The Foothills Focus Cave Creek 03-22-2023

Festival brings Anthem community together

BY COLE JANUSZEWSKI Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Anthem Days is returning, complete with local businesses showing off their wares, rides and fair food from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26.

“It’s more than just a business expo,” said John Safin, Anthem Community Council’s communications director.

“We have a center of commerce area where all the vendors will be. We have a carnival which will be set up through the parking lot along the community park with a funhouse and everything everybody would expect from a carnival. And then of course you can’t have an outdoor festival without food, adult beverages and other fun — like

see FESTIVAL page 10

Anthem Parkside association adds to board

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills

Executive Editor

Rob MacGregor and Naresh Goel were elected to the Anthem Parkside Community Association Board of Directors, while Dino Cotton was named the Parkside representative on the Anthem Community Council Board of Directors.

All seats for the APCA Board will hold two-year terms. The newest members will be seated at the April 20 APCA annual board meeting, during which the election of officers will take place.

Cotton will serve a three-year term.

An Anthem Parkside resident since February 2007, Goel has a Ph.D. in physics and retired as a senior executive responsible for management of global quality

and reliability for a $4 billion manufacturing company, Johnson Electric.

Prior to that, Goel worked as an executive in aerospace and the mining company, Phelps Dodge/Freeport McMoran. At Phelps Dodge, he helped the company save $400 million per year from 2002 to 2005.

see PARKSIDE page 4

Serving the communities of Anthem, Desert Hills, Norterra, Sonoran Foothills, Stetson Valley, Tramonto, New River, Desert Ridge and North Phoenix

Anthem Days offers a plethora of fair food choices for the whole family during the two-day event including funnel cakes. (Foothills Focus file photo)

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PARKSIDE from page 1

“With my global professional experience and strong community roots, I firmly believe that I will most positively contribute to our community,” Goel said.

MacGregor said he believes a wellrun HOA adds value to the community by positively impacting the home

values.

“I hope to continue to add to that process,” MacGregor said.

“Anthem is a great place to live, and I want to do my part to keep it that way. I am a small business owner, husband, father and coach. I have previous experience running for and participating in state governance. I have ties to the community for the long haul as I am raising four kids here. I have connections with the community through coaching and outreach. I love Anthem.”

The father of four children, Cotton and his wife, Cristina, have been Anthem residents for more than 10 years.

He served as an ACC Parkside director from 2017 to 2020.

While serving on the board, Cotton was jointly responsible for the development and construction of the dog park, pickleball courts, skatepark and the improvement of the community center.

He was a lead mentor for the Anthem Youth Advisory Council from

2017 to 2020. He worked with 12 teens and “aspiring leaders of tomorrow in oration, strategic planning and project management.”

In 2020, he ran for Arizona State Legislature for LD1. For 11 years, Cotton has owned and operated a technical consulting and recruiting firm, “connecting talented people and empowering them in their next career choice,” he said.

Passionate about this community, Cotton said he is interested in volunteering his time to help improve and refine Anthem as a place where “we all live, while working together with fellow board members and outlying municipal contacts to make strategic decisions for the future.”

Parkside Community Association is a homeowners’ association that manages more than 7,229 homes for nearly 30,000 residents. The community has 33 neighborhood parks, offering amenities like playgrounds, picnic tables, playing fields and walking paths.

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Baker: Anthem is ready for growth

BY JAMES LOTTS Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

Anthem Community Council Executive Director Aaron Baker said during a March 10 town hall meeting that the community is working to maintain its attractive lifestyle as the region around it develops.

Baker spoke over Zoom during the meeting that was co-hosted by Friends of Daisy Mountain Trails and Anthem Community Council.

Baker was named executive director of Anthem Community Council in December 2021 and previously had experience in local government in Utah and Nevada. Baker cited differences between Anthem Community Council and local government.

Anthem is a master-planned community, not a city. This puts a limit on the authority of Anthem Community Council

to make larger decisions such as passing laws or ordinances.

“We can’t create regulation about things that we don’t have authority to create regulations about,” Baker said. “If it’s outside the scope of our authority then we can’t touch it.”

Baker said Anthem partners with the city of Phoenix and Maricopa County to manage things that Anthem cannot control. He added that Phoenix and Maricopa County have been very helpful when it comes to solving Anthem’s problems.

Friends of Daisy Mountain Vice President Vivian Decker read Baker an email from a resident concerned about the quality of the fence Maricopa County Department of Transportation is installing on Meridian Drive, and Baker reassured that Maricopa County is continuing to work on the project. Baker said Maricopa County is installing the fence up to stop off-road vehicles from driving through that area.

“To their credit, I want to make sure I say this right up front, I really appreciate the partnerships we’ve had with them,” Baker said. “They’ve been great partners in this.”

While Anthem Community Council may not be a local government, it can build and maintain facilities and events that attract people from all over North Phoenix.

