Community Briefs (9/17)

Councilman Stanton invites residents to office hours

Councilman Greg Stanton invites residents to come ask questions and give their input from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, 1030 E. Liberty Lane. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, call Stanton's office at (602) 262-7491.

You can help animals displaced by Hurricane Ike

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Phoenix-based PetSmart Charities is sending an Emergency Relief Waggin' stocked with at least 16 tons of much-needed supplies to one of the hardest-hit areas of Texas.

Members of the public who would like to support PetSmart Charities' ER Waggin' Program can make a tax-deductible donation via credit card or check. Funds raised will be used to aid pets affected by Hurricane Ike and future ER Waggin' rescue efforts when pets are affected by natural and man-made disasters.

Learn more at www.petsmartcharities.org/programs/emergency-relief.php.

Rotary Club hosting festival

Ahwatukee Foothills Rotary Club will present the Fabulous Food Festival of Ahwatukee from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Grace Inn, 10831 S. 51st St. 

Up to 35 local restaurants will provide samples and there will be music, a silent auction, raffles and more. Tickets are $10 per person. Proceeds will benefit the many service projects of the club.

Tickets are available in advance by calling Cindy at (480) 242-6802 or at the door.

Activate America Week coming up

The week of Sept. 20 to 27 is Activate America Week at the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, 1030 E. Liberty Lane. The week of events is free to the public.

Programs include an "Am I Hungry?" workshop at 10 a.m. Monday, a Splash and Dash for ages 7 and older at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, a Stretch to Win workshop at 7 p.m. Thursday and a Wii tournament at noon Saturday ($10 entry fee).

For more information, visit www.ahwatukeeymca.org or call Sandra Franks at (602) 212-6082.

Carraro Cactus Garden tours

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department will offer visitors this fall and winter a chance to explore the renovated Carraro Cactus Garden surrounding the landmark Tovrea Castle.

Participants can join 90-minute guided tours on selected Saturdays starting Sept. 27 through late December. The tours cost $15 per person, and proceeds will help to fund future castle and garden rehabilitation and improvements. The tours will only cover the grounds and do not include access to Tovrea Castle, which is closed as part of ongoing rehabilitation and renovation. Walking tours are appropriate for youth ages 8 and above with mild-grade variations on garden trails.

Visitors can register online at phoenix.gov/parks/tovrea.html. For more information, call (602) 256-3222.

Sports explosion event celebrates Phoenix Day of Play

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and the city of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department will present a free interactive Day of Play from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Pecos Park, 17010 S. 48th St.

Organizations, club teams, businesses and vendors are encouraged to participate. To request an opportunity to host a booth, provide a demonstration or conduct a clinic, call (480) 947-0369.

Local writer to teach Memoir Writing Course in Mexico

As a recipient of a 2008 Artist's Project Grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Ahwatukee Foothills resident and writer Patricia Colleen Murphy has spent this summer writing her own memoir. But for the past 15 years, as a writing teacher at Arizona State University, she has been dedicated to helping others craft their personal stories. Murphy continues to support the growing number of people interested in memoir writing with a workshop Oct. 2 to 5 at Hacienda de los Santos in the historic town of Alamos, Mexico.

The four-day writing workshop, titled "Writing the Memoir: Crafting Your Personal Experience into Art" will start with an introductory session Thursday evening, Oct. 2. There will be three morning workshops on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, culminating in a student reading Sunday evening. Murphy will also give public readings of her own poetry and prose in the Hacienda Theater. The total cost for the workshop is $60 (not including, room, food or beverage).

The Hacienda de Los Santos is located at Calle Molina No. 8, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico 85763.

For further information, e-mail Hacienda de los Santos at Swickard@haciendadelossantos.com or visit www.haciendadelossantos.com or email the author at pcm@asu.edu or visit www.patriciacolleenmurphy.com.

Need a place for your holiday party?

If you're looking for a great place to hold your holiday party, then check out The Foothills Golf Club at 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive. Book before Sept. 30 and get $250 off the facility fee.

For more information, contact Jennifer DeBrino, director of catering, at (480) 460-4653 or jdebrino@eaglegolf.com. For details on the golf club, visit www.thefoothillsgc.com.

