Images Arizona (March 2023)

ROSANNE CASH ARIZONA MUSICFEST

PHOTOGRAPHY ESSAY PICTURE PLANTS

MARDI GRAS FOR CHRISTIAN

MARCH 2023

PROUDLY SERVING THESE COMMUNITIES: Anthem Country Club l Anthem Parkside Desert Hills l New River l Tramonto

From the Publisher

Publisher

Shelly Spence

Managing Editor

Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo

Amanda Christmann

Francine Coles

Rebecca L. Rhoades

Shannon Severson

Photographers

Francine Coles

Loralei Lazurek

Carl Schultz

Advertising Sales

Cindi Calcinari

860-966-3271

cindi@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona

P.O. Box 1416

Carefree, AZ. 85377

623-341-8221

imagesarizona.com

TThere is so much meaning that is held within the delicate petals of flowers. With their colorful and beautiful blooms, they are often seen as symbols of joy and pleasure. However, different types and colors carry many different significances — from friendship and purity to forgiveness and sympathy.

Red flowers are often given and received as tokens of passionate love and romance. Orange flowers express excitement and energy, aiming to lift someone’s spirits when they are feeling down. Yellow flowers are hallmarks of friendship. Though uncommon, green flowers are symbols of resilience, growth and good health, making them great gifts for anyone moving into a new home or graduating from school.

As we enter springtime here in the Valley, our desert will soon be covered with these incredible colors. Our washes and hillsides will come alive with yellow brittlebush, orange California poppies, bluish-purple Coulter's lupine and white desertstar daisies — all reminding us that life and beauty always find a way to not only survive but thrive.

In honor of that phenomenon and to help relay the inspirational messages that flowers possess, we have filled the pages of this month’s issue of Images Arizona with buds, blossoms and blooms. It is my hope that these stories and photographs brighten your day and motivate you to talk a walk outside — whether on any one of our desert trails or simply around the block — to take in and enjoy all that nature has to offer us at this time of the year.

Cheers!

Shelly Spence

Publisher, Images Arizona magazine

shelly@imagesaz.com

623-341-8221

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

GRACE RENEE GALLERY MARCH ARTIST

JENNYFER STRATMAN BRONZE ARTIST

Meet Jennyfer and experience her bronze sculpture that is rich with emotion, content and form. Jennyfer explores the interconnectedness between self, the earth and the cosmos with her thought-provoking, evocative sculpture.

ARTIST RECEPTION

Thursday, March 16

Wine & appetizers

4–7 p.m.

Grace Renee Gallery

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

by 6”

by 38” by 3”

ABOVE : Portrait of Jennyfer Stratman Intersecting Strings Of

, Bronze, 40” by 42” by 5”

Splitting his time between Chicago and Carefree, avid road cyclist and hiker Scott Verschoor makes it a point to climb Black Mountain at least once a week whenever he is in Arizona.

Boasting an elevation of 3,400 feet, Black Mountain is one of the higher summits in the area, providing jaw-dropping views from a very unique vantage point. Its trail’s 1.1-mile hike to the summit from the parking area also makes it one of the most accessible.

“I often try a sunrise or sunset hike,” Verschoor says. “I love the way the mountain and skyline look at different times of the day. I am still in awe of the desert.”

Photo by Scott Verschoor

FFour-time Grammy Awardwinning artist and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Rosanne Cash believes that music serves a far more vast purpose than just entertainment.

“It reveals us to ourselves,” she says. “It gets us in touch with our own feelings that are sometimes buried very deep. It can release heartache and even trauma. It can heal. It can provide a pathway to the future. It gets us in touch with that experience of things being bigger than us. It is all of those things. It is not just about entertainment.”

Having previously headlined Arizona Musicfest in 2015, Cash will take the stage Monday, March 27 at Highlands Church in Scottsdale, performing a selection of songs from a music career that spans four decades.

“I am going to be playing a lot of songs from my entire catalog — going back 40 years and up to the present,” says Cash, noting that she has developed a deeply significant long-term relationship with so much of her music. “I remember who I was when I wrote some of these songs like ‘Seven-Year Ache’ and ‘Blue Moon with Heartache,’ which was a young girl, and that is not who I am anymore.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Arizona Musicfest

Rosanne Cash - March 27

“I remember the stages of my life in which I have sung them. I mean, I sometimes even think, ‘This could be one of the last few times I ever sing this song that I wrote more than 40 years ago. And that takes on a real poignancy for me. Oddly, I am not 25 anymore and I am not going to be going on tour that much after this spring, so I am taking every moment as really precious when we are out performing. And this one is going to be really special.”

TAKING THE TORCH

Arizona Musicfest’s executive and producing director Allan Naplan is beyond thrilled to be able to bring Cash back to the Valley this spring. Citing her impressive career that transcends genres, from Americana and country to pop, he says that the artist is so much more than just the incredible music that she sings.

“Rosanne Cash is the voice of America,” Naplan explains. “When she is not strumming her guitar and singing songs of deep personal reflection, she is this keep observer and thinker about the role of music in culture. Certainly influenced by the role that her father played in American culture, she has really taken the torch of being a great voice — both spoken and singing — of the role of music in America.”

Cash believes that torch is simply part of her DNA and is proud of both the legacy she inherited from her father and the one she has forged for herself. Even more importantly, she is dedicated to using her voice to benefit causes that are close to her heart — such as anti-gun violence, children and artists’ rights.

“To me, it all comes back to the concept of tithing,” the singer-songwriter explains. “You give part of your energy, yourself, your money and your time to send a ripple out into the world that might help people and make things better.”

Cash’s appearance as part of Arizona Musicfest is therefore especially resonant for the performer, as revenue from ticket sales — like that of all concerts produced by the nonprofit organization — benefit a variety of music education programs throughout the Valley.

These programs, which are provided at no charge to area schools, include Musicfest Strings, Musicfest Mariachi, Musicfest Winds, Musicfest Strummers, Music and Sound/Found and Around, Musicfest Jazz and The Music of Arizona — the organization’s signature multicultural program.

Meanwhile, Musicfest’s Young Musicians Competitions, Young Musicians Performance Series and the Musicfest College Scholarship Program serve the finest young musicians in the Valley, while Music Alive! — a unique lifelong learning and creative aging series — features dynamic programs for the community’s older adults.

STAR-STUDDED SPRING

As if Cash’s appearance were not impressive enough, the back half of Arizona Musicfest’s spring season is studded with several other stars eager to entertain Valley audiences.

