RCSL past President Stephen Phair presents Dr. Norton with RCSL’s Rotarian of the Month plaque.
Rotarian of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes extends its congratulations to Dr. Honora Norton for being named RCSL June 2025 Rotarian of the Month. Stephen Phair presented Honora with the ROM plaque. With this award, RCSL acknowledges Honora’s club public image leadership. She develops and manages weekly the club’s website input; social media collages/posts to RCSL’s Facebook, Instagram, and RI District 5495 social media sites/newsletters; and sends multiple press releases to the Sun Lakes Splash, SunBird News, East Valley newspapers, and social media. Additionally, Honora serves on the club’s Veteran Services Committee and has begun planning for November 2025 club service opportunity at MANA (Marines, Army, Navy, and Air Force) House Phoenix veterans transitional housing facility.
For more information, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Left to right: RCSL Veterans Services Committee Chair Stan Kaufman, Janna Newman, Ryan Newman with his service dog Buc-ee, and Irelyn Newman with her pup Goose (photo by Jon Lyons)
Sun Lakes Rotary Supports our Veterans
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
Stan Kaufman, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) Veterans Services Committee chair, invited representatives from Pups And Warriors Side By Side (P.A.W.S.S.) to make a presentation to club members and guests. Attending were Ryan Newman and his wife Janna, founders of P.A.W.S.S., www.pupsandwarriors.org, and their daughters Irelyn and Brynn.
P.A.W.S.S. is a veteran-owned and operated nonprofit organization that helps disabled veterans, first responders, and their family members train their own dogs to become their certified service dogs. P.A.W.S.S. strives to empower our students by building confidence, encouraging open, honest, and supportive relationships with a judgment-free approach in a safe training environment, all while raising awareness on the impact that PTSD has on our veterans and first responders, as well as the secondary PTSD it causes their loved ones.
RCSL is planning several service projects in support of our veterans and their families. See www.sunlakesrotary.com for more information.
Gary Kay with Danielle Williams and Leo Schlueter, RCSL Rotarian and CUSD Executive Director Elementary Schools West Region
Teacher of the Month
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) named Danielle Williams, fifth grade teacher at CUSD Anderson Elementary School, RCSL’s March 2025 Teacher of the Month. Danielle has over 22 years of teaching experience. She earned her master’s in education with a full ESL endorsement and has been a CUSD teacher since 2008. She believes every student has potential for academic success.
RCSL Education Chair Gary Kay thanks RCSL corporate members Earnhardt Automotive and TrustBank who jointly sponsor the $700 check given to each RCSL teacher of the month.
For more information about RCSL, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.
Annual Educator and High School Scholarship Awards
Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) was honored to present its 2025 Educator of the Year Awards to Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) teachers and scholarships to CUSD high school students.
At a recent morning RCSL breakfast meeting, RCSL President Peter Meade and Becky Kerr, RCSL Education Committee, presented award checks to Angelica Abbey, 6th grade teacher at CUSD Frye Elementary, RCSL’s Educator of the Year, $2,000 award; Monica Garcia-Larson, English Language Development teacher at CUSD Hamilton High School, runner-up, $500 award; and Kim Meyer, Pre-AP Biology teacher, CUSD Arizona College Preparatory Middle School, runner-up, $500 award. Thank you to Earnhardt Automotive for RCSL’s Educator of Year sponsorship and TrustBank for RCSL’s runner-up sponsorships.
Additionally, in May of 2025, Leo Schlueter, RCSL Rotarian/CUSD Executive Director of Elementary Education, presented scholarship awards to Courtney Hartle, who is graduating from CUSD Perry High School and attending Arizona State University, Service Above Self Scholarship of $2,000; Deborah He, who is graduating from CUSD Hamilton High School and attending Vanderbilt University, Service Above Self Scholarship of $2,000; Tessa Chadwick, who is graduating from Casteel High School and attending the University of Utah, Service Above Self Scholarship of $2,000; and Tecate Phair, who is an incoming junior at CUSD Hamilton High School and is attending EVIT Cosmetology Program for two years, Vocational Scholarship of $2,000. RCSL Scholarship awards are sponsored by proceeds of RCSL’s annual golf tournament. Thank you to all its supporters.
For more information about RCSL, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.