Cooking with Celinda & Toby Turkey Soup & Chocolate Cuties
Kraft Korner
Let’s Get Krafty
Mind Teasers
Let’s Get Krafty
Community A Look Back
Contact us
Address
10510 E. Osborn Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85256
Phone
480.362.6350
Visit us online
srpmic-nsn.gov/ government/seniors
Follow us on social media
Like us!
@SaltRiverSeniorServices
Managing Editor Jon Newman
Writer/Editor/Designer Laura Toussaint
Graphic Designer
Ravenna Curley
Photographer Isaac Torres
Cover Photo
Cactus in snow
Department Message
Ske:g tas and Kamduum.
Ani an ap ce:gig Martin Harvier. I am grateful for this opportunity to share a few thoughts with you as our Community gathers to celebrate the coming year; may we all reflect on the reasons Salt River is so special. It truly is a time to hold dear, especially our seniors who share their wisdom, knowledge, kindness and time to help create the fabric of our community that we call home. Holidays are a time to cherish memories, embrace loved ones, and look forward to the opportunities the New Year will bring. Whether you are out enjoying Community gatherings, or quiet moments of reflection, may your days be filled with warmth, laughter and joy sharing it with those that are special to you. As we go into a new year together, I pray that 2025 blesses you with health, strength, new adventures (chair volleyball) and many reasons to just laugh and enjoy life.
Thank you, our seniors, for being part of our blessed Community. From my home to yours, we wish you a season of peace, love and happiness.
Dova epom nei,
Martin Harvier SRPMIC President
Hello all,
with Jessica Martinez
Welcome back to Connecting Waters, or welcome if you are new to this column. My name is Jessica Martinez, I am the Community Liaison for Senior Services. I use this column to answer some FAQs I receive from seniors around the community. Some range from really common questions about our services to wacky questions like: “My dog needs a haircut, can you guys do that for me?” (Yes, I’ve really been asked that question before). I am here to answer them all!
Q: I have recently been told I need to get medical coverage. Where do I start? I don’t have much money to pay high insurance rates.
Don’t worry. We here at Senior Services know how scary and confusing medical insurance can be so we are here to guide you! If you are a current client of ours, simply give your assigned social worker a call and they will set up an appointment with you and a benefits specialist from our River People Health Center. Our social workers will sit in with you during the appointment to make sure that you completely understand what benefits you qualify for, and what benefits you will receive and they will make sure those benefits are at little to no cost to you. If you are not a current client, just schedule to meet with our Intake Coordinator to get signed up and we will go from there!
You can schedule at 480.362.6350 and ask for Christina Reyna.
More questions? Contact me at 480.362.7386 or jessica.martinez2@srpmic-nsn.gov
CHERYL TATE
I grew up on the White Mountain Apache reservation with six siblings. My parents taught us to live by our values—to be honest, fair and respectful. They also taught us how to hunt, fish and live off the land. To this day, I love going home and doing these things, especially in the summer when it gets hot here.
Growing up, I enjoyed hiking and sports, especially basketball. I also really liked math. After high school, I went to Missouri for my undergrad
degree. It was a culture shock. Everything was so different—what they ate, what they watched—what was Friends? And the things they did— you’re tanning yourself. We try to stay light—things like that.
I did appreciate the experience and was glad I went to a different state for college. Others from my community went to school in Arizona and were distracted by friends visiting them and wanting to party in the city. Many did not complete their degrees.
I went to ASU for my master’s. It was eye-opening. Our class was very diverse. We had a person with a music degree getting a master’s in social work. I came home again and worked in dialysis and as a school social worker.
I came to Senior Services in 2016 and enjoy working with the seniors by giving them the tools they need to help themselves and those they care for. I am humbled to serve them and, over the years, to see them grow as caregivers and achieve milestones like helping their grandchild get their GED, paying off a house, or retiring.
When I’m not working, I’m outside hiking, camping and hunting. I like going home in the fall and harvesting pinons and acorns. I like to gather them alone but sometimes come together to clean them. Acorns have to soak in the sun for a week. Then you grind the shell off, clean the nut and grind it into a powder for stews and other dishes. Or, if you’re like me, you can just eat them like sunflower sends. It’s an acquired taste—they are very bitter.
