December 2020 | Vol. 14 Iss. 12
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THE LOCAL BEE FACILITATES GIVING BACK AND SPREADING JOY By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
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he success of The Local Bee, a new grassroots charitable organization founded by a couple of Draper women, is a bright spot in challenging times. The founding members were recently honored as Extra Miles Heroes by Draper City Council. With the goal of bringing happiness and helping those in need, The Local Bee offers friends and neighbors an opportunity to get involved and “focus on something positive,” as co-founder Natalie Watson explained. Each month, The Local Bee partners with a different local charity to fulfill a specific need and hosts a simple service opportunity for community members to participate in while also highlighting local restaurants, shops, businesses and organizations. A large part of their mission is to help spread joy to people through the act of giving and participating. The name, The Local Bee, refers to Utah’s nickname as the Beehive State and the “local” reflects the group’s focus on small businesses and organizations within the Wasatch Front. The Local Bee started last summer when friends Watson and Shauna Borg began talking about how they could give back and help the community thrive. “Both of us had been wanting to do this for a long time,” Watson said. In researching local charities, they learned about For the Kids, a nonprofit in Salt Lake City that provides food for kids on the National School Lunch Program (a federal free or low-cost lunch program) who often go hungry on weekends. The two organized a food drive, get-
ting their kids involved and inviting friends and neighbors to contribute prepackaged and easy-to-prepare foods via social media. The response was outstanding. The Local Bee contributed 732 complete weekend meal kits to For the Kids, stocking their pantry for the month of September. For their next project, The Local Bee reached out to the Granite Education Foundation which puts together “Santa Sacks” for underprivileged kids. Learning that there was a particular need for gift items for tween girls, Watson and Borg organized a drive to make grooming kits including combs, brushes, nail polish and lip balms. Seeking to simultaneously shine a light on local businesses, they set up a collection site for the items at La Petite Maison Antiques in Draper. By the end of the drive, The Local Bee had 510 grooming kits for the Santa Sacks. “It’s been terrific, really rewarding to see how this has taken off,” Borg said. “We have a lot of kind and generous people who want to help and we couldn’t do it without them.” Watson relayed an anecdote about a donor who told her, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do something for those little girls.” The women view their organization as a way to make it easier for people to give back. “We recognize that a lot of people don’t have time,” Watson said. “The idea is to come up with small, simple projects that have an impact on the local level and spread the word.” “People just want to help,” Borg said. “They recognize that there is a need and they
The Local Bee co-founders Shawna Borg and Natalie Watson held a collection event at La Petite Maison in Draper last October. (Photo courtesy Natalie Watson)
want to do their part.” For November, which is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, The Local Bee teamed up with HomeAid Utah for an on-
line fundraiser. HomeAid Utah is a nonprofit provider of housing for those experiencing homelessness. The Local Bee spread awareContinued page 11
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Middle-schoolers debate in-person, adhering to safety precautions By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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ndian Hills eighth-grader Gabe Lowe was ready to face his competitors in late October as he went head-to-head in Canyons School District’s first in-person middle school debate and speech tournament of the school year. “I like debating and get most out of it going against others,” said the three-year veteran. “There are big issues this year, like police reform, COVID-19 and topics that relate more to Utah than previous years. I’m able to have better speeches and facts and glad I have a chance to compete.” With so many extracurricular activities curtailed during the COVID-19 pandemic, District English Language Arts Specialist Leslie Robinett said she was glad to give students an opportunity to compete in one. As the school year began, Robinett met with debate and speech coaches at all seven Canyons middle schools where it was decided as long as it’s safely possible, the tournaments will be held. However, there are a few differences, such as teams are separated by school in different locations to keep them in smaller groups. Each round is posted in several places and announcements were provided over the intercom to reduce congregating. There also was not an in-person end-of-tournament celebration and awards ceremony as the results with medals and trophies were given to coaches with a videotaped announcement the following week. “Our coaches felt that there would be a lot more social distancing than during school as we could really spread out,” she said, adding that holding it online was discussed. “The teachers also felt that holding it in person is important as when students talk in front of a judge is different than talking to a computer.” Even transporting the students to the tournament site of Indian Hills Middle was reviewed and Albion’s and Eastmont’s teams
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took two school buses to ensure there was enough social distancing. The tournament size also was restricted, with no out-of-district teams invited. As it turned out, for various reasons, only Indian Hills, Eastmont, Mt. Jordan and Albion’s full teams competed, along with a few from Draper Park, reducing the number to about 250 students. Sanitizer was abundant and concessions were eliminated. “We’re trying to provide the opportunity as much as normal while making it as safe as possible,” Robinett said, adding however, the elementary tournament would be judged by video submissions this year. Mt. Jordan eighth-grader Parker Lassig appreciates competing at the tournament. “It’s fun to voice my opinions in my speech,” he said, adding that he participated the two previous years. Albion coach Emma Coates took about 35 students to the tournament, most who are in her course, which she is providing on the Canvas learning management platform. “It’s made me rethink our system, and make positive changes,” said the eight-yearcoach. “In the past, I would teach the basics; this year, I have assignments that force them to learn skills that may have seen optional in the past and weren’t always practiced.” She said that many of those are skills that can translate to other classes and to life. “One thing I love most about debate is that so many skills relate to the rest of their lives—the quality of their thoughts, researching, expressing disagreement, being organized, learning to be part of a team—there’s so much,” said Coates, who judged the online national middle school tournament this past summer. She also is making students understand that mask-wearing doesn’t limit communi-
cation, but gives them a chance to convey it more besides through words. “We learn about and practice body expression,” she said. “We have our debaters practice at a distance from each other, but speaking up louder. We’ll have a specific lesson on enunciation and on learning about hand gestures before the next tournament.” Coates said that the in-person Canyons tournament went smoothly. “Things went so much better than we thought it would,” she said. “We didn’t have as many middle school students even with the teams that competed because some students are being quarantined, but it gave them motivation to really research hard and practice. They had the fire and passion and that wouldn’t be there if it was virtual. I asked the kids about it and without hesitation, 100% yes, they wanted the competition and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.” Indian Hills coach Gage Pulsifer said about 30 members of his 103-member team were quarantined. “It has been tough as some kids haven’t had as much time together this year,” he said, referring to the week delay start to the school year as well as quarantine time. “We had some kids really want to participate so they were able to take the quick test (for COVID-19) and able to compete in the tournament. They spend time working on their speeches and research, so the tournament gives them a sense of accomplishment.” While quarantined, many students would virtually connect with those in the classroom and debate one another. “We had a little delay, but it’s students wanting to be part of this. We’re also learning that it’s taking a little longer to get ready as we didn’t finish last school year (because of the soft closure of schools at the outbreak of the pandemic),” the four-year coach said.
