A big thanks

The next two days will provide lots of time to reflect on those in our life and what they mean to us. There will be many personal and heart-felt “thank yous” shared over meals and sweets. I myself will be video conferencing with my parents and two sisters tomorrow, as they celebrate in Chicago and I dine with my grandparents in L.A.

What makes this post unusual is my thanks is not directed at an individual, but instead community entities. Though essential parts of our lives, they rarely get special days of thanks and Thanksgiving is not typically directed towards businesses and organizations.

So here it goes. If you are thankful for a local organization or business, post a comment stating why and I will be happy to pass it on and/or post to our Facebook page.

Public library system — Thank you for providing endless hours of entertainment both wandering your halls looking for titles and sitting in your chairs reading them. Thank you for searching for my hold requests and meticulously alphabetizing them on a shelf so I can run in and check them out. Thank you for the free wifi that came in so handy during grad school, and the free classes you provide in financial management.

Fresh ‘n’ Easy — Thank you for being inexpensive and delicious. Thank you for being within walking distance of the Raising Arizona Kids’ office so I can save gas and walk to lunch. Thank you for always greeting me and offering your help when I’ve forgotten to grab some humus, because I always do.

Margaret T. Hance Park — Thank you for all the open green space to play nerf football and let me dog run free. Thank you for providing those little doggie bags for when I run out, because I always do.

Raising Arizona Kids — Thanks for giving me a job =) Thanks for having a staff of fantastic women and men that make everyday productive AND entertaining. Thank you for having a snack box that is always filled with goodies and letting Mala bring little puppy Bonnie to work so I have a dog to nuzzle until I go home to my own.

The world keeps getting smaller…

…and I like it!

I’ve been a social media convert since the beginning. I grew up on AOL instant messenger and chat rooms. I’ve been blogging since the days of geocities and was the first of my friends to be on Facebook in college. It doesn’t take much to convince me of the value of these new tools and how they can be used to bring people closer together.

I understand that not everyone is as easily convinced as I. That is why I’m always so excited when I have a new story about how social media has connected people.

A few weeks ago, I posted to the Raising Arizona Kids twitter account that our 500th Facebook fan would receive a complimentary 1-year subscription to the magazine.  I messaged the winner, a young woman named Tatiana Scocos, and was pleasantly surprised by her enthusiastic reply.

It turns out that Tatiana had posed when she was a baby, with her mother RoxSand Scocos, on our May 1992 magazine cover.

Social media allowed Tatiana to connect with the magazine that’s been a part of her entire life. It has also permitted me to connect with her in a personal way that was more than just a name on a Facebook page. 17 years after appearing on our cover, we’re happy to have Tatiana as a fan and hope to rediscover more connections as our following grows.

Do you have a social media story? Share in the comments.

Pass the turkey

Being an independent adult 1,700 miles away from my parents makes Thanksgiving difficult. I miss my family, the chill of the mid-west air and most importantly,  my mother’s cooking.

I have no idea how to cook a turkey. I rely on the generosity of friends to make my Thanksgiving special and delicious.

I am grateful for that generosity and want to share that with others.

In the coming weeks, you will go shopping for your own Thanksgiving meal. While at the store, pick up an extra turkey or a few non-perishable items. There are several fantastic for-profit and nonprofit organizations sponsoring Turkey and food drives for the holiday season, some right at the grocery store.

Rail Life will be hosting it’s annual Turkey Drive until November 22nd. Call 480-463-4514, comment or direct message with your donation and the money will go towards the purchase of turkeys for Phoenix Rescue Mission. Last year’s drive gathered 875 pounds of turkey!

Safeway and Ben & Matt of KNIX radio station have teamed up for “Ben & Matt’s Million Can Crusade” to benefit St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP). Through November 25th, you can donate cans at any Valley Safeway store or at SVDP. You can also make a monetary donation at any Desert Schools Credit Union or at on SVDP’s web site. There are tons of shows you can attend and prizes for participating.

Several Valley TV stations are also sponsoring Turkey Drives. On November 24th, Channel 12 will host the nation’s largest one-day Turkey Drive at Basha’s and Food City stores for SVDP. Channel 3’s one-day Turkey Drive will be on November 19th. To participate, drop off a turkey or a donation at the Salvation Army, Fry’s or call the Turkey hot line (602-302-8888).

Race for Maggie’s Place

Pregnancy can be one of the scariest milestones in a woman’s life. It is hard for me to imagine going through the hormonal and physical roller coaster, and impossible for me to fathom taking that journey alone, without resources or a safe haven.

That’s why I’m glad there is such a place as Maggie’s Place.

