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Service Projects & Fundraisers
Speakers & Special Guests
PDG Chuck Fitzgerald
Sep 27, 2023 6:00 PM
"Behind the Scenes at the State Legislature"
TBD
Oct 04, 2023 6:00 PM
David Valenzuela
Oct 11, 2023 6:00 PM
Peoria Economic Development
Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser.
Oct 18, 2023 11:00 AM
Rebbeca Shenholm
Oct 25, 2023 6:00 PM
EPCOR Water Issues
Darlene Eger & Margaret Fried
Nov 01, 2023 6:00 PM
2023 Rotary International Convention Recap
TBD
Nov 08, 2023 6:00 PM
Students of the Month Recognition
Nov 15, 2023 6:00 PM
Dark. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov 22, 2023 6:00 PM
Club holiday party
Dec 09, 2023
District Governor Kevin Pitts
Jan 17, 2024 6:00 PM
Official District Governor Visit
SAVE THE DATE!
Feb 17, 2024 6:00 PM
PNRC Annual Wine Classic
Students of the Month Recognition
Feb 21, 2024 6:00 PM
Learn More About Rotary In Arizona
Rotary In Action
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Peoria North
Welcome to Peoria North Rotary Club
Peoria North

People of Action

We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
The Links Neighborhood Grill
18823 N. Country Club Drive
Peoria, AZ 85383
United States of America
Peoria North is meeting in person with a Zoom/virtual option.
Home Page Stories
 
 
The Glendale Elementary School District each month recognizes a business or organization in the community for its strong support of students and for September, the district recognized Peoria North Rotary Club's Prom Closet community service project. A district official surprised members of The Prom Closet Planning Committee during its September meeting and presented the group with a certificate of thanks.
 
The GESD "Champion of Our Students" certificate reads: "Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. We are so grateful to be part of this amazing program. Thank for bringing so much joy to our students and community.
 
The Prom Closet Committee consists of, from left, Sandra Eng, Maura Gill-Millette, Sharon Jarnagin, Bret McKeand and Gina Schmitz. The 2024 Prom Closet is scheduled for the first two weekends of April 2024 at the Glendale System of Care Center, 7677 W. Bethany Home Road, Glendale. For information, visit thepromcloset.com.
Kathleen Hurley spoke to the club on Aug. 16 and shared with the club her experiences with fostering injured animals and nursing them back to good health so they can be adopted. Kathleen works with a nonprofit fostering organization in Peoria and she explained how volunteering to help foster animals can be a fun and very rewarding experience. Programs chair Joanna Conde thanked Kathleen for speaking to the club by presenting her with a book that will be donated in her name to a local school library.
The Peoria North Rotary Club celebrated the start of its new year with its annual "Commotion" program July 12 and the passing of the presidential gavel to Steve Matthews, who will serve as the club’s president in 2023-24.
 
Mr. Matthews takes over as president from Vernon Bridges, who served as club president in 2022-23.
 
Rotary District 5495 Governor Kevin Pitts conducted the installation ceremony and swore in Mr. Matthews and the club’s board for 2022-23.
 
“Everything good that Rotary is able to accomplish throughout the world begins right here at the club level,” said Mr. Pitts.
 
Others serving on the Peoria North Rotary Club board this year include Tammy Sabinsky, treasurer; Margaret Fried, secretary and Vernon Bridges, immediate past president.
 
Club chairs include Darlene Eger, youth services chair; Bret McKeand, public image and Prom Closet chair; Joanna Conde, membership chair; Jason Braunstein, community service chair.
 
Mr. Matthews congratulated club members on their commitment to community service and encouraged them to do even more in the new year.
 
“You want a wonderful experience? Visit a Rotary project,” said Mr. Matthews.
 
“Whether it is giving out dictionaries to third graders, visiting a newly dug water well in Mexico, helping to build housing on the Navajo reservation or making beds for children that today sleep on floors. Every one of these and countless thousands of other projects put smiles on faces and builds camaraderie among all people without exceptions.”
 
