Country Fans Prepare for Watson Lake Festival

Big Sting Expecting Big Crowds

Country music festival honoring military veterans, law enforcement officers and first responders

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Country Western singer Cory Marks says, “Drive, get out of this town for a little while,” and Vicki Burton says, “Make your destination Watson Lake for the Big Sting Country Music Festival Weekend Campout.”

The Big Sting is being hosted by the Shadows Foundation, now in its 11th year as a non-profit organization helping first responders receive advanced health screenings and supporting individuals in need of financial assistance who are affected by life-threatening illness.

“This is our biggest event we’ve ever had,” said Burton, Shadows Foundation founder and festival organizer, who is expecting as many as 5,000 people. “We have really good artists – Jerrod Neimann, Shenandoah, Ned Ledoux, Parmalee, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Sunny Sweeny and Cory Marks, for example.”

The outdoor event at Watson Lake will have lawn seating with bar areas, food trucks and some tents. “We anticipate that a lot of people will be camping. We’ll also have some walk-in traffic,” she said.

Through Shadows, hundreds of firefighters and police officers have received the free advanced screening service, which ordinarily would cost $225. Also, more than 500 Northern Arizona families and individuals have received financial support in times of sickness.

“No one battling life-threatening illness should worry about how he or she is going to pay utility bills, get to doctor appointments, put gas in the car, keep food on the table, cover copay costs and medical bills, make household repairs, get firewood to keep warm or any other day-to-day living necessity,” said Burton. “That is why there is the Shadows Foundation, so we can help with the right now, so individuals can focus on getting better, so they can spend the time with loved ones.”

Burton says the advanced screening, which the foundation has made available through its Hearts Worth Saving program since 2012, can detect heart conditions in high-risk populations that may otherwise go undetected. Hearts Worth Saving was created when Northern Arizona firefighter Patrick Burns approached Burton after he researched how vulnerable first responders are.

“I found there is a 300% greater risk of having a heart attack than the general population,” Burns told FBN about first responders in a 2018 interview. At age 41, he had a heart attack while jogging with his wife, despite the fact that he was young, healthy, physically fit and had just passed his annual physical exam. Two years later, he had another.

Shadows also has partnered with the Flagstaff Police Department to develop a compassionate solution to panhandling with the Better Bucks Program. It allows donors to purchase vouchers that can be used like cash for non-alcoholic and non-tobacco related products at participating local businesses. To date, the Shadows Foundation has paid out more than $26,000 to participating merchants for redeemed vouchers.

Tickets for the Big Sting long weekend music festival are $100 for threeday adult passes. Children age 12 and under get in free. Military personnel, veterans, law enforcement officers and first responders will receive discounted three-day passes for $35. Eleven hundred three-day passes are being made available to firefighters, law enforcement agencies, veterans and members of the military on a firstcome, first-served basis.

Gates open at 5 p.m., Thursday Oct. 14. A U.S. Army flag ceremony will kick off the evening honoring military veterans and the music will begin with southern rock band The Bayou Bandits.

Flagstaff Business News is a sponsor of the Big Sting. For more information, visit thebigsting.com. QCBN

Thousands of people are expected to attend the October festival at Watson Lake with proceeds going to the Shadows Foundation. This year’s event is expected to be the organization’s largest ever. Courtesy photo

Businesses, Individuals Honored for Workforce Efforts

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Two businesses and four individuals from Yavapai County have been recognized for exceptional efforts in workforce and economic development by the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors.

The county collaborates with ARIZONA@WORK, a statewide workforce development network, as well as the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG), which helps identify and create job opportunities.

During an awards luncheon Thursday, Aug. 12, Mary Mallory, speaking on behalf of the supervisors, praised the efforts of the organizations. “Yavapai County is fortunate in having the opportunity to advance workforce development for our businesses and residents because of this relationship between the Workforce Development Board, employers and job-seekers. The Board of Supervisors is honored to participate in awarding businesses and individuals who demonstrate leadership and determination in building a strong labor force in the county.”

Mallory presented two Leadership Awards and four Title 1 Achievement Awards. The leadership awards were given for “going over and beyond in building the Yavapai talent pipeline,” she said. Elan Electric, owned by Jim Johnson in Prescott Valley and Western Heritage Furniture, owned by Tim McCune in Jerome, received the leadership honors.

Individuals receiving achievement awards were:

Brandon Iurato, a member of the Cottonwood Police Department. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a formerly a U.S. Customs K-9 enforcement officer. Recently, Iurato had been selected to be the school resource officer for Mingus High School, a role he held until August.

Guy West, a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He now has joined the Founding Fathers Collective in Prescott as the property’s brand manager.

Dinah Youpel, a cosmetologist in Sedona. Youpel earlier had been a waitress until she was laid off because of the COVID-19 shutdowns. Through assistance from NACOG, Youpel attended Roger’s Academy of Beauty, where she graduated in September 2020. She now rents a space in Sedona and is employed full-time.

Lexxus DeLaCruz, a single parent with a 1-year-old son. After completing the Certified Nursing Assistant Training program offered by The Meadows Nursing Facility in Prescott Valley, she accepted a full-time job with Polara, formerly West Yavapai Guidance Clinic.

Those present received the 20202021 Annual Report from NACOG, which documents changes that have occurred in the workforce and local economies. “We are witnessing a severe and sudden shift in society,” said Yavapai County Workforce Development Board Executive Director Teri Drew.

She also said while populations have shown a steady decline, the demand for workers is at an all-time high. “The Yavapai County Workforce Development Board is working tirelessly to be innovative to meet the demand for workers. Our partners have stepped up to make a positive difference.”

It was noted the average hourly wage in Yavapai County is $20.98. Among those cooperating in the Innovative Workforce Solutions program in Yavapai County are ARIZONA@ WORK, NACOG, the Department of Economic Security-Employment Administration and Veterans Services, the Department of Economic Security-Vocational Rehabilitation and the Education Division at Yavapai College. QCBN

Yavapai County Supervisor Mary Malory received a bouquet from Workforce Development Board Executive Director Teri Drew following her presentation. Photo by Ray Newton