January 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 01
SANDY
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THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT SANDY STORIES OF 2017 By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com
1. A new mayor On Nov. 7, Sandy residents took to the polls to vote for a number of city positions up for reelection, including mayor. Longtime Sandy mayor Tom Dolan was defeated by Kurt Bradburn, a young state attorney who ran on a campaign of slowing development in the city and increasing transparency in the city government. Dolan, who held office for 24 years, said he is ready to move on and happy that he will now have more time to spend with his family. “People might not want to believe this but I’ve been smiling since the night of the election. I want to spend more time with my grandchildren. I have a granddaughter that just turned 3 and I actually babysat her for the first time in the last couple weeks.” Councilman Chris McCandless said that although he is sad to see Dolan go, he is excited to start working with mayor-elect Bradburn. “I campaigned heavily for Tom (Dolan); he’s my friend and I’ve known him for 24 years,” said McCandless. “But Mayor Bradburn is my mayor now. I’m going to embrace him, I’m going to work with him. Together through cooperative means, I think the city will move forward in great ways.” McCandless added that he’s met with Bradburn multiple times since the election and he’s found him to be “a very intelligent man” and that he thinks he will be a “really good mayor.”
Kurt Bradburn was elected Sandy mayor in November. (Courtesy of the Bradburn for Sandy Mayor campaign)
proscenium thrust theater for smaller productions and an approximately 900-seat theater-in-the-round with a technologically advanced center stage.” The center stage was built by Tait Tower Technologies, a company which has also built stages for popular music artists like Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, U2 and Bon Jovi. 3. Mountain America headquarters Just north of the new home of Hale Center Theatre, con-
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2017 was an eventful year for the city of Sandy. Between the election of a new mayor for the first time in 24 years and the opening of a brand new state-of-the-art theater, there’s a lot to look back on.
2. Opening of Hale Center Theatre The Hale Center Theatre opened its new location in Sandy this fall. Located at 9900 S. Monroe Street, just across the street from Sandy City Hall, the new theater is expected to be a great source of arts and entertainment within the community for many years to come. “It’s been hugely successful,” said Dolan. “To bring family entertainment to the community is significant. The city has always been very supportive of the arts.” “It’s a big deal,” said McCandless. “That (theater) will last for generations.” According to a 2015 article in the Sandy City Journal, the Sandy City council voted unanimously to issue over $46 million worth of bonds to help fund the construction of the new theater, money that the theater is expected to repay to the city. The move from the theater’s prior location in West Valley came about because of insufficient seating. According to another Journal article, the new building includes “a 450-seat
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struction crews are in the middle of building the new corporate headquarters of Mountain America Credit Union. While that project hasn’t been in the news as much as the new theater, city officials said it’s one of the most important developments this year in regards to the future of Sandy. “Mountain America is huge,” said McCandless. “They’re bringing 1,700 jobs to Sandy. Having them as a partner in our community will bring untold millions of dollars of benefits to the taxpayer in Sandy. That is probably the biggest thing that happened this year that’s not in the news.” A press release on Mountain America Credit Union’s website states that the building (which is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2018) will be “the largest commercial building outside of the downtown Salt Lake area.” 4. Infrastructure With high-profile developments like theaters and corporate offices, it can be easy to forget about the regular day-to-day functions a city government serves, but city officials said they are very proud of the work Sandy City did this year in improving city infrastructure. “Continuous high-quality services are always important and you try to improve that each year,” said Dolan. “We spent multiple millions of dollars on infrastructure that did not come out of our local residents’ taxpayer dollars,” said McCandless. “We were able to secure those funds from outside sources, which includes federal and state funds as well as private contributions.” McCandless cited maintenance of roads and trails as some of the things the city used the funds for. One trail in particular, McCandless noted, was the completion of the Jordan River Parkway Trail, something he said is a “40-year old dream.” He credited the cooperation of multiple cities who formed the Jordan River Commission in order to get the project finished. 5. Public works building burns down Unfortunately the year didn’t start off so great for Sandy City when one of their public works buildings that housed some of the city’s snowplows burned down in January. McCandless said the city learned a few things from that unfortunate event, like how it’s important to have good insurance and not to store all your vehicles in one building. Another takeaway, he said, was how willing the county and other cities were to help. “We needed to be able to continue to operate our fleet, so Salt Lake County and other cities lent us their spare trucks. That comes about as a result of an interlocal agreement that says, ‘If one of us gets in trouble we’ll help you, and you help us.’ It’s pretty neat when the system works.” l
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Free class celebrates yoga teaching scholarship students By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com The Sandy City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Sandy. For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.
The Sandy Team CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bryan Scott bryan@mycityjournals.com EDITOR: Travis Barton travis@mycityjournals.com ADVERTISING: 801-254-5974 DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Ryan Casper ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com 801-671-2034 SALES ASSOCIATES: Melissa Worthen melissa@mycityjournals.com 801-897-5231 Tracy Langer Tracy.l@mycityjournals.com 385-557-1021 CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Brad Casper circulation@mycityjournals.com EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN: Ty Gorton and John Guertler
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o celebrate and complete their 200-hour teacher training, the scholarship students from Yoga Assets gathered together with other students and neighbors at Hidden Valley Park at the base of the mountainside in Sandy to enjoy salutations to the sun. “It was quite an experience for us,” said Amy Sonnenberg, one of scholarship recipients. “Yoga really is for everybody, not just your typical gym or studio figure.” The scholarship was set up by advanced students working to complete their 500-hour teaching credit. Denise Druce, with over 17 years of teaching yoga and 35 years teaching fitness, is the founder and owner of the Salt Lake company Yoga Assets, which specializes in yoga teacher training based on a curriculum Druce designed. She asks her advanced 500hour students to create a community project in order to share the benefits of yoga practice in places it might not be available. When her class this year had some difficulty agreeing on a project to complete their training, one student suggested that instead of focusing on one community, they share with many by each choosing someone who would be trained by the advanced students under Druce’s supervision for free, with the understanding that they would then pass on their knowledge to their own sphere of influence. “We had a deaf woman who is now teaching at the school for the deaf and blind, a woman with cancer who is now teaching at Huntsman, a woman who teaches at the state mental hospital,” said Druce. “We were able to create something and now they’re all out doing yoga.” Jani Holder, who graduated from the program several years ago and has been practicing yoga for about five years, was glad to see the students and teachers participating with the Sandy neighborhood and came to the free class to support the new teachers. “I think it’s a great program. It builds everybody up and makes them the best teacher
they can be,” said Holder. “A great community builder. It’s super fun to get everybody out and practicing, no pressure.” Sonnenberg, who has been practicing yoga on and off since she was 16 as a way to quiet her mind and ease her anxiety, was excited and honored to be given the opportunity to learn and pass on the teachings she had been given, especially considering the state of anger, fear and tumultuous happenings she believes are tearing people apart. Her hope is to spread the message that people of all walks of life can come together, drive out the fear and focus on being their best self. “It doesn’t matter your socioeconomic status, it doesn’t matter your race, it doesn’t matter your religious or spiritual belief system, your physical ability — it can be adapted to anybody,” said Sonnenberg. The teaching certification is a six-month process comprised of three 10-hour days, once a month. Yoga Assets provides all of the teaching materials and help for students and teachers along the way. Thanks to one instructor’s connections, the class was able to do their training at the Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper for free. During the graduation class in Sandy, which was free to the public, the new teachers took turns walking attendees through each of the forms while live music provided by Rocky Lavoie was played. Sandy resident Dawn Uhler, who has been practicing yoga for 50 years, found out about the class and was eager to try it out given the peacefulness of the setting. “It sounded really cool and I figured there’d be a lot of nice people here,” said Uhler. “It always makes you feel so good. I love it.” The students at Yoga Assets are working to raise funds for at least one scholarship for the upcoming classes, and Druce has her eyes on some new projects. Some of these include working with the prison system to allow 20 inmates to participate and also working with the refugee population.