Naplan says that, among the most highly anticipated performers, are Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet —

Pinchas Zukerman - March 19 Kelli O'Hara - March 21

Chris Botti - April 3

who will be sharing the stage for the first time Sunday, March 5 in an innovative program for two pianos.

“We feel very lucky that they were interested in doing Arizona Musicfest,” Naplan adds. “They will be performing songs from the Great American Songbook, including some hidden gems from George Gershwin and Cole Porter that are not as well known as some of their greatest hits.

“Michael is the dean of the Great American Songbook. Jean-Yves is just an amazing pianist of classical repertoire, but he is also a huge fan of this repertoire. So this is him letting his hair down, and really having a great time with his friend Michael.

“Having these two outstanding musicians from two different worlds coming together to celebrate some of the greatest music of all time is going to make for a very exciting concert.”

Following a trio of performances featuring the Festival Orchestra — including one for which it is joined by the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club — the acclaimed Zukerman Trio will on Sunday, March 19 present an unforgettable afternoon of musical mastery.

Broadway’s leading lady Kelli O’Hara and Latin musician Tito Puente, Jr. will then separately take the stage Tuesday, March 21 and Friday, March 31, respectively, with a young musicians spring concert sandwiched in between the two on Sunday, March 26.

[Music] reveals us to ourselves. It gets us in touch with our own feelings that are sometimes buried very deep. It can release heartache and even trauma. It can heal. It can provide a pathway to the future. It gets us in touch with that experience of things being bigger than us. It is all of those things. It is not just about entertainment.

“On Monday, April 3, we are bringing back Chris Botti, who has been a megastar at Arizona Musicfest,” Naplan says. “We have easily sold out his last two performances here, so we are expecting no different this time. He always puts on just a truly phenomenal performance for our audiences.”

For more than two decades, the Grammy Awardwinning master trumpeter and composer has amassed a spectacular variety of honors — including multiple Gold and Platinum albums — to become the nation’s largest-selling instrumental artist.

“He first came into pop culture notoriety because he was the trumpeter for Sting,” Naplan adds. “He then launched his own career and has had such a phenomenal one at that. He lives in the jazz world, but also crosses over into the pop world, so there is wonderful variety to his concerts.

“He also brings in guest soloists — such as an operatic tenor and a renowned violinist. Chris Botti could just stand in front all night long, and it would be terrific. But he showcases all of his bandmates, who are all phenomenal musicians, and that makes for a really exciting evening.”

On Tuesday, April 11, The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Tributes to Aretha Franklin and the Doobie Brothers will close out Arizona Musicfest’s 32nd season on Monday, April 17 and Saturday, April 29, respectively.

‘TIME IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING’

Speaking about her desired legacy, Cash says that she wants to first and foremost be remembered as a good wife and mother.

“I also want to be remembered as someone with integrity; who did not just look at what the marketplace had and tried to recreate what was successful, but who kept digging, kept working and kept asking questions,” the singer-songwriter notes. “I want to be remembered as someone who was curious and loved the planet, loved my life and loved the world.”

Tito Puente, Jr. - March 31

Michael Feinstein & Jean Thibaudet - March 5

She adds that her music career has given her inroads into parts of herself that she did not even know existed.

“It has given me compassion,” she explains. “It has given me an understanding of what drives people. It has given me an understanding that everyone suffers — and that a lot of people hide it under a veneer of integrity and cheerfulness.

“That is deeply moving to me. I work in the public sphere. I get a lot of letters from people who share very intimate things with me. And it is humbling to realize that everyone has a story. Everyone hurts about something.

“It has also given me access to friends who I never would have had; other musicians with whom I have gotten to work. It is this whole creative realm that gives me so much joy.”

Quoting her friend, visual artist Maira Kalman, Cash concludes that “time is the most precious thing.”

“I am very aware that every time I step on stage with that particular audience, it will never happen again; that particular configuration on that day with that group of people and that chemistry where we are together. And I will be present for whatever that is.”

azmusicfest.org

Rosanne Cash

Monday, March 27 | 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale $62+ | azmusicfest.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

COMMUNITY March 2023

Through March 12

‘AN AMERICAN IN PARIS’

The Phoenix Theatre Company presents its production of “An American in Paris,” a musical inspired by the 1951 film about a young American soldier and a French girl, each yearning for a new beginning in the most romantic city in the world. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

March 3 and 4

M3F

M3F will host its annual nonprofit music festival. This year’s lineup includes Grammy-nominated vocalist Maggie Rogers, the off-kilter sounds of Toro y Moi, English beatmaker and producer Jamie xx, Detroit singer Quinn XCII, Mom + Pop signee Ashe, Nashville indie-rockers COIN, Connecticut pop and electronic singer Chelsea Cutler and French electronic duo Polo & Pan. Beyond the music, guests will also enjoy a variety of food and beverage offerings, art installations and activities. All proceeds will benefit charity. See website for price. Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix. m3ffest.com

March 3–5

‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’

Arizona Opera will present its production of “The Sound of Music.” See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. azopera.org

March 4

MUSICAL THEATRE OF ANTHEM FUNDRAISER BENEFIT

March 4

CHAMBER MUSIC IN MULTIPLES

Experience sonorities never heard before in a Bach Festival program — a concerto for four bassoons by the French master, Michel Corrette, and Bach’s cantata Gleichwie der Regen with four violas. Double reeds will abound in oboe ensembles from the court of Louis XIV. $30+. 7:30 p.m. All Saints' Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. arizonabachfestival.org

Musical Theatre of Anthem will host its annual fundraiser benefit — an exciting evening of performances by professional singers and the theater’s own outreach group, the announcement of its 16th season, dinner, soft drinks, desserts, auctions, drawings and more. $60. 4 p.m. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42201 N. 41st Drive, Suite B100, Anthem. musicaltheatreofanthem.org

March 5

CONTRASTS FOR STRINGS

MusicaNova Orchestra will perform a fascinating program that takes the audience on a journey of discovery, demonstrating the versatility of the string orchestra. $33.50+. 2 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. musicanovaaz.org

March 5

FEINSTEIN & THIBAUDET

Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform

a concert of music from George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and more as part of Arizona Musicfest. $62+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 7–11

THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of musicians from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a series of concerts as part of Arizona Musicfest. See website for price and times. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 10–April 16

‘ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE’