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Pulsifer said after watching the initial presidential debate, students have appreciated what they’ve learned in class: “There are two sides of an argument and that they need to listen and present the civil discussion with facts so they can back up what is being said.” As students watch the news and talk about current events such as social unrest and voting, they also need to understand there are different viewpoints based on different life experiences. “We need to understand that the world is not black and white, we can’t be polar opposed. We need to find that middle ground,” he said. At Eastmont, Corey Jensen and Cody West coached about 60 kids at the tournament and said that they, too, also had class discussions about the first presidential debate. “They know that’s not how a debate should go, but many of the topics during this year—the pandemic, social unrest, Black Lives Matter, voting rights and the importance of democracy, and others—is really inspiring students,” said seven-year coach
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Jordan High’s Isaiah Cardenaz judges oratory competitor Parker Lassig, a Mt. Jordan eighth-grader, as Albion Middle eighth-grader McKenna Jones waits her turn. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)
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Ten Chargers placed in the top 10 at the Utah State Mountain Biking Championships, helping Corner Canyon to a second place finish as a team. (Photos courtesy Whitney Pogue)
Chargers take second at state mountain biking championship
T
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
he Corner Canyon High School mountain biking team placed second at the Utah State Championships in St. George Oct. 2324 behind 10 top-10 individual finishes. Nine points separated the Chargers from Lone Peak who came in first in one of the closest state races ever, according to CCHS head coach Whitney Pogue. Pogue said the team dealt with flat tires, broken chains and other challenges during the two-day event. “We had strong showings from so many riders and these kids showed such grit and determination all the way to the finish,” she said, also noting that the course was the longest and most demanding they have ever faced. “Our riders fought all the way to the end. It truly is an amazing accomplishment for these kiddos.” Corner Canyon riders who reached the podium at the championships were Skye Meyers (fifth, varsity girls), Maci Waldron (ninth, varsity girls), Tessa Lidell (fourth, JV A Girls), Daisy Miller (10th, JV A Girls), Phillip Petersen (third, JV C Boys), Harrison Reading (second, Freshman A Boys), Parker Andersen (fourth, Freshman A Boys), Matt Dorny (second, Freshman B Boys) and Eric Jorgensen (fourth, Freshman B Boys). “We are so grateful that we even got a season and, as a coaching staff, we are so
proud of our kids and their determination and hard work,” Pogue said. The Chargers won the East Regional behind individual champions Ethan Lassiter (Varsity Boys), Mya Graham (Varsity Girls), Joe Hansen (JV A Boys), Petersen (JV C Boys), Andersen (Freshman A Boys), Emma Hamblin (Freshman Girls) and Dorny (Freshman B Boys). Out of the 200-member squad, 157 riders qualified for the state event. This accomplishment came despite only being able to workout individually since early in the year because of the concern over the spread of the coronavirus. “We tried coming up with creative ways to get them out there, mainly scavenger hunts around the canyon to create big rides and prizes for completing them,” Pogue said. “These kids have had to dig deep and be motivated, which makes me even more proud.”l
Jensen, adding that he was a little surprised that the tournament was able to be held when so many activities have been canceled during the pandemic. “It’s important, especially right now, we need a sense of community and give our students a chance to be involved as part of team and be able to connect to school,” he said. “A lot of students play sports and have those opportunities, but a lot of others don’t, and debate gives them those same values.” West, who has been co-head coach for three years, said he was happy the tourna-
ment was held and that even with the changes to the tournament, students were excited to take part. “We still had the same vibe on the way here, the same sense of nervousness,” he said. “It created a sense of normalcy for the most part and that’s needed; the kids are excited.” As long as conditions allow, the next Canyons tournaments will be held Dec. 17, March 18, 2021 and April 29, 2021. The middle school state tournament is slated for May 6, 2021. l
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This once-a-month, 9-week course will meet from 8:30 am to 4 pm at various locations across the South Valley region. Class size is limited, and class members are selected to represent a broad range of occupations, industries, and backgrounds. Chamber Member Tuition | $1000 Non-Chamber Member Tuition | $1,500
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As with all worthwhile endeavors, this program requires a strong commitment of time on the part of each participant. Attendance is mandatory for successful completion of the program, as is the following: 1. Community Service Project 2. One of your own cities council meetings 3. One of your own school districts meetings 4. Two South Valley Chamber events
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February 25, 2021
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July 29, 2021
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December 2020 | Page 5
Town pays tribute to two of its own By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
“W
e miss Matt every day,” said Tom Burchett, father of fallen firefighter Matt Burchett, to Draper Mayor Troy Walker. “I think of him every day,” said Steve Chaffin, former colleague of Bryan Thatcher, about Thatcher. Both Burchett and Thatcher passed away in 2018. Battalion Chief Burchett was killed when an uprooted tree fell on him while battling a wildfire in California, while on loan from Utah to that state’s firefighting efforts. Thatcher, who was Draper Fire Department’s first fire marshal, passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Traditionally, a ceremony is held in Maryland each October to remember those who lost their lives fighting fires the previous year. The ceremony is sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. In 2019, several members of Draper’s fire department traveled to Maryland, along with members of Burchett’s family, to participate in that memorial ceremony. But this year’s national event was canceled due to the coronavirus. As a result, Draper decided to hold their own ceremony at their headquarters station located on 12300 South. “The idea came for Draper to hold our own ceremony due to our personal experience of loss and to join with the National Fallen Firefighter events during this time of year,” said Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith. Members of Burchett’s and Thatcher’s families attended the ceremony along with many firefighting personnel. The Fireman’s Prayer was read and a flag and bell ringing ceremony took place. Walker and City Manager David Dobbins addressed those in attendance at Draper’s memorial as did Smith. Walker said it wouldn’t be as painful if they were recognizing those lost nationally, but it was particularly painful when the city lost two of their own in a short amount of time. The mayor said he’d been texting frequently with Bart Vawdrey, Draper’s Deputy Chief, whose crew had just returned from helping with devastating wildfires in southern Oregon. “I personally worry the entire time they’re gone,” Walker said. Dobbins said it’s difficult to make the call to send crews to fight fires in other states, but he also knows they want to go and help out of a sense of duty. “This is what we do. This is our chosen profession,” Smith said. It’s been just three and a half years since Draper Fire Department officially went into service on July 1, 2017. Smith said in that time he’d had, “some incredible highs and some of the deepest lows.” Smith said the losses of his colleagues “rocked me to my core” and that he wasn’t sure how to move on, but that the wives of the fallen firefighters somehow found a way to take that next step, giving him an example to follow. Draper Fire Department engineer Spencer Lawrence had the idea for the creation of granite stones, etched with the names of Burchett and Thatcher, to be permanently on display at the department’s headquarters. The engraved stones were donated by Utah Disaster Kleenup. “I hope the families know they’re forever a part of our family. We hope this (memorial) provides another place for you to come and find peace,” Smith said.
