GRACE Executive Director Shonda Schaefer received the huge honor of being this year’s Grapevine Rotary “Pro”, a distinguished award given to fellow Rotarians for their integrity, service and community engagement.
The Rotary Club will formally recognize Shonda at an awards luncheon immediately following their Golf for Grads tournament on Monday, March 20 at the Cowboys Golf Club.
Tournament and raffle proceeds have raised over $150,000 in scholarships to local future leaders. The 2016 “Pro” was City Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem Darlene Freed.
Shonda’s fierce dedication to serve the community as her vocation and with her personal time has earned her more awards over the thirteen years as Executive Director than we can recount. The proud Rotarian’s love for the mission of GRACE, her family, staff and the community is unmatched.
The Rotary Club, whose motto is, “service above self” is an accurate reflection of the character of its members. As the first service club organization, volunteering one’s time and talent is the hallmark of its existence.
Last year the Grapevine Rotary Club donated two new water barrels outfitted for the GRACE Community Gardens. The water reservoir catches rainwater from the roof to cut watering costs and aide the volunteer gardeners working during the hot summer months.
The members are also faithful Feed Our Kids participants, providing lunch for nearly 300 at-risk children last summer.
Congratulations to our friend and leader who embodies what makes this community so special. For full event details or to register for the Golf for Grads Tournament, click here.
The Grapevine Rotary meets every Wednesday at the noon at the Lancaster Theater.
About Shonda Schaefer
Shonda began her tenure with GRACE as a volunteer when she was elected as a member of the agency’s Board of Directors in 2003. When the founder of GRACE made the decision to retire in 2006, Shonda was asked to step up from the role of a volunteer to the role of Executive Director. Shonda did so without hesitation. Over the course of thirteen years, Shonda has been an instrumental part of the community in many capacities.
At GRACE, Shonda’s primary responsibility is to keep the organization’s mission in line with the ever-increasing need of the community. Shonda is responsible for strategic planning, program design, fundraising, community relations, board development, staff supervision, volunteer management, and financial planning. Thanks to the leadership and direction of Shonda, thousands of lives have been touched in the community, and she exemplifies professionalism in her vocation and represents the best of a Rotarian.
Prior to joining GRACE, Shonda established a career in nonprofit leadership including positions with the YWCA, Captain Hope’s Kids, Contact Crisis Line and Children’s Cancer Fund. She is a certified Nonprofit Manager (CNM) and a graduate of Leadership Grapevine and Leadership Colleyville with over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.
Shonda is involved in numerous leadership roles in the community including Grapevine Chamber of Commerce (where she was named “The Godmother” of their membership event, Women’s Division of the Grapevine Chamber, Grapevine Rotary where she served as chair for the 2016 Golf Tournament and Fund Raising raffle), Grapevine Leadership Program Advisory Committee, GCISD Campus Excellence Committee, the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce, Southlake Mayor’s Advisory Board, and the Southlake Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Leadership Irving, Leadership Grapevine and Leadership Colleyville, just to name a few.
Shonda is married to Paul and they have three children, Alex, TJ & Tori. And who can forget their family pet pig, Bamm Bamm Schaefer.