The club supports and participates in service projects in the community and throughout the world, including annually providing dictionaries for every third-grade student in the Peoria Unified School District. The club’s signature service project is The Prom Closet, which provides free formal attire each spring to high school students attending their school proms.
 
The club's annual installation program -- or "Commotion" as we like to call it -- is a fun event that celebrates our "family" of Rotary. 
 
To kick off the program, Past President Vern, President Steve and DG Kevin Pitts competed in a friendly game of "Rotary Jeopardy." Questions tested their knowledge of Rotary, and the club donated a total of $500 to End Polio Now in each contestant's name.
 
The club also celebrated a great 2022-23 year and thanked outgoing President Vern for his leadership and accomplishments.
 
 
Kevin Pitts, District 5495 Governor for 2023-24, will take part in Peoria North Rotary Club's annual "Commotion" program and officially swear in our new board for 2023-24.
 
Commotion takes place July 12 at our normal meeting place, The Links Restaurant in Westbrook Village. Members are asked to arrive promptly at 5:30 p.m. to order their meal. The club meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. with a special program to celebrate our new president -- Steve Matthews -- and thank outgoing President Vernon Bridges for his time at the helm.
 
Be prepared for a meeting that could go past 7 p.m. And members are asked to bring lots of "Happy Bucks" as we have prepared a special game in honor of Commotion that will "quiz" our members' knowledge of Rotary. Incorrect answers will cost you a Happy Dollar, with all money raised that evening going to Rotary's End Polio Now.
 
This is a great opportunity to invite a guest who might be interested in joining our "People of Action" club!
The Peoria North Rotary Club has donated $5,000 to the Clear Water Project to help that organization's efforts to connect residents living on the Navajo Reservation to a nearby water source.
 
The donation was made at the club's June 28 meeting. President Vernon Bridges presented a check to Richard Pered and Brian Marshall of the Clear Water Project.
 
The project works with local churches on the reservation to help connect residential homes to a nearby well. Once connected to a water source, the nonprofit organization assists with plumbing needs and providing hot-water heaters.
 
According to Richard Pered, churches on the reservation are more apt to be located near a functioning water well and already connected. In many cases, residents travel to the churches weekly to collect water to sustain them throughout the week. The Clear Water Project aims to connect those nearby homes to the church's water source.
 
Mr. Pered says it costs approximately $30,000 to connect a home to a nearby functioning well.
The club learned about District 5495 Interact's signature international service project during its June 7 meeting.
 
Crutches 4 Africa is a project supported by our Interact district for several years. Throughout the year, Interactors collect mobility devices -- crutches, canes, wheelchairs, scooters and more -- and store them in two units here in the Valley of the Sun (one in the west valley and one in the east valley). Each July, the district sends a team of Interactors along with several Rotarian advisors to Kenya and Mexico to distribute the devices to disabled citizens in those countries.
 
Dan Coons, chair of this year's trip to Africa, and Edgar Martinez, an Interactor who participated in last year's trip to Africa, spoke to our club on June 7 and told of their experiences distributing the devices and personally "changing the lives" of recipients.
 
This year, 11 students and four adult advisors will be traveling to Africa and Mexico in July. Working with local Rotary and Rotaract clubs in those countries, the team will distribute thousands of mobility devices.
 
Contributions are needed to help defray the cost of shipping items and sending the students to both countries. The adult Rotarians pay their own way and the students must pay a portion of the expenses. Clubs are asked to support the effort as well. 
 
Individuals who would like to contribute, can scan the QR code below to make an online donation with your credit card:
 
 
 
Peoria North Rotary Club recognized its Students of the Month for the second quarter during the club's May 24 meeting. The students attend Mountain Ridge High School. From left, Russell Kennedy, a senior (April); Club President Vernon Bridges and Alvira Hoffman, a freshman (May). Not pictured is March winner Priya List. Each student received a $250 award and a certificate signifying that a wheelchair has been donated in their name to a disabled person in Mexico. 
The West Valley Rotaract Club, one of our district's newest clubs, was welcomed into the world of Rotary during the April 19 meeting of the Peoria North Rotary Club.
 