Page 6 | December 2020
Kaleb and Demi Thatcher attended a memorial ceremony honoring their dad, Bryan Thatcher, who was Draper’s first fire marshal. Thatcher passed away in 2018. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
The parents of fallen firefighter Matt Burchett admire a new memorial stone etched with his name at the headquarters station on 12300 South. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
I hope the families know they’re forever a part of our family. We hope this (memorial) provides another place for you to come and find peace. Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith
Members of the Thatcher and Burchett families admired the stones following the ceremony. “To know that he’s remembered in the community for the work he’s done means a lot to us. It’s a tangible demonstration of love that means a lot to our family,” said Thatcher’s wife, Erin Preston. Thatcher’s son, Kaleb, called it, “a bittersweet moment.” His daughter Demi said, “It’s always nice to get the whole family together to remember our dad and the fire service as well. It means a lot to our family.” In addition to the newly established memorials and the Oct. 2 ceremony, the department lit up its stations with red lights that same week in remembrance of Burchett and Thatcher. l
Rose and Tom Burchett, parents of fallen firefighter Matt Burchett, embraced Matt’s wife Heather at a local memorial service for fallen firefighters. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
Draper City Journal
‘The show must go on’—Does it? How? To what extent? By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
A
fter several high schools along the Wasatch Front were closed for two weeks or brought back on hybrid schedules, theatre teachers are questioning the old adage, “the show must go on” and to what extent. “We take that scenario, ‘the show must go on,’ and change it to ‘one show at a time,’ and ‘one day at a time,’” said theatre teacher Adam Wilkins, who’s school, Cottonwood High, was shut down and students learned remotely two weeks in mid-October. “It’s really, whatever works well for high school theatre departments and their communities.” Wilkins had planned the typical November musical performance of “Joseph,” only with a reduced cast size of 50 students. That now has been pushed back to 7 p.m., Dec. 3-5 and again on Dec. 7. There also will be a noon matinee on Dec. 5. “We put recordings of our choreography on YouTube so our students can do their part and practice,” he said while the school was online and no in-person rehearsals were allowed. “We’re trying to keep the kids safe. So, we adapt to how we can do live theatre safely. We wear masks, wash hands, sanitize, decrease numbers of kids, practice intentionally in small numbers of ensembles, and follow the Salt Lake County health guidelines.” Wilkins said that at Cottonwood, patrons—only 500 of the 3,000 seats will be filled and they’ll sit socially distanced—can expect to see the performers in matching black masks. “We’ll wear masks at performances and rehearsals. That’s nonnegotiable,” he said. That’s not the same criteria at all high schools as each district determines what’s best for its communities. Nearby Murray High School allows actors to be unmasked for the performances. Murray High, which also was shut down, allowed its students to rehearse during the two weeks in early October. Murray High students’ show, “Little Women,” was slated for Nov. 1213 and Nov. 16 as of press deadline. Students voted on the fall musical, citing a smaller cast and simpler set would be more appropriate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Draper’s Corner Canyon High experienced one of the highest COVID-19 outbreaks to date in the state. After weeks of online and hybrid schedules in the midst of their rehearsals, theatre director Phaidra Atkinson and her students are learning adaptability. “There’s no normal day; we’re changing things every day,” she said in late October. “With Shakespeare, we had three weeks of rehearsal, then four weeks where we were shut down. Initially, we weren’t allowed rehearsals while the school was closed, but we were able to get in four more rehearsals during that time, since we are sanctioned under the Utah High School Activities Association.” And with those extra rehearsals, they were able to pull off first-place results at the
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Corner Canyon’s Shakespeare team, all masked up, swept the competition in their division of the virtual high school Shakespeare competition and three students earned college scholarships. (Melissa Thorne/Corner Canyon High School)
44th annual Shakespeare Festival, which was held virtually. “We swept everything; it was awesome,” Atkinson said, adding that they had a watch party over Google Meet. “It was the hardest thing we ever have done— to pull it together so fast. We cried a lot when we won.” In December, the theatre students will take part in three senior one-act student-directed plays as well as “Broadway Backwards” charity fundraiser, both which are restricted to family and friends because of health guidelines. With the shutdowns, Corner Canyon also moved back their auditions for their February musical, “Matilda.” Currently, they can only allow 300 family or friends in the auditorium per night for the run instead of the typical 1,300 patrons. “It’s my hope and dream they’ll raise the 25% auditorium capacity to 50% if it’s safe,” she said. “The musical is absolutely worth doing. It’s these students’ joy, their passion and their love. We’ll take a huge hit financially, but students need something to look forward to.” Atkinson said that she is glad she double-cast the musical as already she had 10 students in quarantine in the first 10 days of rehearsal. “We’ve filmed some things and put them online so those at home can learn at home,” she said. “It’s so depressing for them to be at home and miss out. It’s a show that we don’t have the rights to film the entire show or to stream it, but it’s a show that’s right for our students.” Nearby, Bingham High had planned a December screening of their filmed Shakespeare production of “Hamlet,” but in late October, students shifted to online as COVID-19 cases rose at their school and the decision was made to move it to mid-January. “With the school closure it will be impossible for us to get everything shot and edited before Christmas break,” said show director, Jason Purdie. “We are hoping to get everything at least filmed before we leave for the break, but it all depends on how things go with COVID over the next few weeks. Hopefully, no other
cast members will get COVID or quarantined and hopefully there won't be any more school closures. The schedule has become extremely tight at this point.” Purdie, himself, was quarantined in late September, but was able to virtually meet with his students along with his co-director, Brittany Anderson. Alta and Brighton high schools reached a peak number of COVID-19 cases in late September and early October, according to Canyons School District’s COVID-19 dashboard, so classes moved online. They returned on a hybrid schedule, but by mid-October, when cases dropped, students returned to full on-campus instruction for those in-person learners. In mid-October, Alta theatre teacher Linze Struiksma was quarantined, along with six of her students, awaiting COVID-19 test results. “I’ve had parents there helping as I Zoom in to be there during the three-hour rehearsals,” she said. “We’re adapting the best we can, given what we’ve gone through with being closed down, being on a hybrid schedule, and now quarantining and doing lesson plans and rehearsals virtually. We literally change what we’re doing every week. It’s teaching me and teaching the kids to be adaptable.” Struiksma, who was able to have her kids compete and take second place in their ensemble performance in the virtual Shakespeare Festival, has been cautious in making theatre plans for the year, trying to adapt to the circumstances. In mid-September, she talked with her seniors. “I didn’t feel comfortable with a full show. I was really nervous. COVID cases were on the rise and we didn’t know what it was going to look like,” Struiksma said. They decided to perform in a showcase featuring groups of up to three students singing or performing a scene together and having two narrators bringing it together in a storyline. A tech student was assigned to each group to help design their set and costumes. “It works well to be able to rehearse in small groups, so there’s limited interaction
and if we have to (because of students being in quarantine), we can remove a scene,” she said. “The kids came up with the theme and created it.” The show, “Divine Connections,” examines the relationships humans have—from those with siblings and parents to platonic and romantic relationships. The show was scheduled to be held at the school’s new Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m., Nov. 12-13, with only 25% of the auditorium filled with patrons. “We wear masks at rehearsals, and had planned not to wear them during the second tech week or dress rehearsals when on stage and created a system for them when they were off, but now, we’ll be rethinking that and talking to parents,” Struiksma said. She said that she also is rethinking the production of “Little Mermaid” for February, with concerns about producing a full musical during COVID-19 and the costs involved with it, when seating is limited. Brighton theatre director Tiffany Davis gives credit to her students for adjusting during the challenging time. “We rehearsed over Google Meet and learned what we could put into the scene, but it’s hard to adjust,” she said. “When we were allowed to continue to rehearse in person, kids came in, we did a symptom and temperature check, we were masked, 6-feet apart and took frequent breaks. When we could do virtual rehearsals on monologues, we did that to eliminate the risk.” On top of working under COVID restrictions, Davis also had other concerns. As Brighton is under construction, she got news that the new auditorium wasn’t going to be ready in time for the show, so Davis moved the Nov. 19-25 production of “Hamlet” to Butler Middle—an hour before fall break, during which she got married. “It was a crazy time, but we rallied through,” she said. “The students were so diligent and worked so hard. Nobody in the production tested positive as of now and we put their personal safety first.” Davis did have one student pull out when rehearsals went virtually, which she respected the immediate decision was shared with her. She also said that technical aspects were impacted as they could only talk virtually, so some parts were delayed. “It’s been hard since I love to see actors grow in their acting, and because of the circumstances, I’m not able to coach them as much as I would. It’s been challenging as some activities rely on groups, but when we break it down, it forces me to be creative and find innovative methods,” Davis said. “The show will go on—if we can continue in a safe climate.” Note: As of press deadline, with the governor’s mandate of no extracurricular activities until Nov. 23, check with the high school for show updates and ticket information. l
December 2020 | Page 7
