January 5 – 18, 2013 www.SanTanSun.com

F E A T U R E S T O R I E S Ellen joins veteran council . . . . . . . . . . . . . community . . . . Page 4Train delights young, old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . business . . . . . .Page 15Library Logo Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . youth . . . . . . . Page 26Nando’s family fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . neighbors . . . . Page 45Enjoy ‘feis’ in desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . arts . . . . . . . . Page 58

Socially struggling children . . SanTan Family Fun . . . Center

MoreCommunity . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Business . . . . . . . . . . 14-24Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . .25-34Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 35-36Neighbors . . . . . . . . . 45-53Spirituality . . . . . . . .54-57 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58-61Directory . . . . . . . . 62-64Classifieds . . . . . . . . 65-66Where to eat . . . . . .67-72

by Tracy HouseThe holidays are over and it’s time

to make good on that New Year’s resolution to get in shape in 2013. Losing a few holiday pounds, trimming down for a special occasion or training for a 5K – whatever the reason – taking the first step to better health and fitness is a popular idea this time of year.

Eating healthier, getting fit and losing weight are common resolutions year after year, and with 35.7% of adult

Americans considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the growing need for better health and fitness is a concern.

While plenty of people will take steps toward fitness this month, according to local experts, for many the plan just won’t stick.

“The first couple of weeks the gyms are loaded with people,” says Robert Leasure, trainer and owner of Spartan Training in Chandler. “By the beginning of February the gyms are a ghost town.”

“Most people who have a membership have good intentions, but don’t use them or don’t typically get the results they want to get if they do use them,” explains Mark Reavley, trainer and owner of StudioFIT in Chandler.

Measuring resultsEating right and exercising needs to

become a lifestyle. To achieve results and stay motivated set realistic and measurable short- and long-term goals.

“New Year’s resolutions fail because they didn’t have a plan, a system to succeed,” says Leasure.

by K. M. LangWhile carolers were promoting “good

will toward men” this recent holiday season, Dobson Place resident Michele Maki was putting the sentiment to practice.

The longtime American Red Cross volunteer spent much of the end of 2012 on the East Coast, where she assisted survivors of Hurricane Sandy and witnessed firsthand the storm’s horrific destruction.

“I’ve been on several national deployments,” says Maki, “but this is the one that’s really tugged at my heart because the devastation is just so extensive. It covers an area as big as Europe. It’s bigger than Katrina. I just couldn’t wrap my head around that until I got here and saw it myself.”

Maki, communications coordinator for the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Red Cross, arrived in New York 10 days after the storm as part of the organization’s public affairs team, and reported damage and needs she saw as “eyes and ears on the ground.” She found empty lots where homes had stood, phone poles snapped like toothpicks and cabin cruisers tossed about like toys.

“I went out to Breezy Point, where so many of those homes burned down, and it was such a shock to see how the ocean had brought in all this sand and how many homes were gone. It was just heartbreaking.”

Maki and her fellow volunteers aided

storm victims by passing out hot meals and blankets in the Rockaways, Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as in the Red Hook housing projects, where residents were still without electricity.

by Laurie FagenLocal school officials are responding

to the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, where 20 children and seven adults were killed last month when a young man opened fire before killing himself.

Members of the community, which include former Newtown residents who live in the SanTan Sun area, are providing ways Chandler residents can help.

cusD securitySaying the tragedy “has had a

profound effect on every community across the country,” Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Supt. Camille Casteel, Ed.D., says there are a number of safety features in Chandler schools

and more are planned. Following phone calls and emails from parents with safety concerns, Casteel sent out a letter to all parents.

“I hope this communication will help you understand what is already in place and reassure you that the safety of your children is our No. 1 priority.”

Extra Chandler and Gilbert police were present on campuses during the final week of first semester classes in December, and the administration directed all elementary principals to review their site plans and enforce a single point of entry.

