Know someone who deserves a Hon Kachina Award?

Nate Anderson of Ear Candy at last year's awards dinner.

Nominations are being accepted through April 1 for the 35th Annual Presentation of the Hon Kachina Volunteer Awards. The annual awards honor seven of the Valley’s finest volunteers who have dedicated their time to different causes.

Last year’s winners included Nate Anderson of Ear Candy, Donna Bartos of the Purple Ribbon Council, Fred Christensen of the Navajo Volunteer Literary Program at Navajo Elementary in Scottsdale, Charles Finch of Stepping Stones of Hope, Kim Mills of the AZ Compassion in Action (Phoenix Fire Department), Bill Smith of A Stepping Stone Foundation, and Michael Young of Swing Fore Kids Golf Classic, which supports Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Animal Assisted Therapy Program.

“People may be involved with social and human services, organizations, arts organizations, pets, or homelessness,” says Pam Betz, executive director of the event. “Truly, it runs the whole gamut of the nonprofit sector, excluding advocacy or political-based organizations.”

The celebration of volunteerism will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort & Spa, in Scottsdale. Winners will receive a hand-carved Hon Kachina doll and a cash award for their nonprofit organization.

“The Hon Kachina doll is representative of the award and is the most powerful of the healing kachinas, according to the Hopi Indian culture,” says Betz.

To nominate someone you know, visit honkachina.org.

Parents learn how to deal with teen drinking

If you have teenagers, consider having breakfast without them this Wednesday. It might be the most loving thing you could do.

notMYkid is hosting an educational event Wednesday morning called Rethinking Drinking: What’s the Buzz. The event, to be held at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale will cover teen alcohol abuse and the roles and responsibilities that parents carry today.

“Underage drinking and binge drinking is a huge problem in our community and notMYkid wants to educate parents about the problems and the implications of alcohol — not only medically and physically but also legally,” says Jill Woods, senior director at notMYkid.

The breakfast program will take place from 8 to 9:30 a.m. It will repeat at lunchtime, from 12 to 2 p.m., for parents who can’t make the earlier session. Paradise Bakery is providing a continental breakfast for the morning session and box lunches for the afternoon session.

Koren Zailckas.

Koren Zailckas, author of the bestselling book Smashed, will tell her story about how she started drinking starting at the age of 14. Experts tell parents about their roles and signs to look for when dealing with teen drinking.

 

“Parents will learn the signs and symptoms of alcohol use, why alcohol is bad for people under the age of 21, teen trends in alcohol consumption and the penalty for adults supplying alcohol to minors,” says Woods.

To register, click here.

Spring benefits to help family-related charities

Spring is approaching and with the warmer season comes a number of benefits for all all kinds of causes that support local families.

Mark Grace played first base for the Arizona Diamondbacks and was a member of the 2001 World Championship team.

Mark Grace Celebrity Invitational

On Thursday and Friday Feb. 10 and 11, local and national celebrities will gather for the Mark Grace Celebrity Invitational. The golf event helps provide youth development programs to children and teens through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale and includes an upscale cigar dinner at the The Scottsdale Plaza Resort the night before the tournament, which will be held at the The Phoenician Golf Club.

Thanks to events like this one, “we have provided more than 100,000 northeast Valley youth with a positive, supervised environment to explore the power of their potential,” says Becky Hornack, marketing and public relations specialist for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.

For more information visit bgcs.org.

HYPNO-larious

Next Saturday, Feb. 12, you can get hypnotized for a cause. The HYPNO-larious event will be held at The Disability Empowerment Center from 6 to 9 pm. Members of the audience volunteer to be hypnotized and join in the fun. There will also be refreshments and beverages, raffles and a silent auction.

The event benefits the Down Syndrome Network and the parents and schools in the partnership program that educate the school districts in Arizona with the latest information available for individuals with developmental disabilities, according to Tara Cash, a member of the Down Syndrome Network.

Register to attend.

Arizona Wheels of Italy

Arizona's Camp Sunrise is a welcome chance for kids with cancer to experience the fun of overnight camp.