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Winter is rough and expensive on your home’s systems. Older homes are less energy efficient and have unreliable plumbing. Newer homes need maintenance to keep up their systems. Chuck Staszkiewicz, owner of the complete home maintenance company All Hours Plumbing and Drain SLC, has a checklist to help you winterize your house. For information on all their services, go to their website at www.allhoursplumbingslc.com and chat with customer service, or call them at 385.213.0535. “There are indoor and outdoor tasks that will keep your home running well through the winter and minimize the need for emergency calls to us during holidays and cold weather,” Staszkiewicz said. “Make sure exterior water valves are turned off to prevent burst pipes. Walk around your house and check the foundation. Close any vents that are open. Put your shovel, snow blower and ice melter somewhere convenient,” Staszkiewicz said. Staszkiewicz started All Hours as a plumbing company 10 years ago. “As we grew, customers asked if we did HVAC services. They wanted someone in their home they trusted. So we began doing HVAC,” Staszkiewicz said. This year’s economy was unpredictable, but All Hours continues to hire and stay open as an essential business. They provide yearly plans so a technician can check your house during the year and do scheduled maintenance. “We’re always looking for the right kind of people to work with us,” Staszkiewicz said. “Employing the right kind of person is critical. When someone is in your home working on your systems and giving you quotes, it needs to be someone you trust,” Staszkiewicz said. All Hours builds their team with ongoing training, and they
have earned hundreds of high praise reviews. “Wow, so impressed. It’s never easy to let a stranger in your home. We received reminder texts with a picture of who we should expect the next morning. “From the moment we opened the door to when he left, the technician was professional, kind and courteous. We will definitely call All Hours Plumbing for any future needs,” wrote Gwen in an online review. The indoor checklist for winter has small projects like checking furnace filters and cleaning appliances, and big jobs like furnace tune-ups and water heater maintenance. “Drain your water heater until it’s cleared of sediment and then refill it. Utah’s water is hard on water heaters,” Staszkiewicz said. If draining a water heater doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, let the professionals at All Hours do it. While they’re there, have them check your furnace and plumbing. “Thanksgiving is one of our busiest days for emergency plumbing calls. We’re happy to come out, but we’d rather save people the inconvenience. “With our maintenance plan, we check those systems before the big family meal. We fix potential issues so you can enjoy your
warm, well-maintained home over the holidays,” Staszkiewicz said. The checklist also includes thinking about indoor air quality and respiratory concerns. “Utah’s air quality issues don’t stop at your front door. We’re a full service home maintenance company, and that includes duct cleaning and placing steam humidifiers,”
Staszkiewicz said. All Hours is a local company that earns Utahns’ trust and gives back to the community. “Recently, we helped a woman who had just gone through chemo and was having respiratory issues. We installed an air filter and donated our services. In addition to the service, I think it just made her feel better to know that someone cared,” Staszkiewicz said. Staszkiewicz knows customers today are well informed and have done research before they call around. “It’s imperative to find the right company, and we take earning your business seriously.” For more information on winterizing your house, emergency services or maintenance plans, give Chuck Staszkiewicz and his team a call at 385.213.0535 or check their website at www.allhoursplumbingslc.com. Technicians are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Draper City Journal
Hope Challenge inspires APA students to perform kind acts By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
A
merican Preparatory Academy eighth-grader Kate Nelson’s friend was diagnosed with COVID-19. “She couldn’t leave her house. I helped make dinner (soup, rolls and pumpkin bars) and brought her family dinner,” she said. A couple days earlier, Kate had given her a note and a treat. “It was really cool to realize I could do something to help other people,” Kate said. After her friend recovered, Kate gave her a coin. It was one of about 2,000 kindness coins given to APA students on the three Draper campuses and the Early Learning Center as part of the national kick-off to Hope Challenge, an opportunity for students to perform a kind act for another and with it, pass along the coin. “We’re already seeing the ripple effect of kindness,” said Shelley Broadhead, APA district character development director. “Once students receive a coin from another, they’re in a hurry to do something kind for someone else and pass it along.” Broadhead already has reports of students cleaning classrooms at school and sisters helping one another in the morning with chores at home. Teachers, staff and administrators are involved as well. One helped sanitize an office and another helped a custodian clean up after lunch.
“Students are invested in this, they’re leaving the coin for the other person, challenging them to perform a kind act,” she said. Each coin has an identification number where students can log in on the flagforhope. com website watch the coins travel from person to person, and eventually to different schools, families and states. “They can do kind acts for their neighbor, grandma, classmate at school,” she said, adding that online students also are invited to participate. Eighth-grader Mckenna Wong brought home the coin and gave it to her mother, Belinda, after vacuuming their home. “It was a busy day for me, so she did the vacuuming without me asking and I considered that a great kindness,” Belinda Wong said. Mckenna said that it made her feel good to do something she knew her mother would appreciate. Her mother then passed the coin along to a neighbor after she swept the neighbor’s curb after Sandy City’s bulk curbside pick-up. Other students have passed along their coins. Broadhead said that one student wrote a note of appreciation and included the coin with it and gave it to her bus driver, another included it with homemade cookies and shoveled snow for their new neighbors; and another included it with a “sunshine box,” filled with
everything yellow and orange her out-of-state cousin would appreciate and a note that said, “thank you for always spreading sunshine” before mailing it to her as a surprise. The coins and their protective sleeve also have directions explaining the Hope Challenge and how to participate. To help in the reduction of COVID-19, coins at school are able to be sanitized after they’re shared. “Our character theme this month is to express gratitude and show kindness and this is one way, we can invite our student to show that and then, they can see the ripple effect it has at school, in their family and in their community—and in time, across the country,” Broadhead said, adding that the school was approached by Ashlee Headlee, executive director of Hands for Hope, who invited APA to be the first school to kick off the Hope Coin Challenge. “As a school who focuses heavily on character building and encouraging kindness, we were eager to participate.” The Hope Challenge is encouraging students to provide an act of kindness to someone and pass along a coin inspiring that person to do his or her own act of kindness, said Dan Bazan, APA communications director. “2020 has been full of unprecedented challenges,” he said. “We hope this program instills the knowledge with our students that
APA students show their Hope Challenge coins before they pass it along with a kind act that they can do for their classmates, teachers, family, neighbors or anyone to spread kindness around. (Photo courtesy of APA)
they have the power to positively impact their community.” For Kate, she realized that it “made me feel better” to help her neighbors and the kindness coins are a good reminder because “it helps lots of people.” She has gone on to be kind, helping her younger sisters with piano and babysitting them for her parents. “It’s a good reminder to be kind,” Kate said. “But you don’t have to have the coin to serve other people.”l
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Draper Deals is a win-win for residents and local businesses By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
U
sing federal CARES Act funds, Draper City launched “Draper Deals.” According to Mayor Troy Walker, the city mailed gift cards totaling $30 per household to 17,000 homes, or everyone with a Draper postal address. The three $10 gift cards, each with a unique code on the back, could be used at any of a variety of participating businesses in the city. They came with a letter explaining the program along with a list of participating businesses where the gift cards could be redeemed. More than 70 businesses participated ranging from dentists, lawyers, restaurants, tire businesses, photographers, grocers, clothing retailers and hair stylists. The gift cards arrived in mailboxes the second week of November and had to be redeemed by Nov. 30. In turn, participating businesses were asked to return their redeemed gift cards and receipts to the city in early December for reimbursement. “It’s $30 that you didn’t have and it’s $30 to spend in town, and that helps everybody,” Walker said. He explained that the reason for the quick turnaround was that these CARES Act funds came with a federal requirement that they had to be used before the end of the year. Earlier in the fall, the city received $2.8 million in funds for COVID-19 related necessities and relief initiatives through Salt Lake
County and from the federal government. “We’ve been trying to find expenses that this was approvable on, and to use the funds to incentivize economic activity in the city,” Walker said. Because Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith lives in and serves on Herriman’s City Council, he was aware of a similar program Herriman had done for their residents. He told Draper’s City Council about it and they asked Draper city officials to pursue it. Herriman city officials shared details of how they instigated their program, helping Draper to launch their own version. CJ Ford, general manager of Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, said their restaurant experienced a drastic decline in business when the pandemic began, but things have greatly improved since. “Now we’re at about 30% more business than last year at this time.” Ford was enthusiastic about the Draper Deals program. “I see a lot of repeat customers, but most of the customers I’ve seen with Draper Deals are new, so we’re seeing some new faces here. I think it was an amazing idea that Draper City did that for all their residents,” he said. Jason Pennock, owner of Great Harvest Bread in the Draper Peaks shopping center,
Every household in Draper received three $10 gift cards to be redeemed at local businesses before the end of November. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
