October October 2015
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THUNDERBIRD HIGH PROUDLY HONORS LEGENDARY FOOTBALL COACH BY SU SA N M E R C E R H I N R I C H S , R E P O R T E R , T H E M O O N VA L L E Y TAT T L E R
VOL 35 No. 10
Building Dreams And Granting Wishes One Child At A Time
Fred and Sally Cohill started Wish Builders in 2006. They had been giving back to the community during Touchdown! Go Chiefs! Touchdown! Touchdown! The words echoed frequently during former Thunderbird Christmas for years. In 2006 was they started with the current program of “adopting” families and providHigh School freshman football coach Jack Storey’s career. In addition to his passion teaching his THS students the won- ing for then during the holidays. The first year they ders of science, Storey relished the gridiron, the game and overall adopted 50 families. In 2014 they adopted 534 families the thrill of encouraging youngsters to perform at their best, no which included 1,795 children. Every Family Receives One Wrapped Toy For Each matter what the endeavor, his family, colleagues and friends say. Child In The Household Ages Birth to 18, One Basket And to honor him in an indelible way for his accomplishments, Glendale Union High School District and THS administrators Full Of Essential Household Items And One $25.00 approved naming the school’s football venue Jack Storey Field. Grocery Store Gift Card. This continues to be a family operation. Fred Ceremonies took place Sept. 16 on site with the kind of dignified and Sally’s children and grandchildren shop for gifts ceremonies associated with great accomplishments. Before a crowd of some 100 onlookers, Storey’s wife, Sally, throughout the year including a major effort on black their three daughters and many family members were joined by Friday. The organization became an official 501c3 in THS and GUHSD officials, Phoenix City Councilman Bill Gates, 2014 with Mike Lee (son-in-law) taking on the role of at least one of Storey’s former players and several teaching col- president to ensure that the organization started by leagues who all gave kudos and recounted fond memories about a Fred and Sally continues to grow and serve the community for the next generation. Skyline Wish Buildman who remains so esteemed. Storey lost his battle to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2008, oldest ers Inc. Has No Overhead Expenses! Most Of Skyline daughter Debbie Granillo sadly remembered. Yet the legacy of his Wish Builders Work Is Completed By Volunteers, Including Employees Of Skyline Builders & Restoration, work and his achievements lives on. Inc. Who Volunteer Their Time Throughout The Year. Family and friends provided boundless praise of the man who contributed so much to our community. And while none of the Because Every Child Deserves The Opportunity To immediate Storey family members knows exactly who started the momentum leading to the ultimate footballBelieve In The Unbelievable. field naming, they’re thrilled with the remembrance. Wife Sally Storey: brushed away tears during an interview. How can you help? “I’m very overwhelmed with the honor and it’s very well deserved,” she said. “And I would be the best one to know that.” The couple was married for 54 years. Cash Donations Granillo, by her mother’s side and flanked by her sisters, said, “We’re very honored to have this field named Approximately $75.00 Can Complete A Wish For after my Dad. Football meant a lot to him; family meant a lot to him, as did his career. He has lots of friends A Family Of 6. Wishbuilder’s Welcomes Donations Of here.” Any Amount, Big Or Small. “It’s just wonderful,” middle daughter Susan Haydukovich, said. “It keeps the family together.” Youngest daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Reid, made remarks during the start of the ceremony, thanking the Toy Donations district and community members for their efforts in creating this long-lasting recognition for her father. Also, Wishbuilders Collect NEW Toys For Boys And granddaughter Kimberly Laux, talked of the “great honor” in naming the football field after her grandfather in Girls Ages Birth Through 18. You Can Drop Items By a later interview. Kind words from one of Storey’s former frosh players, in addition to those of Storey’s colleagues, and THS Our Office Or Contact Us And We Can Pick Them Up. Please Leave All Toys Unwrapped So They Can Be administrators, reflect the family members’ thoughts, too. Augie Jimenez played on Storey’s freshman team during the 1976-77 season and said he also enjoyed his Easily Sorted. classroom time with him as one of his earth-science students. Goods Donations “He was a wonderful man,” Jimenez said. “He was very caring, very demanding, but also very understanding. 2401 North 24th Avenue He was just a wonderful man. He taught me the lesson of never giving up, of never quitting.” Phoenix, Arizona 85009 Kathleen Adams, a retired English teacher, knew Storey for many years over the course of their THS careers. “Jack was the best,” Adams said. “I’m married to a football coach and he told me Jack was the best. The kids info@skylinewishbuilders.com Tel: 602.485.8309 respected him; he had a great insight into kids,” adding Storey could teach kids how to live with dignity and integrity. Check out how Moon Valley has come together Craig Johnson, a retired English teacher and former high-school coach himself, said he and Storey were to support WishBuilders on pages 22 & 23. friends for more than four decades. Continued on page 3...