Rotary Club of Blacksburg

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Blacksburg, VA
Rotary Club of Blacksburg

About 100 members, united through community and global service. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self" Come join us!

The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self.” We meet on most Thursdays at the Blacksburg Country Club.

06/12/2026

This week, we are honored to welcome John Clair, Chief of Police for the Blacksburg Police Department. Chief Clair joined the department in June 2025, bringing more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, including dedicated service as a U.S. Army veteran with the 3rd U.S. Infantry
Regiment (The Old Guard).

Demonstrating his outstanding leadership on both a local and state level, Chief Clair was recently selected to serve as the 2025–2026 President of the Virginia Association of
Chiefs of Police (VACP) during its monumental centennial year.

At our meeting, Chief Clair shared updates on department initiatives, community-oriented policing,
and strategies for keeping Blacksburg's 44,000+ residents
safe and vibrant. He currently leads a nationally accredited department consisting of 70 sworn officers and 12 civilian staff members.

It was wonderful to hear from him. We had very lively and frank conversations with dynamic question and answer session.

06/07/2026

Last Thursday at our regularly scheduled luncheon we heard from Rotarian McAlister as the chair of the Fundraising Committee. The committee serves as the vital financial engine for the Rotary Club of Blacksburg, spearheading the efforts required to transform "Service Above Self" into tangible community impact.

Working closely with the Local Foundation chaired by Rotarian Reemsnyder and the broader club, this team drafts and manages the annual fundraising plan and income budget. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the club successfully secures the thousands of dollars needed each year to satisfy vital commitments for various local service initiatives and projects.

To meet these financial benchmarks, the committee manages a diverse portfolio of revenue streams
relying on club participation and local business partnerships. Key responsibilities include coordinating
corporate and member programs, like the Primary Sponsor commitments and Blacksburg Fellows initiative, alongside popular recurring club fundraisers such as the annual Golf Tournament, Yard Sale, sports pools, and the signature "Run for the Roses" Kentucky Derby social.

Through these synchronized efforts, the committee directly fuels the club's ability to fund local high school scholarships, combat regional food insecurity through Micah's Backpack, and provide crucial ongoing donations to invaluable area non-profits like the interfaith Food Pantry and the Women’s Resource Center.

05/29/2026

Yesterday our program presented by Chase Biegler and Doug
Smiley with Micah’s Backpack.

By partnering with 10 Blacksburg schools, Micah’s Backpack provides direct food assistance for students who are experiencing food insecurity.

Every Friday during the school year, the identified students receive a backpack filled with two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, snacks, juice and milk boxes, and an educational piece.

On Tuesday evenings volunteers from various academic, civic, and interfaith groups come together, building community, while packing the backpacks.

On Friday mornings volunteers deliver the bags and the partner schools distribute to the students. Currently, 300 children in Blacksburg schools receive a gift of healthy food during the academic year and approximately 140 during the summer school break.

By feeding this vulnerable population
we demonstrate that their community cares about them.

To school year 5,400 items given to BMS students from the pantry that Rotary Club of Blacksburg established.

Micah’s backpack besides the backpack program also has Soup for Seniors, Micah’s Closets and Micah’s Garden where the produce goes to Farmers Market.

05/22/2026

This week’s program was a presentation by Neal Osborne,
Development Coordinator for United Way of Southwest Virginia focusing on their mission and ways they are
funded.

United Way of Southwest Virginia works to improve health, education, and financial stability across the
region by connecting communities with programs and resources that address critical local needs.

Serving multiple counties and communities throughout southwest Virginia, the organization partners
with schools, nonprofits, businesses, healthcare providers, and local governments to create long-term
solutions for families and individuals.

One of its most visible initiatives is the annual Stuff the Bus program, which provides thousands of students with backpacks and essential school supplies before the start of the school year.

United Way of Southwest Virginia also supports workforce development, childhood literacy, substance abuse
recovery programs, and access to basic needs such as food, housing assistance, and transportation.

In recent years, the organization has expanded its focus on regional collaboration and innovative
community partnerships, including programs aimed at economic mobility and digital access in underserved communities. Through volunteer engagement, fundraising, and strategic partnerships, United Way continues working to strengthen communities across southwest Virginia.

05/14/2026

Today was our annual meeting at Wong Park for an update on the Town of Blacksburg from Rotarian Marc Verniel. It was a rather chilly May day but we enjoyed our Jimmy John sandwiches and learned all about the town’s developments, improvements and growing needs.

05/07/2026

What a wonderful afternoon full of music and dance we had at the Rotary Club of Blacksburg today!

Tim Thornton, Radford University instructor and MJAM guitar, bass
and dulcimer teacher for MJAM, talked briefly about Montgomery Junior Appalachian Musicians and introduced
the musicians. They not just played for us but also showed us some dance steps while our very own Rotarian Judy Ridinger participated actively! 🥰

As an independently funded program of the Montgomery Museum of Art & History, Montgomery County Junior Appalachian Musicians program provides students ages 8-15 with weekly, two-hour sessions on traditional Appalachian culture and group music instruction by artist-instructors on the traditional string band instruments of our region: fiddle, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, guitar and bass. We also provide opportunities to learn to play in ensembles like jams and bands at jams and performance opportunities at civic
and community events in our region, contributing to an artistically and culturally vibrant community.

04/29/2026

Thank you so much to Blacksburg Rotary for their sponsorship of the Blacksburg Sports Club. It is greatly appreciated!!

04/26/2026

Interact is the high school version of Rotary. Our Rotary Club of Blacksburg is honored to have the opportunity to sponsor the Blacksburg High School Interact Club!
Last night we held the final Dinner/ Dance of our Spring Interact Dance Assembly for our 8th Grade attendees. Throughout the Spring the high school Interact students have been teaching their 8th grade attendees about Business and Dining Etiquette and line dancing! A great program for the 8th graders AND out high school Interactors!

04/23/2026

This week we had a program on Blacksburg Housing and Community Connections and it was led by Kim Thurlow, the Town of Blacksburg’s Housing and Community Connections
Manager, who plays a key role in addressing one of the community’s most pressing challenges—affordable housing.

As highlighted in recent local reporting, Blacksburg continues to face rising housing costs, low vacancy rates, and increasing demand driven in
part by population growth and the expansion of Virginia Tech, making it difficult for many residents to
find attainable housing options.

Thurlow’s work focuses on developing partnerships and programs that support residents in obtaining
and maintaining housing, including initiatives funded through federal programs and collaborations with
organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Community Housing Partners.

Recent projects, such as
new affordable townhomes and planned developments for low- to moderate-income residents, reflect
the town’s broader strategy to expand “middle housing” and ensure that people can live close to jobs, schools, and services.

Address

1024 Clubhouse Drive
Blacksburg, VA
24060

Opening Hours

12pm - 1pm

Telephone

+15403206431

Website

http://www.blacksburgrotary.org/

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