ImagesAZ Magazine :: Desert Mountain, Carefree and Cave Creek

Desert Mountain

Carefree

Cave Creek

December 2014

Desert Mountain :: Carefree :: Cave Creek

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ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

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When experience count s

The Agents You Use & Refer

A well-earned North Valley reputation for strong work ethic and valuable networking connections makes Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci the smart choice for your next purchase or sale.

The Extra Mile In today’s market, nothing less gets the job done. Whether buying or selling, an experienced real estate agent who is quick to see solutions and not shy about testing limits to pursue your best interests is what you need and what you get with Jean and Tom. Winning Negotiation Style Well-seasoned in the art of negotiation, Jean and Tom are a valuable asset with the diplomacy of an ambassador and the perseverance of a bulldog.

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Jean Ransdell

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Bring the beautiful outdoors inside with every step.

This beautiful highly upgraded home in Mirabel Village

and sitting areas with an abundance of tumbled

boasts six bedrooms, 5.5 baths, media/loft room,

travertine pavers surround the home. Great city light,

and guest quarters with a separate entrance. Three

sunsets and mountain views from multiple areas.

in-suite guest rooms, master, and all living areas on

Offered at $1,095,000.

main level. Guest quarters with separate entrance, including two bedrooms, bath and media/living area

Don’t miss this impeccable view home, available and

and two covered decks for epic views on second

represented by Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International

level. Fantastic light and bright floor plan is designed

Realty.

to bring the beautiful outdoors inside with every step.

High end finishes throughout, a negative edge salt

For more information or to arrange a showing,

water pool and spa, water feature, courtyard, multiple

please contact Jean Ransdell at 480-294-3257

patios, outdoor fireplace, fire pit, view bar fire feature

or Tom Scappaticci at 602-430-4081.

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contents

623-341-8221 // imagesaz.com owner/publisher Shelly Spence

editor/contributing writer Jenn Korducki Krenn

contributing writers Donna Kublin Tom Scanlon Monica Longenbaker Amanda Christmann Larson Jim McAllister Barb Evans Lara Piu Stephanie Maher Palenque Paula Theotocatos Lauren Strait Peni Long Suzanne Wright Nigel Spence Lisa Schneider-Cipriano

Photographers Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Mike Harvey Jamie Pogue Jerri Parness Michele Celentano Monica Longenbaker Brenna Zumbro

Graphic artist Sam Paul

For Advertising Information 623-341-8221//shelly@imagesaz.com Submission of news for Community News section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

ImagesAZ is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright Š 2014 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

A Carefree Christmas

Photography courtesy Proven Media Writer Lara Piu P. 46

Local First A R I Z O NA 4

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welcome ‘Tis the season to smile! There’s nothing quite like the holiday season for bringing joy and gratitude into every corner of my life. Whether it’s the warmth and comfort of a mug of hot cocoa or the chilly thrill of a holiday parade, there is much to look forward to during this busy time of celebration, remembrance and giving back.

Speaking of giving, as 2014 winds down, I find myself thinking about all of the wonderful gifts I have received throughout the year: a healthy, loving family; a caring, fun-loving group of friends; and of course, my talented team members and wonderful readers like you who help bring ImagesAZ to life throughout our community every month.

As my calendar and to-do lists begin to fill, I make

Neighbors Serving Neighbors :: Foothills Caring Corps Photographer Bryan Black Writer Jenn Korducki Krenn P. 50

a conscious effort to pencil in some time amidst the busy bustle of gift wrapping, cooking and merrymaking where I can simply be present and thankful for the moment, for my own health and for the many reasons I have to smile. These small windows of reflection mean more to me than anything I can find while window-shopping.

Wishing you and yours all the best during this magical time of year. May 2015 bring peace, happiness and much more to smile about.

The Simple Farm P. 66

Kimes Ranch P. 26

Cheers!

Shelly Spence Publisher, ImagesAZ magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

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Southwest Dining

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family

Jim and Jane White If you know a family you would like to nominate, please email shelly@imagesaz.com.

Meet the White Family Writer Lara Piu

Photographer Jamie Pogue

Recently, Jane White was appointed principal at Foothills Academy Elementary. The decision was likely a natural choice given her history with the school, which began with her husband, Jim, and has blossomed into a family affair.

“It seems that as a family we have been involved with Foothills Academy since its inception 20 years ago,” recalls Jane. Jim worked with Dr. Don Senneville, director of Foothills Academy, on the original charter in the early 1990s. Their son, Johnathan, attended the school. Later, Jim taught history and economics for Foothills Academy College Preparatory for five years and then went on to serve as principal for Foothills Academy Elementary. Jane and their daughter, Jennifer, proposed the elementary school six years ago to Dr. Senneville as a continuation of Foothills Academy College Preparatory. Jennifer then became a primary multiage classroom teacher until the current school year.

“Watching [Jennifer] grow into an accomplished teacher has been so rewarding for Jim and me,” says Jane.

Currently, Jennifer is on leave of absence to be with her first child, Dylan, the White’s sixth grandchild. Johnathan now lives nearby with his wife, Crystal, and infant son, Jordan. Little Jordan proudly wears a Foothills Academy T-shirt in anticipation of one day attending

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the school. Johnathan also coached Foothills Academy varsity soccer for two seasons.

Although he’s retired from a 40-year career in education, Jim remains connected with his Academy family.

“He loves to drop by and visit with the children and faculty,” says Jane. As a result of being involved for so many years from both the parent and teacher perspective, Jim and Jane are eyewitnesses to second-generation students — the children of children that first attended the Academy.

Foothills Academy Elementary is not only the White’s extended family, but also an expression of their dedication to education, now with Jane at the forefront. Jane has been a teacher for 30 years, including 10 in primary multiage. Before returning to Foothills Academy Elementary this year, Jane spent five years as a professor at Arizona State University’s College of Education teaching students to become teachers.

“It was difficult to leave ASU, but I was delighted at the opportunity to step into my husband’s shoes, so to speak, after he retired, and take on this new role as principal,” says Jane. “I have always been so impressed by the kindness with which students treat each other at Foothills Academy, as well as the prestigious colleges Foothills graduates gain admission to and the success they go on to achieve as adults.”

Her career groundwork culminates today at the Academy. Jane adds, “[The Academy] is giving me an opportunity to bring everything that I have learned and experienced in my career in education to a confluence.”

One of the things Jane appreciates most about the Academy is its multiage classroom setup, which keeps students and teachers together for two or more years. This supports deeper and longer lasting relationships between students, their families and teachers. Teachers gain a

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more robust knowledge of students’ academic abilities,

into arts, crafts, travel and other kinds of fun. Jane

which guides instruction.

serves on the Desert Foothills Theater volunteer board and has an affinity for children’s theater.

“This is a perfect fit for what my family and I have learned about education,” Jane says. “We all believe in

“Drama can be an invaluable teaching method in

the education of the whole child and that education is

classrooms,” she says. “It supports every aspect of

a lifelong pursuit.”

literacy development. Drama and theater in many ways educate children as a whole, and they offer children

With class sizes of 20 or less, Jane also likes the

a more free and flexible space in which to grow and

Academy’s personal atmosphere.

learn.”

“Families know one another, they are connected, even

Jim enjoys tennis, golf and swimming, while Jane loves

carpool, and work together to make Foothills Academy

to bead. She recently started an unofficial beading club

a great school,” she says. Her approach as principal is

with school colleagues and her daughter, Jennifer. She

to support the teacher’s role, which she says is to set

also belongs to a book club that has been together for

high standards for achievement and facilitate intellectual

nearly 20 years.

growth, curiosity, mental flexibility, perseverance and self-reflection.

“There are some really great cooks in our book club, so even if the book wasn’t very good, the food is

“This common goal, built on respect and responsibility,

always great,” she says.

defines the Foothills way,” she says.

In their homeroom When the Whites aren’t thinking education, they’re diving

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Together, the couple loves to travel. Last summer they pulled their Airstream trailer, a retirement gift from Jane to Jim, along Highway 1 up the California coast.

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community arts // Culture // announcements Writer Barb Evans

Local Designer Collaborates with Sculptor to Create Functional Art Valley designer Elizabeth Rosensteel and noted sculptor Michael Anderson recently joined artistic forces to create the “Ribbon Series,� a blend of art and furniture based on the free-form of a black ribbon. The series is the first of several collections to be introduced by the duo, and includes the Ribbon Console Table and the Ribbon Coffee Table. The pieces are sculpted of powder-coated steel, with additional color options available upon request. For pricing and order inquiries, contact Elizabeth Rosensteel, 602-522-0989 or elizabeth@rosensteeldesign.com.

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Dec. 5-7 Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival Stroll the Scottsdale waterfront while enjoying artwork from more than 120 acclaimed artists and wines from around the world. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $3 per person. Wine tasting is $10 per person. Scottsdale Waterfront, 7135 E. Camelback Rd., 480-837-5637, thunderbirdartists.com.

Dec. 6 12th Annual Cave Creek Luminaria Run Run, jog, walk or watch this evening 5K run, one-mile fun run/walk and kid’s dash set amidst luminaria-lined paths in the beautiful desert mountains and hills of Cave Creek Regional Park.

First race begins at 4:45 p.m. Registration fees are $17-$30. Proceeds benefit Desert Foothills Theater.

Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N. 28th St., 480-488-1981, luminariarun.org.

Dec. 6 Desert Foothills Library Annual Craft and Bake Sale Get your Christmas shopping done with a selection of unique craft items and delicious goodies at this annual fundraiser. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., 480-488-2286, desertfoothillslibrary.org.

Dec. 6 Las Tiendas Holiday Event Find the perfect holiday gifts while enjoying a festive atmosphere featuring Dickens Carolers, hot chocolate and apple cider, cookies, music and Santa sightings. 6-8 p.m. Las Tiendas, 6130 E. Cave Creek Rd., lastiendascavecreek.com.

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements

Dec. 8 Carefree Church Charity Golf Tournament and Auction

Dec. 6-7

Help support Kidslife with

AZDance Group Presents “A Joyous Christmas”

this four-person scramble tournament that includes 18

Get a great start to the

holes of golf, a shared golf

holiday season with this professional production featuring an integrated cast of professional dancers, apprentices and children, along with outreach program Movement E-motion. 2 p.m. Adults, $15; seniors/students, $12; children under 10, free. December 6 at Cactus Shadows Fine Arts

Cave Creek Trail Rides Gears Up for 2014-15 Season The holidays make for a great time to saddle up and experience the Desert Southwest on horseback. Cave Creek Trail Rides, located inside Cave Creek Regional Park, provides guided horseback rides through the park preserve. Experienced guides share their knowledge of the geology, history and wildlife of the area, as well as information about horse care.

All levels of experience are welcome, and complimentary boots, hats and chaps make for a genuine cowboy experience.

Call 623-742-6700, email info@cavecreektrailrides.com or visit cavecreektrailrides.com for more information.

Center, 33606 N. 60th St.;

Take some time for

Creek 4H Club in 1952,

Area, 44000 N. Spur Cross Rd., 480-544-2290, desertfoothillschristmaspageant.com.

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Tatum Blvd., 480-990-1976,

Holiday Specials at Bodywork for Life

Started by the Cave

Cross Ranch Conservation

Marketplace, 21001 N.

Dec. 6, 13

Desert Foothills Christmas Pageant

Carefree. 7 p.m. Free. Spur

Dec. 9 Newcomers Club of Scottsdale Happy Hour

Yard House at Desert Ridge

Dec. 6-7

by the Kiwanis Club of

carefreechurch.com.

Scottsdale. 4-6 p.m. The

480-215-1916, azdance.org.

accompaniment. Sponsored

Club, 29888 N. Tatum Ranch Dr., 480-488-5565,

the Newcomers Club of

18401 N. 32nd St.,

live animals and a choir

$500. Tatum Ranch Golf

happy hour hosted by

Center for Performing Arts,

story with local residents,

golfers, $150; foursomes,

some new ones at this

Valley Community College

reenacts the Christmas

and a prime rib dinner.

12 p.m. shotgun. Individual

Meet old friends and make

December 7 at Paradise

this annual pageant

cart, lunch on the course

yourself and enjoy a massage at 25 percent off or a private Pilates session at 50 percent off, and check some names off your holiday gift list with buy two, get third free gift certificates. Call to schedule. Bodywork for Life, 7629 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. #118, 480-595-0246,

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bodyworkforlife.com.

newcomersclubofscottsdale.com.

