Sugar House September 2016

September 2016 | Vol. 2 Iss. 09

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Page 2 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

War Against Hunger Welcomes New Ally in GardenShare

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com The Sugar House City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Sugar House.

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S

urplus can be a luxury. For Pat Thomas, some luxuries should go to the hungry.

Out of her Sugar House home was born a program called GardenShare where neighbors drop off the excess food grown in their garden at collection sites in their neighborhood. The food is then taken to a food bank.

“There are great initiatives in place, this just adds another piece,” Thomas, GardenShare creator, said. “And it’s sustainable, these fruit trees are giving every year.”

Thomas grew up with a love for gardens and running. Ironically, the two hobbies combined to inspire the program.

“I run five days a week and I would see beautiful gardens and all this food littered across the sidewalks and I would think, ‘This is crazy, there are people who need this,’” Thomas said.

After encouraging her children throughout their childhood to do service projects collecting surplus food, six years ago her children finally turned it back on her.

“I was lamenting to one of my children that I wished they had done that and she said, ‘Well, why don’t you do that,’” Thomas said.

The program falls under the umbrella of the Green Urban Lunch Box with the assistance of the Utah Food Bank. Thomas said she found that people are happy to donate but don’t have the time to make the trip to the food banks.

GardenShare uses volunteers who offer their homes as collection sites then the volunteers transport the fresh produce to the nearest food pantry.

“People are catching a vision and it’s as thrilling as if it were happening to me that it’s happening for other people when they open their door [seeing the donations] and they feel like it’s Christmas because there’s stuff out there they can donate,” Thomas said.

Thomas, who recently received her master’s degree in arts and community leadership from Westminster College, has been

Rachel Fleming (left), Aaron Fleming, Lark Galli and Wayne Evans are four generations of a family participating in the GardenShare Program. –Hannah Galli | inner i art

working on the program for the last six years and has incorporated friends and family to do it in their neighborhoods. They now have 24 collection homes most of which exist along the east bench in Sugar House and Millcreek, but has grown with locations in Draper, Tooele, Bountiful and Syracuse.

For the past six years Thomas has collected less than 50 pounds. Now she has neighborhoods collecting 100 pounds per week.

Since July, the weight total at her home is just over 330 pounds. She said she felt it could grow more in Sugar House.

“Because there are quite a few collectors in Sugar House area, Sugar House ought to know about it. If you have fruit trees or grapevines, it doesn’t have to go to waste,” Thomas said.

Thomas said they’ve spread the word mostly through social media and word of mouth.

They are always looking for more people to get involved, even if it’s just telling people about it, she said.

“People can think, ‘Oh, I don’t have a

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garden, I don’t have fruit trees,’ but if they have a large social media presence, they can just help people to be aware,” Thomas said.

There are different ways for people to engage in the program itself, Thomas said, that includes receiving free seed to start planting in gardens as well as donating food or transporting it.

Thomas has had multiple conversations with local pantries to understand what kinds of fruits and vegetables people choose at those pantries. She then passed out fliers letting people know what food people seem to be most familiar with across many cultures.

Thomas spent time in the early 80’s working in Guatemala, an experience that helped motivate her to fight hunger.

“It’s something you don’t forget that everybody’s life is centered around their next meal,” she said.

For more information on the program, call 801-652-6801 or email at gardenshare@gulb. org. l

September 2016 | Page 3

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Salt Lake County Home for Sale

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Page 4 | September 2016

Your Text isn’t Worth It!

Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.

1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.

LOCAL LIFE

Sugar House Journal

From Words To Film Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

B

ehind every good movie is a good script. One Sugar House woman is using her writing talents to produce that good script.

“It’s a rush,” said Sally Meyer, who has already written several screenplays. “It’s always the biggest rush to see the story that you created on paper come to life in the glorious medium of film.”

Sally’s love for the films didn’t start in Sugar House or Sally Meyer even the United States. Sally is from England and has a fondness for British films. She immigrated here in 1974 when she was 24-years-old and has loved living in Sugar House.

Sally got involved in film when her daughter Caitlin Meyer Stewart started acting in different film productions. Caitlin has been acting since age five, and while she was doing films, Sally got her first taste of script writing when a director decided to take a chance one of her scripts. From there the opportunities kept coming.

Caitlin has been in many of her mom’s screenplays and with that gets to work alongside her mom, watching her do everything from producing to working with the director on the scripts.

“It is very fun being in films my mom has written,” Caitlin said. “She is so incredibly talented and so it’s amazing to see how she has really blossomed into an amazing screenwriter.

My mom is one of my biggest supporters so it’s awesome to spend time with her doing things I love, and I can likewise support her.”

With her daughter’s love of acting and Sally’s love of writing, Sally has been able to use film to create scripts that uplift the viewer.

“Film is a great medium to touch and inspire people,” Sally said. “Everyone loves a good movie with a gallon or two of popcorn. It’s a great escape and can also change and touch people’s lives.”

Sally’s most recent screenplay “The Christmas Project” is based off the young adult novels “Chickens in the Headlights”

and “Bullies in the Headlights” by Matthew Buckley. The movie follows a family of three boys, the Buckleys, who are always being bullied by the Hagbarts. The Buckley brothers and their parents have a tradition every year to elf someone, which consists of leaving treats and presents on someone’s doorstep until Christmas Eve. The Buckley brothers’ parents surprise them with the idea of elfing the Hagbarts and the boys.

As time goes on the Buckley’s learn more and realize that the Hagbart’s aren’t evil, but also have a story to tell.

“We felt the books really told the story of family and all the fun that goes along with raising boys,” Sally said about “The Christmas Project”. “Covenant owns the rights to the books, and they were the ones who decided to approach me about writing a Christmas story based on these books.”

The screenplay took two months to adapt from the book with the help from director Michael Buster. Sally has done different Christmas screenplays and says that she loves everything about Christmas.

“All the magic is already there, and it’s fun to create magic.”

Sally’s films are all uplifting and have a message to them, whether it’s turning the other cheek or learning to love others.

She purposely writes uplifting screenplays and said that values and good entertainment are what she wants to continue writing.

“I like to have a message in my films. I want to write stories that teach a little, entertain a lot and have families be able to watch together,” Sally said. “I love to make people laugh and cry in my movies. I like to feel that the audience will go away from a film with something that touched them, or something that they could relate to, whatever that may be.” .Sally hopes her screenplays will help inspire and uplift others.

“I hope that I can continue to write stories that will uplift audiences for generations to come,” Sally said. “I can’t imagine my life without writing now, it’s become a part of me. I hope that others will enjoy the films, and be able to share them with their families.”

