The South Valley Rotary Club, which provides community service to the southern region of the Salt Lake valley including Bluffdale, Draper, Herriman and Riverton, has been named as Utah’s Rotary Club of the Year. The organization was recognized among the 44 Rotary clubs in the state by the immediate past district governor of Utah Rotary Scott Leckman. Rotary International is one of the largest and most active global service organizations, with 35,000 clubs and over 1.2 million members worldwide. There are over 1,700 Rotarians in Utah. The Utah Rotary Club of the Year award is presented annually to the club which promoted and advanced the image of Utah Rotary through its activities in the past year.
The South Valley Rotary Club began in 2002, originally as the Draper-Riverton Rotary Club. Its 28 club members are seriously dedicated to service, contributing over 2,085 hours in the 2018-19 Rotary year – over 75 hours per member!
“The South Valley Rotary Club is a great example of the type of engagement Rotarians bring to benefit their communities,” said Leckman. “During this 2018-19 Rotary year, the South Valley Rotarians did an extraordinary job earning themselves the coveted Club of the Year Award.”
The club has been especially active spreading the good works of Rotary by engaging youth. This past year South Valley Rotary Club involved two Interact Clubs (high school Rotary clubs) in community service , and sent eight young local residents to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), a Rotary program designed for future leaders who are juniors in high school. The club also provided four Rotary Service Above Self Scholarships to seniors from Riverton and Herriman High Schools, as well as distributing 3,100 dictionaries to local elementary school students.
“Our club’s enthusiasm was palpable as we pursued our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to attain the Rotary Citation with Platinum Distinction,” said 2018-19 Club President Brinton Webb. “Rotary suggested 21 separate goals, with 12 required. Our club attained 18 – six beyond the required. Even more importantly than the goal achievement, we had fun doing it.”
South Valley also qualified for Rotary International’s Rotary Citation, with Platinum Distinction, for its work. The club has been very active in the mission of Rotary International, both locally and around the world, with support for international projects in Mexico, Columbia and the Philippines, as well as support of Rotary’s Polio Plus initiative to eradicate the disease.
The South Valley Rotary Club meets every Thursday noon at Jim’s Family Restaurant in Riverton. Prospective new club members can learn more at the South Valley Rotary Club website.
UTAH ROTARY CLUBS OF THE YEAR
2019 – South Valley Rotary Club
2018 – Park City Sunrise Rotary Club
2017 – Millcreek Rotary Club
2016 – Red Rock Rotary
2015 – Rotary Club of Murray
2014 – Bountiful Rotary Club
2013 – Park City Rotary Club
2012 – Rotary Club of Ogden
2011 – Rotary Club of Salt Lake City
2010 – West Jordan Rotary Club
2009 – Rotary Club of American Fork
2008 – Hispanos-Latino Rotary Club
2007 – Brigham City Rotary Club
2006 – Rotary Club of Sugar House
2005 – Bountiful Rotary Club
2004 – Cedar City Rotary Club
2003 – West Jordan Rotary Club