Dec. 7 8th Annual Cowboy Christmas Children’s Program Families can get into the Christmas spirit with holiday crafts, games, cookies, stories and songs.

Reservations required.

1-4 p.m. Free. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Dr., 480-488-2764, cavecreekmuseum.org.

Dec. 12 Taste of Preschool Children ages 2½ to 5 will have a fun morning meeting the teachers of Our Lady of Joy Catholic Preschool and making gingerbread houses during this open house event. 10 a.m. Free.

Our Lady of Joy Catholic Preschool, 36811 N. Pima Rd., 480-595-6409, oloj.org/preschool.

Dec. 12-14 7th Annual Carefree Christmas Festival The holidays are illuminated with this three-day festival featuring an electric light parade, fireworks display, live music, dance performances, real snow, gift market, food court and more. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free. Carefree Desert Gardens, 101 Easy St., 480-488-2051, carefreechristmasfestival.com.

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Dec. 13 Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix Kick off the holiday season with this concert featuring Arizona’s longest continually performing choral organization. Proceeds benefit the Foothills Food Bank.

4 p.m. $20 per person. Desert Foothills Lutheran Church, 29305 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-585-8007, desertfoothillslutheranchurch.org.

Dec. 13 Community Sing-A-Long, Handel’s “Messiah” ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra collaborates with Christ the Lord Lutheran Church to present this community singa-long of Handel’s “Messiah,” featuring renowned guest soloists Vernon Hartman, Amy Dec em ber 2014

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements Johnson and Mary Sue

Christmas show with winners

Hyatt. Tickets are $30 and

from their eighth annual

can be purchased via phone

Vocal Scholarship auditions.

or online. 3 p.m. Christ the

5 p.m. Adults, $15; students,

Lord Lutheran Church, 9205

$10; children 12 and under,

E. Cave Creek Rd.,

$7. Desert Hills Presbyterian

480-488-2081,

Church, 34605 N. Scottsdale

ctlcarefree.org.

Rd., 480-575-0188, upscalesingers.com.

Dec. 14 Desert Mission UMC Holiday Concert Enjoy a variety of holiday

Pita Jungle Hosts “Empty Bowls” Fundraiser

music that will put you in the mood to finish your baking and holiday greetings, featuring Brazilian guitar and violin. Food or free will donation to Foothills Food Bank serves as price of admission.

From December 1-7, all 14 Phoenix area Pita Jungle restaurants will host an “Empty Bowls” fundraiser benefitting Waste Not, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been feeding the Valley’s hungry for 25 years. For $15, guests can purchase a hand-crafted clay bowl created by local artisans from the Arizona Clay Association and receive their choice of a serving of soup or a small order of hummus.

For more information, visit pitajungle.com.

2:30 p.m. Desert Mission

animals in the intimate

7373 E. Dixileta Dr.,

and unique setting of

desertmissionumc.org.

the Southwest Wildlife

Dec. 14

selections from “The Nutcracker” and “Babes in

Celebrate the season with

Toyland.” 7 p.m. $5 per

holiday toys, featuring

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Conservation Center’s

NVSO Presents “Holiday Toys”

traditional and classical

SWCC Hosts “Beary” Merry Christmas Celebrate Christmas with

United Methodist Church,

this musical rendering of

Dec. 20

person. North Canyon High School Performing Arts Center, 1700 E. Union Hills Dr., northvalleysymphony.org.

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Dec. 14 Upscale Singers Present “Songs of the Season” The Upscale Singers perform their annual

sanctuary. 5-8 p.m.

Adults, $20; children 3-11, $10; children under 2, free. Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, 27026 N. 156th St., 480-471-3621, southwestwildlife.org.

Dec. 20-21 MIM Presents “Hear Them Ring” Chimes and jingles will fill the halls as the Musical Instrument Museum gets into the holiday spirit by showcasing instruments that ring, with performances featuring hand bells, steel pans and marimbas. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., 480-478-6000, mim.org.

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Jan. 10 The Kent Camerata The international vocal and instrumental touring ensemble performs with

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements guest keyboardist Claire

business events posted, the

Pradel performing Bach’s

new webpage now delivers

“Brandenburg Concerto No.

a comprehensive guide to

5.” 3 p.m. Christ the Lord

the Carefree Cave Creek

Lutheran Church, 9205 E.

community.

Cave Creek Rd., 480-488-2081, ctlcarefree.org.

Upscale Singers Award Scholarships to Area Youth Pinnacle High School junior Mason Reeves and Gavilan Peak seventh grader Sophia Humbert were the top winners of the Upscale Singers eighth annual Vocal Scholarship auditions.

Reeves took first place in the Senior High division, winning a $500 scholarship; Humbert won the Junior High division and

Foothills Food Bank Seeks Donors for Adopt-a-Family Program The Foothills Food Bank

secured a $400 vocal scholarship. Both winners will be featured soloists in the Upscale Singers’ annual Christmas show on December 14. Seven other students placed in the auditions and six honorable mentions were named, with a total of $3,200 awarded. For more information, visit upscalesingers.com.

and Resource Center seeks

J. Julian Fine Skin Care, located at 6450 E. Cave

donors to provide gifts,

Pictured left to right: Erin Dominick, Michelle McIndoe, Ally

Creek Rd., will debut an

holiday meals and hope

Lane, Julia Davis, Sophia Humbert, Jayda Mendiola, Taylor

expanded offering of all-

for families in crisis for

Ellsworth, Mason Reeves, Tripp Arias (in front), Samantha

natural products this holiday

this year’s Adopt-a-Family

Kunselman, Chance McLaughlin, Maddie Lopez, Becca Bauer,

season, including the Pure

program. Interested donors

Halle Ata-Abadi

Fiji and Nelly De Vuyst skin

determine the size of family they are willing to adopt and donate gifts according to the family’s shopping guide. The gifts will be given

a donor sign-up form,

for expanded community

contact adoptafamily@

outreach. The modern

foothillsfoodbank.com or

design and user-friendly

visit the food bank at 6038

features were established

E. Hidden Valley Dr.,

to make events and

Cave Creek.

information more accessible.

to the families on Saturday, December 13 at High Desert Park in Black Canyon City and Sunday, December 14 at the Holland Community Center in North Scottsdale.

Individuals and groups such as businesses, HOAs, churches and schools are encouraged to participate.

All gifts and donations are tax deductible. For more

New sections include an

Carefree Cave Creek Chamber Launches New Website

open house real estate

The Carefree Cave Creek

event countdown timer.

Chamber of Commerce

Established in 1965, the

recently debuted a

chamber serves nearly 400

newly-designed website

member businesses and

at carefreecavecreek.org

hosts multiple networking

to address its growing

events each month. With

membership and need

more than 425 annual

information or to request

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J. Julian Fine Skin Care Expands All Natural Product Line for Holidays

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directory, expanded calendar views and an

care lines from the South Pacific and Europe. The spa, owned and operated

by European-trained esthetician Joann Julian, offers personalized skin care solutions and treatments, including eco-friendly face and body treatments, skin consultations, hair removal and makeup applications, as well as a retail line of essential oils, supplements and cosmetic products.

Service is by appointment only. To schedule, call 480595-1281. Consultation is free with first appointment.

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Writer Lisa Schneider-Cipriano

Just like the license plate says, “It shouldn’t hurt to be a child.” A group of bikers known as BACA really takes that phrase to heart. BACA stands for Bikers Against Child Abuse. They’re not a motorcycle club or a gang, but a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. BACA is a group of citizens in the community made up of doctors, lawyers, nurses, bill collectors, construction site managers, life coaches, realtors and more. They work with law enforcement and they want to make a difference in the lives of abused children.

“We help kids who are abused, be it physical, emotional, mental or sexual, who are hurting or have fallen through the cracks,” says Nytro, events coordinator for the organization. “These kids are living in darkness, and with our help and some therapy, we can work through that darkness so they don’t carry this hurt and abuse

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with them into adulthood and future relationships. We want these kids to realize that they are not doing anything wrong. Our assistance gives them a sense of empowerment and helps them to stand tall.”

Strength is in numbers. When close to 60 bikers come rolling down the street into a residential neighborhood, revving their engines dressed in their baddest biker attire, everyone knows and feels their presence, including the child they have been sent to protect. When BACA is working with an abused child, he or she becomes a member of the BACA family and amazing transformations can occur in a short amount of time.

“We had a child who was hunkered down under a play set, very confused and scared,” says Brooklyn, BACA chapter merchandiser. “Fifty-seven bikes rolled up that morning to come to her aid. As her confidence grew and she began to feel safe, she was up from under the play set giving fist pumps all around.

By the end of the 45-minute visit, she was smiling and asking for a group hug. Her mother had never seen her stand tall like that.”

Many chapter members have been known to stand outside the child’s home at all hours of the night to ensure a good night’s sleep and safety. BACA members will also escort a victimized child to court when he or she has to face his or her perpetrator.

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“A lot of people ask us why we do that,” says Nytro. “Well, there are many people out there who like us and there are some who don’t. They don’t want this child to go to court and they will do whatever they can, whether they shoot at the vehicle or run it off the road, whatever it takes to stop the child from showing up at that court appearance. Either way, they have to go through us to get to that child. Once we get to court, we also surround that child by making a human wall protecting that child from family members and others who may provoke fear and harm. Sometimes the judge doesn’t even know that the child is in the room because there are so many of us and the child is surrounded.”

When a child becomes a member of BACA, they receive the following gifts: • A BACA blanket filled with love, hugs and kisses from fellow BACA members • A denim vest called a “Skoatie,” making them an official part of the BACA family • A biker name for anonymity and to protect the child • A big brother or sister who will be standing by the child’s side at a moment’s notice BACA is an organization with 161 chapters in 39 states and seven countries around the world. The motto they live by is, “I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and showed up for all wounded children.” So the next time you’re out and about and you see these angels on bikes, give a little wave, maybe honk your horn or better yet, make a donation.

Because it shouldn’t hurt to be a child.

800-371-9755 bacadonations.org

Lisa Schneider-Cipriano is co-host of AZTV’s Channel 7/Cable 13’s, “The Morning Scramble” airing weekdays at 8 a.m. with the legendary, Pat McMahon. She is also a freelance reporter and can be reached at lisaschneider-cipriano.com

Dec em ber 2014

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25

Writer Lara Piu Photography Kimes Ranch and the Cloudt family

At their Rio Verde homestead, a family of ranchers

Arizona, especially Payson and Cottonwood. Her grandfather

manages an unlikely mix of cattle, horses and fashion. Matt

managed a variety of ranches and was also a mountain lion

and Amanda Kimes do all of the above at Kimes Ranch,

bounty hunter who was later active in rodeos.

located east of Scottsdale and north of Fountain Hills. The family and its brand is a glimpse of Arizona history and a

“We always had an animal in the house that wasn’t

peek into its future.

supposed to be living with us,” recalls Amanda.

Both Matt and Amanda’s lineage takes them back to a

On really cold mornings, you might have found an

long line of cattle ranchers, dairy farmers and horsemen.

assortment of baby animals in the house, gathered by the

Amanda’s family, the Cloudts, were in ranching, cattle,

fireplace.

hunting, bull riding and horsing in various areas of northern

26

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

“We have photos of me sleeping with

and

a lamb on my bed,” she says. “I put

the property. Ranch animals include

diapers on it.”

seven dogs, six horses, four chickens,

clothing

brand

named

after

two roosters, one pony, one cat and Matt’s family was originally established

a cow named Barney.

in California wine country in a town called

Sebastopol.

Now

vineyards,

“It is really beautiful out here with

the first Kimes Ranch was known as

the views,” says Amanda. “The ranch

Cal Kimes Ranch and Dairy until the

is where we do everything. It’s where

family moved to Arizona in the late

we got married and where we work

1960s. Matt reinstated the ranch as

and live.”

Kimes Ranch in 2000. He started in a ranching area of North Scottsdale

Matt and Amanda have a 4-year-

by Shea Boulevard but since the area

old son named Jack, a 3-year old

was

daughter named Katherine and baby

increasingly

being

developed,

sought property farther north.

Charles, who was born in October.

