Copper Basin News Celebrating More Than 50 Years of News Coverage in the Copper Basin
Vol. 53 No. 15
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Periodicals Postage Paid at Hayden, Arizona 85235
50 Cents
Taylor’s Take: The stem and the flower Volunteers sought for the Hayden Senior Center “Mayors for Meals”
Winkelman Mayor Manuel Aguirre
Hayden Mayor Monica Badillo
Kearny Mayor Debra Sommers
By Taylor Sheaffer Ritter I was originally asked by Annie Hinojos, Councilwoman of Winkelman and Director of the Hayden Senior Center, to do a story on the Mayors for Meals program and naturally, I was excited. However, once I saw the many facets of the Hayden Senior Center, I knew the story must grow from there. Let me explain. I love old people, or rather people who conquer me by means of age, wisdom and experience; old is really the wrong term to use. So…I showed up early a few Wednesdays ago and watched the process by which the staff of the Hayden Senior Center go through in order to give meals to individuals who simply just need a little help. I like to think of it as coming full circle. You start out needing help with acquiring food and you end life generally needing help acquiring food. A person will spend so many years as a child looking to others for their sustenance, so does it not make sense that as an adult the role is reversed and they then take care of those who took care of them. And the cycle goes on. In many cultures, this is most certainly the case…they take care of their elderly right to the end. Yet, in some cultures this is not the case, hence the need for the homebound program taking place at the Hayden Senior Center. This program does not just affect the senior citizens in Hayden, it affects the aged in more than 20 communities throughout the Copper Corridor, many of whom are completely homebound. This program stretches from Kelvin to Silver Creek to Mammoth and down to Oracle and is technically called the Pinal-Gila Counsel
for Senior Citizens. The mayors of many of these communities were available to show their support for the program during the annual Mayors for Meals day, though a few could not be reached for their support. This program desperately needs the support of its communities, not just their mayors. Annie said that when the program started, “We had a slew of volunteers, but over the last few years the volunteers have dwindled off to just a few, like Neil Gambell of Kearny.” This program started more than 30 years ago in 1976, taking meals to all senior citizens and disabled people in the area. In speaking with Annie, my heart immediately warmed to her; she is absolutely one of the more warm and generous people I have met and it is blatant that she truly cares for the well-being of others. She smiled and said, “People need to know that when they volunteer for the delivery program, they are doing so much more than just delivering meals. They are making that social contact that people really need.” When you consider that, at times homebound people have very few visitors at all, it makes absolute sense as to why this interaction means so much more than just receiving a meal. Annie expressed that in the past the program was set up to deliver meals every day to the homebound, yet with the economic difficulties the nation is experiencing, these meals have been cut back to being delivered once a week. She said that due to having too few volunteers and a large number of stops spread over a vast area, “In the few minutes that See Seniors, Page 5
Hayden Councilwoman Nanette Quesada , along with mother, Niki Quesada, with Jose Lopez and Alejandrina Arvizo; they are happy to be of service to those in need. (Taylor Sheaffer Ritter photo)
this proposal. This is the first of two hearings on the possibility of changing the school week from five days to four days per week. To accommodate the additional minutes needed to make up the required instructional time, the District
has developed a tentative school day schedule that would begin at 8 a.m., and, end at 3:45 p.m. for the third through 12th grades. Kindergarten through second grades will end at 3 p.m. The school year will start and end approximately the same time as a traditional school
calendar. The District is exploring this school week change due to significant budget reductions from the state over the past three years. The proposal would, also, provide teachers the opportunity to have planning time on Fridays, to avoid any half-days for teacher
Some seniors at the Hayden Senior Center are serious about getting and staying fit as they participate in an aerobics class taught at the center. (Taylor Sheaffer Ritter photo)
Hayden-Winkelman School to host public hearing: four-day school week, STEM focus on agenda Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District will host a hearing on April 13, at 5:30 p.m., in the District Board Room, to consider a four-day school week for the 2011-12 School Year. Community members will have the opportunity to voice their support or concerns for
planning. In addition, the District is exploring transitioning to a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focus for 2011-12 school year, for all K-12 students. The new proposed school week schedule will allow teachers the opportunity to collaborate
and coordinate the schoolwide STEM Model this coming year. Your input into this potential change will be greatly appreciated at this calendar change hearing. Please plan on attending the hearing and voicing your opinions and concerns.
ArtUs hosts exceptional opening for annual exhibit
The opening reception of the ArtUs Exhibit attracted quite a crowd last Sunday at The Little Gallery in Kearny. This is the seventh year that the group has exhibited and viewers were treated to a vast array of artwork in several medias and styles. Twenty artists contributed over 100 pieces of work that filled the gallery. All of the pieces have been completed in the last year. Guests were also treated to refreshments and were given a chance to visit and mingle through-out the afternoon. The ArtUs group is composed of students studying under Pat Lewis of Sutton Summit and is sponsored by Gila Pueblo College. The exhibit will remain on display until May 12 and can be viewed Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by request by calling Sam Hosler at 363-9781. The Little Gallery is located on Senator Chastain Street in Ray Hall adjacent to Church of the Good Shepherd.
The Easter Egg-spress will make annual stops in Kearny, Hayden
The Town of Kearny is hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 23, at Hubbard Park, starting promptly at 9 a.m. The Town of Hayden’s Easter Egg hunt will also be held April 23 at 10 a.m. at Hastings Park. (Photo by Vicki Clark)