Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Members Are ‘People of Action’
Dr. Honora Norton
Recently, the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) participated in many community service and education projects:
• Mentoring and leading AWIM (A World in Motion) JetToy competition races at 5th grade classes of CUSD’s Fulton and Carlson Elementary Schools. This RCSL project partners with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and ASU Engineering School students.
• More than 83,000 3rd grade students have received RCSL dictionaries for the past 21 years. This year RCSL members presented dictionaries to students at 30 CUSD and two Gila River Reservation elementary schools.
• RCSL members, via the club’s Peace Builders Project, collected and delivered personal hygiene and snack items to the Hamilton High School food pantry for students and families in need.
• Invited by Rotarian/Arizona Representative Jennifer Pawlik, several members and spouses toured the Arizona House of Representatives.
• RCSL Rotarians Val and Bill Crump thank all the donors, including RCSL Corporate member Debbie Wiltse of Chandler State Farm. $1,600 was collected. Over 1,700 pounds of food and gift certificates were donated to CUSD’s Chandler Galveston Elementary School. Thirty families will benefit this year after the club supported 10 families in 2023.
Other projects addressed by the club:
• Support and member attendance at the 21st Annual Heroes Patriotic Luncheon held at the Commemorative Air Force Museum at Mesa’s Falcon Field. RCSL supported projects within the Arizona Veterans Fly Fishing program and Veteran’s Patriot Guard Riders organizations.
• RCSL Rotarians donated and volunteered at the Welcome to America Projects in support of settling vetted refugees.
If interested in learning more about the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
PGA President Dave Ouradnik, Don Rea, Jr., and Bob Phillips, greeters at the 2024 RCSL Golf Tournament
It’s Time to Register for Rotary’s 31st Annual Golf Tournament
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Chair
Bob Phillips, Dave Ouradnik, and the Tournament Committee are planning the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes’ 31st Annual Golf Tournament on Sunday, March 16, at the 27-hole Oakwood Country Club golf course in Sun Lakes, with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. The fee for golf, cart (if needed), individual foursome photo, lunch, and dinner is $150 per golfer (after Jan. 31, the fee will be $175), and the dinner-only fee is $50. The Men’s/Combined and Women’s flight winner trophy awards will be announced, and live/silent auctions will be held at the dinner. Golfer and dinner-only registration, sponsorships, mulligan, and Helicopter Ball Drop tickets will be available on the Rotary Club’s website at www.sunlakesrotary.com. Wine pull tickets, super tickets, mulligan, and bucket raffle tickets will be available at the event.
Join Sun Lakes Rotarians and their friends for a day of fun and fellowship and support the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes’ varied community service projects and education programs.
If you have any questions, contact Dick Meyer at 308-293-4746.
Dan Halloran receiving his Rotarian of the Month plaque from RCSL President Peter Meade
Rotary Club Names Dan Halloran Rotarian of the Month
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) named Dan Halloran December 2024 Rotarian of the Month. Dan, who resides in Sun Lakes with spouse Toni, has been a Rotarian since 2006. He served as club president of the Rotary Club of Penn Valley, California. Since 2021, Dan has been a behind-the-scenes supporter of RCSL’s programs, fundraisers, projects, and its members. He has been recognized as a Rotary International Foundation Paul Harris Fellow Major Donor and has received the Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000’s Philanthropy Legacy Award.
For more info about RCSL, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Debbie Bailey and Eugene Roberts, AZ StRUT Logistics manager, greet donors at RCSL’s Third Annual Electronics Recycle Collection event.
Truckloads of Recycled Electronics
Dr. Honora Norton
Debbie Bailey, chair of Rotary Club of Sun Lakes’ Third Annual Electronics Recycle Project, thanks the volunteers and donors of over 3.5 truckloads of electronic equipment (TVs, computers, laptops, wiring, iPads, DVD players, etc.) donated to AZ StRUT. There was a steady stream of cars, trucks, golf carts, and even bikes dropping off equipment.
AZ StRUT’s mission is to improve the competitiveness of Arizona’s workforce by supporting applied learning in our educational systems through scholarships and donated electronics and technology, providing refurbished equipment to education and community nonprofit organizations, promoting diversity through technical education and work experience, disposing of electronic waste responsibly, and advocating responsible recycling.
For more info about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Connor Woods and Wendy Defoe being recognized by RCSL as CUSD Teachers of the Month
Rotary Club Honors CUSD Teachers
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) recognized two CUSD teachers. Wendy Defoe, first grade teacher at CUSD Riggs Elementary School, was named RCSL’s October 2024 Teacher of the Month, and Connor Woods, seventh grade teacher at CUSD Casteel Jr. High School, was named RCSL’s November 2024 Teacher of the Month. The $700 checks awarded to each teacher were funded by RCSL Corporate members Earnhardt Auto Centers and Trust Bank.
According to RCSL Education Chair Gary Kay, the award selection is based on teacher’s total years of service in the field of education; examples of how the teacher goes above the normal requirements and enhances student education; the respect shown for the teacher by her/his peers, students, and parents; and the teacher’s involvement in extracurricular activities and service in the community.
Left to right: Jon Lyons, Gary Kay, Michael Ihsan (ISAG+F Vietnam veteran), Peter Meade, Kiamesha Guy, Dr. Honora Norton, Stan Kaufman, and Jim O’Connell were honored to sit at the RCSL-sponsored table (one of 53 tables of 10) at the 21st Annual Heroes Patriotic Luncheon.
Sun Lakes Rotary Club Celebrates Veterans
Dr. Honora Norton
Several Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) members attended the 21st Annual Heroes Patriotic Luncheon held at the Commemorative Air Force Museum at Mesa’s Falcon Field. Sponsored by the Veterans Medical Leadership Council (VMLC), the event honored many World War II veterans in attendance, including U.S. Marine Corps Peter McDonald, Corporal Navajo Code Talker in the Pacific Theater of Operations in 1944-1946. Medal of Honor recipients, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Sammy Lee Davis and retired U.S. Army Colonel Bruce Perry Crandall, were special guest speakers. Keynote speaker was retired senior Army Special Forces Officer John Fenzel. RCSL Rotarian/VP/U.S. Navy OEF/OIF veteran Kiamesha Guy serves on the VMLC Board.
At a November RCSL meeting, Rich Simmons, board member/VP of the Arizona Veterans Fly Fishing (AVFF) program, spoke about the nonprofit organization, which helps facilitate the physical and emotional well-being of disabled veterans through fly fishing and related activities. RCSL and the San Tan Rotary Foundation presented checks totaling $900 to AVFF.
Vietnam Army veteran Bill Wooster, Captain of the Patriot Guard Riders, shared his experiences of how the Patriots honor and show dignity and respect at memorial and funeral services honoring killed in action/active duty fallen, military heroes, first responders, law enforcement officers, and honorably discharged veterans and their families. RCSL presented the Patriots a $500 check in support of the group’s community service projects.
Additionally, Army veteran Mike Garcia shared his experience participating in AVFF fly fishing events and how his Soldier’s Best Friend veteran service dog Nico has impacted his transition from active duty/combat.
RCSL acknowledged its many Rotarian veteran members, as well as their veteran family members and friends. For more info about RCSL, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.