85085 Magazine August 2019

AUGUST 2019

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

o r e h r e Sup er b m e t p e S

DETECTIVE SEAN REAVIE DISCOVERS WAYS TO HELP ABUSED CHILDREN

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AUGUST 2019 | Volume 6 | Issue 8

Publisher Steve T. Strickbine steve@timespublications.com

features

20

Vice President Michael Hiatt mhiatt@timespublications.com

Superhero September

Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Detective Sean Reavie discovers ways to help abused children

Graphic Designer Shannon Mead Contributors Pastor David Bowen, Jan D'Atri, Zac Dunn, Curtis Finch, Jordyn Fisher, Shannon Fisher, C.A. Haire, Sue Kern Fleischer, Annelise Krafft, Laura Latzko, Heather Maxwell, Bridgette Redman, Shelley Sakala, Ron Sanzone, Judge Gerald Williams Staff Writers Eric Newman, Octavio Serrano

fresh 6

12

32

business

40

Staff Photographers Kimberly Carrillo, Pablo Robles Contributing Photographer Tim Sealy

Worth Melting For

Starlight's 'Frozen Jr.' brings winter to Phoenix

30 Serving the People

8

Youth for Troops

32 Making Brides Beautiful

Advertising sales@85085magazine.com (623) 299-4965

34 Friendly Neighborhood Barber

Marketing Director/ Social Media Manager Eric Twohey eric@85085magazine.com

Six teens are helping the military one care package at a time

10 Girl Scouts Through Generations

Local mom instills organization's ethics in her daughter

Arizona Legislative District 1 representatives stay connected With Ellie Reyes, Ivory Row Bridal is more than a store Sports memorabilia and chatter make this shop fun

12 Navigating the Real World

home

14 World Traveler

36 Extraordinary Rides

West-MEC gives options to the ambitious

Jennifer Hermanson brings an international flair to Norterra Canyon Echo Sushi serves more than 40 kinds of sushi

It's back-to-school time!

18 Things to Do in August 19 Back to School

Teenagers need to slow down or face the consequences

features

North Phoenix couple preparing for artist studio tour

Here are crafts and hacks to start the year off right

food Sweeteez delivers homemade cookies with a sense of humor

42 What’s Cooking? with Jan D’Atri Apple Biscuit Dumplings

better 43 Workout and Wine

24 Making the Community Safe

26 Making Connections

44 Commitment to Care

Fire Station 55 set to open, decreasing response times ProMusica takes Americana to the people of Ireland

28 A Decade of Classical Education

The noncompetitive Fitness with Benefits runs the trails

UCP's Vallerie Pieraccini is celebrating 25 years of changing lives

Anthem Prep is looking forward to the next 10 years

On the cover: Sean Reavie by photographer Pablo Robles 85085magazine.com

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

85085 Magazine sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue was printed on recycled fibers containing 10% post consumer waste, and with inks containing a blend of soy base. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards

40 It's a Family Affair

22 Hidden in the Hills

Circulation

August is a time for possible change

38 Back to School Time

17 Curtis' Corner

The 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE450 is never boring

37 David Bowen

16 Just Roll With It!

Production Manager Courtney Oldham

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85085 Magazine is published 12 times a year for full saturation distribution in Sonoran Foothills, Norterra, Fireside, Deer Valley Airpark, Dynamite Mountain Ranch, Carefree Crossing, Valley Vista, and Amber Hills. You can also pick up 85085 Magazine at many businesses including specialty shops, salons, spas, auto dealerships, libraries, children’s and women’s specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants, health clubs, hotels, medical offices, and many rack locations. Statements, opinions, and points of view express written consent by the writers and advertisers and are their own, and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers, editors, or 85085 Magazine staff. Although 85085 Magazine has made every effort to authenticate all claims and guarantee offers by advertisers in the magazine, we cannot assume liability for any products or services advertised herein. No part of 85085 Magazine can be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter at any time.

Postmaster: Please return all undeliverable copies to AIM, 1236 W. Southern Avenue, Ste 105, Tempe, AZ 85282.

Yearly subscriptions available; twelve issues mailed directly to your mailbox for $19.95 per year (within the U.S.). All rights reserved. ®2019 Affluent Publishing, LLC. Printed in the USA.

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EVENTS

Worth Melting For Starlight’s ‘Frozen Jr.’ brings winter to Phoenix

By Laura Latzko

T

he fi lm 2013 “Frozen” enthralled audiences young and old with its catchy music and central storyline of sisterly love. The musical version sends a similar message of the importance of family and presents many of the same characters.

The Starlight Community Theater will present “Frozen Jr.,” an abbreviated version of the Broadway musical, from Friday, August 23, to Saturday, September 7.

Adapted from the fi lm by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez and Jennifer Lee, the full musical opened on Broadway in March 2018.

In the show, Elsa can create snow and ice but must hide her magical ability from others, including her sister Anna. Although they are close when they are little, this power ultimately endangers Anna and puts a strain on their relationship.

During Elsa’s coronation, she is no longer able to hide who she is and is forced to flee.

In the process, she brings a permanent winter to her town. With the help of ice seller Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven, Anna goes on a journey to help her sister.

Also central to the story is a love triangle between Anna, Kristoff and Hans.

The show has popular songs from the fi lm such as “Let It Go,” “Love is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and “In Summer.” It also presents new songs such as “Dangerous to Dream” and “Hygge.”

Directed by Nathalie Velasquez, the production will have a cast of 34 youth, ranging in age from 5 to 17.

Many of the actors hail from North Phoenix and Anthem, but some youth travel from West Valley cities such as Buckeye and Goodyear for four rehearsals a week.

In the show, three actresses have been cast as Elsa and Anna at different ages.

Many of the cast members grew up watching “Frozen.” Velasquez says for the actresses playing Elsa and Anna, the roles are meaningful.

“I think it’s pretty much any young girl’s dream to be Anna or Elsa. Every girl wants to be a princess. Just being able to play the role in our production I believe is a dream come true,” Velasquez says.

Jesse Reed, left, as Elsa and Paige Schmella as Anna in Starlight Community Theater’s “Frozen Jr.” (Photo by

Nathalie & Co.)

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

Nobody Knows Norterra Better!

Some children play multiple roles in the production. The show is what audiences expect from “Frozen” but also more by adding little twists and turns.

“I think a lot of people, when they are going to watch ‘Frozen Jr.,’ are going to expect it to be a lot like the movie. I think we’re going to meet those expectations, but we’re all going to surprise you with some new, fun things,” Velasquez says.

Like any production based on a popular fi lm, the director is trying to offer a fresh take with the favorite bits from the movie.

“I like to keep some of those iconic parts that people expect, but then I also face that challenge of not necessarily trying to reinvent the wheel but bring a new element to the show,” Velasquez says.

“That’s where I get to be really creative. You have to find a fun balance. I don’t like to copy what other people have done, but you try to keep those moments as well.”

The show is fi lled with big production numbers with a variety of dance styles like ballroom, lyrical/contemporary and ballet.

One of the biggest challenges for the creative team will be to bring magic to the stage. The lighting effects, costumes and set design are keys to creating winter and Elsa’s transformation.

Velasquez has worked with theater companies throughout the Valley, including Starlight, Valley Youth Theatre and TheaterWorks.

Her theatrical background includes training in piano, dance and voice.

She finds working with children and teens to be rewarding because of the growth she can help foster in them, even during one show.

One of the biggest challenges for her, however, is working with cast members who are at different levels in their development.

In shows such as “Frozen Jr., “the older actors often act as role models and mentors to the younger ones.

“You are able to challenge the older actors to step up and be really great examples…The young kids can learn from the older kids, and the older kids also get to step into some leadership roles,” Velasquez says.

Starlight Community Theater’s “Frozen Jr.”

Friday, August 23 to Saturday, September 7: 7 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays, special show 7 p.m.

Thursday, September 5.

Starlight Community Theater, 1611 W. Whispering Wind Drive, Suite 9, Phoenix $15 general admission starlightcommunitytheater.com

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85085

7

CHARITY

Youth for Troops

Six teens are helping the military one care package at a time

By Ron Sanzone

A

group of teens is proving there isn’t an age restriction to show appreciation for those who are serving all of us.

Youth for Troops is an Anthem-based nonprofit that works to improve the lives of veterans and active-duty servicemen and women.

The organization was founded in 2017 by six local schoolchildren who comprise its current board of directors: Taylor Piatt, 19, Heather Piatt, 17, Hannah Piatt, 14, Sophie Hoffa, 17, Walter Hoffa, 16, and Leo Hoffa, 14. The three Piatts of Anthem are siblings, as are the three Hoffas of Tramonto.

The board members created the nonprofit after helping other organizations committed to helping the armed forces. Those groups encouraged them to branch out on their own so they could contribute in an even more meaningful capacity.

“We’ve been doing military events and volunteering for military personnel since we were really little,” Sophie says. “We started this organization because people under 13 sometimes aren’t allowed to volunteer at events. We wanted to get all ages together to serve, such as families, and young kids with older people.”

“We love to get youth involved, but all of our projects are intended to be for people of

all ages,” Heather says. “Zero to 120 is what we like to say.”

Youth for Troops helps a multitude of ways. Among them are packing and sending care packages with cards to troops deployed overseas, holding flag lines at military funerals and participating in medal ceremonies at VA hospitals.

Perhaps Youth for Troops’ most unique — as well as environmentally conscious — effort is providing plastic mats made entirely out of plastic bags to homeless veterans. The mats are 700 to 800 plastics bags crocheted. Youth for Troops partnered with Daisy Mountain Veterans to provide the mats after the departure of the latter’s head, Mary Ann Derryberry, who started the practice in 2016.

The six mostly homeschool students started Youth for Troops as an extracurricular activity with five adults. It has since blossomed into a charity that stages monthly events with up to 100 volunteers and an email list of 1,400 individuals of all ages. And it has done this without a marketing team or budget.

“We really only grow by word of mouth, so we try to get our volunteers to tell others,” Quinn Rambo, 7, decorates a shipping box for troops overseas.

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

Hannah says. In addition, “we do a lot of networking events.”

To bring awareness of the group, the board members conduct interviews, man volunteer booths at various events and visit schools and businesses. The school presentations are particularly effective in creating a pipeline of volunteers because once students become involved they spread the word to their friends and family, who often end up volunteering as well.

“It has grown so rapidly because people are excited and engaged,” Tonya says. “These kids have found an area that people are excited about. People want to support our troops, people want to support our veterans, they want to do something with their kids.”

The volunteers’ largest and most frequent event is the monthly care packing event.

Donations of food and hygiene products are sorted and then packed into boxes, along with cards of appreciation, before being shipped off to service members overseas. In July, Youth for Troops marked a milestone by sending its 2,000th care package. And some of the recipients of those packages have sent replies.

