Hon Kachina Council: Inspiring Volunteerism

Volunteers take center stage as the Hon Kachina Council celebrates their efforts at the prestigious Hon Kachina Awards, an annual event held this year on Sept. 29 at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale. Showcasing their contributions to the community, the event presents them as examples to inspire others to volunteer.

The black-tie-optional event starts with cocktails on the picturesque patio of the Camelback Inn. Between courses during the dinner that follows, hand-carved kachinas of Hon, the powerful Hopi spirit of healing, are presented to the honorees while a video vignette depicts their achievements. The evening culminates in a dessert extravaganza, once again on the patio, that is also a mix and mingle offering guests the opportunity to meet the Hon Kachina honorees.

Begun with a focus on healthcare, as the organization’s roots are with St. Luke’s Medical Center, the Hon Kachina Council has adopted the mission to inspire volunteerism, recognizing ordinary people doing extraordinary things, applauding them as models to inspire others to volunteer. Executive director Pam Betz explains, “It evolved that the health of the community was maintained by volunteers doing all sorts of things.”

Snapshot

• EVENT: Hon Kachina Awards on Sat., Sept. 29 at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, a fundraiser for the Hon Kachina Council.
• “Fundraising is the icing on the cake,” says Betz, who says the council’s primary focus is the awards and that it takes more than 500 volunteer hours to research the nominees.
• Funds are raised through attendance at the event and by corporate sponsors.
• Funds raised at the Hon Kachina Awards are divided among the honorees, usually averaging $2,500-$3,000 each. Hon Kachina Award winners designate the nonprofit they choose to benefit.