As the Membership Chair for Rotary District 5450, I have the privilege of learning from clubs across our district and seeing how Rotarians are creating new ways for people to connect, serve, and belong. Living in Erie made it especially natural to spend time getting to know the Rotary clubs in Longmont, a connection that grew through my work with Debbie Setlock, District Membership Co-Chair from 2024–2026 and a member of the Longmont Rotary Club. Through that partnership, I gained a deeper appreciation for the passion, care, and thoughtful conversations shaping the future of Rotary in their community.
At the center of it all was a question many Rotary clubs are asking today: how do we continue creating opportunities for people to connect, serve, and make a difference?
Take a closer look at how Rotary clubs in Longmont, Colorado expanded access to Rotary while preserving the rich traditions that shaped their history.
Three Clubs, One Community: A Story of Rotary Growth in Longmont
June 2026
When the Left Hand Rotary Club launched in Longmont just one year ago, some wondered why a community already served by two successful Rotary clubs—and a satellite club—needed another. In Longmont, that conversation was never about one approach being right and another being wrong. It was about recognizing that people connect with Rotary in different ways.
Some members valued the traditions, relationships, and culture that had sustained Rotary for generations. Others saw opportunities to engage people who might connect more easily through a different meeting environment, schedule, or club experience.
Both perspectives came from the same place: a desire to strengthen the community and ensure Rotary’s impact continues for generations to come.
What impressed me most about Longmont was the willingness to listen, explore possibilities, and stay focused on what would best serve the community. Rather than asking, “Which club model is the right one?” Rotarians asked a more important question: “How can we create more opportunities for people to experience Rotary?” The conversations were not always easy, ideas were challenged, and perspectives stretched—but they continued over time, eventually leading to the launch of a new club - The Left Hand Rotary Club chartered in June of 2025 with 15 members..
And still, The Rotary Club of Longmont continues building on more than a century of service and community leadership, offering members multiple meeting options while maintaining its longstanding traditions. The Rotary Club of Longmont Twin Peaks continues expanding opportunities through innovation, including its satellite club model. And one year ago, and Left Hand Rotary created a blend of traditional and non-traditional meeting experiences while remaining grounded in Rotary values.
Today, Longmont’s Rotary clubs collectively engage more than 200 members. Each club attracts people in different ways. Each creates opportunities for service, leadership, friendship, and connection. Each contributes to the strength of the community.
When I look at how accessible Rotary has become for people who live in Longmont, I think about the future of Rotary. The opportunity is not simply about creating more clubs—it is about creating more ways for people to find a place where they can connect, contribute, and feel that they belong.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from Longmont is that growth did not require abandoning tradition, nor did it mean losing passionate Rotarians. The Rotary Club of Longmont continues its proud legacy of service. Longmont Twin Peaks continues to grow and innovate. Left Hand Rotary is creating traditions of its own, demonstrating that new approaches can complement—not compete with—the traditions that have made Rotary successful.
This experience has reinforced something I believe strongly about membership: people join Rotary for different reasons, but they stay because of the relationships they build and the difference they know they can make.
Rather than choosing between tradition and innovation, Longmont created space for both—and Rotary is stronger because of it.