“The Christmas Project” will be showing at the Park City Film Festival and will be released on DVD just in time for the holidays. l

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The cast of The Christmas Project – Natalie Mollinet

Poster of The Christmas Project - Natalie Mollinet

LOCAL LIFE

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

September 2016 | Page 5

New Book on Sugar House Explores Past Through Characters Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

O

ne of the many things that we share as a community in Sugar House are old homes, many built in the early 20th century. Each Sugar House home has been passed on to owner to owner and holds stories that only the walls could tell should they be able to speak. One author who lives in Sugar House, Ella Olson, put that story into a book called “Root, Petal, Thorn.”

“Though ‘Root, Petal, Thorn’ Ella Olson tells a story through the eyes of many women, they are not alone,” Olson said, “Each is a part of a family. I’d say the novel is for anyone who enjoys the reflecting on their own life – the different stages, the things that come and go.”

The book follows five different life stories of women who all lived in the same home on Downington Avenue here in Sugar House. Each woman has a different story and each is from a different decade, ranging from 1910 to present day.

The lives of each women can be relatable, one woman wants to keep her son safe from the war, another struggles with mental illnesses, another is a little girl struggling with her father as he tries to makes ends meet and a widow coping with the loss of her husband by learning about the history of her home on Downington.

“I wanted to represent all the stages of life through my characters – child, young woman, younger mother, mother with older children, old woman – so I do think the story is relatable

for a variety of audiences,” Olson said, “This isn’t a young adult or fantasy novel. It’s about a daily life and real struggles throughout history.”

Olson put in the work to make sure each decade was represented in the way it should be. Her story details the struggles of World War II, life in Sugar House in the early 1900’s and details what relationships would have been like during her characters’ life. In the book Ivy – the widow coping with the loss of her husband – researches her home at the Utah Historical Society. Olson in her own journey in writing the novel did her research there as well, as well as in libraries.

“I fact checked all over the place – the stores and structures in Sugar House during different periods, the development of the neighborhood,” Olson said.

Not only did Olson research the landscape of the time, she studied the mental illness that one of her characters – Lainey – has in her novel. Lainey is a struggling artist, trying to find ways of coping with her mental illness while holding on to the custody of her daughter.

“I wanted to explore bipolar in an authentic and sympathetic manner,” Olson said.

Each woman – even though fictional – was inspired, and some of the inspiration came from things around the Sugar House neighborhood and her home here also. Olson came up with ideas from restoring her home and even without noticing, shared similar personality traits with one of the women, even though their situations are different.

Olson picked Sugar House specifically because she loves the neighborhood and felt it would be fitting for her story.

“I’ve always been drawn to places that speak to the passage of time so when my husband and I moved back to Salt Lake City, I knew I must live in an old home – preferably one with a porch swing,” Olson said, “I got it.”

“Root, Petal, Thorn” is a wonderful book that can help those in Sugar House picture what their Cover of Roo t, Petal, Thorn old neighborhood used to be like. Olson uses familiar places like Westminster College, Sugar House Park, Sugar House monument, the Wasatch Mountains and even Downington Avenue. It’s a book that citizens in Sugar House will love and will be engaged in reading whatever age they are. As you read the book you’ll feel like you’re reading about your own Sugar House bungalow, and be curious as to what secrets and stories it holds.

“Ultimately people read books for enjoyment, so I hope my readers enjoy my characters and are willing to follow them through the pages and cheer them on through their challenges,” Olson said, “The place stays and the people move on. There’s something haunting, yet beautiful about this concept.”

There will be a launch party for the book at Kings English Bookshop from 7-9 p.m. on September 8th. All are invited. l

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Page 6 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

Faces and Places

Natalie Mollinet | Natalie@mycityjournals.com Photo Credits: Natalie Mollinet

David Fisher: I love going to the Food Truck Roundup on Mondays and getting my favorite food truck food. Then I take the food to the park and enjoy the sunset with friends. Also the S line opened when I was a student at the [University of Utah], and didn’t have a car at the time. So I would use it all the time to get up there to eat at some of my favorite places like Sugar House BBQ and the movie theater. I love how Sugar House is always getting new restaurants, many which I had out east like Mellow Mushroom or Potbellys.

Melinda Fredrickson: I love the people, the people are so awesome everywhere you go, and everyone is so friendly. I love Sugar House Park. I love living so close to it that I can go exercise and spend time with people. The houses are adorable. It’s just a really fun area, it’s too bad it’s really expensive to live here, but it’s a really wonderful neighborhood.

Brenden Austin: I’m a cheerleader at the U and I work full time at Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW).

I have worked several other places in my lifetime, but the year that I have worked in Sugar House has been far the best. For me, it’s the customers that make it worthwhile being here.

They never fail to brighten my day or make being at work worthwhile. With the year that I’ve been working at Sugar House whether it be at BWW or the two other places I’ve worked here, it’s always the atmosphere that keeps me going.

The guests want you to stay true to yourself and I love that. Serving isn’t an easy job to be honest – a lot of people pleasing – but the times that I am being myself, I’ve come to realize that my guests of Sugar House love that even more.

Wailing Rock Music and Puppetry Transform Greek Tragedy

By Suni Gigliotti, Westminster College Senior

T

he 46th Annual Classical Greek Theatre Festival returns this September with the rarely read, and infrequently produced, Herakles by Euripides. Westminster College presents the Classical Greek Theatre Festival every year with the goal of introducing and sustaining the appreciation of ancient Greek theatre throughout the state. This production will tour Utah through September with shows at Westminster, BYU, Red Butte and more.

Centered around Herakles’ doomed family: his wife (Megara), children, and his aging father (Amphitryon) desperately pray for the return of Herakles to save them from the threatening usurping ruler, Lykos. Herakles, however, is unaware of his family’s plight as he is off completing the last of his Twelve La-

bors. When Herakles finally returns, the salvation his family sought isn’t quite what they had prayed for.

Instead of being based in the Classical Greek era, Hugh Hanson’s modern direction depicts a “Herakles” based in 1969 America during the Vietnam War. Inspired by the translation and musings of Robert Emmet Meagher’s “Herakles Gone Mad: Rethinking Heroism in an Age of Endless War,” Hugh’s direction explores what happens when the beloved hero struggles to return to normalcy after years of serving in violent war, dealing with topics like heroism and PTSD. Combined with puppetry and wailing rock music, this production takes a dip into the war hero’s shattered mind unlike any Greek theatre pro-

duction seen before.

The production opens at Westminster College September 2-3 & 9-10 with performances at 7:30 p.m. then tours Utah with stops at the UCCC Amphitheater in West Valley City on Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m., BYU’s de Jong Concert Hall on Sept. 19 at 5 p.m. and at Weber State’s Wildcat Theater in Ogden on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The production returns to Salt Lake City for its residency at Red Butte Garden Sept. 24-25 with performances beginning at 9 a.m. Tickets are available at www.westminstercollege.edu/theatre_arts.

Dramaturge Jim Svendsen will present an orientation lecture thirty minutes before each performance.

