Rotary Together volunteers make a spaghetti dinner at Loaves and Fishes Ministries in Cañon City.
From Left to Right: Shannon Tor, Tammy Rief, Tina Tor, Ken Rief, Trina Hosselkus. Lindsey Bolinger, and Rey Gomez.
By Rosanne Gain
District 5470 Public Image Committee
Being in Rotary has changed over the years. It used to mean meeting for a long lunch once a week. These days many business owners who run a brick-and-mortar business must be on site during the day, so an extended lunch time is out of the question. Rotary has realized that while the concept of “service above self” remains constant, the organization must change the way it operates to attract new members and keep current ones.
When Ken Rief set up his Apothecary & Wellness Center business, he looked for ways to give back to his community. He joined the Cañon City Rotary Club hoping to find opportunities to actively serve. When nothing seemed to fit what he was looking for he turned to the Cañon Club president and ended up starting a companion club. The club, Rotary Together, is populated with business owners primarily in the wellness industry who like to spend some of their free time supporting existing efforts to help the community. A lot of the club’s efforts focus on Loaves & Fishes Ministries, which supports the homeless in and around Fremont County. For example, Rotary Together recently cooked up a spaghetti dinner on site for the shelter residents.
The small group of club members meet twice a month, rotating among their different places of business. They even have their own song entitled “Together We Rise.”
Their Facebook page describes their group as:” …a community of people who believe that … they can make a real difference…supporting our neighbors experiencing homelessness, promoting health and wellness, helping those affected by addiction, mentoring our youth…lending a helping hand and serving with compassion, respect, and purpose.”
Based on their stated mission and activities, it appears that Rotary Together and its members have found a way to give back to their community that is “beneficial to all concerned.”