“In the past, many parents and volunteers were upset due to the inconvenience, so we ask for your

School safety concerns spur scrutiny

SECURE: Bogle Junior High in Chandler is one CUSD school with tight security at the front of the building . STSN photosee School safety page 8

see Volunteer page 11

From feast to fitness Local volunteer aids hurricane victims

GETTING FIT: Trainer Jacqui Hanford guides and motivates clients at StudioFIT . Submitted photo

AIDING OTHERS: Chandler resident Michele Maki became a Red Cross volunteer in 2005 after retiring from the airline industry . “I’ve been very fortunate,” explains the grandmother of six . “My children are healthy . My grandchildren are healthy . I don’t go hungry . I have a roof over my head . I just think it’s so important to give back .” Submitted photo by American Red Cross

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by susan HenDersonThe new Chandler City Council to be

sworn in Jan. 10 isn’t really that new at all. The recently elected Nora Ellen is the sole rookie on the team, with Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, Vice Mayor Jeff Weninger, Councilmembers Trinity Donovan, Jack Sellers, Rick Heumann and Kevin Hartke all returning to the bench.

Councilmember Matt Orlando leaves his post this month, termed out of office after two consecutive four-year stints he began in 2004.

It’ll be more of the same for the returning veterans, with the economy, budget preparations, job growth and neighborhood revitalization topping the to-do list for 2013, according to council staff.

Ellen already met with city management staff for briefings on the tasks at hand, and says she is ready for the challenges ahead.

supersized serviceEllen moved to Chandler in 2002,

but has lived in the Southeast Valley since 1990. Already an experienced civil servant, she worked as a commissioner for the City of Chandler as well as with the Chandler Chamber of Commerce prior to her candidacy for council.

“I was encouraged to run to take what I am doing to the next level in terms of helping our economy to grow.”

Ellen has also held leadership positions for several schools, nonprofits, sports clubs and at church.

“I have a heart to serve.”Public service runs in the family; Ellen’s

son is State Rep. J.D. Mesnard. She also has a daughter, Juel, now grown and married.

In addition to public service and family, Ellen is busy as a real estate investor and self-described “multi-million dollar producer” for Keller Williams Realty East Valley.

Ellen says she will spend her time on council helping Chandler transition from high-growth city to build out, something she expects in the next 10 years. The economy and new business are at the forefront too.

“A city prospers the most when we have businesses to employ our residents, which brings in revenue for our needs and wants.”

Pressing prioritiesEllen isn’t the only one with economy

on the agenda. Tibshraeny puts it at the top of his priority list for 2013.

“We will begin budget discussions fairly soon, and we will remain cautious and diligent. While the Intel projects continue to highlight the success we have had in economic development, we will continue to seek new employers to the City.”

The City of Chandler experienced fiscal stability amid an epic recession, and the mayor says while the economy is stronger, budget strategy is still critical.

“The Council will remain vigilant and make prudent decisions in terms of the upcoming budget process. We have worked too hard over the years to get

where we are to see that slip – AAA Bond ratings, strong reserves and recent honors, including being named one of the best managed cities in the U.S. and fourth best place for tech start-ups.”

Tibshraeny says sustainable neighborhoods will continue to be an area of focus. He is also working with the Chamber to initiate a new program and paying attention to ongoing dialogue with all businesses, small business owners and operators in particular.

Changes to Tibshraeny’s popular Listening Tour, where he meets with residents, are expected as well.

Predictions, goalsTibshraeny expects to continue to

see the economy return. He says current service levels and infrastructure will be maintained, and where possible, new roads and parks built. Roadrunner Park is next to be developed at Ryan and Gilbert roads.

Though not ready to share any announcements, Tibshraeny says residents can expect further job growth in Chandler.

He’ll work with state representatives and Valley mayors on regional issues and concerns.

“My main goal is to continue to see improvements in the economy: continued job growth, increased confidence and consumer spending and the return of the housing market.”

To achieve those goals, Tibshraeny knows he’ll need help.

“I also look forward to working with the City Council and welcoming Nora Ellen. We all have a very good working relationship, a shared vision for our community, and I see that continuing.”

