Stories

Central Lakes Rotary Club is highly involved in the S.T.R.I.V.E. program (Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education), mentoring and providing scholarships to students in both the Pequot Lakes and Pine River-Backus high schools. 

The Central Lakes Rotary sponsored a successful blood drive on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes. A sincere thank you goes out to the fellow Rotarians who volunteered their time to manage check-ins and to those who contributed by donating blood. Your service is greatly appreciated!

The Central Lakes Rotary Club actively participates in the S.T.R.I.V.E. program (Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education), offering mentorship and scholarships to students at both Pequot Lakes and Pine River-Backus High Schools. The Crosslake Lions Club has generously contributed $10,000 to support the program’s annual scholarships.

The photo, taken at Pequot Lakes High School, includes members of the Lions Club, Central Lakes Rotary Club representatives, a Pequot Lakes High School counselor, and Superintendent Kurt Stumpf.

Can’t make this year's Rotary International Convention in-person? Join virtually for $75.

Central Lakes Rotary Club was chartered in 1992, and we are proud to provide both financial and hands-on support to many community and international projects.  Throughout the years, Central Lakes Rotary has donated to Kinship Partners, Grace House, Interfaith Caregivers, Ski Gull Scholarship Program, 3 Area Food Shelves, Salvation Army, Junior Achievement, Alex and Brandon House, H.A.R.T. Animal Rescue, Mounted Eagles and holiday gift baskets to local families.  One of our recent Community Service Projects was the purchase and installation of playground equipment in the Pine River Dam Park. 

Our International Projects have included partnering with other clubs for construction of clean water wells in third-world countries, construction of schools, a Korean ambulance project, Cows for Cambodia and Shelter Boxes. 

Each year, Central Lakes Rotary provides dictionaries to 3rd grade students in Pequot Lakes, Pine River-Backus, Crosslake and Nisswa Elementary Schools, and our largest literacy effort was the completion of an Early Childhood Literacy Project in cooperation with St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, MN.  More than 700 gift packages were presented to parents of newborns, containing a book, blanket and literature showing the importance of beginning to read to babies right away.

Rotary International is the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.