Club History

During the fall of 1999, six men and women with a vision of starting a second Rotary Club in Columbus began meeting on Friday morning at a local restaurant.  Two were members of the Brown County Rotary Club, one was from the Columbus Rotary Club, and three were prospective members.  This was an exciting time fro the group.

At the start of 2000, things really started moving as people in the core group began asking other people to attend and become charter members of a new Rotary Club.  Several Rotarians associated with starting the Columbus Sunrise Rotary Club were: Greg Marshall, Past District Governor Teree Bergman, Past District Governor Owen Hunderford, and Renee Campbell.  By March, there were twelve to fourteen people regularly attending the meetings at the Ramada Inn.  With twenty-three charter members and the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Columbus, the Columbus Sunrise Rotary Club became official during Charter Night on September 21, 2000 at the Harrison Lake Country Club.

Since our beginning, the Columbus Sunrise Rotary Club has touched the lives of many people, both locally and internationally.  We firmly believe in and live the motto "Service Above Self."

Club Presidents

00-01            Mike Engelstad
01-02            Thor Bogren (died while in office)- Greg Marshall completed the year
02-03            Ray Magaro
03-04            Lacretia Ulrey
04-05            Lori Thompson
05-06            Tom Daughtrey (Moved fall, 05)- Lacretia and Greg split duties to finish the year
06-07            Mike Ferree
07-08            Charles Dewey
08-09            Jodi Engelstad
09-10            Mark Uebel
10-11            Brian Beach
11-12            Dave Shinkle