Peoria North helped sponsor the new club and presented it with a $500 donation to help with organizational costs.
 
Jason Braunstein, chair of the PNRC Foundation, presented the donation to Jessica Vaupel, president of the West Valley Rotaract Club.
Several members of the Peoria North Rotary Club joined dozens of other District 5495 Rotarians on Saturday, April 15, to kick off "Arizona Rotary Week of Service" with a special project to benefit Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
 
Rotarians joined volunteers from several other organizations to build beds for children living in homeless shelters and in foster care. The special kick-off event took place in the parking lot of American Furniture Warehouse in Glendale.
 
A total of 100 beds were built from scratch. Volunteers assisted with cutting the boards, sanding, assembly, staining and more.
 
District Governor Larry Horton thanked Rotarians who participated.
 
"Imagine a child who woke up this morning sleeping on the floor actually going to sleep tonight in the comfort of a bed. That's pretty powerful," said Larry.
 
PNRC members who participated included President Vern Bridges, Bret McKeand, Donnis Deever, Jason Braunstein and Al Dixon.
 
Check out a live broadcast of the event on Channel 10, Fox news.
Joanna Conde is our newest member to be inducted into the Peoria North Rotary Club.
 
Joanna was welcomed at a recent meeting, and sworn in by Assistant Governor Lu Rotundo and President-Elect Steve Matthews.
 
Welcome to the club, Joanna!
After its first three days of the 2023 Prom Closet, the Peoria North Rotary Club has already served over 200 students from 69 schools throughout Arizona, including nearly 30 students for a school for the deaf.
 
Young boys and girls throughout the state will be able to attend their high school prom this spring without having to spend a single penny on purchasing needed attire thanks to the efforts of Arizona Rotarians.
 
This year’s Prom Closet continues for its final weekend, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. April 1-2.
 
The event takes place at the Glendale System of Care Center, 7677 W. Bethany Home Road, in Glendale.
 
Several local TV stations have visited the Prom Closet and filmed segments for broadcast. View two segments featured on Channel 10 HERE.
 
All high school teens are invited. There are no financial requirements and no application to be completed. All items are available at absolutely no cost.
 
The Prom Closet has thousands of formal prom dresses to choose from, as well as shoes and accessories. In addition to women’s clothing and accessories, items available to men include shirts, slacks and ties.
 
The program was initially created 12 years ago by Mary Ann Baker, a founding member and past president of the Peoria North Rotary Club. The Peoria club assumed total oversight of The Prom Closet six years ago and is supported by volunteer Rotarians from Sun City, Glendale, Surprise and Phoenix.
 
“It’s really grown into a community-wide project,” said Donnis Deever, a member of Peoria North Rotary Club and chair of this year’s project.
 
“Not only do we have Rotarians from throughout the Valley, but we have many other residents who have joined on as volunteers – many of whom felt the impact of the program when their sons or daughters visited The Prom Closet in the past.”
Young boys and girls throughout the state will be able to attend their high school prom this spring without having to spend a single penny on purchasing needed attire thanks to the efforts of Arizona Rotarians.
 
Beginning at the end of March and continuing the first weekend in April, The Prom Closet – a project spearheaded by the Peoria North Rotary Club -- will provide formal prom attire to boys and girls at absolutely no charge.
This year’s Prom Closet takes place 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 25-26 and April 1-2. 
 
The event takes place at the Glendale System of Care Center, 7677 W. Bethany Home Road, in Glendale.
 
All high school teens are invited. There are no financial requirements and no application to be completed. All items are available at absolutely no cost.
 
The Prom Closet has thousands of formal prom dresses to choose from, as well as shoes and accessories. In addition to women’s clothing and accessories, items available to men include shirts, slacks and ties.
 
 
Peoria North Rotary Club is sponsoring a unique project this year meant to interest students in the world of space exploration.
 
