Did you know that puppies or kittens can become pregnant as early as 4 months of age? Don’t get stuck with accidental litters. You can fix each puppy or kitten for $20 in June at Altered Tails, Barnhart Clinic, 950 W. Hatcher Road in Phoenix. Call (602) 942-SPAY (7729) for more information or visit www.alteredtails.org.

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits (Alliance) and Arizona Grantmakers Forum (AGF) awarded $179,500 in prizes to 40 nonprofits who participated in Arizona Gives Day at a reception on May 2.

Memorial Day symbolizes the start of summer for you and your pet. Before you start planning trips to the beach and summer getaways, keep in mind that it’s important to plan ahead for pet travel and always keep the best interests of your furry, four-legged friends in mind.

Instead of asking for gifts, St. John Bosco sixth-graders Lauren A. and Shea S. combined their recent 12th birthday parties into a fundraiser for a family in need. The Perres are local residents facing heart wrenching medical issues and staggering medical costs. Within two months of one another, Mrs. Perre was diagnosed with a form of Lou Gehrig’s disease and her 16-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Lauren and Shea invited the entire sixth-grade population of St. John Bosco, as well as many other friends, to party at Desert Foothills Park on April 26. In lieu of birthday gifts, Shea, Lauren and their friends dug into their piggy banks and donated money to help the Perres. In the end, Lauren, She and their friends collected approximately $1,700. The Perres were overwhelmed at the compassion and generosity of both the girls and the community.

Catholic Charities Community Services’ DIGNITY House was recently named Homeless Service Provider of the Year by Phoenix Neighborhood Services. DIGNITY House received the award for its outstanding efforts assisting women with intensive residential recovery to help them live an independent life. The award was presented last month during the city’s National Community Development Week celebration.

Salvador “Grandpa” Bernabe has been named volunteer of the year by Catholic Charities Community Services. He was presented with the 2013 Helen Shea Service Award at the agency’s Paths to Hope breakfast on May 15 at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix.

Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) welcomed two individuals to its administrative team: Matthew Graber, director of marketing, and Zacory Boatright, director of sales and business development.

Molly Barlow of Ahwatukee-Foothills recently graduated summa cum laude and alpha chi from High Point University in North Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in coaching. Barlow played four years of NCAA Division I volleyball and finished her career as the eighth player in HPU’s Div. I history to reach 1,000 career digs. She was named the 2012-2013 Big South Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Gloria A. Poulin of Ahwatukee Foothills, 86, born Sept. 10, 1926, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, passed away May 2. She devoted her life, love and energy to her family and raised her children instilling virtues and values.

Alex Shin, a kindergartner at Kyrene de la Sierra Elementary School, placed first in a writing contest for PBS Kids Go! He was invited to a special awards ceremony in downtown Phoenix where local author, Terri Fields, presented Shin with his first place prize, a Kindle Fire.

Olivia Maiefski, a 2009 alumnus from Mountain Pointe High School, graduated from the University of Arizona Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in speech, language and hearing sciences and a minor in Spanish. Maiefski graduated summa cum laude.

The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) announced that 28 Arizona public schools earned the A+ School of Excellence award for the 2012-2013 academic year including one in Ahwatukee Foothills, Kyrene de los Cerritos Elementary School in the Kyrene Elementary District. Darcy DiCosmo is principal.

MomDoc, a staple in women’s health care in the Valley, has named Lori Linder its new chief operating officer. She will assume responsibilities in early May.

Positive Coaching Alliance has announced the official kick off of its new Phoenix Chapter. Established in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national nonprofit organization providing all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience.

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the Desert Vista High School band car wash at Sonic on April 20, they raised more than $750 to donate to the music program at Bay Head school in New Jersey that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Anyone who would like to make additional contributions can contact the band boosters at dvmb.fundraising@gmail.com.

Chamberlain College of Nursing announced the appointment of Dr. Pamela Fuller, of Ahwatukee, as president of its Phoenix campus. Fuller succeeds Dr. Kimberly LaMar, who has served as the Phoenix campus president since 2009 and now becomes senior director of campus operations at Chamberlain.

Students ambassadors from the Everest College Phoenix Mesa campus hopped to help the Easter bunny this year by providing more than 100 Easter baskets for children at Cardon Children’s Medical Center. This marks the fourth year in a row that the Everest College Phoenix Mesa campus has helped to give the children at the medical center a surprise on Easter morning.

Zack Tamburo of Ahwatukee has received the university scholarship and residence life leadership award to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Casey Bolena, a 2009 Desert Vista High School graduate, has accepted a football scholarship to the Naval Academy. On April 12 the Navy football team (including Casey) traveled to the White House where they received a private tour and then President Obama presented the Commander-in-Chief trophy to the team.

Mary Myles, a 2009 alumnus from Desert Vista High School, will graduate from the University of Arizona Honors College this month with degrees in marketing, business management and entrepreneurship from the Eller College of Management.

Seattle Pacific University 2013 winter quarter dean’s list has been announced.

Bethany Christian School (BCS) in Tempe, students and families participated in an Outreach Project to help and support homeless children from Children’s First Academy.

Dr. Neal Lester, author and professor of English at Arizona State University, was honored with an achievement award for the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of West Georgia 36th annual Alumni Association Awards Gala. A native of Jefferson, Ga., Lester graduated from the University of West Georgia in 1981 with a bachelor of arts degree in English.

Alexandra Soto of Desert Vista High School has been named the recipient of the USDA/NIFA A-UBET Scholarship.

Cyan McFarlane, a 2009 graduate of Mountain Pointe High School, received the presidential service award from New York University this spring.