Amanda Jones, certified yoga teacher and meditation coach, performs tree pose amid South American plants and trees. (Keyra Kristoffersen/City Journals)
“Everybody’s doing yoga now except for the people who need it most,” said Druce, who sees yoga as a way to get to know yourself better. “It’s life-changing.” Right now Sonnenberg is doing her part to pay it forward, starting with teaching her new moves to 4- and 5-year olds at Treehouse Athletic Club while their parents are in classes. She hopes to eventually be able to teach a kids’ yoga class at her own children’s school. “When you come to yoga and you say, ‘I want to be more flexible,’ you’re not just talking about your hamstrings. When you come to yoga and say, ‘I want to find better balance,’ you’re not just talking about standing on one leg,” Druce said. l
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When Amy Sonnenberg took Denise Druce up on the offer for a yoga teacher certification scholarship, she had no idea the different opportunities that would open up for her and her fellow classmates. Currently, Sonnenberg is utilizing her skills teaching children ages 4 to 12 at the Treehouse Athletic Club in Sandy, along with girls youth groups and private lessons. “This opportunity has given us more confidence in ourselves to be able to go out and teach what yoga offers beyond the poses,” said Sonnenberg. Many of the other students have begun their own classes in studios and schools to help pass along their knowledge to
new people hoping to calm their anxiety and increase their flexibility and health. “The more I practice, the more I continue to teach, the more things have just fallen into place,” said Sonnenberg. “The kids I teach were focusing and engaging with each other.” Sonnenberg, her peers, and their students have marveled at their newfound ability to focus and gain new insights into themselves and the people around them. “It helps us see a greater humanity in each other and helps us be kinder,” said Sonnenberg.l
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Taste for the Space offers chance of a lifetime to one lucky chef By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com
The space where one lucky winner will have the chance to make their culinary aspirations become a reality. (Keyra Kristoffersen/City Journals)
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cooperative effort between the Shops at South Town, the Utah Restaurant Association and Pacific Retail Group is looking to offer a six-month rent-free restaurant space at the brand new dining hall area of the Shops at South Town, a $50,000 startup investment and fully stocked kitchen and signage. “This is the first event of its kind that Pacific Retail has ever done and the first event of its kind here in Sandy,” said Lindsay
Burgee, national marketing director for the Pacific Retail Property Group, an organization based out of Southern California that owns the mall property. Devour Magazine, Sysco and Fox 13 have also joined the effort to make this event special through sponsorships and media and marketing efforts. “Really the concept is to take Utahbased culinary professionals — could be a
food truck, a restaurant, a catering business, could even be someone who has always aspired to have a restaurant — and support their dreams and bring them together in a large food festival type community and family event and have a cook-off and really making that dream a reality,” said Burgee. “The really awesome thing about this community, in particular, is the excitement and the word of mouth and the community getting behind the idea and embracing what we’re doing.” Budding restaurateurs, food truck owners, chefs and anyone who is interested in moving their dream into a terrace brick-and-mortar space have been invited to try out by serving up their signature dish. “It’s really exciting,” said Katy Sine, vice president of marketing for the Utah Restaurant Association. “We’re looking to narrow it down to 12 to 14 chefs and businesses operating in the state of Utah.” Competitors have been submitting applications though all of March and will compete on May 6 at the Shops at South Town by submitting their best example of what they want to offer in the space for the guests to vote on via text.