was also enthusiastic about the program. “We are happy to be Draper’s neighborhood bakery and we hope that residents will redeem their gift cards with Great Harvest,” Pennock said. Walker said other CARES funds received by the city have gone toward public safety budget items and salaries including a wildland fire vehicle (which qualified because of the enormous increase in use of the trails during the pandemic) and an upgrade of an ambulance because of an increased number of transports. Now 10 months into the pandemic, Walk-
Tyler Whittaker, Deborah Naylor and Jason Pennock (L-R) of Great Harvest Bread, one of more than 70 businesses that participated in Draper Deals. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
er said the city’s economy has fared surprisingly well. “I was kind of shocked, but we have a diverse sales tax base in Draper which we’ve done by design. Internet sales really took off, grocery stores did well, auto dealers did surprisingly well. Utah has been pretty strong,” he said. If the November Draper Deals proves successful, and if funding allows, the city may do another round of Draper Deals in December. l
Happy ending thanks to mother and daughter out on errands By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
S
tories like this don’t always end well, but Draper got a happy ending when a mother and daughter found a woman with dementia who’d wandered away from her assisted living facility. “It was because of the caring nature of these two who stopped to intervene with someone who needed help,” said Draper Police Chief John Eining. Draper resident Megan Pace and her daughter, Shianne, were driving around town, doing errands on a sunny Sunday in early October, when Megan noticed an older woman out for a walk. The woman was dressed in a blue striped shirt and had her gray hair in a ponytail. Megan caught a glimpse of her as she drove by and assumed the woman was walking for exercise. Megan and Shianne went about their errands but came across the woman again in a completely different area of town. “I first saw her on 14600 [South] and Traverse Road by the Chevron at about 12:30. Then again at about 4. She had walked far to where there aren’t even walking trails. She was almost to Redwood Road. From point A to point B is quite a distance,” Megan said. When the mother and daughter saw
Page 10 | December 2020
her the second time, they drove past her, went through a roundabout, then circled back. “It was just instant. I had an overwhelming prompting,” Megan said. Megan recounted how she handled the situation. She said to the woman, “I noticed you’ve been walking for a while. Do you need a ride?” The woman accepted. Megan asked more questions and realized the woman didn’t know her address, just her name and that she lived in Draper. Megan called her dad to ask his advice on what to do. Because the woman said she was from Draper, he advised Megan to take the woman to the police department. That’s exactly what they did. It was warm and the woman had been walking for hours. “She was really thirsty,” Megan said. Little did Megan and Shianne know that Draper police had been called about the missing woman at approximately 1 p.m. that day. They had notified a mix of 20 fire and police personnel to be on the lookout for her. But it wasn’t the authorities who found her, it was everyday people. Upon arrival at the Draper police department, and because of COVID protocol, the ladies sat in their car and called the de-
partment’s dispatch number. Officers came out and determined it was the woman they’d been looking for. Because the woman seemed comfortable and content in the car with Megan and Shianne, they asked her if it would be OK if the ladies drove her back to where she lived. The woman agreed, and Megan and Shianne delivered her safely back to her assisted living facility with a small police escort. This story offers an opportunity for lessons for all of us. The chief encourages residents not to hesitate to call police if something doesn’t seem right. “Most of the success we have in law enforcement happens when the citizens get involved. We never consider it a waste of our time. If something doesn’t seem right, it’s a high probability it isn’t right. We get a lot of complaints that turn out to be nothing. That’s OK, too. We want all the calls. That’s our mandate, taking care of each other,” Eining said. Megan and Shianne received a small gift from the police department in gratitude for their actions that day. The ladies were quick to say they weren’t seeking recognition or gifts. “It was super humbling for me and it taught my family the importance of being
Mother and daughter Megan and Shianne Pace both say they learned a valuable lesson in recognizing when something doesn’t feel right and acting on that “prompting,” even when it’s inconvenient. (Mimi Darley Dutton/ City Journals)
aware and acting on those promptings, even when it’s inconvenient. I’m not a hero, I’m just an instrument,” Megan said.
Draper City Journal
Continued from front page ness about the organization over social media inviting people to donate online. This month, The Local Bee is collecting new sweatshirts, hoodies and socks to help underprivileged teens keep warm this winter. In speaking with local nonprofits, it was clear that “the teenage population is where the most help is needed,” Borg said. “We also want to draw attention to great little businesses in our community,” Borg continued. They approached The Piano Place to act as a drop-off site for the clothing. The clothes will be donated to the Christmas Box House, Family Promise of Salt Lake City, Shelter Kids, South Valley Sanctuary and Utah Foster Care.
Ideas for future drives and fundraisers in 2021 include honoring teachers, a diaper drive and reaching out to children who have lost a parent. “We have many different ideas floating around,” Borg said. The Local Bee invites members of the community to donate new sweatshirts and socks at all locations of The Piano Place during December. The Draper location of The Piano Place is 12575 S. Fort St. There will also be a collection event on Dec. 15 from noon to 2 p.m. in front of La Petite Maison, 915 E. 12600 South in Draper. For updates on projects and ways to give, follow @thelocalbee on Instagram and Facebook. l
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Page 12 | December 2020
Draper City Journal
JDCHS girls soccer ends historic season By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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or the first time since entering the 4A ranks, the Juan Diego Catholic High School girls soccer team reached the second round of the state playoffs. The Soaring Eagle squad defeated Uintah 3-1 Oct. 10 before losing to Green Canyon 4-1 four days later to end their season. “We never stopped fighting for the win,” senior captain Ellie Simkins said, who noted that the bus ride following the game solidified their team chemistry further. “It actually brought us so much closer. We turned on a sad Post Malone song and cried together, not because we lost, but because that was our last game together.” “This season was a breakthrough year for JDCHS women’s soccer,” Madz Burnham said. “Our state experience was new for every player on the team, and I am proud we got as far as we did. Thanks to our fantastic head coach Joe Baca, we made it into the second round of the playoffs. He brought unique tactics, and he let us play off our creativity. As a team, we all grew and developed immensely.” “We really improved over last year,” Baca said. “This year, we added new players from the freshmen class to the varsity team and had a new player from Arizona as a junior. These players helped made the team stronger and our returning players did their part in helping reinforce the tactical strategies of the coaching staff.” Juan Diego placed fourth in Region 10 with the squad improving against the top two region teams—Ogden and Stansbury—between the two games this season. In their initial game with Ogden Aug. 27, the team lost 7-0 while meeting up Sept. 21 in a 1-0 loss. Against Stansbury Sept. 10, Juan Diego lost 6-1 but narrowed the gap Oct. 5 in a
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rematch where they lost 2-1. “The girls came together and demonstrated their improvement in the games during the year,” Baca said. “We were the only team to hold [eventual second-place finisher] Ogden to one goal the entire season, including the championship game.” Junior Kira Rhay led Juan Diego this year in scoring with six goals while Burnham, senior captain Sammee Herrera and sophomore Hailey Mezenen added three goals each. Burnham noted that the team’s chemistry played a significant role in the team’s season. “We were a very competitive team in the end and always fought for each other,” she said. Also on the JDCHS team this season were senior captain Isabelle Alamilla; seniors Savanna Greer and Maddie Orges; juniors Lilly Carlson, Janessa Young-Flores, Sonya Gulgulian, Olivia Harbison, Hanna Jessen, Mwende Kavila, Natalie Lamb, Cami Mates, Olivia Meredith, Hannah Munding, Chaya Roberts and Jonna Tucker; sophomores Lily Edwards, Thaia Tsandes and Drea Mudrock; and freshmen Abbie Alamilla, Maddie Chiazzese, Hailey Cutler, Kate DiGiandomenico, Kennedy Jones, Jada Mirabile, Peyten Montoya, Morgan Mulcahy and Maia Rhay. “The main thing I learned from this team was how to build a family,” Simkins said. “Every single one of the girls on the team have become my best friends. At the end of the day we accomplished our goal from day one, which was building the program back up from the ground. The other seniors and I helped this program go from a toxic communi-
Juan Diego’s Madz Burnham helped the Soaring Eagle program to get further in the state playoffs than they have since joining 4A. She was one of four players to score at least three goals this season. (Photo courtesy Madz Burnham)
ty to a freaking awesome family that can just keep building throughout the upcoming years.” Baca was assisted by Joe Alamilla, Brian Rhay and Whitney Shuman on the coaching staff this year. “Overall, these girls shared a goal and this year we came up just short in results, but not in the belief in what this program can become,” Baca said. “We are excited about the future of the girls soccer program here at Juan Diego Catholic High School.” l
December 2020 | Page 13
Top CCHS tennis players make a run at state; finish in final four By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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orner Canyon High tennis players Cassidy Rich and Jane Dorny—both 2019 state qualifiers who won multiple matches in the postseason—played in the top singles spots for the Chargers tennis team to begin the season, losing to just Lone Peak. New coach Allison Rideout then switched up her lineup and put the seniors at No. 1 doubles. “We wanted to give Jane and Cassidy their best run at state by playing first doubles,” Rideout said. That strategy paid off with Rich/Dorny reaching the semifinals before losing to eventual champions Macie Amussen and Chloe Brinton of Pleasant Grove 7-6, 7-5. “They played a great match and came so close, but in the end PG came out victorious,” Rideout said. “Going into it we wanted to compete our hardest and have fun, and that’s exactly what we did,” Dorny said. “It was such a fun atmosphere and we competed hard.” Grace Weichers, playing at No. 1 singles for CCHS, also made it to the semis where she lost to Skyridge’s Savannah Johnson 6-2, 6-2. “That was some of the best tennis I have seen Grace play all season,” Rideout said. “She played awesome.”
