banner
March 22, 2021
 
No live meetings
Meetings held on Zoom
 
Mar 23, 2021
"Great Stories from a World Famous Horse Race Announcer"
May 11, 2021 12:00 PM
What's New & Visions for the Future
May 18, 2021 4:30 PM
View entire list
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stories
Navajo Water Project Update

Club helping Navajo families get running water into their homes

 
About 59 families on the Navajo Nation will have home-based water systems for the first time. The Rotary Club of Sedona has led an effort over the last year to provide clean running water systems to Navajo families in the Dilkon Chapter, about 320 square desolate miles about 45 minutes northeast of Winslow. "The programs we conducted raised $264,000 in donations to provide water systems to the Navajo," said Immediate Past District 5495 Governor David Simmer. "It will be absolutely life-changing for those families.” Donations for the project came from Rotary clubs and other generous donors in Arizona, California, Colorado, North Carolina, and Michigan as well as from Rotary clubs and friends of Rotary from Mexico, Canada and India. About 30% of the total funding came as matching funds from Rotary’s International Foundation. Locally the Rotary Club of Sedona Village, the Verde Valley Rotary Club in Cottonwood and the Flagstaff Rotary club supported the fundraising effort. Each home-based water system installation includes a 1,200-gallon underground cistern to hold the supply of clean water, solar panels to operate a pump to bring the water into the home, a solar-powered hot water system and the plumbing necessary to provide in-home running water. To help support this program please see the Arizona Gives Day story below. For speaking engagements, please contact David Simmer at dsimmer9@gmail.com
News
Meeting Highlights

Support Rotary Club of Sedona services on AZ Gives Day 

We regret it is not possible to hold our annual Great Sedona Chili Cook-Off again this year. However, we still need to raise funds to support our programs and services. We therefore invite you to support our Arizona Gives Day campaign "Together We Can." Your donation will help support critical services our club provides including: (1) Relieving Hunger--fighting food insecurity for low-income individuals in the Verde Valley; (2) Developing Youth--teaching high school students life-changing leadership skills and providing college and vocational scholarships so they can achieve their dreams; (3) Addressing Water Poverty in the U.S.--installing hot and cold running water systems for members of the Navajo Nation right here in Arizona; (4) Supporting Education--providing new, age appropriate books to preschoolers to set them up for success in life. We also support local organizations that help older adults retain in-home independence, protect victims of family violence, and promote peace and understanding. Early AZ Gives Day donating has already started. To give now go to https://www.azgives.org/RotaryClubofSedona. Thank you for helping to make our community and the world better!
 

Red Rock News editor has passion for poetry and his job

Christopher Fox Graham, managing editor of the Red Rock News, shared his passion for poetry and love of his job during the club's social get together on March 16. Christopher, an ASU alum, has been a performance poet since 2001, participating in poetry slams in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and in Sedona at Mary Fischer Theatre. Familiar with the local art scene, he was hired by Larson Newspapers as a copy editor in 2004, became assistant manager editor in October 2009 and managing editor in August 2013. "This is the best job I've ever had." He says he enjoys documenting what's going on around him--following local kids and their achievements and realizing who we've lost. During the pandemic, Christopher's mission with the paper has been "how do we help as many people as we can." The paper promoted open businesses, had live videos on its website, ran articles on stimulus funds, and updates on cases, counts, and links to the county health department. On behalf of his visit, the club is donating the book titled "House Held Up By Trees," by Ted Kooser, also a poet, to the Sedona Public Library.  
 

Sedona Public Library "is a community of people"

Judy Poe, executive director of Sedona Public Library says the library is here to partner with us and to meet community needs. Judy spoke to the club during its Feb. 23 meeting and shared how the library is changing to accommodate "a community of people." The library inside is being spruced up and will feature more small meeting rooms for presentations. An outdoor patio by Friends of the Library will hold 100-150 people and feature an outdoor movie screen, fire pit, lighting and perfect for events and other gatherings. Judy said it will be ADA compliant and provide an safe outdoor space for people of all ages. She hopes the space will be ready in October. The library's space in Village of Oak Creek will be relocated to Big Park School, expanding its book collections, computers and children's programming. The library is also working on a needs assessment to help identify new programming to support the community. "Great libraries build communities," she adds. In honor of Judy's visit, President Al Barton announced the book "Polar Bear in the Snow," by Shawn Harris, will be donated to her library.

 Dates to Remember

April 6--Arizona Gives Day, to donate now: https://www.azgives.org/RotaryClubofSedona 
April 13--Planning & Goals for 2021-22, Linda Pres Elect
April 19--Club & Charitable Fund Board Meetings, 4:30 p.m.
April 20--Fellowship Get Together, 4:30 p.m.
May 11--Dr. Tina Redd, Dean, Yavapai College Verde Valley & Sedona Campuses
May 17--Club & Charitable Fund Board Meetings, 4:30 p.m.
May 18--Fellowship Get Together, 4:30 p.m.
May 25--Julie Richard, Executive Director, Sedona Arts Center
June 8--Induction of New Officers & Directors, Time & Location TBA
June 15--Fellowship Get Together, 4:30 p.m. Location TBA
June 21--Club & Charitable Fund Board Meetings, 4:30 p.m.
 
 
Visit our web calendar for more details on speakers and events https://sedonarotary.org/events/calendar
 
 
Editor: Linda M. Clark