“They are literally offering their taste for the space,” said Sine. “Their vision. Their dream.” The process began in December 2015 with Pacific Retail beginning the collaborative effort to create this event and get the public interested. Each contestant was asked to submit an application as well as a video detailing their expertise, culinary plans for the space and why they’re the best fit. Finalists for the competition will be announced April 7 and the public is invited to attend the Taste for the Space event on May 6, which will be held at the Shops at South Town that evening. The Taste Utah Dining Awards on May 9 will announce the winner of the cook-off. The Utah Restaurant Association is also in partnership to create a television show called “Teen Chef Pro,” which will follow 12 Utah teens through the process of learning from professional chefs and competing in a professional culinary atmosphere for a four-year scholarship to Johnson & Wales University. “There’s a good mix of lots of folks who have original stories, but I think the coolest thing about food is that we all need to eat
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make the choice for the next new restaurant venture. For more information on the Taste for the Space event and ticket information, visit http:// shopsatsouthtown.com/tasteforthespace/ l
The military themed Special Courses ribbon cutting was held in the shops at South Town at 10450 S. State Street. (Keyra Kristoffersen/City Journals)
Update: Sandy local wins Taste for the Space When James Veylupek — Chef James —was serving in Iraq in 2010, he pondered what his life would look like after he got home. His interest in food led to the desire to open a food truck, and after deliberating with his wife about names, Special Courses was born in 2014, a military-themed truck devoted to specialty burgers, fries and shakes. “Not only do we have a good quality product, but a nice flavorful product that everyone wants to have,” said Chef James. In 2017, Chef James entered the Taste for the Space contest sponsored by the Shops at South Town and the Sandy City Chamber of Commerce with his WhiskeyTango-Foxtrot Burger, the most popular item offered by the food truck at the time, and received the rousing support of the community. Competing against 12 other local chefs, Chef James won the spot in the new dining terrace at the South Town shops with six
months free rent and a $50,000 investment prize. “It’s nice to have a set spot where no matter where you’re at, you know where I’m going to be,” said Chef James. “I designed the kitchen like I did my food truck where everyone can see us prepare their food.” Not only is Special Courses military themed and operated by veterans of the United States armed forces, but they also have partnered with other veteran-owned local Utah food companies like Black Rifle Coffee Company and Chug-a-Lug, which offers fancy soda flavors. Chef James takes pride in serving burgers that are specially seasoned and that haven’t been frozen. Featured burgers are topped with Jack Daniel’s caramelized onions, bacon and their own private sauce, a blend of mayo, cream cheese, bacon and seasoning. “We’ve got a really good fry sauce that we make in-house,” said Chef James. “We also have a Sriracha fry sauce if you like something spicy.” l
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Canyons District to rebuild, renovate schools in 2018, continue offering student opportunities By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
Hillcrest High School art students paint portraits of Syrian refugee orphans and through Memory Project, the children received the personal keepsakes. (Kari Bennett/Hillcrest High School)
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ith 58 percent approval by voters for a $283 million taxrate-neutral bond in November’s election, Canyons School District will rebuild two high schools amongst 11 construction projects while continuing to offer many opportunities and services to students and the community. This comes as the district is concluding the 13th and last project earmarked with the 2010 $250 million bond — Indian Hills Middle School. While students are currently housed in the former Crescent View Middle School, two new additions as well as windows and natural light are being added to the 37-year-old school.
“It’s exciting to see all the windows going up on all sides of the building and solar tubes being placed for the inner classrooms,” Principal Doug Graham said. “It’s definitely giving it a cleaner, lighter feel.” With all exterior walls expected up by the end of 2017, crews were working on drywall and paint in the south end of the building. The construction is slated for completion by summer so the school will open to about 1,125 students in August. “We will open up with 95 percent of our equipment new. We’ll replace our mismatched desks, chairs, tables and upgrade our equipment so when the kiddos walk in, they’ll realize this is a great place to be, a great place to learn and it will be fresh, clean and new,” he said. The students, who gathered 10,521 items in late November for the Utah Food Bank, also will be able to embrace the heritage of the school as Native American designs will be in tile in the commons area and carried throughout the building. The new Indian Hills logo also will be illustrated on the cafeteria wall as well as the marquee. The logo suite is one of 18 that district graphic designer Jeff Olson has created for schools that need updating. He often ties in the new logo with remodeling or reconstruction, such as the completion of the new Alta View Elementary and Midvale Middle schools this year. “The logos are marks of identity that I love to work on,” Olson said. “There’s emotional attachment to these logos. I’ve learned they mean a lot to people so now I make sure I talk to key people about the logo as I update it. Whenever I’ve redesigned logos, I create a logo suite so we can use the logos for different circumstances that fit the need, shape, color or size.”
In the past, Olson said many of the logos were left up to the schools that borrowed artwork or didn’t specify uses of it. Now with the redesigns, the logo copyrights will belong to the district. He recently completed Diamond Ridge’s logo after the school decided to call themselves the raptors. “It’s a different mascot. People remember the different ones — the Beetdiggers, the Kittyhawks — so it’s really cool to be able to work on something unique. I made it edgy and fierce and high school appropriate,” he said. Refining logos, making animals not as cartoons, and giving them clean, fresh looks are what he has done through several schools, including Ridgecrest Elementary, which held its 50th celebration this year, bringing back former teachers and students to sing the school song and look through yearbooks. Bell View’s 50th offered a carnival-type atmosphere to current and former students and the community. This coming year, Olson plans to work on logos for Silver Mesa, Crescent, Altara, Oak Hollow and East Sandy elementaries as well as look into logos for Sunrise Elementary and Jordan High. With the construction, the completion dates aren’t set as he will need to focus on a new logo for Brighton High as well as upcoming logos for the new elementary school that will be coming in Draper and possibly a White City logo with the rebuild. However, the initial recommendation by the Canyons administration is to begin with the high school construction — new schools for Hillcrest and Brighton, major renovation for Alta and new classroom wing for Corner Canyon, said Superintendent Jim Briscoe. Canyons School District Business Administrator Leon
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S andy Journal .com Wilcox said the goal with the high school projects is to have little disruption to students, who will remain onsite during construction. Construction is expected to begin by summer. In the meantime, classes and activities will continue, including Hillcrest’s dedication to helping Syrian children. This past year involved 24 students in advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs who painted portraits of Syrian refugees in conjunction with an organization called the Memory Project. The Memory Project gave Hillcrest students photographs of the children to paint. Then the students gave the portraits to the Memory Project, who delivered their artwork to the children. The high school students then received a video of the children receiving their artwork. “As we watched the video, a few of the students got emotional,” Hillcrest art teacher Kari Bennett said. “It is a touching experience to know that you have made a child in such dire circumstances so happy. They all sat and watched with huge smiles on their faces and loved seeing how excited the kids were upon receiving their portraits.” In addition, three students had replicas of their portraits included in a traveling exhibition featuring 70 students who had made portraits of Syrian children living in refugee camps in Jordan. Students already are asking if they can participate in 2018, Bennett said. At