News From You (12/12)

It's news, submitted by you, the reader. Don't miss your chance to send something to the AFN newsroom. If you've got something you want to report, send an email to Janet Walker at jwalker@ahwatukee.com.

Locals cast in The Quiltmaker's Gift

Ahwatukee Foothills residents Stephanie Coronado, Eric Boudreau, Dion Johnson and Bridgid Maloney will perform with the Phoenix Theatre/Cookie Company in The Quiltmaker's Gift, on stage Dec. 13 to 21 at Phoenix Theatre, 100 E. McDowell Road.

The curtain rises at 1 p.m. Dec. 13; 1 and 3 p.m. Dec. 14; 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Dec. 20; and 1 and 3 p.m. Dec. 21. Maloney, a seventh-grader at Altadeña Middle School, will perform in the 1 p.m. Dec. 13 and 1 and 3 p.m. Dec. 21 shows.

Tickets are available by calling (602) 254-2151 or online at www.cookiecompany.org.

Money, Smith marry

Nicole Elizabeth Money and Collin Heber Smith were married Nov. 22 in Mesa.

The bride is the daughter of Sandra and Alan Money of Ahwatukee Foothills. She is a graduate of Desert Vista High School and attended Northern Arizona University.

The bridegroom is the son of Ludona and Kenneth Smith. He is a research assistant and will graduate in spring 2009 from Brigham Young University.

Ohe, Benedict announce engagement

J.P. Benedict and Hawlie Ohe are engaged to be married. The wedding will be held in March 2009 at the Castle at Ashley Manor in Chandler.

The bride-to-be is the daughter of Tom and Dottie Ohe of Tempe. She attended Sureno Elementary School, Aprende Middle School, Corona del Sol High School and graduated from Arizona State University in 2006. Ohe is a news reporter for Channel 12.

The bridegroom-to-be is the son of Jeff and Deb Benedict of Ahwatukee Foothills. He attended Lagos Elementary School, Akimel A-al Middle School, Desert Vista High School and graduated from the University of Arizona in 2004. Has been working as a real estate agent in the Valley since 2005.

P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. benefits from AAED raffle

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Bruce Coomer, executive director of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), recently presented a check for $4,390 to Chris Linn and Gina Merola, founding mothers of the P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. (Parent Organized Partnerships Supporting Infants and Children Learning to Eat) Center.

P.O.P.S.I.C.L.E. was the selected beneficiary of AAED's annual charity luncheon and raffle. Proceeds from raffle ticket sales were donated to the organization, which offers support to parents of children who have difficulty learning to eat.

For more information, visit www.aaed.com.

Arce wins Best of Show for 2009 bus calendar

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Lauryn Arce, a third-grader at Ahwatukee Foothills Prep, was one of 13 winners out of 208 entries chosen for their unique artwork and message to be featured in the 2009 Valley Metro Cool Bus STUFF calendar.

Students were instructed to draw a picture that focused on one of the following topics and using the theme of "Valley Metro: Let's Go Green Together!:" Go Green and Save, Go Green to Fun Places and Go Green and Be Safe.

Arce won Best of Show for her artwork in the Go Green and Save category, which is featured on the cover of the calendar. Each month showcases one of the other winners.

The annual event is open to all third-graders in the Valley.

To request a free calendar, send an e-mail to csr@valleymetro.org or call (602) 262-7433. For more information, call Dolores Nolan at (602) 262-4001.

West achieves Eagle Scout rank

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Jeremiah Daniel West, 16, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. His Eagle Court of Honor will be held Feb. 11. He is a member of Troop 78, led by scoutmaster Dave Merrill.

For his Eagle Project, West cleaned and repaired chairs at Bridgeway Community Church. The project involved 29 volunteers and took 120 hours to complete.

West is home schooled and in the 11th grade. He is the son of John and Kay West.

Arizona Hockey Union's U16AA team adopts family

The Arizona Hockey Union's U16AA (1992) team, which skates out of Desert Schools Coyote Center in Chandler, has adopted a family of three for the holidays. The mother and her two daughters live in the Ahwatukee Foothills area, and the oldest daughter attends school in the Kyrene School District. The family was chosen by a social worker within the Kyrene School District.

The team recently traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the Silver Stick Western Regional Tournament. The players were highly focused on hockey and won the tournament, but they also took time out to help the family. After contributing $20 each, the players broke into groups of four and had a scavenger hunt at Target to find items on the family's wish list.

Players from Ahwatukee Foothills include: Jarrod Levos from Mountain Pointe High School and Daniel Pela, Keanen Romero and Evan Smith from Desert Vista High School.

Brownies help community

Ahwatukee Foothills-based Brownie Troop 1945, along with two Independent Scouts (Juliettes) and their leaders, Katy Henthorne and Petra Hansen, have been busy this year. Their focus has been to do more diverse projects to help children and families in the community.

The group's first project in mid-October was a clothing, household product and food drive to benefit the Kyrene Resource Center. The girls delivered more than 20 large bags of items they collected from family, friends and neighbors over a six-week period. While making the delivery, the girls had a tour and discussion about how the center helps families in the Kyrene School District and community.

In November, the girls held a "cheer station" in the Lakewood neighborhood for the walkers participating in the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. They made lots of colorful signs to encourage the walkers and show their support. They also used spray bottles to mist the walkers as they passed and offered hard candy to help keep them going. As they cheered with "Cure breast cancer!!" and other chants, their enthusiasm was enough to have many of the walkers stop, pose for photos and give hugs of thanks.

In December, the girls have been recording themselves reading books and will deliver the cassettes and books to Homeward Bound next week. While there, they plan to decorate Christmas cookies with the children there, as well as read and play with them. 

Cub Scouts hold food drive

Members of Cub Scout Pack 978 were moved by the generosity of the Ahwatukee Foothills community when they held their food drive Dec. 6.

The Scouts collected non-perishable food items in their neighborhoods - 115 bags of food, totaling more than 1,100 cans, jars and boxes of cereal, peanut butter, soup, vegetables and other staples for those who need them most, were collected. Two truckloads of donated food items were then delivered to the St. Vincent de Paul charity food pantry at Corpus Christi Catholic Church.