Welcome to District 5495 Club News

Phoenix 100's ‘Take Flight’ uses art to impact homelessness, youth development

Submitted by Lisa Henning and Dan Capote.
Co-Chairs Take Flight

The Phoenix 100 Rotary Club and Shemer Art Center present “Take Flight” on March 28-29, an event that uses art to impact homelessness and youth development.

Butterflies represent transformation. People in situations that lead to homelessness or people currently experiencing homelessness are in extremely transformative periods of their lives.

Rotarians are People of Action and Phoenix Rotary Club Charities (PRCC) is dedicated to finding innovative solutions to the homeless epidemic. These solutions have taken the form of education, drug rehabilitation, fighting food insecurity, securing alternative housing, working with domestic abuse survivors and more.

PRCC intends to use funds raised during Take Flight to support projects within the homelessness sector and youth services including a partnership with Shemer Art Center to support youth art education programs.

District Governor Jim Schmidt will be speaking and sharing a bit about Rotary during the bidder's reception noon-3 p.m. March 29 at the Shemer Art Center, 5005 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 85018.

Leading up to this we have many of the butterflies on display at the Esplanade off Camelback Road across from the Biltmore Fashion Square. They have come on board as a new sponsor this year. We will be enjoying their outdoor live music on March 7and will have a raffle opportunity ($25 per ticket) for a beautiful custom art piece.

The online auction will be live March 7 as well. Then on March 12 we’ll kickoff our TH Evening Art Walk in Old Town on Main Street at Jamie’s Bottle Shop, as we take a walking tour through several of our artist’s studios. Another raffle will take place for an additional unique custom art sculpture that is on display at Jamie’s Bottle Shop. 

Both of these events are free to the public. Save the date for March 28-29 for Art in the Garden at the Shemer Art Center. Phoenix Rotary 100 will have a booth displaying our butterflies both Saturday and Sunday with our bidder's reception culminating on Sunday March 29. Tickets to the reception are $75, includes food and alcohol. 

For more information: www.rotary100.org/takeflight.

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Rotary Club of Sun Lakes celebrates 40 years of service in Sun Lakes

Submitted by Gary Whiting and Dr Honora Norton

 

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) is celebrating 40 years of service, leadership, and community impact. Chartered on April 22, 1986, RCSL has grown from a small group of retirees to one of Arizona’s most active Rotary clubs.

RCSL plans to hold its 40th Anniversary Dinner Celebration 4:30-6 p.m. April 21, 2026, at Sun Lakes Cottonwood Country Club ballroom. Watch RCSL’s website – www.sunlakesrotary.com for details to register and join RCSL’s members, guests and contributing sponsors at this inspiring celebration.     

In 1985, Chandler Rotarian Andre Felix posted an invitation for Sun Lakes residents to attend a Rotary meet-and-greet. Wayne Johnson was among the first to respond, and soon with seven others the group decided Sun Lakes needed a Rotary presence. Arizona Rotary District 5510 and Rotary International formally approved RCSL as a Tuesday morning club with 15 charter members, led by first president Allan Gustafson. Membership peaked at 140 in 2000–2001 and now maintains 90-plus members.

RCSL has had 40 presidents, including six women, several of whom have served in Arizona district leadership roles. In 2000–2001, Rotary International recognized RCSL as one of Rotary’s 50 largest clubs and received the 21st Century Challenge Award. During Rotary’s 2004-2005 centennial year, Past President Gary Whiting served as Arizona District 5510’s Centennial Governor, overseeing 46 Rotary clubs in Northeastern Arizona.

RCSL is known as “The Education Club.” RCSL supports youth programs, such as Student Exchange, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, AWIM and 4-Way Test essay competitions, and scholarships. RCSL honors educators with monthly and annual awards. One of RCSL’s traditions is the Third Grade Dictionary Project — launched 22 years ago by the late Dwight Grotewold. Each year the club distributes over 4,000 dictionaries to third-grade students. To date over 88,000 dictionaries have been delivered to Chandler Unified School District students and Gila River Indian Community schools.

RCSL supports the Rotary International Foundation and has participated in 13 Humanitarian Global Grants totaling over $533,000, which include a 2018–19 project bringing inside running tap water to 33 off-the-grid isolated Navajo homes, improving access to safe water. Sun Lakes Foundation 2000 501(c)3 non-profit often funds RCSL’s community service projects.  

 

Photo caption: RCSL members gathering at Casa Blanca Community School on the Gila River Indian Community

Embry Riddle Rotaract Club members receive certificates, pins

The Rotaract Club of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott recently presented Rotaract certificates and pins to 35 members. The club is nearly four years old and is a joint club with the Air Force ROTC Silver Wings Club.

Mya Buerck, center, kneeling, is the club president and Col. Russ Davis (on the right in the orange shirt) serves as the club's advisor. Past President of the Prescott Frontier Rotary Club and current District 5495 Assistant Governor Katheryn Tuberty (in red shirt) serves the club as well.

The club assists the three Prescott Rotary clubs every other month sorting food at the local food bank.

Rotary Club of Sun Lakes names Paul Sanders Rotarian of the Month

Submitted by: Dr. Honora Norton, RCSL Public Image Director

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes extends congratulations to Paul Sanders who was named RCSL’s February 2026 Rotarian of the Month (ROM).  

Since joining RCSL in August 2025, Paul has immersed himself in assisting the club with meeting setup and breakdown and supporting site readiness of Chandler Gilbert Community College as location for RCSL’s 2026 Vision Planning Session. 

 

Even before joining RCSL, Paul helped serve the Golf and Public Image Committees by finding student photographers for the 2025 RCSL Golf Tournament.  He serves as Senior Development Officer at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

Building connections over breakfast: Maricopa Community Colleges and Rotary gather at GWCC

On Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, GateWay Community College was proud to host the Maricopa Community Colleges & Rotary Breakfast, a collaborative event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Paradise Valley. 

Held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Copper Room of the IE Building at GateWay’s Washington Campus, the breakfast brought together education and community leaders with a shared goal: creating opportunities that strengthen our communities.

The event served as a welcoming space for conversation and connection between Maricopa Community Colleges and Rotary clubs from across the district, including Rotary district leadership. By gathering on a community college campus, the breakfast highlighted the important role colleges play as hubs for leadership development, service, and workforce preparation.

Creating Opportunities Through Collaboration

At the heart of the breakfast was a focus on partnership. Participants discussed ways Rotary and community colleges can work together to expand Rotary’s presence in the community, engage emerging young leaders, and encourage more Rotary events at local community colleges. Conversations also centered on future collaboration through community service projects, support for youth-focused programs and events, and the expansion of vocational scholarship opportunities.

These shared efforts reflect a mutual commitment to service, education, and opportunity—values that both Rotary and the Maricopa Community Colleges proudly uphold.

All Ten Colleges, One Shared Mission

Representatives from all Maricopa Community Colleges were in attendance, eager to connect with Rotary members and explore opportunities for collaboration. Their participation reinforced the systemwide commitment to building strong community partnerships that support student success, workforce development, and service learning.

Rotarians recognized for philanthropic gifts

  

Rotary Club of Sun Lakes (RCSL) recognized several members for their gifts to support the Club's educational programs and community and global outreach projects.  Ann Diamond,above left, received her initial Rotary International Foundation's Paul Harris recognition and pin.  Dr. Diane Bruening and Dr. Ed Lamers, above photo on right, were acknowledged for their legacy gifts to RCSL's Foundation 2000 Endowment Fund.  All awardees are Sun Lakes residents.