Rich/Dorney defeated Cyprus’ Leia Jenkins/Shay McDaniel 6-0, 6-1 in the first round before beating West’s Diya Rao/Daphne Liu 6-0, 6-0 to reach the semifinal round. Weichers got past Granger’s Brooke Bentley 6-1, 6-2 in her first match and outlasted Davis’ Kyra Spendlove 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2 to qualify for the final four. “It was some really great tennis. Our girls did awesome,” Rideout said of her group that helped Corner Canyon have a top10 finish as a team at state. Dorney said she has loved transitioning to doubles play and sharing the court with Rich. “It’s been so much fun playing doubles this year with Cassidy. It was different than playing singles in past years,” Dorny said. “It’s bittersweet knowing that was my last high school match but so grateful for the season and everyone who got me to that point.” “The season has been so much fun,” Rich said. “I’ve wanted to play my absolute very best in every match and play every match like it’s my last.” Even though Corner Canyon welcomed a new head coach to the program this year, Rideout is no stranger to this team. She has been volunteering the past few years as her son Jensen—who graduated this past spring and will play at Southern Virginia following
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an LDS mission—was playing the No. 1 singles spot for the boys program. In fact, she helped Mykel Seeborg, who had been running the boys and girls programs since CCHS opened, to establish an academy program, allowing any interested students to play tennis and develop within the various skill levels. This year, Seeborg will run the academy while Rideout focuses on the varsity and junior varsity teams. “I jumped at the chance to coach this team, and I’m so excited to make this a strong program,” Rideout said. “I want it to matter to these girls that they made the team and that they really accomplished something.” Rideout has been playing tennis for years, including while a student at Hillcrest High. She upped her game further when she married former BYU tennis player Benji Rideout, whose brother Micah also played for the Cougars. “They’re much better than I am,” she said. Since being hired in July, she brought in experience to help her on the coaching staff with two former collegiate players. Former BYU tennis player Adrien Jenkins, whose daughter Raeli was a doubles state champion player for Corner Canyon in 2017, and former U of U player Megan Dorny, mother of Jane, have been providing a high-level
Corner Canyon’s Cassidy Rich and Jane Dorny reached the 6A state semifinals before losing to eventual champions Macie Amussen and Chloe Brinton from Pleasant Grove. (Photo courtesy Cassidy Rich)
knowledge base to the CCHS program. “I’m naturally drawn to teaching and have a strength in organizing things, but I knew I needed to hire others that could help with the instruction we need to take this program where we want it,” Rideout said. “There’s no reason that with the talent and resources available in this area that we can’t be a strong program.” This season, Corner Canyon focused on gaining match experience among the rest of its young squad. “We are definitely going to
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Changes are afoot at Draper Historic Theatre this holiday season By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
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his holiday season is looking a little different for Draper Historic Theatre with a new theater company sharing the stage and changes to their original musical version of “A Christmas Carol.” In November, the Off-Broadway Theatre presented a Muppet-like Dickens mashup, “The Muffets Christmas Carol.” Draper Historic Theatre’s version of “A Christmas Carol” returns in December, but with a new song and two separate casts. When the Off-Broadway Theatre lost their performance space in Salt Lake City, they found a new home on the stage of Draper Historic Theatre last summer. “It’s a natural fit, a good partnership,” said Craig Haycock, who is chairman of the board at Draper Historic Theatre. The Off-Broadway Theatre will present six shows a year at Draper Historic Theatre, alternating monthly productions with Draper Historic Theatre and Lamplight Theatre Company. “Cutie and the Beast” and “Dracula vs. The Addams Family” were two of their first shows at the venue. Co-founder and playwright, Eric Jensen, explained that the Off-Broadway Theatre originated downtown Salt Lake City 25 years ago at the corner of 300 South (Broadway) and Main Street. “We decided to do shows that were bigger than life, that people hadn’t seen before,” he said. The Off Broadway Theatre specializes in original comic spoofs and parodies. “Our shows are for children and adults alike with jokes for young and old. They’re family-friendly comedies,” explained Jensen. In November, the Off Broadway Theatre staged “The Muffets Christmas Carol,” at Draper Historic Theatre. The show was a comic mash-up of “It’s A Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol” as played by characters similar to the Muppets. “It’s such an awesome theater!” Jensen exclaimed. The Off Broadway Theatre’s mission statement is to inspire laughter, develop talent and foster learning through the creative expression of the theatrical arts. “We want to give people an experience—actors, tech people, stage management, volunteers—and let them know they are loved and important.” That mission statement is in keeping with that of Draper Historic Theatre, which is also an educational theater. This month, Draper Historic Theater will once again mount their original musical version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” This will be the 10th time that the ever-evolving production has been presented.
