Chapala Sunrise Rotary Club received its official charter as Club Number 86070 of Rotary International at a formal ceremony and luncheon celebration held Saturday, August 30 at the Hotel Montecarlo.
Attending as the event’s guest of honor was Rotary District 4150 Governor Arturo Ruíz Juárez, who presided in presenting the charter certificate to club president John Gonzales. Club supervisor Arturo Magaña Navarro took charge of conducting the pinning ceremony for the club’s 31 charter members and four more new affiliates.
Other distinguished guests included Guadalajara’s German Consul Heike von der Heyde de Villva, along with district dignitaries Jaime Rivera Varela, José de Jesús Sánchez Reynoso, José Luis Navarro Ochoa and Rodrigo Franco Martin del Campo.
Ross Arnold, pastor of Lakeside Presbyterian Church, delivered an inspiring keynote address entitled “Achieving Greatness.” Musical entertainment was provided by the Instituto Internacional’s Music For All combo, under the direction of Jimmy Barto and Shannon Conshue.
Steps leading up to the foundation of the Sunrise club began in April of this year. The charter application filed the following month was approved by Rotary International on June 30. Title as an Asociación Civil non-profit status corporation was granted last month.
Gonzales was voted in as president at the group’s first official meeting in July. Officers elected to serve at his side are Sheila Paull, vice president; Lorene Fields, secretary; and Philip Newbold, treasurer.