the nearby new Midvale Middle School, which held its ribbon-cutting in August, finishing touches of the auditorium were being completed as the first play in the middle school was produced in November. Students have much to celebrate with the move. Before moving into the new school building that was constructed on the same site as the former school, it was announced that a team of students won third place in the nonfiction worldwide junior division of the first-ever online Shakespeare Student Film Festival. The team’s film submission titled, “Portia’s Example,” beat 76 student teams from 22 countries across three continents. Student director Elizabeth Martin said the project was “massively more complicated” than she anticipated. “There were costumes, props, schedule conflicts and struggles between our visions that we had to work out,” she said. “We put in a lot of detail, effort and time and it was clear how much work went into it. I learned a lot of people skills and how people think which has helped me now that I’m in high school in a different atmosphere. It’s been easier to work in groups and meet people.” Theater teacher Bethany Lenhart said the student-produced film was evaluated in three rounds by students in Germany as well as professional Shakespearean directors, actors and professional filmmakers. Elizabeth said when it was announced they were the top film from North and South America, she found it hard to focus on her schoolwork the rest of the day. “I couldn’t believe we were going on into the
international round. I realized they appreciated how much work goes on behind the scenes,” she said. With the announcement of their thirdplace international finish, Lenhart said students celebrated. “They were screaming, jumping up and down and teary-eyed,” she said. “They couldn’t believe it. It was a great experience where they had an authentic audience who could see the really hard work they dedicated to the project.” Their classmate Zach Jessop also had reason to celebrate in June as he placed fourth in the National History Day competition in Washington, D.C. His documentary, “Each Life Os Worth a World: Gil and Eleanor Kraus and the Rescue of Fifty Jewish Children from Nazi Germany,” was also chosen as the Outstanding Junior Division Entry from Utah. Zach’s documentary tells the story of an American Jewish couple who went into Nazi Germany and were able to save 50 children from the Holocaust. He interviewed one of the children rescued as well as other survivors’ now adult children and others who lived in Germany under the Nazi regime. Next for Zach is an opportunity to share his film at the Utah State Capitol on Jan. 24 for History on the Hill Day. Zach wasn’t the only Canyons student who went to Washington, D.C. Students from both Alta and Corner Canyon attended the presidential inauguration and Alta High’s marching band participated in the national Memorial Day parade. “D.C. was just fantastic,” Alta marching band director Caleb Shabestari said. “We turned the corner on Constitution Boulevard by the National Archives and thousands, maybe upward to 5,000 just there, were watching the parade on the stairs. I’d say there were 20,000 to 30,000 along the entire mile route. We marched under a massive flag that was hanging from a crane and finished right in front of the White House.” In addition to upcoming parades in Salt Lake City, Sandy and Draper this year, the marching band will be joined by the entire Alta music department to go on tour to New York City this coming April. Six Corner Canyon Peer Leadership Team (PLT) members attended the national Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America conference in Washington, D.C. where they learned leadership skills and ways to approach substance abuse and bullying situations. “We learned how to analyze our community to address issues that need to be improved,” student Nic D’Amico said. “We want to provide more service and take the initiative as PLT members to help our community.” Already, the PLT has done that with receiving the Youth Service America 9/11 Service Project Grant. They assembled boxes of goodies and delivered them to Draper police and fire departments as well as made blankets and delivered food donated from a school-wide food drive to veterans and their families. “Only 50 schools in the nation were awarded this grant. It’s been incredible to receive it and
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plan a school-wide service project,” said senior Amber Wood, who is PLT’s school community representative and will coordinate the Global Youth Service Day for the school in April. Brighton High Peer Leadership Team, which is in its first year, also provided baskets for the local police and fire departments on 9/11. They are continuing to look at other opportunities to serve, from tutoring to helping with the elderly. “When we work together, we can make a difference,” Brighton teacher and PLT adviser April Ball said. Working together has made a difference to many others throughout the district. Several schools and school groups have received donations of clothing, food and personal hygiene items to provide to students and their families in need. Students who are active in Latinos in Action, National Honor Society, international baccalaureate and other organizations have provided tutoring for their peers or younger students. At Jordan High, with a greater diversity of students expected with boundary changes, students have been welcomed with the #DigDiversity project. “We wanted to make sure the refugee students knew they had an inviting, safe place at Jordan High,” English and social studies teacher Shannon Callister said. “(Students) are wanting a better environment for the school and have welcomed everyone.” This has extended to supporting families for the past year. Spanish-speaking parents have been invited to attend “puertas abiertas,” or open-door meetings, with Assistant pPincipal Roberto Jimenez to learn more about Jordan High. “We held the meeting as a way for these parents to become familiar with the school, its resources and key people for them to talk to about their students’ classes,” Jimenez said. Callister said the school is becoming more multicultural and students are embracing it. “We’re making a change and already it feels different,” she
said. “It’s been fun to see students get excited.” Across the district, families are supporting an effort that began by student Kaleb Broderick, who attended Ridgecrest, and parent Cindy Boyer at Altara — a campaign to make the district’s schools idle-free. “Besides educating students, I feel we have some responsibility for their health, and their future health,” said Superintendent Jim Briscoe, who supported the Board of Education in making the district’s schools idle-free. Since then, Altara Elementary has continued to hold an idlefree week celebration. “We want students to talk to their parents so they understand that even by doing a little, such as not idling, they are contributing to promoting healthier air,” Boyer said. “We are giving a path for them to follow and I hope to see every school embrace being idlefree.” Safety also is a district-wide concern of the 34,000 students. This year, the district emergency management committee — which includes risk managers and crisis counselors — has updated its emergency plans that include school drills and preparedness, said Canyons spokeswoman Kirsten Stewart. “We’ve taken what we learned and improved upon our existing plans,” she said. Each drill, such as shelter-in-place, hazmat, fire, earthquake and bomb, will be practiced according to a schedule so the team can evaluate what works and how to improve upon it, Stewart said. In emergencies, communication with parents through Skylert will continue, and Stewart encourages parents to follow the Facebook or Twitter feed for additional information. In addition, emergency tip sheets are posted at all schools. As part of this, all elementaries are becoming communication centers with Salt Lake County and have emergency supply tubs in
place to help network the community and responders. Canyons’ middle and high schools will continue with its Red Cross agreement to provide shelters when necessary, she said. “Learning can only happen in environments where students feel safe and well cared for and that is the aim of our district,” Stewart said. Altara Elementary teacher Joani Richardson, who received the Huntsman Award for Educational Excellence, and other teachers throughout the district, were provided a new salary boost of an average 6.5 percent this year, and have the opportunity to continue their own learning through professional development and certifications. About 26 percent of teachers have earned levelone certification in the instructional use of technology, which is about halfway to the point the Canyons Board of Education would like the district to be in 2019, Canyons Spokesman Jeff Haney said. Outside the classroom, teachers have continued to support students in striving for success, he said. Among the numerous awards students have achieved, four of Canyons District’s traditional high schools have been recognized for the number of students who take advanced placement courses and two students won 2017 National Merit scholarships. In technology, Jordan High’s robotics team won the 2017 Utah Regional FIRST Robotics competition and a team from Hillcrest High won the STEM Entrepreneur Award at the 2017 High School Utah Entrepreneur Challenge. Two Midvale Middle School students were part of a team that won best prototype at the same competition and received the Presidential Youth Environmental Award. Twenty-four students representing all five of Canyons traditional high schools won superior honors at state choir, band and orchestra events. Hillcrest High took the state crown in 4A theater. Thirty-four Canyons students took first place in state career and technical education competitions, including two
