Four Peaks History

Four Peaks Rotary was chartered on April 27, 1997.  Below is a brief history of the club. 

1997-98

President:  Reece Stigler 

On April 27, 1997 the Four Peaks Rotary Club was chartered.  The sponsoring club was The Rotary Club of Fountain Hills. District Governor Howard Powers presented the charter to Stigler. Inducted were new members Lois Baghdasarian, Mary Beshere, Tricia Chebat, Dick Gale, Sheila Hulse, Tom Laws, Michael Plati, Christopher Plumb, Jack Richards, Roger Riggert, Nathan Stiffler.  Rotarians from the Fountain Hills Rotary that joined the new club were Gene Baker, Dick Bauer, Bill Beamish, Jack Claes, Gerald Ernst, Paul Perreault Jr., Jim Rudack, Stuart Shoob, Reece Stigler, Past District Governor Roy Tuttle Jr., Patricia Tuttle, Dean Versaw and Linda Wright. The club met at Poma’s Ristorante. The first member that was inducted to membership since charter was Don Foreman.  Don was a manager of baseball stadiums in San Francisco and New York.  Fundraisers were a learning process for the club and showed our club as active in the community.  Watermelon was served to people viewing the fireworks at the 4th of July.  Dick Bauer located the melons and truck to keep the costs in line.  Many people enjoyed the melons at a warm evening. The cow patty raffle was a very humorous process where cows were to mark a square on a matrix in a field.  The winner was in real need for cash and it allowed the lucky person to pay a debt.  The Four Peaks Rotary was active at the Art Fair picking up trash.  The income helped our club donate to our town.  A creative writing contest benefited students with cash awards for their future schooling.

1998-99

President:  Linda Wright 

In 1998, Linda Wright became the second president of Four Peaks Rotary Club. The club originally met at Poma's Restaurant.  The owner was enthusiastic about the club and offered the use of a soffit in the meeting room for displaying the banners.  The display was not only attractive but created public interest in Rotary and the Four Peaks club.    Some of the projects we supported during 1998-1999 were: First youth exchange student, Sophie Bovy from Belgium, Adopt a Native American Elder, Founders Day and Challenges of the Ages, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Soap Box Derby, McDowell Mountain School Mentoring Program, Creative Writing Scholarships Midnight Madness, India Peace Bird Project. Another fundraising opportunity presented itself in 1998.  The club explored having a food booth with the Chamber of Commerce at the Fountain Festival of Arts & Crafts.  The Chamber indicated they were filled to capacity with food vendors but they were in need of a Trash vendor.  The club considered this opportunity at the next Board meeting.  The meeting was a VERY long one with many pro and con arguments to the notion of Rotarians, professional business men and women, bagging trash.  Since we were a fun loving group and ready to roll up our sleeves in the name of good causes, we accepted the challenge.  We forever changed the complexion of the Fairs by taking great pride in our work of trash picking as well as ambassadors of goodwill for the community and our causes.  We all proudly wore our tee-shirts that were imprinted “We Talk Trash”.  Our little nest egg continued to grow.   Past President Linda’s reflections on her year: “Probably one of the my proudest accomplishments was to have a club be recognized as a Centurion Club by the RI for contributing $100 or more per member to the RI Foundation.  I considered this a significant accomplishment since most members were just learning about the International arm of Rotary.”   

1999-2000

President:  Gene Baker 

In 1999, Gene Baker became the third president of Four Peaks Rotary Club. The club participated in the Fountain Hills Soap Box Derby.  The club picked up trash for cash at The Great Fair, Festival of Arts and Crafts and the Native American Art Fair.  Proceeds from these events were given to support the Fountain Hills Historical Society, the Senior Center and the Indian Elders Program.   The club developed an Essay Contest to encourage students in the high school to do some creative writing.  The club developed a career day with the Fountain Hills Rotary Club for junior and senior students. Scholarship awards were given to deserving students. The club did the “Adopt-A-Street” program. The club developed the second “Challenge of the Ages”.  With Dick Bauer’s leadership, orphans were located, a house rented, a caretaker found, appliances, furniture, clothing and food were taken from Fountain Hills and delivered in Hermosillo to make a home for 12 children who were left on the street. J.C. Durnin directed the first Four Peaks Golf Tournament fundraiser. The traditional In and Out Party had a “tacky” theme – club members had little trouble finding appropriate attire.  Elvis was in the building and Gene was given a most unusual mounted gavel in honor of his year as president.