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents its production of “Escape to Margaritaville,” a musical comedy that features the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics — including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “Fins” and more. See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

March 11

‘ACROSS THE UNIVERSE’

North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert of spacethemed works — including scores from “Star Trek,” “Star Wars” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” as well as orchestral pieces like “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” “Venus, the Bringer of Peace” and “Mars, the Bringer of War'' from Gustav Holst’s symphonic suite “The Planets.” The concert will also feature a piece that calls for audience participation via a mobile app that adds sound effects to the orchestra’s performance. $5. 7 p.m. North Canyon High School Auditorium, 1700 E. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix. northvalleysymphonyorchestra.org

March 11

ART D’CORE GALA

A highlight of Artlink’s month-long Art Detour celebration, the Art d’Core Gala will recognize artists, donors, businesses, collectors, advocates and civic leaders who energize a creative culture that significantly contributes to our community and economy. Guests will enjoy a sparkling showcase of artistry that spotlights those who contribute to Arizona’s creativity and community. $125. 6 p.m. Park Central, 3121 N. Third Ave., Phoenix. artlinkphx.org

March 11

FASHION & FIZZ

Ballet Arizona’s junior board, the Contemporary Council, will host its first-ever Fashion & Fizz fundraiser. Attendees will sip sparkling wine while dancers serve as models to showcase an array of curated costumes. A question and answer session will follow, along with a display of additional costumes for closer inspection. A VIP lounge and private bar with light hors d’oeuvres and even front-row seating is available with premium ticket options. $50+. 2–5 p.m. Ballet Arizona. 2835 E. Washington St., Phoenix. balletaz.org

March 11

MUSICAL CHAMPAGNE SALON

ProMusica Arizona will host its annual Musical Champagne Salon, a semi-formal evening giving guests an opportunity to mingle with its musicians and enjoy performances by exceptionally talented soloists and small ensembles. An extensive array of heavy hors d’oeuvres and delectable dessert choices along with flowing champagne, wine and other beverages will be served to attendees, and a silent online auction will add to the excitement. $100. 6 p.m. RSVP for location. pmaz.org

COMMUNITY March 2023

March 11 and 12

EXPERIENCE IRELAND

The Musical Instrument Museum will celebrate the music and culture of Ireland. See website for schedule of events. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480478-6000; mim.org

March 15–April 2

‘THE LAST FIVE YEARS’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “The Last Five Years,” an emotional examination of relationships and ingenious, interchanging structure between present and past. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

March 16

JENNYFER STRATMAN ARTIST RECEPTION

Explore a collection of artwork rich with emotion, content and form. Artist Jennyfer Stratman’s work explores interconnections between everything from the subatomic to the galactic, expressed primarily through figuration and natural elements. Wine and appetizers. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

March 19

ZUKERMAN TRIO

The acclaimed Zukerman Trio will present an unforgettable afternoon of musical mastery as part of Arizona Musicfest. $52+. 2 p.m. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 25

IRONWOOD CROSSFIT AND FITNESS

10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Having officially reached its decennial last month, Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness will host an official celebration during which the community can gather for group workouts as well as enjoy some great food and music. There will even be a bounce house for kids. Free.

8 a.m.–1 p.m. Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness, 41125

N. Daisy Mountain Drive, Suite 101, Anthem. 602-428-7295; ironwoodcrossfit.com

March 21

KELLI O’HARA

Broadway’s leading lady Kelli O’Hara will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $49+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 24 and 25

AARON HENRY JEWELRY

Meet the father and son team behind this luxury jewelry collection. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

March 24–26

‘DOMINION’

The Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert featuring a chamber orchestra and animated art projections in a

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

stunning juxtaposition of baroque and contemporary music. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m. at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix; Sunday 3 p.m. at Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive, Paradise Valley. phoenixchorale.org

March 24–26

FLAIR ART SHOW

Finest Local Artists in Residence will host its annual art show, featuring several subjects in a variety of mediums, all created by local artists who are committed to their craft and to the advancement of art in the community as a whole. Free. Friday Noon.–9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. with artists’ reception 5–9 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Persimmon Clubhouse at Anthem Golf and Country Club, 2708 W. Anthem Club Drive, Anthem.

March 24–April 9

‘RESPECT: THE MUSICAL’

Black Theatre Troupe will present its production of “Respect: The Musical,” which combines excerpts from more than 60 songs with women’s personal stories about realizing dreams, loves won and lost and battering against glass ceilings. $48+. See website for times. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. 602-2588128; blacktheatretroupe.org

March 25 and 26

ANTHEM DAYS

Anthem will host its annual family-friendly event that includes a local business expo, live musical entertainment, a carnival, a food court and beer garden and a kids’ zone with inflatables. Free. 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem. onlineatanthem.com

COMMUNITY March 2023

March 26

YOUNG MUSICIANS SPRING CONCERT

Arizona Musicfest will present a spring concert during which some of the best young classical musicians in the state will showcase their astounding talent, maturity and artistry. $20. 2 p.m. The Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. azmusicfest.org

March 27

ROSANNE CASH

Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $61. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 31

TITO PUENTE, JR.

Latin musician Tito Puente, Jr. will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 31–April 2

THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS IN CONCERT

The Phoenix Symphony will perform the score of the beloved fantasy-comedy-romance “The Princess Bride” as the film is projected on a screen above the stage. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. phoenixsymphony.org

March 31–April 8

‘XANADU’

April 1 and 2

PROMUSICA ARIZONA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION CONCERT

ProMusica Arizona will present the world-premiere of Arizona composer Craig Bohmler’s “Saguaro Song” — a suite of five songs for choir and orchestra with texts by award-winning Canadian author Marion Adler, who uses the iconic saguaro cactus as a metaphor for the seasons of life. The concert will also include Timothy Powell’s “A World Without Boundaries,” with texts by American astronauts; Morten Lauridsen’s “Sure on the Shining Night;” Ola Gjielo’s “Sunrise (Gloria),” from “Sunrise Mass’” and other musical gems. Saturday 7 p.m. at All Saints Lutheran Church, 15649 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. Sunday 3:30 p.m. at American Lutheran Church, 17200 N. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City. pmaz.org

Starlight Community Theater will present its production of “Xanadu.” See website for price and times. Starlight Community Theater, 1611 W. Whispering Wind Drive, Suite 9, Phoenix. starlightcommunitytheater.com

April 3

CHRIS BOTTI

Master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $59+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 7–9

‘THE MAGIC FLUTE’

Arizona Opera will present its production of “The Magic Flute,” Mozart’s beloved fairytale of darkness and light which explores the journey in search of truth and reason, love and enlightenment. See website for price. Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. azopera.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

April 11

THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO

The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s as part of Arizona Musicfest. $41+.