Anthem has its own community center, park, pool and water park, dog park and holds many events for residents and non-residents to come enjoy. Baker did acknowledge that while these amenities are great features for the community, they do attract a lot of people who do not live in Anthem.

With the arrival of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company factory in the area, Baker said growth is coming to the North Valley. These businesses add value to homes, but it puts pressure on Anthem’s many features.

As growth in the region around Anthem

continues, Baker said it is important for Anthem to get neighboring communities to keep upgrading their facilities so its residents can continue enjoying theirs.

“Facilities, we have some of the most beautiful and attractive and that is wonderful, but it also creates an attractive nuisance,” Baker said. “The region, as its changing, its changing how Anthem has to think about itself and how we have to work with others in the area.”

Despite the challenges the rapid growth around Anthem brings to the community, Baker said Anthem is well equipped to maintain its status as an attractive destination for residents to live.

“Although there are changes going on, I will say I believe firmly that Anthem is in a good place to respond to the growth, continue to provide excellent services to the residents and remain the premier community in the North Valley,” Baker said.

‘Lending Veteran’ taking steps to help soldiers

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

As an active duty soldier, Shain Davis frequently trained to stay in shape. At the time, he used whatever shoes he could find.

“You pick the cheaper shoes,” he said. “We didn’t know any better. Being younger, we really didn’t care.”

The Desert Hills resident learned the difference when he transitioned into civilian life. Still trying to stay active, he and his wife began training at Orangetheory Fitness. There, their fellow trainees donned expensive shoes.

“We notice everyone’s wearing Brooks or Hokas,” he said. “We’re wearing Nikes. We bought Brooks running shoes and what a difference. They have more cushion and more give and there wasn’t as hard of an impact.”

Realizing the difference, Davis wants to give back to active duty soldiers. He founded Shoes for Soldiers for those stationed in the United States. Employed by Veritas Funding, Davis donates a pair of Brooks shoes each time he closes a home loan.

“It’s a way for me to be able to give back to my brothers and sisters in the military community,” Davis said. “I’m giving back to somebody who’s not benefitting me in any way. They’re not buying a house. I’m truly giving it to somebody who doesn’t even know me.”

Davis will have a booth at Anthem Days on Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26.

“I have ankle problems and plantar fasciitis,” he said. “It’s hard for me to get out of bed sometimes. I wish I would have known this stuff back when I was active duty. I need to educate these soldiers and give these shoes to active duty soldiers to help them later in life.”

He encourages the community to nominate soldiers for the donation, and Realtors and business owners to join him.

“People can use my services,” he said. “I look for people who want to nominate their soldiers, too. Once I close a home loan, I reach in the bucket and take a name

out of there.

“If I have 10 loans to close, I don’t have 10 soldiers to send shoes to, so I’m looking for nominations. I prefer for them to be active duty.”

Davis’ entry into the military was a calling for him. When he graduated high school, he longed to join, but he put that dream on the back burner.

“The itch never went away,” he said. “I was a corrections officer for the state of Ohio for six years. While I was (working in) the prison, I joined the Army reserves.

“I did the reserves for a few years, but I needed more out of this. I felt that active duty would serve my country properly. I decided to go active duty in Fort Bliss in El Paso.”

His family didn’t influence his decision, but subconsciously they did, perhaps. He didn’t know his biological father until he tested his DNA through 23andMe.

“I decided two years ago to go through the DNA to find him and it worked,” he said. “I said, ‘Surprise. I’m your son.’ When we were talking, he said he served in the military. My three brothers were in the military. My grandfather retired from the Navy.

“I knew there was a calling for me to join the military to support my country. When I met him and found out, I found out exactly why. Miracles do happen.”

Shain Davis says he felt a calling to go to the military. (Shain Davis/Submitted)

music. We have a place for everybody.”

Specifically, the event will feature musical performances from The Bayou Bandits and Johnny City Band.

“We are super excited to play Anthem Days,” said Joshua Strickland, The Bayou Bandits lead singer.

“We got a lot of folks who are from that area that have come out to shows and become fans. I love what the communities are doing for music. They’re giving folks a platform to do what they love.”

It will also feature an Eggstravaganza egg hunt.

“The Eggstravaganza takes place on softball fields and will have 26,000 eggs for all the races,” Safin said. “Parents will bring their kids over, instructions will be given, and the kids will have a chance to dash out and find as many eggs as they can. They’re filled with goodies or other prizes. It’s done by age group and includes an area for special needs kids, too.”

Safin said he expects around 6,000

to 7,000 people to show up to the event each day and that “everybody should be prepared for being outdoors in the sunshine. Drink plenty of water and come out and have some fun meeting our local businesses. Just make an entire day of it.”

He also said Anthem Days was designed to draw large crowds, as the event was created to support the vision of the founder Del Webb.

