New Rotary Club of NW Nevada grows quickly with service projects and trade focus

By Robert Perea

Less than four months after receiving its charter, the Rotary Club of NW Nevada has already carved out a distinct role in the community, launching service projects, supporting local students and building partnerships across Fernley and the region.

The club, chartered Nov. 10, 2025, is a satellite of the E‑Club of District 5190 and meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Ranch House inside the Silverado casino. 

Founder and chair Suzanne Prouty, who had been the membership chair for the Rotary Club of Fernley, said she formed the club to reach people she felt weren’t being served by the traditional Rotary Club, but she emphasized the new group isn’t meant to compete with the long‑standing club. 

“When I was membership chair, we didn’t have the trades or construction or manufacturing people, and I really wanted to have a club that had those people in it,” she said. “In a town the size of Fernley, it's easy to have two Rotary clubs.”

Prouty initially approached the Fernley Rotary Club about sponsoring the new group, but concerns about overlap led her to the E‑Club, which began as a satellite club. She said Rotary International President Mário César Martins de Camargo’s message at last year’s district conference in Fallon, that satellite clubs don’t hurt existing clubs and they bring in new members, helped solidify her decision.

The club has a dozen or so members so far but has moved quickly despite its size.

One of the club’s first initiatives came from North Lyon Fire Chief Brian Bunn, who suggested delivering firewood from controlled cuts to families who need heat. The club coordinated with Tyrie Merrill, owner of Low Stump LLC, a tree service company.

“We’ve already delivered two loads of wood,” Prouty said. “For such a small group, that’s pretty remarkable.”

Another early project focused on the Fernley High School swimming team, which did not have team‑branded suits. The club came up with more than $2,000 to provide each swimmer with a new swimsuit.

The club is also planning $500 trade‑school scholarships for students entering construction, manufacturing and other local industries, complementing the Fernley Rotary Club’s college‑focused scholarships.

 “We want to support kids going into the industries we have right here,” Prouty said.

The club is also exploring ways to support homeless students. Prouty said in Fernley, homeless students are usually “couch‑surfing” rather than living on the street. After discussions with school counselors, social service agencies and community volunteers, the club is considering purchasing activity cards so those students can attend school events.

“Then they can go to school events and school games and be warm and be with other kids,” Prouty said. 

Prouty emphasized that the new club is not trying to compete with or duplicate the long‑standing Fernley Rotary Club’s work. She also serves as Area Governor for Area 10, overseeing both Fernley clubs as well as Fallon, Yerington, Smith Valley, Tonopah and the district’s E‑Club.

“I’m their Area Governor, so I want them to succeed,” she said. “We’re going to have a little different focus in our group than they’re going to have. And they do amazing food programs, the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter dinners, the weekend backpack food project,” she said. “We’re trying to do for kids and seniors in a different way than they’re doing it, so we get a lot more covered.”

Prouty said she and Rotary Club of Fernley President Sarah Braswell have had discussions about collaborating, and the two clubs are already planning joint service days, including a cemetery cleanup on April 18.

“If we go together as both clubs, then I think people will be less worried about having two clubs,” Prouty said. “Because we’re all Rotarians and I think that’s the main emphasis. We’re going to have a little different focus in our group.”

The new club’s first fundraiser is scheduled for March 14, an axe throwing session at McHoppers Brew Co. Prouty said the pace of progress has surprised even her.

“To get that all together is pretty unusual with this tiny little group of people,” she said. “We’re like the little engine that could. We just chug along and we’re getting stuff done.”