The Rotary Club of Marana has baked up a unique opportunity for foodies to combine fitness, fun and philanthropy with the Fourth Annual Tour De Cookie at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 5.
The 35-mile non-competitive bike ride, which starts and ends at the Rillito River Raceway Park Farmer’s Market and continues along the Chuck Huckleberry Loop bike path, is highlighted by 12 cookie booths that each offer free cookies for riders.
“The Tour de Cookie is so much fun. It is one of the reasons that I ended up joining the Rotary Club of Marana. I thought it was just a great idea and a great way to get involved. I guess you could say that I was lured in by the cookies and great people,” said Laura Clymer, who joined the club in 2019 and is now president-elect.
Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self” appealed to Clymer, a local worker’s compensation attorney who represents injured workers.
People are also reading…
“Most Rotarians would say that we believe in giving back to the community, whether through local, national or international projects: That is a common bond that we share,” Clymer said.
She emphasized that the reach of the “small but mighty” 17-member club is impressive: It has helped with projects ranging from construction of a school and playground in Natabayengwe, Zimbabwe, to renovation of an assisted living facility in Mexico in partnership with the San Carlos Rotary Club. The club has also supported economic development of a village in Cameroon, lifting residents from poverty to prosperity through development of gardens and cottage industries.
“Rotary recognizes that the ties that bind us extend beyond our local communities and beyond our country and around the world. We are all bound together by this vision and have a commitment to lift each other up regardless of where people live,” Clymer said.
On the local front, the club assists with diverse projects such as food distribution for the Community Food Bank of Marana and home renovations for veterans. Additionally, it has built a play and exploratory area for children with special needs, gifted backpacks to students and supplied special air filtration systems for classrooms in Marana Unified School District. Other community service projects include Handbags for Hope for victims of domestic violence; support of families during the holidays; and construction of a Peace Garden in Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. The garden features Peace Poles inscribed with “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in different languages including English, Spanish, Hebrew, Mandarin Chinese and Tohono O’odham.
“One Rotary area of focus is to provide sitting spaces for people to pause and reflect about ways to bring peace into our individual communities. The hope is that if we put enough Peace Poles around the world, we will promote peace in a quiet way: It signifies Rotary’s wish for a world at peace, which we desperately need,” said Clymer.
The club hopes to raise at least $8,000 through the Tour de Cookie, which was primarily organized by Rotarian Dan Contorno. The family-friendly event allows riders to easily join or leave the Chuck Huckleberry Loop and adjust the distance of their rides. Brian Vance, owner of Catalina Brewing Company, is happy to support the effort.
“We are the bicycle-themed brewery in town — located right off of the Loop — and everyone likes cookies, and Rotary is such a good charity: It is a win-win for everyone,” said Vance, who became involved several years ago by providing beer-based cookies.
This year he is considering several options, from chocolate chip cookies which “are everyone’s favorite” to Girl Scout Cookies, which also support another nonprofit. In fact, the business sometimes offers Girl Scout Cookie and Beer Pairings at the brewery at 6918 N. Camino Martin in Marana.
Ultimately, Vance said that it is gratifying to support various charities through his business — including a holiday clothing drive in which clothing is delivered by bicycle to homeless people citywide on Christmas Day.
“Marana has been really good to us since day one. It is a real community and it feels good to be part of that community. Helping to support their causes is a priority,” he said.