Huge demand for election board workers

Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell is extending an invitation to the voting public to sign up and become a board worker on Election Day. The positions are paid and vary in responsibility. Workers must attend a training class and set-up meeting. The hours are from 6 a.m., when the polls open, to 7 p.m., when they close.

Of the 1,142 precincts in the county, 636 need to be staffed with 848 bi-lingual workers. Some of the polling sites require more than one bi-lingual board worker. The department needs assistance in this program as well.

Because of a dire need for board workers during the election cycle, a state law was passed in 2006 that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to work at the polls on Election Day. They must have parental approval, and the high school must be notified of their intent. They receive pay for attending class, set-up meeting and working Election Day. Passage of this law does not penalize either the high school or the student for being absent while working at the polls.

Anyone interested in working the polls for the Nov. 4 general elections may call (602) 506-1511.

Spot of Grace: Reactivating Your Purpose and Passion

Join Dawna Markova, bestselling author and inspirational facilitator, for a two-day multidimensional workshop presented by A Woman's Way. The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18 and 19 at the Sedona Creative Life Center.

For information or to register, visit www.awomansway.com or call (928) 254-1897.

Prepare now for Global Word Cup

Tryouts for the annual global Word Cup, an innovative competition for all ages hosted by nonprofit organization eSpindle Learning, will take place next spring, but those interested can visit the frequently updated practice quiz at www.eSpindle.org/free_quiz and visit the "word savvy" forum, which is available on the Word Cup site at www.WordCupCafe.org.

Lions Club needs help in clean-up efforts

On the second Saturday of every month, the Ahwatukee Lions Club will be picking up trash and debris on a stretch of Pecos Road. Volunteers meet in the east parking lot at Desert Vista High School, 16440 S. 32nd St., at 7 a.m. and will be out for about an hour. Trash bags are provided, and the filled bags are picked up by the city of Phoenix.

For more information, call Mike Coltrane at (480) 759-9063.

Public voting opens for 2009 ONEBOOKAZ nominees

All Arizonans are invited to vote for the one book they want to read in 2009. Six books for adults and six books for kids have been nominated, and the public will determine which will be the 2009 ONEBOOKAZ for adults and for kids.

Voting is under way and continues through Sept. 30, at which time the two winners will be announced. Arizonans can read excerpts and cast votes for the adult book at www.onebookaz.org and for the kids' book at www.onebookaz.org/kids.

Foster children need you

Statewide, nearly 9,000 children are in out-of-home care - almost 5,000 in Maricopa County - and that number continues to rise. The Arizona Supreme Court's Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) is recruiting volunteer citizens for its Maricopa County Boards. Volunteers are needed to handle the increasing number of cases and to fill vacancies that are currently available.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and pass a criminal background check. They will receive two days of training, with mileage reimbursed. Thereafter, the volunteer must commit one day per month to the review panel, and four to six hours of preparation time to review the cases prior to the meeting. Each volunteer is appointed by the presiding juvenile judge for a term of three years. Volunteers are also required to obtain six to eight hours of continuing education each year.

For more information, go to www.azfcrb.org or contact Courtney Riddle at the FCRB, Dependent Children's Services Division, at (602) 452-3406.

YMCA Youth and Government

Teens in eighth grade and up are welcome to join the YMCA's Youth and Government Ahwatukee delegation.

Meetings are held from 7 to 8 p.m. every Monday at the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA, 1030 E. Liberty Lane, and members learn hands-on how to practice government procedures and prepare for end-of-the-year model Legislature at the Arizona state capitol. Teens will be able to voice their opinions on how things should be run in Arizona and gain valuable leadership experience. This program is incredibly rewarding for anyone looking to broaden their knowledge of Arizona parliamentary procedure or just looking for a fun and highly-involved experience.

For more information, call (602) 252-2963.

Hats being collected for humanity project

St. Benedict Catholic Church and St. John Bosco Interparish School in Ahwatukee Foothills have partnered to launch a Hats for Humanity project to benefit the homeless.

The project is under way and will continue through Oct. 31. The hats will be delivered to shelters in the Valley the weekend before Thanksgiving.

St. John Bosco will have a contest among the classrooms to see who can donate the most hats, with the winners receiving either a pizza party or ice cream social.

To donate warm, clean hats or to request a donation box, call (602) 531-9863.

ZooFari holding silent auction online

For the first time ever, ZooFari's Zoopendous Silent Auction is open to the public online at phoenixzoo.org.