Program Spotlight
PR & Media
You know those people with cameras in your faces? That’s our PR & Media team. They work to keep you all informed and engaged.
“Our goal is to share critical information about our programs and services, as well as our many events and activities. There are seniors in the community who are unaware of what Senior Services has to offer and the many ways we can help make their lives a little better. Even the seniors who use some of our programs may not be aware of everything we have available for them,” said Jon Newman, team manager. “Our goal is to connect seniors to the programs and services they need and to help keep them engaged and active by promoting fun things they can attend like the senior breakfasts, crafts and walking club.”
The PR & Media team creates brochures for our programs and services so you know how the program can help, the qualifications and how to get started. The team also makes flyers for all of our amazing events including our themed dinners, senior breakfasts and special gatherings, as well as menus and monthly activities calendars.
“In addition to flyers and calendars, our Facebook page is the most upto-date way to learn about all that is happening with Senior Services and around the community,” said Jon. “It has weekly menus, upcoming programs and events, closure notices and fun photos of our seniors enjoying our activities and events. It’s like a bulletin board. Check it often to see what’s going on.”
Another way to stay informed about what’s going on is to subscribe to our Text messaging platform. Just text the word SENIORS to 1-833.241.5989.
The team also publishes a quarterly magazine, LifeWays . Each issue spotlights a senior, sharing their memories growing up, their hobbies, and why they like living in the community. The magazine also features a cultural story focusing on our traditions and ways of life, as well as spotlights on specific services and employees so you get to know them better. There’s also fun stuff like recipes, crafts and games like suduko and find and seek.
and program offerings,” said Jon. “Our Better Living blog also shares information about culture, cooking, and tips for better living as well as program updates for our programs and others available in the community that can help our seniors.”
“Our goal is to connect seniors to the programs and services they need and to help keep them active and engaged by promoting fun things they can attend.”
“We are proud of the magazine. It provides timeless stories and goes in-depth in our profiles
In addition to sharing information, the team creates many of the specialty items given away at events such as ornaments, etched tumblers, tote bags and T-shirts. They also preserve all the fun by taking photos and running photo booths at our events.
The team is always looking for new and engaging ways to share information with you. Watch for Instagram and YouTube in 2025!
Meet the Team: Who Does What
Eric Grijalva
Community Spotlight
I grew up in Salt River. My mom, Arlene Eschief, dad, Moffitt Grijalva, and I lived in a house by where the WOLF is now. It was all open field then, and I often took the dog to chase birds and look for snakes. In first grade, my parents divorced. My mom and I moved with her new husband to Sells. I loved the woods and being outside. I even learned how to ride horses!
My mom went back to school, so I moved back to Salt River to live with my dad in 1977. I mainly went to school at Nathan Hale Elementary in Mesa. In fifth grade, we had a teacher who would set up a net for us and teach us to play
volleyball. A lot of the other classes would just throw the ball over the net, but our teacher really coached us. I liked it. It’s probably why I like chair volleyball today. I was a latchkey kid so I watched a lot of cartoons. I really liked Wallace & Ladmo .
During the summers and school breaks, I would go to the Hopi reservation to be with my father’s family. I had an uncle up there who was older, and I called Grandpa. Life there was way different. He had a sheep camp with 80 or so sheep. I’d ride the range with my other uncles and take the sheep to the windmill for water and to
the corral. It was during these stays that I was introduced to kachinas and the Hopi way of life. There were ceremonies every weekend with kachina dances. I really liked them.
When I was in middle school, my dad got divorced again. It was a hard time, so my mom’s mom, Grandma Hazel, suggested I go to the youth home— it was where the museum is now.
“It was during these stays that I was introduced to kachinas and the Hopi way of life. There were ceremonies every
weekend
with kachina dances. I really liked them.”
Royce Manuel was a counselor there. He was helpful and taught us the Pima ways. He took us on trips and kept us busy. That was in the summer.