The ranch is also home to both

Matt

and

Amanda

2003

Matt and Amanda’s parents, including

on the horse show circuit through

Cal, the ranch’s founder and original

mutual

friends.

met

Their

in

introduction

namesake. Not including Johnny, who

was inevitable since the Kimes and

nearly makes the count as the ranch

the Cloudt families knew each other

hound dog, the total number of family

before the couple was born, going as

members living on the ranch is nine,

far back as their parents’ childhood.

and they love it that way. The family works together to build a legacy of

The Kimes’ present-day 10-acre ranch

love, ranching and a thriving family

is now a family home, horse boarding

business.

ranch and headquarters to their jean

Dec em ber 2014

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27

“We have a strong family culture, and our ranch is a place of gathering and community,” says Amanda. “We want to pass it on to our children.”

New name, better game

The couple expresses their dedication to their

family

history

their

fashion-forward

and

legacy

Western

through

jean

and

clothing company, also called Kimes Ranch.

The brand was originally Longhorn Jean Company. It then became LJC Apparel and Lonehorn before its recent do-over to Kimes Ranch.

“After much deliberation, we decided on a name that would showcase our long history in the horse and cattle industry and emulate the essence of our culture,” says Matt. As a tribute to that lineage, it was an obvious choice to include the name the couple shares.

The new name is not perfect: “It’s been called Keams, Kimmy’s, Kimes, Coomes, Crumps,” kids Matt, but he says it’s a keeper. “Now we’re Kimes Ranch, which is actually the best name we’ve ever had.”

Jolene

As they tip a ten-gallon hat to their lineage, Matt and Amanda are also reaching into their future by introducing a trendier jean style, the Jolene.

“The new jean style is our most flattering yet, built to fit all body types with the comfort and durability you’ve come to expect from Kimes Ranch,” says Amanda.

With a lower rise, this jean is balanced with a larger boot cut, flattering pocket placement and light stitching to give it a pop.

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

“The Jolene keeps our classic feel while fulfilling the desires of our customers for a lower rise and larger boot opening,” says Amanda.

“The

fit

is

amazing,

hugging in all the most flattering places with a bit of stretch for ultimate comfort. Someone called them

the

Lululemon

of

the

Western world and we are happy to own that title.”

The family views the new jean as a younger sister to Betty, the foundation

jean

known

for

its

classic look, versatility, comfort

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Amanda adds, “The Betty has

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kind of a cult following that we are hoping to duplicate with the Jolene. This new style will also

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play well with our younger, more fashion-forward market.”

The new jean is named after Dolly Parton’s famous song, “Jolene.”

“It

will

undoubtedly

bring

the

same recognition and fame to the Kimes Ranch brand as the song brought to Dolly,” says Amanda.

Along Kimes

with

the

Ranch

Jolene

launch,

introduced

new

men’s and women’s hoodies, zipups and hats.

“We hope the new offerings bring a fresh new take to the Western world,

proving

that

classic

is

sexy,” Matt says. kimesranch.com

Dec em ber 2014

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29

Writer Suzanne Wright Photographer Jerri Parness

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

As unlikely as it sounds, I discovered Southwestern food in Washington, D.C. It was the late 1980s and there was a restaurant, much lauded, called Coyote Café. Chef Mark Miller was introducing centuries-old cuisine to residents of and travelers to our nation’s capital in spirited surroundings that featured cowhide and turquoise leather accents.

It’s no longer around, but to a young woman raised by Midwestern parents who favored fish sticks and pot roast, Coyote Café was a culinary revelation. Chef Miller introduced me to prickly pear margaritas, chile rellenos, smoked duck with tomatillo sauce and chocolate chile cake. I ate there on every trip — alone, with clients, with coworkers, on expense accounts and on my own nickel. Fate eventually landed me a full-time job in Washington, and I became a bonafide regular at Coyote Café.

Sadly, Southwestern cuisine is not held in the same esteem as French or Chinese or Italian. But it should be.

The foods of our region are rustic and hearty and singularly recognizable. Contemporary Southwestern food — sometimes called Sonoran here in Arizona — is comprised of the same ingredients that were eaten by Spanish colonial settlers, cowboys, Native Americans and Mexicans. The whole is truly the sum of its parts.

For four years, executive chef Ryan Peters has overseen operations at Tonto Bar and Grill and Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House. Originally from Ohio, he’s been in Arizona since he was 12 years old. The restaurants source many ingredients, some of which are seasonal, from regional purveyors like Mount Hope Foods in Cottonwood and Ramona Farms in Tucson.

“Southwestern food is bold,” says Peters. “A lot of what we are eating is from right outside our desert door.”

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

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You’ve got no one to blame but yourself if you leave a Southwest table hungry. With Peters help,

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Agave This sweetener, produced from the common desert

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plant, can be used in place of sugar or honey in a wide variety of drinks and cooked or raw dishes.

Plus, it’s vegan.

Chorizo Like tortillas, this spicy pork sausage is found in both Mexican and Southwestern kitchens. It adds a fiery dimension to mussels and clams and is a staple in huevos rancheros.

Cilantro

Dr. Richard Calabrese

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This aromatic herb inspires strong feelings. Some claim it has a soapy taste, while others call it dishes and even in cocktails.

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Dried Chiles complexity. Peters rehydrates them to extract the flavor and uses them in stocks, soups and sauces.

Jalapeños, habaneros and serranos are used to

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Dried ancho and guajillo chiles add depth and

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citrus-like. It’s used as a garnish in numerous

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fire up salsa and margaritas. Peters likes to roast or char Hatch chiles to bring out their natural flavor and heat.

Fry Bread A staple of Native American tribes, fry bread is to Southwestern cuisine what the pita is to Middle Eastern cooking. The best versions are fluffy and light.

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Dec em ber 2014

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33

Guacamole

Ocotillo Flowers

Like several ingredients on this list, guacamole straddles

The tart, semi-crunchy red flowers are profuse in the

both Mexican and Southwestern cooking. It’s a staple at

spring. The staff at Tonto harvests them on horseback and

many local restaurants, where pomegranate seeds may be

uses them as a salad garnish or whisked into a vinaigrette.

folded in. At Tonto, a silky, pureed avocado crèma is made with sour cream.

Prickly Pear Peters and staff pick their own prickly pears, also known as

Jicama

“tunas,” every summer. A mainstay in margaritas, the sweet

Often cubed or julienned into salads, raw jicama tastes like

fruit — Peters likens the flavor to a blend of raspberries and

a cross between a potato and a pear. With its high water

strawberries — also makes great marmalades, vinaigrettes

content, it’s crunchy and refreshing. It’s typically used in

and barbecue glazes. He also concocts a buerre blanc with

salad or slaws.

the bright ruby fruit.

Mesquite

Pumpkin Seeds and Pine Nuts

Mesquite wood imparts a smoky flavor to grilled meats,

Both can be eaten raw or toasted, used whole or ground

seafood, chicken, pork and vegetables.

up. Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) add wonderful texture to bread and salads. Pinons (pine nuts), which are a bit oilier, find

Nopales

their way into desserts, are ground into coffee and made

Stripped of their spines, raw cactus is a great addition

into pesto.

to salads. It’s also tasty grilled with squash, onion and peppers or roasted over mesquite for a campfire-like flavor.

Queso Blanco White cheeses from Mexico are drier, more crumbly and

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

less sharp than cheddar. Cotija is a hard cow’s milk cheese, slightly salty and Parmesan-like, making it a great garnish for enchiladas.

Saguaro Fruit In the summer, Peters and his staff harvest the sweet and savory fruit of the mighty armed cactus. He describes its flavor as tarter than prickly pear, a combination of a strawberry and rhubarb. Look for jams, vinaigrettes and syrups made with the fuchsia fruit.

Tepary Beans High in protein and fiber, this drought-resistant bean is native to the Sonoran Desert, dating back to the Hohokam era. Peters says they have a nutty, slightly sweet creaminess. He likes to use them in dips and soups.

Tomatillos Called “tomato verde” in Spanish, tomatillos are small and bright green.

More savory than tomatoes, they are juicy and take well to roasting. Pureed, they are an ideal accompaniment to pork or chicken dishes.

Tortillas Chefs tend to praise corn over flour tortillas and the best tortillas don’t come from the grocery store. They have that just right thickness, which translates to durability so they don’t collapse or get soggy when stuffed with taco ingredients.

Tequila and Mezcal You can’t make a margarita without tequila, but there are other uses for this firewater. Peters likes to use the liquor in place of white wine to deglaze sauces. He also adds it for a bright, punchy note in gazpacho. The smoky, woody flavor of mezcal might be an acquired taste, but when served neat with an orange wedge, it goes down smooth.

Getting Hungry?

Ready to stock your pantry? The Cave Creek Olive Oil Company offers chile-infused vinegars and oils, while Suzanne’s Hot Stuff sells salsas and cookbooks to inspire your own culinary wizardry.

AJ’s Fine Foods at Lone Mountain and Scottsdale Roads and Bashas’ in Carefree also stock a variety of Southwestern staples.

Rather leave the cooking to the professionals? In addition to Cartwright’s and Tonto, The Spotted Donkey Cantina at el Pedregal and Gertrude’s at the Desert Botanical Garden can slake your appetite with a range of creative Southwestern dishes.

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Jake Anastasi

Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Mike Harvey

Something is brewing in Cave Creek, and it’s not

but if so, it will take a modest young man to bust out

just espresso at the coffee shops. Inside the gym at

of his humble shell.

Cactus Shadows High School, a powerhouse program is percolating.

Some athletes think they’re better — much better — than they really are. Perhaps you know the type from

38

Coach Jamal Scott has been there for three years and

pick-up basketball, the gunner who keeps firing up

has delivered three winning teams that have gone to the

airballs, grumbles about fouls no one else can see and

playoffs. He thinks his fourth might be his best team yet,

keeps chucking up bricks.

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

Over at Cactus Shadows, Scott has the opposite problem. He has to practically beg senior Jake Anastasi to let loose.

“I had to push him to shoot [last season],” says Scott of Anastasi’s junior year. “It’s absolutely been a struggle to get him to be aggressive.”

But Scott thinks the lightbulb has gone on for the 6-foot-3-inch Anastasi. His eureka moment may have been a 38-point breakout in a sectional playoff win over Shadow Mountain. The team finished a surprising 19-11, even after losing top scorers Carlson Davis and Mike Rabbani from the 2012-13 team that finished 19-13.

The ability to field consistently winning teams, regardless of graduation losses, is the sign of a good coach; someone who understands the game and can pass on the nuances of team play from one class to the next.

At the end of last year, Scott said goodbye to five seniors, four of whom played significant minutes.

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Yet the dynamic coach has a few weapons, notably top scorer Anastasi, who as a junior averaged 13.6 points per game. That 38-point game has given him the confidence to realize good things will happen when he lets loose on his shooting.

“He’s worked hard in the summer to develop into a scorer,” his coach said. “He really is a floor general,

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but our team is calling for him to be a scorer. He has to take that road in order for us to be successful.”

Dec em ber 2014

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Nick Potthoff

Anastasi definitely listened, as he has a lot of respect

Shadows’ 6-foot-5 center Nick Potthoff, who as a

for his coach.

sophomore averaged 7.6 points and 7.8 rebounds.

“Coach Scott has done a great job of building a

“He’s bigger and faster,” Anastasi said of his center.

winning program,” the senior said. “He’s an excellent

“It’s nice having a big guy who can finish.” That’s

coach. He came in here my freshman year and turned

basketball shorthand for a big man who can grab the

things around right away. Every year has been a step

ball and cram it through the hoop.

ahead.”

But on the first day of practice in early November, big Indeed, under Scott’s guidance, Cactus Shadows made

Nick and the rest of the boys’ basketball team didn’t

the state playoffs three years in a row.

even touch the ball. They were on the track, running sprints before getting timed in a mile run.

“I think this will be our best year,” said Anastasi. He added that this is a deep team, with eight or nine

“We do a lot of conditioning,” said Anastasi.

players capable of playing strong ball.

That’s part of the Jamal Scott School of Basketball: Anastasi spent the summer rehabbing an injured ankle before playing on Team Bibby along with Cactus

40

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

intense pressure on defense, fast break on offense.

Anastasi’s offensive game is built around passing and driving to the basket. This season, look for him to shoot from the outside much more, as he has worked on his three-point shooting game.

