotary gazebo at SBI, a clean water project, and work on establishing a Rotary park/garden in Rapid City. He emphasized that we are a team and will succeed as one.

Rotary Hero Award for RYLA Camp

Rene Sorenson, along with her RYLA co-chair, Kiersten Lange, received the Rotary Hero Award, presented to them by past District Governor of 5630, Deb McCaslin, for their dedication and hard work ensuring RYLA camp remains at its highest standard in growing our future leaders. The award highlights acts of heroism, outstanding community service, or dedication to Rotary's ideals.
Way to go!

July 8, 2025 Meeting

We had a very informational talk today from Dave Holland of Northwater International. The company was formed in 2010 to provide professional engineering services with low overhead. They specialize in hydrology and have worked with Rotary grants for water projects in Haiti. Currently they have 3 different projects there bringing water to towns and setting up people to run, monitor and maintain the systems. They also follow up and make sure the system is sustained. This has allowed people to have water 24/7 at a low cost. Thank you Dave for all your hard work!

July 1 meeting

South Dakota Mines President Dr. Brian Tande, pictured right with Rushmore Rotary President Roger Heacock, spoke at the July 1 meeting. Mines, a science and engineering university in Rapid City, has an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. Tande shared that Mines has added several new programs, including a BS in Data Science and Engineering. The university has proposed also adding a BS in Robotics and a MS in Aerospace Engineering. The university also recently added a new building on campus - the Nucor Mineral Industries Building - and the Surbeck Center student union is currently undergoing an expansion.

To learn more about South Dakota Mines, visit https://www.sdsmt.edu/index.html

June 24, 2025 Meeting

Our speaker today was Autumn Gregory with the non-profit Early Childhood Connections. They provide training, on-site technical assistance and coaching to childcare providers, educators and parents. Last year they trained 845 hours, all free of charge. Their starting strong program is dedicated to delivering high quality early childhood education to preschool-aged children. They work closely with child care providers and families providing a comprehensive, class room focused support model.
Soon they will have an outdoor classroom with nature lessons, climbing station, gardening, and archeological dig site. For more information visit their website earlychildhoodconnections.com.

Rushmore Rotary Bench installed On M Hill

The Rapid City Rushmore Rotary bench was Installed Sunday at M Hill. Thanks to SD Mines students and alumni. What a Beautiful view.

Community Action!

Rushmore Rotary members helped out at the June 17 Feeding South Dakota food distribution. Well done team!

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!

Serving at Cornerstone Rescue Mission

Rushmore Rotarians help serve lunch Tuesday at the Cornerstone Mission.

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: