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Fall Foliage in the Mad River Valley by Photos by Kintz

Welcome to The Mad River Valley Rotary Club

Please scroll down to see the latest club happenings !

We are the Mad River Valley Rotary Club with over 60 members. We are your neighbors, friends, and business acquaintances. We are young, old, women and men who love this Valley and who volunteer our time to make it an even better place to live.

As a chapter of Rotary International, we aspire to make a difference right here in the Mad River Valley and beyond. Our commitment is to community service, building friendships, and developing leaders. Our international exchange program cultivates understanding beyond Vermont and is a life changing experience for those who participate.

Through fundraisers, raffles and community events we support local organizations and global projects providing a broad range of services, from assistance for those in need, to arts and culture.

We invite you to attend one of our meetings to learn more about Rotary and how you can help the community in which we live. Please use the link below for our calendar.

https://www.mrvrotary.org/events/calendar

September President's Words

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

August was a productive month for our club, with an excellent group of speakers and plenty happening beyond our regular meetings.

We heard from fellow Rotarians Pete Colgan and Sparky Potter, on their reflections. We also had a visit from Misha Golfman, who shared an update on the merger of the Mad River Path and Mad River Riders. Finally, we had the opportunity to hear from Silas Gulley, our MRV Rotary Exchange Student to Ecuador before he left for the year abroad. Thank you to all of our speakers for taking the time to join us and share their experiences and work.

Mad River Valley Rotary's Annual Duck Race 2026 - September 6th

Join us at the Lareau Farm swim hole, off Route 100 in Waitsfield, VT, on Sunday, September 6th. Race starts at 3pm. There will be sweet treats, magic show, games for the whole fam and more starting at 2pm. Make a day of it and join us for the wackiest, quackiest event in the Mad River Valley.

The Mad River Valley Rotary Duck Race is a beloved Labor Day weekend tradition held this year Sunday September 6th at the Lareau Swimming Hole that brings the community together for a day of fun, laughter, and giving back. Thousands of bright yellow rubber ducks are released into the Mad River, racing downstream as spectators cheer on their adopted entries. With cash prizes for the winning ducks and activities for all ages, the event combines the excitement of a raffle with the charm of a small-town festival.

Two Races To Choose From:

Race #1 - The OG. The Classic. 10 winners total:
🥇 1st place = $1000
🥈 2nd = $500
🥉 3rd = $250
🏅 4th–10th = $50
(That’s a lot of quacking cash.)

Race #2 - The Mad Duck 100 - This one’s for the thrill-seekers. Only 100 ducks in this exclusive race = better odds, higher stakes, more drama.
💰 ONE winner takes home $1500. Just you, your duck, and destiny.

More than just a race, the Duck Race is the Rotary’s biggest annual fundraiser, supporting local programs and community initiatives throughout the Mad River Valley. Every duck adopted helps make a difference, so whether you’re in it to win or just to have fun, your participation directly supports Rotary's work in the Valley and beyond.

HOW DO I ADOPT A DUCK?

You can adopt a duck in person in front of Mehuron's Friday's from 3:30-5:30pm and on Saturday's from 9-1pm at the Waitsfield Farmer's Market. Adopt a duck anytime online to participate in the races by clicking here.

2026 Open Garden Days at von Trapp Greenhouse

Open Garden Days at the Von Trapp Greenhouse is one of the MRV Rotary's summer fundraisers. Sally and Tobi von Trapp have maintained the display garden at their former business site, 208 Common Road, Waitsfield, VT. It is not open to the public normally, so take advantage of their generosity to share their private space as well as help the Rotary raise funds. A percentage of proceeds will be donated to the MRV Rotary for their charitable giving programs. See below for dates.

Open Garden Days are from 10:00am-4:00pm during each of the dates listed. Tickets sold on site. $10/person. Children 18 and under are FREE. Please no dogs.

Friday, July 3rd & Sunday, July 5th

Friday, July 17th & Saturday, July 18th

Friday, July 31st & Saturday, August 1st

Friday, August 14th & Saturday, August 15th

Friday, August 28th & Saturday, August 29th

Friday, September 4th & Saturday, September 5th

For questions, more information, please email busyknit@yahoo.com

Business Sponsorships

Each year the Mad River Valley Rotary reaches out to local businesses for donations to its charitable giving fund. These donations go to the Valley Rotary Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, and are dedicated to support Student Scholarships and Grants for many worthwhile projects, mostly in the Valley, such as MRV Seniors, MRV Ambulance Service, Neck of the Woods, etc. Businesses are offered a way to make one simple donation that will benefit 20 to 30 organizations. Businesses wishing to donate may send a check to Valley Rotary Foundation, PO Box 267, Waitsfield, VT 05673 -OR- online - MAKE A DONATION HERE.

*NEW* Corporate Membership

Our club enthusiastically welcomes Corporate Memberships. Each member business may appoint 2 people to act on behalf of the business, along with its named member. Dues are the same as for individual members. A membership is not related to the Sponsorship Drive done annually. We welcome all individuals and businesses to consider a voting membership in our club!

MRV Rotary Calendar

Check the MRV Rotary Calendar here.

Club Video

You can view our 2023-2024 activities on our 28-minute video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e55PDiRJVTQ). For your convenience, this video is also broken into 2–3-minute segments that outline our fundraising efforts, with emphasis on our annual Duck Race, and also includes four videos with our grantees (https://www.youtube.com/@madrivervalleyrotaryvideo/videos).