His coach feels the point guard with a shooting touch has the potential to play Division I college basketball, which is why Scott was pleased to see that Anastasi pushed himself over the summer, playing in a competitive club league.

“It’s the first year he really made an attempt to work on his game with the intent of making it to the next level,” he said. “I don’t know if he had that confidence before.”

The confidence isn’t only needed for his personal career, but also to help push this Cactus Shadows team as far as it can go. It will be up to Anastasi to explore his and his team’s full potential. While his coach wishes his star was a bit more aggressive, he also appreciates Anastasi’s nature.

“He’s a quiet kid, very humble, very studious,” he said.

“Just a great overall kid.”

“I want to be a leader, on and off the court,” said Anastasi.

How far can the star point guard lead this team?

“I think we can make a deep playoff run,” he said. “It’s my senior season, so I want to go out with a bang.”

The Falcons start the season December 2 against Notre Dame Preparatory, 11-12 last season.

The Cactus Shadows girls’ team is coached by Richie Willis. His team was 11-16 last season. One of the bright spots last year was the play of freshman Amy Mazanec, who led the team with 11.2 points per game.

Willis had an exceptionally young team last season, and all of his top scorers are back: Corinne Querrey, Teresa Murray, Sierra Dolezal and Hanna Kessel. The Lady Falcons begin play December 4 against Verrado, in Buckeye.

Dec em ber 2014

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Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Rosalie O’Connor

42

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

It has been 122 years since choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov got together with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to adapt E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.” The Russian ballet version premiered a week before Christmas of 1892 at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre. “Nutcracker” didn’t get its United States premiere until a half century later, but slowly picked up steam and has now been a spinning part of the American Christmas tradition for decades.

It’s one thing to do “Nutcracker.” Thousands of versions of the Russian classic prance across stages every year, from school productions on up to the professionals. It’s another thing to do “Nutcracker” well. It can be underdone, it can be overdone; it can be a cynicized moneymaker, it can be a by-thenumbers snoozer.

Ballet Arizona has found a way to do it with zest, and they do it very, very well.

A Sugar Plum Fairy, dancing toys, a giant Mouse King commanding mice on the prowl, the Nutcracker Prince, snowflakes and flowers moving in time … and dozens of kids as the supporting dancers. Ib Andersen, artistic director of Ballet Arizona, not only puts forth a coherent interpretation, but a masterful one.

Just ask The New York Times critic Alastair Macaulay, bold enough to go on a cross-country “Nutcracker” trip in 2010. He called Ballet Arizona and Andersen’s interpretation “one of the best discoveries of my ‘Nutcracker’ marathon. Act 1 is particularly strong as theater: as in the score, something new is always happening.”

Hoffmann’s story starts at a Christmas party, where a German girl named Clara is enthralled with a beautiful nutcracker she receives for a present. So of course, her brat-of-a-brother Fritz has to go and break it.

Clara’s godfather Uncle Drosselmeyer somewhat magically fixes it, the first hint of the fantasy.

Dec em ber 2014

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With the nutcracker in her arms, Clara drifts off to

perhaps the greatest endorsement: “No one dance

sleep and dreams of nasty critters and their Mouse

remotely resembles another.”

King, who go to battle with a band of toy soldiers led by the princely Nutcracker. You might think an

That is saying something, considering the road of

instrument made to crush walnuts and a band of toy

“Nutcracker” is paved with clichés.

soldiers could easily polish off a bunch of cheese eaters — but no. The Mouse King is roughing up the

Andersen has spent his career dancing away from the

Nutcracker until Clara hurls her slipper and knocks out

banal. A native of Copenhagen, he joined the Royal

the evil rodent.

Danish Ballet at age 16 and four years later became the youngest principal in the company’s history. He

Similarly, Andersen’s fight choreography hit The New

later was a New York City Ballet mainstay, dancing

York Times critic between the eyes: “The transformation

principal roles for George Balanchine. Ballet Arizona

scenes are all riveting. The battle of mice and toy

landed him as artistic director in 2000.

soldiers, brilliantly paced, has cartoon force. The

44

9-foot-tall Mouse King (funny and alarming with his

The Andersen “Nutcracker” dances from December 6–28

extraordinary corpulence and violence) and the stiffly

at Symphony Hall, with thunderous live music from the

doll-like Nutcracker made for extraordinary fairytale

Phoenix Symphony. The schedule: Thursdays, 7 p.m.;

combatants.” Though being a critic, Macaulay naturally

Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays,

found faults here and there, he almost casually gave

1 and 5:30 p.m. On December 23, there will be shows

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The Christmas Eve show is at 1 p.m.

Casting has also been announced for this year’s “Nutcracker.” Taina Fuentes, Mia Acker and Maya Cook will rotate as Clara. Antonio Juarez and Zachary Barto will alternate as Fritz, the jealous brother.

Ilir Shtylla, Roman Zavarov and Astrit Zejnati will take turns as the man behind the nutcracker, Uncle Drosselmeyer. Brandon Broeker and CJ Damle will share the role of Drosselmeyer’s assistant, who later becomes the Nutcracker Prince. Battling him as the Mouse King will be Myles Lavalle, Junxiong Zhao and Annier Navarro.

Jillian Barrell and Junxiong Zhao will share the role of the scene stealer who appears and breaks into “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” Eric White, Michelle Vagi, Raychel Weiner, Kokoro Umemoto, Eden Garcia-Thaler, Alejandro Mendez, Randy Crespo, Jay Markov, Brian Leonard, Marcus Murphy, Nathan Weng, Paola Hartley, Natalia Magnicaballi and Tzu-Chia Huang are among dozens of talented supporting dancers.

Speaking of supporting: Ballet Arizona’s “Nutcracker Angel Night” performance, a tradition since 2001, is December 11 at 6:30 p.m. Donations from community angels — ticket buyers, subscribers and corporate and private donors whose financial gifts help defray the evening’s expenses — provide more than 4,000 free tickets to children and families from community centers in disadvantaged neighborhoods. For additional information regarding Angel Night, contact Natalie Salvione at Ballet Arizona, 602-343-6522 or nsalvione@balletaz.org. balletaz.org Dec em ber 2014

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Writer Lara Piu Photography courtesy Proven Media

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

Expands holiday tradition What are the chances that you or someone you

If you’re a pet lover, bring your best buddies on

know will participate in this year’s Carefree Christmas

Sunday. Better yet, dress them in their holiday best

Festival? Perhaps guaranteed.

for a pet parade and pictures with Santa. Foothills Animal Rescue will also be on hand that day for pet

“Everyone is involved, from local churches, schools,

adoptions.

boy and girl scouts, the town municipality and more,” says Jo Gemmill, the festival’s director and founder.

Now in its seventh year, the non-profit festival is made

“This is a true community celebration.”

possible thanks to fundraising and an all-volunteer crew. For the first time, APS will sponsor the festival

The three-day, two-night celebration will kick off the

centerpiece: the electric light parade. Produced by

holidays with real snow, an electric light parade, a

the Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce, the

fireworks extravaganza and more. Slated to run the

parade is expected to have nearly 15 new entries. It

weekend of December 12–14, at least 20,000 people

takes place on Saturday at 6 p.m. along Easy Street,

are expected to attend.

followed by fireworks.

“The festival has become one of the most well-

In fact, several community supporters, such as

attended holiday events in the Valley,” Gemmill says.

Discount Tire, are also involved. Sanderson Lincoln on Bell Road will present a snow slide and 35 tons

What’s new

of real snow, and Chris Mellon Custom Home &

The event is stretching its arms with new

Remodeling Center will sponsor the kid’s zone. Children

entertainment, sponsors and a bigger, better electric

from United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Phoenix are

light parade. The Friday entertainment schedule has

grand marshals and will lead the parade this year.

expanded to include three Charles Dickens Carolers shows presenting Christmas music from around the

ABC15’s morning meteorologist and Valley native, Iris

world, a Salvation Army brass band and more than

Hermosillo, will return as emcee.

100 local singers who will perform in an evening concert featuring local choirs. Centrestage Dance

“I’m excited to be a part of the Carefree Christmas

Studio and Jolly Roger, a comic magician for children,

Festival for the third year in a row,” she says. “The

have also been added to the lineup.

committee of Santa’s elves does an amazing job at showcasing the spirit of the holidays with this event.”

Dec em ber 2014

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Carefree Christmas Festival is designed to provide a quintessential holiday experience. Other highlights include a lighted holiday gift market with daytime and late night shopping, seasonal food and drink, live holiday dance and singing performances, lighted carriage rides, Desert Foothills Theater snow and ice queen appearances, Santa and a live Nativity scene.

“It brings out the child in all who attend,” says Gemmill.

“It is reminiscent of a traditional Christmastime of years past. People come to spend time with their friends, family and community. This is what the holidays are all about.”

Festivities take place in the four-acre Carefree Desert Gardens. Its backdrop includes thousands of cacti illuminated in holiday lights. All activities are free. carefreechristmasfestival.com

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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Friday, December 12 10 a.m.–9 p.m.: Gift market and holiday food court 12–2 p.m.: Salvation Army brass band 2:30–5:30 p.m.: Charles Dickens Carolers, Christmas around the world 4–9 p.m.: Kid’s zone with snow slide and 35 tons of real snow 5:45–6:45 p.m.: Kelso Brothers holiday jazz music 6–9 p.m.: Live Nativity scene and lighted horse-drawn carriage rides 7–8 p.m.: Community choirs from four local churches

Saturday, December 13 10 a.m.–9 p.m.: Gift market and holiday food court 10 a.m.–9 p.m.: Kid’s zone with snow slide and 35 tons of real snow 10–11 a.m.: Adage Dance Studio, “A White Christmas” 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.: Desert Foothills Theater, medley of Christmas classics, snow and ice queen appearances 1–1:45 p.m.: Desert Foothills Library presents Mr. Claus reading Christmas stories 2–2:30 p.m.: Cactus Shadows High School Honors Choir 2–4 p.m.: Live Nativity scene 2:30–3:30 p.m.: Sing “Sleigh Bells Ring,” Christmas concert 3:30–4:30 p.m.: Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, live Nativity scene and community sing-along 5–9 p.m.: Holiday party with DJ Robin Sherman 6 p.m.: Electric light parade sponsored by APS and emceed by ABC15 morning meteorologist Iris Hermosillo (pictured above), followed by a fireworks extravaganza

Sunday, December 14 9 a.m.–12 p.m.: Pet parade presented by Foothills Animal Rescue 10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Pet photos with Santa 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: Gift market and holiday food court 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: Kid’s zone with snow slide and 35 tons of real snow 11 a.m.–3 p.m.: Kiddie train rides 12:30–2 p.m.: Centrestage Dance Studio 2:15–3:15 p.m.: Jolly Roger children’s comic magician 3:30–5 p.m.: Johnny Martini, “Rat Pack Christmas” with the Desert Cactus Kickers Dec em ber 2014

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Writer Jenn Korducki Krenn Photographer Bryan Black

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

Until the day when a daring explorer — and no doubt ardent admirer of Juan Ponce de León — successfully discovers the elusive Fountain of Youth, there is no stopping it; from the moment we’re born, we’re growing older.

Although age is just a number, and the physical transformation we undergo as decades seem to zoom past us can never take away our childlike enthusiasm unless we let it, there are inevitable consequences of our mortality. Often, aging increases the physical distance between family and friends, as individuals pursue their personal and career aspirations. Aging also increases our risk factor for certain diseases or mobility limitations, making it even harder to connect as we experience the inability and even fear of leaving our homes. And over time, aging increases the possibility that we’ll have to say our final goodbyes to loved ones who pass away before us, further emphasizing the feeling that the older we get, the more alone we are.

But solitude does not have to define our twilight years. In fact, there are a number of older adults in the North Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek areas who would argue that their social calendars are cramped to capacity, thanks to a local organization called Foothills Caring Corps.

Tasked with the mission of promoting independence and enhancing the quality of life for older adults and people with handicapping conditions throughout the community, FCC delivers an impressive repertoire of services and support that provide access to basic needs such as food and medical care, and to social activities that promote physical, mental and emotional health. What started as a community program based out of Christ Anglican Church in Carefree has grown into a fully independent non-profit organization made up of about 575 volunteers and 740 “Neighbors,” their name for the people they serve. It’s a deliberate designation meant to underscore the idea of volunteers serving their neighbors, not clients.