When my cousins returned for school in the fall—they were in placement too— they told me how much they liked living with foster families. I thought that might be a good idea, and I mentioned in my profile that I especially wanted a family who had a pool.
My Grandma Hazel helped again I was placed with a nice family in California. They really welcomed me, and they loved to sing and perform. Their family friend had a school where I went and we were always putting on plays and performances.
After a few years, the family decided to move, but I wanted to stay and continue at the school. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find placement with a local family, so moved back to live with my mom who had returned to Salt River.
Me and my cousins would have fun riding bikes and being outside. I remember all the roads were dirt and before they cemented the canals.
Eric and his grandmother
We would swim in them all the time. My dad’s new wife’s family owned a farm and I would work there after school and on weekends. I would still go up to the Hopi reservation during summers and breaks.
In the early 90s, I moved up there to help a friend. I would always go by the
One of Eric’s handcrafted kachinas.
Walpi village where they would give tours to visitors and local artists would sell their art. Kachinas were popular. Grandpa encouraged me to make and sell them. At first, I didn’t want to because I wasn’t planning on staying that long, but my friend needed help longer than we thought. There were no jobs up there, so I thought it might be a good idea. I didn’t know that much about the meaning of the kachinas— selling them was my main drive.
A local carver taught me. At first, I started with little flat dolls, then I did sculptures—they are carved from a single piece of wood. Then I went on to the kachina dolls—they have separate arms, legs and other pieces. That is what makes them different than a sculpture. Also, sculptures are not used in ceremonies. As I learned to make kachinas, I also learned about what they meant and how they were used in ceremonies. They took on new meaning for me and I put that into my work. It took me three years to really get good at it.
“As I learned to make kachinas, I also learned about what they meant and how they were used in ceremonies. They took on new meaning for me and I put that into my work. It took me three years to really get good at it.”
It’s funny. When I was initiated into the Rabbit Clan of the Hopi at 14, all the elder men joked that now I would have to make dolls for all the women in the family. I remember thinking, “There is no way I am making dolls.” Look at me now. When I moved back to Salt River in 1998, I still went up, especially during the winter for the holidays. That’s when we would have our ceremonies and I would make money selling my work.
In 2005, I was diagnosed with valley fever and polymyositis, a rare disease that causes chronic muscle inflammation and weakness. They said it was incurable and that I likely wouldn’t see 2020, but I’m still here. I like living in Salt River. It’s close to the city, but not in it. I have always liked music—rock and roll and punk. I remember in the 80s, my friends wanted to be the first Indian hardcore punk band and I was a roadie for them. I like the music scene in the city, but being able to come home where it’s quiet. When I was 50, I saw the tour buses leaving for the chair volleyball tournaments and remembered how much I liked to play volleyball in school. I had to wait five more years to play. I love it! It keeps my mind sharp and makes me feel good. The traveling is a plus.
“I like living in Salt River. It’s close to the city, but not in it... my friends wanted to be the first Indian hardcore punk band and I was a roadie for them. I like the music scene in the city, but being able to come home where it’s quiet.”
I really liked our trip to the Mojave reservation for a tournament. I like the trips I get to go on through Senior Services—any of the live performances and concerts. It takes me back to my youth at the school in California and being a roadie for my friend’s band. I go whenever I can. I also like the crafts. They keep my skills sharp. It’s a good time.
Performing in a school play
Teen friends
With his foster family
Health and wellness is important to our lives which are blessings. I encourage us all to develop a healthier lifestyle with the food intake we eat and the exercise we do in the new upcoming year. Studies show that when we exercise and eat right, we have more energy, think more clearly, deal better with stress and achieve more satisfaction in work and life.
Turkey & Rice Soup
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
6-7 cups of chicken broth
2 cups turkey or chicken
1 large onion, diced 2 large carrots, peeled and coined 2 large celery ribs, sliced into halfmoons
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup uncooked wild or brown rice
3 thyme stems
1 bouillon cube
Juice & zest of one lemon
Handful of fresh parsley stems
Salt & pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Simmer veggies, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper with olive oil in a covered sauce pot and over medium heat. Let them sweat for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth.