Page 16 | December 2020
“There are seven original songs in the show,” said director Craig Haycock. “This year we have a brand new song, ‘On My Way Home,’ sung by Bob Cratchit.” The script is re-worked every year and is in keeping with the spirit of Dickens. Over the years, Draper Historic Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol” has become a beloved tradition for both audiences and actors who return to the cast each year. Haycock estimates that this year about half of the cast members have performed in past productions. Whole families enjoy being in the show together. “The Cratchit family is played by an actual family,” Haycock said. The writers, directors, cast and crew are finding creative ways to keep the show going and address the logistical challenges posed by the pandemic. “We are literally doing two productions,” Haycock said. There are two entirely separate casts that never meet each other and will perform on alternate days. “If someone gets sick, we can still put on the production,” he explained. This year, Cliff Harris, who has been playing Scrooge since the show premiered, is reprising his role in one cast. Jonathan Saul, who portrayed Bob Cratchit last year, will play Scrooge in the other cast. The blocking of the show has changed in that groupings of two to three actors will be socially distanced from each other. When larger groups are on stage, everyone will be wearing masks. All of the actors will be at least 10 feet away from the audience. “Our goal is to make sure that the actors stay safe and that the public stays safe,” Haycock said. “Between every performance and rehearsal we sanitize the whole place.” The theater conducts temperature checks and follows strict guidelines to minimize the possible spread of germs. The pandemic shutdown last spring hit Draper Historic Theatre’s budget particularly hard, but the theater’s board members and everyone involved in the productions are working together to ensure that the show goes on. With its themes of empathy, charity and redemption, “A Christmas Carol” seems to be a fitting show for the times. Draper Historic Theatre presents “A Christmas Carol” Dec. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19 and 21 at 7 p.m. Matinees are at 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Draper Historic Theatre is located at 12366 S. 900 East in Draper. For tickets visit www. drapertheatre.org or call 801-572-4144 during the run of the production.l
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Welcome to Draper City! BETTER TOGETHER! We support our business community! Call us: 801-553-0928 or Email us: wrappleye@integraonline.com
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VIRTUAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE The 80-member Alta High Marching Band was able to perform in four competitions in addition to the state championships during their fall season. (Photo courtesy of Alta High Marching Band)
Alta High Marching Band didn’t let the sun go down on their season By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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he 80-member Alta High Marching Band had two successes this year, according to director Caleb Shabestari. “We didn’t go after trophies, but we pushed to be able to play and finish the season,” he said about competing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The student-musicians were able to march in four competitions, but they also competed and placed in the top five at state in the open 5A competition. “At the end of the season, we were so relieved we were able to play the entire time. We had a few cases of COVID, and had people out with quarantine, and at one competition, we marched with 10 holes when our members were out. But we’re thankful we were able to play the entire season knowing it could end at any moment with all the restrictions from the school, district, county and governor,” he said. “We learned to live each day to the fullest.” All season the Hawks were reminded of the pandemic. At competitions, student groups were ushered in and out of competitions, so they weren’t able to watch other schools and even judge numbers were limit-
ed so they could be socially distanced in the press box. The student-musician group, who also came from Juan Diego Catholic High, Jordan High, Corner Canyon High and a few other neighboring schools, knew to take safety precautions, wearing masks while competing as members of the color guard, percussion, even the reed and brass players. They were being socially distanced, sanitizing and taking “vibe” checks or temperature and health symptom checks, he said. While Shabestari realized times may look bleak, he wanted to encourage his students to give a meaningful show, which was titled “The Sun Will Rise.” The show included bright colors, joyful parts and the Elton John song, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me.” Parents, too, helped with the show, creating a rotating giant sun as a prop. “My goal was something happy and uplifting. I planned it while everything was shutting down, so I wanted something the kids could attribute meaning to, not just get a trophy,” he said. “I think we were able to share that.”l
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JDCHS cross country teams running to state By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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ehind first-year runner Makuei Lueth, who placed ninth at the Region 10 cross country championships, the Juan Diego Catholic High School boys cross country team qualified for the 4A state championship meet for the first time, according to head coach Joe Elliott. The boys and girls squads finished fifth at the region meet so both teams will send their top runners to state, scheduled for Oct. 21 at Cedar High School. Lueth finished the 3-mile course at the Cottonwood Complex Oct 9 in 16:34.9, 45 seconds out of first place. Patrick Reilly placed 16th while Aidan Hodlmair, Keegan Gilbert, Gabe Woods, Jack Raup and Thomas Kuhrke also crossed the finish line in the top 50 for Juan Diego. The girls were led by Isabella Pickers and Maya Lentz who finished 18th and 22nd respectively with Beth Penderghast (33rd), Allie Sloan (35th), Jasmine Aguilar (37th) and Nicole Merhi (38th) also placing for the Soaring squad. “Region went great with both the boys and girls punching tickets to state,” Elliott said. “We’ll get a few more tough practices in and go down to Cedar ready to rock. We’re looking forward to it big time.” Juan Diego’s JV boys team placed sixth at region led by Hobie Hodlamir in 40th place with Madi Chamberlain’s 33rd finish first for
the girls. Elliott felt good about his program after a full 10-week summer of conditioning. “It was easily our best summer since I’ve been with the program over the past four years,” Elliott said. “We have a really talented guys team with lots of seniors and our girls team will be developing, but are also solid.” After the boys just missing state last season, his squads had their eyes set on qualifying for state. This season, Juan Diego placed well at meets leading up to region. At the Premier Invite at the Cottonwood Complex Aug. 15, the boys finished seventh with Reilly finishing 26th while Pickers was tops for the girls in 25th. Lueth’s second-place finish helped JDCHS to a third-place showing at the JD Regional race at Wheeler Farm Aug. 26. Reilly was also in the top 10, crossing the finish line in sixth place. The girls also placed third with Pickers placing fourth overall. At the Tooele Regional at Settlement Canyon Sept. 9, Leuth took third to help the boys place fourth as a team. Pickers’ eighthplace finish brought the girls into fourth as well. Lueth placed seventh at the Carbon Invite at the Carbon Country Club Sept. 16 to lead the boys team to sixth place. The girls came in eighth with Lentz finishing 27th.
At the All City Championships Sept. 23, Lueth won the race in 16:50, five seconds ahead of West’s Magnus Tveit. Reilly came in eighth to also help the team place fourth. The girls took fifth with Pickers coming in 13th. At the Catholic Schools Championships at Wheeler Farm Oct. 1, Lueth had another first-place finish, this time running the course in 17:05, 22 seconds ahead of Judge Memorial’s Zachary Petrogeorge. Reilly—in third place—and Aidan Hodlmair, who came in seventh, also placed in the top 10 to lead the boys to second as a team. The girls also finished second with Pickers and Lentz placing second and fourth, respectively. “Our teams have been running well, including Makuei who’s brand new to running,” Elliott said. “He has been a great addition so far.” The Soaring Eagle squad also consists of Jasper Abanto, Kevin Abanto, Ivan Acero, Jacob Anderson, Preston Bath, Parker Chamberlain, Sierra Clark, Alynne Crooms, Elizabeth Cruz, John Deffner, Rantic Ishhanov, Kenyon Johnson, Landon Johnson, Noah Jones, Thomas Jones, AJ Lefort, Sebastian Quintana Marzano, Connor Orges, Alexus Quayson-Sackey, Phil Reilly, Rhonda Rhonson, Dylan Rodriguez, Emma Shami, Jackson Shemwell, Ali Stevens and Haley Walker. Former JDCHS runner Kristy Defner,
Juan Diego’s Makuei Lueth, who is in his first-year in cross country, has emerged as the Soaring Eagle squad’s top runner as he placed ninth at the Region 10 championships Oct. 9 at the Cottonwood Complex. (Photo courtesy Jeff Hodlmair)
who graduated this past spring, has been assisting Elliott on the coaching staff. “She’s as good as we’ve ever had here at Juan Diego,” Elliott said. “She knows the program, she knows cross country and she’s good and fast and pushes the runners she’s coaching. She’s really adept there as we try to continue to build our culture and identity.” l
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‘Better, faster, cheaper’ municipal elections?