The Rev. Steven Dart developed the initial idea for the program in 1999, when he stumbled upon a pre-existing program called Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers.

“I wasn’t the one who founded [our organization] so much as I found it,” he says. “They already had the model working and a couple of churches up here had been recruiting volunteers to help the homebound. I simply asked if we could expand it and get a satellite office in Carefree, and with the help of a woman named Gail Simmons we got it started.”

Dart recognized the increasing need for seniors to have access to services such as mobile meals and medical transportation, as well as help with utilitarian tasks such as home repairs and grocery shopping. He became even more motivated after hearing a pastor from the Midwest speak on the issue.

“He talked about how we’re going to be looking at a tsunami of aging Americans,” Dart says, referring to the aging baby boomer population Dec em ber 2014

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(currently projected to total 61.3 million people age 65

says Jill Ford, the board of director’s first president.

or older in 2029, according to the United States Census

“I’ve been involved with a lot of organizations, but she’s

Bureau). “We need to put structures in place that can

incredible.”

accommodate all of these people who are going to need help.”

“I’ve been through a lot of different service areas,” says Determan, who has worked with children, developmentally

Fifteen years later, FCC is a thriving, well-run enterprise

disabled individuals and people who are financially

that, in 2013-14 alone, accumulated nearly 43,000

vulnerable, among other groups. “It’s been interesting

volunteer hours comprised of 6,669 mobile meals, 5,512

working with various populations, but my goal is always

van trips, 1,800 medical transports and 1,901 friendly

to maximize meeting the needs of every individual, not

visits (both in person and over the phone), among

just today but in the long term.”

other services. In 2009, the organization became an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit. The new status has

Not so coincidentally, one thing that sets FCC apart is

allowed them to create a board of directors, develop a

the organization’s ability to serve the individual. Rather

logo and further build their reputation.

than being constrained by policies that limit the number of services that can be provided to a person each

A major driver of this progress and the initiatives that

week, the organization has established their own set of

have brought the organization such success — though

procedures that allows them to meet the needs of each

she’d never take the credit — is Debbra Determan, who

Neighbor on a case-by-case basis.

accepted the role of executive director in 2006, when Simmons retired.

“If we need to serve somebody five days a week because of a chronic condition, that’s what we’re going

“She is the best executive director I’ve ever worked with,”

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

to do,” Determan says. “That said, what we’ve come to

find out is that it’s not just about medical transportation. People are

A passion to create quality & nothing less than perfection.

so isolated and lonely out here that they may not see or have contact with anybody. Some people may have lost a spouse or moved here because they wanted to be close to their relatives, but their relatives are busy working. So we’ve also created social and recreational activities. We give our Neighbors the chance to go out, meet people and have a good time. It’s become a social networking activity for them.”

The ability to provide broader

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medical and social transportation came about after Determan helped FCC obtain a grant from the Arizona

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allowed them to acquire a wheelchair accessible van and minivan. Today they have six vehicles, three of which are wheelchair accessible.

Common outings include trips to stores like Home Depot, Walmart and Kohl’s; visits to the library, Paradise Valley mall or a movie theater; and holiday parties around Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The Neighbors greet every occasion with enthusiasm and gratitude, as evidenced by the conversation during a recent lunch at Wendy’s.

“I like all the ladies and I like the trips,” says Lydia Yakobchuk, seated among three of her friends, who all nod their agreement.

“If it wasn’t for Caring Corps, I would hardly get out of the house,” adds Ida Creamer, who proceeds to watch Lydia reach a sneaky hand toward her container of French fries.

Dec em ber 2014

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“Can I swipe one of your…?” Lydia asks, trailing off once she has successfully procured one of the fries instead of waiting for an answer.

“Hey!” Ida cries, in mock outrage. Lydia laughs.

“You’re not going to eat them all,” she says, giving the rest of the table a knowing smile.

A few seats over, JoAnn Aylward and Don Dalrymple share their stories of what brought them to FCC. “I’ve been coming here for four years,” Don says. “My daughter worked for them. My wife comes even more than I do.”

“For me, it’s the camaraderie,” JoAnn says. “I was lonely at home. Someone told me about it, so I thought I’d try it and I absolutely love it. The volunteers are wonderful.

You can’t believe what they do for nothing. I enjoy when they take us to places that we used to go to when we were able to drive ourselves, like Chompie’s. They just do everything with us, plays and movies and whatever we want. It’s wonderful.”

Left to Right, Debbra Determan, Jill Ford and Rev. Steven Dart

While the Neighbors have endless appreciation for their volunteers, the volunteers, not surprisingly, find they get as much as they give.

“It’s so rewarding when you see someone who has been sad or depressed, and know that you’ve got them smiling again,” says Elda Pierpan, who has volunteered since 2009 doing medical transportation, van trips and caregiver relief. “We’ve developed such a good rapport.

We celebrate each other’s birthdays. I just love seeing the smiles on their faces when I show up.”

Today, FCC is headquartered on Easy Street in Carefree, with additional offices and open areas to accommodate the ever-expanding group of volunteers.

“It’s a great space because we’re right where the people come,” Determan says. “People have to go to the post office, for example, and so they pass by our offices here in the storefront and it makes it much easier for us to be seen as an organization.”

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Looking ahead, FCC is continuing to build out recently introduced programs such as care alert, which provides Neighbors with a personal safety device programmed for emergencies, as well as a friendly pet visiting service, which specifically benefits individuals with memory loss who have trouble connecting with humans but can develop an easy bond with fourlegged friends. There is never a shortage of new ideas, and Determan wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We work really hard, but we work in thoughtful ways,” she says. “It’s been an interesting journey, and in the future there will continue to be huge growth as more people turn 65 and need our services.

We’re planning for that growth and figuring out how we can best prepare for it.”

No matter what comes their way, Determan is a proven master at identifying big picture solutions.

But then again, it’s always nice to be reminded that in the here and now, there’s plenty to be proud of, too.

“When you’re driving down the road and you see one of the vans going by with all of these happy people, some of whom wave to you as you pass, that’s a really nice feeling,” says Ford. “To know that your work is doing some good — that’s what it’s all about.”

480-488-1105 foothillscaringcorps.com

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Chris Winger, Katie Smetana and Loretta Mondragon

Writer Peni Long

The Black Mountain Campus of community facilities is

• 3,700 of the 9,000+ members are under the age of 25

celebrating five years of growth as it provides an ever-

• 2,500+ people visit FCF’s Holland Community Center

expanding series of learning opportunities, community service and health and wellness programs through its three partner organizations.

every month • 10,000+ audience members enjoy the productions of the Desert Foothills Theatre each year • 400+ students attend PVCC at Black Mountain

Desert Foothills Family YMCA, the Foothills Community Foundation and Paradise Valley Community College share

How did all of this come about? Like most projects,

the campus, designed as a neighborhood gathering place

aside from funding, it took cooperation, enthusiasm and

for people of all ages to exercise both mind and body.

dedication — all key attributes of the driving spirits behind

Located at the foot of the iconic Black Mountain at 60th

the development and management of the campus and its

Street, just south of Carefree Highway, the campus serves

programs.

the surrounding communities of Carefree, Cave Creek, Anthem, North Phoenix and North Scottsdale by providing

Driving the Y: Katie Smetana

education options, meeting spaces and recreation facilities

Katie joined the DFFY two years ago and has been actively

in one central location.

involved in the community since her arrival. A Scottsdale resident, she is also the chair of the Carefree Kiwanis Kids

Development of the campus was a significant community

committee and is an active member of the Carefree Cave

undertaking, and its success is backed by some impressive

Creek Chamber of Commerce. She brought her previous

numbers:

10 years of general management experience to oversee the continually evolving DFFY programs and community

• $8 million was raised from individuals all around the surrounding communities to fund the development of

outreach and is very proud of the way the community has backed the development of the facility.

the facilities • 9,000+ members use the DFFY, which supports more than 1,000 visits per day

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Katie says “Many residents gave their hearts, dollars and tireless volunteer hours to help make the Black Mountain

Campus a reality. We work together to provide lifelong learning opportunities with a focus on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility.”

Katie cites DFFY’s mission as essentially to nurture the potential of every child and teen, improve collective health and well-being of participants and provide opportunities to give back and support those in need regardless of age or circumstance.

DFFY programs include more than 80 group fitness classes a week, with participants ranging from age 5 to 95; swimming and water safety (starting at the tender age of 6 months); climbing; free open gym nights; and special events like “midnight madness” programs open to all teens in the community. DFFY staff transport over 40 children daily from seven different schools back to the facility for after-school programs, and the youth sports program can have upwards of 700 participants in a season. Donation dollars help support community outreach activities, program affordability and membership subsidies, including military personnel and others who might need extra support. Donations to DFFY stay in the branch and can be made in person or online at www.valleyymca.org/donate.

Coordinating the Foundation: Chris Winger The Foothills Community Foundation (FCF) provides cultural, education and community outreach programs.

As president and CEO since July of last year, Chris uses her 17-year background in senior management of both private and non-profit organizations to juggle the needs of the programs sharing the Desert Foothills facility, including the Desert Foothills Theater, FCF scholarships and teacher grants provided by Partners in Education, the MindQuest and Visual Arts lecture series, the Desert Awareness programs, the Holland Gallery of Fine Art, and the many communitybased programs and activities for seniors, youth and families at the Holland Community Center.

Like many others who launch new careers, Chris started with FCF as a volunteer, and when the need arose, a match was made.

“My passion is serving the community and FCF is a great fit to that passion,” she says. “We want Dec em ber 2014

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57

to ensure a rich diversity of cultural options, meet

and introduction to business. These courses allow a

community needs to build for the future and preserve a

student to complete an Associate of Arts degree or the

way of life in this region that supports lifelong education

Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC). Students

enrichment.” Based on today’s momentum and the

who complete an AGEC complete 35-37 credits in liberal

enthusiastic support from those who work with her and

arts credits transferable to all three state universities and

use the facilities and programs, FCF is well on its way to

many of the more than 40 partnering universities. Credits

reaching those goals.

apply directly to courses specific to a higher degree.

FCF is a non-profit organization. Donations can take

“This cost savings can be significant due to the increase

many forms: individual donations, event sponsorships,

in tuition throughout the nation,” Loretta says.

in-kind gifts, outright gifts, bequests and planned gifts.

Community members also can support FCF by becoming

Loretta is proud of her staff involvement with the

a member. Annual memberships are $60 for individuals

community in somewhat non-traditional outreach.

and $120 for families. College students receive a discounted membership of $35 with ID. Businesses and

“You will find the staff, faculty and students participating

other organizations also can become members at various

on a float for Fiesta Days, Carefree Christmas Days

levels. Learn more at about FCF at www.azfcf.org.

and Anthem Days,” she says. “We are also one of

Growing enrollment and education: Loretta Mondragon PVCC at Black Mountain offers both credit and non-credit classes. Its student body has grown from zero to more

the founding sponsors for Cave Creek Relay for Life.

It’s important that we are part of our community and participating in the community.” To learn more, go to www.pvc.maricopa.edu/blackmountain.

completed, adding another 20,000 square feet of science

Black Mountain Campus Open House Thursday December 4, 4 to 7 p.m.

labs, classrooms, computer labs and tutoring space. Loretta

The free open house event will have food trucks, live

Mondragon oversees the campus and its offerings and sees

music, Gary the Singing Cowboy, and family-friendly

PVCC as “the little college that could.” Loretta is a fourth-

events for all ages. The event kicks off with the ground

generation Phoenician who worked for PVCC for 25 years

breaking for PVCC building expansion. Community

in information technology. When Black Mountain opened in

members will have a chance to see the architectural

2009, she became the site manager for the new school.

drawings of the new building and open house tours for

than 400 students in a very short time, with prospects for more once the expansion project starting this month is

the DFFY, FCF and PVCC will be available.

58

PVCC offers transferable credits to major universities, with

Black Mountain Campus is located at 34250 N. 60th St.,

courses ranging from English 101 to sociology, astronomy,

Scottsdale, AZ 85266.

