The Sunupian Template (Apr. 12, 2026)

This watering guide for plants was one of many gardening tips which Rotarian Ken Lain, from Watters Garden Center, shared with our club last week at our meeting. Having spent 30 years mastering high mountain gardening, Ken has become known as "The Mountain Gardener." He shares his expertise in the Prescott Daily Courier, the Prescott News and on the Mountain Gardener Radio Show and podcasts with his wife Lisa, who is the daughter of Harold Watters, who founded Watters Garden Center in Prescott in 1962. Ken proudly pointed out that Watters is now being led by their daughter, Mckenzie Lain, as a 3rd generation Watters running the business. Ken brought with him a number of recommended plants that will do well here in Prescott, along with a bag of Watters' special Garden Grounds whole bean Ethiopian coffee (which he gave to the Sunupian editor, in honor of his birthday).

Ken expressed deep concern over a potential widespread loss of large numbers of pine trees this year, as he said happened 20 years ago, due to an infestation of the pine bark beetle. The problem, he said, is due to the lack of a hard freeze this winter, which usually kills off most of the beetles. He recommended a Shrub & Tree Drench product, which can be poured around the base of each pine tree, He said, when absorbed by the tree, it will kill the beetles living inside its bark. Our club is particularly grateful to Ken, who is a member of the Prescott Frontier Rotary Club, and to Watters Garden Center for providing each year the plants used for our annual maintenence of the All-Vets Memorial on the Courthouse Square.

Rotary's Investment in Youth

Hugo also wrote:

It is with great pleasure that I write to you as the current Vice President of the Rotaract Club at Northern Arizona University. Establishing this club has been a challenging process, but through the persistence and dedication of Sophia Brown and me, we are proud to share that the club was officially recognized on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

This achievement would not have been possible without the support of your club and the scholarships you have generously provided to Sophia and me. Your investment in us has directly contributed to making this organization a reality.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Hugo Garcia Duran

Vice President

Rotaract Club of Northern Arizona University

At our meeting last week, Co-Pres & Scholarship Chair Laura Vanderberg introduced Mya Buerck and Josiah Bousum, the recipients of our club's first two Embry Riddle Aeronautical University student scholarships. Both are members of the ERAU Silver Wings Rotaract Club, which our club sponsors. Mya is actually the club's president, and she has personally assisted with a number of our Sunup Rotary service projects.

We would note that our club gets the greatest mileage out of the dollars we invest in scholarships given to youth who have already become committed to Rotary through their voluntary participation and leadership in our Rotary Youth Programs. We are so proud of our youth in these programs, and of all they are accomplishing!!

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Food Sorting for our Food Banks

Jane Anne Shimizu is flanked by Xiao Zhu and Todd Clancy at the Prescott high school food sorting on Saturday

Prescott Rotarians joined Frontier Rotary at Prescott High School on Saturday, April 11 to unload, sort and box food donations. Volunteers filled two large cargo trucks for delivery to Yavapai County Food banks. Frontier Rotary Club leads this food drive the second Saturday on even-numbered months.