“Part of the reason why Del Webb created the Anthem community was for individuals and families to have an amazing lifestyle and a high quality of life,” he said. “Anthem Days, like many of our bigger events, contribute to that where we have a central event that brings the entire community together as one.”

Anthem Days

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26

WHERE: 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway,

Anthem

COST: Free admission

INFO: onlineatanthem.com

Anthem Days showcases activities and vendors for the entire family including carnival rides, adult beverages and an Eggstravaganza egg hunt divided by age group. (Foothils Focus file photo)

AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Bar-tailed godwit sets record by flying 8,435 miles

BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

Keep going. Don’t think. Just do it. Believe. A motivational speech for our business or personal lives? Or perhaps the recent flight path of one incredible bird. Oh, Mighty One, bar-tailed godwit, how we admire you. Flying nonstop from Alaska to Tasmania, you set the distance record at 8,435 miles in 11 days. According to news reports, this bird was tagged as a hatchling with a GPS chip and a tiny solar panel by researchers in Alaska. Oh, bird, with wings of steel, how did you fly so far when you were only 4 months old?

This was not an easy journey. The bartailed godwit cannot land in the ocean and take off again. If the bird went into the sea due to exhaustion, his trip would

have ended. Once he set off from Alaska, the only choice was to keep going. And researchers are still not sure why or how he traveled this distance. It took constant flapping of wings, no food, no sleep, just bold determination. Was he lost? It appears he got separated from “his family” and landed on the wrong side of Australia. What was he thinking?

Perhaps the godwit is like our friend, Manuel, the tarantula, who for the past 27 years graces my friend Diane’s house in New River every summer. He hangs around for about three months. No GPS, no map and probably little planning. Yet, he arrives unannounced and makes himself right at home. Maybe just a strange migration pattern?

How do we find our way home? A dog named Bailey was at a shelter in Texas for almost a year until she finally was ad-

opted. The new owner was walking Bailey and the dog broke loose. Frantically searching the neighborhood, Bailey was nowhere to be found. Several days later and 10 miles away, Bailey used her snout to press the Ring doorbell outside of the shelter. It was the middle of the night, and the staff was alerted and rushed to the shelter, where Bailey was waiting by the door. They welcomed her back and placed her in her old, familiar run.

No one is sure how Bailey crossed interstates or managed with no food or water for three days, but she was determined to find the one place that she knew she’d be safe. Hope and endurance brought her home.

Nature teaches. Sometimes we learn. I noticed a little spider building a beautiful and intricate web in between two bushes in my backyard. I called her Stel-

la and watched her as she tended to her web and busied herself daily. I saw a small sparrow carefully designing a nest of twigs in a big mesquite tree in my yard. Then a storm came, and Stella’s web was see BLUHM page 14

Opening a box brings a flood of memories

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

The cardboard box sat in the garage for years, in part because the shipping label said it weighed 110 pounds. But the real reason I put off unpacking the box was fear of what it might contain.

My brother packed it up shortly after our mother died at the end of 2017. She was a bit of a packrat, my mom. There was no telling what she might have saved.

Lately, with another birthday looming, I’ve been on a neatness kick. You know the drill: As getting older sets in, you think more order in your life, less detritus, will make you feel on top of things, not quite

so ancient.

In a fit of motivation, I opened the box. And found a thousand yellowed newspaper columns dating back to the first tales I ever got paid to write in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1992 and after my move to Arizona in spring 1995.

My parents subscribed and had those newspapers mailed to Florida. I dug in and spent the morning reading Valley news from what feels like an eternity ago.

What struck me was how little has changed over the better part of three decades. Back then, the sad sack Arizona Cardinals were on the prowl for a new taxpayer-funded stadium. Today it’s the equally sad Arizona Coyotes looking for a new home and a massive handout.

In May 1995, I wrote about the National Rifle Association coming to town for a national convention. I contrasted the exhibit halls full of guns with a sober scene across town in Mesa: 400 schoolkids and teachers mourning the shooting death of 16-yearold Derrick Garcia, killed by a former classmate who put a bullet in his chest.

“It’s just going to go on and on,” said Jessica Olivarez, Derrick’s 17-year-old cousin. “I hope this time, Derrick’s death changes everything. … Nothing is worth this.”

I shared her hope. A few hundred thousand senseless shootings later, we remain stuck in place.

see LEIBOWITZ page 14

Kelly’s censorship question may tip voters against him

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

Mark Kelly, who used a stellar resume’ to win a 2020 special election for the U.S. Senate, then spent an astronomical sum to keep the seat in 2022 for a full term, is discovering the effects of gravity on governing.

You won’t find Arizona’s junior senator prepping to star in a remake of the 1976 movie, “The Man Who Fell to Earth”— at least not yet. But the Tucson Democrat, like that film’s leading man, the late David Bowie, may soon sing of “Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes.”

