How to Get Involved

Heartway Foundation is pleased to introduce Ron “Red Bear” Lake, our Fund Raising Chairman.

Red Bear began fundraising as a police officer working in the Community relations bureau way back in 1996. Funds were raised for several community programs including D.A.R.E , G.R.E.A.T (Gang Resistance Education and Training) and the T.O.P.S (Teachers, Officers and Parents Support) as well as several holiday charity programs to help support low income families during Thanksgiving and Christmas. He even got to dress up and play Santa on several occasions delivering donated gifts to under-privileged families.

After leaving law enforcement, Red Bear maintained his desire to help others and joined a national organization called the United States Junior Chamber (a not for profit organization), an organization dedicated to teaching adults between the ages of 21 – 40 all the skills necessary for Entrepreneurial endeavors though voluntary community service. As part of the Organizations Creed the Statement, “Service to Humanity is the best work of life” truly resonates with him.

A Member of the Arizona Jaycees, he started as the local President of the City of Tempe chapter. There he was able to grow membership to that chapter by 750% using strategies for recruitment he learned over the years. He also developed and ran a dozen or so fund raising projects that first year motivating volunteers to give their time and local businesses to donate thousands of dollars in goods and services to people of his community who were in need. All demographics were affected by the positive influence and fundraising efforts of the Tempe Jaycees, led by Red Bear.

He led his chapter from dead last in his state to #1 by midyear and maintained that ranking until the year’s conclusion.

The following years, Red Bear continued creating, chairing, volunteering and overseeing numerous state and national projects where fundraising and donations from private and public companies were gathered and shared with the community. A most notable project was the Tempe/Arizona Jaycees Disaster Relief project developed to support those affected by the 9-1-1 tragedy. Within hours of that World event, Ron Red Bear Lake had gathered a team of volunteers and wrote and implemented a project plan that was put into action the same day. The result of this one project yielded $500,000 in donations and over 500 pints of blood sent directly to the victims of 9-1-1 within 4 days. The endeavor earned him and his State national recognition and he was awarded the “Project of the Year” by the United States Junior chamber.

Red Bear has continued his desire to help people by volunteering for numerous community projects and is now in the business of helping others as a Rapid Eye Technician, Personal and Executive Coach, and Hypnotherapist. He still believes that “Service to Humanity is the Best Work of Life.”

We are excited to welcome Red Bear to Heartway Foundation.

Ranae Johnson, PhD, Chairman