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Ahwatukee Foothills News
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016 Today: High 108, Low 80, Sunny Tomorrow: High 106, Low 81, Sunny
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COVER STORY
Ahwatukee group offers affordable mission trips
COMMUNITY:
Keeping cool
By Eric Smith AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS STAFF
Horizon Water Day offers relief from the heat. p8
involves meeples (board figurines) “traveling” across the country with the help of “trek cards.” Players strategize to beat opponents to different parks, collecting tokens and earning points to win. They don’t encounter dragon-slayers at the Grand Canyon, and play is fairly traditional. But they do become aware of 59 of the nation’s 410 major national parks that are represented on it. Which makes the board game
In 2002, Ahwatukee resident Mark Lastovica was going through a tough period in his life. He had most of the material possessions that he could want and yet, while going through a divorce, something was still missing. He wanted to try and fill the void he was feeling by going on a mission trip, but all of the available spots at the church he attended at the time, Mountain Park Community Church, were filled. A member of the men’s group Lastovica was a part of brought him a newspaper clipping telling of a women’s shelter in Rocky Point, Mexico, and he saw a way he could help. “All of a sudden we find ourselves down there two weeks later helping to build the bathrooms and the showers (at the shelter),” Lastovica said. But this wouldn’t be the only trip Lastovica would take. It called him to continue going down and helping the less fortunate in Mexico. The charitable work made a profound impact on him. “We just changed,” he said. “We changed from being very mate-
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GETOUT:
Multitalented entertainer
Actress Gloria Reuben to perform at MIM. p26
Ahwatukee Foothills artist Charlie Bink with his tabletop board game, “Trekking the National Parks,” which is educational as well as fun. (Srianthi Perera/AFN staff)
Local designer trekking the markets with his board game By Srianthi Perera AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS STAFF
SPORTS:
Athletes of the Year MP’s Burns and DV’s Hickel honored. p39 Neighborhood p3 Calendar p4 Community p8 Opinion p17
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Ahwatukee Foothills artist Charlie Bink is getting ready to launch the second edition of his tabletop board game, “Trekking the National Parks,” which will be available at the Gilbert Art Walk when it continues in October. Unlike the first edition he introduced in 2014, which was manufactured in the United States, this one will be produced in China. The 32-year-old man assumed
the “Made in America” label would be a selling point for the board game he designed, illustrated and manufactured under his company, Bink Ink Inc. Trekking the National Parks retails for $50 and for $59 online at www.trektheparks.com. “We thought that would matter to people,” Bink said. “The truth is, it doesn’t matter to people. It’s the price that matters, and it’s not just me saying it, it’s the people saying it.” “Trekking the National Parks”
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