David Mork, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes March 2022 Rotarian of the Month
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Names David Mork Rotarian of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) has named David Mork its March 2022 Rotarian of the Month. David has been a Rotarian for over 40 years (starting in Woodbury, Minn.) and an RCSL member for 15 years. As past club treasurer, David recently took over this position again to facilitate and upgrade RCSL’s accounting/financial processes and successfully switched checking, savings, and credit/debit cards to a different bank. To ensure RCSL’s stability, David helped set up a partnership with the club’s new accounting support. David is a past RCSL club president, past Rotary International (RI) district treasurer, and is an RI Paul Harris Fellow. Besides his Sun Lakes Splash route, David is always willing to assist the club as needed.
David received his B.A. from University of Minnesota and, as a CPA, has been a 40-plus-year member of the American Society of CPAs. David and his wife Sandy are Sun Lakes residents. RCSL is very fortunate to have David Mork as a club leader and member.
For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes’ projects and membership, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Tracy Phillips, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes February 2022 Teacher of the Month
Tracy Phillips Teacher of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) recently named Tracy Phillips, a 7th grade science teacher at Santan Junior High School, the Club’s February 2022 Teacher of the Month. The monthly teacher awards are sponsored jointly by Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, Trust Bank, and Earnhardt Auto Centers.
Tracy started his working career early in life. After high school, Tracy tried college for a couple of years, but due to the cost associated with school, he enlisted in the Navy as a chemist for the nuclear reactors. After the Navy, Tracy was able to finish a chemical engineering degree at ASU. He then worked in the chemical coatings and semiconductor industries as both a process engineer and a senior level engineering manager. Teaching became a second career choice for Tracy. He believes junior high school is a transitional period for kids and encourages kids to take responsibility for their own actions by helping them to gain their independence, learn a positive work ethic, and grow into responsible adults.
In a statement from Santan Junior High School principal Mary Ann Rezzonico, “Tracy gives his all to the students in his classroom. He provides engaging lessons with real-world application and draws on his engineering and naval experience to add relevance to the content. He is passionate about his subject matter and the students he teaches. He truly enjoys teaching and is always willing to do the extras for the benefit of his students. This year Tracy took on teaching a pilot Honors Science course to provide further opportunities for students wanting to accelerate in this area.”
Tracy not only gives his all to his students in the classroom, but he has also dedicated a countless number of hours to establishing the Santan Junior High Mountain Biking Club, which has grown to over 25 members, including a few special needs students. He is a former competitive cyclist and shares his love for the sport. Tracy’s classroom looks like a bike shop with students congregating and discussing the ins and outs of the sport. He spends his time not only after school, but also on the weekends taking his students to bike trails all over the Valley. He has recruited numerous parent volunteers who share his passion for the sport. Tracy has even taken it a step further and helped establish mountain bike clubs at neighboring high schools to ensure his students leaving Santan will have the same opportunity during their high school years.
Tracy is the epitome of a dedicated educator who always says “yes” when asked to do something for the benefit of students. He is selfless with his time and talent and is truly deserving of the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Rotary Teacher of the Month award.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
RCSL Rotarian/Sun Lakes residents Don Prestin, Kimberley Ann Prestin, Karen Lynn Prestin, and Janet Prestin at recent RCSL Foundation dinner being honored for their contributions to Rotary International Foundation
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Celebrates Its Foundation Giving
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) celebrated its giving to the community and beyond at its annual Rotary International Foundation Dinner held at Sun Lakes Palo Verde Country Club. The Rotary International Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty within their communities and globally.
Several RCSL Rotarians were honored as Paul Harris Fellows for their generous gifts to the Rotary International Foundation. At the dinner, Rotary International Paul Harris pins were awarded to various Rotarians based on their levels of giving, with an initial Paul Harris gift of $1,000: Ed Anderson (PH+4), Don Prestin (PH+8), Janet Prestin (PH+4), Kimberley Ann Prestin (PH), Karen Lynn Prestin (PH), as well as RI Paul Harris major donors Dick Thomas and Pamela Mason.
At the dinner, RCSL RI Foundation Chair Dick Thomas stated that RCSL has 50 Paul Harris Fellows and 12 major donors with gifts of $10,000 to over $250,000. RCSL has partnered with other Rotary clubs to utilize RI Foundation Global Grant matching funds by completing several local and international projects, such as the $150,000 Navajo Water Project that provided homes on the Navajo Nation with inside, running tap water.
Additionally at the dinner, RCSL Foundation 2000 Chair Bob Phillips provided an overview of RCSL’s Foundation 2000 (established in 2000). The mission of RCSL Foundation 2000 is to promote charitable giving and provide financial support for charities that are endorsed by the Sun Lakes Rotary Club. Mr. Phillips provided an overview of RCSL Foundation 2000 projects: the Navajo Water Project, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, School Closet Projects, and hundreds of club projects in support of education and local community needs. A recent example of support has been the club’s support of Amanda Hope’s mission to bring dignity and comfort into the harsh world of childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases (see www.amandahope.org).
For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes projects and membership, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.