Look for Kelly’s popularity among Arizona voters to suffer a precipitous fall — all because of a not-so-innocent question he asked.

the three agencies couldn’t answer him and just sort of took a pass on the question.”

Justin Simons, Agent 41722 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, #110 Anthem, AZ 85086

Justin Simons, Agent 3655 W Anthem Way Anthem, AZ 85086

(Next to Barro’s Pizza)

Business: 623-551-3700

Business: 623-551-3700

justin.simons.j663@statefarm.com

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It came during a March 12 Zoom call of 200 people, including other senators, House members and committee staffers from both parties — all joining with representatives from the Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and the Federal Deposit and Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The subject was the Silicon Valley Bank bailout.

The former astronaut and his crew were looking for a way to bailout of the incoming critical press coverage once that call concluded.

“Sen. Mark Kelly Called for Social Media Censorship to Prevent Bank Runs,” read the headline on journalist Michael Shellenberger’s Substack blog, “Public.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) provided details of what’s quickly become a massive headache for the Arizona senator, saying that Kelly “asked the three agencies if there was a program underway on social media to censor information that would lead to a bank run.”

“I believe he couched it in a concern that foreign actors would be doing this, but he didn’t suggest the censorship should be limited to foreigners or to things that were untrue. The people from

Massie initially took a pass on directly identifying Kelly — as did Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) — who took to Twitter to claim that “a member asked if they (Treasury officials) were reaching out to Facebook and Twitter to monitor misinformation and ‘bad actors.’”

Lest the GOP stand accused of manufacturing misinformation, Rep. Dan Bishop (R-North Carolina), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability ID’d the Arizona senator and demanded that Kelly be held accountable.

“I have confirmed with (House Speaker Kevin) McCarthy that it was Sen. Mark Kelly who asked on last night’s Zoom call whether the call hosts (at Treasury, the Fed and the FDIC) were interacting with SM (social media) platforms and on the lookout for foreign influence that might promote bank runs.”

Kelly and his staff didn’t exactly run to cameras and microphones to deny the senator’s line of questioning. In fact, it took almost 24 hours for Kelly to respond.

Curious timing, that.

Remember his aforementioned “stel-

BLUHM from Page 11

ripped to shreds and the sparrow’s nest was blown to bits.

Despite catastrophe, these tiny creatures rebuild. They simply try again, evidently knowing that giving up is never an option. From beating wings to

HAYWORTH from Page 12

lar resume’?” Kelly’s qualifications as a fighter pilot and astronaut?

Both those positions require lightning-quick reflexes and instant responses. If untrue, a simple “No!” could have been uttered in less than a second.

When Kelly’s staff finally formulated a response, it was more lawyerly that leisurely offered. Mark’s underlings insisted that their boss was focused on foreign adversaries potentially trying to take advantage of the situation by spreading misinformation.

Actually, it appears “Team Kelly” was more interested in misdirection than misinformation in responding to concerns, emphasizing a focus on “foreign actors.”

small steps, nature’s resilience is one of the many gifts to admire in our world. And that mighty godwit is Lord of the Wings.

Judy Bluhm and a local Realtor. Have a story or a comment? Contact her at judy@ judybluhm.com or aroundthebluhmintown.com.

the March 12 Zoom call, this columnist can reveal that a couple of questions asked by Senator Kelly were much more “universal” in nature, going far beyond the oft-mentioned overseas “actors.”

Specifically, “Do we have a group of people paying attention to what’s going on online?”

Then, more troublingly, “Are we making social media companies aware so that they can take action?”

Given the Democrats’ collective coziness with Big Tech — and their successful efforts at censoring their GOP opponents during the 2020 and 2022 campaigns, it’s not far-fetched to suggest that Kelly views his own experience with political censorship as a benefit.

Whether Arizona voters will view their junior senator’s embrace of censorship as a much-needed tool — and even an asset to government — is doubtful. LEIBOWITZ

Granted access to contemporaneous notes taken by another participant on

So it goes for gay rights, as well. We’ve come a long way since I wrote about Dawn Bates and Barb Jones, a Tempe couple together for 16 years, but whose union could not be made legal back then.

The two had faced financial struggles, discrimination and hatred for being out and lesbian.

“I think we’re looking for a level playing field,” Barb said in 1996. Many of my gay friends are still looking today. Barb concluded with a thought that makes every bit as much sense to me today as it did 27 years ago.

“We,” she said, “ought to be accorded the respect that any American would expect.”

In the paper days later, a guy named John Camp singled out the column in a letter to the editor.

“I would like for Mr. Leibowitz and all those who support the marriage of ho-

mosexuals and enjoy parading ‘loving’ couples to advance their cause, to answer one simple question: Must all loving relationships end in sexual acts of some kind in order to prove their validity?”

Like I said, the years pass, but some things stay the same. I still have no clue what that guy is talking about.

