Neighbors
www.SanTanSun.com
July 19 - August 1, 2014
43
Neighbors SanTan Brewing rolls out fresh flavor
Summer sermons at VUU
Where to Eat
Spirituality PAGE 53
PAGES 68-70
Neighbors PAGE 44
Pitta Souvli’s new owners bring upgrades BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
When Paul and Lisa Schommer purchased Pitta Souvli Mediterranean Grill in March, they came in with an eye for detail. They installed new tile, upgraded and improved the air-conditioning system and incorporated a new patio. Pitta Souvli is better than ever, the Schommers say. “We have a daughter, Elly Schommer, who is a single mom,” explains Paul Schommer. “She’s worked in restaurants off and on since she was 16. We were really looking for an opportunity for something we could do that would be a way for her to make a living working for us and with us for the next 16 to 18 years while she’s raising a child.” Before the purchase, the Schommers were familiar with Pitta Souvli, SEE PITTA
SOUVLI
PAGE 46
Roy’s Chandler hosting special dinner, auction BY TRACY HOUSE
Guests at Roy’s Chandler will be treated to a special appearance by Roy Yamaguchi, founder of Roy’s, when he visits the restaurant Wednesday, July 30. Roy’s Chandler, which combines Pacific Rim cuisine and European techniques, brings a unique dining experience to patrons presented in a special menu for the evening. “They’re putting together a special fivecourse menu that’s going to be available to anyone that comes in,” says TJ Sieker, managing partner of Roy’s Chandler. “They don’t have to get that menu, we’ll be
HAWAIIAN FUSION: Join Roy’s Chandler on Wednesday, July 30, for a special dinner with Roy Yamaguchi and a silent auction that will benefit SEE ROY’S PAGE 46 Autism Speaks. STSN photo by Tracy House
Sun Lakes author starts second career as novelist BY MEGHAN MCCOY
The trauma of a 1995 heart transplant inspired a Sun Lakes man to pen a memoir, which led to a new career. Originally from Washington, D.C., R.H. Yocom wrote “Prosperity Consciousness” during his six-month wait and subsequent receipt of the new heart. The book is based on the number of instances in which the right people showed up in Yocom’s life. He calls them his “miracles.” “I had to write about it,” he says. NEW OWNERS, NEW ATTITUDE: Paul and Lisa Schommer became the new owners of Pitta Souvli earlier this year and have made several upgrades. STSN photo by Lynette Carrington
Prior career Before writing his debut book, Yocom
worked in computer technology and information systems throughout the United States. In the 1960s, he was a pioneer of business systems, which were used for corporations, state and local governments. “I’m supposedly retired, but I am not the retiring sort,” he explains. “I like to keep mentally and physically active, and writing is a good way.” After completing the first book, he followed his newfound career into fiction. His second book, “Ea$y Money: A Tony Alisone Thriller,” was published in 2011. “I like the idea of writing fiction that is multilayered,” Yocom says, adding that his SEE AUTHOR PAGE 47
Stepping Stones of Hope offers help for grieving BY TRACY HOUSE
Death is devastating, and grieving children, teens and even adults don’t always know how to process or deal with the emotions they are feeling. Stepping Stones of Hope is a nonprofit established to help those going through the bereavement process in a safe and caring environment. Chandler’s Lisa Cooper attended the adult session after her mother and nephew died. She was so impressed with the program, she sent both of her daughters, Keera, 18, and Alexis, 16, to the Stepping Stones of Hope’s REACH Camp for Teens last summer. “It was really hard,” Cooper says. “We were struggling.”
The camp helped the girls work through their feelings. Alexis explains it helped to see that other teens suffered from the same emotional pain. “You can talk and everybody understands,” she says. Keera says it helped to go through the camp with her sister. “Having my sister there, who knew exactly what I was going through—and yes, there were other people that had gone through the same type of situation,” Keera says. “I at least had someone I could talk about Cody and my grandmother with, and it was like she knew how I felt exactly.” SEE STEPPING STONES PAGE 47
SAFEHAVEN: Sisters Keera and Alexis Cooper attended the REACH Camp for Teens through Stepping Stones of Hope last year. After experiencing the loss of their grandma and cousin, the girls received counseling in the camp’s caring and safe environment. STSN photo by Tracy House