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S andy Journal .com Hillcrest students who won top honors at the national Future Business Leaders of America contest. Helping Hillcrest students get to this stage has been the addition of the summer Husky Strong Academy to give entering freshmen a jump on high school and put them on the path to excel. The program, coupled with daily mentoring and social and behavioral supports, has contributed to a 10 percent increase in the number of Husky freshmen on track to graduate. It has earned Canyons the honor of being named a 2017 District of Distinction by District Administration Magazine and has served as a model for Jordan High’s AVID Summer Bridge Program, which served 45 freshmen in its inaugural summer academy this past year. Hillcrest administrators this fall created Taco Friday, where students with perfect attendance are rewarded with free tacos. In the first months of the program, more than 1,800 tacos were awarded and attendance had increased about 0.4 percent overall from October 2016 to October 2017, said Principal Greg Leavitt. “Every kid is in a different situation, but we’re able to help students and reward them with incentives,” he said. “We want students in class so they are learn important information that is relevant and we’re celebrating that they’re learning.” Taking that a step for further learning is the goal of the Step2theU new early college pathway program created by Alta High Principal Brian McGill. “Through taking general education classes in the summer between their junior and senior year, then college math during their senior year and more classes the summer after their high school graduation, (students) can receive a general education certificate from the University of Utah,” McGill said. “The focus is directed at the transition to college and getting those students the first years of college while they are in high school. This partnership is just giving them an option to be successful in their education.” l
As Indian Hills Middle School Principal Doug Graham looks on, students help break ground for the school’s year-long renovation, which is currently underway. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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Page 12 | January 2018
Sandy City Journal
Mayor Dolan ready to move on after 24 years as Sandy mayor By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com
“
People might not want to believe this but I’ve been smiling since the night of the election,” said Mayor Tom Dolan, who will be leaving office in January after losing an election to a challenger for the first time in 24 years. Being mayor for over two decades certainly wasn’t Dolan’s intention when he first ran in 1994. In fact, he didn’t even want to run at all. “I wanted somebody else to run for mayor but no one else was willing to do it ... So I did and I won,” he said. “I expected to serve only one term like most of the mayors prior to me had done but when my second term came up I didn’t really have any opposition.” The most stressful period of Dolan’s tenure occurred within his first year of being in office. Utah Power and Light wanted to run some highvoltage power lines through the center of the city. When both Dolan and the city council insisted that the lines be buried, Utah Power and Light shut off power to the entire city of Sandy. “We had to lease generators to operate the areas of the city that were without power. As a new mayor that was very stressful,” he said. In many ways, that event was a taste of things to come. Since then, Dolan has overseen many major developments within the city, each of which could have been an event stressful enough to make someone want to retire. Examples include the controversial development of the shopping center at Quarry Bend, the construction of Rio Tinto Stadium and the city’s current 30-year master plan to develop the Cairns district. “It’s a 365-days-per-year position. The pressure and stress never go
Tom Dolan seated at his desk in Sandy City Hall. (Justin Adams/City Journals)
away. I’m finding out that being less stressed is wonderful,” said Dolan. The work that Dolan did over the years earned him a lot of recognition, such as in 2010 when he was given an award recognizing him as the best mayor in the state of Utah that year. Dolan said he was also recruited to run for other political offices over the years, such as state positions and even congress, but he turned them all down. “My only interest was in Sandy,” he said. Taking over Dolan’s office in City Hall will be Kurt Bradburn, a
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S andy Journal .com young state attorney who ran on a campaign that criticized the rapid growth and development that has taken place under Dolan. Despite an election race that included a few personal attacks between the candidates, Mayor Dolan said he holds no ill will toward the man who unseated him. “I believe in democracy. If people want to change directions, I really support that. I think it’s a good thing. I think the new mayor is young and vibrant and will have an opportunity to bring the city to a higher plane and find some new thoughts, ideas and directions for the city.” Likewise, Bradburn told the Sandy City Journal that despite the criticisms that he leveled at Dolan’s administration, he believes that Dolan did an overall “tremendous” job in his time as mayor. Dolan said that he recently met with Bradburn to give him some advice, the foremost of which he said was to not let the position distract from the more important responsibility toward his family. Being able to spend more time with family the last few weeks has made the transition easier for Dolan. “I have a granddaughter that just turned 3 and I actually babysat her for the first time in the last couple weeks,” he said. As much as he’s looking forward to spending more time with his family, Dolan said he is also really going to miss the people that he works with as well as the opportunities for interaction with Sandy residents. “It’s been a wonderful experience. I love the people I work with, the opportunity to serve people, to be a public servant,” he said. “I’ve learned that success as a mayor is based on the relationships you build with others. People ask me a lot what makes Sandy a great community. I’ve thought about that a lot over the years and there’s no question in my mind that it’s the people
Sandy City Mayor Tom Dolan speaks to Deputy Mayor NIcole Martin on steps of City hall with Hale Centre Theater in back ground.
who live here, the citizens, that make Sandy a great community.” One thing Dolan won’t miss: meetings. “My whole life is meetings!” Not attending weekly city council meetings in particular is one thing that he said he will have to adjust to. “My wife said I’m going to have to find something else to do on Tuesday nights because it’s been 24 years so she has her own schedule on Tuesdays: she doesn’t cook and she watches her own TV shows.”
As for his future plans, Dolan said he won’t think about it too much until the new year, but that he does expect to continue serving on multiple committees and commissions in the community. One thing he won’t be doing is reminiscing too much on the past 24 years. “I normally don’t look back on things. I always look forward. I think the best is yet to come for this city,” he said. l
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Page 14 | January 2018
Sandy City Journal
THE SANDY CLUB
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Congratulations to December Member of the Month Erick Lopez. Erick is 11 years old and attends Mount Jordan Middle School where his favorite subject is Reading. When Erick grows up he wants to be a Professional Soccer Player. What Erick likes most about himself is that he always perseveres. Erick’s favorite thing to do at the Club is to play games with his friends. When asked why he thought he was voted Member of the Month, he said “because I am kind and responsible.” What Erick has learned from being a member at the Club is to be kind to everyone and treat people equally. If Erick had one wish it would be to become a Professional Soccer Player. Congratulations Erick! We are so proud of you! l If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, please call 801-561-4854.