As opportunities for innovation in the space economy continue to grow, it's important our students learn about these opportunities and begin training for future possibilities.
 
The Postcards in Space program requires each sixth-grade class in the Peoria Unified School District to design a new technology that could be used to help meet the needs of people working or living in space.
 
Students are asked to brainstorm and create ideas, then sketch those ideas on postcards distributed to the schools by the Peoria North club.
 
Club members will pick up the postcards later this month and send to the Club for the Future, where they will be sent to space and back on a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket.
 
The club's Postcards in Space project is funded by a District Designated Grant. 
 
Photo: Peoria North Rotary Club President-Elect Steve Matthews distributes Postcards in Space packets to a local school.
Peoria North Rotary Club recognized its most recent Students of the Month at its Feb. 22 meeting. Both students are from Mountain Ridge High School. Tegan Bernard, a senior, was the club's Student of the Month for January, while Apramey Akkiraju, a junior, is the February recipient. From left, Darlene Eger, the club's Youth chair, Tegan, Apramey and Club President Vernon Bridges.
Peoria North Rotary Club honored Arizona Diamondbacks organist Bobby Freeman with its highest honor, a Paul Harris Fellow, during the club's annual Wine Classic Fundraiser held Feb. 11 in Peoria. The honor recognizes all of Bobby's contributions over the years to our club, as well as all he has done to help others through his work with the Diamondbacks Foundation. Club President Vernon Bridges and District Governor Larry Horton presented the award to Bobby and Charlene Freeman.
The Rotary Club of Peoria North recently recognized club members for their support of the The Rotary Foundation by presenting them with Paul Harris Fellows.
 
Four of the members received their very first Paul Harris recognition, while Lou Rotundo received a Paul Harris plus-four pin.
 
Paul Harris Fellows recognize a Rotarian who has contributed $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. Earning their first Paul Harris Fellow certificates and pins were Darlen Eger, Margaret Fried, Sybil Ihrig and Sharon Jarnagin.
 
Peoria North is one of the district's strongest supporters of The Rotary Foundation and Rotary's End Polio Now campaign. The club last year earned the district's top honor for per-captia contributions made to the End Polio Now campaign. Peoria North reported the highest contributions per capita among the district's 65 clubs.
Jeanne Hough was recently welcomed as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Peoria North. President Vernon Bridges, left, and Assistant Governor Lou Rotundo present Jeanne her official Rotary membership packet and Rotary pin. Jeanne is also President Verne's mother-in-law.
Peoria North Rotary Club received a Certificate of Appreciation from U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko in recognition of the club's service to the community. The certificate was presented to Club President Vernon Bridges during the club's Oct. 26 meeting. The certificate was presented by Monica Yellin, outreach director for Rep. Lesko's office.
Members of Peoria North Rotary Club gathered recently to prepare for the club's annual distribution of dictionaries. Peoria North partnered with the Rotary Club of Peoria to purchase and deliver the dictionaries to every third-grade student in the Peoria Unified School District. Club members placed a sticker on the inside of each dictionary that contains the Four-Way Test, as well as a place for a student to sign his or her name.
Bret and Michelle McKeand represented Peoria North Rotary Club at MiKid's first Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, Oct. 29. The event was sponsored by the Valley of the Sun Rotary Passport Club and featured a number of organizations providing candy those children served by MiKid. Instead of candy, Peoria North allowed each child to select a book of their choice. MiKid is a Valley non-profit organization focused on serving the mental health needs of children.
The Peoria North Rotary Club sends out a special thank-you to Jackie Rose for her recent donation of 25 brand-new, full-length mirrors to be used at our club’s upcoming Prom Closet! Jackie is a member of The Rotary Club of Glendale and recently joined the committee overseeing The Prom Closet. Jackie and her father, Jack (also a member of the Glendale club), recently delivered the mirrors to The Prom Closet’s new home at the Glendale System of Care Campus.
Rotary Theme for 2023-2024
 
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