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Fixin’ to Eat offers nutritious meals and quality family time

BY MIA ANDREA Peoria Times Staff Writer

Jaimi Morgan knows firsthand that meal preparation is the key to a nutritious, quick, quality meal for any family. According to her, the dinner table is a space for families to connect, and the meal everyone shares should be healthy and easy to prepare.

Morgan opened Fixin’ to Eat’s doors on Bell Road in January 2019 as a meal kit service with pick-up and delivery options. She owned a similar meal preparation company in the early 2000s, but after the Great Recession, she chose to go back to school and pursued a career in health care.

While working with patients, she noticed their lack of nutrition and energy as they weren’t physically able to cook healthy meals. She felt inspired to use her background in nutrition to pursue her passion for accessible and easy meal preparation, which led to the creation of Fixin’ to Eat.

The local meal kit company offers a range of meals, side dishes and desserts that rotate monthly and are available in single and family servings. Each kit comes with all the ingredients necessary for the meal and they are designed to keep well in fridges and freezers. By eliminating food waste and the time-consuming process of grocery shopping, Morgan hopes that her busi-

Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat named Jaimi Morgan’s meal preparation company, Fixin’ to Eat the August 2021 Restaurant of the Month. The local meal kit company offers a range of meals, side dishes and desserts that rotate monthly and are available in single and family serivings. (Submitted photo)

SEE FIXIN PAGE 23

October 21, 2021

Heirloom quilt accidentally taken to Goodwill

BY CARRIE SNIDER Peoria Times Contributing Writer

That sinking feeling of losing something very valuable is something no one wants. But it happened to Erin Fuamatu, of Goodyear, who is asking for the public’s help in finding her missing heirloom quilt.

Less than a year ago, while donating a truck full of items, the twin-sized quilt was mistakenly given to a Goodwill on Dysart and Camelback roads or PebbleCreek Parkway and McDowell Road.

Since then, she’s tried to locate it to no avail.

“It is very important to me, as it was handmade by my mother using material from her, my grandmother, and my great-grandmother,” Fuamatu wrote in a Facebook Marketplace post. “I am more than willing to reimburse you for the cost.”

Its value is worth more than money.

Fuamatu fondly recalls the hours it took her mother to finish the quilt — nearly her entire childhood. For over 10 years, her mother painstakingly used heirloom fabric pieces to stitch together a quilt that could be passed down to the next generation.

“I remember seeing these at the beginning stages of cut out pieces and then stitched together sitting in piles to finally forming quilts for myself and my sister,” she said. “I received my quilt for Christmas when I was 16 years old.”

The fabric used came from three special women in her life: her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother. Fuamatu’s great-grandmother lived to be 101 years old, so she was able to know her as a child. Also, she spent many weekends with her grandmother in Texas. The only cloth purchased for the quilt was the blue border/backing.

More than just a blanket to keep her warm, the heirloom quilt offers emotional support.

“I’m the only one in Arizona, so this quilt was also a comfort for me when feeling alone or needing support from my family,” she said.

“It keeps me awake at night sometimes wondering what happened to it.”

Anyone with information about the heirloom quilt should call Fuamatu at 623-293-1962.

Four generations of women are represented in Erin Fuamatu’s heirloom quilt. Pictured from left to right: Diana Davis (mother), Nellie Kirk (great-grandmother), Faye Davis (grandmother), Erin as a child, and Lindsey Potts (sister). The photo was taken in 1981, about the time Diana began working on the quilt. (Photo

courtesy of Erin Fuamatu)

Erin Fuamatu is hoping to locate her heirloom quilt, which was accidentally donated to a local Goodwill last year. (Photo courtesy of Erin Fuamatu)

Sun Health honoring physicians, nurses at gala

BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF

Sun Health Foundation will honor physicians and nurses during its second Heroes with Heart Gala on Nov. 6 at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa in Westgate.

The program begins at 7 p.m.

The honorees are:

Outstanding Achievement: Dr. John Brown, orthopedic surgeon, The CORE Institute

Outstanding Commitment: Dr. Arun Lakshmipathy, internist and program director for Sun Health Communities

Outstanding Service to the Community: Nurses at Sun Health, Banner Boswell and Banner Del E. Webb medical centers

The evening includes cocktails, dinner, music and dancing, and entertainment provided by Thaddeus Rose Band. Admission also includes valet parking.