7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 12 and 13

KATHERINE JETTER

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover the secrets of her craft while marveling at the eye-catching rhodium hues and exceptional, hand-picked gemstones that individually tell Jetter what they need during her design process.

Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

ROTARY DONATES CLOTHING TO STUDENTS

Anthem Rotary Club in collaboration with Walmart Anthem Supercenter recently donated new clothing valued at more than $35,000 to economically disadvantaged students in local area school districts. More than 20 club members volunteered their time, a total of more than 60 hours, to manage the project. Members unboxed unsorted clothing items then sorted, labeled, reboxed and prepared the clothing over two days. The members then delivered the sorted boxes of clothes to the area schools. portal.clubrunner.ca/1691

VFW SELECTS SPEECH CONTEST WINNER

Anthem Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12031 recently named Mary Sannapu as the winner of its 2022 Voice of Democracy speech contest — an audio-essay competition that requires high school entrants to write and record a three-to-five-minute essay on a patrioticbased theme. This year’s theme was “Why Is The Veteran Important?” About 40,000 students worldwide participate in the competition with VFW awarding more than $2.1 million in scholarships each year. vfw.org

Crawfish for Christian

MMardi Gras is a celebration most closely associated with New Orleans. However, for the last 22 years, Louisiana native and Anthem State Farm agent Nanette McClelland-Miller and her husband, Josh, have brought a taste of the Big Easy to Arizona — raising close to $200,000 for families and communities in need in the process.

“As a State Farm Insurance agent in Anthem, I was one of the very first businesses in town,” McClelland-Miller explains. “The event began as an open house for the community. The Roadrunner owners at the time were my first clients; when they suggested a Mardi Gras theme, it was perfect. Josh and I have always wanted to share our heritage with the community and what better way than with something like this?

“Over the years, we have chosen a cause or individual in the community to help. At first, we sold beads to help a local woman fighting cancer and it was a big hit. Later, we raised funds for both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita victims. We send the funds wherever they are needed each year.”

On March 4, McClelland-Miller’s Mardi Gras will return from its pandemic hiatus for a huge celebration and fundraiser beginning at 5 p.m. at the Roadrunner Restaurant & Saloon in New River. In addition to the colorful, classic beads, there will be a raffle and silent auction full of items and experiences donated by the community.

It’s a family affair as the couple’s young daughter, Jolie, has grown up helping out with the fundraiser. Plenty of friends are also helping out and local businesses, including iTrade Pay, Ricky Miles at Cardinal Financial, Select Auto Glass and Southwest Auto Glass have stepped up to be sponsors. The Roadrunner’s $10 cover charge starts at 7 p.m. and includes bull riding.

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography Courtesy of Nanette McClelland-Miller

“Josh will make two big pots of gumbo to serve up that night,” says McClelland-Miller. “We will have gumbo and boiled crawfish sold cashand-carry in two big tents. There will also be the traditional Hurricane cocktails available. We will have everything decorated for the event and will have a board with photos of the family.”

For this, the 19th year of the fundraiser, McClelland-Miller has chosen to benefit a special young man and his family. Christian Fox suffered a severe head injury in a motocross accident on Sept. 24. His parents, Dave and Lori, have been by his side ever since, as they also continue to care for their two younger children — Jesse, 13, and Fiona, 19 months.

“I saw a posting about Christian at my gym and posts about the accident on Facebook,” McClelland-Miller recalls. “I donated to his GoFundMe, but when I learned he was still in the hospital, I knew I had to do the Mardi Gras fundraiser for Christian.”

The 14-year-old North Valley Christian Academy freshman, who first began riding dirt bikes at age 2, was injured during the last practice lap of the day on a typical Saturday morning with Dave and Jesse. Christian lost his footing as he landed at the bottom of a jump. Dave immediately recognized that the riders approaching the jump were not looking ahead to see the accident and that they were going to land on Christian at the bottom of the jump.

“I tried to get to him and realized I couldn’t,” Dave recalls. “I ran to the top of the hill to try to flag riders to stop. I was yelling, ‘Stop! Stop!’ They were not looking ahead at the track; instead, they were looking at their front tires.”

Dave himself was hit by a bike. As he flipped in the air, he saw the first rider ride directly over Christian. While still in the air, he was hit again and knocked unconscious, landing about 60 feet below where Christian was lying.

“ Christian loves seafood. It’s his absolute favorite. We used to go crawfishing every year, so I about lost it when Nanette said it was a big crawfish boil. It is so kind of her to do this for us.

Dave Fox

“When I woke up, I fell three times trying to run to him,” Dave says. “I didn’t realize I had a broken ankle, a broken jaw, a broken finger and had bit a chunk out of my tongue. Through all this, [my younger son] Jesse kept everyone calm. Jesse was my rock; he is so brave.”

Lori was home with Fiona when she got the call from Dave. Christian was being transported by helicopter to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

“The call I got was Dave saying, ‘I just need you to pray,’” Lori says. “‘Christian is hurt. I just need you to pray.’ As I parked my car at the hospital, I saw him flying in. I remember walking in and saying, ‘That’s my son.’

“When they brought me back to the trauma room there were so many people that I couldn’t see what was going on. I thanked the helicopter team and asked, ‘Is he still alive?’ They said yes. Jesse came in with Dave, who was in a wheelchair. He had blood all over him. I didn’t know what was happening. It was just an overwhelming feeling. It felt like a nightmare. I wanted to wake up and have it all be gone.”

Christian’s next 72 hours would be critical as he was stabilized enough to be moved to the intensive care unit. Time was a blur, but when the dust settled, there were miracles to celebrate in the midst of his fight for life. Christian didn’t have any injuries to his spine or any major broken bones. He did, however, have a significant brain injury that required the removal of a portion of his skull to accommodate swelling. He was not breathing on his own.

When news spread about the accident, there was an outpouring of support from the community. A colleague at Dave’s office created a purple ribbon logo with the hashtag “Pray for Christian.” Purple is Christian’s favorite color. Soon, there were stickers, bracelets, pins and t-shirts. From Christian’s school to around the world, the family has learned that there are people praying for Christian in all 50 states and 22 countries.