The Old Granite Tabernacle on 33rd and State

Granite Tabernacle: Situated on 900 East and 2005 South sits one of the most cherished buildings in Sugar House – The Granite Stake Tabernacle. The first tabernacle in the Cottonwood and Granite LDS stakes was actually not in Sugar House, but located exactly where the movie theater Century 16 sits on 3300 S outh and State Street. That building was torn down in 1956 and it was now necessary for a new ward chapel to be built. In 1929, ground was broken for the new tabernacle to be built in the Sugar House area, and customary to the times, a ward helped pay for the new building. Members of the LDS church in the area held fundraisers like dance parties, organ recitals and sold buttons that said “I bought a brick” to help raise money. In 1930, construction was completed but couldn’t be dedicated until it was completely paid off, and due to the Depression, it made it difficult. In 1938, the tabernacle was dedicated by Heber J Grant who was president of the LDS church at the time. Since then the Granite Tabernacle has endured floods, remodeling, additions as well as updates. If you walked inside the building you’d discover the old architecture as well as the modern. The Relief Society room even has an old fireplace and the chapel has a balcony where people attended church. Today it’s used as a ward meetinghouse for the Forest Dale Ward and Japanese Dai Ichi Wards.

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

GOVERNMENT

September 2016 | Page 7

Fairmont Park to Receive Facelift

By Jordan Greene

S

alt Lake City planners and engineers have been working on a plan to give Fairmont Park a makeover. The Salt Lake City Parks Department is considering new additions to the park to make it a more welcoming and diverse place. The park currently enjoys open grass areas, some playground equipment, an old pond, a skatepark, and a few plazas. The changes would include some additions that would give the park new attractions for park goers.

Fairmont Park is a valued public area for locals and visitors alike. Ashton McDonald, a local who grew up across the street from the park, said, “I used to come to the park every day just to play baseball, or basketball. My friends always played soccer. And, as a kid, we used to get in trouble trying to catch the carp in the pond.”

McDonald still visits it today. McDonald’s story is not unique as many locals enjoy Fairmont park as it is. However, he thinks improvements to the park would make it even better.

The improvement plans include installing several new amenities like a new tennis court or a pickle ball court, or both. They plan on increasing the lighting around the park’s trail for evening park goers as well as add additional lighting at the entrances to make the park more noticeable and attractive. The plans also include

an off-leash dog park in the southeast corner, a full basketball court, an amphitheater for events and shows, and a rework of the water feature.

McDonald mentioned that the pond was a particularly sore spot as the water looks dirty, and there is “a lot of crap from the ducks.” So he is glad they are looking at fixing up the water features. “It’s a great park where a lot of people come,” he said and added he would like to see it turned into a more public-events sort of space and hopes that the result will make Fairmont more like Liberty Park.

McDonald, a local musician, said that he is especially excited for the amphitheater so there could be events such as concerts and the surrounding open space could feature farmers markets.

The City is hoping that the renovations will draw more visitors to the park as the extended streetcars will bring more people to the area.

They are hoping that the sprucing-up of the park will help beautify one of the areas that leads into Sugar House and has been a bit neglected for some time.

There has been no official deadline set for the plans, though the goal is to have everything ready to meet the streetcar goers when they reach Sugar House. l

Part of the Fairmont Park water feature. With the abundance of cattails and lily pads, some think it looks like a swamp. – Jordan Greene

GOVERNMENT

Page 8 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

Encouraging Police-Community Relations

By Jordan Greene

A

connecting your business with local communities SEPTEMBER 2016 Our general monthly meeting is the first Wednesday of each month at Westminster On the Draw at 8:30am.

Visit: sugarhousechamber.org/events for a map and directions.

Share the love . . . #iHeartSugarHouse.

Tag your favorite Sugar House business or place in Sugar House.

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Most Recent New and Renewing Members: The RUIN Apollo Burger

For Membership information please contact: Kelly Hannah Eightline Real Estate membership@sugarhousechamber.org

Questions?

events@sugarhousechamber.org finance@sugarhousechamber.org marketing@sugarhousechamber.org membership@sugarhousechamber.org

mid tensions around the nation between law enforcers and their communities, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski is hoping to improve the relationships residents have with their police officers. The Mayor organized a workshop called, “Transforming Together” in late July to encourage a dialogue about these issues.

The Mayor’s office has said that the goal of the workshop is to “foster constructive dialogue and address steps being taken to strengthen relationships between police and the community.” The Mayor wants this workshop to generate feedback from residents about their current ongoing efforts to improve relations between police and civilians. These ongoing efforts include “de-escalation Detective Joshua Ashdown is the training, use-of-force policy, the role of the Civilian Review Community Intelligence Officer Board, and training and hiring of police officers.”

Joshua Ashdown, community intelligence officer for Sugar for the Sugar House Community.

House, said he feels very positively about the Mayor’s efforts – Detective Joshua Ashdown and thinks that the anxiety a lot of people feel toward police these days could be caused by a few things.

“We are flooded with news stories and articles more than ever,” he said. “A lot of things get reported without all the facts and that can add to a person’s anxiety when something bad has happened. So we can tend to think that more bad things are happening than there is. It’s every topic too, not just with police incidents. We see more shootings, or animals being killed, more than ever because of the technology and all the social media we have.”

With reports of police-community relationships breaking down in other parts of the country, Ashdown thinks that this sort of dialogue is extremely helpful.

He said, “What the Mayor is doing is a great step in the right direction and I have no doubt that it will continue on that path.”

He believes that this sort of dialogue will help communities such as Sugar House in several ways, one of which is simply “knowing that they have a mayor and a police chief committed to communication with the public we serve and no hesitation to get involved with the process with the process themselves if they see the need.”

The Mayor’s vision is that increased communication between the police and the community they serve is intended to solve any issues before they arise. Keeping close relationships and open lines of communication between the two will help prevent any tensions from rising in the first place. Ashdown said that the Mayor’s workshop and other future efforts like it will help in this effort because “some of this bridge work [between community and police] has already started and they [the Sugar House community] have a great avenue to seek information and be heard.”

Their hope is that if residents are concerned, that they feel comfortable coming forward, feel that they will be heard and that concerns will be honestly discussed and addressed.

One thing that Ashdown thinks would be helpful in keeping anxiety levels down, is to be patient for the facts. He said, “It’s hard to be patient and wait for all the details to come out, but be patient. The same way if you were accused of doing something wrong you would want the time taken to get all the facts straight first. But if you think something wrong has occurred then definitely contact the proper channels.”

He also mentioned that many people don’t realize the struggle the police themselves face when trying to build trust.

“One thing that people don’t realize is that police officers do not want bad cops in their ranks. Because it takes years to build the communication and trust with the community and one bad cop can set back all the effort of the entire department even if it’s not in their city.

