September 2021 Rotary Club

Dr. Honora Norton receives Rotary Club of Sun Lakes’ August 2021 Rotarian of the Month award.

Dr. Honora Norton Named August Rotarian of the Month

Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Chair

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) is proud to name Dr. Honora Norton as the club’s August 2021 Rotarian of the Month. At a recent meeting, RCSL President Jon Lyons stated, “We were very fortunate when in May, 2021, Honora joined our club as a transfer from Rotary Club of Scottsdale. The club considers her to be an outstanding club member. She has been a Rotarian since 2002. Her working career was spent mostly in information technology management and consulting within domestic and international organizations, within a wide-variety of for-profit, non-profit, and faith-based organizations, and she has been a small business owner.” Now retired, Honora, who grew up in Wisconsin, resides in Gilbert’s Trilogy at Power Ranch with her spouse Mike Elert.

Dr. Norton holds a doctorate in ministry with a dissertation/book entitled Stewardship Is Spirituality. Dr. Norton has held leadership positions within various community non-profit boards and currently serves on Catholic Charities Community Services (CCCS) Emeritus Board after completing a two-year term as CCCS’s board chair.

Dr. Norton is a past president of the Scottsdale Airpark Rotary Club (serving in the Rotary International’s Centennial year) and a past RI Assistant Governor, holds multiple RI Paul Harris Fellows, is a member RI’s Bequest Society, serves on RI’s District 5495 Committee of Public Image, and is an advisor on The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona Board. Even though Dr. Norton has been a member of RCSL for a short time, Honora has been very active, writing numerous press releases for publication and media avenues, serves as a club social media administrator, and has begun to establish onsite connections with Chandler Unified School District and East Valley non-profit organizations.

For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes membership and projects, see www.sunlakesrotary.com. Meetings are held on Tuesdays via Zoom and onsite in the Saguaro Room at Sun Lakes Cottonwood Country Club at 25219 S. EJ Robson Blvd., Sun Lakes, AZ 85248.

TRVFA scholarship winner Omar Federico attending day one of the EVIT welding program which started on Aug. 2

$2,000 Scholarship to EVIT Student

Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Chair

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) has partnered with The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA) to sponsor a $2,000 vocational scholarship to Omar Federico. Through partnering with TRVFA, RCSL is creating a lasting change by allowing individuals like Omar to get a step up and contribute to his/her community.

RCSL Rotarians Gary Kay and Jon Lyons interviewed Omar, and their findings were as follows: Omar was born in Yuma, Ariz., and moved to Mesa, Ariz., at an early age. Omar lives with his mother. Unfortunately, his father passed away two years ago. Omar is employed at a small company where he is helping the owner on small jobs that involve welding and applicable job setups. Omar will be starting a one-year welding program at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT).

Per a statement from RCSL Club President Jon Lyons, “Omar’s current passion is welding and learning the business from his boss. He is a very dedicated young man who has a great work ethic and wants to ‘earn his way to success.’ The RCSL is honored to sponsor Omar. He will be invited to join future RCSL meetings so members can hear how Omar is doing in the EVIT welding program.”

TRVFA’s mission is to ensure a revenue stream which will continuously fund vocational education grants requested by struggling Arizona residents who demonstrate the desire and will to enable themselves to thrive. TRVFA is a non-profit organization under IRS Code 501(c)(3) whose purpose is to assist those people who qualify under Arizona law to obtain financial assistance to further their vocational studies. TRVFA is an organization which meets Arizona’s Credit For Contributions To A Qualifying Charitable Organization requirements (QCO Code is 20698). Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements are identified and recommended to TRVFA by financial aid counselors in vocational education institutions and/or Rotarians and their clubs.

To learn more about being a TRVFA donor to support vocational scholarships for those in need and/or apply for a scholarship, see www.trvfa.org. For more information about Rotary Club of Sun Lakes educational programs, see www.sunlakesrotary.com.