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S andy Journal .com
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ebekah Wightman is an Estate Planning, Probate, and Guardianship attorney at Corbett & Gwilliam, PLLC in South Jordan. Though an Oregon native, Rebekah has made her home in Utah for the last 11 years and currently resides in Herriman with her husband and two sons. When Rebekah was 14 years old, her maternal grandfather died leaving a complex estate to sort out; the next several years were spent collecting, inventorying, managing, selling, and distributing his estate. She witnessed firsthand the toll that a poorly organized estate takes on the family left sorting things out. This experience stuck with Rebekah and led her to practice in the areas of estate planning, guardianship, and probate. Of all that Rebekah’s job entails, she most enjoys educating the community through lunch ‘n learns, seminars, and answering oneon-one questions. As a mother of young children, she is especially passionate about helping young families understand that estate planning is not just for the elderly or the wealthy, and that it provides solutions to many of our most persistent worries. A recent client related, “No one likes to think about the “what will happen when I pass on” scenarios. It’s not a pleasant thought process, but everyone needs to have a plan. Rebekah helped me weigh all the pros and cons of setting up a trust and explained everything very well and so that it made sense to me. She even makes sure that you have all the extras for your children to make sure they are taken care of if you can’t be there. She made it easy, quick and painless.” Rebekah holds a J.D. from the University of Utah, S.J.
Quinney School of Law, and a B.A. in International Relations from Brigham Young University. During her schooling, she interned for Representative Becky Lockhart and researched for the WomanStats Project. Rebekah sits on the board for the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce, co-chairs the Serving our Seniors Initiative through the Young Lawyers Division of the Utah State Bar, and has volunteered with several Utah-based organizations including Family Promise, Project Read, and the Boys and Girls Club. Most recently, she has worked with the Herriman High School Future Business Leaders of America Club. She was even named Utah FBLA Business Person of the Year for 2017. Marin Murdock, the president of the Herriman High School FBLA commented, “Rebekah’s selfless determination to help everyone she meets has made a lasting impact, and the Herriman FBLA Chapter is grateful for all of her hard work to strengthen our chapter and community. I personally have learned numerous lifelong lessons from Rebekah as she has been a personal mentor to me. She is a great example of who I want to be as a future business woman and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be able to work with her over the last two years.” When Rebekah isn’t lawyering, she enjoys eating shaved ice, playing tennis, reading, leg wrestling, watching British Dramas, singing LOUDLY, playing with her kids, laughing, and generally enjoying life. Rebekah can be reached at Rebekah@cglawgroup.com, 801285- 6302 or by visiting cglawgroup.com. l
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Sandy City Journal
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Utah Islamic Center holds meet-and-greet
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January 2018 | Page 17
By Keyra Kristoffersen | keyrak@mycityjournals.com
ince November, the Utah Islamic Center in Sandy has taken several Friday and Sunday evenings to invite the public to come and learn more about their Muslim neighbors, their history and their faith through a program called “Meet the Muslims.” “We encourage all questions. It’s better to get it from us, what we believe, what we practice, than to get it somewhere else,” said Shuaib Din, the imam for the Utah Islamic Center. As imam, Din is responsible for leading the prayers and acting as spiritual leader for his mosque. Volunteers from the congregation stood up to explain key aspects of Islamic belief and cultural practices to a packed room of mostly visitors. The presentation began with an explanation of the similarities Afrida Nahain helps teach Jenelle and Monae Kingler how to wrap the hijab, a traditional woman’s headscarf, around their heads. between Christianity and Islam. (Keyra Kristoffersen/City Journals) “We bring people together to understand other people’s faith so they have better understanding and tolerance,” said Asim Shaiban, a member of the Interfaith Council at Utah Valley University. Sister Saba spoke of the core Islamic Articles of Faith followed by Brother Kasin explaining the Five Pillars of Islam, or basic acts of Muslim life. “Islam is about coming together and love,” said Kasin. Sister Shahid Safi discussed the wearing of the hijab, or head covering many Muslim women voluntarily wear, and its meaning as a barrier and protection, as well as reminder of behavior proper for a woman of God. The presentations concluded with Brother Junaid, a first-generation American-Muslim from Illinois, detailing Sharia Law and the true meaning of Jihad. “The overwhelming number of people of our faith do not agree or feel comfortable with the misrepresentation of a small group of extremists,” Junaid said. Junaid goes on to say that Sharia Law is meant to help maintain the daily and spiritual needs of those living in Islamic-controlled lands, but that some twist it and take it out of context. So much interest has been generated in the Meet the Muslims events since beginning in November that it was expanded to include programs every Friday in February to accommodate visitors. “I think it was really educational and I think I want to come back next year,” said Monae Kingler, a young attendee who came with her mother, Jenelle Kingler. “My favorite
part was watching them do the prayer.” After the presentations, a question-andanswer portion was conducted and questions about everything from women’s rights to differences between Suni and Shiite Muslims as well as the Sufi or mystical aspects of Islam were fielded by Din, Junaid and Maysa. “We have very good friends in our neighborhood who are Muslim and I was very encouraged to learn more about their religion because everything I’ve seen so far has been so peaceful,” said Jenelle Kingler. “This has been incredibly unifying.” Visitors were also treated to some traditional Middle Eastern foods to try, as well as lessons on putting on the hijab and pamphlets and literature on the Islamic faith. “On average, we’ve had about 150 people at each event and this is our 10th event,” said Din. “It’s good for us to visit each other’s places of worship and feel comfortable. If there’s a church that burns, Muslims should feel pain in their hearts, and if there’s a mosque that burns, Christians should feel pain their hearts, because we’re all in it together.” Thanks to donations and fundraising, the Utah Islamic Center is currently in the design phase on a new mosque project that would take them from their current small storefront in Sandy, which currently holds only around 200–300 members, to a brand new larger building in West Jordan. They are hoping to break ground in 2018. Information about the Utah Islamic Center can be found at http://www.utislamiccenter. org/ or by visiting the center at 9000 S. 225 W. in Sandy. l