We want to connect with the community and want them to trust us,” he said. l Salt Lake City Police cruiser parked outside the courthouse. – Jordan Greene

GOVERNMENT

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

City Starts 90-day Parking Ticket Amnesty Program

By Jordan Greene

O

n August 9, Salt Lake City began their 90-day parking amnesty program to help with repaying overdue parking tickets. Any ticket older than the first of July 2014 is eligible for the program.

If you have an overdue ticket you can get a 60% discount on any fines you may have collected, but there is a catch: you have to give to a charitable or non-profit organization. If you settle online you need to pay $10 to one of the non-profits listed or turn in four cans of non-perishable food if you pay the bill in person. The Salt Lake City mayor, Jackie Biskupski, wrote on her website, “When this was first proposed to me by our finance team, it sounded like a win-win for everyone involved.”

The mayor’s office is optimistic about this program based on comments to their website. Biskupski’s office believes that the average ticket will be reduced by $70 and it’s possible that the city will settle Salt Lake City Parking Kiosk 4,000 of the 22,000 eligible tickets and raise somewhere around $320,000 – Jordan Greene for the city. Not only are they excited to be able to settle thousands of parking ticket debts, they are particularly excited about the programs charitable donations.

“While we will definitely measure the number of tickets we resolve, I think the true measure of success will be the money we raise for the worthy local charities being supported through the program,” the mayor wrote on her website.

If all 4,000 tickets were resolved online they would raise $40,000 to be donated to various charities within the 90-day period. If all 4,000 were paid in person that would be 46,000 cans of food donated to the Utah Food Bank.

The mayor’s team has also noted that the program has gained a lot of traction on social media.

The effort has been shared across the various social platforms in an effort to get the word out.

Residents have been encouraged to nominate the charities of their choice as recipients of the program.

Parking can be scarce around town and sometimes just running into the office or the store for five minutes is enough to merit the little paper on your windshield. If you’ve been cringing at the thought of that ticket you forgot about two years ago, now is your chance to get it cleared, while doing some good.

It is still advisable that we continue to park in specified locations for specified amounts of time and for specified amounts of money. Unfortunately any tickets you get in the future will not be eligible for the program and it is unlikely that another amnesty program is in the near future.

If you want to get that parking ticket cleared up, do so online at slcgov.com/pcd or drop off food donations in Room 145 at the Salt Lake City County Building, 451 S. State St. The mayor’s office has also stated that any overdue tickets not settled by the end of the 90day period (which ends November 9, 2016) will be turned over to the State of Utah’s collection program. l Downtown paid parking is scarce – Jordan Greene

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September 2016 | Page 9

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EDUCATION

Page 10 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

Incoming Freshman Get A Taste Of Highland High Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

C

oming into high school can be scary. But at Highland High, being a freshman just got easier thanks to Ramcamp, a place where the student body president, cheerleaders, pep club and faculty were there to help the transition.

At Ramcamp freshman enjoyed pizza, got the scoop on how to navigate Highland’s hallways, experienced Highland’s sense of tradition and community and were able to see what clubs will be available to them when they put on their Highland Ram’s shirt.

“I hope they get a good experience and an idea of what high school is going to be like,” James Pembroke, Highland’s HAM president said.

Pembroke remembers his first day at Highland, all nervous and excited all at the same time. Luckily for him, he had a brother that helped him learn the ropes and he hopes the freshman could get the same help from seasoned students at Highland.

At Ramcamp, Highland staff made sure that incoming freshmen knew about how their attitude and character would help them in the long run, and during their next four years as rams.

Before incoming freshman got the “Highland ram tour,” they ran underneath the teacher tunnel and into the assembly room where they were greeted with music from Highland’s band and student body officers. In the assembly Principal Jenson talked to the freshman about character and wanted the new freshman to know that they have support.

“They’re a part of our ram family,” Jenson said, “We understand, we’ve all been there.”

Jenson remembers his first day of school at Jordan High feeling very stressed, wondering how successful he was going to be and where he fit in. He said they didn’t have anything like Ramcamp to help him out.

“I remember looking at some of the seniors and they looked like men,” Jenson laughed, “You know I’m this little boy still and they’re men there, and it’s intimidating.

So it’s a passion of mine to make sure that freshman don’t have those same feelings and that they feel supported.”

Later in the assembly a video was shared called Epic Ability, that talked about using your abilities for good. At Highland,

they are aiming to focus on Ram fam and community building. Jenson said that one of his philosophies is that they have collective character at Highland.

“The school is not just merely a reflection of our community, the school can have an impact on the community,” Jenson said. “We can transform communities, we can help struggling families, we can make situations better.”

Jenson wants his students to know that they can make a difference and that Highland is here to make things better. He said that students can have a positive impact on the community even if it’s just helping individual

families with school supplies or a coat.

“Highland especially is such a powerful influence on our surroundings,” Jenson said.

“I think rather than just merely saying, ‘These are the cards we’re dealt we have to deal with that’ you know, we do it different. We have a different approach. We are always striving to make things better.”

Incoming freshman not only got a taste of what it is to be a Highland ram, but got to see what it’s like to be a part of the ram family. For many in the community, Highland is all about tradition and thanks to Ramcamp, new freshman soon will be helping make an impact on that community. l

Groups of about 20 went on the Highland ram tour – Natalie Mollinet

Highland saying hello to their new freshman – Natalie Mollinet

A Highland Ram Dome welcoming new freshman to Highland at Ramcamp – Natalie Mollinet

EDUCATION

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

September 2016 | Page 11

New School Year Means New Teachers at Highland Park Natalie Mollinet | natalie@mycityjournals.com

T

Amber Pulley

he new school year means new teachers, and that is exciting. At Highland Park Elementary,one of the new teachers is Amber Pulley, who will be teaching fifth grade.

Pulley comes to Highland Park from a Title One school in Rose Park called Escalante Elementary and she’s excited to get involved in the Sugar House community.

“Highland Park has an excellent reputation as a school with exceptional parents who are helpful and supportive,” Pulley said.

Pulley worked in public relations for 10 years, but felt that her heart really was in helping kids. She volunteered helping children read and knew that she had to get into education, so she left her career and pursued her passion in education.

Besides her love for education, you can find Pulley outside enjoying Utah’s offerings.

“I love to try new things,” Pulley said, “I love to experience new cultures and places.”

With Pulley’s love for helping students and her drive to learn new things, Highland Park is getting an ace teacher who wants to help her students learn not only in the classroom but how to help in the community.

“My academics in the classroom are

tied to the many service projects in which students engage in helping others,” Pulley said, “I try to foster a love of learning and serving others. I believe in creating goodness in the classroom and in the community.”

Another one of Highland Park’s new teachers is Lynette Peck, who will be teaching sixth grade and has a background in curriculum assessment. She worked for the Salt Lake City School District’s Curriculum and Assessment Lab at Ensign Elementary.

