Neighbors
www.SanTanSun.com
September 20 - October 3, 2014
41
Neighbors The Hungry Monk stands out among sports pubs
VUU gears up for fall
Where to Eat
Spirituality PAGE 61
PAGES 68-70
Neighbors PAGE 43
Dentist collecting hats for El Palacio classes pediatric cancer patients cook up fun BY MEGHAN MCCOY
BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
A dental practice in Chandler and Gilbert is collecting new hats to donate to Valley facilities that treat children with cancer, so the youngsters have something to wear when they lose their hair during treatments. Pediatric Dental Specialists dental hygienist Tina Larcey says she was seeking a community service opportunity when she stumbled upon a nonprofit organization called Hats Off HATS OFF FOR CANCER: Pediatric Dental for Cancer. Specialists is collecting new hats to donate “This is the first time that to Valley facilities that treat children with we have done this,” says Larcey, who is also a member cancer. 123RF.com of Pediatric Dental Specialists’ marketing community. “Hopefully, we will make it an annual thing.” Because September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Monday, Oct. 6, is Mad Hatter Day, the practice decided to hold a drive from Monday, Sept. 8, to Monday, Oct. 6, for Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Larcey says her practice sees cancer-stricken children, so it made sense to partner with the organization. “We love to do things that make kids feel good. It’s right up our alley,” she says. New, unworn children’s hats that are kid-friendly will be accepted. Hats such as baseball caps, beanies and sock hats can be dropped off at the Gilbert location, 2550 E. Guadalupe Rd., Suite 101, or at the Chandler location, 2955 W. Elliot Rd., Suite 4. The offices are open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fridays at the Chandler location, and from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays in Gilbert. Larcey says each hat will be bagged with a tag, so donors can leave their name on their gift. The goal is to collect 50 hats at each location. She says her hope is to collect enough hats to donate to more facilities in the Valley.
Cooking classes are always informative, fun and a great way to meet new friends. At El Palacio Restaurant and Cantina, monthly cooking classes are free and students learn how to create a variety of tasty, classic Southwestern dishes, appetizers and cocktails. Chef Anthony Serrano is the owner of the 5-year-old family-owned and -operated Chandler restaurant. Serrano enjoys sharing recipes and cooking tips through classes that focus on one or two specific items. “We started doing classes almost two years ago,” says Serrano. “I love sharing my knowledge about food, and we’ve won a lot of awards at food festivals in town, like the Arizona Taco Festival and My Nana’s Best Tasting Salsa Challenge. We had a
SEE HATS PAGE 44
IN SESSION: Cooking class notes help Chandler resident Kathy Whitehead keep track of the ingredients of a ceviche. Photo courtesy of Dearly Digital Photography
lot of people start asking us how we made our salsas and some of our other award-winning things. And so we started holding classes.” SEE EL PALACIO PAGE 44
Greek festival celebrates country’s culture BY LYNETTE CARRINGTON
For more than 30 years, St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church has invited the Valley to partake in every aspect of its home country’s culture during A Taste of Greece. This year is no different. The church, at 2716 N. Dobson Rd., will host more than 8,000 people from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5. The celebration includes entertainment, traditional Greek cuisine and drinks, a kids’ zone with bounce houses and a marketplace with crafts and goods.
OPA!: A group of child dancers gets ready to perform a traditional Greek dance. Submitted photo
“It’s a big undertaking,” says Sam Kladis, A Taste of Greece committee member and church volunteer. This year, the festival is featuring free parking and a complimentary shuttle bus at SEE GREEK FESTIVAL PAGE 45
Family grateful for fire department’s donation BY TRACY HOUSE
While shopping at a supermarket, Edward Castanon came upon a team from Chandler Fire, Medical and Health Department raising funds for a charitable organization. When he told them he would donate if they reciprocated, he never expected the return to be so great. In 2007, his 9-year-old daughter, Savanah, was diagnosed with multiple hereditary exotosis, a disorder in which bone mass builds up at the end of the bones. She was in need of an operation, and her father was having a fundraiser to bring in the money to help with medical and transportation costs. Savanah has had surgeries on her hands, ankles and
right knee to shave off the bone masses. “It’s ongoing for the rest of her life,” he says. “Usually, it stops when she stops growing. It doesn’t only affect your stature, but it also affects your nervous system. They believe it can give off autistic-type syndrome.” Savanah is in a wheelchair part of the time because she gets so tired. Savanah and her siblings, Josiah, 6, and Mikayla, 7, attend Lauren’s Institute for Education. Savanah has been diagnosed with autism, and her brother and sister have special needs as well. The children do not have the same diagnosis, a rare occurrence in families with more than one special-needs child. In January, Savanah and her mother,
Kristina, will be heading to Florida for a hip surgery to remove the extra cartilage that is causing her discomfort. The initial consultation with her physician, Dr. Dror Paley, happened with the help of the fire department. Castanon says he was able to secure a round-trip flight with Miracle Flights, but there were still costs for the doctor visit, which was $1,050, and other expenses. “I decided to do a car wash,” he says. After speaking with the fire department, he says they offered to bring a fire truck to the car wash and donate money for the trip. “I was blown away because I didn’t ask for that,” says Castanon. He says the firemen washed cars and
GRATEFUL RESIDENTS: Savanah, and her dad, Edward Castanon, extend their gratitude to the Chandler Fire, Medical and Health Department for their charitable contribution that helped send Savanah to Florida to see a medical specialist. STSN photo by Tracy House
asked questions about his daughter. “They were just awesome,” Castanon SEE DONATION PAGE 45