“It just blew up,” Lori says. “The Anthem community in general has been a huge part of our healing process. NVCA had a ‘purple-out day,’ Anthem Rotary hosted a car wash, Heather Boop from Legends is awesome, our friend DonnaLynn dropped off stickers at Anthem businesses and the dirt bike community has been amazing. Christian’s trainer had a charity dirt bike rodeo in honor of Christian.”

The upcoming Mardi Gras fundraiser by McClelland-Miller is boosting their spirits and actually shares a special connection with Christian. Dave says the family plans to attend and he was especially touched when he found out about the Mardi Gras menu.

“Christian loves seafood,” Dave says. “It’s his absolute favorite. We used to go crawfishing every year, so I about lost it when Nanette said it was a big crawfish boil. It is so kind of her to do this for us.”

As of press time, Christian remains at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. A recent bout of meningitis set him back but, as a testament to Christian’s strength and fighting spirit, he beat the illness even as his body continues to heal. Christian breathes on his own with just nighttime support from a ventilator, he is recovering well from the placement of a shunt to drain fluid from his brain.

The family believes that Christian can hear, so Jesse and Dave call him every night to pray with him.

“Even if he’s asleep when they call, Christian opens his eyes,” Lori says.

The family continues to pray for healing of his optic nerves and vestibular restoration. He was naturally prone to retinal detachment but that did not happen, despite the seriousness of the injuries to Christian’s head.

Dave and Lori switch off nights at the hospital. New visitor rules have allowed them to spend more time with Jesse and Fiona on the weekends now that two grandparents are allowed to spend time with Christian in his room.

The Fox family is anticipating the day when Christian will be able to return home.

“We are at a place where he is pretty medically stable and we want to make sure he stays that way,” Lori says. “We don’t know when God has that planned but we are waiting for that next step in his healing process.”

Funds raised in Christian’s name will help them with all the renovations they will need in order to make their home safe and navigable for Christian, who will be in a wheelchair. Already, health insurance has been a challenge, particularly for needed therapies. The family is doing a lot of Christian’s physical therapy themselves so they don’t exhaust therapy dollars before he is well enough to take full advantage. They hope to surround their son with a therapy team full of people who believe in Christian.

“We want a team that sees value in Christian and believes that he is going to do all things again,” Lori explains.

“That is what we are waiting for and that is what we want. We have been really blessed. People have helped pay for Fiona’s daycare and tutoring for Jesse. It can be hard for him to go to school with all that is going on, but we are so proud of him. He is even volunteering at church to work with children who have special needs. He has a servant's heart. It takes courage to step out and volunteer.”

It is this indefatigable spirit of perseverance and gratitude –– even in the hardest times –– that shines through in every member of the Fox family. They are thankful for every friend, stranger, business and neighbor who has responded to Christian’s battle.

“The amount of lives Christian has touched had been really impactful and it helps us, too,” Dave says. “I have people reach out to say, ‘I’ve been struggling in my faith until I was able to hear about Christian’s story.’ One of our prayers daily is for him to be able to share his testimony someday. So many lives have already been changed.”

So as Christian’s story has brought the community together in different venues, this event will bring the whole community into one venue. The Roadrunner will also donate 15% of the proceeds from their standard food and drink menus that night.

Donations are also being received via a GoFundMe that can be accessed on McClelland-Miller’s State Farm Facebook page.

Hopefully, by the time McClelland-Miller’s Mardi Gras is ready to let the good times roll next year, Christian will be there — flanked by family and friends, feasting on his beloved crawfish.

nanettemiller.com

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Jimmy W. Fike

Waterlily

PPhotographer Jimmy W. Fike has spent the past 15 years creating a photographic archive depicting America’s rich trove of wild edible flora. To date, the project has taken him to 16 different states and allowed him to amass a collection of more than 175 specimens.

“The work sprung from disillusionment with the position of landscape photography in relation to pressing threats like climate change, extinction, pollution and the loss of commons,” Fike says. “Too often, the genre traffics in the aesthetics of nature instead of the inner workings of ecology. To address climate change and environmental degradation, I felt a radically different artistic strategy was necessary.”

Last spring, Red Lightning Books published the culmination of Fike’s journey — “Edible Plants: A Photographic Survey of the Wild Edible Botanicals of North America,” featuring more than 100 of the photographer’s images that have been selectively colorized to highlight the comestible part of each plant.

“By employing a system that makes it easy to identify both the plant and its edible parts, the images function as reliable guides for foraging,” Fike explains. “This functional aspect of the project directs viewers to free food that can be used for sustenance, or as raw material for creative economies.

Beyond functionality, Fike tries to construct images that operate on multiple levels theoretically and perceptually.

“Upon longer viewing, the botanicals begin to transcend the initial appearance of scientific illustration,” he says. “They writhe and pulsate, trying to communicate with you about their edible parts while hovering over an infinite black expanse.

“This opticality becomes a physiological parallel to the chemical effects of ingesting the plants and opens up a mystical space for contemplation, communion and meditation. The scientific yields to something potentially spiritual, as the viewer begins to experience our symbiotic evolution with the plant kingdom.”

Amaranth

THE FINE ART OF VIVIFICATION

To achieve the layered aesthetic of his work, Jimmy W. Fike photographs multiple specimens of the same plant and combines the best elements from each to create an archetypal rendering of the species.

“By judiciously rearranging, scaling and warping, I can vivify the plant and turn the ground into space,” Fike explains. “This subtle reference to shamanic scrying and other mystical forms of seeing nudges the work towards the numinous. I hope viewers carry this numinous experience back out into the landscape, into their communities, and see the plants that surround them in a fresh, wonder-filled way.”

The photographer adds that his work offers a dose of something palliative for the ills of alienation — “a sense of connection to a certain place, a certain ecosystem, a type of belonging.”

“With this in mind, I plan on continuing the survey until I have amassed an expansive enough crosssection of the botanical life on the continent to mount biome-specific exhibitions anywhere within the continental United States,” Fike says.

“I hope the photographic survey can serve as a historical archive of botanical life during eras of extreme change, and provide viewers all over the country an opportunity to feel the type of bond with their landscapes that will encourage health, engender wonder, help identify free food and — most importantly — inspire greater concern for environmental issues.”