She taught third and fourth graders there for 11 years, and before that taught in the ELP Program.

“I am looking forward to joining the Highland Park community because I have heard wonderful reports about the school’s reputation,” Peck said. “And I’ll have the opportunity to join a wonderful team of sixthgrade teachers.”

Peck actually isn’t unfamiliar with the area, she grew up in Salt Lake City and attended area schools. She understands the standards of what comes to the schools and has fond memories of being a part of the district.

“I loved my first school – Riley Elementary – freshly sharpened pencils, the

smell of new crayons and great teachers.

I also happen to be a member of the last graduating class from South High School,” Peck said.

In her free time, Peck enjoys traveling, cooking, solving word and number puzzles and just like any teacher, she loves reading and teaching. With her love of teaching, Peck is excited to help get her new classroom to feel like a community where her students can share ideas and learn to work together.

Peck said, “I have come to love teaching writing and math problem-solving skills, and I look forward to instructing in these subject at Highland Park. Additionally, I love integrating technology into curriculum and giving students many opportunities to share their learning through a variety of methods.”

Other additions to Highland Park Elementary will be Jamie Zayach, a former ski instructor who will be a part-time resource teacher, and a new counselor, Mary Jane Moore, who is coming from Parkview to head up the Student Leadership Team. Judy Mayfield, who has been helping in the thirdand fourth- grade operas, will be a music teacher. l

Page 12 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

“Ghostblasters: We Ain’t Afraid of No Jokes!”

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SPORTS

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

September 2016 | Page 13

Girls Soccer Launches into Season with High Hopes

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

The Highland High girls soccer team scores against Cottonwood High on Aug. 11. –Travis Barton

A

fter ending the 2015 season with a 5-92 record, expectations might not be too high entering the 2016 season.

That is not the case with the Highland High girls soccer team.

The team returns 10 starters and won three of their four non-region games before starting their region schedule against Ogden on Aug. 23. Their first two games were won by a combined score of 13-1. But head coach Brad Kooyman said he wasn’t satisfied and had high hopes as the season gets underway.

“I have really high expectations because we have a lot of talent and we should be really good. I’m pleased with what we did, but I know we can do better,” Kooyman said after the team defeated Cottonwood High 6-0 on Aug. 11.

What is expected to help the team in their pursuit of success is the solid spine they’ve established up the middle of the field.

“Our strength is the middle, we want to own the middle of the field,” Kooyman said.

One of the catalysts to controlling the

midfield will be the calm influence of team captain Annie Nielson.

Nielson, a senior midfielder, said she feels they’re solid from defense to attack but it’s the team camaraderie that plays a big role in the team’s cohesion.

“On and off the field we hang out and we form those bonds so that on the field we’re comfortable with each other,” Nielson said.

Kayla Greer, senior defender and cocaptain, said it’s an advantage returning 10 starters—five of whom play together on their club team—because it makes the team’s adjustment period shorter.

“We all kinda know how everyone plays already so we’re already meshed which makes it easier,” Greer said.

Greer, along with senior forward Emma Thornton, are the only two players to have played every varsity game since arriving as freshmen.

“It’s weird going from being the youngest on the team to being the leader of the team,” Greer said.

The Highland High girls soccer team defeated Cottonwood High 6-0 on Aug. 11. The Rams return 10 starters from a year ago. –Travis Barton

Despite some convincing wins to begin the season, Kooyman said the team needs to improve in what should be a competitive region schedule.

“Although I’m happy with where we are, I know how tough our region is. So I want them to be a little sharper, a little more precise,” Kooyman said. “But it’s early, so it’s that balance, you want to push them hard so when we get to the tough part of the season we’ll be ready.”

An improvement Kooyman is looking for starts in front of goal. Against Cottonwood on Aug. 11, the Rams had 40 chances on goal and converted six of them into goals. Kooyman said when they play top competition, they’ll need to have a high percentage of finishes.

“We might only get six or eight chances… so that percentage has to come up and if we do that we’ll be okay,” Kooyman said.

Highland has never won a region title in girls soccer, but Kooyman said with the team’s talent, they have the potential to make history.

“For me I think that’s a real possibility

[and] I challenged the girls to get there,” Kooyman said.

Nielson said it’s a difficult region, but that’s their goal.

“We’re just looking to push ourselves to the max and see where that takes us,” Nielson said. “It won’t be a breeze but [a region title] is what we’re working towards.”

Nielson was named the head captain over the summer and said it was a really cool feeling.

“It’s been my high school dream—ever since I knew you could have high school captains—so it was a dream come true,” Nielson said.

Kooyman said the team’s talent extends to the classroom as well. The team recently received a national academic award for having a 3.8 grade point average in 2015.

“Not only do we have high quality soccer players, we have high quality kids,” Kooyman said. “Good citizens, good students and good athletes; what more can you ask for as a coach?” l

Page 14 | September 2016

ON THE COVER

Sugar House Journal

Community Unites to Support Football Team

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

A

s school prepared to kick off, so did the football season.

One week before their first game of the season, Highland High football team held its annual Black and White game on Aug. 12. The team scrimmage serves as a fundraiser for the football team and an event for the community to come together.

“We’re just trying to raise money for the program to help some of these kids, to help with equipment and everything else,” Jason Boren said. Boren has a son on the team and helped organize the event.

Among the night’s festivities—besides the football games —were silent and live auctions, games for the kids and satisfying food. All proceeds went to funding the football team.

Head coach Brody Benson said he estimates outfitting each player’s uniform costs over $900 so events like this were key for his team. Over 50 percent of the team is fee waived, meaning players come from low-income families.

“It is very expensive to run a football program…so we look to the community to ask for your support both monetarily and every Friday night, we have a great group of young men,” Benson told the crowd at halftime.

Benson said the team carries a 3.5 grade point average with its 93 players. Over the

Cheerleaders and the Pep Club cheer on the Highland High football team during their annual Black and White game on Aug. 12. –Travis Barton

past 11 years, the program has a 100 percent graduation rate and has never had a player not be able to accept a college scholarship based on academics.

“That is a tribute to this program, this

school, the administration and teachers here at Highland High,” Benson said.

The fundraiser used to be held in the spring but with the new field being laid in 2015, it was decided to hold the event in conjunction with the annual Black and White game.

Boren, whose son, Jake, plays on the team, said the program has great parent support and it’s those parents who organize the event preparing the food and seeking out donations whether it be cash or in-kind donations. The in-

kind donations were sold during the auctions.

The silent auction had such donated items as signed helmets from NFL players like Haloti Ngata, Sione Houma and Nate Orchard, all of whom graduated from Highland. Other items included a night’s stay at the Grand America Hotel, a signed Jazz ball and a month’s membership to Corepower Yoga.

