WELCOME TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF SEDONA

Making a Difference in Sedona for 65 Years

We Promote Ethics

We Provide Clean Water

We Eradicate Disease

We Support Food Distribution

We Train Leaders

We Promote Literacy

We Educate the Community

We Empower Youth

We Work Together

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West Sedona Elementary School Extended Day Program Fund Raiser!

Making A Difference

The Rotary Club of Sedona's fund raising goal is $105,000 by August 2025 supporting a dedicated Program Director to organize academic enrichment beyond the school day. The Rotary Club needs your help to establish and sustain this valuable program for our local students.

The West Sedona elementary school extended day program delivers both before and after school programs that enrich the learning and development opportunities for up to 80 K-5 students and benefits the parents and their employers who are a vital part of the community.

Click Here to Donate Now and help us reach our goal!

Sedona Sister Cities Board Members Deliver a Program Update

During the regular Sedona Rotary meeting on March 25th attendees we're treated to a visit from the President of the Sedona Village Rotary Club (and former member of our club), Chuck Marr, as well as Dave Palmisano who delivered a really interesting presentation about the Sedona Sister Cities Association.

They are both board members of SSCA. Chuck is the Chair and Dave joined the board almost immediately after re-settling here from Ft. Worth where he previously held a leadership position in their Sister City initiative.

They told us about the efforts to make Canmore (Banff), Canada and Jaslo, Poland two sister cities to Sedona. The two cities have been identified as potential sister-cities because of their similarity to Sedona….small communities, artistic, geographically beautiful, tourist destinations, etc. Delegations have been exchanged which included Rotary members Dick Weisbaum and Jamiss Sebert!

Sedona Sister Cities Click Here for Information

Renown Local Pop Artist Presents for the Sedona Rotary Club

The Sedona Rotary Club was honored to host local pop artist and graphic designer Robert Holton, pictured with club President David Simmer.

During Mr. Holton's presentation he explained his Drizzle Paint technique used in the creation of many of his pieces. Additionally, he spoke candidly with the attendees about his on-going struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how it’s affected both his lifestyle and artistic process.

Robert’s inspirational story included sharing a long list of high-profile corporate clients and “A” list celebrities he's been commissioned to create pieces for. He displayed several of his selected paintings to the delight of the club members. Many of his pieces include artistic reimagining’s of familiar Corporate Logo’s.

His art is said to be reminiscent of both the pop art of Andy Warhol and the abstract impressionist style of Jackson Pollack. Robert lives and works from his home studio in Sedona Shadows.

Click Here! To see and learn more about Robert Holton’s art.

Left to right: Rotary Charitable Fund Board Members Holli Ploog, Dave Young, Tracey McConnell, Jean Barton, ACF Philanthropic Advisor Chelsea Buck-Lielich, Jamiss Sebert

ROTARY AND ACF HELP WEST SEDONA SCHOOL'S EXTENDED DAY

The Rotary Club of Sedona has launched its most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history to raise $105,000 to sustain and enhance West Sedona School's Wildcat Extended Day Program. The Club's theme that guides its philanthropy and service is "Working Hard for Working Parents," and this program hits the mark.

In its fourth year, the program now serves up to 80 K-5 students and their parents by providing a safe, supervised, free, on-site location where children can attend clubs and play with their friends before and after the typical school day. Fewer young children are home alone and exposed to social media. Parents' workdays rarely end at the end of the school day.

To improve academic achievement, the school would like to hire a Community Education Director for out-of-school time to oversee tutoring, reteaching, enrichment programs, clubs and break camps. The Director will collaborate with school staff, families and community partners and volunteers. This is a high level, coordinating position that will help children, parents, and the academic standing of the school.

The Club's Charitable Fund received a generous grant of $25,000 from the Arizona Community Foundation to kick-off the Campaign. The newest Regional Philanthropic Advisor for ACF-Sedona, Chelsea Burk-Lielich presented the check at the Club's March 4th kick-off. Each community donation will be doubled up to $25,000 thanks to the generosity of several club members. Every dollar counts!

Donation may be given online at sedonarotary.org or by mail with a check payable to the Rotary Club of Sedona Charitable Fund with "Wildcat Extended Day Program" on the memo line. Mail to PO Box 2170, Sedona, AZ 86339

20 Years later, former Rotary Youth Exchange student recalls transformative experience with Sedona Rotary Club

Ray Harris, Vice President of the Sedona Rotary was volunteering at Manzanita Outreach recently and fell into conversation with another young man who was helping in the warehouse. One thing led to another and Ray found out that his new friend was actually a former Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) student.