Some days, I fear this beautiful state of ours is about to come undone, that Arizona will finally break beneath its stressors: Drought, sprawl, hatred, political tomfoolery, evil HOAs, sports team futility, too few dollars for education, too many incompetents in too many elected positions.

Probably not, the contents of the box reminded me. We’ve battled the same problems for decades. We’ve outlasted them so far. We probably will for years to come.

I packed up the box and put it aside, vowing to visit it again down the line. Because what good are memories if you never unpack them?

Super Star Car Wash expands its footprint

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Super Star Car Wash is continuing its expansion within the Valley with its newest express wash locations in North Phoenix and Cave Creek. With these additions, the express car wash provider has 70 locations with 41 across the Valley.

The North Phoenix express wash is located just off Interstate 17 near the Norterra shopping plaza at 2675 W. Jomax Road,

along with premium treatment and finish options like Simoniz Graphine and ceramic sealants, Carnauba hot wax, triple foam soap and advanced tire shine.

Additional amenities include free vacuums, microfiber towels, high-pressure air blasters and tire pressure hoses at every stall after each wash.

“As we continue to grow across the Valley, we are excited to open more locations in the North Valley to better serve residents in the area,” said John Lueken, chief

look forward to exploring ways in which to continue giving back on a hyper-local

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recently opened two

A subtle and delicate present

freedom challenges that governments, nations and institutions will have from those on the inside.

We love the idea of freedom, don’t we? Yet, freedom is delicate and subtle. Freedom used in the wrong way is easily perverted. As a result, freedom is squandered, and then the opportunity is lost. World history is littered with examples of nations that gained freedom for a short season and then lost freedom for a long season.

There was a church in Galatia that lost its freedom. First, they forfeited their God-given freedom by giving in to heretical teachers who took away their freedom. Then they empowered themselves with their forfeited truth. The church’s founder and father, the Apostle Paul, shocked by what happened, wrote a letter to them about freedom. Paul warns them to look out for “freedom nappers.” Here is part of what Paul wrote.

“Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God’s grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important.” One translation calls these heretical teachers “paper tigers.”

If the Galatician church had freedom challenges from those inside of it, think of the

When some people get their hands on position and power, they often use their position to control others, either putting or keeping them “in their place.” The history of peoples, nations, governments, businesses, churches and the like is long and tedious. Without God and a sound moral compass, most leaders seek absolute power that corrupts them absolutely. Once leaders, governments or institutions get into power, their goal becomes to gain more control.

Nations or institutions often start right but end wrong. These entities or leaders gained freedom through many toils, trials, and snares.

As a result, freedom-loving people grew and prospered. Then the paper tigers with the old, controlling way of thought, who think they have a new way of thought, start calling the freedom-way of living into question. They challenge the views, values and vision of freedom. They focus on the problems that responsible freedom allows. They make it seem like the freedom of living doesn’t work.

Eventually, the freedom of living people caves into those who call their freedom into question. After all, they have a degree and are on television. However, it’s not the rules and regulations that ensnare freedom lov-

ers. Instead, fickleness, short memory, and a propensity to be seduced by words, optics and flattery trap them. Their naivety and lack of discernment snare them. The result is those who started with freedom end up losing their freedom.

Those who originally taught the Galatians about freedom, like the Apostle Paul, were perplexed. How could the Galatians give up their God-given freedom so quickly and easily? Their line of questioning would be like this. “Why did you rebuild the old dysfunctional barn we tore down? Who has bewitched you? Why the detour? Why give up your freedom for a paper tiger-created do’s and don’ts system? Why did you trade inside transformation from Jesus for outside legislation by paper tigers?”

Everyone has God-given power and rights. When someone gives up their freedom for conformity or safety, codependency results. Codependency herds people into a controlled and obligated corral of bondage.

Observe the wisdom from the Scriptures about freedom. “It is clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to (voluntarily) serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.”

Have

you noticed paper tigers don’t do that?

Just like a river has borders, freedom has borders. However, a river without borders is a swamp. The same is true of freedom. Being totally ‘free’ and without restraint leads to a swamp of bondage. I call that ‘free-dumb.’

For example, freedom from lying and stealing is better than the freedom to lie and steal. That’s not freedom, it’s bondage. Absolute freedom requires responsibility and self-control powered by God.

Freedom is an inside job. God sets us free on the inside so we can live “free” on the outside. God writes His laws in our hearts and conscience. God wants people to be free of the things that entangle us. Freedom does

not come from information, indoctrination or conformation. Freedom comes from transformation. And the rest is history.

Freedom is high octane. We need God’s wisdom in using real freedom from the scriptures, or we will have perverted freedom. Why? Eugene Peterson says it perfectly. “Freedom is a delicate and subtle gift, easily perverted, and often squandered.” For freedom, Christ set us free.

So don’t use your freedom as an opportunity to do whatever you want, whenever you want. That behavior leads to bondage.