The live auction included a grill, a treadmill, a one-week vacation rental at a house in St. George and another vacation rental at a Newport Beach House in California.

Ryan Creamer won the weeks’ vacation to Newport with a $2,600 bid. Creamer has five neighbors on the football team and said it was great he could come out and support them.

As much as the event benefited the football program, Boren said they also wanted it to unite the community.

“We wanted to have more of a sense of community, we’ve got parents from the west side and the east side. It’s nice to bring everyone together,” said Boren, who played football at East High.

Principal Chris Jenson echoed those sentiments. Jenson said high schools can have an impact on the community rather than simply be a reflection.

“We can be a unifying factor in a broader sense than just our school,” Jenson said.

“Everything that’s going on in this world, we need a little healing and I think the school can be helpful in that.” l

Mellanee Kilpack starts the live auction where people bid on items such as a one-week vacation to a beach house in Newport Beach, Calif. –Travis Barton

SPORTS

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

September 2016 | Page 15

Sober Soccer: How the World’s Favorite Sport Aids in Addiction Recovery

By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

T

here are 149 drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers throughout the state of Utah*. These facilities attract thousands of people from across the country who want to fight addiction and find a new life through sobriety. One such individual came to Salt Lake City in hopes of getting sober and ended up achieving much more than that - he’s chasing his passion.

Twenty-seven-year-old Brian Knight moved from California to Utah 18 months ago to seek addiction treatment. Here, he joined the Fit To Recover gym in downtown Salt Lake City, where he met a community of individuals who were all working towards one goal: to free themselves from the thralls of addiction and live a life of sobriety.

“It was a community that I really wanted to get involved in,” Knight said. “One of the things that helped me stay sober was definitely the Fit To Recover gym, but also rediscovering the hobby of soccer - something that has always been a passion for me growing up.”

Within weeks of moving here, Knight found himself playing at the Gardner Village Indoor Soccer arena almost every night of the week.

“It kept me sober and it gave me something to look forward to everyday and something to make me feel accomplished,” Knight said. “I just wanted to share that passion with other people.”

Though Salt Lake City has an expansive sober community with dozens of programs designed for those in recovery, Knight immediately recognized an opportunity to combine his drive to live a sober lifestyle with his passion for the game of soccer.

“There are other sober sports like volleyball and softball, but there was no sober soccer,” Knight said. “So I just wanted to take the initiative and see if I could get people involved.”

After deciding to launch a soccer program for those working towards sobriety, Knight started networking and getting the word out about his idea.

“I started talking to people at Fit To Recover; I started talking to the alumni department at my recovery center; I started announcing it at AA meetings,” Knight said.

“Wherever I would go, I would promote it by word-of-mouth.”

It took time, but Knight’s efforts paid off. Though just six people joined the sober soccer program in the beginning, now, nearly a year later, more than 40 recovering addicts gather every Saturday and Monday to play the world’s most popular sport.

“One of my biggest goals of starting sober soccer is to get people involved even if they don’t do other forms of recovery like

Brian Knight (in blue) runs drills with several participants of the sober soccer program during a Wednesday afternoon practice. When Knight started the first sober soccer team, just six people came out. Today the program has four different teams with players of all skill levels. –Sarah Almond

AA programs or treatment centers,” Knight said. “I wanted to give them somewhere they could come and be around people of similar backgrounds who are trying to achieve the same thing, which is changing your life and doing something positive in sobriety.”

Though Knight recently established a men’s team, the majority of the sober soccer program is coed, with ages ranging from 19 years olds to players in their late 40’s.

“We have four teams right now,” Knight said. “One of our teams is called Fit To Recover, and another is called FTR - pretty much short for Fit To Recover. We also have one called Socceriety and another called Attacking Sobriety.”

The sober soccer program runs in eightweek intervals with session games played every Saturday and Monday from 5 to 10 p.m. at Gardner Village in Midvale or Let’s Play Sports in Murray. Knight also holds weekly

optional practices on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. at Stratford Park near Sugarhouse.

“We end every game by getting together and talking about ways we can directly relate our recovery to playing soccer,” Knight said.

“Things like communication - that’s a big one; for people who haven’t played a lot, it’s about achieving something and doing it with no judgment.

“We talk about teamwork and how you can’t win a game on your own - you need your team. And that’s the same in life, you know? You can’t stay sober on your own; you need people around you. When one of us is struggling, the rest of us are there to pick them up.”

For many sober soccer players, this sense of sportsmanship is one of the biggest draws and benefits of the program.

“My favorite part of playing soccer here is the friendships I’ve made,” said Mario

“We talk about teamwork and how you can’t win a game on your own you need your team. And that’s the same in life, you know? You can’t stay sober on your own; you need people around you. When one of us is struggling, the rest of us are there to pick them up.”

McLaughlin of Midvale, who’s been with the program for the past eight months. “It’s been a blessing to know Brian, because his drive to get people involved with being active in sobriety and his leadership have really helped me get to where I am.”

Knight said that many of the people who come out for sober soccer have little to no experience with the sport, yet their willingness to grow as both individuals and players is something that inspires him and gives him purpose.

“I haven’t played soccer since I was a kid,” said player Steven Lopez of Sugarhouse.

“But playing now, it’s challenging, and I think that’s helped me in my sobriety. It challenges me to get out of my comfort zone, to think less selfishly, and to work through things even when I want to quit.”

Lopez, who’s only been playing with the program for two months, found sober soccer after joining the Fit To Recover gym.

“Being here in Utah, there are a lot of different options in the sober community and a strong sober group here,” Lopez said. “But I can totally see this soccer program really growing and taking off.”

And growing the program is exactly what Knight intends to do. Though his biggest challenge is funding the program, Knight hopes to continue spreading the word about sober soccer and getting people from across the Salt Lake Valley interested in the program.

“I would love to eventually get Real Salt Lake involved,” Knight said. “But I have this bigger plan right now of trying to do something within the youth community. Once we have the numbers and the stability, I’d like to start a camp for youth were we not only teach them about soccer but we teach them about addiction and substance abuse and alcohol.”

Ultimately, Knight hopes the program will grow large enough to create a sober soccer league and that sober soccer will continue to inspire other leaders to start sober initiatives of their own. Lastly, Knight’s biggest hope is that the program spurs community involvement and increases awareness of active addiction recovery.

To learn more about sober soccer or to get involved, email Brian Knight at bjknight12@hotmail.com or visit Fit2Recover.org/contact-us. ​ l

*Statistics drawn from 2015 National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Facilities compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (www.samhsa.gov).

Page 16 | September 2016

LOCAL LIFE

Sugar House Journal

Teens from Northern Ireland, Utah Foster Friendships through Differences

By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com

T

welve catholic and protestant teens left their homes in Northern Ireland and travelled to Utah for a monthlong peace project aimed at unifying their nation.

