About
In 2014, the two Rotary Clubs of Willmar came together to discuss the possibility of a joint Community Service Project. The goal was to address a key strategy that had been defined by the Vision 2040 group — to develop and revitalize Robbins Island.
Inspired by the success of Summertime by George, a free outdoor concert series presented by the Rotary Club of St. Cloud, we aimed to create the same kind of excitement in Willmar. With leadership and guidance from the St. Cloud club, we formulated a plan to create a similar outdoor concert series that would showcase the potential of Robbins Island Park, and help raise money for its future development.
We kicked off our inaugural season in 2016 with two outdoor concerts – the Fabulous Armadillos, and Justin Ploof and the Throwbacks. Our goal was simply to break even in our first year, but with amazing support from our Sponsors and the Willmar community, we were able to raise over $20,000 in proceeds which we donated to the “Friends of Robbins Island Fund” for the construction of the new Willmar Playground.