The volunteers receive thank-you letters that are then posted on social media.

“In their letters they say that they really appreciate the boxes, that it boosts morale and that it’s nice to hear people back home

9, Rambo, Landen aw dr to t ha w contemplates overseas. g on a box goin

t, 14, , Hannah Piat ie Hoffa, 17 by Pablo Robles) ph So , 17 t, eather Piat m. (Photos Hoffa, 14, H ent in Anthe 16, left, Leo for a Youth for Troops ev , fa of H r te Wal ady att, 19, get re and Taylor Pi

are thinking of them,” Taylor adds.

The care packages aren’t cheap to send out. Youth for Troops is spending a minimum of $1,500 a month for the care packages alone, and the kids are responsible for it.

“According to our stats, these kids have offered enough community service projects with volunteers signing in to have 12,500 total volunteer service hours accumulated by our volunteers.” Tonya says.

“And they fundraise all of the money to do these events on their own and luckily they’ve paid their bills every single month.”

The board members and volunteer donations have been significant, but none of the Youth for Troops’ accomplishments would be possible without community support. Schools have held donation drives, Postnet of Anthem and Storage at Anthem have set up boxes on their properties to receive in-kind donations and the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce, Phoenix Metro Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Veterans Chamber of Commerce have sponsored and welcomed Youth for Troops as members of their organizations.

Individuals and businesses help Youth for Troops help military members. In addition to the in-kind drop boxes, monetary donations can be made on the charity’s Facebook page or website. For $30 a month, businesses can join the Sponsor a Hero program. The participating businesses fund monthly care packages and are recognized on Youth for Troops’ newsletter with a thank-you message next to the company’s logo and a link to its website.

In addition to, or in lieu of, financial support, Youth for Troops needs more volunteers as it expands. And despite its name, the organization seeks and needs adult volunteers no less than youth volunteers.

“I think the biggest misconception for Youth for Troops is that it’s only for the youth,” Tonya says. “I think the parents think they need to drop their kids off or that if they’re over the age of 12 they won’t enjoy this. We have almost as many adult volunteers as we have kids.”

The challenge with Youth for Troops is the current board of directors will not remain school-aged children indefinitely. Still, the board knows the source of its successors.

“I think we all agree that one way or another we will probably all still be involved, but we obviously can’t be as involved as we are now,” says Taylor. “We’re kind of bringing up the next generation of board members. We have a lot of kids involved who volunteer with us who we think will end up fi lling in and taking our spots after we leave.”

If Youth for Troops’ future leaders grow as much from their experience as the six cofounders have, they will be well-prepared for adulthood. Tonya says she has marveled at the social skills, public speaking skills and work ethic.

“Honestly, hearing them tell stories after events of their experiences, I think they’re growing emotionally, too,” she says. “I think they’ve each had personal experiences with our veterans and our military that have inspired them. I think they’re going to take this experience with them into school and into the workforce and do great things.”

For more information on Youth for Troops, visit its Facebook page or its website, youthfortroops.org.

AUGUST 2019 |

85085

9

FUN

Scouts Through The Generations Local mom instills organization’s ethics in her daughter

By Annelise Krafft; Photos courtesy Girls Scouts

L

eading a Girl Scout troop always felt daunting to 85085 mom Allison Buffington.

A year ago, the native Arizonan left her comfort zone when she realized there were no troops available in her area for her 6-yearold daughter Brynlee. She became one of the leaders of her daughter’s Daily troop with Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council.

“I never imagined that I would be a leader,” Buffi ngton says. “To be honest, the idea of leading my daughter’s Girl Scout troop terrified me at the start.”

Buffington understands the benefits of Scouts.

“I was a Girl Scout growing up, and I wanted to make sure Brynlee had a chance to experience the amazing benefits and make lifelong friends as I did,” Buffington says. “Be-

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ing a Girl Scout made such a huge impact on my life. I’m still friends with girls I met through Girl Scouts in kindergarten!”

Buffington is also following in her mother’s footsteps.

She was Buffi ngton’s troop leader when she was a Daisy.

“It’s amazing to use this as a bonding experience with Brynlee, but also to share an experience with my mom,” Buffington says. “One thing I’m learning is this is definitely not my mother’s Girl Scouts. The opportunities available to girls have evolved so much, while still maintaining all the opportunities I grew up with.”

One of those constants is the Girl Scout Cookie Program. In just one year, Buffington’s troop of seven spunky 6-year-olds tackled the two-year Daisy program, earning all their petals and dominating their first cookie season.

“We came into the cookie season late, so we set a low goal for ourselves, wanting to sell just 300 boxes,” Buffington recalls.

“We ended up selling 835 boxes. The girls were so excited to see their hard work pay off.”

Outside of cookies, the girls were involved

The Daisies take a lunch break.

in making a booth for World Thinking Day, an event put on by Girl Scouts worldwide to celebrate diverse cultures and a connected community. The booth’s theme was Italy and they handed out pizza and eagerly shared their knowledge about the country with attendees.

“The girls put the booth together completely on their own, even down to making arts and crafts for participants to decorate,” Buffington boasts. “That’s a big responsibility for a 6-year-old, and the girls learned so much about what it takes to be in a leadership role.”

After a year of learning the Girl Scouts’ inner workings, Buffi ngton is amazed at the opportunities the girls have.

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Brynlee Buffington, right, and another troop member show off their cookie booth.

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

Allison Buffington, left, with her Daisy troop, which includes her daughter, Brynlee, right.

“I can’t believe how many STEM opportunities there are for young girls, and camp-based experiences, from horseback riding to unbelievable things like learning how to fly an airplane,” Buffington says.

“I’m eager to explore more opportunities with Brynlee and the other girls next year as Brownies.”

Buffington has a few tips for new troop leaders.

“I’ve found that one of the biggest tips to surviving as a troop leader is mastering time management,” she says.

She wants to tell parents, too, not to be reluctant about taking on a leading role.

“I know it feels like there’s not enough time to do it all, but everyone feels that way. As I said, I was terrified at the beginning,” Buffington says. “It can be done, and Girl Scouts helped us every step of the way.

It’s also so rewarding for the girls—and being able to help champion their potential is amazing.”

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85085

11

SCHOOLS

Navigating the Real World West-MEC gives options to the ambitious

By Jadyn Fisher

H

igh school is a time for rapid change and growth.

Most students can agree on two things: it can be difficult to navigate everything offered in schools and it can be scary being thrown into the “real-world” after high school and college.

Students are pushed toward a four-year degree that may have once been a dream. After graduation and the bills roll in, things may have changed. Trade or technical schools like West-MEC give students a chance to explore other options.

In the 1990s, the idea was to build a facility that students could use to hone skills that

12

85085 | AUGUST 2019

may be too costly to study at other schools.

It has since evolved into what we have today: four campuses Valleywide offering amazing opportunities.

Aimed toward mostly junior and senior high school students, these facilities offer 25 programs in architecture, health sciences, technology, manufacturing, human services, transportation, engineering and law/public safety.

The one- and two-year programs come as 2.5- or four-hour sessions during the school year. It offers dual-enrollment credits, depending on the program, so students receive college and high school credit, as well as certification hours. They can also take a test to be certified in their field of choice just out of high school.

The programs are rapidly expanding so

they can be more difficult to get into. Grades, ECAP, attendance and discipline are all looked at when trying to choose the 25 to 50 students allowed in each program annually.

The application process begins in October of the students’ sophomore/junior year (depending on the length of the program) and closes in January to ensure students are prepared for the upcoming year.

West-MEC Communications Specialist Kyle Backer recommends the program to, “anybody who wants to do something with their hands or try something out” or wants to “try something on before you really commit blood sweat and tears to it.”

Along with offering these programs to high school students, West-MEC also offers adult education and programs for the military.

Anyone who is interested should visit west-mec.edu. Open houses are offered in the fall.

SCHOOLS

World Traveler Jennifer Hermanson brings an international flair to Norterra Canyon

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

N

ew Norterra Canyon Assistant Principal Jennifer Hermanson has worked in the Deer Valley Unified School District for a year. Already she sees it as her perfect job.

She formerly worked as a teacher on assignment/assistant principal at Bellair and Arrowhead elementary schools in Glendale. It was there she had a taste of district employees’ work ethic.

“It was wonderful to get to grow and learn under those two leaders,” says Hermanson of the schools’ principals. “It’s by far one of the best districts I’ve ever worked for in 18 years.

Everybody is learning and growing and helping each other grow and learn.”

Raised in Southern Illinois, Hermanson worked in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Saudi Arabia and Beijing, China, before becoming the principal intern/choral director at Melrose-Mindoro School District in Melrose, Wisconsin. Her resume also includes a stint as an educational consultant for Center for Teacher Effectiveness.

She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from ASU. In Beijing, she taught English as a second language and learned different leadership and organizational styles.

“All of them had something really wonderful I could learn from,” Hermanson says.

From 2011 to 2017, Hermanson lived on a compound in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with her husband, Andrew, and three kids, Mallory, Brett and Asher, who are now, respectively 14, 11 and 9. Hermanson was a theory of knowledge coordinator and teacher at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. She also served as the choral director for Gardens Secondary School and KAUST Community Choral director.

“We had a wonderful experience with the people there and when we traveled to various

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

other Middle Eastern countries. My kids, to this day, say, ‘We miss Saudi Arabia.’ They miss their friends, too,” says Hermanson, who is a doctoral candidate at Grand Canyon University.

“There are a lot of Westerners there. It was really enlightening. The best way to learn and grow is to see the world and meet people who do not share the same things as you do, who live in poverty. My kids are growing up with a different idea of what the world looks like. We need to understand that we have to look at other people and understand their perspective. It doesn’t mean you’re going to agree—respect it and understand it.”

For example, the Hermansons took their children traveling through the Middle East — the Red Sea, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Amman — to view historical sites.

“Sri Lanka was great for the kids to understand how other cultures and economies exist and they should be grateful for what they have,” she says. “But there’s joy everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you have the best car or the biggest house. Some of the happiest people we met didn’t have electricity or running water.”

Hermanson’s experience in Saudi Arabia prepared her for the International Baccalaureate Program, which is offered at Norterra Canyon. IB offers a continuum of international education, and encourages personal and academic achievement, challenging students to excel in their studies and in their personal development. Schools authorized to offer IB programs are known as IB World Schools.

“It really allows the students to have a true middle school experience in regard to a variety of educational opportunities, visual arts and design,” she says. “There are so many opportunities that are offered within this program that helps enrich the students’ education.”

The IB program is three steps: the Primary Years Program is for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade; Middle Years Program is sixth to 10th grade; and Diploma Program is 11th and 12th grades.

“The Diploma Program is most regularly compared against the AP,” she says. “The Middle Year partner school is Barry Goldwater High School. They finish off ninth and 10th grade and then the students go to Barry Goldwater. They have the option to enroll in the Diploma Program in 11th or 12th grades or continue with AP or other career and technical education.”

