Thirty miles separates SaddleBrooke from Arizona's Copper Corridor. The drive takes less than an hour. Those 30 miles can represent a lifetime of difference.
Communities such as Mammoth, San Manuel, Winkelman and Hayden were once prosperous mining towns built around the copper industry. When the mines closed, thousands of jobs disappeared. Businesses closed, families moved away: the communities were forever changed. Those who remained have shown remarkable resilience, but the economic effects are still felt today.
Members of SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary witness that reality every week.
While volunteering in the San Manuel schools, Rotary members noticed many children were hungry. Teachers explained that even a healthy snack made a noticeable difference. Children who had eaten were calmer, more attentive and better able to learn.
That simple observation led to an even simpler question:
What if We Could Help?
Today, SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary provides healthy snacks to every kindergarten through third-grade classroom in the San Manuel schools. The program has grown into one of the club's most meaningful service projects, easing hunger while encouraging healthier eating habits and introducing children to foods many had never experienced before.
One volunteer remembers standing in a classroom slicing apples. As each apple was cored and cut, the room fell silent. The children sat quietly, simply watching and waiting. It was a reminder that something we take for granted can be extraordinary to a child.
At first, many children wanted the apples peeled. Then one child encouraged the others, "You should try them. They're sweet." By the third visit, the apples were disappearing with their skins on.
Another volunteer watched a young student carefully remove every strand of the white membrane from an orange before eating it. Smiling gently, the volunteer said, "You can eat that part too. It's very nutritious." The child looked up in surprise, never knowing it could be eaten.
A few weeks later, during classroom sharing time, one little boy proudly announced that his family had bought applesauce. It was a small moment, but it suggested that lessons learned at school were beginning to find their way home.
Teachers say the difference is unmistakable. Except for kindergarten, most classrooms serve the snacks in the afternoon because many children may not eat again until evening. A nutritious snack helps students settle into their lessons, concentrate longer, and be ready to learn.
Teachers are enthusiastic partners in the program. Before Rotary involvement many quietly provided snacks despite modest salaries. Rotary supplied apple cutters and preparation tools, and teachers agreed the effort to prepare fresh fruit was worthwhile.
Behind every snack are volunteers who purchase approved foods, monitor allergies, prepare and package snacks, and deliver them to every classroom. Snacks meet USDA nutritional guidelines and include fresh fruits or vegetables whenever possible.
This fall, Rotary volunteers will participate in the school's Back-to-School Night, meeting with parents to discuss healthy eating and the importance of good nutrition in helping children succeed in the classroom.
For Sunrise Rotary, the snack program is about more than food. It supports learning, encourages healthier choices, strengthens families, assists teachers and reminds children that someone they may never meet believes in them and cares about their future.
The Real Measure of Success
No annual report, spreadsheet, or statistic can truly measure what this program means. The real story is found in handwritten thank-you notes covered with colorful drawings, in children quietly watching an apple being sliced, in teachers seeing students ready to learn, in a child proudly announcing his family bought applesauce, and in one small voice encouraging another, "You should try them. They're sweet."
Those moments remind us why we make the drive every week. It's only 30 miles. Sometimes 30 miles can change a child's future.
How You Can Help
Your gift makes a difference. SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. P lease make checks payable to: SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Foundation. Memo: Snack Program
Mail to: Roger Swett, Treasurer, SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary, 63209 E. Desert Highland Drive, SaddleBrooke, AZ 85739
For questions, send an email to sbrotarysunrise@gmail.com.
Together, we can make a lasting difference—just 30 miles away.
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