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

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60

Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

A NEW SANCTUARY IN NEW RIVER Jennifer Brumbaugh, executive director

severe cases. These two were from

of Healing Hearts Animal Rescue and

a backyard breeder. Ella came with

Refuge,

precious

wounds throughout her body and

stock from Willcox to New River,

was severely malnourished; Big Red,

occupying the property established

the magnificent thoroughbred, was

by Dreamchasers Horse Rescue. It’s

jaundiced and severely neglected.

has

moved

her

a good match for an organization with a mission to save and serve

“Due

neglected and often abused horses.

they

These

find

care from Healing Hearts staff and

wonderful new homes as companions

veterinarians,” Jennifer says. “Their

for other horses or animals — or

survival was hour by hour. After eight

humans, for that matter.

days, we lost Big Red. Although he

healed

horses

often

to

their

significant

received

neglect,

around-the-clock

fought bravely to come back, his body Healing

Hearts

was

founded

as

part of a response to the financial

was too far gone from the months of cruel starvation.”

meltdown several years ago.

The latest addition to the rescued “Arizona horses in particular had it

herd is Winston, grandson of famed

bad,” says Jennifer. “They need space,

racer Native Dancer, who now has

food and care, all of it expensive.

a fighting chance to survive as one

Too many people could no longer

of a long, proud lineage. Fortunately,

afford to keep their animals and had

many of the rescued and rehabilitated

nowhere to send them.”

horses are adopted by families who provide safe havens for them.

Jennifer had acreage in Willcox, which became a haven for those horses.

“The best thing is getting the pictures

But

and social media posts from our

through

her

experience

over

the past few years, she also knew

adopting

that Maricopa County is a wonderful

“Such

place for such an operation. Healing

That’s really why we do what we

Hearts

facility

do.” Many of the adoptees provide

Society

loyal companionship to other horses,

on

opened

the

a

Arizona

satellite Humane

campus in 2013, primarily for the purpose

of

increasing

The

Dreamchasers

the

right

and

says happy

Jennifer. stories.

animals and appreciative humans.

adoptions.

move

opportunity

clients,”

great

to

provided

Healing Hearts is a non-profit and

continue

can always use donations of money

expanding Healing Hearts outreach.

or volunteer time to help out with the horses, at the office or around

Caring for horses is a big job, even

the stables.

bigger depending on the condition of

the

animal

arriving

for

care.

The stories are endless, and often

602-714-0241 healingheartsaz.org

sorrowful. Pictured in the photos are Ella and Big Red, two of the most Dec em ber 2014

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Writer Donna Kublin

“The spirit never ages,” said Chilean writer Isabel Allende.

Ann Otis is a storyteller. Using her prints as visual

Giving testament to this truism is an exhibit of artwork by

means of communication, she comments about life,

three accomplished, passionate, professional artists at the

culture and nature, keeping a light touch and a bit of

Holland Gallery of Fine Art this December.

humor throughout, as well as a measure of fantasy.

Working with copper plate etchings as well as solar

On display are works by master printmaker Ann Otis,

plate etchings, she often adds color with viscosity rolls

abstract-expressionist painter Kay Orton and Hank

or hand paints watercolor as she creates limited edition

Keneally, who integrates digital art, photography and

prints of varying sizes.

painting. With their 238 years of combined experience, they are shown together for the first time with more

In her piece titled, “We Are All One,” she was inspired

than 50 art pieces representing a body of work that

by how all living things are parts of one creation. This

reflects on the past and looks forward into the future.

piece was done with a solar plate and hand colored

The exhibit is a completely modern expression of art

in watercolor. In her piece titled, “Hey Mon What Go

and the artists, all in their 70s or 80s, are ardent,

On,” she was inspired by scenes while traveling in the

energetic and full of spirit.

Caribbean. She executed this piece with double plate viscosity rolls and no hand painting. Note the playful use

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

<< “Circumnavigation of the Line” Hank Keneally

of a famous card-playing scene in the top right corner of her print.

Ann has put together a representative timeline for this show and she hopes that seeing it all together will provide her additional inspiration on where to go from here.

Kay Orton’s artwork has evolved over her 80 years of creating. Today, her colorful paintings are done with acrylics, including liquid acrylics as well as heavy body acrylics and molding paste on canvas. Her passion for painting keeps her work fresh and avant-garde.

Growing up in Japan in a family of artists, she began by creating Japanese ink brush paintings. When she moved to the United States in 1951, she began to do pastel paintings. She still creates the look of pastel paintings using dry brush and acrylics, among many other techniques. Many of her works are large, but she also likes to do smaller paintings and collages.

An example of the beginning of her abstract work is her painting titled, “Altamont.” It is one of a series of landscapes from upstate New York, where she used to live.

“The vast whiteness of a cornfield with a slip of a mountain in the background expresses the loneliness and the forlorn feeling of autumn passing into winter,” she said.

Kay is excited to have her work on display and hopes that visitors to the show will get to know her and her work.

Hank Keneally pays heed to the Pablo Picasso quote: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” He creates art every day, starting at 4 a.m. when he works on his computer digital paintings, followed by 7:30 to 11 a.m. painting with acrylics.

His hard work has paid off, with 15 exhibitions in 2013, his work on display at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson and several teaching assignments.

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Above: “Hey Mon What Go On” Ann Otis Left: “Altamont” Kay Kazuko Orton

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

Ann Otis, Hank Keneally and Kay Kazuko Orton

In this combined retrospective and prospective exhibition, he presents a few pieces from several series demonstrating a wide variance in his work.

“I’m a restless artist and needed to work in multiple series,” he said. “I cannot resist continuous experiments in explorative adventures. That is how I keep my work alive.”

Hank likes to look beyond the superficial and add hidden meanings to his work. His piece titled, “The Gate,” at first view appears totally symmetrical; however, there are 21 examples of asymmetry in this work.

“In some cultures, the number 21 often symbolizes the year of ‘passing through the gate’ from childhood to adulthood,” he explained.

Each artist is passionate, energetic and full of a spirit that is expressed through his or her art. The exhibition demonstrates how spirit and art are truly ageless and viewing it is a powerful reminder of our human potential.

FCF Holland Community Center recently opened the Gallery for Fine Arts, and this is the second exhibit to be shown there. Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monday through Friday. An artist reception, with music and refreshments, will be held on Saturday, December 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. and all are welcome.

FCF Holland Community Center 34250 N. 60th Street, Bldg. B, Scottsdale 480-488-1090 quailcrossingstudio.com arizonaprintgroup.com/artists/ann-otis/ kpaintings.com 5acrearts.com/HankKeneally.html Dec em ber 2014

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Writer Lara Piu Writer Rebecca Zaner

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m D ecem ber 2 0 1 4

Photographer Brenna Zumbro

When I meet Lylah Ledner, she is multitasking

and constructed a small goat dairy. At first, they sold

like any good farmer-rancher-confectioner-cheese

produce at a farmers market, and later sold from the

maker-businesswoman. Counting her goats on one

farm itself.

hand, on the other she tells me the story behind The Simple Farm and how she and her husband,

The Ledners revived the charm of the old horse

Michael, transformed a three-acre property into a

barn and invited the public to come for coffee and

residential farm and thriving business in the middle of

breakfast breads while shopping the weekly market of

Scottsdale’s suburbia.

fresh harvested herbs, in-season produce, local honey, eggs, goat cheese, specialty breads and specialty

The 60-something-year-olds have been married for

butters.

28 years. The pastor and his bride met in Tucson and after one year, moved to Oregon with their two

“People who have come to our home and farm say

daughters. Twenty years ago, the couple returned to

it’s magical, it’s an oasis, it’s peaceful,” says Lylah,

Arizona to make good on a promise to live closer to

who counted between 200 and 300 visitors a week at

Lylah’s grandparents.

that time. “However, we were not able to sustain that component of the business model, so we stepped back

Plum, one of their goats, hollers for Millie, who is in

to focus on what we are all about. As wonderful as it

heat (a fertile period), as Lylah explains: “We jumped

was, we wanted to go deeper with who we are.”

into this adventure even though we didn’t know what the heck we were doing.”

Maintaining the educational and inspirational heart of their mission, the Ledners switched to a community

In 2009, the Ledners proposed creating a public

supported agriculture program. This eight-week

garden with the unused property owned by their

subscription allows members to pick up an allotment

community of faith. At the time, the land had a house,

of farm vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs and eggs, as

a pine tree and a plethora of sticker bushes.

well as meat, dairy and other add-on, à la carte items.

They also began an education program centered on

“There was no business plan,” Lylah says. “We thought

growing, raising and cooking your own food, including

we would grow a little bit of food for ourselves and

a chef-taught workshop called The Craft of Cooking.

a little for others. We were just hoping that we could

The goat dairy, which includes nine Nubian goats,

earn a living doing this.”

emerged as the jewel of the farm.

The following year the couple funded the project with

“I had to do something with the milk the girls were

$50,000 — their entire retirement savings. They built

producing, so I started experimenting with the idea of

raised beds, planted more than 60 fruit and nut trees

making goat milk caramels,” Lylah says.

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Having never made a caramel in her life, Lylah created recipes, choosing 19 as a benchmark.

“I decided that if it took that many tries, I would not feel so bad,” she says.

But she pretty much had it by the fourth try. In fact, she nailed it so well, the caramels were named a finalist in the 2014 Good Food Awards, which celebrates farmers producing food with their own ingredients in a way that is “tasty, authentic and responsible,” according to the website.

The Simple Farm Caramels are now sold online and in upscale markets in California, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and Arizona, including Camelback Flowershop and Scottsdale Old Town Farmers Market locally. The Ledners intend to grow this business next year with the help of new equipment funded through the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform.

At the heart of the matter Today, the property is a private farm residence centered on the Ledner’s passion: restoring dignity to the meal table.

“People can be changed when you sit down at the meal table,” says Lylah. “My mom always set the table intentionally, always adding something of beauty to the table. If you bring in beauty, you have the potential to make someone feel special.”

Attention to detail is important at the farm.

“When you display your produce within the context of a beautiful presentation, it shows how much you love it,” she says. “I want people to be inspired to make something beautiful for their home meal table.”

Focused on education, inspiration and community, The Simple Farm now also offers public classes on subjects like cooking, gardening and backyard livestock, and private team-building events for groups such as corporate teams, school classes and scout troops. Periodically they still offer open-to-the-public

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days, where folks can come for a tour or pumpkin patch event.

Volunteers are a vital component of the farm community, as the Ledners particularly enjoy working with farmers in the making. They recently mentored former information technology professional Matt Butson, who later landed a job as a live-in paid intern for Agritopia, an urban agricultural community in Gilbert.

Lylah says, “Older folks need to teach the younger folks how to farm and get back to life’s simple basics.”

From growing a bit of food and raising a few dairy goats to running a working dairy goat farm and fullfledged caramel confection business, Lylah and Michael say it’s been an adventure. But they’re doing what they’ve always done, just on a larger scale and for reasons that go beyond their kitchen.

“We’ve had gardens and a few chickens, but now it just looks a little different,” she says. “This is about the power of influence and getting people back to basics.”

Lylah receives emails with a lot of questions and feedback, with some people commenting that she is living out their dream.

“You can’t put this in a box,” she says. “Often there are days you put one foot in front of the other. At the end of the day, you know it’s good, honest hard work.” thesimplefarm.net

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Writer Peni Long

As the Desert Awareness Committee (DAC) turns 40 this

When the Desert Reach program received the Cave Creek

year, its Desert Reach program turns 10 — and has so

Unified School District’s Inspire Excellence award, Fran

far reached more than 5,000 students. The creative and

Wylie accepted it on behalf of the DAC.

organizational talents behind this flagship program are Diane Vaszily and Fran Wylie. Both came to Arizona from

“This hands-on, experiential program fits perfectly with

different parts of the country, but with their training,

our mission,” she noted upon accepting the award.

talents and dedication are now focused on a mutual

“Understanding comes through the experience.”

goal of fulfilling the DAC’s mission to “educate all in understanding, conserving and preserving our fragile desert,

As Diane’s partner in preservation, Fran also brought a

its plants and animals, its water and wildlife.”

set of diverse life experiences from an entirely different

Volunteers Making a Difference for the Future

environment to her job as volunteer and program coordinator. A degree in chemistry, years of experience

Diane is first and foremost an environmental educator.

as a docent at the University of Michigan’s Museum of

Since joining the DAC in 1992, she has been an advocate

Art and a three-year stint as president of the Terravita

for our desert resources.