Hermanson describes her managing style as servant leadership, which boasts selfless confidence, compassion and motivation.

“I didn’t make that up, either,” she says with a laugh. “I got that from a book. I do read a lot and there are a lot of really great books out there that really help me to grow as a leader.

“I certainly do not know it all. Educators really want to be as useful and helpful as possible in raising the next generation. I had wonderful teachers and leaders who have helped me. I didn’t get here on my own. I’m a believer that I am everything I am by the grace of God. It’s not me.”

C LO S E TO H O M E

Just Roll With It! Echo Sushi serves more than 40 kinds of sushi

By Shelley Sakala

S

ome communities wait years to get an authentic, locally owned sushi restaurant. North Phoenix/Anthem has one right now—and it’s fantastic! Say hello to Echo Sushi.

Don’t let the strip mall location fool you. The food here is legit, and the sushi is just the beginning.

Echo serves up top-rate poke bowls, hearty ramen dishes, noodle and fried rice entrees and bigger-thanexpected bento boxes. While it’s not the largest or trendiest sushi restaurant in town, it holds its own with food quality, service and friendly staff.

The menu features more than 40 kinds of sushi and sashimi, and 30 varieties of sushi rolls, ranging from fresh salmon to baked scallops to the fantastic lobster volcano roll (baked langostino, masago, green onion, eel sauce and spicy mayo on a California roll).

For the carb-conscious, they offer two types of no-rice protein rolls wrapped in either cucumber or soy paper. A signature offering with their entrees is black rice. In addition to being higher in protein and lower in carbs than white or brown rice, it’s considered to be a highfiber superfood, packed with antioxidants. It’s got a subtle but unique flavor as well as a more chewy and substantial mouth feel than regular white rice.

The interior décor is minimalist and cozy, with plenty of wood and stone surfaces that create an ambience of chic yet casual comfort. Beautiful pendant lighting and soft, darker paint colors make it a good spot for date night. Shorts and a T-shirt are just fine, but you wouldn’t feel out of place if you dressed up a tad. This full-service restaurant has seating at tables and its wraparound sushi bar.

It’s about the size of a small café.

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One of the quirks of Echo Sushi is its lack of a website (which makes it challenging to order takeout). Thankfully, their loyal customers have posted pics of their menu on Yelp! That being said, I prefer to enjoy my sushi in the restaurant, especially during the summer.

Take-out sushi can be a dicey proposition on a hot August night in Arizona.

Shelley Sakala is a local Realtor with The Sakala Group, and an 85085 resident.

Echo Sushi

3134 W. Carefree Highway, Suite 8, Phoenix 623-266-3444 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 4:30 to 9 p.m.

Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

SCHOOLS

Curtis’ Corner

Dr. Erika Sykes-McKeen, BSc, NMD

It’s back-to-school time!

By Superintendent Curtis Finch Deer Valley Unified School District

I

t is that exciting time of year again: new sneakers, backpacks and pencils. A fresh school year is all about “new beginnings.”

Social media platforms and cellphone cameras will be sending pictures of smiling students throughout the cyber world to family members around the globe. There is only one first week of school each year!

We know it is time for the school season in AZ when: • the monsoons finally arrive • the “snowbirds” begin their return migration • the temperature only drops to 90 degrees at night • the hot steering wheel in your car requires two fingers to drive; • the unheated swimming pool reaches 95 degrees. The last summer adventure has been completed and now it is time for school.

As a parent, the early days of school are a great opportunity to set your student up for success for the entire year.

Here are my top five tips: • wean off of the summer bedtime hours ASAP • go to the school to introduce your student to any new routines or staff members • discuss with your student how you can help support them to make this school year, the “best year yet” • talk to your student about opportunities for participation in clubs, groups or teams. Students who plug into groups outside of the classroom are better balanced, learn cooperation and leadership skills, and are more likely to succeed in school • focus on developing a family routine of at least one meal together a day; this will provide a natural structure for school-day discussions throughout the year.

Have a great school year!

Dr. Curtis Finch is the superintendent of Deer Valley Unified School District and can be reached at superintendent@ dvusd.org.

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EVENTS

2019

AUGUST

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

ALL OF AUGUST

4 Back-to-School Blow Out The Crossroads Church hosts an afternoon with DJ music, waterslides, games and food trucks as a final bash before school starts. The event is open to kids in kindergarten through 12th grade. The event is free, but there is a charge for food.

Noon to 3 p.m. The Crossroads Church, 42105 N. 41st Drive, Anthem. thecrossroads.church.

Free admission.

The Post Recreation Center, Union Park at Norterra Community, 25325 N. 21st Avenue, Phoenix. phoenix.eventful.com. Free admission.

9 Representative Town Hall This month’s guest speaker is Maricopa County Director of Real Estate Michelle Colby.

9 to 11 a.m. Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Anthem. Free admission.

Back to School Sales Outlets at Anthem are hosting sales throughout the mall on back-to-school items. Ann Taylor Factory Store, Carter’s Babies and Kids, Claire’s, Columbia Factory Store, Guess Factory, Hanes Brands Outlet, Levi’s Outlet Store, Madaluxe Vault, MudPie Studios, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger and Van Heuson are offering 20% off a single item; while Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Banana Republic Factory Store, Calvin Klein, Charley’s Philly Steaks, Famous Wok, Fresca’s Mexican Grill, Hanes Brand Outlet, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Ruby’s Express, Under Armour and Sketchers are offering 20% off an entire purchase. You must have coupon from website or customer service. A Columbia Factory Store backpack is free with $100 in same-day receipts.

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Outlets at Anthem, 4250 W. Anthem Way, Phoenix. 623-465-9500, outletsanthem.com. Free admission.

MONDAYS

10, 11

Golden Go Getters Game Day Bring snacks to share during game day, which features hand and foot, mahjongg, manipulation and bridge.

Noon to 4 p.m. Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Anthem. onlineatanthem.com. Free admission.

Musical Theatre of Anthem Auditions for ‘Frozen Jr.’ Musical Theatre of Anthem is holding auditions for “Frozen Jr.” for youth ages 6 to 18. General auditions are at 11 a.m. Workshops are 9 a.m. for participants A-L, and 10 a.m. for M-Z. Dance callbacks are 9 a.m.

August 11, followed by callbacks at 10:30 a.m. Children should bring a musical theater song (or any song they are comfortable with), 16 to 32 bars or 1 minute in length. Bring an accompaniment with CD or iPod to sing with. They are welcome to sing a cappella.

Performances are September 19 to September 22.

11 a.m. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42201 N. 41st Drive, Suite B100, Anthem. musicaltheatreofanthem.org. Reservations required. $325 for kids ages 6 to 18; 10% sibling discount; scholarships available.

TO 4

Kids Plant Adventure The Kids Plant Adventure includes one terracotta pot to paint and a 2-inch succulent. While the paint dries, children will enjoy a treat and learn about soil and Arizona plant life. The Plant Bartender will help the kiddos plant the succulents in their newly painted pot.

10 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz. com. $9.95 plus tax; upgrades available in store.

“Mamma Mia!” The nonprofit North Phoenix theater presents the musical that everybody loves to sing to. The plot follows a young bride-to-be who invites three men to her upcoming wedding, each one with the possibility of being her father.

Various times. Starlight Community Theater, 1611 W. Whispering Wind Drive, Phoenix. starlightcommunitytheater.com. $20 general admission.

3 Cars Café and Flea Market Vintage cars are just part of the fun the first Saturday of each month. Free coffee and biscuits and gravy are served this morning. Area residents are welcome to sell their goods at Cars Café and Flea Market as well.

8 a.m. My Crossroads Christian Fellowship, 42425 N. New River Road, Phoenix. 623-465-9461, myccf.church. Free admission.

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14 6, 21

6 Rustic Planter Box Class Students 18 and older receive one 3.5-inch succulent/ cactus; one 2.5-inch succulent/cactus; and one 2-inch succulent and a decorative topping.

7 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $34.95 plus tax; upgrades available in store.

7 Back-to-School Donut Dash Donuts, juice, water and coffee will be served.

Card-Making Class Margaret Dixon teaches this card-making class that includes six cards (two cards each of three styles).

Bring adhesive of your choice. All other materials and instruction will be provided.

10 a.m. to noon. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $24.95.

15, 27 Girls Night Girls Night includes three 2.5-inch succulents, filler and a decorative topping. It’s for women 18 and older.

7 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $29.95 plus tax; upgrades available in store.

20 Plant Night Class This class for those 14 and older includes three 2.5inch succulents, filler and decorative topping.

7 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $29.95 plus tax; upgrades available in store.

PERSPECTIVE 23 Guys Night and Barbecue The evening features a casual barbecue dinner and do-it-yourself activity of a cactus box.

7 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $39.95 plus tax; upgrades available in store.

23 TO 8 “Frozen Jr.” “Frozen Jr.” is based on the 2018 Broadway musical, and brings Elsa, Anna and the magical land of Arendelle to life onstage. The show features all of the memorable songs from the animated film, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, plus five new songs written for the Broadway production.

Various times. Starlight Community Theater, 1611 W. Whispering Wind Drive, Phoenix. starlightcommunitytheater.com. $15 general admission.

24 Daisy Mountain Firefighters Charities’ Ignite the Night Charity Dinner Daisy Mountain Firefighters Charities come together to recognize their members and partnerships, while raising money for the charity. The evening includes a raffle, three-course dinner, drinks, casino games and dancing. Rooms are available; must be booked

by August 5.

6 p.m. Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel and Spa, 9495 W. Coyotes Boulevard, Glendale. firefighterscharities.org. $75 for adults, $25 for children 5 to 12.

30 Fancy Date Night Dinner and Class Couples 21 and older can expect a plant class and a buffet-style dinner catered by MyChef Everything Food. Gluten-free and vegetarian options will be available. Any dietary restrictions must be noted at checkout online in the “notes” section. Country Time Lemonade and infused water will be served. Each person will receive three 2.5-inch succulents, filler and decorative topping.

6 p.m. Plant Bar, 46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River. plantbaraz.com. $99 plus tax.

Have an event you would like in the calendar?

Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com.

Back to School Teenagers need to slow down or face the consequences

By Judge Gerald Williams

E

very week, law enforcement agents issue at least four, but usually around six, tickets to high school students in Anthem for speeding.

Almost none of the allegations claim the juvenile was going only a few miles per hour over the speed limit. Nearly all claim that the high school student was traveling at a rate of approximately 20 or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 16,375 teenagers died each year from 1999 to 2006.

Approximately half of those deaths were due to accidents. Within the category of accidents, teens were most likely to die in a motor vehicle

Juveniles in Justice Court

When juveniles violate the law, their case is usually heard in a Juvenile Court.

