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