 2000-01

President:  Bill Beamish 

In 2000, Bill Beamish became the fourth president of Four Peaks Rotary Club. Bill brought a sense of humor and fun to his year as president.  Linsey Zook was sponsored as an outbound Rotary Exchange Student in Villeneuve, France.  Four Peaks Rotary sponsored an inbound Rotary Exchange Student, Suellen Mangili from Ibitinga, Brazil.   Bill organized the Soap Box Derby with a twist.  The races were run in the evening to have cooler weather. Dick Gale organized the club and participated in aid to the Native American Elders.   Cheryl Murray and others successfully provided funds for the Penny Playground Equipment. Dick Bauer organized the Four Peaks Golf Tournament as a successful fundraiser. Tom and Linda hosted the second tacky In and Out Party in their backyard.  After Dick Bauer’s “swim”, GSE team members are probably still wondering about that wacky Four Peaks club.

2001-02

President:  Dick Bauer 

In 2001, Dick Bauer became the fifth president of Four Peaks Rotary Club. Jerry Cain organized the Four Lads performances at Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church and $5,000 was presented to Childhelp, USA.  Jack Colley organized a benefit golf tournament to benefit causes including Hermosillo orphanage, youth study exchange, Rotary Youth Leadership (RYLA), Falcon Leadership Team, Rotary vocational scholarships, Four Peaks playground, Group Study Exchange, Gift of Life Program and Four Peaks Rotary teacher of the month.  Club members brought supplies and gifts to our Hermosillo orphanage. The club sponsored an inbound Rotary Exchange Student, Bertrand Hublau from Waterloo, Belgium. Ann Speer organized three white elephant sales to benefit our outreach charities.  Membership increased to 38 Rotarians. Past President Dick made a conscious effort to improve the number of and quality of our Guest Speaker Program.  He shares this humorous story of a trip down to Hermosillo: “One of the vehicles had a flat at night on the way down.  All of the vehicles stopped and we had to change the tire. We had a number of students from the FH HS Advanced Spanish class with us.  Some of the students had purchased large drinks in Nogales before we crossed the border.  By the time we had the flat, some of the girl students needed a “Rest Stop”.  They borrowed a flashlight and headed down the fence line in the dark.  When they came back, one of them had “sat” on a cactus in the dark.  Everyone in the group thought it was humorous except the student with the cactus spines.”

2002-03

President:  Jerry Ernst 

In 2002, Gerry Ernst became the sixth president of Four Peaks Rotary Club and a year of achievements, membership growth, fun and laughter began for the 38 members on board. Aside from the continuation of the club assisting those organizations previously identified over the years, Jerry began to develop the plans for The Four Peaks Rotary’s Centennial Project….It has evolved into the realization of a water “splash” park for completion and inauguration January, 2005 in Fountain Hills, AZ. During Jerry’s term our club was recognized with two top honors, the Presidential Citation and the District Achievement Award for accomplishments in the “Four Avenues of Service”.  When asked about his year, Past President Jerry said this: “I remember 2 things.  I remember the club grew and did not go belly up.  I will also cherish that the splash park was first discussed at a meeting at my house and feel that I was part of that great project by virtue of getting Dick to take on the centennial project for the club.” Jerry also brought back Rotary knowledge from another country – Texas.  He could not attend local PETS so he went to Texas PETS at DFW.  There, he learned the Texas 4 way test. 

• Is it legal
• Will we get caught
• Will anyone go to jail
• Will anyone be caught on tape?

2003-04

President:  Cheryl Murray 

Under the leadership of Cheryl Murray membership grew from 38 members to 45 members.  This growth brought greater diversity and increased the number of projects we could work on. The focus of Four Peaks Rotary remained on contributing to youth, within our community, our state and internationally. Four Peaks continued its sponsorship of the Valedictorian and Salutatorian Scholarships for 2004 FHHS graduates.  Financially, we contributed $5000 to Childhelp USA as well as had a field trip to build a “Ropes course” and to clean up Childhelp’s Wickenburg ranch.  Individual members “adopted” children at the East Valley Children’s Crisis Center in Mesa and we provided Christmas gifts for them.  We contributed $500 in additional assistance to the Center. We also contributed $5000 to Casa de Esperanza, the orphanage in Hermosillo, Mexico and several members took local high school students on a trip to the orphanage.  The highlight of the trip was seeing the joy on children's faces as they saw the ocean for the first time. Andi Rudiger, Germany, was our exchange student.Past President Cheryl had this to say about her year:  “Many club members had indicated we needed more “hands-on” projects in our club.  The Childhelp ranch in Wickenburg provided a great location for a weekend work event.  Rich and Nancy Dobson scouted out a location for evening “fellowship” – a local establishment complete with live music.  We were all thinking the music would be country – were we ever surprised!!!!!  Those of us on the trip will never forget the band and we’re still trying to figure out if the lead singer was male or female!!!!!