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Update: Meet the Muslims Imam Shuaib Din is excited by the response from the Utah community to the Meet the Muslims events. Since the meetings began in November 2016, around 4,000 people have come to participate and ask questions of their Muslim neighbors at the Utah Islamic Center (UIC) in Sandy. Din believes there has been a positive impact because the word of mouth through those who have attended has spread to their friends and neighbors. “The best way to dispel the myths is to go to a mosque and see for yourself and hear for yourself what Muslims have to say,” said Din. “That’s a significant number, 4,000 people walking into a mosque on their own.” In November, the UIC hosted a Thanksgiving meal for recently arrived refugees from Afghanistan and families in need, cooked by non-Muslim friends and neighbors. They are currently also having a donation drive to collect winter coats for the Rohingya Muslims in refugee camps in Bangladesh and are planning to break ground on a new mosque in South Jordan in spring 2018. Meet the Muslims will continue in January of 2018, taking place on the last Friday of the month. l
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“Ovard is a player who works hard during the off season to improve her game,” Rice said. “We only have a month and a half with the girls as a team, so sometimes they can forget about their game for 10 months and not improve much. Ovard stays busy all year round and her game has improved so much it sets an example of what hard work can do for other players.” In the no. 3 singles slot is sophomore Brinley Horton. She did not play for the Hawks last year, having moved to Texas where she learned a different regional style of play. “Tennis up here seems to be a quiet game,” Rice said. “Down in Texas, the teams get noisy and cheer each other on. Not only did it make Horton super competitive, but she is our cheerleader. She has learned how to bring everyone on the team together.” In the no. 2 doubles slot are juniors Katie Winegar and Savannah Beck, two players who bring an aggressive attitude to the sport. “Sometimes doubles teams just wait for the other team to miss the ball,” Rice said. “These two try to win every point by playing formations.” l
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Sandy City Journal
Alta junior Emily Astle leads a young girls tennis team as the number one singles player. Astle has two state titles already under her belt and hopes to add a third this season. (Ron Bevan/City Journals)
T
he ball hasn’t even been hit yet, but there is a bit of fear, a nervous trepidation, coming across the server as she looks across the net at her opponent, Emily Astle, perhaps the best high school tennis player in the entire state. Astle has already put herself in a position to pounce on the ball. And when it arrives, she attacks with an aggression that belies her youthful age. She looks like a seasoned college pro, and strikes the ball with a combination of precision and power that could be mistaken for a player much older. But off the court, Astle is still learning the nuances of driving a car. She is only a junior, but her tennis game is much more advanced than that. “She is an amazing player,” Alta tennis coach Kallie Rice said of Astle. “She not only has the power in her stroke, but she stays calm and poised throughout her matches. Even when she is behind in the count, she doesn’t panic. She just keeps to her game plan and finds a way to win.” Winning isn’t new to Astle, the no. 1 singles player for the Alta Hawks this year. She is the reigning 4A state singles champion, a title she won both her freshman and sophomore years. During those championship runs, she only lost one match. “A lot of players as good as she is and with the record she has tend to get a little full of themselves, like they are better than everyone else,” Rice said. “That’s not the case with Astle. She is one of the most humble people around,
and is constantly helping others improve their games.” But Astle won’t be defending her 4A state titles this season. Alta moved back into the 5A ranks, where the competition is much stiffer. But Astle has her eye on adding a 5A title to her belt. She is currently undefeated in all matches. Astle has been on the radar of collegiate programs for years. She has already made her decision, and has verbally committed to playing for BYU in two years. Astle is just one of several underclassmen on the Alta Hawks team this season. In fact, there are only two seniors playing for the Hawks: Ally Marquez and Tori Knight. Marquez is on the no. 1 doubles team with junior Sophie Emery, a duo Rice expects to see accomplish some goals this season. “Doubles is more of a strategy game than is singles,” Rice said. “There are plays you can draw up as far as positioning between the two players. Marquez and Emery work super well together. They complement each other’s playing style.” Knight handles the no. 2 singles position on the junior varsity squad. “She sets a great example for the rest of the team,” Rice said. “She runs after every single ball.” The Hawks look to Sarah Ovard for the no. 2 singles slot on the varsity team. Ovard, a sophomore this year, made it to the semifinals of the state tournament last season as a freshman.
Emilee Astle added another state title to her trophy case and went undefeated for another season, but it wasn’t without a little bit of drama. The top player at Alta breezed through her season and the first two matches of the state tournament. It wasn’t until the semifinals when Woods Cross sophomore Sicily Ferreira won multiple games during each set that Astle had a real challenge. Astle was able to fend her off and take a 6-4, 7-5 victory to the final game, where she had an easier time and took the title with a 6-3, 6-1 match over Olympus junior Emma Jewell. “She just stayed focused on her game all year,” Alta coach Kallie Rice said. Alta was able to send all of its varsity team to the state tournament. With Astle’s finish as well as a match won in the first round by No. 3 singles player Brinley Horton, the Hawks scored enough points to finish fourth overall at the state tournament. Olympus took the team title, followed by Timpview and Corner Canyon. Next season looks to keep Alta in the state hunt as only one player will be leaving the varsity program. No. 1 doubles player Ally Marquez is the lone senior on the varsity team. Her partner, junior Sophie Emery, will be paired with another player next year. Astle will return for her final season as well next year. No. 2 singles player Sarah Ovard is a sophomore, and will be back for two more chances, as will Horton in the no. 3 slot. No. 2 doubles partners Katie Winegar and Savannah Beck are both juniors and will return next season. “We have a lot of experience coming back,” Rice said. “That can only help us do better.” l
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January 2018 | Page 19
S andy Journal .com
Alta mountain biking program gets a large donation from GT Bicycles
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By Billy Swartzfager | billy@mycityjournals.com
lta has a mountain bike team, something that many people aren’t aware of. There are over 70 kids, both boys and girls, on the team who compete in several races throughout the season. The team is technically a non-curriculum club, meaning it doesn’t belong to the high school, but the members live within the high school’s boundaries. That also means the team doesn’t get any sort of funding from Alta High School or Canyons School District. The program, in Alta and statewide, has grown incredibly over the last few years. Prep mountain biking started in Utah in 2009. The Utah High School Cycling League will be starting its sixth season this fall. “The program started with about a dozen kids in Alta and now there are 2,500 kids racing in Utah,” Steve Hales, head coach of Alta’s mountain bike team, said. Mountain bikes aren’t cheap, especially good ones. The father of one of the up-and-coming riders from the junior development program noticed not all of the kids participating were riding on bikes that were safe, let alone fit to be competitive. That is when Steve Spencer, global sports marketing manager for GT Bicycles, got the wheels turning on a donation from the company he represents that would assist the growing program at Alta and help kids get the best out of their experience while on the trails. “Everyone is having a great time regardless of skill level, and I just wanted to improve their experience,” Spencer said.