On Saturday, Feb. 19, the first annual Arizona Wheels of Italy event will take place from 10 am to 2:30 pm at the Scottsdale 101 Shopping Center. The charity show will be presented by the Desert Region of the Ferrari Club of America and will feature Italian vehicles including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Alfa Romeos and more. All benefits will go toward  Arizona Camp Sunrise, a camp for children with cancer and their siblings.

For more information on the Arizona Wheels of Italy event visit azwoi.com.

An Evening to PAWS

An Evening to Paws will take place at 6pm on Saturday March 5 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas. The evening includes dinner, dancing and a silent auction, with funds raised going toward a no-kill animal shelter project of the Arizona Animal Welfare League and Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

For more information, call 480-423-1511 or email events@AAWL.org.

18th Annual Beach Ball

Also on March 5, Phoenix Children’s Hospital will be hosting the 18th Annual Beach Ball. This year’s event, which features a Moroccan theme, will begin at 5:30 pm with a cocktail reception, hors d’oeuvres and silent auction, followed by dinner, dancing and entertainment at The Phoenician in Scottsdale. Proceeds will go toward expanding the Phoenix Children’s Hospital facility and bringing family-centered care to more Valley patients and families. Learn more about the event.

Take a virtual tour of the new PCH wing, two floors of which opened last week.

Dance, dance and fight childhood obesity

photo courtesy of Primrose Schools

Six Primrose Schools in Arizona are working to fight childhood obesity by encouraging families to participate in a dance-off contest to campaign will benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The Family Dance-Off will run through March 19.

“Primrose Schools launched this national campaign to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices by encouraging families across the country to get up and dance,” says Heather Legeza, owner of Primrose School of Fletcher Heights. “We will donate a total of $65,000 to CMNH in the top three winning families’ hometowns.”

If an Arizona family wins, the beneficiary would be Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

To compete, families submit 30-second dance videos. Two finalist families will be selected each week based on the number of votes their videos receive. The final 14 families will compete for most votes from March 20-26. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 plus a $30,000 donation to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

“The contest is open to all families, not just families who attend Primrose Schools,” Legeza says. “Finalists will be chosen based on creativity, originality, humor and the number of votes each video gets.”

For more information or to enter a video visit familydanceoff.com.

Primrose Schools provide accredited early childhood education programs and child care for school-age children. It is the first preschool organization in the country to achieve the gold standard in educational accreditation from AdvancED and to require all of its schools to become SACS CASI or NCA CASI accredited.

For more information, visit primroseschools.com.

The Elontec School Diaper Challenge

The Elontec School Diaper Challenge is asking Valley schools to compete to collect diapers in support of families in need. The challenge is part of the Homeward Bound 12^th Annual Baby Diaper Drive, for which Elontec is a sponsoring partner.

The school that collects the most diapers – in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6 – will win a Mimio Teach, an interactive system that turns an ordinary whiteboard into a technology whiteboard.

“This is a great way to foster ‘kids helping kids,’ a wonderful school- and community-building event and an opportunity to teach philanthropy and leadership in a hands-on way,” says Elontec president Ginger Clayton. “Several schools already are participating, including Candeo School, West Wing Elementary and Primrose School of Fletcher Heights.”

The challenge ends Sunday, Jan. 30.

For more information or to register for the Elontec School Diaper Challenge contact Clayton at 623-445-0055 or visit BabyDrive.org.

Red Cross Hope Store opens in Arizona

After watching a video about a Red Cross Store that opened in Portugal, staff at the American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter were inspired to open their very own Red Cross Hope Store this holiday season.

“We were so moved by the people who simply wanted to do something to help people — providing hope when they needed it most,” says Tracy Kiest, communications manager at Arizona Red Cross. “The Red Cross touches so many lives in so many ways, whether it’s following a home fire or relaying a critical message for military members. A gift from the Hope Store gives Arizonans a way to help people in their time of need. This is a gift that exemplifies the true meaning of the season.”

