The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club was formed by a small group of transplanted Rotarians who moved to the Islands from a number of states around the country, and local islanders who were interested in community service.  With encouragement and sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Fort Myers Beach, the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club was formally chartered by Rotary International in March of 1980.  For 30+ years now, Club members have been active in our community.  We have worked hard to raise funds that are then contributed to a variety of local and international charities. In addition, our members volunteer their time and talent to other non-profits in our community.

Every February, our Club organizes and presents what is considered one of the premier “juried” Arts & Crafts” Fairs in the southern U.S. with artists from all over the country.  For more information about our Fair click here.

Locally, the Club has been a strong supporter of the only public school on the Islands… The Sanibel School and was instrumental in providing the funding for the School’s “Cafetorium” (a combination cafeteria and auditorium).

Sanibel Fire & Rescue receiving donation

Yearly, the Club has awarded three (3) university scholarships to talented students who’s parents are Sanibel-Captiva’s residents and/or workers on the islands.

FISH accepting our donation

In addition, the Club has contributed funding to many of the community organizations on Sanibel and Captiva including: Friends in Service Here (F.I.S.H.), an outreach social service non-profit, the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), a land and environmental  preservation non-profit, and “Blessings in a Backpack”which provides food to needy children and their families.Within the broader Fort Myers community, the Club has donated to organizations providing medical help to Children like “Barbara’s Friends” Kids with Cancer, and as well as other social service and non-profit groups providing support for children and families in our community like the Heights Foundation.

Internationally, our Club has been a strong participant in Rotary International’s extraordinary effort to totally eliminate polio.(PolioPlus)   We have supported a variety of projects to bring clean water to people in Haiti, Guatemala and Tanzania and partnered with “The Wheelchair Foundation” to provide wheelchairs for disabled people around the world.

When disaster strikes, our Club “steps up” and contributes funds for such aid as Shelter Boxes.  These are temporary “homes” in a box (tents, tools, blankets, stoves, water purification systems, etc.) for families around the globe who have lost everything in a natural disaster.