Summer of Service

For the Crested Butte Rotary Club, “Service Above Self” is more than a motto — it’s how we show up for our community. Thanks to your support, we’ve had a meaningful and joy-filled Summer of Service, from investing in students and nonprofits to launching thousands of rubber duckies down Coal Creek.

Investing in Students & Nonprofits

In May, we proudly awarded $44,000 in scholarships and grants to strengthen our community.

  • $25,000 in scholarships went to 12 outstanding graduating seniors and one remarkable junior recognized for volunteer leadership.
  • $19,000 in community grants supported 10 local nonprofits, including CB Devo, Mountain Heritage Museum, CB Search & Rescue, CBCS Enrichment Program, GCSAPP, the Food Pantry, Mountain Roots, Six Points, Titan Booster Club, and WESA.
Senior Scholarship Awardees
Junior Service Above Self Awardees
Duckie Race Poster Design Awardee

A Quacking Good Fundraiser

These contributions are powered by our biggest fundraiser of the year: the Great Rubber Duckie Race. In its 36th year, this cherished tradition brought fun, laughter, and friendly competition to downtown Crested Butte.

Rotarians and volunteers spent the summer preparing 5,000+ ducks and selling tickets at community events. On August 3, thousands of ducks splashed into Coal Creek at First and Sopris, cheered on by locals and visitors alike. Thanks to the Crested Butte Fire Protection District for adding extra water to keep the race lively!

Winners of the Great Duckie Race, the Pink Duck Race, and the Big Duck Race were announced at Totem Pole Park — and together, we raised over $60,000 to reinvest in our community.

Closing Out with Service

We wrapped up the season with our annual Road Clean-Up, a Rotary tradition since the 1990s. Fourteen Rotarians and friends gathered on a sunny morning to tidy up the stretch between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Huge thanks to the Town of Mt. Crested Butte for partnering with us to collect the bags!