One more word of encouragement. The truth sets us free, brings us into freedom and keeps us in freedom. But, unfortunately, tooth decay and truth decay have the same destructive results. So don’t let the truth decay in our culture take away your white, glistening truth of freedom.

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

Pastor Ed Delph

Foothills Focus Columnist

Musical Theatre of Anthem unveils 2023-24 season

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Musical Theatre of Anthem unveiled its 2023-2024 Sweet 16 season.

MTA will produce eight shows, casting all youth who audition.

“We are so grateful for all of the support from the community and are very excited to head into our Sweet 16 season,” said Jackie Hammond, MTA board member and producing artistic director.

“We are really looking forward to bringing ‘Cats: Young Actors Edition,’ a one-hour adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical with incredible dancing to the stage, the ever-popular Disney’s ‘Finding Nemo Jr.,’ and ‘Chicago Teen Edition’ with the classic Fosse dancing. We also have a number of crowd family favorites, including ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,’ ‘Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr.,’ ‘Mean Girls High School Edition,’ Disney’s ‘Aristocat’s Kids’ and ‘Dear Edwina Jr.’ It is sure to be a wonderful season of shows, workshops, training

and more.”

MTA’s 2023-2024 season

“Cats Young Actors Edition”

Ages: 13 to 18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions, dance call and callbacks: July 16

Performances: July 27 to July 29

“Cats” is set among a larger-than-life junkyard playground and is alive with felines. The Jellicle Cats come out to play on one night of the year — the night of the Jellicle Ball. One by one, they tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

Ages: 14 to 18

(only six to 11 roles will be cast) Auditions, dance call and callbacks: Aug. 10

Performances: Sept. 21 to Sept. 24

An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the bell that signals a spelling mistake.

“Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr.”

Ages: Ages 6 to 18, all youth are cast Auditions, dance call and callbacks: Aug. 12 to Aug. 13

Performances: Oct. 5 to Oct. 8

“Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr.” follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his

equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory — or suffer the consequences.

“Disney’s Aristocats Kids”

Ages: 6 to 13 (all youth are cast)

Auditions, dance call and callbacks:

Jan. 6 to Jan. 7

Performances: Feb. 8 to Feb. 11

In the heart of Paris, a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to Duchess, her high-society cat, and her three little kittens. Laughs and adventure ensue as the greedy, bumbling butler pulls off the ultimate catnap caper. Now it’s up to the roughand-tumble alley cat, Thomas O’Malley, and his band of swingin’ jazz cats to save the day.

“Mean Girls High School Edition”

Ages: 14 to 18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions, dance call and callbacks: Jan. 6 to Jan. 7, 2024

see MTA page 18

MTA from page 17

Performances: Feb. 22 to Feb. 25, 2024

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady and her friends devise a “Revenge Party” to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

“Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr.”

Ages 6 to 18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: Feb. 28 to Feb. 29, 2024

Performances: April 18 to April 21 and April 25 to April 28, 2024

Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his kid Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Marlin faces his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean.

“Chicago: Teen Edition”

Ages: 14 to 18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: March 23 to March 24, 2024

Performances: May 9 to May 12, 2024

In roaring twenties Chicago, chorine Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos, to take the rap... until he finds out he’s been duped and turns on Roxie. Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another “Merry Murderess,” Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the “American Dream:” fame, fortune and acquittal.

“Dear Edwina Jr.”

Ages: 8 to 16 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: June 3, 2024

Performances: June 13 to June 15, 2024

“Dear Edwina Jr.” follows the adventures of plucky advice-giver-extraordinaire, Edwina Spoonapple, as she directs the neighborhood kids in a series of buoyant production numbers for the latest edition of her weekly “Advice-a-Palooza.” Edwina and her friends share wisdom on everything from trying new foods to making new friends, through clever, catchy and poignant songs.

Autism nonprofit to host ‘secret’ fundraiser

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Lisa Masters is passionate about decreasing barriers to needed support services for young adults with autism and related intellectual/developmental disabilities.

The North Phoenix resident said out of the 159,000 individuals with autism/intellectual developmental disabilities in Arizona, 85% are unemployed and 67% express desire for classes to learn healthy habits and to become more independent.

About 87% experience loneliness and they have the lowest rate of independent living at 19%, compared to their peers with other disabilities.

Because of this, the single mother of two young adults with autism founded Autism Life and Living.

“I couldn’t sit and wait for our government

MONDAY, APRIL 24

Scan the QR code to learn more about the 19th Hole Reception and Helicopter Ball Drop Raffle or visit rmhccnaz.org/golf

to take action,” Masters said. “I had to do something.”

Autism Life and Living is hosting its second Autism Awareness Month fundraising event called Roaring ’20s Speakeasy Casino Night at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23, at Kazimierz in Scottsdale.

