Angelo Matisko Awarded ScholarshipSRRHS senior Angelo Matisko was awarded a Red Rocks Rotary $2,500 Vocational Scholarship at the school's Scholarship Night on May 18. Donna Hawk presented the award. Angelo is planning to attend Yavapai Community College and become accredited in Computer Numerical Control Machining.  |
Camp Verde Scholarship WinnerCamp Verde High School hosted its Scholarship Awards Presentation on Thursday, May 14 at 11:45 in the campus' performing arts center. Donna Hawk was on hand to present the club's $2,500 Vocational Scholarship award to Leslie Torayno. Leslie is pursuing a nursing degree at Yavapai College. He also picked up a couple of other scholarships that will nearly cover his first year of studies. New for the 2026-27 year, the club's board was able to approve an additional $2,000 for a scholarship recipient's second year provided that they maintain a 3.0 GPA.  |
Annual Board RetreatThe 2026-27 Board of Directors met, ate, drank (moderately, of course) and planned at its annual Board Retreat on May 4. From left: Chris Roder, Luke Sefton, Randy Sosin, Allen Bradley, Kathryn Stillman, Dionna Prow and Andrew Bailor. Photo by Donna Hawk. With the club's Endowment Fund distributing earnings for the first time in its 24-year history, the incoming board was able to increase and expand on the many projects and programs supported. May the 4th be with you!  |
Holiday Wish List ProjectMaking a list and checking it twice. That’s the mission of Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks and its merry band of shopping elves this holiday season. Partnering for the second consecutive year with Sedona Oak Creek School Unified School District and its Winter Wishes project, Red Rocks Rotary is providing much needed items for ten students selected by the district to be in the program. This year’s students that Red Rocks Rotarians will be shopping for range in age from pre-kindergarten to tenth grade. The boys and girls each complete a “wish-list” for the school district that includes clothing, shoes, an item for school use and a personal item. Wanted items included sneakers, backpacks, water bottles, toys and mechanical pencils. Stacy Smith the SOCUSD Registrar and coordinator of the Winter Wishes program received the initial two gift bags packed with items furnished by the Rotary club on December 11. Smith expressed appreciation for the continued partnership with Red Rocks Rotary. Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks established its own holiday gifting program in 2012. Every year since, Red Rocks Rotary has worked with other local charitable organizations to identify individuals, families and seniors in need during the holidays. The club has furnished everything from clothing to household items, gasoline gift cards, toys, items for sports and pet food. Seniors have received socks, blankets, yard clean-up and housekeeping services. Red Rocks Rotary treasurer Donna Hawk said that the club has spent an average of $2,800 per year on the program for the past 13 years. “The funds have come from both the club’s fund-raising efforts and from contributions from the individual club members. It’s always one of our favorite annual ways of giving back to those in need in our community”. Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks chartered as a club in March 2002. It principally focuses its efforts on supporting local youth-oriented projects and programs that include RYLA (a Rotary sponsored leadership camp for students), vocational scholarships for graduating high school seniors, back-to-school backpacks, school supplies and Teacher of the Year awards that recognize Sedona’s exceptional educators. Stacy Smith of SOCUSD (below) receives two of the Red Rocks Rotary supplied gift bags on December 11.  |
7th PHF for Dave Thomas54-year Rotarian Dave Thomas received a surprise 7th Paul Harris Fellowship at the December 4 meeting. The award was courtesy of Donna Hawk who used her TRF points to recognize Dave.