To learn more about the City of Chandler, Mayor and Council, visit chandleraz.gov, attend Council meetings or watch them on Channel 11 or streamed and archived on the website, like the City on Facebook, or follow Tibshraeny, Weninger, Heumann, Hartke and Sellers on Twitter.

Susan Henderson lives, writes and raises a family in Old Stone Ranch. Reach her at SusanH@SanTanSun.com.

Ellen joins veteran council

COUNCIL 2013: New Chandler Councilmember Nora Ellen, lower right; clockwise, Mayor Jay Tibshraeny, Trinity Donovan, Jeff Weninger, Jack Sellers, Kevin Hartke and Rick Heumann .

January 5 – 18, 2013 5www.SanTanSun.com Community

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Chandler residents are encouraged to comment on the city’s budget priorities by completing an online survey at chandleraz.gov/budget through Tue., Jan. 15. Results are presented to Mayor Jay Tibshraeny and the members of the City Council for their consideration as part of the budget development process for the upcoming 2013-14 fiscal year that starts July 1.

The survey asks participants to score the relative importance of several programs within the categories of a Safe Community, a Healthy and Attractive Community, a Community with Effective Transportation, a Community with Sustainable Economic Health and a Community with Cultural, Parks and Recreation Opportunities. Another section of the survey asks citizens to score several proposed capital improvement projects in a range of “very important” to “not important.”

Part of the budget formulation process to date has been a review by Chandler management of the many programs and services the City provides to residents, businesses and organizations that serve the community. City staff compiled a list of these services and categorized them into the major areas that taxpayers may want or desire their municipal government to provide.

Paper copies of the survey are available for those without access to a computer at the Chandler City Hall front desk, Chandler Libraries, downtown Community Center and the Tumbleweed Recreation Center.

The public will have several other opportunities in the coming months to share their thoughts about the proposed budget with city leaders and staff prior to the adoption of the budget in June. For information, call 480-782-2252 or visit chandleraz.gov/budget.

A blaze at the East Valley Jewish Community Center (EVJCC) on Dec. 24, 2012, caused the agency to close eight of its preschool rooms, the entire administrative suite, multi-purpose room and kitchen.

Executive Director Steve Tepper says there are “numerous expenses that will not be covered by insurance for weeks, if ever.” He is requesting donations to help ensure they can continue to serve “as the core of our community and remain positioned to offer vital services.”

“Despite these difficult times, we are asking you to please consider making a meaningful gift and allow us in turn to continue these vital programs,” according to an email. “We can’t fulfill our mission without your support, but with your gift, together we can keep our community strong.”

EVJCC, which “promotes and strengthens Jewish values and identity by meeting the needs of individuals and families of all races, religions, and cultures,” is at 908 N. Alma School Rd. Donations may be made online at evjcc.org.

Let the SanTan Sun News help you publicize your Valentine’s Day events. Is your restaurant having a special dinner? Are you creating Valentine’s crafts with children or hosting a Valentine’s Day dance? If so, email your details to Lynda@SanTanSun.com including: a brief description of the event, times, days, dates, cost or free, if registration is required, venue and address, publishable phone number and web site if applicable. Include your contact information for verification purposes. We encourage photos, which must be 300 dpi JPEGs or taken on a digital camera on the “best” or “highest quality” setting. Information is due by noon on Jan. 21 for the Feb. 2 issue, which is the only issue before the big day, Feb. 14. Submission does not guarantee placement.

Free musical performances continue to entertain attendees of Chandler’s outdoor Sonoran Sunset concert series, held 6 to 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month, Jan. 17, Feb. 21 and March 21.

The Jan. 17 concert features the soothing melodies of local rising star Courtney Castillo. The Dry River Yacht Club provides an eclectic and energetic performance in February. In March, the rousing Irish sounds of The Knockabouts fill the park.

Light snacks and beverages are available for purchase, and a local food truck prepares meals onsite.

The program takes place at the lakeside amphitheater at Veterans Oasis Park, 4050 E. Chandler Heights Rd. on the northeast corner of Lindsay Road. In cases of inclement weather, however, performances are held indoors at the park’s Environmental Education Center.

