Rotary Club of Green Valley

06/18/2026

Our club leader transition party was a great success, with tasty tacos from Frausto's food truck (outgoing president Mike's fav) and brief remarks from incoming pres, John O'Rourke, with thanks for the desserts to Becky Roberts, and thanks for the venue to Bill & Barb Stokes, who shared their beautiful clubhouse. Photos by the great photog Eveline Eaton, who doubles as membership director!

06/03/2026

The Rotary Club of Green Valley welcomed a new member at this week's meeting with the formal induction of Colleen Ward, representing Washington Federal Bank under the club's corporate membership category.
During the ceremony, club leaders emphasized that Rotary membership extends far beyond Green Valley, connecting members to a worldwide fellowship dedicated to service and ethical leadership. Colleen was reminded that Rotary membership carries both honor and responsibility, including regular meeting attendance, participation in service projects, and the opportunity to apply her professional expertise in support of Rotary's mission.
Members stood to welcome Colleen as she officially joined the club. Her sponsor and longtime friend, Phil Silvers, presented her Rotary pin before fellow Rotarians gathered to personally congratulate her. One member noted that Colleen is a true Southern Arizona native—born in Tucson and educated along the I-19 corridor—making her a rarity in a club whose membership includes many transplants from other parts of the country.
In her acceptance remarks, Colleen expressed gratitude for the warm reception and reflected on Rotary's long tradition of service and fellowship. She observed that Rotarians don't just talk about service—they live it, arriving early, staying late, and building lasting friendships along the way.
With humor and sincerity, she paid tribute to Phil for his encouragement and mentorship, thanking him for "nudging" rather than pressuring her to join and for helping her recognize the value of becoming part of the Rotary family.
Colleen said she looks forward to learning from the club's members, embracing its traditions, and contributing her own talents and energy. She concluded by expressing her enthusiasm for serving alongside fellow Rotarians "one project, one laugh, and one story at a time."

05/02/2026

04/23/2026

Rotary Helps Green Valley Students Grow — Literally
Earth Day 2026 brought a special celebration to Continental School
On Earth Day, April 22, 2026, students, teachers, Rotarians, and community members gathered at Continental School in Green Valley to dedicate a newly refurbished greenhouse — a project that puts hands-on environmental education right in the schoolyard.
The greenhouse became a reality through a grant from Rotary District 5500 in Tucson, a contribution from the Rotary Club of Green Valley, and the support of several community partners. Much of the credit for getting the project off the ground belongs to club member Betty Pierce, who championed the initiative from the start. Though unable to attend — she has since headed north for the season — her work was warmly recognized at the event.
Incoming club president John O'Rourke spoke at the dedication, noting how perfectly the project aligns with two of Rotary International's core areas of focus: basic education and the environment. "This project really is right in the heart — the sweet spot — for Rotary International," he told the crowd.
O'Rourke made a point of reminding the students just how fortunate they are. After asking the adults in the audience to raise their hands if their elementary school had a greenhouse, only one hand went up — somewhere in the back of the crowd. "Students, what I'm telling you is you are very special," he said. "You are very lucky to have a resource like this where you can learn, participate, and grow."
He closed with a favorite quote that felt perfectly suited to the occasion: "A society grows great when one plants trees under the shade of which they will never sit."
Congratulations to Continental School, and to everyone who made this project bloom.

03/12/2026

From Rotarian Betty Pierce, who wrote the grant for this; Fourteen Green Valley Rotarians, Sue Horton of Valle Verde Rotary, and our guest speaker at Rotary this week, Tom Tudor and his wife B’Ann and husband of Pam Pine (Rick) worked a total of 6 hours assembling 11 planting tables at Continental School District. It was hard work, a demonstration of patience and commitment, and a labor of love!

Seeding the Future is coming to life!

03/10/2026

02/19/2026

Four new members were sworn in at our Feb. 17 meeting, bringing our total active membership to 51, the highest in several years. Past District Governor Julie Reppenhagen swore in Dr. Peter Kozisek and his wife Julie Robinson both sponsored by Lynn Birleffi, Leda O'Neal, sponsored by Past President Jill Leach, and Denise MacDonald, sponsored by both her brother, Tom MacDonald and Kai Harris.
These new members have already been active, most working during our recent fundraiser, the "Spaghetti Spree" and also in the case of the first two, having attended this year's first STAR (Rotary 101) training while they were prospective members.
That training, conducted by our sister club, Valle Verde, will conduct its second session Feb. 27 at Friends In Deed's offices at 1 p.m. We'll be hearing more from these new members in coming weeks.

01/26/2026

The five core values of Rotary reflect what guides Rotarians in service and leadership:
• Service – Putting others first and making a positive difference in communities.
• Fellowship – Building meaningful friendships and connections across cultures.
• Diversity – Valuing different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.
• Integrity – Acting ethically and being accountable in all we do.
• Leadership – Using skills and influence to inspire positive change.

Together, these values drive Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self. 💙🌍