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Congrats Jillian!Jillian Bradshaw was installed as the club's newest president at a party on June 25. Jillian follows in her father, John's, footsteps as the second generation of the Bradshaw clan to have a presidential nameplate on the commemorative gavel. Red Rocks Rotary has had brothers, sisters and a number of husbands and wives as members in the past. This is a first for a father and daughter to both be members and for them both to serve as club president.  |
Police Cadets Get New GearNew gear belts, under belts and holsters for the Sedona Police Cadet program have arrived! All provided courtesy of a $1,300 donation from Sedona Red Rocks. Sedona Red Rocks’ treasurer, Donna Hawk, presented the check to some of the cadet team, their advisors and Sedona Police Department leadership staff at their evening meeting on August 17. The Sedona Police Cadets are currently comprised of 8 recruits. A mix of six guys and two gals all currently enrolled in grades 9 - 12 either at Sedona Red Rocks High School or the private Verde Valley School. The program is open to any student that meets the qualifications and lives within the Verde Valley. Three cadets graduated as seniors last May and have exited the program. As the current school year has just started, they are actively looking for new recruits. The maximum number the program can accommodate is twelve. As a result of a press release in the Sedona Red Rocks News, the club became aware of the program. Officer Catherine Beers, the cadet’s co-advisor was contacted and the need for new equipment was expressed. As Sedona Red Rocks budgeted its giving for the 2023-24 year, the cadets’ wish for some new gear was included. Officer Beers and co-advisor Officer Mike Lucas train the cadets in real-life police tactical situations, following the written law and treating the public with respect and kindness. The highlight for the cadets is the opportunity to compete against their peers. Their next nation-wide competition is in Chandler, AZ in January 2024. No longer sporting used, mis-matched equipment, the cadets will be proud to wear their new Sedona Red Rock’s provided gear into competition. Good luck SPD Cadets!  |
2023 Charity Golf TournamentPerfect golfing conditions bode well for the team of defending first place champions David DeWitt, Stephen Cook, Wilfred Tewawina and Gene Moran as they swung their way to a low score of 54 to reclaim their title at Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks’ annual charity golf tournament. The sold-out event was held Saturday, April 8 at Sedona Golf Resort. Scoring a 56 and winning second place in a score card playoff were Dan Olson, Craig Klimczak, Brad Tebrake and Mark Hoagland. The only all women’s team of Valna Wilson, Alana Kelly, Heather Lammers and Ann Crossland took the dubious honor of last place team with a score of 82. Winners of the trophies for the individual golf skills contests were Lori Zaun for senior lady longest drive, Dean Patterson for senior man longest drive, Stephanie Foley for ladies’ closest to the pin, Brandon Sellers for men’s closest to the pin, Mindy McElroy for ladies’ long drive and Jack Johnson for men’s long drive. Johnson also bought forty-two Splash-for-Cash entries and chipped six balls in the target area. As a result of winning that contest, he split the total pot with Red Rocks Rotary and was awarded $790. Sponsors were on the course at holes 10 and 17 to interact with and heckle the players. Mimosas and Fireball shots were offered to golfers leaving the green at number 10 to celebrate completing the course’s signature par three hole. Following the round of golf, players returned to the clubhouse for a buffet lunch, the awards ceremony and featured raffle. Over 100 donated raffle items were displayed and included dining cards from local restaurants, gift baskets, jewelry, apparel, wine, liquor, baked goods and golf gear. Many local businesses supported the event by sponsoring tee box signs, towels, carts, caps, trophies, golf balls and bottled water. According to Red Rocks Rotary’s treasurer and chairman of the event Donna Hawk, the final results are not yet in but will be in excess of $25,000. Most of the funds raised are used to support the club’s youth- oriented projects and programs. Hawk noted in her speech at the luncheon that, since its inception in 2002, Red Rocks Rotary has contributed more than $300,000 locally. Photo below: Last Place Team of Alana Kelly, Heather Lammers, Ann Crossland and Valna Wilson proudly display their beer stein trophies.  |
20th Anniversary CelebrationChartered by Rotary International on March 15, 2002, Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks celebrated its twentieth anniversary at the club’s March 16 meeting held at Sedona Public Library. Of the club’s twenty-five original charter members, Allen Bradley, John Bradshaw, Ron Draxler, Donna Hawk and Randy Sosin remain active. Each of these five were awarded an honorary Paul Harris Fellowship presented at the meeting by Rotary District 5495’s Governor Bret McKeand. Paul Harris, for whom the fellowship is named, founded Rotary in Chicago in 1905. Rotary is now the world’s oldest and largest service organization with over 1.4 million members in 46,000 clubs around the world. Other Rotarian guests at the celebration were Rotary District 5495 Assistant Governor Joe Sweeney, Heather Hermen, president of the Sedona Village of Oak Creek Rotary club and Tom Taylor a long-time member and past president of the Rotary Club of the Verde Valley located in Cottonwood. Red Rocks Rotary provides service to the local community and, in partnership with Rotary districts and clubs worldwide, brings much needed assistance where needed. The club’s principal focus is youth-oriented projects and programs throughout the Verde Valley. Since 2002, according to the club’s treasurer Donna Hawk, Red Rocks Rotary has funded more than $300,000 in support.  |
Annual Board RetreatThe board along with prospective board member, Tony Hauserman, gathered for the annual board retreat and dinner at Donna's house on May 12. Looks like everyone had a great time except maybe Sheriff Bradley. Even the good food didn't seem to put a smile on old grumpy's sour puss.