Desert Appreciation Group helped prepare her for the job of scheduling classes, coordinating with teachers

“Personally, it is important to me for people who live in

and volunteers and maintaining the course materials —

or visit an area to understand how it functions, how it fits

including the all-important live tarantula.

into the larger ecosystem and especially how it impacts them,” she says.

Positive Feedback on a Positive Experience In addition to the Inspire Excellence award, the Desert

Diane brings a substantial 40-year background in education

Reach program has garnered enthusiastic support from

and science to the cause, including stints as teacher,

volunteers and students. Volunteer Korina Riggin noted,

principal and owner/director of Science Eye, Inc., a science

“We love our Sonoran Desert and love sharing our passion

and environmental education consulting firm. Through it

and knowledge with others. To educate others is to ensure

all, she learned how to design and present motivational

that future generations will have the same passion and

programs and workshops and to partner with others to be

knowledge. How can you not love being part of that?”

successful. Since moving from Florida, she has leveraged those skills to present seminars throughout the North

Even if you are a transplant from another state like Diane

Phoenix area, including Paradise Valley Community College,

and Fran, you can learn, grow and share with students.

Desert Botanical Garden, City of Cave Creek and other

As volunteer Mary Dvorak put it, “Coming from Minnesota,

community organizations, and has masterminded the

I’ve enjoyed learning about the desert and sharing my

ongoing development of the Desert Reach program. For

knowledge of the plants and animals that live in the

Diane, it is especially important for young people to learn

beautiful Valley of the Sun.”

about the Sonoran Desert world in which they live so that they may in turn become stewards of our environment. It’s

But perhaps the ultimate compliment for the volunteers

all about respect, preservation and co-existence.

and the program comes from a 4th grade student at Horseshoe Trails Elementary, who said, “Someday, I want to be a Desert Reacher just like you.”

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Volunteers Needed to Lead the Experience The Desert Reach program operates every Tuesday and Thursday from January through April. Sessions are 90 minutes long, and volunteers in teams of three guide students through stations dedicated to the following tasks: • Identify desert plants based on remains • Study adaptations of plants • Measure and test soils to see if they could support life • Experience predators, including remains but also a live tarantula • Construct a food chain • Reconstruct a ruin • Learn about our past and anthropology and make a sand painting That’s a lot to do in 90 minutes, covering topics that can take many books, study hours and courses to thoroughly understand. But with a focus on inquiry, experience and discussion, the volunteer teams lead students to a fundamental awareness of archaeology, ancient civilizations, anthropology, predator food chains and the wonderful world of adaptation. It’s like taking a field trip while staying in school.

The DAC’s goal is to not only continue but also expand the program, and that will take more volunteers. Diane and Fran are taking applications from people who might want to join the current crew of seven instructors. And no, you don’t need to be an environmental educator, teacher or expert to serve. You will receive all the training you need to help instruct the next generation. You could be a super volunteer if you like to work with kids; have time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, January through April; can get to schools in the Cave Creek and Deer Valley Unified School Districts; and share an appreciation for our very special desert ecosystem. Training will be provided in January at the Foothills Community Foundation.

480-488-1090 davaszily@prodigy.net 480-595-5501 few1@comcast.net

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Dining Guide Spotlight

Summit Diner The question, “What does everyone want for dinner?” can often be heard throughout neighborhoods all around Arizona. Usually, the answers are varied: “Italian!” “Breakfast for dinner!” “Hamburgers!”

“Salad!” Sometimes, these answers are screamed all at once.

For nights like these, take the family to Summit Diner in North Scottsdale, where everyone’s appetites can and will be satiated. Although Summit Diner introduces a new dinner special menu every month, there are several popular dishes that keep coming back thanks to customer demand. Chief among them are beef stroganoff, buttermilk fried chicken and salmon corn cake.

In addition to keeping his customer favorites, owner and chef Joe Kapidani is constantly thinking up new dishes to add to the mix. To satisfy your sweet tooth at the end of a delicious meal, consider trying the decadent gluten-free chocolate cake drizzled with white chocolate icing or appetizing apple pie à la mode, along with the restaurant’s other dessert offerings. Stop by on Mondays and Tuesdays after 5 p.m. to enjoy half-priced bottles of wine.

When you sign up for Summit Diner’s VIP club, you’ll receive savings, special offers and promotions.

For every $60 you spend, you will earn a $10 reward via email or text message. Include your birthday and/or anniversary and receive an $11 reward. With nearly 4,000 VIP members signed up already, you can be confident that the rewards are as good as the food.

32531 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale Open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

480-575-6562 summitdineraz.com

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Desert Treasures

Desert Foothills Handyman Service

Desert Treasures is celebrating over 40 years as a

As an Arizona Better Business Bureau A+ rated business,

Carefree business. Now owned by Barbara Vander Leest,

Desert Foothills Handyman Service has a proven history

Ph.D., the daughter of its founders, our business opened

of providing handyman services that stand out from other

October 6, 1973. Customers include many faithful second-

companies. We are a professional service company and our

and third-generation patrons, as well as crowds of Arizona

focus is providing our clients with honest, reliable service

visitors who flock to Desert Treasures for our excellent

they can count on every time.

selection of quality minerals, fossils, jewelry and gifts at fair and affordable prices.

Desert Foothills Handyman Service sets the bar high for the quality of workmanship, as well as their values.

Visiting Desert Treasures, you will find an eclectic mix of

Nominated for the 2008 Business Ethics Award, integrity,

treasures. The foundation of the store continues to be

honesty, professionalism and compassion are all part of

the excellent collection of minerals and fossils in the Rock

business every day for us. We believe in being useful to our

Room, including petrified wood, amethyst, geodes and

community, and at times that entails going the extra mile

desert roses, as well as hundreds of other specimens. We

for customer satisfaction.

also carry many stands for displaying minerals to decorate your home or office.

It has always been our goal at Desert Foothills Handyman Service to provide high standards of workmanship for our

The Southwest Room features our excellent selection of

clients. Good workmanship ethics require long practice; it’s

gemstone jewelry in turquoise, amethyst, amber and other

not only the quality or manner of work but the art and skill

semi-precious stones set in sterling silver, as well as Massa

in the way it is correctly done. In addition, we warranty our

of Santa Fe’s one-of-a-kind gemstone necklaces. Other

workmanship for two years from the time that services are

Arizona gifts include T-shirts and ladies’ tops, books for

rendered.

children and adults, and carved ironwood sculptures.

We have always strived to be reliable and professional, To better serve our customers, we are open seven days a

going above and beyond whenever we can. We look forward

week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Carefree’s Spanish Village.

to meeting your handyman needs.

480-488-3782

602-540-9794

#11 Spanish Village, Carefree

1handyman4you.com

deserttreasuresaz.com

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Country Doctor Service for Your Technology • Training, Repair & Service of all Apple, PC and Android devices • Carry in, On-Site or Remote Appointments • Internet & Wireless Network Support • Website Creation & Maintenance • Strategic SEO that gets RESULTS

Your h me for

UNIQUE, ONE-OF-AKIND GIFTS

748 Easy Street, Carefree

480.488.0773

techfourlife.com

this holiday season! he Next to Toad Horny T ant Restaur

6738 E. Cave Creek Rd. in Cave Creek

602-330-6042 4SisterShop.com

Tue.-Sat. 11AM-4:30PM, Sun. NOON-4PM, Closed Mon.

Registered Investment Advisor ‘Connecting Values to Goals’

Kurt Morgan 36600 N. Pima Rd. #303-1 PO Box 916 Carefree, AZ 85377

(480) 257-1806

www.MorganAdvisors.net

Would you like a relationship with your Advisor that gives you the peace-of-mind and confidence to focus on the things in life that are more important than money? If so, please give us a call.

Securities offered through Triad Advisors, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC

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Cave Creek Candles & Gifts Cave Creek Candles & Gifts is more than just handmade artisan candles and candle-related accessories. Our working shop has unique gifts for all occasions.

Located in Frontier Town, Cave Creek Candles & Gifts continues to hand pour candles in the tradition of the early American craftsman. Founded in 1997, Cave Creek Candles & Gifts is a family business, with history dating four generations in Arizona.

Owners Steve and Roxanne Vise bring this heritage, along with creative passion and a love for artisan handmade items produced locally. Roxanne is also a local award-winning artist

4SisterShop Have you stopped by our eclectic and one-of-a-kind shop in Cave Creek yet? You’ll find a wonderful assortment of treasures at 4SisterShop. We have everything from rustic, vintage and industrial styles, to repurposed home décor and furniture, as well as fun jewelry and great gifts. Vintage and brand new, we’ve got it all. Unique items 4 your home, 4 yourself, 4 others! We are excited to now offer these additional services: faux painting, cabinet refinishing, color and design consultation and welding.

Yes, there really are four sisters (we also have one brother).

We grew up in Arizona and are happy to have found our perfect location in the unique town of Cave Creek.

Our inventory is always changing, so be sure to stop by often.

Come see us; we’d love to visit! We’re located at 6738 E. Cave Creek Rd., next to The Horny Toad.

602-330-6042 6738 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-4.30p.m.; Sunday, 12-4 p.m.; Closed Monday facebook.com/4sistershopAZ 4sistershop.com

who paints with beeswax in a process called encaustic painting.

We stock both scented and unscented pillars, hand-painted candles, 100 percent beeswax, Christmas candles, dripless tapers in all colors and sizes, floating candles, ball candles, votives, tea lights and a large variety of holders and lanterns for both indoor and outdoor use.

In addition to handmade candles, the shop is a great place for locally made art and gifts such as luminaries, paintings, artisan glass, pottery, metal work, wind chimes and Himalayan salt products, all reflecting the colors, scents and sounds of the Sonoran Desert. Our bath and body line includes French soaps, soap rocks, essential oils, bath salts and body oils.

Our Christmas selection includes locally made holiday gifts, Christmas ornaments and decor, Nordic candelabras, Christmas luminaries, votive holders, beeswax Christmas tree tapers, authentic bayberry tapers and floating poinsettia and holly leaf candles. Among our fun stocking stuffers are wine cork candles, artisan night-lights and soap rocks.

For a truly special gift, we invite you to come and visit us in Frontier Town at 6245 E. Cave Creek Rd. 480-488-7799 6245 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek cavecreekcandles.com

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Country Doctor Service for Your Technology • Training, Repair & Service of all Apple, PC and Android devices • Carry in, On-Site or Remote Appointments • Internet & Wireless Network Support • Website Creation & Maintenance • Strategic SEO that gets RESULTS 748 Easy Street, Carefree

480.488.0773

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Local Index Absentee Homeowner Services Carefree Property Services 480-575-6600 carefreepropertyservices.com Desert Lifestyle Management 480-907-4662 desertlifestylemgt.com AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING Canyon State AC and Plumbing 602-996-1818 canyonstateac.com Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 pricelessplumbing.com Animal Acupressure Equine/Canine Cave Creek area Madeleine Ascott 760-619-4206 mascott44@gmail.com Architect August Reno 480-488-9858 7202 East Cave Creek Rd. Unit 1-A augustreno.com Art Gallery Saddle Up Gallery 480-577-8426 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd. Suite 3B saddleupgallery.com Wild Holly Gallery 480-595-8757 22 Easy Street Carefree, AZ wildhollygallery.com Artificial plants, flowers and succulent Arizona Silk Flower 480-991-0285 23425 N. Scottsdale Rd. Ste A-107 Attorney Hundman Law Offices 480-625-3134 hundmanlaw.com John W. Stevens, Attorney 480-488-2591 Carefree Area Automotive Repair C&R Tire 623-551-6255 candrtire.com

Beauty Salon Donna Jean 480-488-2244 7171 E. Cave Creek Rd., Suite B Sonoran Beauty Salon 480-595-1700 sonoranbeautysalon.com Bike SHop Flat Tire Bike Shop 6033 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-5261 flattirebikes.com Boutique 4Sister Shop 602-330-6042 4sistershop.com Bags & Rags Ladies Fine Apparel 480-575-3114 16 Easy Street, Carefree bagsandragsaz.com Stefan Mann 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite G10 480-488-3371 stefanmann.com Bridal and Formal Wear The Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear 18291 N. Pima Rd. A125 480-419-7755 qbrideandformals.com College Paradise Valley Community College 602-493-2600 my.maricopa.edu COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE Foothills Animal Rescue 480-488-9890 Foothills Caring Corps 480-488-1105 Foothills Food Bank 480-488-1145 Salvation Army 480-488-3590 St. Vincent de Paul Society 602-254-3338 COMMUNITY organizations American Legion Post No. 34 & Auxiliary 480-488-2669 Arizona Archaeological Society 480-595-9255

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Arizona Musicfest 480-488-0806 Cave Creek Museum 480-488-2764 Desert Awareness Committee 480-488-1090 Desert Foothills Community Association 480-488-4043 Desert Foothills Community Education 480-575-2440 Desert Foothills Land Trust 480-488-6131 Desert Foothills Theater 480-488-1981 Foothills Community Foundation 480-488-1090 Kiwanis Club of Carefree 480-488-8400 Newcomers Club of Scottsdale 480-990-1976 newcomersclubofscottsdale.com New River Senior Center 623-465-0367 Rotary Club 623-581-1163 Sonoran Arts League 480-575-6624 Soroptimist International 480-522-6692 YMCA 480-596-9622 Cosmetics Merle Norman 480-488-3208 37417 Tom Darlington Dr. Dentist Carefree Dentists 480-488-9735 carefreedentists.com Dentistry at Westland 480-585-5215 33725 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite 101 dentistryatwestland.com Smile Design Specialists 480-488-9655 drdevi.com

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 imagesaz.com

For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

Esthetician Skincare by Stephanie 602-326-0928 Desert Foothills Medical Center 36889 Tom Darlington Dr.