3. Once bubbling the soup is bubbling, add turkey and fresh parsley.
4. Add rice and continue simmering about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.
Chocolate Cuties
Chocolate-covered cuties (typically referring to small fruits like mandarins or clementines coated in chocolate) can be a delicious treat with some surprising health benefits!
INGREDIENTS
5 mandarin oranges, peeled and divide into segments 1/4 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. coconut oil Flaky sea salt, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Stir together melted chocolate and coconut oil.
2. Dip each segment into melted chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Garnish with flaky sea salt.
4. Refrigerate until firm, 20 minutes.
5. Serve.
5. Add bouillon cube and lemon juice and zest.
6. Pour yourself a hearty bowl and enjoy!
To learn more about additional recipes and upcoming cooking demos, contact Celinda & Toby at 480.876.7180
Cherokee Cultural Outreach Cultural Connections:
Recently, a Senior Services team ventured to Cherokee, North Carolina to complete an outreach project with the elders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians – Qualla Boundary.
The project was organized by Jessica Martinez, our community liaison.
“The trip was part of my tribe-to-tribe outreach goal,” said Jessica. “I remember meeting some of their staff at the 2023 National Indian Conference on Aging gathering. They were so nice and welcoming, I knew I wanted to meet the seniors from their community to learn more about their culture. It’s something so different than our southwest tribes.”
“I knew I wanted to meet the seniors from their community and to learn more about their culture. It’s something so different than our southwest tribes.”
senior program. Jessica then contacted Monica about the idea of coming to the community and doing a service project. “She was so excited. She said no one had ever reached out to them about coming before,” said Jessica.
The outreach team was comprised of eight staff from Senior Services’ varied divisions. Members were selected based on their willingness and amount of assistance they gave to the monthly Senior Breakfast. A service project was created.
Jessica researched and found Monica Wildcatt, manager of the community’s
“I wanted to choose a project based on culture, so I went with beading and shells, which we as River People are known for and because the seniors could wear the necklace we made with them with their traditional clothes,” explained Jessica.
Our outreach team working with seniors from the Eastern Boundary of Cherokee Nations.
Our outreach team with the staff for the seniors of the Eastern Boundary of Cherokee Nations.
The community is near Asheville, and many of the elders were affected by hurricane Helene, so in addition to sharing a cultural craft, the outreach team put together care packages with everyday necessities for the seniors.
On the morning our team arrived, the seniors were already doing a craft and seemed somewhat reluctant to change what they were doing, but that quickly changed as the team introduced themselves and why they
“It was fun to watch the transformation ...they got more comfortable and started sharing more about their culture.”
were there. The seniors quickly warmed up to the team and the craft project, especially as Jessica shared the significance of shells and beading to the O’odham and Piipaash. The seniors were excited to pick from the many colors of beads and make their shell necklaces. Our outreach team assisted the seniors and shared more about our cultural and themselves.
Cherokee Elders
Larrisa Balderas who is part of our Admin team, works behind the scenes, so to speak, so she was excited to assist the senior’s first-hand.
“I enjoyed how they really got into the beading—they were very particular about the colors they chose—and seeing their smiling faces,” said Larrisa. “It was fun to watch the transformation from when we first got there, and how as the morning went by, they got more comfortable and started sharing more about their culture.”
As craft time was coming to a close and lunch approached, the elders invited our team to stay and have lunch with them. It was a chance to connect further.
“Lunch was good because I got to speak with the seniors one-onone about their traditions and the challenges of keeping those traditions. I sat with a woman, her daughter and her granddaughter. She shared that in their culture, if the mother is Cherokee, then the children are considered full-blood even is the dad is not,” said Larissa. “She asked me questions about our language and said that their language isn’t as alive as O’odham. They did not speak it, but the children are now learning their language in school. We shared some of our words with each other.”
As the seniors left lunch, they each received a care package.
When asked what she thought about the visit, Pearl Wolfe, one of the Cherokee elders said she was thrilled,
“Everyone is so nice and patient, helping those who had difficulty beading, and sharing with us. I wish you could come all the time.”
