Rotary Club of Sun Lakes members start early with an orientation meeting for “Saturday deliveries” to refugee families in the West Valley. Pictured (clockwise) are Victoria Flatley*, Marge Wright*, Kandi Skrabala*, Polly Giessing**, Bill Giessing (standing)**, Stan Klein*, Roger Edmonds*, Gary Magao*, and Dick Thomas* (*Sun Lakes residents/**Chandler residents)
Rotary Club Supports and Welcomes Refugee Families
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) has been very active with the East Valley’s Welcome to America Project (WTAP). 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 who serve.
The Tempe-based WTAP is proud to celebrate over 20 years of creating meaningful interactions and providing needed resources to refugees becoming our new Phoenix neighbors. In that time, the organization has welcomed more than 15,000 refugees from more than 40 countries, helping them find community and flourish. In the coming year, they will assist more than 2,000 incoming Afghan refugees.
In early April 2022, partnering with WTAP, RCSL volunteers donated, purchased, packed, delivered, and set up items for the bathrooms in an East Valley apartment of a refugee family (mother, father, and four kiddos). Additionally, RCSL members did a “Saturday delivery” to families in the West Valley (mostly along the I-17 corridor). They met at the WTAP warehouse for orientation before meeting the families and delivering the furniture and supplies. Each family received a few helpful household supplies (like the cleaning supplies RCSL had collected) and fill-in furnishings to complete a comfortable home and, most importantly, a warm and friendly welcome.
RCSL has several other projects planned with WTAP during April, including a couple of packing days—sorting and getting items ready for “Saturday deliveries” and an evening of bike repair.
The RCSL volunteers, including ASU Rotaract Rotarians and Rotarians from other area Rotary Clubs, participated in the complete furnishing of an entire apartment located in the East Valley, including food for the family’s first week in the apartment. During the East Valley apartment project, RCSL partnered with several other Rotary Clubs and the resettlement agency International Rescue Committee (IRC). Over four million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine. IRC sends vital supplies to displaced children and families.
To donate or volunteer, visit www.WTAP.org or www.rescue.org, or join the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes members by volunteering with them—visit www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Chandler/Gilbert YMCA Board members accept a $500 check donation from RCSL President Jon Lyons. Pictured (left to right) are Chandler/Gilbert YMCA Board members Bob Rice, Brandon Hebert, Jon Lyons (RCSL President), Garrett Brolsma, Shelley Huntoon, Jennifer Veitch, and Brittany Walker.
Supporting Youth Through Speech Contest and Scholarships
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) held its annual Rotary International Four-Way Test Speech Contest. Six students from six different Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) High Schools competed. The purpose of the speech is to apply the principles of Rotary International’s (RI) Four-Way Test to a current ethical issue. Students are challenged to identify a topic they feel passionate about and to adopt a point of view from which they will seek to persuade others. It should be something from the speaker’s personal experience or general knowledge. Each part of the Four-Way Test was addressed during the speech. The Four-Way Test addresses: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Judges at the event included Bret McKeand (RI District 5495 Governor), Dr. Craig Gilbert (CUSD/RCSL member), Frank Narducci (CUSD), Leo Schlueter (CUSD/RCSL member), Larry Horton (RI District 5495 Governor-Elect), and Bonnie Snow (RCSL member/Sun Lakes resident), with Bill Schink (RCSL member/Sun Lakes resident) serving as Judging Auditor.
Bill McCoach, RCSL member/Sun Lakes resident and event chairperson, announced the following placement awards:
• First Place—$500: Gauri Murkoth, sophomore at Arizona College Prep with topic: Four-Way Test/Social Media
• Second Place—$250: Gowri Biju, sophomore at Hamilton High School with topic: Four-Way Test/Creator Herbert Taylor
• Runner-up—$100: Disha Sankhla, freshman at Basha High School with topic: Four-Way Test/Relationships
• Runner-up—$100: Mikayla Pelt, sophomore at Chandler High School with topic: Four-Way Test/Friendships
• Runner-up—$100: Wonjeaong “Danny” Han, freshman at Casteel High School with topic: Four-Way Test/History Can Be Fun
• Runner-up—$100: Grant Stieber, freshman at Perry High School with topic: Four-Way Test/Housing Crisis
In addition to the Four-Way Test Competition, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes recently presented a $500 check to Chandler/Gilbert Family YMCA. The donation will be directed towards 10 scholarships to the YMCA’s Safety Around Water Week’s May 2022 Learn How to Swim Program. Safety Around Water is a program that shows parents, caregivers, and children the importance of water safety skills and provides access to water safety lessons.
For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes programs and membership, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.