Highlights of the event include heavy hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails, live entertainment by Jazzona, casino tables, prizes, silent auction, time period photo props and a secret password that is required for entry.

Event sponsor is Taylor and Lihn Law and additional sponsorship opportunities are available.

Masters said her organization has been successful. It offers new activities, like a health and wellness program that incorporates socialization, nutrition, physical fitness, hygiene and personal well-being.

“It’s been tremendous,” she said. “We’ve received grants, partnered with Valley of the Sun United Way. It’s been a whirlwind of a year.”

She said she just needed to help.

“I think there’s such an obscene gap of services across the board,” she explained. “There’s momentum building for this movement to get attention. The care for these individuals can’t wait and society is going to get hit hard when the family caregivers die off.

“It’s horribly frustrating. There are no policies in place, which also has to happen.”

Roaring ’20s Speakeasy Casino Night

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23

WHERE: Kazimierz, 7137 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale

COST: $100

INFO: autismlifeandliving.org/events

Lisa Masters, a North Phoenix mom who founded Autism Life and Living, is hosting the Roaring ’20s Speakeasy Casino Night, for which guests are encouraged to dress in clothing from that period. (Dennis Murphy/Contributor)

Bluhm has been selling real estate in Anthem, New River and Desert Hills since 1999.

Sanctuary expands program for kids with autism

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Tierra Madre Horse & Human Sanctuary is growing, and its latest expansion will incorporate programming for young people with autism.

While the Cave Creek sanctuary’s purpose is to provide a forever home for disadvantaged horses, its team also aims to help humans navigate their personal challenges with the healing powers of its two dozen-plus equines.

Tierra Madre’s youth programming, in particular, has impacted the lives of many young people over the years, and its expansion will help the team better reach individuals with autism and developmental disabilities.

Alexis Roeckner Ferri, the sanctuary’s CEO, is looking forward to the opportunities that the growth will present.

“We feel that we can help so many more children and young adults,” she said in a statement. “What we’ve developed here is

very, very successful and we want as many people to take advantage of it as we can. It’s to everybody’s benefit — our horses as well as the young people. To that end, we’ll be reaching out to schools across the Valley to make them aware of it.”

Tierra Madre’s expansion is timely, with the approach of World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. The sanctuary will celebrate from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 1, for families with and without children with autism. The event is free.

The morning will include sensory-friendly activities highlighting the sanctuary’s programming for individuals of all ages with autism and developmental disabilities. Attendees can interact with horses, participate in arts and crafts, or relax and observe ranch activities from a quiet corner of the barn.

The sanctuary will host resources and agencies that support families with autism, as well as introduce its services to schools with special education departments.

“We want to celebrate this event, bring

awareness to what we’re doing and invite the public in through our gates,” Ferri said in an interview.

The sanctuary’s programming

Tierra Madre offers “equine experience sessions” to groups and individuals of all ages and abilities, which specifically target youth with autism and developmental disabilities. Programming can also be designed to benefit at-risk young people, individuals in recovery or those recovering from trauma.

Each equine experience session usually runs for an hour-and-a-half to two hours, and is split into two parts of hands-on activities personalized for the group’s goals, preferences and limitations.

Since horses can be unpredictable, Ferri said that they want the animals to be the ones guiding the course of the session.

During the first half, children participate in horsemanship and groundwork that can include learning about herd mentality, equine psychology, the differences between

prey versus predators, and how to approach and halter a horse.

Sometimes, the group participates in a debrief break or social activity for about 15 minutes before moving on to the remainder of the session, which is a project.

“We love making your hands dirty. We love getting them out and working,” Ferri said. “The group will either put grindings in stalls, muck stalls, clean out feeders, rake old hay out of aisles between stalls — so some kind of project where they are trying to accomplish a specific task.”

Sessions can be a one-time experience, but the Tierra Madre staff typically sees clients for at least multiple visits, whether that is every other week or once a month.

Regardless, the ultimate objective is for the participants to leave the sanctuary feeling fulfilled.

Their work, as described by Ferri, is a continuous circle of the horses and humans saving and healing each other.

“Without your donations, I would not be able to go to my Christian school. In my past, I struggled quite a bit with learning, but this school has helped me get better grades and make better friends. This was the opportunity I

for a very long time.”

SANCTUARY from page 19

Impact on humans

The Tierra Madre sanctuary is home to 26 horses that were previously abused, neglected, injured, abandoned or surrendered. A number of its equines, many of which are now seniors, are former racehorses, show horses, ranch horses and rodeo horses. Today, they live happy and healthy lives at their safe haven.

“We are the only exclusive horse sanctuary in Maricopa County, meaning that once our horses walk through our gates, they are home forever,” Ferri said. “We don’t adopt them out, they stay here — this is their home.”

The sanctuary’s CEO explained that horses are good healers because they are prey animals. Their naturally docile demeanor encourages positive interactions and helps people learn how to form trusting relationships.