Maggie’s Place is a nonprofit organization that provides houses of hospitality for expectant mothers who are alone or living on the streets. Maggie’s Place communities and the stories of the women participants were featured in the November issue of Raising Arizona Kids magazine.

This Sunday (Nov. 8), the second annual Race for Maggie’s Place will take place at Temple Town Lake. The race is nine-kilometers in length (5.6 miles), which represents the nine months of pregnancy. There is also a three-kilometer walk/stroller push, as well as a 1,500-meter sprint race. So there is something for all types and levels of runners!

The registration fee for the 9K/3K is $30 through race day. For those wishing to participate in the 1,500-meter sprint, the fee is $18.

Perhaps you despise running, like myself. Or maybe you are out-of-town. Maggie’s Place has an option for you! You can participate as a shadow runner, either mapping out a route to walk/run wherever you are located or simply just thinking of Maggie’s Place the day of the race.

At the very least, all runners/walkers need cheerleaders. Come out with a whistle/bull horn/bunch of pots and just cheer on the donors. This place deserves your support.

Shop Local

I didn’t understand the importance of shopping locally  until I moved to the Valley. Having grown up in Chicago, I was used to major chains (Macy’s, Chili’s, Jewel-Osco). When I lived in rural Texas, local shops were the ONLY option. Our nearest chain involved a 45-minute drive to Walmart.

I’ve never had the opportunity to choose where I shop.

Now, living in Phoenix, I’m nearly overwhelmed by choices.

A few weeks ago I wrote about experiencing a farmers market in the Raising Arizona Kids community blog. This week the Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery & Cafe celebrated its grand opening – the only centrally located grocery store in downtown Phoenix. In addition to its prime location, the grocery will feature only local food/drink distributors.

But the market’s opening is more than a convenience for those wanting to be able to walk to get groceries and shopping there is more important than a desire for fresh vegetables.

When you shop locally, you are putting more money back into the Arizona economy than if you shopped at a major retailer like Walmart. This point was argued eloquently by Phoenix Magazine editor Ashlea Deahl in the November 2009 issue. The issue features 130 of the Valley’s best local shops, beautifully highlighting each shops unique characteristics and quirks.

In the editor’s note and corresponding feature article, Ashlea explains that the rate of return to Arizona’s economy nearly triples when you shop locally. Simply put, for every $100 you spend at a local shop, $45 remains in Arizona, as opposed to $13 when shopping at major chains.

But put aside money for a minute. What about customer service? Quality? That feeling of trust that comes with handing your money over for a product?

When I walk into Changing Hands Bookstore, I know the people behind the counter. Their staff has worked with me to provide a discount on titles for the book club I attend, in turn encouraging me to bring more members into their store. When I see a book suggestion, I know a staff member has actually read the title and that the recommendation is not a paid placement.

Think about it. When you go on vacation, you want to eat at those cute little restaurants you wouldn’t see back home. You shop in the tiny boutique stores so you can bring home unique, special gifts.

You don’t have to go on vacation. It’s right here, every day. And hey, you’ll impress out-of-state friends with your knowledge of all the hole-in-the-wall places. Always a bonus.

For a list of local shops in Arizona, visit the nonprofit organization Local First AZ.

Thank you to Phoenix Magazine and editors Ashlea Deahl & Keridwen Cornelius for providing the statistics.

HALLOWEEN!

This is my third post about Halloween. Is my excitement starting to show?

Instead of boring you (yet, again) with tales of my own Halloween delight, I thought I’d list off some of the fantastic Halloween happenings in the Valley this weekend. You can also view a more comprehensive list on our Raising Arizona Kids Calendar, available on our Web site.

Activities for under 12

Fall Festival at Bright Horizons (Oct. 30): Ages 6 & under. Come enjoy inflatables, games, food, entertainment and a cake walk. 5-7pm. Free and open to the community. Bright Horizons at ASU Research Park, 7660 S Research Dr, Tempe. 480-775-6607 or brighthorizons.com/tempe.

Halloween Spooktacular (Oct. 30): Arts & crafts, games, food, costume contests, photos and a haunted house. 5:30-8:30pm. $2 ages 15 & under. Downtown Library courtyard, 125 E Commonwealth Ave, Chandler. 480-782-2735 or chandleraz.gov.

Desert Ridge Mall-o-ween (Oct. 31): Looking for a safe place to take the kiddos? Trick-or-treat from store to store, music from Radio Disney, prizes and more. Noon-3pm. Free. Desert Ridge Marketplace, The District, 21001 N Tatum Blvd. shopdesertridge.com.