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Trio of New MembersSedona Chief of Police Charles Husted joined Andrew Bailor and Dr. Dan Olson as the newest members of the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks. The trio were inducted by the club’s Foundation Chair, Ron Draxler, during the August 7 meeting at Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa. Scott Gilbert and Marjie Muro acted as their sponsors. |
Backpacks Delivered to SOCSDA variety of colorful backpacks will greet thirty-six at need elementary grade students as they return to classes at West Sedona School in August. The back packs, provided free of charge by the Rotary Club of Sedona Red Rocks, also contain essential school supplies. Each backpack, suitable for grades K – 4, holds two spiral notebooks, a dozen pencils, two glue sticks, one wedge eraser, a pair of safety scissors, a box of colored pencils and a set of 24 assorted crayons. This is the eighth year that Red Rocks Rotary has donated the backpacks and supplies. They will be distributed by the Sedona Oak Creek School District to students lacking the necessary start of school staples. The district’s new superintendent Dennis Dearden helped unload the backpacks when they were delivered to the district’s offices on July 19 by Red Rocks Rotarian Donna Hawk. The backpack donation is valued at nearly $1,000 which the Red Rocks Rotary finances through its fund raising efforts. During its past fiscal year, the club hosted seven events including its signature charity golf tournament and the popular Red Rocks Oktoberfest. Combined net proceeds for all of the events was over $38,000.  |
Holiday Wish List Project.jpg) .jpg) Raye Speirs braves the coldest morning of the season to assist Donna Hawk with the delivery of gifts to the seniors in the program.
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Back to School Backpacks Delivered |
Club Picnics at Sunset Park |
2014 Golf Classic Another Success
A field of 69 golfers teed it up at the club's annual charity golf outing on May 18 at the Sedona Golf Resort. A great time was had by all and a net profit of $16,000 was realized. |
2013 Installation Party |
13th Annual Charity Golf Classic a Huge Success
On Sunday May 19, ninety-two golfers participated in the club's annual charity golf event at the Sedona Golf Resort. Following the round of golf, the tournament includes lunch and its wildly popular raffle. This year the festivities also featured the live auction of an electric guitar autographed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Phoenix resident and avid golfer Alice Cooper. Capping off nearly three months of soliciting donations and organizational efforts, the tournament generated a net profit of $18,600 which will be used to fund Red Rocks Rotary's youth oriented projects and programs. |
Sedona Red Rocks Rotary Club helps Sedona Food Bank
Sedona Red Rocks Rotary assisted with a community service project this holiday season to benefit the Sedona Food Bank.
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JAVELINA BANK BRINGS IN THE BUCKS
Our Javelina "Piggy" Bank continues to be a steady source of revenue for the club. The bronze sculpture was created by Sedona artist Barbara R. Brown. A plaque on the base invites passing tourists to "Drop a Buck and Have Good Luck". |
