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Welcome to the Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek

Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

Desert Edge January Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 12th grader Autumn Shanahan to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Science.

Autumn was nominated by her Science teacher Mr. Carroll:

I would like to nominate Autumn Shanahan. She has excelled in all science classes that she has taken including AP. What makes her even more special is her passion for science and sustainability. She has a wealth of information that she has learned in and outside of school. During class, she has great insight and wonderful questions. I have learned some things by listening to her answers. One of her areas of interest is in Agricultural Science. She has been involved in Agricultural Sciences since her freshman year, been involved in FFA and has competed in the state competitions. She has taken on projects outside the classroom such as her black soldier fly larvae feeding system. This is where food scraps that would normally be thrown away can be given to black soldier fly larvae and then those larvae can be fed to chicken hens. This will turn waste into food for humans. Autumn is a model student and a human being in general. Having her here at DE has been great for our school and everyone around her.

Millennium January Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 9th grader Kyle Van Patton to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Science.

Kyle was nominated by Science teacher, Mr. Nettles:

It is with great enthusiasm that the science department nominates Kyle Van Patton. As a 9th grader, Kyle has already distinguished himself through his exceptional mechanical skills and leadership abilities. A key member of the school’s robotics club, Kyle has taken on a leadership role, guiding his peers in designing and constructing innovative robotic systems. His dedication, problem-solving mindset, and ability to collaborate effectively have made a significant impact on the success of the club's projects. Kyle's enthusiasm for learning and his willingness to mentor others reflect his strong character and commitment to excellence. He is not only a talented individual but also an inspiring role model for his peers. Kyle's contributions to our school community make him a deserving recipient of this honor.

Rotarians today got a lessons on Dementia

Rotarians today got a lesson on what it is like to be a person with Dementia. Each of us was asked to dull our senses and complete some very simple tasks that each of us do daily with ease. But to heighten our empathy for the patients, we wore gloves, fought through static to hear, and wore dark glasses that distorted our vision and blocked our peripheral vision. Those everyday tasks, like putting on a shirt, were very difficult. Thus, our understanding levels for those suffering from dementia were heightened. Thank you, Helena Morgan, from Hospice of the Valley, for sharing your expertise and experience with us. Our great lesson....to help avoid dementia is 30 minutes of exercise daily and keep socially engaged to help prevent the onset of this disease. So join all Rotarians and get moving!

December Rotary Inductees

On December 18, 2024, the Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek welcomed William Marcum, Jr. (Bill) and R. Gregg Mitchell as new members.

Bill is a long time Rotarian, having initially joined in 1988 in Albany,Oregon. His most recent club was in Longview, Washington, Longview Early Edition Rotary Club. Bill’s classification is Newspaper Publisher and he is a Paul Harris Fellow. He and his wife Brenda moved to PebbleCreek from Longview, Washington and look forward to serving
our community through Rotary.

Gregg initially joined Rotary in 1983 with the Rotary Club of Millard Omaha.Gregg’s classification is Real Estate Appraiser. Gregg and his wife Donna moved to Goodyear, Arizona from Omaha and his membership is being transferred from Nebraska. Gregg is a Paul Harris Fellow and is looking forward to the many activities our club has to offer the community.

Rotary 2024 Holiday Food Boxes

On Dec.14th, The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek, with friends from Avondale Toyota and Microsoft, loaded 80 food boxes with everything a family would need for a Christmas dinner. Rotary partners with Target on Yuma to ensure a good meal is available to those in need.

This activity happens because of the passion of Rotarian Charlie Miller. Charlie writes a grant that doubles our budget allowing us to reach 80 families. He works with Target employees to stretch the dollar as much as possible. He gathers his fellow Rotarians to pack the food boxes and gets them delivered to the doorsteps of the families! Thank you Charlie for your leadership and dedication to this important Rotary project.

Desert Edge December Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 11th grader Travion Dixson to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award in Overcoming Adversity.