However, with permission from the Juvenile Court, youth can also be cited into a Justice Court. Essentially the same thing will happen in each situation.

Juvenile Court uses a vocabulary that sounds as if it came from a Charles Dickens novel. It uses terms like “delinquent” and “incorrigible.” It is perhaps safe to assume that modern high school students, even if they have never read anything by Dickens, do not want to be labeled as a “juvenile delinquent.”

Juveniles cited into a Justice Court for a civil traffic violation will always have the option of either entering a plea of responsible and paying a fine or requesting a hearing to challenge the ticket. In most cases, they will also have the option, with the judge’s permission, to attend a class in return for the charge being dismissed.

accident. In fact, that subgroup represented 73% of all accidental deaths. Of course, one way to get in such an accident is to drive 20 mph over the speed limit.

Nobody expects high school students to be perfect drivers. Arizona issues a graduated license to drivers who are at least 16 years old, but are less than 18. With such a license, there are restrictions on driving after midnight and on the number of other teenagers the child driver can have with them in the car. Some restrictions apply to everyone.

Speed limits are in place for a variety of reasons. Even arterial roads (e.g., Anthem Way, Gavilan Peak, Daisy Mountain, etc.) in residential areas have the potential for the sudden appearance of a child on a scooter. If you are going 50 mph, and if you react to the need to stop in 2 seconds, you will travel over 40 feet before you do so.

Whether you are 16 or 60, you need to follow speed limits. Juveniles cannot appear in court without a parent, so if you are in high school, feel free to ask your parents if they would not mind using some of their vacation time at work to accompany you to court.

By the way and unfortunately, the court for Anthem and Dessert Hills is located in Surprise.

Judge Gerald A. Williams is the Justice of the Peace for the North Valley Justice Court. The court’s jurisdiction includes Anthem and Desert Hills.

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Superhero September Detective Sean Reavie discovers ways to help abused children

By Ron Sanzone

S

ometimes, putting on a superhero costume can make you a real-life superhero.

At least that is the case with Phoenix resident Sean Reavie and other members of Put on the Cape: A Foundation for Hope.

Officially dubbed Put on the Cape in January, the organization hosts fundraisers, collects donations and stages superhero-themed events to assist child victims of physical and sexual abuse in their most vulnerable moments. And the entire charity “came about by accident, a happy one,” according to founder Reavie.

In late summer, Put on the Cape hosts the Superhero September Spectacular. Once held at Norterra, this year it moves indoors to Paradise Valley Mall on September 7.

Reavie’s backstory Reavie has been a police officer for 12 years, the last six of which he has spent investigating crimes against children. He spends his days interviewing children who have recently been abused to gather information and evidence leading to the victimizer. One day, he was tasked with speaking to a young boy who suffered serious physical abuse, but Reavie was unable to get him to open up.

“He was huddled up in a fetal position and giving one- or two-word answers,” Reavie says.

He knew he had to try a different approach if there was any hope of identifying the crimi-

nal and setting the victim on the road to emotional recovery. Thinking of his own childhood love of superheroes, Reavie asked the boy about them.

“It was instant, the change in that little boy,” Reavie recalls.

The boy sat up straight, widened his eyes, and told Reavie it was Ironman. The two bonded over superheroes and the boy opened up.

“He felt empowered to be strong and tell me what had happened to him,” Reavie says.

The young boy’s newfound courage and openness led to his abuser’s arrest. That moment forever changed him and the lives of

numerous victims.

“It dawned on me that maybe I could introduce superhero mythology to help these children overcome” their reluctance to talk, Reavie says.

He began by plastering superhero posters and placing comic books in the lobby of an advocacy center to offer an immediate sense of security for victimized children.

And when they left the center, he gave them action figures and T-shirts of their favorite superheroes. This transformed children who had arrived terrified into happy and playful kids just an hour later.

“It’s the worst day of their lives when they are there,” Reavie says. “They’re being interviewed, getting medical exams, their clothing is taken as evidence, and what I wanted to do from that day is have people donate T-shirts and action figures. That’s how this all started.”

In just five short years, the untested idea of a police investigator desperate to get a young victim of abuse to speak about a crime has exploded into a foundation annually raising tens of thousands of dollars to help victims overcome their horrors.

Superhero September Put on the Cape has since been hosting Superhero September Spectacular, which gets bigger each year.

During the September 7 event, Heroes United Arizona volunteers dress in super-

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hero costumes and shop for action figures and T-shirts that are then given to nonprofits like Southwest Advocacy Family and Glendale Family Advocacy centers. Heroes United is an Arizona-based charitable cosplay group and a subsidiary of Put on the Cape.

The mall will announce the shopping event in advance and the public can show up to see their favorite characters and, in some cases, help with the shopping. Children can get their pictures taken with the volunteers as well.

“It’s like a rock ‘n’ roll show,” Reavie says.

More than just a grand spectacle, it raises awareness of child abuse and the signs of it.

Many patrons curious to know why dozens of adults are shopping dressed in costume are given informational fliers and told about the foundation’s work. Reavie pointedly recalls the reaction of one man who happened to be shopping when he saw the group and inquired further.

“He took out his wallet and gave every bill he had and said, ‘I was one of those kids,’” Reavie shares. “And then he said, ‘I wish there was something like this when I was little.’”

After his experience with the first child, Reavie became determined to convert that revelation into an organization that would raise money and in-kind donations to help advocacy centers across the nation. But for the first two years, raising funds and attract-

ing and maintaining corporate sponsors was unsuccessful. At one particularly disappointing event, he harvested nothing more than a can of lentils and a rubber chicken squeak toy.

While it is difficult for adults to broach a subject as discomforting as child abuse, the foundation’s message and impact were ultimately too unique and compelling for it to fail. After raising just $4,000 in its fi rst year, Put on the Cape raised $40,000 last year. Corporate sponsors now include Paychex, Valley Spinal Care, the Sakala Group, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, Phoenix Police Sergeant and Lieutenant Association, and Agave Pediatrics. Fundraisers have been held in places as disparate as Red Robin restaurant, the Mayo Clinic and Norterra Canyon Elementary School.

Reavie says the focus of Put on the Cape is as unique as the annual shopping event.

He defines the charity as “using superhero mythology empowers acute victims of child abuse.”

“To be in a position to work with children who have just been criminally victimized, nobody else does that,” he says.

To ensure donations go toward those children, Put on the Cape has a board of directors, which includes an attorney, a forensic accountant, and two treasurers.

“Nobody takes a salary, nor will anyone on my board of directors ever take a salary,” Reavie says.

“I will guarantee you as the president and founder of this foundation that every dollar you give us will go where it’s intended,” he says. “If you just give us one action figure, you can be guaranteed that one action figure will go into the hands of a critically abused child, and it will make a difference. Not a lot of charities can say that. I can.”

As rapidly as Put on the Cape has grown, Reavie says it is nowhere near the size he envisions.

“We will be the largest charity of our kind in the country, by far,” he says. “And we will be in multiple states and we will raise tens of millions of dollars. I have no doubt.”

An early indication of such an expansion is its September event in Reavie’s native Michigan.

Reavie, who credits Heroes United, his

board of directors, donors and volunteers with making his vision a reality, says everyone has and will continue to have a role to play.

“I want to impact people. My board of directors wants to impact people, but we can’t do that without people helping us,” he says.

For more information, visit putonthecape. com.

Put on the Cape’s upcoming events

Put on the Cape is hosting events in Reavie’s home state of Michigan on August 23 and August 24 in Lansing, and on September 7 in Houghton Lake.

Here is the list of Arizona events: • The fifth annual Plea Charities Superhero Shopping Spree at the South Mountain Target from 6 to 7:30 p.m. August 30.

• Super Main Event from 5 to 8 p.m. September 7 at Paradise Valley Mall.

• Paychex Superhero Shopping Spree at Walmart, 1900 W. Bell Road, Phoenix, at 6 p.m. September 14.

• Valley Spinal Care Superhero Shopping Spree at Desert Ridge Target from 6 to 7:30 p.m. September 21.

• The first Superhero Scramble, sponsored

by Agave Pediatrics, at Legacy Gold Course from 6 to 11 a.m. September 28.

• Ford vs. Ferrari Car Show at AMC Westgate, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. November 17.

• First Muscle Car Superfest at 113th Avenue and Bell Road in Surprise from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. February 15.

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Hidden in the Hills North Phoenix couple preparing for artist studio tour

By Sue Kern-Fleischer

N

ovember may seem far away, especially when it’s brutally hot outside, but one North Phoenix couple, Kenneth and Diana Ferguson, are busy preparing for Arizona’s longest-running artist studio tour, Hidden in the Hills.

A signature event of the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, Hidden in the Hills features 198 artists in 47 studio locations throughout the scenic Desert Foot hills com mu n it ies of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. In its 23rd year, the free, selfguided tour takes place during the last two weekends of November, November 22 to November 24, and November 29 to December 1.

Creativity sparks between them Ken and Diana may be familiar faces for those who have taken the tour. Ken is an acclaimed artist who has been telling historical stories through his detailed watercolor paintings for more than 30 years. Diana is a talented jewelry designer, who has received many accolades for her striking mixed-media designs.

For as long as they can remember, Ken and Diana have enjoyed expressing creativ-

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ity through their art. Both grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, where they were influenced by their access to the area’s many museums and cultural events.

The two met at Northern Illinois University, where Ken earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration and Diana earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art, with an emphasis in art history.

Married for 35 years, they have adjusted to economic ups and downs, a changing art market, new technology and the work-life balance challenges that come with traveling to art shows, exhibiting in galleries and other career decisions.

“We’re fortunate in that we work very well together,” says Diana, adding they have individual studios in their North Phoenix home.

“We have different rhythms, but we respect each other’s need to be creative and our business skills complement each other. We also can be honest with constructive criticism, which is something we both value.”

An ever-changing artistic road One challenge both artists embrace is exploring new directions with their art.

“The Valley art season traditionally kicks off in the fall and wraps up around the end of March,” Ken says.

“We’ve found during the quiet period from April through October, rather than hit the road to attend numerous art fairs across the country, which is expensive and can be risky. Our time is better spent at home in the studio, creating and innovating. That way, when fall rolls around, we have new and exciting work to share with patrons and potential customers.”

He adds that over the years, Hidden in the Hills has proven to be an excellent time to begin showcasing new work. Ken is looking forward to unveiling a

fresh artistic direction.

“I’ve always been passionate about history and extremely meticulous with how I approach each painting, which typically means spending an enormous amount of time on preliminary research and painting accurate and precise detail,” he says. “Recently though, I’ve found myself drawn to a less literal presentation of my subject matter, with a stronger emphasis on color and line.”

He notes that history can be a heavy subject and this new found freedom with composition and a more daring use of color has brought forward more of an “art for art’s sake” attitude that helps temper that tendency.