Hauling/Rubbish Removal Rubbish Works Local Junk Removal & Recycling 480-236-3590 rubbishworks.com/phoenix

Insurance Morgan Advisors Kurt Morgan 480-257-1806 morganadvisors.net

Financial Planning Investments Edward Jones Natasha H. Palmatier 480-488-2821

Health care Cierra Medical Walk-In Care 480-575-0131

Landscape Design and Maintenance A Couple of Green Thumbs 6061 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-2155 acoupleofgreenthumbs.com

Morgan Advisors Kurt Morgan 480-257-1806 morganadvisors.net FIRE Fire Service 480-627-690 Garden Desert Foothils Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Government/business Town of Carefree 480-488-3686 Town of Cave Creek 480-488-1400 Cave Creek Merchants and Events Association 480-437-1110 Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce 480-488-3381 Habilitation, REspite & Attendant care Arion 623-238-4349 sdykhuizen@arioncaresolutions.com arioncaresolutions.com Handyman Desert Foothills Handyman Service 602-540-9794 1handyman4you.com Brian Hansen 602-920-9141 Free Estimates Hardware Ace Hardware Carefree 480-513-7020 karstensace.com

Desert Foothills Medical Center 480-488-9220 John C. Lincoln Deer Valley 623-879-6100 Mayo Clinic 480-515-6296 Mayo Hospital 480-585-6296 Paradise Valley Hospital 602-923-5000 Scottsdale Healthcare 480-324-7000 7400 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy.

480-323-3000 90th St. & Shea Blvd.

Home COntractor & Design New Legacy Building & Design 480-363-6713 newlagacybuilding.com Nicholson Custom Homes 480-694-1442 nchomesaz.com Home furnishings Big Bronco Furniture Barn 480-575-1357 General Store 480-575-7025 bigbroncocavecreek.com Valerieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Furniture & Accents 480-483-3327 valeriesfurniture.com Horse Riding Twisted Tree Farm 480-860-8215 twistedtreefarm.com House Cleaning The Maids Scottsdale 602-923-4000 themaidsscottsdale.com Interior Design Elizabeth Rosensteel Design Studio 602-522-0989 rosensteeldesign.com

Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 azulverde.com Desert Foothills Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Desert Foothills Landscaping 480-488-0128 36815 N. Cave Creek Rd. Iddings & Sons Landscaping, Inc. 623-465-2546 623-297-7584 iddingsandsonslandscaping.com Library Desert Broom Library 602-262-4636 Desert Foothills Library 480-488-2286 Nursery Desert Foothils Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Outdoor Furniture Carefree Outdoor Living 480-575-3091 carefreeoutdoor.com Outdoor Lighting Let There be Light 480-575-3204 lettherebelightllc.com Parks Cave Creek Regional Park 623-465-0431 Gateway Desert Awareness 480-488-1400 Spur Cross Ranch 480-488-6601 Cave Creek Ranger 480-595-3300

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Local Index Photography Blackswan Photographers 480-282-8646 blackswanphotographers.com Loralei Photography 602-795-0555 loraleiphotography.com Plumbing Canyon State AC and Plumbing 602-996-1818 canyonstateac.com Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 pricelessplumbing.com Podiatry Westland Family Foot and Ankle Specialist 480-361-2500 westlandffas.com Pool Design/construction Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 azulverde.com Pool maintenance Carefree Crystal Clear Pool & Spa 480-488-2636 7202 E. Cave Creek Rd. 7A My Pool Gal Service 480-626-2604 Repair 480-626-8200 Post office Carefree 480-488-3781 Cave Creek 480-488-1218 Realtor Jean Ransdell Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 480-294-3257 arizonaluxuryrealty.com Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty 34305 N. Scottsdale Rd. 480-488-2400 Tom Scappaticci Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 602-430-4081 arizonaluxuryrealty.com

Restaurants English Rose Tea Room 480-488-4812 201 Easy St. Carefree, AZ carefreetea.com

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Goddard School 480-437-1000

Summit Diner 480-575-6562 summitdineraz.com

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School 480-272-8500

The Grotto 480-499-0140 6501 E. Cave Creek Rd.

Lone Mountain Elementary School 480-437-3000

The Village Coffee Shop 480-488-3835 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd. #134 B Retirement Community Carefree Manor 480-595-5800 carefreemanor.net The Heritage at Carefree 480-488-1622 heritagecarefree.com SCHOOL Annunciation Catholic School 480-361-8234 Bella Vista Private School 480-575-6001 Black Mountain Elementary School 480-575-2100 Cactus Shadows High School Main Line 480-575-2400 Attendance 480-575-2431 Career Success School 480-575-0075 Cave Creek Montessori School 480-563-2929 cavecreekmontessori.com Cave Creek Unified School District 480-575-2000 Child’s Play Preschool – CCUSD cavecreekpreschools.com 480-575-2062 Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool 480-585-8007 Desert Sun Academy 480-575-2900 Desert Willow Elementary School 480-575-2800

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Foothills Academy 480-488-5583

Montessori School 480-563-2929 Our Lady of Joy Preschool 480-595-6409 Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain 602-493-2600 Quality Interactive Montessori School 480-575-5269 qimontessori.com Scottsdale Christian Academy 602-992-5100 scarizona.org Sonoran Trails Middle School Main Line 480-272-8600 Attendance: 480-272-8604 Ventana Academic School 480-488-9362 Security Doors and Screens Steel Shield Security Doors 602-633-9368 steelshieldsecurity.com Sheriff Sheriff’s Posse 602-876-1895 Shopping Cave Creek Candle & Gifts 6245 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-7799 cavecreekcandles.com Las Tiendas 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd. lastiendascavecreek.com Suzanne’s Hot Stuff In Frontier Town 480-488-1277 The Red Truck Trading Co. 480-575-0100 redtrucktrading.com

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 imagesaz.com

Stefan Mann 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite G10 480-488-3371 stefanmann.com Technology Support Tech 4 Life 748 Easy Street #5 480-553-9171 techfourlife.com Tire Repair and Sales C&R Tire 623-551-6255 candrtire.com Water Softener & Filtration Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 pricelessplumbing.com Rayne of the North Valley 623-234-9047 raynewater.com window treatments Carefree Coverings 602-617-2920 34522 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite 100B Worship Black Mountain Baptist Church 480-488-1975 bmbcaz.com Black Mountain United Church of Christ 480-575-1801 bmucc.com Canyon Church of Christ 623-889-3388 canyonchurch.org Carefree Highway Community Church 480-488-5565 carefreechurch.us Cave Creek Adventist Fellowship 602-663-1268 cavecreekchurch.com Cave Creek Bible Church 480-818-5653 cavecreekbiblechurch.org Christ Anglican Episcopal Church 480-488-0525 christchurchaz.org

For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

Christ the Lord Lutheran 480-488-2081 ctlcarefree.org

North Ridge Community Church 480-515-4673 northridge.org

Church of Jesus Christ of LDS 480-488-3035 lds.org

North Valley Church of Christ 480-473-7611 nvcoc.net

Community Bible Church of Cave Creek 33501 N. Cave Creek Road 480-488-2958 communitybiblechurchaz.com

Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church 480-488-2229 oloj.org

Coolwater Christian Church 480-585-5554 coolwaterchurch.org Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church 623-465-9461 Desert Foothills Lutheran Church 480-585-8007 dflc.org Desert Hills Presbyterian Church 480-488-3384 deserthills.org Desert Mission United Methodist Church 480-595-1814 desertmissionumc.org Desert Valley Baptist Church 623-465-9461 First Baptist Church of Cave Creek 480-488-2958 First Church of Christ Scientist 480-488-2665 csarizona.com/carefreecavecreek.1st Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church 480-488-3283 goodshepherdaz.org Light of the Desert Lutheran Church 480-563-5500 lightofthedesert.org

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church 480-585-9448 pinnaclepres.org Redeemer Lutheran Church 480-585-7002 redeemer.vze.com Son Rise Community Church 480-502-2834 sonrisescottsdale.org Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center 480-488-5218 spiritinthedesert.org St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church 480-595-0883 stgacc.org Via de Cristo United Methodist Fellowship 480-515-4490 viadecristo.com Yoga Yoga Breeze 480-595-2855 yogabreeze.com Part-time Massage Therapist proficient in pain relief wanted for clinic. Also treatment room/office available for rent inside holistic healthcare facility. New building at Pinnacle Peak & Miller (Hayden).

480-595-0246.

Lone Mountain Fellowship Church 480-818-5653 lonemountainfellowship.org North Scottsdale Christian 480-367-8182 northscottsdalechristian.com

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Recipe

Holiday Chocolate Truffles Writer and Photographer Monica Longenbaker

During the holidays, it’s important to keep in mind that some of the best things come in small packages — like these adorable homemade chocolate truffles. Not only are they easy to make, but they can also easily be modified to embody any winter-themed flavor of your choosing. Add a touch of surprise by incorporating peppermint extract for a cool, minty spin, or kick up the heat with cinnamon and cayenne pepper to create Mexican Hot Chocolate-flavored truffles. Then “deck” your truffles with an array of fun, holiday-inspired garnishes. Simply roll them in powdered sugar to resemble snowballs or coat them with white or dark chocolate and top with a sprinkle of mini marshmallows or crushed peppermint. These rich, velvety candies make for some sweet treats and lasting holiday memories to share while making them with family and friends.

Holiday Chocolate Truffles Yield: 40-50 pieces

Directions: To make the ganache center, melt the dark and semisweet chocolate gently over a double boiler or in the microwave for 30-second intervals.

10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 cup heavy cream 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature

In a separate saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove the cream from the heat and cool for about 30 seconds. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir slowly in concentric circles to combine. Fold in the softened butter. Add additional flavors and spices if desired.

assorted garnishes (cocoa powder, powdered sugar, crushed peppermint candies, mini marshmallows, gingersnap cookie crumbs, sprinkles)

Pour the mixture in an even layer into a baking dish and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm but still malleable enough to scoop. Using a melon baller or small cookie scoop, portion 1-inch balls onto a parchment paper-lined plate or sheet pan and place back in the refrigerator for 15-

For Chocolate Coating (optional):

30 minutes.

10 ounces chocolate (semisweet, dark or white), melted

Once the truffles have hardened, roll each ball in the palms of your hands until smooth. Then roll in desired garnishes, such as cocoa

For Peppermint Flavor (optional): 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

powder, powdered sugar or ground gingersnap cookies. Or, using two forks, dip each truffle into melted chocolate to coat and place onto parchment paper. Sprinkle with desired toppings, such as crushed

For Mexican Hot Chocolate Flavor (optional): ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) cayenne pepper

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peppermint pieces, mini marshmallows or sprinkles. Allow to set.

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