“They’re intuitive, they’re very sharp, and you have to have confidence around them and you have to be honest with them,” Ferri said. “That brings a lot of things out of people. They reflect what’s inside of you, and you have to face what’s inside you at some point.”

Over the past three years, Tierra Madre has hosted many students from the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC), the Glendale School District and homeschooling cohorts to learn and participate in daily life on the ranch.

Susan Dodge, a member on Tierra Madre’s board of directors and a special education teacher at Greenway High School in Glendale, oversees three classes of students who have been regularly visiting the sanctuary since the program’s inception.

“I most definitely see a difference,” Dodge said in a statement. “For days after one of our visits, I see a big difference in the students’ attitudes and their concentration on learning. I consider it one of the best ‘classes’ that we provide.”

Ferri recalled a teenage boy named Garrison who participated in Tierra Madre’s program years ago. The boy was nonverbal and often walked around with his hands over his ears to block out noise.

A retired racehorse named Iron Man was particularly fond of Garrison, and one day approached the boy during a group activity. The two stood together with their heads touching for about 10 minutes.

“Everyone started crying because those two were having a conversation that no one else could understand,” Ferri said.

“In that moment, Garrison was talking to that horse. You could tell because his hands dropped from his ears, he was calm and attentive, and Iron Man was just breathing life into this boy. Garrison just had the biggest smile on his face and he was just so different, like he changed from that one encounter. Stories like that are why we do what we do.”

Behind Tierra Madre’s operations

The Tierra Madre sanctuary was founded as a nonprofit organization in 2006 by Jim Gath, whose original mission was to simply establish a haven for horses that needed care, love and a permanent residence.

Over the years, volunteers and visitors expressed how the equines helped them through emotional, spiritual or psychological challenges, spurring the sanctuary to expand its services to humans in 2018.

Tierra Madre’s horses have since helped many individuals in recovery, survivors of trauma or sexual abuse, and those with autism and developmental disabilities.

“A lot of us who found our way here are survivors of something or we have had some kind of trauma in our lives,” Ferri said. “A lot of us feel like this place has saved us, and now (the expansion is) our chance to give back to people who could really use the healing that we received.”

The sanctuary has a small team of several individuals who are supported by around 65 volunteers, and as a nonprofit, it is entirely funded by donations.

Ferri said they are “very fortunate” to have grants, fundraising events and a large donor base, but they hope to increase program revenue through its expansion.

“This is something we truly believe we’ve been called to offer,” she said.

Tierra Madre Horse & Human Sanctuary World Autism Awareness Day celebration

WHEN: 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 1

WHERE: Tierra Madre Horse & Human Sanctuary, 27115 N. 45th Street, Cave Creek INFO: 480-469-9166, tierramadrehorseandhumansanctuary.org

Dr. Mark Davis

Jennifer Stern, PA-C

School districts hosting employment expo

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

AZ Careers NOW, in partnership with ElevateEdAZ, is holding districtwide career exploration and employment expos that will take place across four Arizona high school districts: Mesa Public Schools, Phoenix Union High School District, Deer Valley Unified School District and ASU Preparatory Academy.

More than 10,000 students will be invited to meet potential employers, network to understand career pathways, and explore summer internship opportunities.

“The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation believes hiring events like these are the key to growing and sustaining Arizona’s talent pipeline,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation.

“I encourage business leaders to join these events to recruit students for internships, summer jobs and future careers in their industries. Graduation season is upon us, and employers

must invest and establish relationships with our future workforce since they will soon become tomorrow’s business leaders.”

Mesa Public Schools CTE High Schools Career Planning Expo

4 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 10

2820 W. Rose Garden Lane, Phoenix

Registration: https://bit.ly/DVUSDCareerExpo

in the midst of a competitive jobseeker’s market, it is critical that employers begin recruiting them prior to graduation,” said Jessica Pierce, founder and CEO,

“There is no better way to recruit and get to know your talent pipeline than by meeting with them face-to-face at events

FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Lela Allen of Phoenix has qualified for the fall 2022 dean’s list at Seton Hall University.

After the close of every semester, undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of 3.4, with no

YOUTH

Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center Street, Mesa

Registration: https://bit.ly/MesaCareerExpo

Phoenix Union High School District Career Exploration and Employment Expo

9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 17

Metro Tech High School, 1900 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix

Registration:

https://bit.ly/PUHSDCareerExpo

Deer Valley Unified School District Career Exploration and Employment Expo

8:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 20

Barry Goldwater High School,

grades lower than “C,” qualify for the dean’s list.

A Catholic university, Seton Hall University has more than 80 majors. Its main campus is in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, and is 14 miles by train, bus or car to New York City. For more information, visit shu.edu.

AZ Careers NOW is planning to host a combination of virtual and in-person events enabling hiring managers and job seekers to connect in the most meaning-

For more information, visit azcareer-

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