Sponsoring food drives, volunteering at senior care homes and raising money for local charities are just a few examples of what students at Peoria high schools are doing to help their community.Those efforts and more were celebrated during a banquet held August 21 to honor the efforts of Peoria high school service clubs. The banquet, held at Southwest Indian Ministries Center in Peoria, was sponsored by the Peoria Rotary Club. The event was intended to highlight activities by student service clubs that emulate Rotary’s mission of “service above self” and “doing good in the world.”
Service clubs from Peoria and Centennial high schools were recognized during the event. Future Farmers of America, ROTC, student council, Rotary Interact Club and DECA were among the more than two dozen service clubs commended for their volunteerism.
PDG Chuck Fitzgerald of the Peoria Rotary Club applauded the students in attendance by quoting Mahatma Gandhi: “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in service.”
Banquet emcees were Bob and Rachelle Barrett. Rob is the former mayor of Peoria, while his wife, Rachelle, is a 35-year member of the Peoria Sunset Lions Club.
Other dignitaries in attendance included U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, Arizona State Sen. Rick Gray, Peoria Unified School District board member Kathy Knecht, Peoria Vice Mayor Mike Finn and Peoria Mayor Pro Tem Vicki Hunt.