RCSL members gathering at Casa Blanca Community School on the Gila River Indian Community
Gary Whiting and Dr. Honora Norton
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) is celebrating 40 years of service, leadership, and community impact. Chartered on April 22, 1986, RCSL has grown from a small group of retirees to one of Arizona’s most active Rotary clubs.
RCSL plans to hold its 40th Anniversary Dinner Celebration on April 21 at the Sun Lakes Cottonwood Country Club ballroom between 4:30 and 6 p.m. Watch RCSL’s website at www.sunlakesrotary.com for details to register and join RCSL’s members, guests, and contributing sponsors at this inspiring celebration.
In 1985 Chandler Rotarian Andre Felix posted an invitation for Sun Lakes residents to attend a Rotary meet and greet. Wayne Johnson was among the first to respond, and soon, with seven others, the group decided Sun Lakes needed a Rotary presence. Arizona Rotary District 5510 and Rotary International formally approved RCSL as a Tuesday morning club with 15 charter members, led by first president Allan Gustafson. Membership peaked at 140 in 2000–01 and now maintains more than 90 members.
RCSL has had 40 presidents, including six women, several of whom have served in Arizona district leadership roles. In 2000–01, Rotary International recognized RCSL as one of Rotary’s 50 largest clubs and received the 21st Century Challenge Award. During Rotary’s 2004-05 centennial year, past President Gary Whiting served as Arizona District 5510’s Centennial Governor, overseeing 46 Rotary clubs in Northeastern Arizona.
RCSL is known as the “Education Club.” RCSL supports youth programs, such as Student Exchange, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, AWIM, Four-Way Test essay competitions, and scholarships. RCSL honors educators with monthly and annual awards. One of RCSL’s traditions is the 3rd Grade Dictionary Project, launched 22 years ago by the late Dwight Grotewold. Annually, more than 4,000 dictionaries and, to date, more than 88,000 dictionaries have been delivered to Chandler Unified School District students and Gila River Indian Community schools.
RCSL supports the Rotary International Foundation and has participated in 13 Humanitarian Global Grants totaling over $533,000, which include a 2018–19 project bringing inside running tap water to 33 off-the-grid, isolated Navajo homes, improving access to safe water. Sun Lakes Foundation 2000, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, often funds RCSL’s community service projects.