ZooFari is the Phoenix Zoo's annual black-tie fundraiser that takes place at the Zoo at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3. The popular event is a tropical escape from reality where guests can take part in sampling the Valley's top restaurants and purveyors, enjoy entertainment performances, take part in the Zoopendous Silent Auction and much more.

The online bidding continues through Oct. 1. People attending the event will also be able to bid on the same items, plus much more. When the auction closes online on Oct. 1, the last bid amount will be the starting bid on the night of the event. If nobody else bids on the item that was bid on online, then the online bidder gets the item.

The public can visit www.phoenixzoo.org, click on the large ZooFari banner at the top of the page, then click on the ZooPendous Silent Auction. There you can access the online auction and begin bidding.

For more information, contact Laura Kelly at lkelly@thephxzoo.org.

DV Hockey Club hosting annual golf classic

Desert Vista High School Hockey Club's Fourth Annual Charity Golf Classic will get under way with a shotgun/scramble start at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, at Foothills Golf Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive. Registration and sign-in start at 11 a.m.

The cost is $95 per player or $350 per team. Sponsorships are available, and raffle and silent auction prizes and donations are needed. Funds earned will help defray ice costs and other expenses associated with running the program.

For more information or to sponsor, donate or sign up, contact Tina at (480) 633-5773 or tpyke1@aol.com.

Family Portrait Month benefits Operation Smile

During October, McCay Photography of Scottsdale will join PPA Charities (the philanthropic arm of Professional Photographers of America) in promoting Family Portrait Month. This national fundraising effort will benefit Operation Smile, which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

McCay Photography can be contacted at (602) 482-1129 or www.mccayphoto.com. To view a list of other participating studios in Family Portrait Month, visit www.familyportraitmonth.com.

AFCC presents E-Myth Solution Workshop

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce's Women in Business organization will present the world-renowned E-Myth Solution Seminar Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Grace Inn, 10831 S. 51st St.

The seminar starts at 8:30 a.m. and goes until noon with lunch provided afterwards.

Registration is $125 for chamber members and $150 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.ahwatukeechamber.com or by calling the chamber at (480) 753-7676.

Free home painting for low-income, disabled or elderly homeowners

Low-income, disabled or elderly homeowners statewide whose homes need exterior painting but can't do the work themselves and volunteer groups willing to handle the painting are being sought by Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun for the fifth annual Wells Fargo Rock & Roll Paint-A-Thon, 1 Day of Peace, Music & Paint, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Rebuilding Together also is looking for nonprofit organizations to apply to have their facilities painted. Two agencies will be selected.

Eligibility guidelines and an application for homeowners, volunteers and nonprofit agencies can be found at www.rebuildingtogetherphx.org.

East Valley Marines planning birthday ball

With their 2008 Birthday Ball scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Oakwood Country Club in Sun Lakes, the East Valley Marines are focusing on their mission. As guests arrive, they will be heralded into the ballroom by the Tempe Police Pipe Band, dressed for the occasion in their uniform kilts. Hundreds of Marines ranging in age from teens to men and women in their 80s are expected to attend. Special tributes and speeches will be made to honor a large number of Marine guests who will have just returned from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The event will be a night of tradition, ceremony, dinner, music and dancing.

The Birthday Ball is open to Marines of all ages, Navy Corpsmen who served with the Marines and to their families and guests.

Attendees will enjoy a full course served prime rib dinner with all the trimmings. The cost for the dinner is $40 per person. Those who sponsor a Marine and a guest for $80 or a full table of ten Marines for $400 will be noted in the program and their names will appear on their sponsored table. Guests are urged to purchase tickets early since the event sold out last year.

To purchase tickets or for sponsorship applications, call Chuck Crist at (480) 250-0984 or visit www.eastvalleymarines.org. For general information, call Rich Hippner at (480) 883-9393.

Drag boat race champions to be decided at Firebird

The world's fastest boats will be returning to Firebird Lake for the 26th Annual IHBA NAPA Auto Parts World Finals Drag Boat Races Nov. 20 to 23. Gates open at 7 a.m. each day.

Thirteen classes of boats in speeds excess of 240 mph will participate. The NAPA Auto Parts World Finals is the final event on the IHBA Lucas Oil Racing Series and will decide the 2008 season champions.