With furniture donations from IKEA Tempe, and a retail space donation from Vestar/Desert Ridge, the American Red Cross was able to open the doors to its store on November 26.

“When you walk into the store you see four huge, compelling photographs representing different services such as military, disaster, shelter and international,” says Keist. “There are also a few other supporting photos, and next to the photos you learn more about the program and how a gift of hope can help people. There are a few items, such as a first-aid kit and vintage bag, on display for props. If someone asked to buy a prop, we could arrange it.”

Money earned at the store buys things such as cozy blankets for a shelter, phone cards for military members and lifesaving vaccinations for children in third-world countries.

“We had a very successful first weekend with nearly $2,000 in donations; now we’re focusing on ways to maintain momentum,” Kiest says. “We’ll be open through the holiday season.”

The Hope Store is located at Desert Ridge Marketplace, 21001 N. Tatum Blvd. in Phoenix (Loop 101 and Tatum Blvd.) between Dave & Buster’s and Rock Bottom Brewery. Visitors this weekend can sign a huge holiday card for military service members at Luke AFB (noon to 3pm today, noon to 4pm Sunday) and visit with Santa (noon to 3pm today). For more information, visit the American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter website.

Gryphen SPS hosts drive for animals in need

Gryphen Specialty Products and Services (GSPS) is hosting a canine/feline toy and food drive to help abandoned pets in Maricopa County. The ends Wednesday, Dec. 22, when donations will be delivered to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.

“As the holidays approached, we decided that hosting this donation drive would be a way for Gryphen consumers and staff to give back to their community,” says Holly Nelson, marketing manager for Gryphen SPS. “The shelter takes in so many animals that it’s impossible to keep up with the demand for supplies. Gryphen wants to help in any way that we can.”

People are asked to purchase a new dog or cat toy, a bag of food or any other item listed on the MCACC wish list, which includes items like blankets, towels, sheets, newspaper, nebulizer, preventic flea and tick collars, dog shampoo and conditioner, pens, collars, dog and cat beds and food and water bowls.

“Our goal is to help thousands of abused and abandoned animals in the care of Maricopa County Animal Care and Control during this holiday season, as well as stock their shelves into the New Year,” Nelson says.

Donations can be dropped off at any of the following locations:

GSPS of Tempe
1301 E. University Dr. #130
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-966-9500

GSPS of Casa Grande
1411 N. Overfield Rd.
Casa Grande, AZ 85194
520-421-2800

GSPS of Coolidge
236 W. Coolidge Ave.
Coolidge, AZ 85128
520-723-8599

Gryphen SPS promotes and delivers products that are responsive to the employment needs of adults with developmental disabilities. For more information, call 480-966-9500 or visit gryphensps.com.

Shred-it event helps fight identity theft

Might be time to get rid of these...

From 9am to 4pm today, Shred-it, the world’s leading on-site information destruction company, and Kohl’s are teaming up to help consumers fight identity theft through a Community Shred campaign.

The event will take place at four Kohl’s locations, including Awhatukee, Chandler, Avondale and North Glendale. A donation of $5 per box or $10 for large boxes of items to be shredded is suggested to help support Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

“The event provides the public with an opportunity to help fight identity theft while helping to raise money for the Children’s Hospital,” says Kelley Johannsen, general manager of Shred-It. “The items that people can bring to shred include anything that contains your name, address, and/or phone number. You cannot be too safe when it comes to protecting your identity and the identity thieves are becoming more creative.”

Shred-it also shreds computer hard drives, expired plastic credit cards, outdated IDs, cell phone chips and driver’s licenses. For more information, call call 602-264-0400 or visit shredit.com. The company also is on Facebook .

Holiday festivities around the Valley

Halloween is over, Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is on its way. All around the Valley you can find holiday festivals to take part in and enjoy.

FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE’S “CHRISTMAS AT THE PRINCESS”

The Fairmont Scottsdale’s new “Christmas at the Princess” festivities include a Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration from 6 to 8pm, Tuesday, Nov. 30. The event features the lighting of the resort’s all-new, four-story Christmas tree, specially designed with 65,000 LED lights that twinkle and dance to 10 holiday songs. The evening includes a performance by the Phoenix Boys Choir, a visit from Santa and a surprise performance by a nationally-known entertainer. Complimentary hot cider, cookies and other seasonal treats will round out the fun.