It’s also brought renewed life to Ken’s career-long passion for the medium of watercolor.

“Early in my career I began pushing the medium beyond the typical spontaneous, wet-on-wet approach to develop my own unique style. I remain excited by the potential for even further explorations as I navigate through this new approach. It’s a great feeling to know the puzzle is never solved, and I’m excited about sharing these new paintings with the public toward the end of the year and into 2020.”

manager for a banking consulting firm to pursue her career as a professional jewelry designer just a few months before 2008’s Great Recession. Before making the leap of faith to pursue art fulltime, she found success with her hand-woven chainmaille line of jewelry, called Patina. But when the prices of precious metals skyrocketed during the recession, she was forced to explore alternative materials. It turned out to be a good problem.

“I began experiments with paper and reactive metals. One thing led to another and my very successful Petals to the Metal line of earrings was born. I’ve also expanded to include a couture line of bead-woven jewelry called Adorn,” she says.

A self-taught artist, Diana is driven by her curiosity about materials and love of process.

“I fi nd my work leans away from traditional and toward adventurous, colorful and, hopefully, unforgettable,” she says.

“I’m thoughtful about my process and enjoy solving problems relating to color and form. Developing new ideas is time-consuming but it’s definitely rewarding when I figure it out.”

Lately, Diana has been devoting much of her time to beading contemporary bracelets, cuffs, necklaces and earrings.

“I’m using tiny glass cylinder beads made

in Japan, along with needle and thread, to create bold, architectural designs based on the concepts of sculptural or geometric Peyote,” she says. “I’ve always loved bead-stitching.

I find it meditative and I’m intrigued by the endless possibilities.”

Th is will be Ken and Diana’s sixth year exhibiting together at Toni Perrin’s Studio No. 10 in Carefree. A long-time Sonoran Art League member, Perrin is well-known for her plein aire landscape paintings. Other guest artists at Perrin’s studio include stone sculptor Gedion Nyanhongo, live edge woodworker Rick Griggs and pet portrait artist Fiona Purdy.

Hidden in the Hills 480-575-6624 or hiddeninthehills.org KennethFergusonFineArt.com or DianaFergusonJewelry.com

The art of fashionable adornment Like Ken, Diana is also having a breakthrough summer as she pushes the boundaries with new materials, techniques and jewelry designs.

Diana’s artistic journey started later in her career, but in just over a decade, she has built a successful business that has received recognition in numerous blogs, magazines, and books. In addition, her jewelry has been featured at GBK’s Luxury Gift Lounges for the MTV Movie Awards and Golden Globes, and at Eric Clapton’s 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival.

But it hasn’t been easy. Diana left her full-time job as a publications AUGUST 2019 |

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Making the Community Safe Fire Station 55 set to decrease response times

By Eric Newman

P

hoenix Fire Station 55, which broke ground in September, is expected to be functional by the beginning of August.

Public information officer Mark Vanacore says the 11,000-square-foot station, located at the northeast corner of I-17 and Jomax Road, had an “extremely fluid” opening date of July 29, depending on staff and equipment availability.

The station was built to reduce response times in the Norterra area and allow easier access to the freeway, says Vanacore, who didn’t have exact response time figures. With North Phoenix’s expanding population and the surrounding landscape, residential neighborhoods and local businesses keep popping up.

“If the fire is near the station, with available engines or crew there, it could be seconds,” he says.

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City officials and the Phoenix Fire Department break ground on Station 55. (Photo courtesy Phoenix Fire Department)

Fire Station 55 will have 10 firefighters on duty every hour, much like the other area stations. It will work with the call center and in conjunction with other stations and their engines.

The building’s front doors will open within 7 seconds, and standard overhead doors will go on the opposite side. Those take 21 seconds to open.

Station 55 worked out of a temporary office at a Marriott Residence Inn near Happy Valley Road and 19th Avenue. Four firefight-

ers (all EMTs) and one advanced life support engine were based at the temporary station.

Vanacore says he is grateful for the local government and the staff that made the expansion possible.

“We owe a lot to our civilian employees, like our mechanics or computer people and all those who work with the department, because without them, the station would not run as smoothly,” he says. “A lot of their hard work goes into the building and operating of Station 55.”

Making Connections ProMusica takes Americana to the people of Ireland

By Bridgette Redman

S

ometimes the most memorable musical moments are the unexpected ones.

ProMusica Arizona recently traveled as musical ambassadors to Ireland, performing three formal one-hour concerts in cathedrals across the Emerald Isle.

While the 22 singers of the North Phoenix

community chorale planned ahead to sing their repertoire of Americana music ranging from country-western to American pop, they also made two unexpected, impromptu performances.

The first was at Jerpoint amid the ruins of Newtown. They arrived as tourists and were taken about by the man who had discovered the 12th century town after buying the land to raise sheep and sheepdogs. They visited the supposed grave of St. Nicholas, where his earthly remains were said to have been brought back by Norman knights from the Middle East, and stood between three walls of a ruined church.

They were asked to sing.

“We sang the ‘Doxology’ as it was just a song everyone could sing off the top of their head without music,” says Connie Henry, a founding member of the chorale who went on the trip. “It was beautiful and very moving to revisit history and to wonder what it would be like to perform music in those churches.”

Later they sang in a second ruin under similar conditions, but the group’s main concerts were held every other day on the trip in Limerick, Killarney and Kilkenny. They were spots chosen jointly by the organization’s arProMusica Arizona singer Jane Turner met her Irish third cousin Sheila McGrath during her chorus’ tour. (Photo courtesy ProMusica Arizona)

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tistic director, Patti Graetz, and Tempe-based Music Celebration International.

Seeing the world After previous trips to Carnegie Hall, ProMusica members decided they were ready to tour internationally, to be musical ambassadors to the world from Phoenix. Graetz says they quickly focused on Ireland because they had heard so many good things about the people and they spoke English. That would make the first trip easier.

In June 2018, Graetz set out on a director’s preview tour with 25 other band and choir directors from around the United States who were planning to take their ensembles to Ireland during the 2018-2019 seasons.

“It was such a great experience being able to go and preview the towns and churches and performance venues and come home and design an itinerary that was a little different than what had been proposed,” Graetz says.

“The director’s tour gave me some knowledge I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

That included the trip to Jerpoint.

As for the planned concerts, Graetz says the director trip also gave her insight into how to plan the repertoire, which was very different from what they typically perform in their local concerts.

“Our tour guide (for the director’s preview tour) was a choir director,” Graetz says. “He said please don’t sing Irish music when we

come to Ireland. Leave that to us. We love American music. So the program I chose was all Americana, folk songs through jazz and popular songs from the ’30s and ’40s to Broadway to modern day. The audiences really loved the variety. We kind of took them on a musical history journey of American music.”

Graetz says she purposely designed the concert to be an eclectic mix that didn’t require a high-brow listener. The result was something the audience was surprised by.

“It really was a concert for the people,” Graetz says. “A lot of the touring groups are geared toward singing sacred music in these big massive churches. In the minds of the directors, they’re going to be singing great sacred literature from the past. So, for us to come in and do a program that was completely different from that genre, they were pleasantly surprised. We got standing ovations at all of our concerts.”

Henry points out that much of America’s country-western music and folk music has Celtic origins and was inspired by Irish immigrants, which might be why so many of the Irish love America’s country western songs.

She says such songs as “Ghost Riders in the Sky” and other old favorites from the western songbook were enthusiastically received and that afterward the audience would stay and talk to them about America, their music, and the towns they came from.

They even met people who winter in Arizona and now plan to attend their concerts.

“We’re actually drumming up patrons for our next year—who knew we would import them from Ireland,” Henry says. “They were five ladies who just loved country music and they wanted to talk about country music.

That’s not something we ordinarily sing all the time, so it was fun to do.”

It was a longer concert than what they typically perform, because while their local concerts are sometimes an hour, they share time with the ProMusica Orchestra and don’t typically have to prepare an entire hour of music. The group who went did so in eight weeks’ time, getting together to rehearse once a week.

Music Celebrations took care of all the arrangements and promotions, so ProMusica had no idea what the audiences were going to be like, but they were pleased with the warm reception they received everywhere and their first concert even include a reunion.

One choir member, Jane Turner, missed the first day of touring because the airlines had screwed up her connecting flights. She was frustrated and sad about it because she planned to meet for the first time her Irish cousins.

While dressing for their first concert at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church of Ireland in Limerick, she was told that her cousins were in the audience.

“What a surprise!” Turner says. “I had communicated my ill-fated arrival to them. Some cousins had responded by attending this first concert. There was a lot of excitement in my singing voice that night.”

After the concert ended, the cathedral host and emcee announced her cousins were there to meet her.

“The whole audience clapped and some had tears in their eyes,” Turner says. “I was so surprised and elated as we hugged and introduced ourselves.”

Graetz says performing in these buildings that dated back to the 12th century was breathtaking. Henry says they had to slow down some of their songs because of the reverberation and incredible acoustics of the

Kathy McGrath, from left, Jane Turner, Sheila McGrath and Marian Fogerty at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church of Ireland in Limerick, after the first ProMusica Arizona concert on June 20. Turner’s Irish third cousins secretly attended the concert and afterward came forward to meet her for the first time.

(Photo courtesy ProMusica Arizona)

building.

“Musically being able to perform in these cathedrals—we sounded fabulous,” Graetz says. “We couldn’t sound bad if we tried. The acoustics were amazing.”

It gave all of the choir members the opportunity to accomplish their goal—to be musical ambassadors from Phoenix to Ireland and to make real and authentic connections.

“Music knows no boundaries as far as language is concerned,” Henry says. “You can appreciate music even if it is not in your own language and of course they speak English.

Music is a transformational power that connects people and finding that connection with people is really special. It was amplified by singing in the most gorgeous venues around that date back to the 600s.”

Henry, who was one of the first 100 people to move to Anthem, credits music as helping her form friendships and bond with people from around the country and now Ireland.

It is also something she says transcends cultures and people, especially at a time when she thinks our daily life is getting bogged down in the divisiveness of government and politics. They could leave that behind and just be “people to people” with the music to connect them.

“Wherever I go, music is a connector of people,” Henry says. “It’s so important whether you are going country to country or location to location in your own state. It’s just a way to connect with people that transcends anything else.”

ProMusica singer Connie Campbell Henry revels in the glorious Killarney National Park re-creating her own “Sound of Music” moment. (Photo courtesy ProMusica Arizona)

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A Decade of Classical Education

Anthem Prep is looking forward to the next 10 years

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

A

nthem Preparatory Academy headmaster Grant Goodrich has watched his school grow since he was hired as founding faculty in 2010 to teach Latin, Greek and chess.

The two are celebrating their 10-year anniversaries this school year and using the opportunity to reflect on that decade. Students will boast a new crest on their uniforms when they start school on August 7.

