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THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
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This Week
BUSINESS .... 15 Crepella Cafe celebrates first anniversary
FEATURES ..... 22 Quilters Anonymous accepting new members
YOUTH .......... 25
Verrado’s Scarlett Humphrey wins essay contest OPINION ................. 8 BUSINESS.............. 14 SPORTS ..................18 FEATURES ..............20 YOUTH ..................25 OBITUARIES ...........27 CLASSIFIEDS ..........28 WEST
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August 25, 2021
The Voice of the West Valley for 36 years
Local nonprofit builds beds for children in need BY LAUREN SERRATO
West Valley View Staff Writer
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n America, it’s estimated that about 3% of children are without a bed, creating what a Valley nonprofit is referring to as a national bed crisis. To combat the state’s numbers, Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s Phoenix chapter has one goal: to make and deliver beds to children who don’t have one. “We need other people who believe what we believe: that no child should sleep on the floor when we can do something about it in our town. And we’re just really passionate about serving kids in need and their families,” said Joe Genovese, president of the Arizona chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in Scottsdale. Buckeye’s Parker Fasteners stepped in and helped. On Aug. 14, employees, community members and first responders built beds from scratch for children in need. “It was our 30th mobile build, so it was huge for us,” Genovese said. “Parker Fasteners put up the money for us to build a minimum of 50 beds, provided the volunteers and
Buckeye police, as well as firefighters and members of Buckeye City Council, helped build 90 beds for children in need during a build drive hosted by Buckeye’s Parker Fasteners. (Photo courtesy of Joe Genovese)
the space, and we brought all of our equipment and all of our team leaders to Buckeye. We set a record on Saturday. We built 90 beds in five hours. It was just amazing.”
Phoenix’s chapter is one of 270 chapters in the country, and it serves about 40 ZIP
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Buckeye K9 unit receives donated body armor BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI West Valley View Executive Editor
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uckeye Police Department’s K9 Drax has received a bullet and stab protective vest, thanks to a charitable donation from nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s Inc.
K9 Drax’s vest was embroidered with the sentiment, “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s Inc.” “He doesn’t wear it every day like officers,” Sgt. Zachary Astrup with the Buckeye Police Department said. “It would make it easier for Drax to overheat. He’ll wear it going into
high-risk situations. Officer Zachary Smalley will put it on to give him extra protection.” High-risk situations include when the SWAT team serves warrants and Smalley accompanies them. The Buckeye Police De-
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