Northern Ireland’s conflict between its mainly protestant unionists and mainly catholic nationalists, referred to as “The Troubles,” officially came to an end through the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but when the divide between the two sectarian groups continued, Reverend Kerry Waterstone founded the Ulster Project, a program designed to bring future catholic and protestant leaders together through association with religious teens in the United States. Utah’s been part of the project for 30 years.

“You can definitely tell at the start of the month they are in the ‘impress phase,’” Adam Dahlberg, director for Ulster Project Utah, said of the 12 Irish and 12 American teens who are part of the project. “They are just getting together, so they want to be cool, but by the end of the month that has faded and they are able to be themselves which is really hard for teens to do. It’s fun to see that transition.”

The Irish teens–six Protestant and six Catholic–roomed with an American teen of the same religion and similar background from June 27 to July 22. The 24 participants had their monthlong schedule filled with service, outdoor and faith-building activities each day.

Americans teens hold up posters to welcome teens from Northern Ireland into Utah for the Utah Ulster Project. The Ulster Project is a peace project designed to bring Protestant and Catholic teens together despite their differences. – Utah Ulster Project

Maddie Bossarte, of Taylorsville, and Emma Hagan, of Omagh, Northern Ireland, barely spoke to each other when they first met, but by the second day Emma was braiding Maddie’s hair and Emma was helping Maddie to put on her shoes, said Ann Charat, Maddie’s godmother.

The two teens bonded as the group of 24 visited historical sites, rode roller coasters and slides at Lagoon and Seven Peaks, camped, went rafting, attended a REAL Salt Lake game, and volunteered at the Utah Food Bank, Humane Society and at Kauri Sue Hamilton School for students with disabilities, among other activities.

“We’ve become best friends,” Maddie, 14, and Emma, 15, said simultaneously when asked how they’ve changed since the first day of the

Ulster Project.

“It’s like everyone here became best friends,” Maddie added. “I’ve really learned to talk with other people and be confident in what I say and to accept the differences in others.”

Emma, a Protestant, said she didn’t associate with Catholics very often before she came to Utah’s Ulster Project, but after a month of spending time with catholic and protestant teens from her own country and the United States, she said she’s ready to accept people no matter where they come from.

“At home we have separate schools for protestants and Catholics, and they don’t really interact much, but now when I get home, I’ll try to make an effort with the Catholics,” Emma said.

JP Murray, a 15-year-old Northern Ireland

resident, said he believes the prejudice between Catholics and protestants will die off as his generation ages. While older people are prone to think of the divide between the group, the teenagers are “more chill” and want to get to know each other, he said. JP’s American roommate for the duration of the project was PJ Mannebach from Salt Lake City.

The directors must have had a sense of humor to pair them together, JP said. Despite the similarity in their names, the two 15-year-olds had many different interests that made their situation ironic, PJ said.

“At first, it was just really awkward, and I was thinking about what I got myself into,” PJ said.

“Then I started talking with all the people in our groups, and I realized that all of these guys were pure fun. I used to avoid talking to people in group settings, but now I enjoy it, and that’s something that I’ll always carry with me.”

Aaron Smithson, a counselor from Ireland, said it was amazing to see JP and PJ’s selfconfidence increase through the project.

“They used to be some of the quietest kids around here, but then they started being the loudest and most annoying, and that was a good thing to see,” Smithson said. “All of them have really opened up and have been able to see past religion and their cultural differences.” l

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September 2016 | Page 17

M ySugar H ouseJournal.Com

Best Friends Animal Society

B

est Friends Animal Society began in Arizona during the 1970s with a group of animal lovers unwilling to accept the conventional wisdom that humane societies and shelters “had no choice” but to kill their “unadoptable” animals.

In the beginning, these animal lovers rescued hundreds of cast-off pets from shelters whose luck was about to run out, rehabilitated them and found them homes.

Those who did not find homes became a unique assortment of wonderful and lovable creatures whose numbers grew until Best Friends Animal Society was established in 1984 as a large and unique sanctuary at Angel Canyon in Kanab, Utah.

Since then, Best Friends has grown into a leader in the no-kill movement with a mission to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets by ending the unnecessary killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and working to save them all.

Today in Utah, Best Friends leads the No-Kill Utah (NKUT) initiative, operates a pet adoption center in the Sugar House neighborhood, and a spay/neuter clinic in Orem. The Pet Adoption Center in Sugar House

opened in July of 2013, and since then, more than 5,000 animals have been adopted there.

No-Kill Utah is an initiative of Best Friends Animal Society that, along with a coalition of 56 Utah-based animal welfare organizations, is designed to make Utah a no-kill state by 2019.

No-kill status means that animal shelters in the state will have achieved a combined save rate of 90 percent — that is, 90 percent of the animals entering the shelter system leave alive.

The other 10 percent typically are euthanized for severe medical or behavioral issues.

“We continue to be astounded by the progress each year toward making Utah a no-kill state,” said Arlyn Bradshaw, Best Friends–Utah executive director. “Our partnerships among rescue groups, shelters, the kitten nursery and community cat trappers will ensure that we will remain on track to achieve our lifesaving goals.”

The initiative includes spay/neuter service for rescued animals, as well as free and lowcost spay/neuter for owned pets.

Since its founding in 1984, Best Friends has helped reduce the number of animals killed in American shelters from 17 million per year to an estimated 4 million.

Thirty years ago, a group of people made a leap of faith to realize a vision that they had long shared – to create a sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals.

More than 800 adoptable animals will be featured from multiple shelters and rescue groups at the Fall NKUT Super Adoption on September 30 and October 1, 2016 at the Utah State Fairpark at 155 N 1000 W, Salt Lake City.

Adoption fees include spay/neuter, vaccinations and an adoption starter kit.

Admission and parking are free and adoption fees start at just $25.

Another event, Strut Your Mutt, will be held at Liberty Park at 700 E 900 S Salt Lake City Saturday, October 22, 2016 to raise money for your favorite local animal welfare group (any of Best Friends’ local NKUT and No More Homeless Pets Network partners) or for Best Friends Animal Society.

This event has been held in Salt Lake City for 20 years. Although it will be hard to surpass the approximately 2,600 people and their 1,800 dogs who came out to strut last year. Together, we raised more than $200,000. Think we can top that? Then get ready! l

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Page 18 | September 2016

Sugar House Journal

The Crunch, Crunch, Crunch Under My Feet

A

h, It’s here, fall. Here come the treasured foods of warmth, kids back in school, Halloween and that wonderful sound of crunching leaves under your feet when you head outside. There is nothing like the splendor of our amazing canyons with their fiery colors this time of year – anywhere else.

Enjoying our canyons in the fall season is not only beauty to the eyes; it can be as cheap as a few gallons of gas and a picnic lunch too.