Manzanita

Mesquite

Londonrocket

When you have this knowledge, plants are no longer just these anonymous, inanimate, green things. You really start to see them as beings and you begin to recognize them. It opens up a more numinous way of perceiving your natural environment.

Jimmy Fike

My favorite place to go to in Arizona is the Mogollon Rim. I love to go up there and go camping and backpacking and fly fishing for trout and, of course, take photography. So, this time of the year, I start looking at the weather forecast, waiting for those temperatures to amp up a little bit to where I can get back up to those higher elevations.

Jimmy Fike

Oxeye Daisy

Ground Cherry

The thing that has surprised me the most is just the sheer volume of plants out there that are edible. I have gone all over the country working on this project and, within a month, I am able to photograph 20 different plants. They are everywhere you go, everywhere you look. And it just transforms the way you experience a place and a landscape. There is just this beautiful cornucopia of edible plants all around us.

Jimmy Fike

Silverweed

About the Photographer

Jimmy W. Fike’s photographic work endeavors to push the tradition of landscape photography into the realm of socially and ecologically engaged practice. His series on wild edible plants has been exhibited extensively across the United States, featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and Mother Jones and accepted into the permanent collection of the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Fike earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Auburn University before a master’s degree in photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

“There is something that is just so transformative about photography with the way that it reveals your personal vision and extracts something from the real world that seems to amplify what you are feeling on the inside,” Fike says.

Initially, Fike found his artistic inspiration and motivation in the Southern Gothic as he embraced his Alabaman roots and leaned into the literature of William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor. However, during graduate school, he began doing a lot of work within the topics of technology — specifically, our relationship with it — and developed more of an interest in cyborg theory.

“I had been working with kind of a postmodern milieu and tradition for a long time,” Fike says. “And a lot of that stuff was really smart and interesting, but I began to feel like it had run its course. Instead of continuing to produce work filled with irony and fatalism, I decided to do some work that actually addressed the problems in an interesting way and offer a path forward.”

Fike began reading Buddhist teachings as well as Native American spirituality and history. He also delved into the work of Suzi Gablik — an American visual artist, author, art critic and professor of art history and art criticism who encouraged artists to be more responsible in practice and more responsive to their communities.

“She encouraged artists to make art that was not bashful about trying to take on problems and to intentionally seek out creative new solutions and new definitions of what art can be,” Fike says. “Stewing on all of those variables, the idea of creating art featuring plants popped into my head — particularly edible plants that could help people feel bonded to their local natural environments and help with issues related to feeling alienated and disconnected.”

Currently working as a residential art faculty member at Estrella Mountain College in Avondale, Arizona, Fike has devoted the past 15 years to producing art that he hopes encourages people to become environmentalists. Though it does much more, his art at the very least provides sustenance, revealing the natural world’s generous offering of free food.

jimmyfike.com

I“It’s boots and chaps; it’s cowboy hats; it’s spurs and latigo; it’s the ropes and the reins and the joy and the pain and they call the thing rodeo.” So goes a famous Garth Brooks song describing the allure of struggle and glory that is the sport of rodeo.

The 46th annual Cave Creek Rodeo Days celebration lassos western tradition and local pride in a weeklong celebration. On March 18–26, thousands of visitors will come to experience a multitude of events.

"The Cave Creek rodeo is the signature event in town,” says Cave Creek Mayor Bob Morris. “As a horseman and equine competitor, I am so proud to be associated with this community service-focused organization, celebrating our heritage. My cowboy hats and boots are ready for some fun!”

The fun begins with the Cave Creek Rodeo Days Parade through the center of town 9–11 a.m. Saturday, March 18, followed by kids' mutton bustin' at 1 p.m. at Cave Creek Memorial Arena.

Cave Creek Rodeo Days’ new board president Mike Poppenwimer has decades of experience in event planning, restaurant management and operations in his native Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also a past president of Kiwanis Club of Carefree and is active chair of the committee in charge of the Kiwanis Marketplace. // Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Writer Shannon Severson

The parade is expected to have 170 entrants, many of which will be horse-drawn. “The more horses the better” is the rallying cry. Featured in the parade will be Cave Creek Rodeo Days royalty as well as royalty from other communities along with equestrian and community representatives in small-town style with a massive dose of western flair.

This year, bull riding is a major new addition to the highly competitive array of events at Cave Creek Memorial Arena that will culminate in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo Finals on Sunday, March 26. The brandnew chutes open at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 23 for an “All Bulls, All Night” event with bull riding and bullfighting.

The following nights feature bareback and saddle bronc riding, team roping, tie-down and breakaway roping and barrel racing, with slack on Friday and Saturday mornings. Every day will feature vendor hours for shopping and food. On Sunday morning, the day begins at 9 a.m. with Cowboy Church at the arena before vendor hours and finals at 2 p.m.

There is absolutely something for everyone and organizers are expecting sell-out crowds.

While the celebration is highly Cave Creek-centric, it will manifest goodwill beyond the town limits. For the second year, Mountain View Pub will host a private fundraiser for the Crazy Horse Memorial which, held 4–6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, will raise awareness and assist in the completion of the world’s largest sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Proceeds will also benefit The Indian University of North America.

“The Mountain View Pub is committed to the completion of the Crazy Horse Memorial,” says JP Pemberton, the pub’s owner. “This is American history at its best and we here in Arizona want to help protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians so our children, grandchildren and future generations can experience this icon of history, culture and humanity.”

You can’t go wrong with our great Western heritage. Here in Cave Creek, you can still see horses on a hitching post outside of businesses. It’s something you don’t see anywhere else.

Mike Poppenwimer

CORRALLING THE TEAM

Volunteerism has always been at the heart of the event and leading the nonprofit Cave Creek Rodeo Days foundation is new board president Mike Poppenwimer, a Carefree resident with decades of experience in event planning, restaurant management and operations in his native Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also a past president of Kiwanis Club of Carefree and is active chair of the committee in charge of the Kiwanis Marketplace.

The military veteran has always had a passion for the western lifestyle. After leaving the military, a stint at his uncle’s ranch outside Cody, Wyoming helped him realize that being a full-time cowboy probably wasn’t the life for which he was meant. However, he did become a “cowboy” by getting a degree at University of Wyoming in hospitality management. Working in hotels meant a lot of travel, but it also brought him to Cheyenne, where he got involved in Cheyenne Frontier Days — something that prepared him for what he is now doing in Cave Creek.

“It was a really great experience,” Poppenwimer says. “A well-greased machine, in terms of putting on a rodeo.”

