Ellinwood Rotary Club

01/02/2026

Happy New Year from the Ellinwood Rotary Club!

As we step into a new year, we’re grateful for the chance to serve, connect, and make a positive impact right here in our community. Thank you to everyone who supports our mission and helps us turn service into action.

Here’s to a year of new projects, stronger connections, and continued service above self.

12/03/2025

💙✨ EPISODE 2 – Faces of Rotary: Kent Roth

In our second episode of Faces of Rotary, we sit down with Kent Roth — a longtime Ellinwood attorney, dedicated community member, and proud Rotarian. ⚖️🤝

Kent has spent decades serving the people of Ellinwood, both through his legal work and his commitment to Rotary’s mission of service above self. In this short interview, he shares why Rotary matters to him and how giving back has shaped his life and career.

🎥 Take a moment to hear Kent’s story — another reminder of the incredible people who make our Rotary Club so special.

11/08/2025

We’re kicking off our new Faces of Rotary series with longtime member Harry Whiting — a familiar face and community leader who’s made a lasting impact right here in Ellinwood! 🙌

In this short interview, Harry shares why he joined Rotary, what the club means to him, and how service connects people in ways that truly matter. 💬

🎥 Watch now and get inspired by Harry’s story — proof that service above self starts right here at home.

10/25/2025

🎥✨ Introducing: Faces of Rotary!

We’re kicking off a new video series called Faces of Rotary, featuring the amazing people who make up the Ellinwood Rotary Club! 💙💛

Each short interview spotlights one of our members — who they are, why they joined, and how Rotary has helped them make a difference right here in our community.

It’s about connection, fellowship, and the people behind the scenes who serve our community 💪

Stay tuned for our first “Faces of Rotary” video — coming soon! 👀

08/19/2025

This week, the Ellinwood Rotary Club was honored to receive the official Rotary International banner for the 2025–26 year!

Assistant District Governor Lee Sankey presented the banner, featuring this year’s Presidential Theme: “Unite for Good.” 🌍💙

Alongside Rotary’s timeless mottos — “Service Above Self” and “One Profits Most Who Serves Best” — this banner is a powerful reminder of Rotary’s mission of service, unity, and positive global impact.

🙌 If you’ve ever thought about making a difference, building friendships, and serving your community, now is the perfect time to get involved! The Ellinwood Rotary Club welcomes new members who want to unite with us for good.

08/17/2025

🚨 New Ellinwood Rotary Club President 🚨

We are proud to announce our new Rotary Club President — Alysia Eliason! 🎉

Alysia is a longtime educator and community advocate. She currently serves as the principal of Ellinwood Middle School and High School, where she is known for her dedication to building a strong school culture and supporting student success. She holds degrees from Barton Community College, Kansas State University, and a master’s in educational administration from Fort Hays State University. Before returning to Ellinwood, Alysia spent over a decade teaching and leading in Salina, Kansas.

As Rotary President, Alysia brings her passion for service, leadership, and community connection to the forefront. Her vision is to build meaningful partnerships, increase engagement, and continue Rotary’s proud tradition of Service Above Self. 💙💛

We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Justin Lear, our outgoing president, for his dedication and leadership over the past year. Justin helped guide our club with steady vision and commitment, and we are grateful for the time, energy, and service he devoted to strengthening Rotary in Ellinwood. 🙌

Please join us in congratulating Alysia as she begins her term and in thanking Justin for his outstanding service! 👏

07/19/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Our After Harvest Fest Parade Float Category Winners! 🎉

We had an amazing time at this year’s After Harvest Fest Parade, and we’re so grateful for everyone who participated and helped make it such a fun and memorable event!

👏 A big congrats to all of our float category winners — your creativity and hometown pride truly shined!

🏆 If your float won and you would like a printed certificate, please comment below with your organization name and we’ll make sure to get it to you!

07/19/2025

🎉 Today’s the day! 🎉

The streets are alive with energy and excitement for this year’s After Harvest Fest — and we’re loving every minute of it!

📣 Float category winners will be posted here after the judges finish tallying their scores — so stay tuned!

📸 Snapped a great photo? We’re collecting pictures to feature in our official After Harvest Fest Parade video! DM us your best shots to be included!

Let’s keep the celebration going! ❤️💙

07/18/2025

🚨 Parade Update! 🚨

The final float order for the After Harvest Fest Parade is now available! 🥳

Check the images below for the full lineup and the official city map showing where each float should line up on parade day.

🛑 IMPORTANT: All participants MUST line up in their designated spots to avoid confusion for the parade emcee and ensure a smooth experience for everyone involved.

Please review your assigned position and arrive at your staging area early to help us stay organized and on schedule.

Questions? Drop them in the comments or message us directly.

See you at the parade! 🇺🇸🎈

07/07/2025

👋 Welcome to Ellinwood! 👋

You’ll now see our proudly mounted Rotary Club Emblem as you drive into town — a warm reminder that service, community, and connection matter here. 💙♥️

Give it a wave next time you pass by — and if you’re curious about what Rotary is all about, we’d love to have you at a meeting!

📅 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the Month
🕛 12–1 PM
📍 Ellinwood Hospital Education Room

07/04/2025

07/01/2025

🎉 Grand Marshals Announced! 🎉

The Ellinwood Rotary Club is proud to announce Rick and Colleen Bowman as the Grand Marshals of this year’s After Harvest Fest Parade!

Rick Bowman retired from the City of Ellinwood in 2015 after 29 years of dedicated service as a power plant operator and in trash services. Since then, he has continued to serve the community part-time through USD 355.

Colleen Bowman retired from CPI in 2020 after 24 years and quickly jumped into volunteer work at the Ellinwood Senior Center. What started as one day a week dispatching for Public Transportation turned into a full-time mission. She now serves as Chair of the Ellinwood Commission on Aging and Site Manager of the Public Transportation Program.

Her responsibilities include:
🚐 Managing Public Transportation
🍽️ Overseeing 10 Meals on Wheels volunteers
🚌 Coordinating 13 driver volunteers
📞 Supervising 3 dispatchers

Colleen also led efforts to reinstate the center’s 501(c)(3) status, secured a grant for a new transportation van, and even replaced 48 chairs through grant funding.

And her best volunteer? Her husband Rick—who spends countless hours helping at the Heritage Center and serves as its Treasurer.

💙 Join us in celebrating Rick and Colleen Bowman—two incredible examples of Ellinwood pride and service!