The Rotary Club of Scottsdale North held its 15th annual Chili Cook-Off at the home of Stacy and Kevin Edwards on November 1 raising money for the Scottsdale North Rotary Foundation which makes donations during the year to local charities. Food was also collected for the Foothills Food Bank. The festive music adding to the gala atmosphere was provided by the New Deal Band.
Please join Phoenix Rotary 100 and Sleep in Heavenly Peace for a fun volunteer activity that serves kids in need by building beds on Friday, November 7, 2025.
A fun volunteer activity that serves kids in need by building beds. Statistics show that 2 - 3 % of children in America do not have a bed. This is an active construction site - children 12 to 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Sign up now! Only 40 spots available. Click here to reserve your spot. Volunteer Check In is between 7 and 7:30 AM. We will work until about 11:30. Lunch will be provided and donated by Phoenix Rotary 100 President Kathy Mitchell. Thank you Kathy!
Due to limited seating, we encourage you to bring your own chair (folding chair, lawn chair, etc.)
Online waivers should be completed by everyone prior to arrival that morning, this makes the Check In process much smoother, the link is: https://volunteer.shpbeds.org/opportunities/ikfiy5la3n
Purpose:
Building beds for kids in need furthers the mission that No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in our Town™ You will have fun, use power tools and work together with others to build beds. Separate teams deliver the beds on different days. A bed comes complete with new mattress, pillow, sheets, blanket and a stuffed toy. Let us know if you are interested in helping with deliveries.
Role
Building beds may entail cutting lumber, sanding, drilling, assembly, branding or staining. Please wear work clothes. Closed-toe shoes are REQUIRED.
The address of the Workshop is 5125 E Madison St. It is between the143 and 202 just south of Washington. There is a sign that says 'Inteplast - Amtopp Division'. We are on the south side of the building.
Please carpool as much as possible since there is limited parking.
Parking is free
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
5125 E Madison St
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Submitted by Dr. Honora Norton
The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes is honored to support Gila River Indian Community Casa Blanca School. Members have supported the school through AWIM (A World in Motion) jet car mentoring/competitions, library book donations and gifts of lawn picnic tables/umbrellas. The Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000's Board President Dr. Elaine Ralls presented the school’s Principal Kim Franklin with a $1,359 check directed towards purchase of library books.
RCSL Rotarian Debbie Bailey has ordered 70 books and gifted them directly to the school. Each book was stamped with a “Donated by the Rotary Club of Sun Lakes - with Rotary logo”.
Additionally at a recent RCSL meeting, Andrew McBride, Director of Engineering at Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority, presented the school’s principal a check for $500 and RCSL gifted another $500 to be directed toward purchase of two lawn picnic tables and umbrellas. Principal Kim was excited for school’s children to be able to read new books at the new lawn tables on a beautiful fall day.
For more RCSL info - see http://www.sunlakesrotary.com
Photo above: Casa Blanca Principal Kim Franklin, RCSL Rotarian Gary Whiting and Director of Engineering Gila River Indian Community Utility Authority Andrew McBride.
Thanks to Ottawa University so much for allowing the Surprise & Sun City West Rotary Club to host the 2025 Meals of Hope Event in October at Ottawa University in Surprise. We had approximately 95 volunteers, including the Women’s Basketball Team. Ottawa University and their parents can be very proud of these women!
In 2.5 hours, we exceeded the event’s goal and packed appropriately 25,657 meals or 89 boxes for the Valley View Community Food Bank.
OCTOBER 25, 2025 MEALS of HOPE - MAJOR PARTNERS:
Jim Schlenvogt, President
Surprise & Sun City West Rotary Club
Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) teamed up with the Paradise Valley Rotary Club in support of literacy in the community by participating in The Dictionary Project, a national literacy initiative providing third-grade students with a personal dictionary to support lifelong learning and academic success.
PVCC faculty, staff, students, and Rotary members gathered on campus to place Rotary stickers in the front cover of 1,500 dictionaries that will soon be delivered to third graders in the Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVUSD).
“For many students, this dictionary will be the first book they ever own,” said Charles Berry with the PV Rotary Club, which this year made a $5,856 donation to The Dictionary Project, helping ensure students continue to have access to this invaluable resource.
“This support makes it possible for students to have a dictionary for their personal use that they will be able to use for a lifetime. It is an essential tool for a quality education. They cannot do their best work without one,” he said.
The PV Rotary Club has been an active partner in this initiative for more than 20 years. Since its inception, The Dictionary Project has reached an estimated 37,054,033 students nationwide, with the PV Rotary Club sponsoring 46,152 of those dictionaries.
“The opportunity to connect future educators with community leaders like those in Paradise Valley Rotary is such a gift,” said PVCC Education Director Meggin Kirk, who also participated in the event. “It inspires our students and shows them they have a whole community rooting for their success and for the success of their future students.”
These student dictionaries are more than simple word references; they include resources such as U.S. Presidents, state facts, world maps, sign language, and other knowledge-building tools designed to expand students’ learning. Teachers often incorporate them into the curriculum, and at the end of the year, each student takes home their own copy with their name written inside.
“This event is a perfect example of what can happen when education and community service come together,” said Mario Marquez, senior development officer, PVCC. “Our students not only get to see the impact of volunteerism firsthand, but they also take pride in contributing to a project that will spark curiosity and confidence in thousands of young learners. We are grateful to the Rotary for inviting us to be part of something that reaches so many children and families.”
Submitted by: Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director
In the summer of 2002, Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) member Dwight Grotewold visited the Rotary Club of Logan, Utah, where he learned about their innovative elementary school initiative known as “A Dictionary for 3rd Graders.”
Drawing on his experience as a former K-12 teacher and his recent retirement as Vice President of Admissions for the University of Colorado, Dwight championed the idea and presented it to RCSL board and its members. The proposal was approved for implementation during the Rotary year 2003-04.
Following RCSL's board’s approval, fundraising efforts began immediately. In its inaugural year, RCSL successfully distributed over 5,000 dictionaries to third-grade students across the Chandler Unified School District, private schools, the Gilbert Unified School District, area, Indian community schools, and Title 9 programs. This significant accomplishment was made possible through the dedicated efforts of four RCSL members Bill Giessing, Bonnie Whiting, Gary Whiting, and Roger Edmonds, who have participated in the project every school year for 22 consecutive years.
RCSL members and other supporters believed that the dictionary project would empower students to become better spellers, readers, thinkers, and speakers. Teachers have consistently been the primary champions of this initiative, using the dictionaries for classroom projects as well as take-home assignments, further enhancing students’ educational experiences.
For more info about RCSL - see http://www.sunlakesrotary.com
Photo: Bill Giessing, Bonnie Whiting, Gary Whiting, and Roger Edmonds gathered together to celebrate 22 years of gifting dictionaries to Valley 3rd graders.
Rotary Club of Sun Lakes member Neil Cutler was honored for his philanthropic gifts to Rotary International Foundation. The Rotary International Foundation transforms Rotarian’s gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty through local, domestic, and international service projects. The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or have contributions in their names to The Rotary Foundation.
Additionally,
RCSL Rotarians Ann Diamond and Becky Kerr were acknowledged for their Philanthropic gifts to Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000. Rotary Foundation 2000 is RCSL's charitable arm. The tax-exempt 501(c)(3) was established to promote charitable giving and provide support for RCSL's projects, activities and sustainability.
Any questions or interested in joining RCSL - see http://www.sunlakesrotary.com
 |
|