Not-Too-Scary Haunted House (Oct. 31): Ages 3-12. Arts & crafts, games, trick-or-treating and fun haunted house. Noon-8pm. Free. RisingSun Montessori Day School, 38246 N Hazelwood Circle, Cave Creek. 480-595-5437 or risingsunmontessori.com.

For the teens

Howl-O-Ween (Oct. 30-31): Scary wagon ride, DJ music, ghostly storytelling, trick-or-treating and a movie screening. 6:30-9:30pm. $8 ($6 members), ages 2 & under free. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N Galvin Pkwy. 602-273-1341 or phoenixzoo.org.

Wicked ‘n’ Wild (Oct. 30-31): Ages 13 & up. Mazes, walk-through attractions, interactive comedy show, Scare Zone, water slides and the Feast of Screams. 7pm-midnight. $24.99/general admission, $37.99/admission & feast combo (discounts if tickets are ordered online). Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix, 4243 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Glendale. 623-201-2000 or phoenix.mywetnwild.com.

Arizona’s Original Scream Park (Thru Nov. 1). Ages 12 & up. 4 haunted attractions (Alice’s House of Nightmares, 3-D Fear Factory, Castle of Darkness, Goldminer’s Revenge), glow accessories, palm and tarot card readings. 7-11pm Sun-Thur, 7pm-1am Fri-Sat. $16-$25; $5 parking. Loop 101 & McDowell Rd, Scottsdale. 480-444-2590 or azscreampark.com.

Whole family

Friday Night Frights at Fort McDowell (Oct. 30): All ages. Candy, cider, wagon rides, ghostshoes (yes, you read that right), pumpkin patch and more. 5-10pm. Free. Fort McDowell Adventures, 14803 N Hiawatha Hood Rd, Fort McDowell. 480-816-6465 or fortmcdowelladventures.com.

Dia de los Muertos Celebration (Oct. 31): All ages. Hands-on activities, artist workshops, altar contests, and traditional music and dance. 10am-5pm. Free. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E Main St, Mesa. 480-644-6627 or mesaartscenter.com.

Scottsdale Fall Festival (Oct. 31): Game booths, costume contests, pumpkin decorating, Haunted Forest live entertainment and fireworks. 6-9pm. Free. Eldorado Park Ball Fields, 2301 N Miller Rd, Scottsdale. 480-312-0217 or scottsdaleaz.gov.

Challenger Space Center Family Fun Day (Oct. 31): All ages. Arts & crafts, games, movies, activities, costume contest and trick-or-treating. 10am-4pm. $6 adults, $4 students/seniors. Challenger Space Center, 21170 N 83rd Ave, Peoria. 623-322-2001 or azchallenger.org.

GlendOberfest at the Ranch (Oct. 31): Carnival games, costume parade, trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, live entertainment, EggHaunt and the Sinister Sinema haunted barn yard. 5-10pm. Free. Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 N 59th Ave, Glendale. 623-930-2042 or glendaleaz.com.

Halloween Monster Bash & Balloon Illumination (Oct. 31): Costume parade, carnival games, crafts, hot air balloons to trick-or-treat from, laser tag and live entertainment. 5-9pm. Free with a donation of canned food item to benefit St Mary’s/Westside Food Bank Alliance. Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N 83rd Ave, Peoria. 623-773-7137 or peoriaaz.gov.

Boo at the Zoo

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending my very first “Boo at the Zoo” event. Hosted each year by the Phoenix Zoo, the event features a Mascot Parade, scavenger hunt and dozens of booths with activities galore – including Raising Arizona Kids magazine!

Mala, Sydney and I arrived early Saturday morning to set-up Raising Arizona Kids’ booth. We had bags with free magazines, Astro Boy and Planet 51 buttons, movie posters, coloring books AND a give-a-way for 2 nights stay at Kokopelli Suites AND a family-four-pack of tickets to ride with Santa on the Verde Canyon Railroad.

Parents and their children were invited to dress in costumes to the event. An adorable giraffe was one of the first to visit our booth. Karen, our editor, also spotted this little goblin on Sunday.

                                                        

Then things really got hoppin’.

I can’t wait to see what the Phoenix Zoo has planned for Zoolights this year!

Help your child be a rock star

Health care. It is all over the news, in our towns and in our homes. The debates are confusing, depressing and leave the general populace feeling just a bit helpless.

How about a health issue we CAN do something about?

Child obesity is hitting levels unseen in human history. According to a recent study, parents may soon outlive their overweight kids. This issue has even caught the attention of the White House, with Michelle Obama working to get schools to plant gardens and talks of bringing back the President’s Challenge award program.

And this weekend, Phoenix Children’s Hospital will offer its own solution to the problem of child obesity with the hospital’s kick-off event for the Kid’s Rock Stars program.

