Rotarian Mark Lauffenberger talks with a longtime Depot Museum volunteer during Music by the Lake. Photos: Wayzata Rotary Club
One could say Rotary offers a chance to come full circle. When Elle Miller was a high school student, she received a scholarship from the Orono Rotary Club. Flash forward: When she moved back to Minnesota in 2022, she wanted to join a professional organization, which focused on service. “I reached out to the Wayzata Rotary Club [WRC] and attended my first meeting,” Miller says. “I quickly felt that the club was a good fit. I liked how WRC brought together people from all areas of the community. Our club members are business owners, civil servants, lawyers, real estate agents, insurance brokers, etc. [WRC] had a clear focus on service and friendship, and the members genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.”
Founded in 1948, WRC consists of over 45 members who are dedicated to service, fellowship and the well-being of Wayzata. And members benefit, too, from being part of the club. Professional networking (Members represent a cross section of the community.), global citizenship (One of Rotary’s highest objectives is to build goodwill and peace throughout the world.) and service opportunities (Services address education, environmental protection, diseases and local community growth.).
Rotary volunteers sort donations at Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, which the club supports.
Additionally, WRC maintains the Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation, supporting community grants to local organizations, including Bolder Options, Friends of the 261, Hammer Residences. Hope Chest for Breast Cancer, Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners, Wayzata Conservancy and Wayzata Sailing.
To fund those efforts, WRC hosts its largest fundraiser, Music by the Lake, a six-week summer concert series held at the Wayzata Depot. “This concert series would not be able to be successful without the support of local businesses, who sponsor this event, so we are able to offer free concerts to the community,” Ben Hovland says. “To date, the Music by the Lake Concert Series has raised around $75,000 (around $15,000 annually).”
“Our club also started the Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation 501(c)(3) in 1961 as a fund to support scholarships to Wayzata High School seniors,” Miller says. “Today, we generally give away around 15 $1,000 scholarships each year. Most of this money comes from investments and club donations.” Miller goes on to say, “We also join with other Rotary clubs to support joint service projects. Past projects include supporting clean water initiatives in Honduras and preventive medical services in India.”
While garnering financial support for its endeavors and volunteering for a host of local and global efforts, allocating time to be a Rotarian can take some intentional effort of its own. “Our lives are so busy these days—often filled with a long list of things that are largely about ‘me.’ Rotary provides such a great path to get outside ourselves and to serve others and to carry out that service with others in our community for people in our community,” says Paul Carr, club president. “There is such connection in that! And when a group of good people, such as those I know in Rotary, all get together to help others, it is always a lot of fun and great fellowship as well.”
Meeting Notes
When: 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.
Where: Wayzata American Legion, 949 Wayzata Blvd.
The Start
Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney, formed the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and develop lifelong friendships, according to rotary.org. Eventually, Rotary’s reach included humanitarian service, including efforts to eradicate polio; improve international water, sanitation and hygiene; support educational and training efforts around the globe and so much more. Today, there are an estimated 1.4 million members.
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