Travion was nominated by his football coach, Mr. Bryce Wright, who shared the following story:

Travion recently lost his mother who he was very close with. Most 16-17 year olds would struggle mightily with a loss of this magnitude and some may even give up on prior commitments. On top of that, Travion has not had the football season he may have predicted; however, he has shown up every single day ready to work and get better at his craft as a receiver. I truly admire the strength he has exhibited and his ability to show up consistently with the same effort each day. Travion has been a pivotal part of the football team and that is a testament to his willingness to battle through adversity.

Millennium December Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 11th grader Samantha Kramer to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for Overcoming Adversity. She is currently on homebound instruction due to a medical condition that she is battling.

Samantha was nominated by three of her teachers:

Samantha has always shown exemplary work and a caring heart for others in need. Amidst her brief absence from school, she has continued to try to complete her work and strive towards excellence. Millennium is a better place because of students just like Samantha."--Mr. Sablan

She is a very intelligent and sweet young lady, that in spite of what life has thrown at her, she still has a positive attitude and smile.--Mrs. George

Sam shows exemplary follow-through, not only with her grades, but with her conceptual understanding. She is a disciplined learner who will achieve great results. I'm excited for her future!--Mrs. Wright.

Join Us for the Rotary Pebble Creek Rotary Casino Night

Click Here for More Info and to Buy Tickets

Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek hosts renowned chef Kevin Barko

Today the Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek hosted the renowned chef Kevin Barko of Meals of Joy and owner of Heritage Street Cooks. Kevin gave us a lively presentation on cooking an outstanding turkey while telling stories about kitchens across the country and famous TV chefs. According to Kevin, the kitchens of today are nothing like what we see on TV. The goal of kitchens today is one of mutual respect and support. Today's chefs want a happy kitchen with engaged and calm workers. Sounds like good advice for any employer today!

Thank you Chef Kevin for the wonderful presentation and the encouraging words you left for our young readers. Our club is donating a children's book in Kevin's name to our Rotary Lending Libraries. The message he left for our readers is good for all of us. Kevin wrote,"Remember the more you read, the more you will learn." So keep reading and keep cooking!

Millennium November Student of the Month

Millennium High School selects 12th Grader Erin Ortiz to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for Community Outreach.

Erin was nominated by Mrs. Jennifer Grumbling with the following narrative:

Erin Ortiz goes above and beyond to serve Millennium High School and our surrounding community. As Key Club President, she oversees 120 club members to make sure that the environment is inclusive and that all members are involved, engaged, and appreciated. Erin works tirelessly to lead the club and organize weekly club meetings. She spends countless hours recruiting club members to serve in events such as the mobile food pantry, Goodyear Make a Difference Day, and a handful of trunk or treat events, to name a few. Erin gets things done. For example, the Rotary Club of Goodyear PebbleCreek reached out to Millennium to have students participate in the Purple Pinkie Polio Project in recognition of World Polio Day on October 24th. Erin single-handedly organized and promoted two events to raise money for the Rotary. On October 23rd, Erin was out at lunches with a team of students and Senior to Senior community members to collect money and paint pinkies. On October 24th, Erin raised money at lunches with a handful of students by holding Teacher Pie in the Face competition. She even bought the whipped cream and pie tins with her own money, and I hear that she donated $50 towards her Physics teacher, the wonderful Mr. Wirth. In two days, Erin (and the Millennium Key Club) raised over $300 to help eradicate polio. For both days, Millennium students donated during lunches while learning about the need for polio eradication and getting involved in giving back to the world. Erin successfully rallied the Millennium students to get them enthusiastic about donating for this cause and to have fun while doing it. This is not an easy task. Great job Erin! Millennium is proud of you!

Desert Edge November Student of the Month

Desert Edge High School selects 12th Grader Delissia "Dee Dee" Fierro to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award for Community Outreach.