For more information, visit chandleraz.gov/veterans-oasis.

It’s going to be New Orleans-style music and signature purple, green and gold when Chandler’s version of Mardi Gras is celebrated 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun., Jan. 27 in the San Marcos Ballroom at Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, 1 N. San Marcos Pl.

Hosted by Arizona Classic Jazz Society, there will be second-line parades and beads for everyone. Arizona Roadrunners, Original Wildcat Jass Band from Tucson and 52nd Street Jazz Band from Mesa provide nonstop entertainment.

Mardi Gras costumes are not required, but those who don costumes have an opportunity to win prizes.

The cost is $20 per person. Food will be available for purchase in the Ballroom. For more information, call 480-620-3941 or visit azclassicjazz.org.

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Don’t stick your head in the sand and miss the 25th Annual Ostrich Festival, Fri., March 8 through Sun., March 10 at Tumbleweed Park, 745 E. Germann Rd., Chandler.

The festival kicks off with the Mayor’s Fun Run, which starts at 8 a.m. in downtown Chandler, and the parade at 10 a.m., on Sat., March 9.

The Ostrich Festival features ostrich races, The Freakshow Deluxe, pig races, Rhinestone Trick Roper, Doggies of the Wild West and comedy by Raymond Marcus.

The Chandler Chamber partners with Universal Fairs from Memphis, TN. to create the annual event. For more details, visit ostrichfestival.com.

Newer paperback and hardback books, books on CD, DVDs and Blu-ray discs and current issues of popular magazines are now being accepted by Friends of the Chandler Public Library in preparation for its annual Book Bonanza Jan. 18 through 20. All accepted item donations are tax deductible.

Proceeds are used to fund library programs and services. Bring donations inside any of the four library branches during regular open hours.

For a complete list of acceptable materials, visit chandlerlibrary.org/go2/friends-of-cpl.cfm.

Volunteers are also needed, to sort, price and shelve in the used book department, as well as setting up, arranging books for display, assisting visitors, restocking tables and cleaning up at Half Price Book Sales. For more information, call 480-782-2800.

Law enforcement officers and support personnel from Chandler decorate cupcakes to raise money during the 2nd annual charity Cop Cake from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat., Jan. 19 at Sweetdaddy Cupcakes, 1055 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler.

Each of the volunteers must raise a minimum of $2,000 to make a three-day, 250-mile bicycling trip from Portsmouth, VA, to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. to remember and honor fallen officers who died in the line of duty.

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ONE AT A TIME: Finishing the cupcakes for the 2013 Police Unity Tour sale is just a matter of adding the icing . Submitted photo

COP CAKE: Cupcakes for the Cop Cake sale are available at Sweetdaddy Cupcakes, 1055 S . Arizona Ave ., Chandler . Submitted photo

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patience and understanding as we require you to walk further than desired,” Casteel says.

In addition, the administration will be forwarding a recommendation to the citizen’s budget committee and to the Governing Board to seek additional funding in the November 2013 election to hire additional elementary security staff and to begin installing security card access on exterior doors “which will allow us more control and specific knowledge of who enters / exists and when.”

The following are specific points Casteel makes in reference to existing security measures:

• All CUSD phones are 911-enhanced which means emergency responders will know the exact location / classroom at the site of an emergency call.

• Security fencing and gates provide limited access to our schools. Additional fencing projects are in progress.

• Parking lot and exterior lighting has been enhanced at a number of sites that are heavy with evening activities.

• Security cameras have been installed at all high school and junior high school campuses. Cameras at elementary schools are currently being installed with 16 sites completed. It is important to note that the police have remote access to our cameras to observe and assess an emergency situation.

• Security cameras have been installed on 99% of our bus fleet,

which allow us to hear and see what is happening on and near the bus entrance.

• High school and junior high school campuses have police and security officers on site. While it is highly unusual that elementary schools have security personnel, we have three safety officers who work with our elementary schools.

