Rotary Club of Bedford

09/11/2026

We are excited and honored to be supporting this project with Rotary District 7570 grant funds including support from other neighboring clubs Rotary Club Of Forest VA and Rotary Club of Smith Mountain Lake

Bedford County Parks & Recreation is excited to announce that the Bedford County Board of Supervisors has approved the addition of two adaptive swings at the Falling Creek Park adaptive playground!

Building on the success of the adaptive playground that opened in 2025, this project will create even more opportunities for children of all abilities to play together.

This project is made possible through a partnership with the Bedford Rotary Club, which secured a $12,500 grant to support the project. The remaining costs will be funded through Bedford County Parks & Recreation’s capital reserve funds.

The project will include:
✅ A new one-bay adaptive swing frame
✅ Two inclusive swings with supportive harnesses
✅ Approximately 800 square feet of additional accessible rubber surfacing
✅ Site preparation, grading, and installation

The project is expected to be completed by spring 2027.

We are incredibly grateful to the Bedford Rotary Club for recognizing the importance of inclusive recreation and partnering with Bedford County Parks & Recreation to make this project a reality. 👏

09/04/2026

Last meeting we learned about the thousands of people who receive venison from Hunters for the Hungry each year to feed their families, and today Katie Clifton from the Calm Clinic & Caravan shared her stories of healing through acupuncture therapies. She brings her pink caravan to the Bedford County Parole Office each month to help those who are coping with everything from anxiety to substance withdrawal.

09/04/2026

We are one week away from the Opening Ceremony for our 9th Annual Field of Honor! We have many incredible things planned! Thank you James River Media for sponsoring an Ice Cream Social served by CraveABLEs from 5:00-6:00pm with complimentary ice cream for the first 250 patrons. Enjoy live music by the Blue Ridge Brass Quintet, sponsored by Destination Bedford and check out the “Celebrate America” Flag Display sponsored by Craft Collision. The ceremony begins at 6:00pm with performances by the VMI Pipe and Drum Band sponsored by Mabry Automotive Group followed by the National Anthem by Scoutmaster Dave Camp from Troop 180, Scouting America. Invocation by Pastor Jonathan Falwell from Thomas Road Baptist Church. The Keynote Speaker is Lt Gen Retired Jerry Boykin, who will be signing books following the ceremony, and Honor Guard from American Legion Post 16. We cannot wait to see you on Friday, Sept. 11.

09/01/2026

Our speaker on Friday (12:15-1:30 at Bower Center For The Arts) will be Katie Clifton of the Calm Clinic and Caravan. She is a passionate advocate for the acupuncture profession and believes that healing should never depend on a person's income, insurance, or zip code. Katie is committed to making acupuncture accessible to Every Body.

At the Calm Clinic and Caravan, we believe everyone deserves access to healing. That’s why we bring free and affordable ear acupuncture and holistic care to underserved communities across Virginia—through mobile wellness rodeos, teen acupressure classes, professional trainings.

08/07/2026

We had a spontaneous talk today about managing our stress levels and making time to travel and unwind. Why? Because a great Rotarian is a rested one who helps others in need.

We are looking for new members who want to connect with service minded individuals and make an impact in their community and our world.

07/19/2026

We enjoyed our Friday meeting at the Bedford Public Library System as campers filled the beautiful Bower Center for the Arts. ❤️ New Rotary President Mikael Blido inspired us to be a club people enjoy attending and encourage ownership and involvement. He described the global theme this year “To Create Lasting Impact”, which we will do when we install an adaptive swing for physically challenged kids in Falling Creek Park this year and sponsor a grad student named Angel to study peace in England in 2027, and even providing school supplies to needy school children this week.

Next meetings will be August 7 and 21 at lunchtime. Reach out if you would like to visit. All are welcome.

07/15/2026

Ever wonder how The Rotary Foundation actually transforms a single donation into a massive global project? It is the engine behind everything we do, but the moving parts can seem complicated. Here is the quick version of how it works.

First, the money you give goes into one of three places. There is the Annual Fund, which actually invests donations for three years before spending them so the fund stays sustainable for future projects. Then there is the Endowment Fund, which is never spent—only the interest earned is used to secure our long-term future. And of course, the PolioPlus Fund, which is strictly dedicated to wiping out polio for good.

From there, the Foundation turns that money into action through seven main focus areas, like clean water, education, and protecting the environment.

As clubs, we get that money back to do real work on the ground through two types of support. We use District Grants for our quick, local community projects, and Global Grants for huge, sustainable international initiatives.

It is a simple cycle: we donate, the Foundation invests and protects it, and then it is distributed back to clubs and districts so we can go out and make a lasting impact.

If you have been looking for a clear picture of where your Foundation goals or giving go, this is it!

07/10/2026

A new member, two great presenters, a special guest from Parks & Rec, and a new Rotary President all happened today!

Michael Schneider, a Project Executor at Jamerson-Lewis construction, shared that he’s had his hand in at least 3 big projects in Bedford, including a primary school gym, and new auditoriums at Staunton River High School and Liberty High School; and his wife, Alicia Schneider shared highlights of her work in education at Liberty High School with Special Olympics Little Feet Meet and Big Feet Meet events that promote “unified learning environments“ in sports.

Mikael Blido was inducted as our new President and he announced a nearly $12,000 grant we were just awarded from Rotary District 7570 to build an adaptive swingset in Falling Creek Park this year. Thank you Stuart Saunders for attending today to join in on that great news!

Finally, we welcomed a talented addition to our little club. Jeanne Craig, a music teacher at Forest Middle School. She put in a 2 mile+ trail herself near her school for running and walking!

Our next lunch meeting will be July 17 at 12:15 at the Bedford Central Library since the Bower Center is full of summer art campers!

07/03/2026

Olayinka H. Babalola makes his way to the front row. This is it. It’s showtime, the moment that Yinka, as he’s called — the 2026-27 Rotary International president, the second from Nigeria, the second from all of Africa for that matter — will make his debut to the Rotary world.

06/19/2026

Three cheers to our outgoing President Liz Brown who initiated a new fundraiser this year which covered the student cost for our Rotary youth leadership awards weekend. She also helped us sell lots of 🦞 lobsters that helped us fund a district grant match for next Rotary year. Thank you Liz and please keep your great ideas flowing!