Master of ceremonies is Cory McCloskey, Fox10 Arizona morning weather anchor.

Those unable to attend are encouraged to purchase a ticket(s) for a special nurse to honor members of that profession.

When ticket holders RSVP, they’re invited to share their tribute message or testimonial in honor of Dr. Brown, Dr. Lakshmipathy, and/or that special nurse at Sun Health or Banner Boswell and Banner Del E. Webb medical centers.

To RSVP, visit sunhealthfoundation. org/gala.

To submit a tribute, contact Janine McGhee at janine.mcghee@sunhealth. org or 623-471-8503.

Brown is an orthopedic specialist in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery who has been practicing for more than 23 years. Brown has made significant contributions to the improvement and advancement of health care fueled by his steadfast commitment to excellence and innovation, and improving the quality of life for each patient.

Lakshmipathy is an internist and program director for Sun Health Com-

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© 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. munities who has been practicing for more than 16 years. Lakshmipathy is respected for his unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of Sun Health Communities residents and staff during the pandemic; and his calm, steady influence of reason and knowledge, effective decision-making, and caring for each individual.

The nurses at Sun Health and Banner Boswell and Banner Del E. Webb medical centers are recognized for their bravery, dedication and true heart for caring on the front lines of health care.

Sun Health Foundation champions superior health and well-being through philanthropy, inspired living and wellness programs. For more than 50 years, the community, through Sun Health Foundation has invested in the infrastructure, programs, skilled professionals, and innovations that make the West Valley the place for active, independent living.

Lancaster named to motorcycle foundation’s board

BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF

The Arizona Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Foundation has named Cave Creek resident Lori Lancaster to its advisory board.

Lancaster, an avid motorcycle rider who owns a 2016 Harley Street Glide Special and a Triumph Tiger 800, serves as chief executive officer for Toy Junkies LLC. Prior to her current position, she worked as a production designer from 2005-2018.

The goal of the nonprofit AMSAF is to reduce motorcycle and driver crashes and fatalities in Arizona through education and awareness. The scholarship program is the only one of its kind in the United States. The organization provides motorcycle training scholarships to individuals 15 years and older who need training and certification in Arizona.

For more information about the novel motorcycle training scholarships program, call 1-888-951-3732 or visit AMSAF at amsaf.org.

Lori Lancaster is an avid motorcycle rider who owns a 2016 Harley Street Glide Special and a Triumph Tiger 800.

(Photo by Fran Booth)

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CB FIXIN FROM PAGE 16 ness can leave more time for families to spend quality time with one another.

“I love this business because I truly believe in the benefits for families sitting down around the table at dinner time,” she said.

According to Morgan, Fixin’ to Eat understands that everyone has different skill levels of cooking and unlike major meal kit delivery competitors, her company provides easy-to-follow instructions that help customers cook meals quickly.

“We just take it a step further and do all of the prep,” she said. “Rather than providing folks a lemon and telling them how to zest it, we’ve already done that part.”

Morgan puts herself in the shoes of a customer when planning monthly menus, often adding items that she enjoys herself and novelties that most families wouldn’t usually go out of their way to make due to time or resources.

“I usually like to find a good combination of things that are appropriate for those that are more health conscious and things that are more homestyle,” she said.

Morgan said one of her favorite items on the menu is the Tex-Mex chicken, which she’ll use for meals such as salads, fajitas and tacos.

Fixin’ to Eat caught the attention of Mayor Cathy Carlat this year when she awarded the meal kit company as the Mayor’s Restaurant of the month in August.

“I was really flattered that they even knew about me because I don’t do a lot of advertising,” Morgan said. “I don’t have a lot of publicity so it’s kind of all word of mouth.”

Morgan enjoys connecting with the community, saying that she tries to personally know her regular customers and hear their suggestions for recurring menu items. She said she was glad to make that connection with Carlat upon meeting her.

“You could really tell she actually cares about all the small businesses in Peoria,” Morgan said.

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