• Each school has an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) that delineates procedures to follow in an emergency, whether it is an evacuation or lockdown. Those plans are reviewed and revised annually with the assistance of security staff and the police department.

• Schools are required to conduct fire drills monthly and at least two lockdown drills each semester. Safety officers, security staff and local law enforcement officers participate in lockdown drills.

• Police departments have aerial maps and schematics of all our

sites to assist them in an emergency. Both Gilbert and Chandler police departments have used our schools for Active Shooter Training in order to familiarize themselves with our facilities.

• Police Departments have access to master keys to enter the buildings.

• District personnel meet monthly with Chandler Police Department and quarterly with Gilbert Police Department to keep open lines of communication.

• All employees and volunteers who have unsupervised contact with students are fingerprinted for clearance from DPS. Additionally, all outside contractors and their workers are fingerprinted for clearance as well.

• All school district personnel have district issued photo identification badges.

• Schools incorporate a visitor sign in / out registry.

• An active district Crisis Response Team composed of district counselors, social workers and psychologists are prepared to respond to any emergency in support of our students and staff.

“We are looking forward to better understanding the Newtown, CT tragedy and what lessons we can learn from this,” Casteel concludes. “In addition, we will be discussing with our security advisors suggestions for enhancing our safety procedures. In the meantime, your support and understanding is especially appreciated.”

Principals respondA number of school principals

also sent letters to parents of their

students, including Diane Wells of Ryan Elementary School, who calls the shooting a “senseless loss of lives,” and reassures the community that “CUSD takes the safety of its students very seriously.” At Ryan, she says they practice both lockdown drills and fire drills regularly.

“These drills are unannounced so that we can prepare both staff and students to react appropriately regardless of where they are on the campus at any given time during the day,” she explains. “We have amazing school safety officers who are quick to respond in any situation. In addition, we recently had security cameras installed on our campus as part of a district-wide initiative.”

Ryan also requires all visitors sign in and give their car keys in order to receive a visitor badge.

“Parents who try to access the campus at the front gate or playground gate are asked to go through the front office and to sign in,” Wells adds. “This procedure is not designed to frustrate parents, but rather to provide another layer of safety for our students and staff.”

Wells says the district’s crisis team provided helpful resources for parents to use in discussing the shooting with children. Information includes “Children’s Responses to Grief,” “Communicating With Children,” “Helping Students With Grief” and “How to Explain Death to a Child” on the Ryan Elementary website, under the Parent Resources tab at cusd80.com/domain/5258.

FENCING: Metal fences and gates protect Bogle Junior High in Chandler . STSN photo

School safety from page 1

January 5 – 18, 2013 9www.SanTanSun.com Community

Preschool safetyThe administration at Wee Blessings

Preschool in Chandler says it was a “very tough” time following the “horrific” school shooting, and their “hearts and prayers go out the victims and their families in this unbelievable tragedy.”

Owner Debi Larkin-Chavez says the “safety of your child is our utmost priority” and assures parents of the measures the preschool takes to keep children safe. In late December, a new “lockdown” procedure was implemented, and all staff was briefed on the procedure.

“We have also been in contact with the Arizona Department of Health Services Office of Childcare Licensing to make sure that we continue to be in safety compliance with the state,” she notes.

In addition, she says they used the Christmas break to purchase a fence

covering for their play yard in the back of the facility. Larkin-Chavez asks parents to do their part by checking their child’s Blue Emergency Card to make sure the appropriate people drop off and pick up their child each day.

“We will continue to check ID for folks we do not recognize,” she says.

However, Larkin-Chavez says they will not be discussing the shooting in class or on school campus.

“School psychologists are urging parents not to discuss this with children unless they bring it up to you,” she explains. “We feel that this topic is inappropriate to discuss with preschoolers and the last thing we want to do is put fear in them.”

How to helpThe community organized a variety

of ways to help those in Sandy Hook, whether with personal notes or donations to help underwrite support services, immediate needs and funeral expenses for the immediate families and victims.

