Back in Ahwatukee Foothills after moving to Pennsylvania to teach yoga, Carol Ann Marusiak is now preparing for a new adventure: a stand-up paddle board race.

I, for one, appreciate the guest commentaries that the AFN has published written by Ahwatukee Foothills resident Don Kennedy. He has a love for our country and a good understanding of history and of our Constitution. When we forget history and our Constitution, we lose our liberties. Some people can see it happening before others, and I believe Mr. Kennedy is one of those precious visionary individuals. He loves our country. How can he not speak up?

If you’ve never seen an ostrich race, it’s a good reason to head to Tumbleweed Park March 8-10. If you have seen an ostrich race, it’s probably a good idea to go down there and see another one to make sure it wasn’t some odd, exhilarating dream.

Elementary students from Keystone Montessori School in Ahwatukee spent hours this past holiday season visiting local area assisted living centers. Students, ages 9-12, sang Christmas carols, decorated resident homes and played musical instruments at both Desert Garden Assisted Living in Ahwatukee and Sunrise Senior Living in Chandler.

Nearly every month, a group of about 15 students, parents and staff members gather as the Student Improvement Team (S.I.T.) for Horizon Community Learning Center in Ahwatukee, a group that mingles together voices to implement change.

Elizabeth Ann Misner Johnson, 73, passed away unexpectedly in Phoenix on Dec. 20.

An airport isn’t where you’d expect to find an art studio, but that’s just where one has opened up — in offices within a helicopter hangar at Falcon Field in Mesa.

Celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday at the 27th annual MLK awards breakfast, “Stand Up for Justice,” from 7 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 18 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, 340 N. Third St. Doors open at 6:30 a.m.

The Board of Directors at Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS announced that Carol Poore, Ph.D., who has served as president and chief executive officer since 2007, has given notice she will resign March 1, 2013 to pursue public-private community building projects and global research examining the importance of community networks to vibrant downtowns.

Third-grade Brownie Troop 864 and first-grade Daisy Troop 867 from Kyrene de la Colina Elementary School visited the new Mountain Park Senior Living Center recently to spread a little Christmas cheer. The girls sung carols as the residents with happy smiles joined in. A wonderful night of holiday celebration among generations in Ahwatukee Foothills.

I love Christmas music — all kinds of Christmas music, traditional, piano, pop, rock — if it is spreading holiday cheer, I listen to it. Christmas music is played in our house from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year’s. It puts me in the mood to decorate the house, bake cookies and wrap presents. Yes, Christmas music puts a smile on my face.

In Germany, “Weihnachtsgottesdienst” or “Christmas Worship” is generally celebrated in an evening service on Christmas Eve. Traditional German carols are sung, the story of Jesus’ birth is told, and the pastor tells of how the Christ child’s birth opens the door to “Peace on Earth, Good will to all.”

Christmas is approaching and while we are all getting our homes ready for guests, and shopping for presents, let’s not forget about those that are not able to do so this year.

Words spoken more than 4,000 years ago — it was written, and prophesied, that Jesus would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 9:6 — “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

‘Amazing Women Needed for High Paying Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).” Now this is a message that grabs your attention. Exciting our future engineers, scientists and innovators is critical to the future of our economy, yet enticing women to these fields is falling behind.

"Amazing Women Needed for High Paying Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).” Now this is a message that grabs your attention. Exciting our future engineers, scientists and innovators is critical to the future of our economy, yet enticing women to these fields is falling behind.

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