The tree lighting ceremony kicks off the resort’s Toys for Tots drive. The Scottsdale Fire Department will be on hand with a fire truck to accept unwrapped toys and the Princess will be a drop-off location for the drive through Monday, Dec. 20.

Sedona’s Holiday Tree Lighting

In Sedona, the Holiday Tree Lighting will kick off on Friday, Dec. 3. It includes the annual tree-lighting ceremony, holiday music and a visit from Santa in uptown Sedona. For more information, call 928-282-7722.

CHANDLER’S TUMBLEWEED TREE AND ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING FESTIVITIES

On Saturday, Dec. 4, Chandler’s unique Tumbleweed Tree and Annual Tree Lighting Festivities begin at 4:30pm at the San Marcos Ave Stage and the Arizona Place Stage. Performers include Dance Kids USA, Heat Wave Dance and Cheer, Copperstar Carolers, Masters Conservatory Suzuki Strings, and Tri-City Chorale and Brass Ensemble. They will also have Santa’s House with a free picture opportunity for the kids from 4:30 to 9pm, the Parade of Lights at 7pm, and the Tumbleweed Tree Lighting Ceremony at 8pm at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park. For more information call 480-782-2735.

PRESCOTT’S CHRISTMAS PARADE AND COURTHOUSE LIGHTING

Also that day: the Christmas Parade and Courthouse Lighting in Prescott. Events will kick off at 6pm with the annual Holiday Light Parade with decorated floats, pets, people and Santa traveling through downtown Prescott. Following the parade is a Courthouse lighting ceremony. There will be carols, cider, home made cookies and a chance to decorate the town’s Christmas tree. For more information visit prescott.org.

SCOTTSDALE’S HOLIDAY HARMONY “SNOW AND GLOW”

Scottsdale will hold its Holiday Harmony “Snow and Glow” on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 3:30 to 6:30pm. The annual tree lighting takes place at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall at 6:15pm and there will be live performers, interactive booths, a snow play area, snow sledding, cookie decorating, and a visit from Santa. Donations will be accepted for a holiday toy drive. For more information, call 480-312-0217.

Take time this holiday season to enjoy the festivities around you. You’ll find more events on Raising Arizona Kids’ online calendar.

Kids create holiday cards for a cause

Kyndle, a 6-year-old leukemia survivor, was drawing a rainbow.

“I was commenting on how beautiful it was [and] I asked her if she knew what was at the end of the rainbow,” says Elaine Falkner, art project manager at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders Art Project. “Across the table, one of our teenagers loudly blurted out, ‘the cure for cancer!’ The room full of kids doing artwork, parents, and volunteers, went really quiet, then everyone started cheering, laughing and clapping. It is one of those memories that still brings tears to my eyes.”

The art project is an ongoing fundraiser for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, but it also helps participating children cope with their illness. In the months leading up to the winter holidays, patients at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, like Kyndle, create holiday cards reflecting their own stories. Other art projects are sold throughout the year.

“The diagnosis of cancer in a child is very devastating for mom, dad, and the whole family. It changes the entire family dynamic into one of survival mode and foreboding treatments,” Falkner says. “The Art Project gives the children a way of expressing themselves and taking their mind off of their illness [and] making their cute artwork into greeting cards and holiday cards [creates a] fundraising vehicle with all proceeds going back to our cancer center.”

Every year, workshops are held with local artists to show the patients different forms of art.

“Kids are natural learners and they are just mesmerized by the artists who volunteer their time to show them how to create their own special art,” Falkner says.

The cards offer a variety of designs including Christmas trees, snowmen, gingerbread houses, the patients’ own pets and pictures of moms, dads, siblings, flowers, birds, people, and rainbows.

To purchase cards or learn more about the program visit pchkidsart.com.