Chandler resident Christina Nguyen, the Ryan Royals PTO president, says CUSD PTOs and Booster Clubs throughout the district are working together to raise money for the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. She and former Newtown resident Pamela LaBate, who moved to Chandler six years ago and is the Booster treasurer for Santan Junior High, have set up a website where donations can be made, and a “Hearts & Hugs” campaign has been set up to write a message to the people of Sandy Hook.

“It was just such an unfathomable, devastating event,” says LaBate. “It hit way too close to home. The worst part was that I couldn’t be there to help my friends who were attending funerals of their friends’ babies or helping plan funerals. I had to do something, anything. One of the families had just moved onto our street right before

we moved here. After a particularly tearful phone call with an old Newtown neighbor, I called Christina and we formulated a plan.”

In addition, Nguyen and LaBate say donations can be given to the PTO at each school or dropped off at Santan in an envelope marked Newtown Fund. Money collected will be combined and one check sent to the support fund on behalf of the community and families of the District.

To help, visit cusd80.com/cms/lib6/AZ01001175/Centricity/Domain/7/Sandy_Hook_School_Support_Fund.pdf.

Laurie Fagen is publisher of the SanTan Sun News and lives in Fox Crossing with husband Geoff Hancock and rescue cats Jazz and Phantom. She can be reached at Laurie@SanTanSun.com.

WORDS OF COMFORT: Santan Elementary PTO President Lyle Bonfigt designed the logo for Hearts & Hugs, a CUSD campaign for Chandler’s children to write letters to Newtown, CT residents . Submitted photo

CLOSE TO HOME: Stepping up to lend a hand to Sandy Hook families are former Newtown residents Pamela and Jon LaBate, who relocated to Chandler six years ago with their children . Lizzie, 11, is a sixth-grade student at Ryan Elementary; Evan is 13 and in eighth grade at Santan Junior High, where his mom is Booster treasurer . Submitted photo

PROTECTING PRESCHOOLERS: Though they’ve always had strict safety measures in place for their students and the caregivers that drop them off and pick them up, Wee Blessings Preschool owners Phil Chavez and Debi Larkin-Chavez will implement further protocols in light of the Sandy Hook tragedy . Submitted photo

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

How can we better protect Chandler’s children? Should school staff be trained and armed? Must funding be found for full-time police officers at every school? Or, is Sandy Hook an isolated incident that shouldn’t impact current safety measures?

Send your responses to Letters@SanTanSun.com and include your community name for possible inclusion in a future issue of the SanTan Sun News.

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“What’s your vision of looking and feeling good?” Reavley asks.

Whether it’s losing weight or inches, being active with grandkids without getting winded or slipping into a bikini in July, Reavley says you have to have a vision of what you want to accomplish.

“How we measure our success is based off of us setting appropriate goals from the beginning. Results should be tied into how you want to look and feel.”

Fitness fadsThis time of year people are turning to

popular trends for getting in shape, from

flipping tires and fitness boot camps to intense video workouts, looking for easy and fast results.

Reavley says people get confused by the new fads, gadgets and exercise programs.

“The reality is the one that’s going to work is the one that you’re going to do.”

Leasure says what people gravitate to and what they have success with are two different things.

“To a degree anything you do to lose weight and get in shape is good, but what might be popular and entertaining

might not be the most effective.”In order meet your fitness goals,

Leasure says to look for fact- and science-based programs proven to work.

“Truth of the matter is, it’s hard to lose weight,” he explains.

Indeed, there is no magic to fitness, concurs Reavley.

“People are looking for an easy way to look good and feel good,” he says. “The reality is there is no easy way. It’s sound principle nutrition with sound principle exercise and activity.”

“Calories in and calories out,” explains

Leasure. “If you’re burning more calories than you’re taking in you’re going to lose weight.”

Moving it is really the only way to lose it, according to Leasure.

“You cannot starve fat off. You have to burn it off,” he says.

Leasure suggests combining cardio exercise, resistance training and nutrition to get in shape.

“Losing weight doesn’t have to be this hard struggle of seriousness all the time. It can be fun while you do it. That’s what keeps you going.”