Firebird International Raceway Lake is located at 20000 Maricopa Road in Chandler.

Tickets range from $10 to $48 and are available by calling (602) 268-0200 or online at www.firebirdraceway.com. Kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult (except to reserve seating areas).

Polar Express season coming up

Grand Canyon Railway's 2008 Polar Express Season kicks off Nov. 6 and continues select evenings into January. The round-trip journey is approximately an hour in length. Most evenings, Grand Canyon Railway offers two Polar Express trains, with one departing Williams Depot at 6:30 p.m. and a second train departing at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $26 for adults and $14 for children. Special Polar Express packages, which include The Polar Express train trip, one night at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel and dinner and breakfast at the railway's restaurant, are available starting at $289. Package prices are for two adults and two children and are based on double occupancy. Prices do not include tax and are valid for travel from Nov. 6 to Jan. 10, 2009.

For more information, visit www.thetrain.com or call 1-800-THE-TRAIN (1-800-843-8724).

Holiday boutique looking for artists, crafters

Members of Arizona Community Church are currently gearing up for their Seventh Annual Holiday Shoppe to be held Nov. 14 and 15. Vendor registrations are now being accepted until Oct. 16, or until all spaces are sold.

Vendor setup, close to 100 spaces available, is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. The Shoppe will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15.

The vendor registration packet contains details on dates, times, requirements and fees. To download a packet, go to www.azcc.org and click the "Holiday Shoppe" button. You can also stop by Arizona Community Church at 9325 S. Rural Road in Tempe between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To pick up a packet call Jackie Fahey at (480) 491-2210 to have one mailed to you.

Catholic Charities hosting annual golf tournament

The 2008 Catholic Charities Tournament of Champions will begin with a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start Friday, Nov. 7, at the Legacy Golf Resort, 6808 S. 32nd St., followed by dinner and awards. The format will be best ball, four person scramble.

All golfers and Catholic Charities supporters are invited to participate, and players will have an opportunity to win several hole-in-one prizes. Foursomes are available for $700 or individuals may register for $175 per person. Proceeds will benefit more than 50 programs helping vulnerable children and families in crisis throughout northern and central Arizona.

For more information or to register to play, become a tournament sponsor or volunteer, visit www.golfinvite.com/events/index.asp?eventID=1078.

Rabbi leading tour of Israel

Rabbi Irwin Wiener and his wife, Sandi, of Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation, will lead a tour to Israel May 10 to 24.

The tour is open to anyone of any religion, as well as singles, couples, friends, veteran travelers or first-timers.

The cost for an air and land package is $4,397 per person, and land only is $3,197 per person.

For more information, visit www.arzaworld.com or call travel agent Sandra Friedson at (480) 491-2768.

Charity Ride coming up

Arizona Beta Sigma Phis Against Domestic Abuse (AzBSPADA) are hosting their annual Charity Ride or Drive starting at 9 a.m. Oct. 18 at Chesters Harley Davidson, 922 S. Country Club Drive, Mesa. All proceeds will be donated to local domestic abuse shelters.

This event is for bikes, car, trucks or whatever will get you there. The route will take us to Fountain Hills via surface streets and then through Rio Verde on to New River for lunch at the Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon. There will be a 50/50 drawing, as well as door prizes. The entry cost is $20 per bike or $20 per vehicle (does not include the cost of lunch). For more information, visit www.sharethemagicada.org. To register, call Joan Arnold at (480) 818-0831.

Bondurant Corvette Performance Experience

The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving will offer the Bondurant Corvette Performance Experience on Saturday, Dec. 6. Corvette owners (with guest) are welcome to participate in an all day driving experience at the Bondurant School's 60-acre training facility and 1.6 mile road course located at 20000 S. Maricopa Road in Chandler, at Firebird Raceway, Gate 3 (Exit 162, Wild Horse Pass and I-10).

The cost is $195 per Corvette.

For more information, visit www.bondurant.com. Registration is available online at www.bondurant.com/corvetteday08.

Women offered 10-day retreat to Peru

This 10-day women's retreat, presented by A Woman's Way, will be held May 23 to June 2, 2009.

Experienced facilitator, Karen Ely, will lead participants on a quiet exploration back to themselves. Sitting in the quiet of the ancient, spiritual sites, the women will use journaling, meditation and special exercises to move them back into their old life in a new, more authentic way.

