Rotarians do great things all year long, but we felt the time was right to combine our efforts and bring our communities together to focus on one solid week of service. Rotary is committed to making our world a better place – and there is no better place to start than in our own community.”

Elizabeth Mahoney, district governor for Rotary District 5495, and a member of the Rotary Club of Sun City.

About Rotary

Rotary brings together a global network of community leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. It connects 1.2 million members from more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. Visit Rotary.org and endpolio.org for more about Rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio.

About Rotary District 5495

District 5495 is one of two Rotary International districts serving Arizona. District 5495 includes 65 clubs and over 2,100 members. The district’s geographic boundaries include the Valley of the Sun all the way to the northern boundary of Arizona, and includes Laughlin, Nev. Visit www.rotary5495.org.

Rotary clubs and their members throughout Arizona invite friends, neighbors and fellow citizens to join them as they conduct service projects to benefit the local community during the first annual Rotary Week of Service April 17-24.

Rotary Week of Service aims to bring communities together to address pressing needs and assist families, organizations and others as the state begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Rotary clubs throughout the state are planning a wide range of community projects that include hosting food drives, cleaning local parks, donating items to homeless shelters, planting trees and more.

“The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our communities, and many of our friends and neighbors need help,” said Elizabeth Mahoney, district governor for Rotary District 5495, and a member of the Rotary Club of Sun City.

“Rotarians do great things all year long, but we felt the time was right to combine our efforts and bring our communities together to focus on one solid week of service. Rotary is committed to making our world a better place – and there is no better place to start than in our own community.”

There are 115 Rotary clubs – and over 3,000 Rotarians — in Arizona serving towns and cities of all sizes. Arizona is served by two Rotary districts – District 5495 and District 5500. The state’s first Rotary club was started over a century ago and several clubs in Arizona are preparing to celebrate their 100th anniversary.

Many clubs have a community service project planned during Rotary Week of Service. A complete list of community service projects can be found at azrotary.org. Visitors to the site can find information on projects in their community and sign up to volunteer or participate in the project.

A sample of some of the projects planned in the West Valley:

• Peoria North Rotary Club is working with Heart for the City to restore a community garden, 8-11 a.m. April 17.
• Rotary clubs in Sun City and Sun City West seek volunteers during the week to join them in assisting Valley View Community Food Bank.
• The Rotary Club of Surprise Sunset will host its fourth annual Bean Bag Day 8 a.m.-4 p.m. April 24. Volunteers are invited to help club members pack pinto beans into bags that will be donated to Valley View Community Food Bank.

“We know there are a lot of people who want to help others and give back – but just can’t seem to find the perfect opportunity. Rotarians are not only committed to service, but they’re closely connected to their communities, and in the best position to identify and coordinate local projects that address urgent needs,” said Ms. Mahoney.

“We want this to be a true community-wide effort, and encourage non-Rotarians to join us,” she added.

American Furniture Warehouse is the official community corporate partner for Rotary Week of Service. American Furniture Warehouse has long been a partner with Arizona Rotary District 5495, collecting and storing donations of mobility devices for the district’s Crutches 4 Africa program.

Rotary members throughout the world take action to make communities better. They contribute their time, energy, and passion to carry out meaningful and sustainable projects that promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, help mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies.

Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio. Rotary launched its polio immunization program, PolioPlus, in 1985 and in 1988 became a leading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.