He eventually settled down in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife where they owned several restaurants and

Working in hotels meant a lot of travel, but it also brought Mike Poppenwimer to Cheyenne, where he got involved in Cheyenne Frontier Days — something that prepared him for what he is now doing in Cave Creek.

// Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Photo by Benjamin Brooks

raised their three children. When he retired at the age of 59, he and his wife sold everything and moved into a home against the backdrop of Black Mountain in Arizona.

Poppenwimer immediately got involved in the Kiwanis Club and, when the invitation came to lead the Cave Creek Rodeo Days board, he jumped at the chance to serve his community in yet another way.

“Basically, there was a leadership position open and I said, ‘I can do that,” Poppenwimer recalls. “It’s an opportunity to take things to a different level. We plan to make it a western week more than just an event; it’s all about the community. In six days, we have 12 events going on.”

After leaving the military, a stint at his uncle’s ranch outside Cody, Wyoming helped Mike Poppenwimer realize that being a full-time cowboy probably wasn’t the life for which he was meant. However, he did become a “cowboy” by getting a degree at University of Wyoming in hospitality management.

Involving the community is facilitated by connecting with groups whose culture, heritage and interest are part of the tapestry of the west — old and new. Mountain men, trappers, gold panning enthusiasts and particularly the Native American community are all part of his plan to increase involvement. Poppenwimer has worked with the considerable Native American population in town to include more representation in Rodeo Days activities.

“Arizona and Cave Creek have amazing Native American culture here,” Poppenwimer says. “Our theme is American Western heritage and Native Americans have a big part in that. We are bringing in world-class dancers to be in the parade and I hope that next year we will include a specialty Native American craft show and village.”

Poppenwimer is also working with bike week organizers and businesses. His goal is to have a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with groups that want to make Cave Creek a successful place to have a business, enjoy as a local resident and welcome visitors.

THE GEM OF THE TURQUOISE CIRCUIT

Expansion and involvement are the hallmarks of Poppenwimer and the board’s efforts. Cave Creek Rodeo Days is the most-attended event in Cave Creek, attracting 15,000 people last year to the parade. He would like to keep that momentum going to benefit the businesses in town all week long.

“Part of our strategic plan is to make this week-long event that helps businesses prosper,” Poppenwimer says. “We are members of the chamber and we want to stay involved year-round. I expanded the board from seven to nine

// Photo by Loralei Lazurek

members. We are more of a working board. It’s too much work for just a few people, so all nine on the board have specific responsibilities.”

Another part of the plan is donating a portion of proceeds to charities in the greater Cave Creek area. They’ve already given away $27,000 and hope it will be more next year. The board has also used the proceeds to make improvements to the arena, which is owned by the town of Cave Creek.

Poppenwimer says that it has been a joy to work with the town and the relationship has been very productive. There have been changes in leadership and direction since the first rodeo in 1977, but it’s the members of the community and the town leaders who have worked hard to make it what it is today.

“There’s a ripple effect,” he says. “The pride in being part of a community that does something really outstanding and the businesses that benefit from people coming to see our great [town]. You can’t go wrong with our great Western heritage. Here in Cave Creek, you can still see horses on a hitching post outside of businesses. It’s something you don’t see anywhere else.”

It seems perfectly appropriate that, as Cave Creek is “Where the Wild West Lives,” an extra day has been added to the rodeo with the “All Bulls, All Night” attraction in response to a poll of locals. While it’s the first year for this thrilling competition and not sanctioned as a PBR event, Poppenwimer expects the 35–40 bull riders will put on a great show.

The Cave Creek Rodeo is part of the 13-rodeo Turquoise circuit and, while it’s one of the smallest towns to host its own rodeo on the circuit, it’s consistently ranked in the top five for how well it treats its contestants.

“We take care of our contestants and we take care of our fans,” Poppenwimer says. “Our goal is to be the top rodeo in the circuit.

“This year, we spent $120,000 to add brand new chutes and back panels. We are working

Mike Poppenwimer’s goal is to have a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with groups that want to make Cave Creek a successful place to have a business, enjoy as a local resident and welcome visitors. // Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Photo by Benjamin Brooks

with the city to make even more improvements in the future, including a new sky box next year.”

He emphasizes that the board’s spirit of expansion makes Cave Creek Rodeo Days unique and it’s also what makes it an exciting gig for him to lead the effort. He’s willing to take the time to build it right and see where it goes.

“Our goal is bigger and better,” Poppenwimer says. “We’re very fortunate to have a group from the town of Cave Creek that works with us and a board who wants to put on traditional rodeo events and benefit the town. Everyone has a great attitude and makes it an enjoyable process.”

From the first clip-clops of horses’ hooves to the final glint of the rodeo winner’s shiny belt buckles. Cave Creek Rodeo Days is saddling up to be a great event that celebrates the past and future of western heritage here in Arizona.

cavecreekrodeo.com

Experience

Cave Creek Rodeo Days

Parade

Saturday, March 18 | 9–11 a.m.

Downtown Cave Creek

Mutton Bustin’

Saturday, March 18 | 1 p.m.

Cave Creek Memorial Arena

37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek

Crazy Horse Memorial Fundraiser

Wednesday, March 22 | 4–6 p.m.

Mountain View Pub 7033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek

All Bulls, All Night

Thursday, March 23 | 5–10 p.m.

Cave Creek Memorial Arena

37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek

PRCA Competitions

Friday, March 24–Sunday, March 26

See website for schedule

Cave Creek Memorial Arena

37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek 480-304-5634 | cavecreekrodeo.com

WWhen new members walk into Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness, they expect to take part in a core strength and conditioning program designed to expose them to a broad and inclusive fitness protocol.

They expect to receive strength training, weightlifting, conditioning, gymnastics, kettlebell and many other disciplines that are combined in a constantly varied, highintensity protocol that focuses on promoting increased work capacity through functional movement. They expect groupbased fitness one-on-one personal training and habit-shifting nutrition plans. And they receive every bit of it.

However, it is what they might not expect to receive that owner Tracy Seman believes is the reason the Anthem gym has thrived for the past 10 years.

“It is the human connection.,” Seman says. “You show up, you

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness

start talking to people, the coach starts making you warm up and, before you know it, you are like, ‘Oh, wow! I just worked out.! That was great! I am so glad I came!’ It can be the best hour of your whole day.”