“I’ve been looking at the students and the faculty and trying to focus on who we are, how we’ve changed as a school, the essence of our school and looking forward to the next 10 years,” says Goodrich, who was named headmaster in January 2018.

Anthem Prep, which is part of the Great Hearts network of public charter schools, is a “classical preparatory academy” that offers a “transformative educational experience.” As Goodrich’s resume shows, Anthem Prep of-

fers a well-rounded education. The longtime Great Hearts employee graduated from ASU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religious studies in 2010. He is studying British and American literature through Southern New Hampshire University.

Meager beginnings Anthem Prep’s first location was a shopping mall on the west side of Interstate 17.

The school had a small faculty and only went to ninth grade. It quickly grew, moving to the new campus on the east side of Interstate 17.

“One reason we’re celebrating the 10th year is because we’re coming into our own,” Goodrich says. “Great Hearts has matured and we’ve begun to carve out a space in the charter realm to see how we fit into this.

“It’s Great Hearts’ 15th year as a charter organization. Our growth has paralleled that in many ways.”

Great Hearts, he says, helped get resultsbased funding pass so it has more freedom to teach what it wants to teach and has more funding to do that. It works, according to Goodrich. Students have high test results on standardized tests.

The mix of faculty helps with that.

“Great Hearts hires a lot of new faculty,” Goodrich says. “They hire right out of liberal arts college. We have a nice blend of veteran faculty for 10 years, though. There are so many founding faculty who are the unity of the school, the unity of the curriculum.”

Testimonials Senior Kayla Wang of Anthem feels that unity. She views her career at Anthem Prep as “rewarding.”

“It taught me to have a good work ethic,” says Wang, who has been at Anthem Prep since she was in the third grade. “The teachers are caring. I like the small school community as well.”

While at Anthem Prep—the same school from which her brother graduated—Wang participated in cross country and concert choir. The 17-year-old student’s favorite class was humane letters.

“Instead of a lecture-type class, it’s more of

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Anthem Prep headmaster Grant Goodrich, seniors Joel Palazzo and Kayla Wang and the rest of the school will celebrate the facility’s 10th anniversary this year. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

a seminar,” she says. “You’re having a conversation with your peers. We discuss different texts and we use classical books. We’ll read them and discuss different topics about them in class.

“It’s an active class setting. Everyone gets the chance to participate, instead of being told what to think.”

Fellow senior Joel Palazzo, who lives in 85085, plans to major in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in aerospace when he graduates. He feels he was aptly prepared at Anthem Prep.

“With the physics and math I’ve been doing, I really fostered a love for it,” he says about engineering. “I love to build things.

“The school has a lot of opportunities for student growth. The school is focused on the student and academic growth, rather than other aspects. There’s a lot of one-on-one tutoring. It helps me stay prepared and on top of all of my classes.”

Unlike other, bigger schools, there isn’t a stigma on tutoring at Anthem Prep. Palazzo sees it as a “big study group.”

He’s active at Anthem Prep, as a member of the student government, and the football, basketball and baseball teams. Palazzo says he enjoyed his time playing sports at Anthem Prep.

“There was a lot of one-on-one time with the coach, but not as much athleticism and competition,” he says. “You still have to work for it. It’s not handed to you.”

His mother, Kimberly, also enrolled Joel’s brother in Anthem Prep.

“I was looking at alternative schools that were similar to the private schools kids went to on the East Coast,” says Kimberly, who grew up in Upstate New York.

“We felt strongly about a college prep education for both of the boys. What attracted to us was the lack of choice. I explain it like this: Great Hearts is like In-N-Out Burger. If you want a lot of choices, don’t go there. If you want chicken, don’t go there. It’s a classical liberal arts school.”

Kimberly was also sold on the discipline within the school and the curriculum. Students can learn Greek and Latin, and Anthem Prep’s math and science courses are rigorous. The availability of sports makes it a wellrounded school.

“It’s not for everybody,” she says. “Some excel there and some don’t. The kids want to learn. I love the uniform. They’ve always worn a uniform. It makes getting ready in the morning easier. That was just another factor.”

Looking back For Goodrich, the 10th anniversary causes him to look back at his career. After all, this year’s 12th graders were part of his first year third-grade class.

“It’s quite special to think back,” he says. “It doesn’t seem that long. I see these kids now wearing the blazers around campus and being role models. It definitely makes me feel old.

“But there’s something quite special about seeing that transition and growing year after year for the last decade.”

And Goodrich is passionate about Anthem Prep and Great Hearts.

“The actual education of Anthem Prep sounds quite stuff y,” he says. “We read great, great books and have seminars. It’s really relationship focused. We firmly believe education cannot happen unless the gap between the teachers and students is eliminated.

“If students feel different or don’t feel loved by their teachers, you can’t educate a student.

I do think Great Hearts is unique in that we— across the board—try to eliminate that gap and really reach the students.”

Great Hearts’ Anthem Preparatory Academy

39808 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem 623-465-4776, anthemprep.greatheartsamerica.org

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CHAMBER COLUMN

Serving the People Arizona Legislative District 1 representatives stay connected

By Heather Maxwell, PCED Executive Director Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce

T

he Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce will host its second annual Legislative Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 17. Hosted in partnership with the Anthem Community Council, the event will be held at the Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way. The Town Hall welcomes back Legislative District 1 representatives Senate President Karen Fann and House Representatives Noel Campbell and Steve Pierce to discuss with their constituents the legislation passed in the 2019 session and what is on the horizon for the 2020 session.

“We appreciate the chamber giving us the opportunity to connect with our constituents and business owners in the An-

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them Area,” Fann says.

Audience write-in questions covering topics of interest to business owners and residents will be accepted until 7 p.m. Anthem attorney and business owner Sam Crump will moderate the panel discussion with the representatives. Crump is a former Arizona state representative and serves on the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The chamber is working on several leadership programs and initiatives to develop tomorrow’s business and community leaders. The chamber’s Leadership Committee, chaired by former Kingman Mayor John Salem, also a local businessman, will hold focus group meetings with members on August 8 and August 12 to determine content for future leadership programs and events.

“The Town Hall in September will provide an avenue to connect our elected officials to the members and residents they represent,” Salem says.

Senate President Karen Fann will be at the Legislative Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 17. (Photo courtesy Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce)

The Town Hall is open to the public and local business and community leaders, educators and residents are encouraged to attend.

For more information about the Town Hall or chamber membership, call 623322-9127 or email hmaxwell@anthemareachamber.org.

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S P OT L I G H T

Ivory Row Bridal Shops at Norterra

2470 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 1191, Phoenix 623-328-9180, elliecustombridal.com, ivoryrowbridal.net

Making Brides Beautiful With Ellie Reyes, Ivory Row Bridal is more than a store

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

E

llie Reyes’ life mission is to make brides beautiful.

She’s not particular about size or shape. The dresses could be white, ivory, red or black; petite or plus sized. Reyes just wants brides to be happy with the dresses she designs at Ivory Row Bridal in the Shops at Norterra.

Reyes purchased the store in July 2018 and sells her gowns and those of other collections as well.

“When I create something, it’s for the bride.

It’s not for anybody else,” Reyes says. “I custom make the dresses for their bodies. When it’s ready, it’s for them.”

Ivory Row Bridal is by appointment primarily; Reyes does accept some walk-ins.

“On our average day, we see brides every two hours,” Reyes says. “I don’t really sell in the front. I’m dealing with orders and seamstresses. I need to make sure my seamstresses can follow by instructions so I can get that dress ready for fitting and it’s perfect. I make

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sure the fabrics are right and the accessories are correct.”

Reyes is happy to incorporate heirloom fabric as well, from the bride’s grandmother or mother, for example.

“I love using fabrics from different generations to create something beautiful,” she says.

She stays up on the latest trends by traveling to New York for Fashion Week, reading magazines and attending seminars.

“I am leaving for New York soon to go to Bridal Fashion Week,” she says. “They have speakers who talk about trends. I’m going to Chicago after that. It’s hard to keep up with what’s new, but it’s fun.”

Reyes has seen plenty of boho dresses lately, something she says, reflects a millennial passion.

“The millennials want an outdoor wedding; they want the outdoor experience,” Reyes says. “There aren’t a lot of indoor church weddings any longer. And everybody still likes things that dangle or bling. We have island pearls that we carry in the store. We have all

Ellie Reyes of Ellie Custom Bridal and Ivory Row Bridal in Norterra designs wedding gowns. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

different kinds of jewelry.”

Designing clothes is in her blood. As a 13-year-old girl in Virginia, she had her own summer clothing line.

The biggest challenge with her business is

finding seamstresses, a career choice that has faded. She somewhat blames society for not encouraging girls to follow their dreams of fashion design.

“Even when I hire someone who just graduated from fashion school, they can’t produce,” she says. “They don’t know how.”

Reyes, a mother of five, just wants to make sure everything is perfect. Dresses are time consuming, but she loves it.

“A dress is a dress,” she says. “You can only drape a body so many ways. I like to play with the fabrics, but it depends on the bride’s budget.

“Our job is to give them what they want.

That’s what we hope. I hope that whatever their budget, they walk in and we find them the dress of their dreams.”

So far, she’s doing well. Reyes is frequently invited to her clients’ weddings and other celebrations.

“I’m very happy about doing so much on very, very little budgets,” she says. “I’m very happy, too, that we’re more than a store.

We have some control in how we can help achieve their dreams, just by using what I know and love to do.”

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S P OT L I G H T

Stan Haimov, left, and Al Matatov own Men’s Lounge Barbershop in Phoenix. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

Friendly Neighborhood Barber Sports memorabilia and chatter make this shop fun

By Octavio Serrano

A

l Matatov has been getting a haircut once a week since he was 11 years old. As a child, he shoveled snow in his native New York to near money to pay for his haircuts.

“I’ve always been into my own hair and the latest styles,” Matatov says. “I went to my barber at least once a week and people would always assume I was a barber.”

That wouldn’t be for a few years. Now, he is getting

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ready to open his second barbershop in the Valley—67th Avenue and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix.

The original Men’s Lounge Barbershop at 2501 W. Happy Valley Road in Phoenix’s Happy Valley Town Center is known for its energizing atmosphere. Sports memorabilia like a Carmelo Anthony jersey hang on one wall, while bobbleheads decorate the stations.

Rather than running a shop that is merely a service to clients, co-owner Matatov focused on providing an addictive atmosphere when he opened in 2012.

“I wanted to make it a cool atmosphere where people would want to go back because it’s so fun,” Matatov says.

Matatov was in the jewelry industry in New York before he became a barber. As the times

changed, so did his tastes. He wanted to delve into an industry that made him happy—and that was cutting hair.

Matatov soon realized that he could turn his passion for hair into a profitable career.