Monica, the program manager agreed. “The seniors loved having everyone here. They enjoyed making the necklaces and learning about the culture and similarities with your creation story. We definitely had more seniors interested in the craft that we normally have—they even went back to it after lunch! They loved your people. We didn’t want you all to leave,” exclaimed Monica.
The team was inspired by Monica’s program and the seniors.
One of the seniors I was working with told me she was having so much fun, but she needed to go help serve lunch. She said she volunteers every afternoon and that other seniors volunteer to help in other ways. I was touched to see that their seniors know how much the staff does for them, and that many of them volunteer to help in
so many ways. It’s part of their culture and ours too.
As our team was leaving, one of the elder women stopped them and gave each a token of her gratitude— handbeaded keychains and earrings she had made. Every member of our outreach team also received a necklace made of special seeds shaped like tears. The legend is that as the Principle People, as the Cherokee call themselves, were forced to leave their homeland and walk to a new land, this plant grew where their tears fell—the Trail of Tears.
“Sharing culture with another tribe is really amazing—that we can come together as a native people, like we’re not really strangers even though we just met.”
It was an amazing trip that left all hearts warmed.
“I loved the collaboration that took place and I loved hearing our seniors say, They’re just like us. Sharing culture with another tribe is really amazing—that we can come together as a native people—like we found each other, like we’re not really strangers even though we just met,” said Monica.
SH RRP: Keeping Seniors Safe
Because she has worked in the community for many years, Lena Thomas knew about SHRRP long before she turned 55 but didn’t use the service for several years.
“I was a young senior and I didn’t want to take away from the ‘senior seniors’ so I didn’t call SHRRP until I was about 60,” said Lena. “By then, I had been diagnosed with some health issues and also started raising my grandkids. When the AC went out and a baby in the house and a few kids with asthma, I knew it was time to call.”
“SHRRP is a blessing...I am grateful to live in a community that values its elders and makes sure that we are safe.”
many projects to make Lena’s home safer and more comfortable for her and her seven grandchildren such as replacing the bathroom and kitchen sinks, installing new counters, and several repairs.
She is grateful that SHRRP is available to keep her home safe and healthy for her bustling bunch.
“SHRRP is a blessing. We are very fortunate to have a program like this. If you lived outside the community, you would have to pay out of pocket and the work may not be as good,” said Lena. “I am grateful to live in a community that values its elders and makes sure that we are safe.”
Since then, SHRRP has completed
Jamie James, SHRRP customer service supervisor, is immensely proud of the program and the impact it makes in the lives of those it serves, “I like knowing that we make homes habitable based on our clients’ health and safety. They are very thankful to the program for helping them to stay safe and live a comfortable life in their homes.”
Completion of projects is affected by the number and priority of projects already in progress, as well as technical needs.
“Some projects such as kitchen and bathroom remodels require architectural plans, permits and plan approvals before work can begin, so these projects can take longer to complete,” said Jamie. “Projects that do not require permits or architectural plans, such as roofing and flooring can be completed more quickly.”
Lena believes the wait is worth it because she knows that the SHRRP team “genuinely cares” about those they serve and that other more pressing projects are being done for those who need it.
“I give [SHRRP] an A+. They are really concerned for our community and really want us to be safe. Their service is awesome. They are very kind, very helpful and very attentive to your needs,” said Lena.
SHRRP services range from simple to complex projects such as renovations and retrofitting of interiors to meet health or safety needs. These can include, but are not limited to:
• Kitchen Cabinets
• Flooring
• Handicap Bathrooms
• Ramps
• Exterior Door Covers
• Roofing
If you think you or someone you know may qualify, call the SHRRP helpline Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm at 480.362.7800.
If you are an existing SHRRP client with an afterhours/weekend HVAC or plumbing emergency, you can call community dispatch to reach an on-call technician or plumber at 480.850.9230.
Here is a fun and simple craft you can do for your home or as a gift.
Step one: Gather your supplies: jar, glue, foam brush, scissors, Epsom salt, twine, embellishments of choice.
Step three: Wrap mouth of the jar with twine.
Step two: “Paint” your jar with glue, apply Epsom salt and allow time to dry.
Final step: Add your embellishments and, voila, your creation is done!
