Rolla Bee Club members, left, staff Missouri State Beekeepers Association Missouri State Fair booth August 10, 2019 in Sedalia.
Rolla Bee Club is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit corporation under the State of Missouri managed by volunteers.
Rolla Bee Club Volunteer Planning Committee
The volunteer planning committee sets club policies and organizes upcoming club programs and activities. If you have a suggestion and/or want to volunteer, please contact one of the committee members.
Robert Catron, Facilities: cattroop@windstream.net 573.774.0420
David Draker, treasurer/class registration: drakerdad@gmail.com 573.578.0561
Crystal Elliott, Honey Contest: plueardc92581@gmail.com, 573.937.1744
Christine Richards, crichards@phelpshealth.org 573.578.3793
Jessie Scrivner-Gunn, Bee Boutique: jjcreek165@yahoo.com 573.308.3137
Charlotte Ekker Wiggins, president/teaching apiary: 4charlottewiggins@gmail.com 573.466.3750
Club History
Club founders David Draker and Charlotte Ekker Wiggins started the club February 2014 at the request of students from one of Charlotte's basic beekeeping classes. Charlotte agreed to start the club as long as everyone agreed to pitch in and David volunteered.
Since then, a number of beekeepers have volunteered to help in a variety of ways and continue to do so, supporting Missouri State Beekeepers Association events, bringing items to share at monthly club meetings as well as being practicing beekeepers, mentors and bee buddies.
Donations, class proceeds and item sales fund the club's costs.
Rolla Bee Club Beginning Beekeeping Classes are certified by Great Plains Master Beekeeping program, certifying that the class information is scientifically-based best best management practices.
Rolla Bee Club is also an approved Phelps County Master Gardener project for community volunteer hours and approved for continuing education hours with Meramec Hills Master Naturalists.
Rolla Bee Club Meetings
We meet at Doolittle Community Hall, 380 Eisenhower, Rolla (on GPS) for monthly meetings. The teaching apiary is open from noon-1:45 p.m. on nearby private property.
Email List for Rolla Bee Club Meeting Notices
If you are not on our email list, please sign up/subscribe for upcoming meeting notices monthly newsletter. We use your email only for meeting notice newsletters and will not provide it to anyone else. For more information, call (573) 578-0561 and email rollabees at gmail.com.
Other Missouri Bee Clubs
To find a beekeeping club closer to where you live, check Missouri State Beekeepers Association club list. Attending club meetings close to where you live will give you pertinent information to your local beekeeping conditions and help you meet beekeepers in your area.
About Rolla Bee Club Founders
David Draker is currently enjoying a well earned retirement with his wife, family and honey bees. He retired after some 23 years of military service and a further 22 years of both industry and government service. During that time he was also a part-time educator focused on logistics management. His search for a retirement hobby led him to beekeeping; he currently maintains some 20+ colonies in his apiary. Combining his teaching background with his beekeeping, he supported the organization of the Rolla Bee Club and currently instructs during their Basic and Advanced Beekeeping classes. Additionally, he supports the mentoring of first year beekeepers through coaching and hive inspections in the Rolla area. David is a Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program Journeyman.
Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is retired after 21 years of military service and 30 years of government service, where for many years she was a public affairs officer and management/public affairs instructor for a 20-state area university. She is the master gardener representative on Missouri's Master Pollinator Steward Program Steering Committee and a contributing author; the program launched spring 2019. Fall of 2018, she was selected as an April 11, 2019 TEDx speaker at Missouri S&T on “why bugs matter.”
In addition to partnering with David to teach Rolla Bee Club classes and mentoring new beekeepers, Charlotte is author of several beekeeping-related books and lectures on how to plant for pollinators as well tips on running a bee club. She is a Great Plains Master Beekeeping Certified Master Beekeeper and Master Gardener Emeritus. More info at www.charlottekkerwiggins.com.
Rolla Bee Club Volunteer Planning Committee
The volunteer planning committee sets club policies and organizes upcoming club programs and activities. If you have a suggestion and/or want to volunteer, please contact one of the committee members.
Robert Catron, Facilities: cattroop@windstream.net 573.774.0420
David Draker, treasurer/class registration: drakerdad@gmail.com 573.578.0561
Crystal Elliott, Honey Contest: plueardc92581@gmail.com, 573.937.1744
Christine Richards, crichards@phelpshealth.org 573.578.3793
Jessie Scrivner-Gunn, Bee Boutique: jjcreek165@yahoo.com 573.308.3137
Charlotte Ekker Wiggins, president/teaching apiary: 4charlottewiggins@gmail.com 573.466.3750
Club History
Club founders David Draker and Charlotte Ekker Wiggins started the club February 2014 at the request of students from one of Charlotte's basic beekeeping classes. Charlotte agreed to start the club as long as everyone agreed to pitch in and David volunteered.
Since then, a number of beekeepers have volunteered to help in a variety of ways and continue to do so, supporting Missouri State Beekeepers Association events, bringing items to share at monthly club meetings as well as being practicing beekeepers, mentors and bee buddies.
Donations, class proceeds and item sales fund the club's costs.
Rolla Bee Club Beginning Beekeeping Classes are certified by Great Plains Master Beekeeping program, certifying that the class information is scientifically-based best best management practices.
Rolla Bee Club is also an approved Phelps County Master Gardener project for community volunteer hours and approved for continuing education hours with Meramec Hills Master Naturalists.
Rolla Bee Club Meetings
We meet at Doolittle Community Hall, 380 Eisenhower, Rolla (on GPS) for monthly meetings. The teaching apiary is open from noon-1:45 p.m. on nearby private property.
Email List for Rolla Bee Club Meeting Notices
If you are not on our email list, please sign up/subscribe for upcoming meeting notices monthly newsletter. We use your email only for meeting notice newsletters and will not provide it to anyone else. For more information, call (573) 578-0561 and email rollabees at gmail.com.
Other Missouri Bee Clubs
To find a beekeeping club closer to where you live, check Missouri State Beekeepers Association club list. Attending club meetings close to where you live will give you pertinent information to your local beekeeping conditions and help you meet beekeepers in your area.
About Rolla Bee Club Founders
David Draker is currently enjoying a well earned retirement with his wife, family and honey bees. He retired after some 23 years of military service and a further 22 years of both industry and government service. During that time he was also a part-time educator focused on logistics management. His search for a retirement hobby led him to beekeeping; he currently maintains some 20+ colonies in his apiary. Combining his teaching background with his beekeeping, he supported the organization of the Rolla Bee Club and currently instructs during their Basic and Advanced Beekeeping classes. Additionally, he supports the mentoring of first year beekeepers through coaching and hive inspections in the Rolla area. David is a Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program Journeyman.
Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is retired after 21 years of military service and 30 years of government service, where for many years she was a public affairs officer and management/public affairs instructor for a 20-state area university. She is the master gardener representative on Missouri's Master Pollinator Steward Program Steering Committee and a contributing author; the program launched spring 2019. Fall of 2018, she was selected as an April 11, 2019 TEDx speaker at Missouri S&T on “why bugs matter.”
In addition to partnering with David to teach Rolla Bee Club classes and mentoring new beekeepers, Charlotte is author of several beekeeping-related books and lectures on how to plant for pollinators as well tips on running a bee club. She is a Great Plains Master Beekeeping Certified Master Beekeeper and Master Gardener Emeritus. More info at www.charlottekkerwiggins.com.