Tracy House is a freelance writer living in Ironwood Vistas with her husband and four children. She can be reached at Tracy@SanTanSun.com.

Fitness from page 1

FIT AS FIDDLES: Spartan Training owners Robert Leasure and wife Vicki Manfredi, shown working the cable crossover curls, make fitness their lifelong passion . STSN photo

DRIVING RESULTS: Mark Reavley, owner of StudioFIT, spent the last 10 years motivating his clients toward better health . Submitted photo

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January 5 – 18, 2013 11www.SanTanSun.com Community

“Some of them were eight, 10, 15 floors up,” Maki explains. “Elderly folk had been basically isolated up in these cold apartments that whole time. Our team helped carry food and extra blankets up the stairs. These people were so gracious – they were so grateful, too, for a hot meal. They truly felt they had been forgotten.”

Maki had been in New York nearly two weeks when illness struck her group. She returned home to recuperate, returning as soon as her health allowed.

“This time they sent me to New Jersey because there’s just so much work to be done,” says Maki, describing “pockets of really, really terrible destruction.”

“I was down in the Union Beach area. I just wept. I mean, I’d seen these pictures on TV, but to see it in person

– I was just looking at these trees, and I thought, ‘what is this fuzz?’ I got up closer, and it was the insulation blown from the homes. It had literally been blown apart by the fury of this hurricane. I was talking to a resident there, and he said that probably about a third of the homes are gone, and probably about half are red-tagged – they’re going to need to be torn down. When you look around the community, you can see it everywhere.”

With initial rescue efforts behind them, groups such as the Red Cross are working to help survivors find permanent housing and get back on their feet. Maki says the process will take months or years and cost the Red Cross an estimated $60 million.

Maki finished her deployment and

returned to Chandler in time for Christmas, bringing with her a deep appreciation for those she was sent to help.

“I think it would surprise people how tight-knit, how supportive everyone here is to one another,” she says. “I’ve seen it over and over again, and it just warms

my heart. Children bringing in their piggy banks, everybody wanting to help. This event has touched the heart and soul of New Jersey and the New York community. They’re remarkably resilient people. They say, ‘Hey, hey, we’ll move on. We’ll get on. We’ll rebuild.’ They kind of stole my heart.”

For information on the American Red Cross’s Hurricane Sandy relief effort, visit redcross.org/hurricane-sandy.

K. M. Lang lives and writes in Sun Groves. To contact her, email KMLang@SanTanSun.com.

READY FOR ACTION: The American Red Cross deployed all of its 300-plus emergency response vehicles to the Hurricane Sandy rescue operation, which covered 11 states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico . Submitted photo by Michele Maki, American Red Cross

AFTERMATH: The working-class community of Breezy Point, NY, lost more than 100 homes to the force of Hurricane Sandy and its accompanying fire, says Chandler resident Michele Maki, who witnessed the destruction while aiding storm victims . Submitted photo by Michele Maki, American Red Cross

LEFT STANDING: A statue of St . Anthony, beloved by sailors and patron saint of lost items, is all that remains at a Union Beach, NJ, home site . “Virtually no home that I saw escaped without some kind of damage or impact,” Maki says of the community . Submitted photo by Michele Maki, American Red Cross

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Music, dance, art, crafts and ethnic foods are part of Chandler’s 18th Annual Multicultural Festival 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Jan. 19 in the Chandler Public Library Courtyard, 22 S. Delaware St.

The free festival includes entertainers, artisans and an interactive storytelling area for children.

People from various countries will become American citizens at an 11 a.m. naturalization ceremony presided over by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

In addition, winners of a Creative Expression Competition, involving Chandler school-age children who produced artwork, essays and performances centering on the unity theme, will be announced.

Other events include “The Power of One: Nicky’s Family” at 7 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 12 at the Chandler Center for the Arts. The program showcases how one person can make a difference in the world and includes a screening of the award-winning film “Nicky’s Family,” the story of one man who quietly rescued more than 600 children before the outbreak of World War II.