Erin was nominated by her art teacher, Mr. Ryan Williams, with the following narrative:

It’s my pleasure to recommend Delissia Fierro, a student whose dedication to community and leadership shines through in everything she does. As an Academy Ambassador, she guides new freshmen with care, helping them transition smoothly and ensuring they feel supported. Beyond mentorship, she collaborates with local businesses to secure funding and promote our school, showing her initiative and commitment to the community. Delissia’s passion extends to her involvement in clubs like Theater, Culture Club, Film & TV, and Student Government. Her presence is uplifting, and her involvement is key to making our school a welcoming, connected environment. Through the Senior to Senior program, she fosters bonds with local senior citizens, bringing joy and engagement across generations.

As President of the Art Club, Delissia leads with thoughtfulness, creating an inclusive space for students and building connections with the larger community. She played a vital role in the DE Colors Concert, coordinating the art section and collaborating with other groups to make the event a success. Her volunteerism also includes impactful initiatives beyond campus, such as participating in Feed My Starving Children and teaching ceramics at Pebble Creek Community. Delissia’s character is best exemplified by her self-funded pumpkin-carving activity for our medically fragile students, which showed her generosity and care for those around her. She is a standout leader who embodies the spirit of service and compassion, and I wholeheartedly recommend her for any opportunity that lets her strengths shine.

Verrado Rotary Donates to DIPL

The Verrado Rotary Foundation presented Jim Frey with a $2,500 check to be used to pay for the books being mailed from the Dollywood Foundation to the 450 children in the DPIL program that live in Buckeye. Shown in the picture are Doug Bredow on the left, Verrado Rotary Foundation president and Holly Knaut, Verrado Rotary Club president.

Senior to Senior Football Outing

On Friday, our Rotarians and Senior to Senior group were hosted as VIP's at the Canyon View High School Football game. We dined in the end zone of the football stadium and watched the most beautiful sunset over the White Tank Mountains. In addition, we were asked to be part of the "coin toss" to start the game.

Active Rotarians for Our Coin Toss Team were Betsy Hardrgrove who is currently the Superintendent for Avondale Elementary District. Joining her was Mark Yslas, Supt. for Agua Fria High School District, and Carter Davidson the Superintendent for Litchfield Elementary School District. And the lucky person flipping the coin was, Mary Kay Utecht, President of Goodyear Pebblecreek Rotary. We had a great turnout for this event. I think everyone had a wonderful evening of football and fellowship. Fun and friendship is the other "Business of Rotary" while we provide needed service to our communities.

For those of you who have not joined in the Rotary fun, come visit us as do business every Wednesday morning at 7:00am at Eagles Nest. You will see our sign welcoming you to join our group.

If you have any questions, call Linda Babcock 602.770.3924. She is the Membership chair for the Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek.

New Rotary Members for October 2024

The strength of every Rotary club is determined by its members who are the people who do service for their communities. The Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebblecreek increased its strength with the addition of two members. We are happy to Welcome Becky Marrer and Kare Fiorenza as new members to our

club.

Karen is a resident of Pebblecreek and is active with many activities in Pebblecreek. She was sponsored by Colleen Mallany and I bet they met on the pickleball courts. Karen is a former Infant Welfare professional from Chicago. We are so happy she decided to leave the snow and join us in the sunshine. Karen's former career makes being a Youth Service Committee member a natural. However, she has
also been tapped to serve with The Vocational Avenue of Service as well.

Becky Marrer is a transplant from the East Coast and spent many years in Glendale, AZ. During that time, she helped raise two daughters and worked as a social worker (MSW) for UMOM, Faith House as well as for a elementary west side school district. A Becky was an adjunct faculty at Glendale Community College and is currently a Faculty Associate at the ASU School of Socialwork.

Becky is a quiet leader who just gets it done without a lot of notice. She will be an outstanding Rotarian. Becky completes the Marrer family of Rotarians serving alongside her husband Gary.

We are so happy to have these dedicated ladies as part of our group! We are looking forward to serving with you! Service above self.