Whether you’re leaf watching consists of a quick scenic drive on a Sunday afternoon or a weekend stay amid the trees, we can agree that, when the conditions are right, autumn time in Utah is worth celebrating.

Here are a few ideas of where to see fall leaves that won’t disappoint.

Lets start with The Grand Prix of Leaf Watching (Heber, Midway, and Sundance) By picking a central location; you can spend the weekend enjoying beautiful colors and a variety of fun activities in all directions.

Midway – If you are looking for a unique adventure amid the fall foliage, Homestead Resort in Midway welcomes you. The sprawling cottages provide the perfect setting and destination for the most devoted leaf watcher and a place we try to visit yearly. When the day is done, take a dip in the Crater where the temperature is always a balmy 90-96 degrees. You can find a discount for Crater swimming on Coupons4Utah.com/ Heber – No matter where you are coming from, Heber always feels like home. Heber’s small town charm is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of big city life. When it comes to fall activities, Heber is the one of the best destinations for family fun.

For many, the Heber Valley Railroad is a longtime family tradition for every season. Come ride the Pumpkin Train, but be sure to stay and

celebrate the Annual Scarecrow Festival or brave through the spinetingling Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Ride.

More adventurous visitors may choose to soar from above and take in the views on one of two different courses with Zipline Utah. The Flight of the Condor course spans 4 zipline and a suspension bridge. The Screaming Falcon is the world’s longest zipline course over water! It consists of over 2 miles of 10 ziplines and 7 suspension bridges, while also showing you some of the most amazing views Utah has to offer Visit coupons4utah.com for news about available discounts on the train and/ or the Zipline.

Sundance – Nestled at the base of Mount Timpanogos, Sundance Ski Resort places you right in the middle of the fall splendor. After a day of enjoying the fall colors, you can savor wonderful cuisine made special from local and organic growers. For as low as $29.00 you can enjoy a fabulous adventure on the Bearclaw or Halloween Zipline Tour at Sundance or choose to ride the tram up for some amazing views from above. Details are on coupons4utah.com.

Emigration Canyon – Take Sunnyside east past the zoo where you’ll find dozens of trails full of fall color. Make a day of it and stop by the historic Ruth’s Diner for a lunch on their fantastic patio.

Silver Lake at Brighton Ski Resort – The good news, the easy access for people of all ages doesn’t detract from the beauty. The lake is just large enough to provide amazing colors and scenic views and small enough for the littlest of fans to enjoy the stroll.

Guardsman Pass – This is a beautiful and quiet drive offers breathtaking views. The winding road takes you from Deer Valley over to Park City and Midway.

Mirror Lake Highway Reaching north from Kamas, Utah, to Evanston, Wyoming, traverses nearly 80 miles through the Uinta Mountains. The highway has panoramic views of the alpine landscape from the road’s high point at Bald Mountain Pass. There are also numerous lakes that offer splendid view including its namesake Mirror Lake.

Red Butte Gardens – It may seem cliché to suggest visiting the gardens.

But if you are stuck in the city and need a quick change in environment to recharge your spirit, Red Butte doesn’t disappoint no matter the season.

Take a sack lunch with you; there are some wonderfully tranquil little hideaways for lunching at the gardens Wheeler Historic Farm – Wheeler Farm is a kids favorite with its mature leafy trees, open grassy space, and rustic buildings, and don’t forget the super cute farm animals Wheeler Farm is a great place for the family to visit. Remember to take your camera for this one. Wheeler farm is a photographers dream.

Last, I want to share with you a secret little stop in Draper. Beautiful Leaves can be as close as the next neighborhood over. Go east on Wasatch Blvd. until you reach Hidden Valley Park. Follow the Bonneville Shoreline Trail as it wraps around the east bench where you’ll find amazing views of the valley.

These are just a few of the magnitude of places Utah offers for enjoy fall. Where is your favorite place to see the beauty of fall? l

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September 2016 | Page 19

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Survival of the Fittest

I

’ve always associated Yellowstone Park with abject terror.

A childhood vacation to this national park guaranteed me a lifetime of nightmares.

It was the first time we’d taken a family vacation out of Utah and we were ecstatic. Not only would we stay in a motel, but we’d see moose, bears and cowboys in their natural habitat.

We prepared for a car ride that would take an entire day, so I packed several Nancy Drew mysteries, and some Judy Blume and Madeleine L’Engle novels just in case. Because my parents couldn’t hand us an iPad and tell us to watch movies for six hours, we brought our Travel Bingo cards with the transparent red squares that you slid over pictures of silos, motor homes and rest areas.

For more car fun, there was the license plate game, the alphabet game, sing-alongs, ghost stories and slug bug.

Even then, we got bored. Dad decided he’d prepare us for the Yellowstone Park adventure that lay ahead of us.

That’s when the trouble started.

He told us how beautiful the park was. Then he explained if we fell into a geyser, the heat would boil the flesh off our bones and bleach those bones bright white, and those bones would never be found. He told us when (not if) we encountered bears, we had to play dead or the bears would eat us. We even practiced drills in the car.

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Dad would yell “Bear!” and we’d all collapse across the station wagon seats (we didn’t wear seat belts) until the danger had passed. (It usually took an hour or so.)

He said if we wandered away, it would take just a few days until we died of starvation—unless the bears got us first.

He warned us to stay away from every animal, describing in detail the series of rabies shots we’d need if a chipmunk bit us.

We were cautioned to avoid high ledges (we’d fall to our deaths), moose (we’d be trampled), buffalo (again with the trampled) and the requisite stranger warning (we’d be kidnapped). By the time we reached Yellowstone, dad had thoroughly instilled us with horror.

When we arrived at the motel, we frantically ran to our room, afraid there were bears, moose or chipmunks waiting to drag us off into the woods.

That night, as we climbed into bed, Dad tucked us in and said, “Technically we’re sleeping on a huge volcano that could erupt at any time and blow up the entire state of Wyoming. See you in the morning. Probably.”

The next day, he was perplexed when we didn’t want to get within 125 feet of a geyser, when we didn’t want to be photographed near a bison or when we refused to gaze into a boiling hot spot. My sister started crying, “I don’t want to fall in and have bleached bones.”

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Then there was Old Faithful. Dad had built up our expectations to the point that anything less than a geyser that spewed glitter, fairies and candy would be a disappointment.

We were underwhelmed.

But the souvenir shop redeemed our entire vacation. We were each given $5 to spend, which was a wealth of frivolity.

I chose a doll in a green calico dress with beautiful red hair— because nothing says “Yellowstone National Park” like an Irish lassie.

As we left the park (with my sister quietly weeping because she’d changed her mind about which souvenir she wanted), we were thrilled to be returning home in one piece.

But then my dad said, “We should visit Timpanogos Cave.

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