As an apprentice, Matatov says he was frequently complimented for his communication skills and his excitable attitude. He brings that rapport between barbers and clients to his shop.

Men’s Lounge prices vary depending on the haircut; a regular cut is $23; a razor fade for roughly $25 and hot towel shaves for $30.

Men’s Lounge tries to help people when it can when it comes to pricing.

Senior and children’s cuts are $19 and $18, respectively. In addition, Men’s Lounge offers its “hero’s discount” for public servants like veterans, police officers, firefighters and

teachers to show his respect for folks in those occupations.

“Teachers are so underpaid, so underappreciated and I wanted to do something fun for them,” Matatov says. “They do so much.”

Matatov says what he enjoys about Men’s Lounge is his diverse clientele. He enjoys talking to clients who, in turn, respect him.

“We have the coolest people who come in.

They’re from all walks of life and levels of careers,” Matatov says.

Men’s Lounge provides quality haircuts for its clients, but it is the experience it brings that sets it apart from other barbershops. Men’s Lounge believes the exchange of conversation between the barber and client is as important as the service itself.

“We want to keep that good vibe going and to be more than your average shop,” Matatov says. “We’re all about the fun here and we enjoy what we do”

Men's Lounge

2501 W. Happy Valley Road Happy Valley Town Center, Phoenix 623-556-3193, mensloungeaz.com

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WHEELS

Extraordinary Rides

The price of the test Mercedes GLE was $96,320.

(Photos by C.A. Haire)

The 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE450 is never boring

By C.A. Haire

T

he new 2020 GLE450 is being shipped to Mercedes dealers, so we grabbed one for a one-week test drive. This is an impressive SUV, but a pricey one when it’s loaded with options.

The base cost starts at $61,000. But how about an air suspension package for $8,000 more, or leather trim at $3,000? In fact, we have a list of 29 options, totaling $35,000!

When all is done, the sticker reads a tidy $96,320.

At this price, there are a lot of toys to play

with. The multicontour front seats with massage features make long highway trips comfortable, as does the air suspension.

Press the Dynamic button, and you can find off-road, eco, comfort, sport, sport+ and custom settings.

There is a switch to bring five different gauge cluster designs, so, something for everyone. A very bright heads-up display projects useful information on to the windshield, so drivers don’t need to take their eyes off the road. There are two naviga-

The digital dash can be programmed for four visual modes. This is the progressive setting.

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tion screens: a large one on the dash and a smaller one between the instrument panel.

A performance program shows how much horsepower and torque the engine is cranking at the moment. Overall, there is always something to play with, so driving is entertaining.

Under the hood is a healthy 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine, cranking 362 horsepower. It’s hooked to a nine-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive. Fuel economy is listed at 19/24 mpg. With 80% freeway trips, and 20% city commuting, we observed 22.4 mpg using premium fuel.

We racked up 600 miles on this SUV before turning it in. It is certainly a pleasant driving experience, with a powerful engine, strong brakes, great handling, smooth ride, comfortable seats and the ability to be taken off pavement. The only gripe revolved around ergonomics, as most of the controls, buttons and switches are complicated and require a long learning curve. But be assured, this Mercedes is never boring.

F A M I LY

August is a time for possible change

By Pastor David Bowen Standing Stones Community Church Standing Stones Christian Academy

O

K, I admit it. I enjoy history. My kids, however, not so much. But that does not dissuade me from using history as a tool for teaching them traits I hope will last long into their adult years. The month of August is named after the Roman Emperor Augustus. Augustus had many faults, but he also changed Rome, and in doing so, changed the world. Not all of these changes were good.

In fact, many were harsh and are still affecting lives today. However, this young emperor did accomplish some good.

If we focus on the good this world leader accomplished and model some of the principles he incorporated into his leadership, we can make a positive impact for our families.

In the 41 years he ruled, he imposed order. He ended a long period of civil wars and started a period known as Pax Romana or Roman Peace, which would last for over two centuries. His reforms led to prosperity for the Roman Empire. Cities prospered as he commissioned roads to be built, as well as physical structures such as aqueducts, baths and amphitheaters, all staples in a Roman lifestyle.

Of all the Caesars, his reign was the longest and it brought peace and stability.

He secured peace for his people by creating a standing army designed to make Rome safe from the “barbarians” of foreign countries.

What if? What if we applied some of those principles to our family structure? What if we focused on creating and maintaining peace and stability? What if we focused on taking actions that would allow our families to prosper? When I say prosper, I am not advocating financial prosperity, but social, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

All family members, but especially

our kids, need to feel secure.

What can we incorporate into our family structure to keep the “barbarian” influence of the worldly culture out of our homes? I am willing to create an army to protect my family from the darkness, deception and manipulation that seems to be rampant in our culture. Morals and values have slowly dissolved into incongruous, inappropriate acceptance of behavior and attitudes that have slowly robbed us of ambition and purpose. It saddens me when I see the complete lack of joy and self-esteem be so common place and socially acceptable. This is the civil war we are fighting now. It’s the values of the culture trying to get our kids to imitate and absorb into their future, habits and beliefs that will be transferred into the next generation. As the Emperor Augustus did, it’s time to fight back, for the sake of our families and generations that follow.

To advance the Roman empire, Augustus built new pathways. He incorporated new structures. Obviously, this will be personal and individual for every household, but is it time to look back at history to see what the future can be? Because of the heat in Arizona, August is usually a tough month, however, it is also a month that we begin to get back into a routine. The summertime schedule transitions into another school year. This could be an ideal time to transition some change into the family structure. What if we focused our families on prospering this coming school year? What if?

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CRAFTS

Here are crafts and hacks to start the year off right

By Shannon Fisher

B

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ack to school is around the corner for most Arizona schools.

Here are some quick and easy ways to get ready for school!

Bobby pins are a cute way to dress up your hair. We used nail polish to paint designs on the pins. Allow to dry and you have quick and easy hair art. You can also use E-6000 glue to adhere jewels or beads for extra flair. A good travel or backpack tip is to pack them in a clean, empty Tic-Tac container. It seems our pins are always getting lost so this helps to keep them where we can find them. Now you have cute hair pins for back to school.

Stickers are great way to customize water bottles, folders, pencil boxes and other items taken to school. You can make them with parchment or wax paper, clear packing tape and images for the stickers. You can draw the designs, print them or use photos that you have printed.

Start with a piece of wax paper, then cover it with the clear packing tape. Next, place the sticker image that has been trimmed on top of the tape. Make sure there is space in between the stickers.

Now cover the stickers with more clear packing tape. Use your hands or a coin to rub all the air bubbles out. Cut around the images leaving at least a quarter inch away from the design. Carefully peel the sticker from the wax paper when ready to use. Get creative making your own personal stickers.

Personalized pencils are another back-to-school item that is a must have. Pencils are easy to lose, so decorating them can help make sure they are not mistaken for someone else’s. You can paint the whole pencil to start. After it is dry, you can add designs of your choice.

A fast way to create dots is using a pencil eraser dipped in paint or use circle stickers and paint over them for a perfect dot. You can use painter’s tape to make clean lines as well. Once dried, peel the tape or stickers to see the design. You can also use permanent markers to write favorite quotes or words of encouragement to make someone’s day.

Hope you have a great time creating crafts for back to school!

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R E S TA U R A N T

It’s a Family Affair Sweeteez delivers homemade cookies with a sense of humor Story & Photos by Octavio Serrano

O

pening a restaurant can be daunting, but these three sisters can’t seem to stop laughing. This energetic vibe is what makes Sweeteez the place for families to visit.

Chelsea Jenkins of Mesa, Brooke Giffin of Scottsdale and Hilari Jackson of Phoenix opened the doors to Sweeteez in May, introducing the 85085 neighborhood to gourmet, homemade cookies. And if customers don’t feel like making the drive after 6 p.m., Sweeteez will deliver cookies to them. Thursday to Saturday it delivers to: 85383, 85085, 85310, 85382, 85308, 85381, 85306, 85053, 85027, 85024, 85023, 85022, 85331, 85050, 85032, 85054, 85254, 85255, 85260 and 85083.

“It’s hard work but it’s mostly fun,” Giffin says. “It’s very much a family affair.”

Sweeteez offers a wide range of treats, from the traditional to the fun. Describing the cookies as ones “your grandma would make,” Giffin says Sweetez’s choices include

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warm chocolate peanut butter cookies and chilled frosted sugar cookies, both of which are $10 for a box of four.

What makes Sweeteez a creative place is that it continues to update its menu. It has a sweet and brownie of the month, so expect new things to pop up on the menu.

Guests who want something new can try the Chocolate Explosion Brownie ($10), which comes with rich chocolate frosting, sprinkles and chips. Tired of chocolate?

Sweeteez offers a variety of cookies, which the staff delivers after 6 p.m.

Sweeteez

1985 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix 623-734-6082, sweeteezsweets.com 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

The Aloha Strawberry ($10) takes a classic sugar cookie and adds toasted coconut and strawberry cream cheese frosting. A strawberry on top finishes the cookie, which was featured in July.

Other flavors include lemonade cookie, Rice Crispy treats, chilled frosted sugar cookies and warm snickerdoodle cookies.

Milk, soda and ice cream are also sold.

More than just a sweets and cookie shop, Sweeteez has transformed into a family-

friendly hangout.

“It’s a great place to come after you are celebrating something or if you want a little treat,” Giffin says. “Yesterday, every table was filled with families and everybody was playing games.”

The environment Sweeteez brings is as important as the treats it serves. As soon as the doors open, customers are welcomed by a clean and open space. The large “Sweeteez” sign on the door is a nice contrast against the light-colored walls.

The pink and blue bright colors and the excellent customer service make it a place to call home. A Christmas tree sits in the corner, and Giffin goes as far as dressing as Santa to visit with kids.

Sweeteez may be new, but the Scottsdaleraised siblings have been working together for some time. After catering for 18 years, they took their cookies to customers’ homes from a subleased kitchen.

The Sweeteez gals may be busy, but they haven’t forgotten the community that helped their business grow.

They grew up in Scottsdale and spent quite a lot of time in the North Valley and they want to give back to the community that has supported them in their endeavors.

Chelsea Jenkins, left, Brooke Giffin and Hilari Jackson opened Sweeteez after 18 years in catering. The three sisters grew up in Scottsdale.

“We’ve collected school supplies with our Christmas in July project to give back to kids who need school supplies,” Giffin says. “In the past, we have picked a charity where we did deliveries and then on Mondays, we gave a portion of those proceeds to different charities. We’re trying to incorporate more philanthropic things within our business structure because it’s good to give back.”

In addition, Sweeteez has discounts for military and teachers.

For the Smith sisters, however, Sweeteez

is not just a business but more of a longtime passion project.

The skills in the kitchen attract customers, but the sisters’ energy keeps them coming back. As they talk to each other, they can’t help but tell jokes and laugh. Their laughter is as contagious and endearing as anything else that Sweeteez has to offer.