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t an upcoming meeting, the Draper City Council will consider and vote on an entirely new system of “ranked choice voting” for the city’s municipal elections. “It’s…just for municipal elections, not statewide…those are up to the state and the county,” Mayor Troy Walker said of the proposed change. Stan Lockhart presented the idea of ranked choice voting to the City Council during an October business meeting. Lockhart is a former chairman of the Utah Republican Party and the current, interim President/CEO of the Utah Valley Chamber. He also leads the Lockhart Group which works on policy issues on local, county, state and federal levels. “Ranked choice voting is an innovation that came to Utah about 25 years ago by conservative grass roots who thought it was a better way of voting. Republicans have used it in caucuses with great success. Payson and Vineyard (the towns) used it. Amelia Powers Gardner is Utah County clerk and she coined the phrase that ranked choice voting is ‘better, faster, cheaper’…it works,” Lockhart told the council. Ranked choice voting is just as the name sounds. Instead of having a primary election to eliminate those who get the fewest votes, followed by a regular election with the remaining candidates on the ballot, the city would conduct just one election. Voters would rank the choices on their ballots in order of preference for city council or mayoral candidates. Those statistics would all be analyzed, resulting in the person or people with the highest percentage of votes deemed the winner(s) in just one election. “If a candidate gets over 50%, they win. If no one gets over 50%, they eliminate the last place candidate and re-distribute to the person’s next choice, then they’re the winner. You keep going through that process until you get a winner or multiple winners. Until you use it, you’re skeptical. Once you use it, you like it because it’s easy on the voter,” Lockhart said. It’s also money-saving. It makes for shorter, less expensive campaigns. Candidates file in August rather than June, and then a single, compact election cycle runs into November rather than the traditional primary election followed by the November election. Walker said he’s spoken to the mayor of Vineyard and she indicated the public liked it and that it went well. He said there was less inclination for negative campaigning because everyone wanted to at least be your second choice. “I like the idea. It took me a while to warm up to it. They say it lends itself to more collegial campaigning, less acrimony. It eliminates the primary and you don’t have an entire summer of campaign signs everywhere,” he said. Councilmember Fred Lowry had a similar reaction. “It shortens the election period, you reduce voter fatigue, and it’s less expensive for candidates. That for me is a positive,” he said. Lockhart said this system also eliminates
DraperJournal .com
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
Stan Lockhart spoke to the Draper City Council in October, asking them to consider ranked choice voting for municipal elections. (Courtesy Utah Valley Chamber)
Political signs posted all summer long could be a thing of the past if the Draper City Council opts for ranked choice voting, leading to a shorter election cycle from August to November rather than June to November for city elections. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
taxpayer dollars…also a big reduction in how do feel like it would be a change for the better. much a candidate spends. You’re really only Utahns in general don’t like a lot of negativity campaigning from August to November so you in their politics and especially in local elections. don’t have to do so many mailers, yard signs We all live here together, and when elections the “spoiler effect” or someone running that and online advertising. It also opens the door are over, we go back to being neighbors and you think will take votes away from an op- for other people who couldn’t afford to run… friends,” Lowery said. l ponent, and also eliminates voter split among they (campaigns) can be really expensive. I similar candidates. “The candidates who have the broadest and deepest support are the candidates who get elected,” he told the council. “We only get the popular vote today, but sometimes a candidate gets fewer No. 1 votes and The Utah Radon Coalition more No. 2 votes.” He indicated ranked choice voting makes the election more issue-oriented and provides “an incentive for candidates to be civil to one another…you need to reach out to The Utah Radon Coalition (URC) is Utah’s only all volunteer, non-profit provider of radon all voters, not just your base.” awareness, advocacy and community service programs. Members and friends of the URC Draper City has outsourced their elections include physicians and other health care providers; health education specialists; organizations to Salt Lake County for years, but Lockhart said such as AARP Utah; The Utah Medical Association; and The Huntsman Cancer Institute and some counties are resistant to changes in elecperhaps most importantly, citizens of Utah who are either survivors of radon induced lung tions. He stated that current Salt Lake County cancer or are or have been caregivers for patients of radon induced lung cancer. Clerk Sherrie Swensen is “unwilling” at this point to do ranked choice voting. According to Lockhart, Draper City pays about $2.50 per voter to Salt Lake County for elections the county administers. Meanwhile, Utah County charges WHAT CAN YOU DO? DID YOU KNOW? closer to $2, and because Draper City has resJanuary is National Radon Action Month. ✓ Radon is a carcinogen and is the idents in both Salt Lake and Utah counties, he The Utah Radon Coalition is conducting a second leading cause of lung cancer suggested the city administer this type of elecradon action month activity where we will in the U.S. tion through Utah County. Another option, he be providing radon information and ✓ More than 21,000 Americans die said, is that if several cities are interested in FREE RADON TESTING TO of radon induced lung cancer each ranked choice voting, those cities could form a RESIDENTS OF YOUR CITY. year; an average of 136 Utahns co-op, rent election equipment, and employ an per year. Our activity will start December 1 and run through organization that would come in and run a less the month of January. The goals of the activity expensive election for each city. ✓ Radon is prevalent in Utah; are to increase awareness, increase testing and At the Nov. 10 City Council meeting, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 homes in mitigation and save lives by eliminating radon councilmember Tasha Lowery asked for ranked Utah have high levels of radon. exposure. choice voting to be on an upcoming City Council agenda in order to move it forward for a vote. HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE? “You’re talking about cutting the price Go to our website to read more about the dangers of radon and to apply for a free radon test. of elections in half. Elections take a lot of our HTTPS://WWW.UTAHRADONCOALITION.ORG/RADON-ACTION-MONTH-2021.HTML
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December 2020 | Page 21
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THE LOCAL BEE FACILITATES GIVING BACK AND SPREADING JOY By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
T
he success of The Local Bee, a new grassroots charitable organization founded by a couple of Draper women, is a bright spot in challenging times. The founding members were recently honored as Extra Miles Heroes by Draper City Council. With the goal of bringing happiness and helping those in need, The Local Bee offers friends and neighbors an opportunity to get involved and “focus on something positive,” as co-founder Natalie Watson explained. Each month, The Local Bee partners with a different local charity to fulfill a specific need and hosts a simple service opportunity for community members to participate in while also highlighting local restaurants, shops, businesses and organizations. A large part of their mission is to help spread joy to people through the act of giving and participating. The name, The Local Bee, refers to Utah’s nickname as the Beehive State and the “local” reflects the group’s focus on small businesses and organizations within the Wasatch Front. The Local Bee started last summer when friends Watson and Shauna Borg began talking about how they could give back and help the community thrive. “Both of us had been wanting to do this for a long time,” Watson said. In researching local charities, they learned about For the Kids, a nonprofit in Salt Lake City that provides food for kids on the National School Lunch Program (a federal free or low-cost lunch program) who often go hungry on weekends. The two organized a food drive, get-
ting their kids involved and inviting friends and neighbors to contribute prepackaged and easy-to-prepare foods via social media. The response was outstanding. The Local Bee contributed 732 complete weekend meal kits to For the Kids, stocking their pantry for the month of September. For their next project, The Local Bee reached out to the Granite Education Foundation which puts together “Santa Sacks” for underprivileged kids. Learning that there was a particular need for gift items for tween girls, Watson and Borg organized a drive to make grooming kits including combs, brushes, nail polish and lip balms. Seeking to simultaneously shine a light on local businesses, they set up a collection site for the items at La Petite Maison Antiques in Draper. By the end of the drive, The Local Bee had 510 grooming kits for the Santa Sacks. “It’s been terrific, really rewarding to see how this has taken off,” Borg said. “We have a lot of kind and generous people who want to help and we couldn’t do it without them.” Watson relayed an anecdote about a donor who told her, “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do something for those little girls.” The women view their organization as a way to make it easier for people to give back. “We recognize that a lot of people don’t have time,” Watson said. “The idea is to come up with small, simple projects that have an impact on the local level and spread the word.” “People just want to help,” Borg said. “They recognize that there is a need and they
The Local Bee co-founders Shawna Borg and Natalie Watson held a collection event at La Petite Maison in Draper last October. (Photo courtesy Natalie Watson)
want to do their part.” For November, which is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, The Local Bee teamed up with HomeAid Utah for an on-
line fundraiser. HomeAid Utah is a nonprofit provider of housing for those experiencing homelessness. The Local Bee spread aware Continued page XX
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