Planting a tree on Earth Day reflects our belief in sustaining and protecting our environment. At the same time, its location near the children’s playground represents our ongoing commitment to support educational programs and ensure that our children have a safe and welcoming place to be together and play.”

SLRC President Jon Lyons

Sun Lakes Rotary Club members will be joined by community leaders and kindergarten students from the Strong Foundations Academy at a special tree planting ceremony celebrating Arizona Rotarians at Work Week.

The event is 3-3:45 p.m. on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, at Snedigar Park East, 4705 E. Basha Road in Chandler, near the children’s playground, according to a release.

The Strong Foundations Academy children will sing a song during the celebration and will give small gifts to those who attend the planting of an ash tree.

Special guests planning to attend the service project include:

• District 17 State Rep. Jennifer Pawlik;
• Chandler Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Kimble;
• Rotary District 5495 Past District Gov. Nancy Van Pelt, currently leader of Peace Building Clubs;
• Judi Edmonds, SLRC Peace Building Projects Committee Chair; and
• Ruston Reynolds from Earnhardt Automotive.

“As Rotary members, we believe in working collaboratively to address important issues that affect so many in our community and around the world,” SLRC President Jon Lyons said in the release. “Planting a tree on Earth Day reflects our belief in sustaining and protecting our environment. At the same time, its location near the children’s playground represents our ongoing commitment to support educational programs and ensure that our children have a safe and welcoming place to be together and play.”

Among educational programs supported by SLRC are the Dictionary Project through which every Chandler Unified School District third grader receives a dictionary, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and AZCEND.

Sun Lakes Rotary holds weekly Tuesday meetings for its more than 80 members through Zoom, alternating between morning (7 a.m.) and evening (5 p.m.) For more information about Sun Lakes Rotary, go to www.sunlakesrotary.com or https://www.facebook.com/groups/SunLakesRotaryClub/ on Facebook.