RCSL Club President Jon Lyons presenting Rotarian of the Month plaque to RCSL charter member Wayne Johnson
Wayne Johnson Named Rotary Club of Sun Lakes May 2022 Rotarian of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes named Wayne Johnson its May 2022 Rotarian of the Month. RCSL was chartered on April 22, 1986. Wayne is still an active Rotarian and the only charter member left in the club. Wayne moved to Sun Lakes from Moline, Ill., to enjoy retirement. Back in 1986, Wayne and seven Sun Lakes retirees met around a lunch table and decided there was a need for a Rotary club in the fast-growing Sun Lakes active adult community.
Wayne recently celebrated his 94th birthday. During his RCSL membership, Wayne, a Rotarian for over 64 years, has served as club president, on RCSL Board of Directors, several RCSL committee chairmanships, and is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. Wayne says, “If you want to stay young, get involved with your passion, and for me, that’s about contributing to your own community through Rotary. So, don’t let age get in your way to stay young!”
According to Club President Jon Lyons, RCSL members are honored to have Wayne as an outstanding, contributing RCSL member. For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes programs and membership, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
RCSL Rotarians Judi Edmonds and Gary Magao collect items for WTAP refugee families.
Members Are People of Action During Rotary Week of Service
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) Rotarians—People of Action—were busy volunteering during Arizona Rotary Week of Service, April 16-24. The Rotarians met at the Chandler Strong Foundations Academy Center of Excellence, to assemble 70 bags of peanut butter, jelly, crackers, and books. Approximately 10 kiddos in the 3-5 age range from the school’s preschool, kindergarten, and pre-K assisted the Rotarians. The goods collected to fill the bags were donated by Strong Foundations students/families and RCSL members. The money for the books was donated by individual RCSL members. The bags and extra food goods were brought to Chandler Care Center to be distributed to kiddos in the summer, for snacking and reading.
Strong Foundations Academy is an early childhood school with an accelerated curriculum for children ages 3-5. Established in 1995, the Chandler CARE Center, a community organization run by the Chandler Unified School District, is a school-based family resource center providing access to medical, dental, counseling, and social services. Most services are free of charge to families, thanks to the many funders, professionals, and service organizations, such as the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, contributing financially and volunteering their services.
RCSL members also supported the Welcome To America Project (WTAP) by going to the WTAP’s warehouse in Tempe to help with different projects in the warehouse. A group of RCSL Rotarians joined other Valley volunteers in packing items for refugee families. The items of furniture and household items will be delivered, as well as a warm welcome, to new refugee families on Saturday mornings. Additionally, a group of RCSL Rotarians helped to repair bikes for refugees. Bikes mean greater freedom for refugees to get to jobs/education and connect with the community.
The Welcome To America Project shares transportation, technology, and transformational resources to enhance success so that refugees do not just resettle in our country—they find community and flourish. WTAP creates impacts that last a lifetime for the refugees as well as the volunteers, such as Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Rotarians, who serve.
For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes membership and community service projects, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Judi Edmonds with RCSL 2021-22 Rotarian of the Year Award
Dave Anciaux with 2021-22 RCSL Service Above Self Award
Jon Lyons, RCSL Club President, presenting 2021-22 Service Above Self Award to Kandi Skrabala
Kristine Schultz with 2021-22 RCSL Service Above Self Award
Dr. Honora Norton with 2021-22 RCSL’s annual John McCain “Good Guy/Gal” Award
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Honors Several Members
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Chair
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) recently honored various Rotarians for their exceptional service to the club and community from July 1, 2021, to present day. RCSL Club President Jon Lyons presented the following awards:
* Rotarian of the Year Award to Judi Edmonds—Judi leads the club’s Peace Builder and Local Charity and Giving Committees, is a member of Rotary International (RI) District 5495 Peace Building Committee, and for the past two years has been the club’s designee to the Mexico USA Friendship Exchange. Judi leads by example, doing hands-on volunteer work across multiple projects such as Welcome to America, International Rescue Committee, and Amanda Hope. Judi, a Sun Lakes resident, is active with the delivery of Sun Lakes Splash newspaper, Sun Lakes Easter Celebration, Mrs. Santa visits to many East Valley schools, and much more.
* Service Above Self Award to Kristine Schultz who serves as the Club’s Membership Committee Chair. Since July 1, 2021, RCSL has added over 20 new members. She has organized the Membership Committee to define and implement key strategies to help strengthen membership. She serves on the Club’s 2021-22 Board and will serve as 2022-23 Club Secretary. Kristine is a Sun Lakes resident.
* Service Above Self Award to Kandi Skrabala who has served on the Peace Builder Committee and has been very active with the club’s service projects and socials. Kandi is committed to hands-on service work and has a “can do” attitude that is exemplary as a Rotarian. Kandi is a Sun Lakes resident.
* Service Above Self Award to Dave Anciaux who serves on the club’s Membership and Meeting Set-Up Team. Dave has helped to develop and deploy the Fireside Chat Program and coordinated the Fall Open Houses that contributes to bringing in new club members. Dave continually improves membership tools, including mentor guidelines. He prepares the room and tables each meeting with material, set-up of the club banners and badge box, and overall ensures RCSL club meetings look “Rotary Ready” as attendees arrive. Dave is a Sun Lakes resident.
* John McCain Annual Good Guy/Gal Award to Dr. Honora Norton who has served as RCSL’s public image chair; has increased the visibility of the club through her photography, social media (Facebook/Instagram) posts, and numerous press releases in Rotary and East Valley news media; served as a member of RCSL Golf Committee; is a member of RI District 5495 Public Image Committee; and on July 1, 2022, will join RCSL 2022-23 Board of Directors. Dr. Norton is a Gilbert resident. John McCain was a member of RCSL before he passed away. John served in the Air Force during World War II and was a POW in Germany. To RCSL, John became known as the “Good Guy” who always had a smile, told a good joke, and provided a positive outlook. As such, the “Good Guy” trophy was born and has been presented each year to an RCSL member who best portrays being a good guy/gal within the club.
RCSL is a Rotary Club of over 80 members within Rotary International’s global network of 15,000 Rotary Clubs with over 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change—across the globe (over 145 countries) and in their communities. To learn more about the club and/or membership, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
RCSL Club President Jon Lyons, RCSL VP Maureen Algers, Jennifer Keyes, and CUSD Basha High School principal Marques Reischl at the RCSL Teacher of the Month Award presentation
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Names Jennifer Keyes April 2022 Teacher of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Chair
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) recently named Jennifer Keyes, geometry and algebra teacher at Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Basha High School, the club’s April 2022 Teacher of the Month. The monthly Rotary Teacher Awards are sponsored jointly by the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, Trust Bank, and Earnhardt Auto Centers.
Jennifer earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northern Arizona University (NAU). Jennifer started her teaching career in 1995. She began at Greenfield Junior High in Gilbert, then moved to the Mesa district. Soon she was teaching at her alma mater, Mountain View High school. After hearing about all the exciting things happening in the Chandler Unified School District and the great success at Basha High, Jennifer knew it was time for a change. Being a Basha Bear is a fun adventure that Jennifer has enjoyed since 2016.
Basha High School principal Marques Reischl, who attended the Rotary Award presentation, acknowledged that the selection of Jennifer was an excellent choice—noting that Jennifer makes every student feel welcome and provides a rich learning environment in which students can enjoy mathematics. In addition to giving her all to her students in the classroom, Jennifer has been a strong advocate for teachers. When presenting the award, RCSL Club President Jon Lyons and VP Maureen Alger acknowledged that Jennifer 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.