“We really are living a dream come true,” Giffin says. “If you work hard and keep working hard for a long time, eventually things work out. That’s the truth.”

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2750 W. Dove Valley Rd, Suite 150, Phoenix, AZ 85085 (623) 594-7466 • www.PetWellnessaz.com AUGUST 2019 |

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Apple Biscuit Dumplings

By Jan D’Atri

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ho knew crispy apples, store bought biscuit dough, a few spices and a can of 7-Up could make the most amazing Apple Biscuit Dumplings? It’s absolutely true and might just be the perfect finish for your Sunday Supper! This easy-asever recipe has become my new favorite dessert! It all starts with apple wedges tucked inside biscuit dough.

A beautiful caramel liquid comes together on the cooktop and then poured over the

Apple Biscuit Dumplings

Erica Bigos, DDS

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

pockets of goodness. Into the oven it goes, and about 30 minutes later, you will have a mouth-watering treat. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and you, your family or your guests will never be the same! The key to the success of these dumplings is to baste them with the caramel liquid several times during the cooking process. That’s what will give them the deep, rich and unforgettable glaze. Um, by the way, what time is dinner?

Ingredients: - 4 large apples (makes 24 wedges) - 1 can Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (8 biscuits, divided in half) - 1 cube (8 tablespoons) butter - 1 cup white or brown sugar - 1 cup water - 1 can 7-Up (7.5 or 12-ounce can) - 1 tablespoon vanilla - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg - Pinch of salt

Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes. (Syrup will be runny.) Set aside to cool. Make dumplings. Pull apart each biscuit to make two discs.

Stretch the dough out enough to cover one apple wedge.

With tongs or a fork, dunk apple wedge into caramel syrup and place on biscuit disc. Pinch seems around apple wedge (pot sticker or half-moon style) to completely seal. Place dumpling in an 11- x 17-inch baking pan. Repeat until all apples and dough make dumplings. (You will have leftover apples.) Pour syrup over and around dumplings reserving 1/2 cup of liquid.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.

Directions: Peel, core and slice apples into wedges, slicing each half into thirds to make approximately 24 wedges. Soak apple slices in 7-Up. Meanwhile, make caramel syrup.

In a medium pan, melt butter, brown sugar, water, 7-Up from apples, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

IMPORTANT! To get the glaze over the dumplings, brush reserved 1/2 cup syrup over dumplings several times during cooking process. When dumplings are done, serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Check out my How-To Video for Apple Biscuit Dumplings right here: https://jandatri.com/recipe/applebiscuit-dumplings.

BEAUTY

Workout and Wine The noncompetitive Fitness with Benefits runs the trails of North Phoenix Story by Eric Newman; Photos by Pablo Robles

N

orth Phoenix residents Larry Padgett, Lewis Young and Lisa Evans were at a nearby Fry’s Wine Bar, hanging out and sharing stories of their exercise regiments and fitness goals when they had an epiphany.

Why not start a small club to merge their interests.

“We kind of figured, why not do it together? And it started from there,” says Padgett, a sales consultant for a large textile company.

Fitness with Benefits, or FWB, provides a supportive outlet for fitness enthusiasts of all levels of exercise on a variety of local trails. The area is fortunate to have many mountains and trailheads nearby. Participants can go as fast or slow as they want, with near certainty they’ll be joined by someone else.

The group meets at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

“We want to stress how noncompetitive it is. It’s just for fun and for us to enjoy getting out of the house to do

something healthy,” Padgett says.

Padgett and Evans only recently took up trail running, and they share the same passion for mountain biking. A longtime track and field athlete, Lewis was a standout runner at Long Beach State University. He is considered the group’s mentor.

, Larry Lisa Evans, Mia Strode the Robert Jack Padgett, is Young run Lew and ng You Padgett, Jaydus Desert Hills Trailhead.

The club isn’t just about exercising.

The trio met at a wine bar and will continue to frequent local haunts like Limon Tacos and Tequila for refreshments after their workouts.

Young, whose kids joined him on a July 11 run at the Desert Hills Trailhead, says FWB’s social aspects are one of its best traits.

“We’re kind of regulars there anyway, and it’s just a good time to go after a workout. You feel kind of accomplished,” says Young, a senior loan specialist. t Padget gett and Robert Jack The group is small for now, with ad.

Lisa Evans, Larry Pad ilhe Tra ls Hil t g at the Deser stretch before runnin the three founders as regulars. June wasn’t the best month to start, considering the heat. However, once the The camaraderie of FWB weather cools off a bit, and the group is allows the exercisers to push more established, FWB hopes to increase themselves. While the person its numbers.

Plans include visits to new trails and acnearby is struggling or racing tivities, and possibly even day or weekend past their perceived physical exercise or hiking trips. FWB’s founders limits, it provides others a say the group has the makings of a staple chance to clear the same chalfor local fi tness enthusiasts for years to lenge. come.

“It kind of makes you real“It’s fun. We’re a tight-knit community, ize you can push yourself a little more. You see someone and I wanted to see what kind of group we and they want to keep up with could put together of the people we know you or you want to keep up around here,” Padgett says. “And I’m exwith them. It’s a pretty cool cited to see how we can grow it.” ode stretch before Str a Mi and ng You Young, Jaydus Larry Padgett, Lewis For more information, call Larry Padgett thing,” says Evans, a dental ad. ilhe Tra ls Hil t running at the Deser at 602-614-0760. hygienist.

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H E A LT H

Commitment to Care UCP’s Valerie Pieraccini is celebrating 25 years of changing lives

By Zac Dunn

V

alerie Pieraccini spent her early 20s traveling the country, peddling her skills as an occupational therapist wherever they were needed. By her own admission, she was restless; every few months she would pack and move to a new city, a new state and start again.

When the Deer Valley resident accepted a position at United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona in 1994, she expected the cycle to continue. But 25 years later, Pieraccini is the longest-standing staff member there.

Pieraccini knows better than anyone how much this local nonprofit has changed. But more importantly, she says, are the ways it’s stayed the same.

“As UCP has gone on a journey over the last 25 years, I’ve gone on one alongside it,” she says.

Pieraccini still remembers the trepidation she felt on her first day at UCP. By then she was used to the first-day jitters, but the unassuming building set in a less-than-luxurious strip mall made her pause.

“The building deflected me at first because I’d taken the job sight-unseen. But the people and the mission are what caused me to stay.”

The passion her new colleagues had for helping their child clients was unlike any place she’d worked. Pieraccini joined the small therapy team as the only occupational therapist on staff, and her expertise soon became invaluable: “Families were aware they needed that help.

They would basically chase me down on campus, yelling ‘I need these services for my child,’” Pieraccini says with a laugh. “There was definitely a desire and a need for those services.”

As she helped more and more children overcome the obstacles of a delay or disability, she realized she’d found a place that she didn’t want to leave.

And so, a job she expected to last three months turned into 25 years. UCP moved from the strip mall to the expansive Laura

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85085 | AUGUST 2019

Valerie Pieraccini works with Jack Flores, who is now in high school and is thriving. When he was born, his parents were told he would never walk. (Photo courtesy United Cerebral Palsy)

Dozer Center, the cattle fields of Deer Valley were replaced by corporate campuses, and Pieraccini rose to become director of UCP’s Children’s Programs, which grew to include two therapy clinics, a home-based therapy program and an Early Learning Center.

With its bigger and better facility, UCP expanded its variety of services, introduced a new assistive technology and augmentative communication program, a feeding clinic, the Life Skills Group for preteens, early intervention therapy for children younger than 5 and helped more children than ever.

But most important to Pieraccini is that UCP hasn’t compromised on the individual attention and quality of the children’s services that had earned the community’s trust in the first place.

“That was my commitment when I came on as director, to never sacrifice that quality of care,” Pieraccini says. “Some things about UCP have changed, but the important things cannot.”

Even after 25 years, the same things that brought Pieraccini to UCP are what keep her there. It’s the commitment to seeing the children thrive. It’s the therapists’ passion for what they do. And above all, it’s the look on the children’s faces when they realize they’ve accomplished something they’ve been working toward for weeks, months or sometimes years.

It’s stories like Jack Flores’.

Flores was born 12 weeks premature and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Like many others who share his diagnosis, doctors told his parents it was unlikely he would ever walk, and if he did, he would need a walker. He

began working with Pieraccini from a young age to develop his fine motor skills.

“I’ve worked with a lot of therapists throughout my life, and many have become like family to me,” says Flores at a recent speaking engagement.

Pieraccini was the only one to be mentioned by name. “Some of (Pieraccini’s) kids weren’t listening to her, and I asked how she was able to put up with it. She told me, ‘You have to love people just how they are.’ I was reminded that also includes myself. I have to love me and be OK with my differences.”

Now Flores is a two-year veteran of his high school track team and an avid hiker and backpacker.

“I owe my depth of knowledge as a clinician to all the children I’ve served over the years,” Pieraccini says. “Their challenges challenged me to grow as a professional.”

While the faces around her have changed, Pieraccini says the culture that attracted her in 1994 has persisted. Now, with the expansion of their therapy clinics and openings in their toprated early learning center, Pieraccini hopes a new generation of families will arrive at UCP to experience the wonders that have kept her coming back day after day for 25 years.

“There is something divine about helping a child that fills your soul,” Pieraccini says. “I miss working with children every day but as a director of the program, the knowledge that the children that come to UCP can receive uncompromised care fi lls my soul as well.”

To learn more about UCP’s staff, programs, and openings, visit ucpofcentralaz.org.

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DOWN 1 Fragrant wood 2 Writer Kingsley 3 Rocket stage 4 Make pigtails 5 Military group 6 Dutch village 7 “Psych” actor Hill 8 “The Times They Are A-Changin’” singer 9 Beautifully imaginative 10 Way back when 12 Very angry 14 Peeved 15 “Help!”

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23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 34 35

New Mexico tribe Scrutinize Small barrel Heaps Song of David Pinnacles Leavening agent Table scraps Employ -- gin fizz Entreaty

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Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down, and each small nine-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

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28 Liniment targets 30 Second person 33 Lawn-trimming tools 36 Blazing 37 Cheer up 38 Cobbler’s supply 39 A rate or tax 40 Type squares 41 Tit for --

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NOTICE TO READERS:

Most service advertisers have an ROC# or “Not a licensed contractor” in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advert-ising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the y e l l ow p a g e s , o n business cards, or on flyers.

What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www. azleg.gov/ars/32/01165.htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words “not a licensed contractor” in the advertisement. Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.

Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman’s exception. Reference: http:// www.azroc.gov/invest/licensed_by_law.html As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a business’ ROC status: http://www.azroc. gov/.

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EXPECT, EXPERIENCE, EXPOSURE & EXPEDIENCE

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