SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotarian Honored
Mary Thompson receiving certificates of appreciation and a plaque from SSR President Ron Lenz
Frank Shipton
After nine years of outstanding and dedicated service, Mary Thompson is leaving the SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club (SSR) and the SaddleBrooke Community to move back east near her family. As a demonstration of our club’s appreciation, Ron Lenz, the SSR president, presented Mary with certificates of appreciation and a plaque.
Mary intends to remain an active member within Rotary after her move. However, we will miss Mary’s presence as an SSR member and wish her well as she enters another phase of life.
Honoring Jim Pfeifer
Honoring charter member Jim Pfeifer as an honorary member, left to right, are: Jim Pfeifer, his wife Pepper Pfeifer, President Gordon Wainwright, and Treasurer Joe Guyton.
Barbara Barr and Liese Razzeto
Jim Pfeifer was recognized as an honorary member of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke at this year’s holiday party. Jim was a founder of the club in 1997, serving as a charter member. He was instrumental in establishing the SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation and the Harlan Nygaard endowment. Jim served as president of our club and of the foundation. Jim married his wife Pepper in 1964 and both attended The Ohio State University. They have two children. Jim is a member of the Paul Harris Society and a Paul Harris Fellow plus 8.
When Jim and the charter members of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke applied to Rotary International for a charter in 1997, it took a lot of persuasion from those founding members. The international organization doubted that a Rotary Club in a 55+ community would live up to the service expectations of the organization. However, Jim and the charter members of The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke prevailed and were granted a charter. The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke is the very first club established in a retirement or 55+ active adult community. Since that time, The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke has been an award-winning club and outstanding in its position in the district.
In addition, Jim helped establish the SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation and the Harlan Nygaard endowment. The SaddleBrooke Rotary Club Foundation is the charitable arm of the organization. Through the foundation, the club raises money for programs for children and youth in the local area, scholarships for local students, international charity projects, and community service projects. The Harlan Nygaard endowment provides scholarships for local students. The endowment was named after the first president and originator of the club, Harlan Nygaard.
Furthermore, Jim served as the third president of the club and also as president of the foundation. His many years of participation in the club have touched the lives of so many, both locally and globally. Rotary was the world’s first service organization. Today, Rotary has grown to be the world’s largest volunteer organization. Rotarians can be found in more countries than the Red Cross, Starbucks, or even McDonald’s.
The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke is not only an award-winning organization devoted to making a difference locally and globally, it is also a club that enjoys coming together for lunch and lifelong learning. We currently meet weekly at the Ranch House Brewery and Grill with programs in the Ballroom at SaddleBrooke Ranch for weekly programs. Plus, we enjoy getting together for social events and service projects. We have fun making a difference.
The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke is open to anyone who is living or working in SaddleBrooke, SaddleBrooke Ranch, Oracle, Catalina, Oro Valley, and all surrounding communities. For more information, contact Wendy Guyton at 520-404-5712 or [email protected].