The cost is $2,985.

For information or to register visit www.awomansway.com or call (928) 254-1897.

YMCA's OPAS program

Y OPAS (Outreach Programs for Ahwatukee Seniors) is a volunteer program of the Ahwatukee Foothills Family YMCA providing support services for seniors, 62 and older, who live in Ahwatukee Foothills. Transportation, shopping and errands, friendly visiting, caregiver relief, business help and household assistance are some of the services provided by Y OPAS volunteers.

If you, or someone you know would like to use its services, or if you are interested in volunteering, call the Y OPAS office at (602) 212-6088 (note that the phone number has recently changed).

Income tax too high?

The Arizona Kidney Foundation is reminding "Kidney Car" donors that while they are working on their 2007 tax returns, it's not too early to start thinking about 2008 tax deductions and if you have not donated your vehicle to AKF, now is a great time to begin - you could have a tax deduction in 2008. All vehicle title and paperwork must be received by the Arizona Kidney Foundation no later than Dec. 31 to qualify for a 2008 tax deduction.

There are three ways to participate in the AKF Kidney Car Donation Program. First, a donor can visit the Arizona Kidney Foundation Web site at www.azkidney.org and register online. Second, a donor can call (602) 840-1644, the Arizona Kidney Foundation, and ask that a Kidney Car Donation Program information packet be mailed to their home address. Or third, a donor can call for an appointment and visit the AKF headquarters at 4203 E. Indian School Road, Suite 140, to complete their donation. In all cases, the process requires a donor to submit the original MVD vehicle title as well as completing an odometer disclosure statement and a limited power of attorney form. The Foundation has two notary personal at their headquarters to assist in completing the power of attorney form.

Older children and larger sibling groups need adoption, too

November is National Adoption Month, and Christian Family Care Agency hopes to draw attention to two very special groups of kids who need adoptive homes - children over the age of 10 and children from larger sibling groups (three or more children).

Louise Gonzales, of Christian Family Care Agency's Phoenix office, said while progress is being made in these two areas, the need for loving parents willing to adopt these kids is still tremendous.

Gonzales said parents willing to adopt children from these two areas often will move through the adoption process more quickly. She added that a parent's age isn't usually as big an issue when it comes to adopting an older child.

An adoptive parent's bank account also isn't necessarily a barrier. For more information, call (602) 234-1935 or visit www.cfcare.org.

Woodworkers looking for projects

The Ahwatukee Woodworkers Club gets together on Thursdays to work on charity projects and is currently looking for more projects to take on.

Past projects have included making plaques for Phoenix Children's Hospital, building tables and chairs for preschools and even making model MRI machines for doctors to explain the procedure to children to ease their fears. A model doll house kit was donated to the group, so members built it and held a raffle to raise money to support the club. In another project, models of homes in Tempe were built for the Tempe Historical Society that were raffled in a fundraiser for the society. The group is currently busy making cubbies for a local preschool.

The club is located near the Ahwatukee Recreation Center and is part of the Ahwatukee Retirement Community.

Projects are needed, and organizations such as schools, hospitals, churches or other charities in need of something built or made are asked to contact president Tom Rosenthal at (480) 275-6631.

MOMS Club of Ahwatukee has five chapters

The MOMS (Mothers Offering Mothers Support) Club of Ahwatukee is a national non-profit support group for at-home moms and their children. There are five chapters serving the Ahwatukee area.

- East chapter: south of Chandler Boulevard, north of Pecos Road, East of 32nd Street , West of I-10. Contact Michelle at (480) 704-6609.

- North chapter: north of Warner Road to Baseline Road. Contact Michelle at (480) 229-9323 or nielsens2001@hotmail.com.

- Central chapter: south of Knox Road, north of Chandler Boulevard, east of 36th Street. Contact Sara at (480) 540-2339 or central@ahwatukeemoms.com.

- Northwest chapter: 32nd Street and Ray Road to Pecos Road and 24th Street, including Thunderhill Park Area to 18th Street. Contact Stephanie at (480) 751-7570.

- West chapter: north of Pecos Road and West of 24th Street. Contact Linda at jlnagel@cox.net or (602) 571-4393.

Send submissions to: jwalker@ahwatukee.com