An awards ceremony accompanies the film and honors Chandler Police and Fire and community volunteers,

including the top young person, adult and senior adult who volunteered the most hours during the City’s recent 100 Hour Centennial Volunteer Challenge.

Event proceeds contribute to the building of the Center for Holocaust Education & Human Dignity planned for the property located next to the East Valley Jewish

Community Center near the southwest corner of Ray and Alma School roads. Tickets are $9 for adults or $6 for active military and veterans, and can

be purchased online at evjcc.org or by calling 480-897-0588.

Two national acts, The New Directions Veterans Choir and DRUMline Live also come to Chandler’s Center for the Arts in January. The New Directions Veterans Choir performs at 8 p.m. Fri., Jan. 18, singing renditions of doo-wop, soul, traditional gospel and popular music. The choir consists of a group of primarily homeless veterans who have overcome numerous obstacles in life and want to inspire others to do the same.

DRUMLine Live, an international tour based on the historically black college and university marching band tradition performs at 7 p.m. Sun., Jan. 20. With riveting rhythms, bold beats and ear-grabbing energy, the show is a synchronized musical showcase incorporating original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of

top-40 hits, plus group performances ranging from colorful, choreographed routines to heavy doses of drum riffs and cadences.

The activities are to celebrate the community’s heritage and diversity, along with the spirit and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.

Everyone can enjoy ethnic foods, information from sponsors and organizations that promote cultural diversity, and arts and crafts that represent various cultures.

Volunteers are also needed. To register, go to signupgenius.com/go/4090A4CACAC2FA57-2013.

The Festival is presented by the city’s Diversity Office, with support from Friends of the Chandler Public Library. To learn more, visit chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=157.

Celebrate community’s cultural diversity

New Directions Veterans Choir Submitted photo

DRUMline Live! Submitted photo

January 5 – 18, 2013 13www.SanTanSun.com Community

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The American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter recently provided assistance to an adult and two children displaced by an apartment fire in Chandler . The Red Cross gave them food following the blaze near Pecos Road and Arizona Avenue .

Margaret Horn, first president and a creator of the Southeast Valley Arizona branch of American Association of

University Women, celebrated her 90th birthday with a little help from her friends at the AAUW’s annual Red Envelope Holiday luncheon at Cottonwood in Sun Lakes . The luncheon was a holiday get-together and fundraiser for scholarships, grants, legal advocacy, public policy, leadership and research projects . Info: southeastvalleybranch-az .aauw .net .

SanTan Sun ChroniCleSDEADLINES FOR SANTAN SUN NEWS

The deadline for news and advertising is noon, Wed., Jan. 9 for the Jan. 19, 2013 issue of the SanTan Sun News.

All news must be submitted to News@SanTanSun.com by that day to be considered for the next issue or by filling in the “submit a news release” form on the newspaper’s website at SanTanSun.com. To send an item for consideration in the SanTan Family Fun, email it directly to STFF@SanTanSun.com.

Send advertising files and information to account reps or contact Ads@SanTanSun.com. For full rate and deadline information, visit SanTanSun.com and click on “About us,” or scroll to the bottom to the bottom of the home page to download the advertising packet at “Advertise with us.”

Lindsay road closure A half-mile stretch of Lindsay Road on Chandler’s eastern border with

Gilbert is closed through Jan. 7 to allow for the installation of new water and sewer transmission mains. The road is closed between Queen Creek Road and Appleby Road. Alternate north / south streets are Gilbert Road to the west and Val Vista Drive to the east. Info: 480-797-0525.

PRIZE WINNER: Deborah Knox, a preschool teacher from Wee Blessings Preschool & Academy in Chandler, holds one of the prizes given to her during a surprise visit from KNIX morning show host Carolyn Coffee . Knox is the winner of a KNIX Teacher of the Week award, sponsored by Fulton Homes and the Dairy Council of America . Nominated by Nancy Polston, a parent of one of her students, Knox was awarded with $300 cash and other prizes . Submitted photo

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