Neighbors
www.SanTanSun.com
March 15 - April 4, 2014
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Neighbors Senior Expo offers information for Baby Boomers
Teens volunteer in Haiti over Spring Break
Neighbors PAGE 49
Spirituality PAGE 67
Where to Eat PAGES 75-78
Train enthusiasts chug into 347 Grill at UltraStar boasts new backyards for tours executive chef, upgraded menu BY MEGHAN MCCOY
BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
Valleywide members of the Arizona Big Train Operators are opening their backyards to the public to provide rare glimpses into their garden train layouts. Sun Lakes resident Rich Hill says Arizona Big Train Operators, a club dedicated to garden railroad enthusiasts, boasts 90 members mostly in Chandler, Mesa, Apache Junction and Gold Canyon. The Spring Open House Tour is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30. For all locations, as well as a map, visit www.azbigtrains. org. Five members who live in Chandler and Sun Lakes will have their railways on display. “There are usually about 14 or 15 families that participate in this,” he says. “Everyone that is involved really are the leaders of our club. They take an interest in this and make sure their layout is pristine for the public to see. It’s a big deal for everyone at every age.” The tour is the first of two this year. The Christmas event in 2013 attracted more than 1,300 people over two weekends, Hill says. This is the second year the club has held a Spring Open House Railway Tour for the public. Last year the two-day event attracted up to 500 people.
If you haven’t had a chance to get out to UltraStar Multi-tainment Center, you are missing out on one of the most fun and delicious restaurants to open in the last year. The 347 Grill located in UltraStar is getting ready to unveil its new menu. Executive Chef Frank Abeyta has recently come on board at the 347 Grill and has been revamping the menu to reflect a more exciting flavor palette and versatile menu offerings. “We’ll be debuting the new menu in the second or third week of March,” Abeyta states. “I’ve been changing recipes and upgrading the quality of the ingredients.” Abeyta was trained in the Valley and has served as an executive chef for 25 years. Eight years ago,
SEE TRAIN PAGE 46
SEE 347 GRILL PAGE 46
347 GRILL WELCOMES YOU: Chef Frank Abeyta is excited to debut a revised and exciting menu at 347 Grill in mid-March. STSN photo by Lynette Carrington
Pioneer Luncheon evolves into Celebrate Chandler BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
TRAIN LAYOUT: Richard Hull, Sun Lakes resident and Arizona Big Train Operators, will have his train layout on display during the Spring Open House Railway Tours. The tour will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30. Submitted photo
Since 1985, the Chandler Historical Society has been hosting the Pioneer Luncheon which honored members of the community who had been instrumental in developing Chandler. To mark a new outlook, the event has been rebranded the Celebrate Chandler Luncheon and will take place Saturday, March 29. “Now that we’ve had our first 100 years, we’re looking at the next 100 and what is the next 100 going to be like,” says Michel Larson, Chandler Historical Society president. “What is our future going to look like? That’s the focus of this luncheon from now on.” The Celebrate Chandler Luncheon is open
HONORED: Chandler Historical Society Volunteer of the Year Jordan Golobich, center, with Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, left, and former Chandler Historical Society President Jim Patterson, right. Jordan received the award last year for his diligent work and countless hours digitizing the Chandler Arizonan newspaper for Chandlerpedia. Submitted photo
to the public. This year’s event will be held at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort at One San Marcos Pl., downtown Chandler. SEE LUNCHEON PAGE 46
Swim, bike and run for a good cause Tri for the Cure set for March 23 at Chandler High BY MEGHAN MCCOY
Women from the Valley and beyond will converge on Chandler for the eighth annual Tri for the Cure which raises money for Susan G. Komen Central and Northern Arizona. The event is set for Sunday, March 23, at Chandler High School, 350 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. Kathy Morrill, a Chandler resident, considers her Tri for the Cure participation seven years ago as her first triathlon. She was joined by four or five other ladies and since then the group has swelled to seven or eight. They have not missed a year since then. “We were very afraid the first time,” she
says. “We didn’t know what we were getting into and didn’t know what to expect.” Morrill likes that it’s a women-only event. It’s for a good cause, she says, with Christina Catalano, past event chairwoman and committee member, agreeing. “It’s awareness for our causes and women in our community supporting each other,” Catalano says. She says the high school is a great location for the event due to its layout. She says the triathlon uses the school’s pool to kick off the event and the race finishes in the stadium. SEE TRI FOR THE CURE PAGE 47
TRI-ATHLETES: Kim Ungvarsky and Kathy Morrill wear their Curbside Cyclery tri kits while participating in the Tri for the Cure event in Chandler. Submitted photo