It was immediately clear that David Chana’s life had been shaped by his RYE experience — a year studying in Thailand. In fact, David switched places with a youth from southern Thailand — his RYE “brother” who moved into David’s home in Cottonwood and spent a year studying at Mingus Union High School. Ray extended an invitation to David to speak about his RYA experiences at the SRC's February 25th meeting.

David spoke about the challenge of learning Thai, given he had no background, no classes or mentors to teach him Thai. He shared the amusing fact that, in anticipation of heading to Thailand, David would go to Thai restaurants in the Verde Valley to try to use the few words that he had picked up from the Thai dictionary. How creative!

David showed us pictures from his travels in Southeast Asia and others with his exchange family. Even though it was over 20 years ago you could tell that David’s life was forever impacted by the opportunity afforded by Rotary. He is fluent in Thai with its unique 44-character alphabet and tonal variety that makes it one of the world’s most challenging languages for a “kid from Cottonwood.” He stays in touch regularly with his Thai family, though he has settled in Cottonwood and operates a small rental real estate business. David went back to Thailand to study International Relations in Bangkok and ended up working for Japanese and Southeast Asia companies among his several stops.

Click Here to learn more about Rotary Youth Exchange

RYLA Grads Present to Sedona Rotary Club

Rotary International clubs across the globe sponsor a number of youth programs including a series of annual events known as the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy "RYLA".

RYLA is a transformative, five-day camp that fosters youth leadership and personal development, and promotes well-being through social connections.

On February 11th three campers from the Martin Luther King Day weekend RYLA camp in Prescott Arizona described their experience in working the ropes course, the dance competition, the team skits competition, the blindfolded conga-line through the maze, and many other camp activities focused on developing confidence and purpose in their leadership abilities.

RYLA brought these students together with others from all over our district for three days of development. The teams at the camp are typically “led” by our Rotary Youth Exchange students who are here from over a half a dozen different countries.

The Sedona Rotary Club wishes to thank Fernando Quisumbing, Avery Raczynski, and Maya Wooten for sharing their energy and experiences with us. The trio presented pictures of the various teams engaged in leadership skill building activities while having fun and building connections with other participant from across Arizona. The Sedona participants expressed their experience was very inspiring and provided an enriched opportunity to learn about themselves and how they can foster effective leadership within their own communities.

The Sedona Club would like to recognize Lena Gamble who served as a camp counselor, Jean Barton who is the engine for representing our club in organizing and getting everyone to RYLA and our Assistant Governor, Jennette Bill, for all that she does for the youth in Sedona.

CLICK HERE To Learn More About Rotary Youth Leadership

Sedona Rotary Club Welcomes Recent Rotary Youth Leadership Academy Graduates

Basil & Mimi Maher Received Make-a-Difference Award

The Rotary Club of Sedona recently presented local philanthropists Basil and Mimi Maher with the club’s Make-A-Difference Award.

A $1,000 donation was made to the Scorpion Booster Club in recognition of their contributions in supporting local working families through their on going efforts to provide affordable housing.

Red Rock News Article

Need some good news?

Check out this interview with David Byrne on the Rotary.Org podcast about his nonprofit online magazine Reasons to be Cheerful ,"Where all news is good news".

Rotary Voices

Our guest speaker for Tuesday's meeting was, Brian Bergner, Development and Communications Director for the Verde Valley Sanctuary. He shared the vital work they are doing to provide a safe haven for survivors of abuse and violence. Brian highlighted the importance of their pet-friendly environment, which allows survivors to bring their pets, making the sanctuary a safe place for many more people. It is shame that the VVS is necessary, but we are grateful that it exists to serve those who need a safe refuge while they get back on their feet.

Verde Valley Sanctuary

Angela Lopez, the Rotary Membership Officer for the western 1/3 of the US (i.e. our “Zone”) and a wonderful friend made the trip up from the valley to speak to us about membership. Lots of good information….the most important of which was being intentional about membership and her message that we need to keep in mind that every members of the club impacts membership. We all create an environment (good or bad) which will influence 1) the likelihood that a prospective member will join the club and 2) the likelihood of them staying in Rotary. I believe it is so important to develop a milieu of friendship and reinforcement of all the best that Rotary is. Let’s work on this together!