2004-05

President:  Mike Plati 

Mike Plati was president in 2004-05. Membership continued to grow from 45 members to 52 at year-end…. the continuation of membership growth, as in the previous two years, helped in providing additional people to assist the club in achieving its commitments.  Financially we committed to providing up to $50,000 towards the completion of the Rotary Centennial Splash Pad in Fountain Park, contributed $5000 to the Casa de Esperanza. and assisted during two visits in caring for the children and providing physical labor where needed, $5000 to Childhelp and assisted in a work effort at their Wickenburg ranch, $1500 for scholarships at Fountain Hills High School, $1400 to the Internationals “Polio Plus” campaign,$500 to the Fountain Hills School District Mentor Program, supported, recognized and provided financial awards to outstanding teachers in Fountain Hills through our Teacher of the Month Campaign, contributed $500 to the Districts “Gift of Life” efforts,$500 to the Wheelchair Foundation,$500 to the Tsunami Relief Fund,$500 and Xmas gifts to the East Valley Children’s Crisis Center,$200 to the Districts Hunger Plus campaign and financial contributions to the Fountain Hills Pop Warner organization, Fountain Hills Band Boosters and other District Vocational Funds. In addition, major highlights of the year included our support of the Student Exchange Program by sponsoring Tania Esparza from Spain; Sponsoring two local FHHS students and two needy HS students from Phoenix for RYLA.  Past President Mike’s most embarrassing moment: “Taking the baton from one of the most competent Presidents in Club History (Cheryl) and then giving club members much to worry about by screwing up the very first thing I was to do as President: leading everyone into saying the 4-way test.” His proudest accomplishment: “Helping get the Splash Park commitment defined and finalized.”  

2005-06

President:  Fred Manfredi 

Fred Manfredi was the ninth president of Four Peaks Rotary.  The club continued to support long-standing projects like Childhelp, FHHS scholarships and the orphanage in Hermosillo.  A Mardi Gras themed Bowl-a-thon was held in October to support the orphanage.  At the Christmas party, jackets for students displaced by Katrina were given in lieu of a gift exchange.  Yoske Esaki was the inbound exchange student from Japan.  Jerry Berna and Pete Donzelli chaired a very successful golf tournament and the Splash Park was just a permit or two from completion throughout most of the year. The first RI Matching Grant in several years was submitted and approved.  The grant will fund 10 grain banks in Niger to help provide an ongoing source of grain and income in the drought ravished area. Club meetings were enhanced with the introduction of the Birthday trivia game and Jerry’s countdown of the reign of King Fred. Past President Fred remembers this about DG Lucinda Rose’ visit to the club:  “Rebecca and I had just returned from a trip to San Diego, during the trip going and returning I had to stop at every checkpoint and answer questions about my ethnicity and citizenship.  The final insult came when 54 miles inside Arizona another checkpoint and misunderstanding led to me become outraged. Later that week we were enjoying a burger and beer at the “Tap House” Chris Peer and Dick Bauer joined us at our table.  I told them in detail about what I was put through, much to their laughter. Our next Rotary meeting Lucinda visited the club as part of her official duties that year.  During “Happy Dollars” and before Lucinda’s introduction both Peer and Bauer dressed as “Terrorists” came running through the meeting chanting and yelling and addressed me as “Muhammad”  all in front of the club and of course the governor. I must say I still laugh about it and will remember that one incident as part of term of president that year.”

2006-07

President:  Sandy Hellems 

The tenth president of Four Peaks Rotary was Sandy Hellems. Under her leadership, past projects continue and new ones thrived.  The Splash Park was finally dedicated, much to the delight of club members and the community alike.  Two trips were made to Gulfport, MS in support of Katrina relief.   Don Doty spearheaded a new fundraising project – Casino Night.  The event not only replaced the Bowl-a-thon in support of the orphanage in Hermosillo but also raised enough funds to support two additional scholarships to FHHS students who are active in community service. A scavenger hunt at the annual Holiday Party supported the East Valley Crisis Center.  Also in December, several club members participated in a racing event sponsored by another local club. Carol Vergaças was the inbound exchange student, the club’s second student from Ibitinga, SP, Brazil.  President Sandy’s proudest moment during her year was having her oldest, Savanna, selected to be an outbound exchange student to Spain during the 2007-08 school year.