Paint the Pinkie for Polio

We started last week at the "Paint the Pinkie" event with our students at Verrado High School and Millennium High School. Students were raising money and awareness for Polio Plus. Most of this generation knows little about the ravages of polio suffered by the preceding generations. It was a good opportunity to inform the students of the work Rotary International is doing around the world to eradicate polio. Verrado students held their event in conjunction with their homecoming activities. They were able to "Paint the Pinky' of around 100 of their classmates. MHS held their event the following Wednesday followed by a "Pie in the Face of the Principal for Polio." We are so thankful to these high school students for their leadership and support to spread the word regarding polio.

September Student of the Month for Desert Edge High School in recognition of Outstanding Leadership - Agasne Bragado

Here is what her Art teacher, Mr Anthony Galto shared:

"I would like to nominate Agasne Bragado for leadership recognition. Agasne demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout the summer while collaborating with the City of Goodyear’s Community Engagement Office within the Mayor’s Office. She played a pivotal role in designing the city’s "Topics on the Move" vehicle wrap, leading the project from its inception to successful completion. Her dedication and consistency not only drove the project forward but also strengthened our relationship with one of our most valuable stakeholders. This remarkable achievement deserves to be celebrated."

Millenniun September Student of the Month

September's Millennium Student of the Month is 11th grader Madison Mendoza. Here is the short narrative from her Spanish teacher, Mr. Davenport:

"Madison Mendoza is a leader in multiple contexts who holds both herself and her peers to high expectations. She is a leader on the mat as a cheerleader, where she serves as captain. Leading by example, Madi pushes herself to grow and get better every single day, and pushes her teammates to do the same. In the classroom, Madi is a leader, where she gathers primarily As and Bs. She holds herself accountable for performing well in her classes, and assists others as well to help them also reach their goals in class. In fact, she is a huge help to her classmates, teachers, coaches and teammates. Madi is always asking how she can help, steps in when a voice is needed, and is a willing volunteer to ensure the success of her class or her team. She also offers great ideas. She is not afraid to take on multiple responsibilities either, also serving as a club leader in MHS' Hype Squad. Madi's dedication trickles down to others, which makes her such an effective leader and model for others to follow."

Watts of Love

Nearly 1 billion people around the world are without electricity and live in darkness. They spend up to 30% of their income on dangerous fuel sources just to have light, and it keeps them in a cycle of poverty.

It leaves them powerless.

BUT SOLAR LIGHT BREAKS THAT CYCLE

Access to solar lighting eliminates the need for a costly fuel source and offers immediate savings.

Solar lighting also means people can continue daily activities after dark, which directly impacts household income, safety, and overall health.

Solar light starts people on the pathway to prosperity.

Giving light to educate & empower

Rotary Club or Goodyear Pebble Creek thanks Sun Health

Jim Frey presented Megan Word, Sun Health VP Marketing & Communications, a certificate of appreciation for their many years of sponsoring the Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary Foundation golf tournaments.

GYPC Little Lending Library Update

Many thanks to Tobias Holf and Tasha Austin of PMG Labels for printing the labels that will go on the 11 Little Lending Libraries being placed around the West Valley.

The first Little Lending Library is by State Representative Mariana Sandoval’s house in Goodyear. All the Little Lending Libraries will have both children and adult books .

Over 600 books have been collected so far for this project.

Presentation to MIcrosoft

On behalf of the Goodyear PebbleCreek Rotary, Rotarian Jim Frey presented a certificate of appreciation to Adonis Trujillo of the Microsoft Corp. Microsoft has been a continuous supporter of Dolly Parton Imagination Library over the years. Microsoft allows our ROTARY club to pay for children birth to five, to receive a new book each month. Presently, we are supporting 1600 children and Microsoft has been a generous partner in this endeavor. Together we are spreading the message of literacy importance. Thank you Adonis Trujillo and Microsoft as we continue to spread story, words and print to our youngest learners. We appreciate you and your help!

2023/24 Senior to Senior Program Video