PebbleCreek Democratic Club Founding Treasurer Jim Reynolds and his wife, Carol, flanked by the current club officers (left to right): Vice President Chuck Veltri, President John Moore, At-Large Member Becky Rodes, Secretary Vicki Barber, and Treasurer George Peterson-Karlan
Alisa Moore
The capacity crowd at the Feb. 2 meeting of the PebbleCreek Democratic Club erupted into cheers and a standing ovation when President John Moore introduced a charter member of the club, Jim Reynolds, the first treasurer, who was celebrating his 90th birthday.
Jim and his wife, Carol, moved to PebbleCreek in 1997 from Seattle after he retired from a long career in the legal services department at Boeing. After retiring from a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force and retiring as a captain, Jim went to law school, entered private practice, and then joined Boeing.
At PebbleCreek, Jim volunteered with the HOA and with Kare Bears, where he has served as president, and has held numerous positions within the PebbleCreek Community Church.
In the spring of 2004, Jim joined President Cathy Lindstrom, Vice President Alan Price, and Secretary Cindy Killion as the founding officers of the new organization called the PebbleCreek Democratic Club. They started with 21 paid members. Jim described the first meetings of the club as taking place in an annex room to a room in the clubhouse, since they didn’t need much space. He expressed his pleasure at the incredible growth of the club and its many successes in the community and in PebbleCreek.
President Moore said, “Jim, thank you for your service to your country, thank you for your service to your community, and thank you for your service to Democratic ideals and values by helping get the PebbleCreek Democratic Club started.”
Adrian Fontes, candidate for Arizona secretary of state, was the featured speaker. A former Marine, father of three daughters, an attorney, and an elections administrator, Adrian has spent his whole career fighting for justice and democracy. After law school, Adrian served as a prosecutor in Colorado, in Maricopa County, and with the Arizona attorney general’s office. In 2016, Adrian ran for and was elected Maricopa County recorder. He became the first Democrat to hold the recorder’s office in 50 years and the first-ever Latino to hold an office in Arizona’s largest county.
He revolutionized a broken, outdated, and unjust voting system, making elections more accessible and more secure than ever before by implementing a comprehensive plan in advance of Election Day: securing polling locations, recruiting and training poll workers, and educating voters. He worked with political and community organizations across the political spectrum to increase registered voters by 500,000 people, making Maricopa County the second-largest voting jurisdiction in the country. His commitment is to protect our right to vote, which is the responsibility of the secretary of state’s office.
The club’s March 2 meeting will be at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom; the social hour starts at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to all and no reservations are required.