Kid’s Rock Stars promotes increasing activity for children age’s six to 12. The walking/running program begins in elementary schools and asks students to track their activities throughout the year. The kids set a goal to walk or jog 25.2 miles. Since its inception, the program has grown to over 50 schools, clubs and organizations with over 2,800 kids participating in the program valley-wide.

The kick off event for the Kid’s Rock Stars program will be held this Saturday, October 24 at Tempe Marketplace between Cadillac Ranch and San Felipe’s Cantina from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is free and open to the public with activities such as: face painting, yo-yo demonstrations, relay races, fun runs, soccer shoot out, bouncy house, traffic/pedestrian safety activity, car seat information and raffle prizes. Demonstrations/activities will be held in English and Spanish.

Children that participate in the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Kid’s Rock program have the opportunity to participate in the main even – the Kid’s Rock portion of the Phoenix Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon. Participants can become full marathon finishers by completing the 25.2-mile training program prior to the January 16 event, or they can just run, walk or jog the one-mile course on race day. Every child is a winner and will be rewarded with an official race number, T-shirt, goodie bag, and medal – just for finishing. Registration is $25 before October 31 and $35 until January 10.

“Balloon boy”

Turns out Falcon Heen won’t make it to Oz after all. He forgot to get in the balloon.

As a nation sat riveted to their TVs waiting to hear the fate of the 6-year-old boy, a massive search and rescue was underway. For 2 hours, law enforcement agencies tracked the balloon’s path. When the balloon finally landed and it was discovered Heen was not in the basket, countless deputies and members of the Sheriff’s department retraced the balloon’s path for nearly 3 hours in an effort to try and locate the boy.

During the search, the social media sphere exploded, with constant updates to Twitter and Facebook speculating as to the boy’s location, whether he was in the balloon, as well as suggesting (wisely) that the boy was most likely hiding in the house.

Imagine if this level of involvement occurred for every missing child. What if every Amber alert had the full force of social and traditional media behind it?

Community means banding together in times of need. It does not matter if the boy was hiding all along, or that the whole thing may have been staged. The real story here is the tremendous response to this one little boy going missing. Not only did the local Colorado community drop what they were doing to search for this boy, but the nation GOT THE WORD OUT.

Coincidently, there was a search going on for a 2-year-old girl in South Dakota as the balloon boy story was beginning to hit the major news outlets. The search for the girl, who had wandered into a neighboring cornfield, lasted for 2 1/2  hours and involved nearly 75 family members, volunteers and authorities from 10 state and local agencies.

The story about the little girl may not have made national news, but is a great example of how communities should behave in times of crisis. If it takes a village to raise a child, then the village needs to be out in force when a child is missing – no matter where, no matter how small and no matter how uninteresting the circumstances may be.

Best communities for young people

Each year, BusinessWeek selects one city in the U.S. as the “Best Place to Raise Your Kids”. The criteria includes median family income and a real estate analysis, as well as school performance, crime rates, and the number of museums, parks, and theaters. This past year Mount Prospect, Ill. was awarded the title.

I was raised in a city that had been a persistent winner of this award – Naperville, Ill. While I receive a good education and lived in safe town, there was something missing from my youth. I felt as if I was in a bubble, with little to no interaction with other cities and towns.

In my opinion, the “Best Places to Raise Your Kids” list doesn’t include some important factors that makes communities great.

Then last year, while I was trying to find a story to write about for my journalism class, I learned about the organization America’s Promise Alliance and its annual competition, “100 Best Communities for Young People”.

The competition seeks to recognizes outstanding community-wide efforts that improve the well-being of youth, particularly those that fulfill the “Five Promises”:

• Caring Adults
• Safe Places
• A Healthy Start
• Effective Education
• Opportunities to Help Others

The criteria does not include population or family income, but instead characteristics that ensure kids will be surrounded by opportunities to become caring, well-rounded adults.

This year, Chandler, Tempe and Scottsdale all made the top 100.  In fact, all of these Arizona cities have made the Three-Time winner list, as well as Tempe being awarded a grant to fund efforts to educate and enroll more children and families in the state Children’s Health Insurance Program.

I have had the privilege to live in or work in all three of these cities that truly deserve the “community” title.  Each has its own unique feel and personality, yet they all collaborate to create incredible programs for their youth.

To learn more about the programs highlighted for the award, click here.

Also, if you get a chance this Saturday, Oct. 17th, head out to Chandler to participate in one of their award-winning events, the “Day of Play”.  The event features vendor and activities encouraging health and wellness in kids – from potato sack races to solar oven cookies.

Congratulations Tempe, Scottsdale and Chandler!!