Though most members join with the intention of increasing their muscle strength and stamina, they leave the very first day having increased their emotional strength and sense of community. Those benefits have never been observed or appreciated as strongly as this past January, when members learned of a tragic loss to their gym family.

“We found out while we were here,” Seman says. “It was impactful. We could hug and console one another. In the same week, one of our members had her third baby. She has been coming here since before she had her first — and now she has just had her third. There are highs and lows. And we go through them all together. So, yeah, we work out together; but it is the friendships and the connections that make all the difference.”

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Having lived in Anthem since 2001, Seman was a personal trainer at another gym as well as the community center before opening Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness in 2013.

“On day one, we had 41 members,” says Seman, noting that networking was key to the gym’s instant success. “I had lived here for 12 years, I had been a personal trainer for many of those years, I was part of running and triathlon groups — I just knew a lot of people and I think that definitely helped me.”

So, yeah, we work out together; but it is the friendships and the connections that make all the difference.

Tracy Seman

Over its first seven years, Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness’s membership had increased to nearly 200. Unfortunately, 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic halted that growth.

“But we survived those lockdowns because everyone was so supportive,” Seman says. “I mean, it is not just a gym membership. It is a family. It is people bonding and connecting. And they did not want to see us close our doors. So through those lockdowns, people were amazing about paying their memberships even though we could not be together. We loaned equipment out so that people could continue to work out at home. We gave them instructional videos and did what we could to still feel that sense of community.”

In fact, it was not until the lockdowns were lifted that Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness felt the effects of the pandemic.

“A lot of our members came back but there were a lot of people who were still hesitant to do so,” Seman explains. “We lost a good 50 people who did not come back or are only now slowly starting to trickle back in years later. But we are finally on the upswing and currently have about 170 members. We are seeing a steady stream of new faces and that makes me feel very hopeful.”

Seman also attributes Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness’s success to its welcoming environment.

“When you walk in for the very first time, you are made to feel welcome,” she says. “Whether it is me or a coach or just another member, people immediately notice when someone new is here and greets them. I am sure that they do that at other gyms, too, but I know that we do it really well here.”

And Seman believes that a family that works out together, achieves its goals together. She says that very few people can feel genuinely motivated to work out at home. Having a community of people who rally around you and hold you accountable or ask why they have not seen you in a while is key to consistency and therefore success — whether you are just starting out on your fitness journey or training for your tenth triathlon.

“You can come in here at a beginner’s level, come in here and do fitness or come in here and do high-skill things,” Seman says. “Whatever you are doing, you are going to get the same great workout that someone next to you is getting. They may be doing some crazy pull-ups or heavy barbells, but you are both working out at the same time, doing your own thing but together.

“And that is another difference between working out at a gym versus working out at home — even if you are doing so over Zoom. There is constant encouragement from those around you. There are people who are proud of you and congratulating you. Nobody is high-fiving you over Zoom.”

And when it comes to workouts, Seman says that CrossFit is a great place to start.

“Every day is different.,” she explains. “Your coach will tell you what you are doing today and it will look nothing like yesterday. In fact, we were just joking today that I have been doing CrossFit for 12 years and I still get sore. I can barely walk because my legs are so sore. It is amazing that you can do something for 12 years and still get sore.”

After all, you know the old adage: No pain, no gain.

“There is no ceiling with CrossFit,” Seman adds. “I feel like there is no other way to work out. I mean, I have done everything. I have done marathons, I have done triathlons, I have done traditional weightlifting — and none of the stuff that I did could be sustainable for my life. I could not keep running marathons into my 80s without being really beaten up.

“I mean, my mom comes in here four days a week and she is crushing it at 75 years old. We also have our [group-based student CrossFit] program where these kids come in and get all kinds of confidence. From little kids to seniors, everyone can do what we are doing at their own level. And it makes you stronger, it makes you more confident, you feel more healthy, your cardio is good — it just covers everything.”

JUST GET MOVING

Having officially reached its decennial on Feb. 4, Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness will host an official celebration on Saturday, March 25 during which the community can gather for group workouts as well as enjoy some great food and music. There will even be a bounce house for kids.

For Seman, the past 10 years have basically flown by.

“It does not even feel like it has been that long,” she explains. “But I am so grateful to all of our members and the entire Anthem community. So many of our members have been coming to [Ironwood CrossFit and Fitness] for seven, eight, nine or even the full 10 years. They are all in. And when someone new walks through our doors, they are the most welcoming people because they want that person to fall in love with what we are doing in this community as well.

“I do not really feel that this is something that I am doing. I credit it all to this community that we have built. I credit it to all of the supportive people who come in here and want everyone to love what we are doing; because it is addicting. The workouts are addicting. So come in and meet us. If you are at all hesitant, sit down and have a talk with me. I will assure you that if you come in to any class on any day, our coaches and our members will take care of you.

“If you are nervous or scared or you do not want to do something in particular or you have a prior injury, we can work around any of it and just get you moving.”

ironwoodcrossfit.com

Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

12–16 medium-diameter asparagus spears

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

4 slices prosciutto, 4x4 inches or larger, thinly sliced

6 ounces white cheddar cheese, divided into 8 slices

1 large egg

1 tablespoon honey

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove egg from the refrigerator and set out to warm up a bit.

What better way is there to welcome spring than with these delicious asparagus prosciutto wraps? They are stunning to look at and highlight a beautiful spring vegetable — asparagus. They are easy to make but look like you've worked all day on them. I love the combination of white cheddar cheese, prosciutto and asparagus, all wrapped together in puff pastry then glazed with a honey-tinged egg wash. Add some edible flowers to your platter to make it pop!

Melt butter in a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Set aside to cool.

Lay out asparagus on a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and toss with your fingers to coat.

Lightly flour a work surface. If puff pastry is not square, roll it out a bit to form a square. Cut puff pastry into four equal size squares. Rotate squares with a corner facing up and down, like a diamond.

Prepare egg wash by adding honey and egg to the bowl with melted butter. Stir well to combine. Set egg wash aside.

Top each diamond with a slice of prosciutto, folding as needed to fit over the surface. Top with 3–4 spears of asparagus and two slices of cheese.

Fold the left side of the pastry over asparagus and cheese and brush with egg wash. Fold the right side over the first side. Brush the top and sides of the pastry with more egg wash, being careful not to use too much. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.

Bake until pastry is golden and cheese is nicely melted, 14–18 minutes.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

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