Roger became a Mason in the spring of 1978 being raised in Mt. Rushmore lodge 220. He then joined Naja Shrine in the summer of 1978.
Roger then moved to Sioux Falls in the Spring of 1986 and joined Unity Lodge Sioux Falls and El Riad Shrine. As a member of the El Riad Rickshaws he has served as secretary/treasurer for five years, and then served as vice president and president.
He joined the El Riad Chanters where he served as vice president and president. Roger has also been the President of Midwest Chanters Association for the last three years. He’s also member of the Roadrunners.
Roger has been the chairman of the El Riad Hospital Reps while helping set up, organize and schedule the Spring Screenings for current and new patients. The reps inform Nobels and the public of the Shrine hospitals mission.
In then past, Roger has also been Chaplin of the El Riad Shrine, Chaplin of Unity Lodge (Sioux Falls), Grand Chaplin of the SD Grand Lodge and was the 2010 In-Town Shriner of the year.
He also initiated and set up the Hospital Seminars — serving as Chairman — for the initial rollout of the Burn Seminar. They raised over $5,000 to cover travel and expenses and had well over 500 nurses, nursing students, firefighters, EMS and policy in attendance. For the Burn Seminar, they brought Jean Merz from the Cincinnati Shrine Hospital where she taught the class about the initial treatment of burns. This program was found to be very valuable as burn treatment is not taught in South Dakota Nursing schools. This program was further expanded in alternating years to include orthopedic learning and information sessions. The first year, they brought in four staff members from the Chicago Shrine hospital where they presented information on cleft lip, and a variety of other orthopedic issues. In subsequent years, the reps brought in staff from the Minneapolis Shrine Hospital teaching the same information.
Roger also is the only person in South Dakota to service on both the Rapid City and Sioux Falls School Boards serving eight years as president and four years as vice president in Sioux Falls. His total commitment to education in schools spanned a total of 16 years. He also served for eight years on the Associated School Boards of SD as vice president and president.
Other activities included VOA board of directors for six years; Big Brother and Big Sisters board for six years; was the Sioux Fall School Board Representative on the Sioux Falls Area Chamber board for eight years. Received the Community Recognition award for service in 2004 and Outstanding Achievement award from the Sioux Falls Schools. Is currently on the Black Hills State Foundation Board and received the Outstanding Alumni Award from BHSU. Roger was a co-founder of the Sioux Empire Safety Village and president for 10 years. The Safety Village is a hands on educational facility that teaches a variety of safety issues. In 2004, he also received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Sioux Falls PTA. He organized and co-founded the Presidents Bowl and was the first chairman. This is a two game fundraiser for the booster clubs in the Sioux Falls School District and since its inception has raised over $2,000,000.