Glendale’s Community Newspaper
www.glendalestar.com
Vol. 77 No. 52
Inside This Week
PetSmart donates holiday toys to police BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
Glendale Star Executive Editor
BUSINESS ......... 14 Marcus & Millichap sells Filiberto’s property
SPORTS ............. 16 Coyotes’ Christian Fischer is a calming force
PetSmart in Surprise played Santa to the Glendale Police Department by delivering plush toys for the officers to give to children impacted by crime, and in schools and libraries. The donation is part of PetSmart’s annual holiday toy drive, during which customers can purchase and donate a $5 plush toy from its Chance & Friends collection. The purchased toys are gifted to local organizations to spread holiday cheer in the community. To further give back, for each Chance & Friends toy purchase, PetSmart donates 20% of the proceeds to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need. In 2020, more than $1.64 million was
Glendale Star Executive Editor
Kasai’s ‘dinnertainment’ coming to Park West
OPINION............................8 BUSINESS.......................12 SPORTS ...........................16 FEATURES.......................20 RELIGION ........................24 CLASSIFIEDS ..................27
raised from the Chance & Friends collection to support PetSmart Charities, and more than 2.5 million plush toys were donated. Glendale Police Department public information officer Tiffany Ngalula said the plush toys first go to the Glendale Family Advocacy Center. “It’s a one-stop shop for victims — children or adults,” she said. “That’s where our victim advocates are.” Part of the Glendale Police Department, the advocacy center provides comprehensive and coordinated services to victims of child abuse, domestic and sexual violence, and other violent crimes. The toys will be gifted to children in their network, many of whom are dealing with trauma and perSEE TOYS PAGE 3
A pup stops by PetSmart in Surprise to drop off a plush toy for Glendale children. (Photo courtesy of PetSmart)
Glendale veteran wins travel agency BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
FEATURES ......... 21
December 23, 2021
Anthony Cinquini wants what’s best for Americans. He helped protect their freedoms while in the military, and now he’s making dreams come true. The Glendale resident and Air Force and Army veteran won a franchise of the home-based travel agency Dream Vacation, valued at $12,300. Cinquini is one of five winners of Operation Vetrepreneur: Become Your Own General. Cinquini was one of 569 applicants to apply for this annual business plan con-
test, which was open to former members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard who are retired, off active duty and/or honorably discharged prior to the contest start date this past May, as well as community heroes such as first responders, educators and medical professionals who are U.S. residents. He participated in a three-part application process that included creating a business plan, video essay and phone interviews. “My travel agency’s mission is to inspire travel and deliver memorable vacation experiences to all customers, while saving
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them time and money,” Cinquini said. “As a full-service travel adviser, I turn dreams into reality for my clients and I find fulfillment in delivering through my services the one thing that we all seek — happiness.” Cinquini said he learned of the contest while researching franchises to buy into. He was impressed that Dream Vacation is the No. 1 franchise for veterans. “It was an affordable, flexible, homebased franchise,” he said. “I went on the website and I was reading about it. I found out about the contest, and this was their SEE TRAVEL PAGE 6