Part of GT’s mission is to get more people out on bikes, not only to get them out but to get them having fun. “GT is all about getting people to have a good time while on a bike,” said GT’s senior PR manager, Sofia Whitcombe. GT donated 11 bikes to Alta’s team, hoping that some of the participants would be able to experience races on a top- Juniors Kenedy Connelly, Ryan Winzenried and Josh Olson take a break from the of-the line bike, trail. (Billy Swartzfager/City Journals) and hopefully be able to use a few minimum practice requirements,” Hales of them as spares when someone’s bike said. “Our sponsors typically pay for the is broken down during a race or for an first race for every kid on the team who extended period of time. The donation makes all of the practices too.” was worth well over $30,000, according One of the team’s sponsors, Lake to Spencer. Town Bikes, took the time to put all of The team wouldn’t be able to suc- the donated bikes together for the team. ceed without donations from organiza- The shop also supplies discounts to kids tions such as GT and a whole host of who participate in the program for bikes other sponsors, and the coach under- and needed repairs. The team, their partstands that and hopes he can get the kids ners and their sponsors all hope to have who benefit from such generosity to un- the kids ready for the season to begin derstand it as well. when school is back in session, and get“If they are going to use a bike for ting on a bike and maintaining it is necthe whole year, a kid has to commit to essary for kids to be prepared. l all five races during the season and meet
Update: The addition of the donated bikes enabled Alta to keep students on the team who might otherwise have dropped out due to equipment issues. “We may not have added new riders, but we definitely kept kids that were thinking of leaving the program,” Alta coach Steve Hales said. “Some riders had bikes that weren’t up to par and they weren’t having as much fun. We were able to get them on these bikes and they began to see how to ride better.” The donated bikes also helped when one rider’s bike frame broke in half, and when another rider needed parts for his bike. The parts were backordered, but with the donated bikes both riders had the
opportunity to continue competing. Alta’s mountain biking club went on to finish third overall in the south region, behind perennial powerhouses Lone Peak and Corner Canyon, teams with some of the most riders in the state. The Hawks also finished fifth at the state championships. “I felt really good about our finish because the only teams to beat us were the top two teams in our region and the top two teams in the northern region,” Hales said. In addition, Alta junior Morgan Hales not only won the south region girls varsity championship, but went on to take the state honors as well. Freshman Isaac
Taylor won the south region overall in the freshman boys category. He finished second overall at state. “Taylor won every race last season but the final one, where he finished second,” Hales said. Hales has the bikes in storage awaiting next season. He had each rider on a donated bike do a final tune-up on each bike so the bikes will be ready for next season. “Ideally I want the kids to use a loaner bike for one year,” Hales said. “They can show their parents they are committed to the sport and perhaps the parents would help them get one of their own.” l
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Sandy City Journal
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S andy Journal .com
Slowpitch softball helping people one Friday at a time By Billy Swartzfager | billy@mycityjournals.com
POSTPONE YOUR HEADSTONE
Dont Text & Drive
The Unmanageables walk off the field after a win this season. (Billy Swartzfager/City Journals)
F
or 18 years the Clean and Sober Softball Association of Utah has been putting together teams of coed softball players for friendly competition while the players find comradery, support and some fun. The league is one of the largest in the state with 67 teams and seven divisions. Four fields in Sandy are home to many of the divisions. Games are played every Friday night from late March all the way in to November some years. The league is something powerful for many who are looking for a reason to stay away from drugs and alcohol. There is a rule that in order to play, one has to have been sober for at least 14 days. That may not seem like much, but to someone going through the struggles of addiction, two weeks can seem like a very long amount of time. Some players even attribute the league to their long term sobriety. According to Nick Daniels, league secretary and captain of the Unmanageables, he stayed sober in order to be on the diamond. “For the first sixty days or so, I stayed sober just so I could play ball,” Daniels said. He’s come a long ways from there, and has found others who have done the same. There are close to 15 people on his roster and most have stories similar
to his and being together on the field every week gives them all something to look forward to as well as a sense of community . “We are more like a family out here,” Daniels said, “We know each other and are here to support each other.” The support and care for one another extends past game time as well. Many of the players are close due to the nature of their struggles and share time over the BBQ or at the bowling alley when not in uniform or during the off-season. “This is a place where people can meet others with similar experiences, whether it’s someone in recovery for 20 years or someone who is just starting out,” Daniels said. Daniels’ story is similar to many of the people he faces every Friday night. He sought treatment for his struggles and heard about the league from others who had found it to be helpful. Many of the teams in the league are sponsored by treatment centers, made up of players who are participating in the center’s programs, or who have been through the center previously. Other teams, like the Unmanageables, are put together through various channels and pay their own way with help from sponsors. Dan-
iels’ team gets a share of their league fees and money for jerseys from Lone Pine Cabinet. Most players discover the league through friends and support networks, or the league’s Facebook page. They generally reach out to a team captain, an old timer from meetings or one of the league’s numerous officials and board members hoping to get placed on a team. With 67 of them, it usually doesn’t take long to get someone a team to call their own, so they can begin the process of recovery, surrounded by a group of people who have been there and are willing to help. The league requires that participants be a part of a recovery program, though one could argue that being part of one of the many teams on a Friday night serves every bit as good as a meeting. Watching the teams play games shows just how close these folks are. They know each other’s first names, each other’s history. They share respect for the work they are doing off the field and it shows on it. The upper divisions in the league are competitive, but never at the expense of what really matters, which is the fact that the league helps people change their lives, and has been doing so for a long time. l
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Page 22 | January 2018
Sandy City Journal
How to beat the January Blues
by
JOANI TAYLOR
Christmas is over, money is tight and our waistbands are even tighter. We can’t help but feel a little let down. After eating too much, spending too much and maybe a few too many parties for many people January means buckling up the spending and the prospect of hitting the gym. I can’t help but feel a little bleak however, this year I’m determined to have the best January yet without breaking the bank. Here are some things I’ve got planned for the month that build up the cheer and won’t demolish the budget. Check out the Wildlife - Hogle Zoo is free the last Wednesday of the month from November through February (January 31 and February 28 2018). Plus, Tracy Aviary offers $1 admission the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month through March. Go to a Hockey Game – The Grizzlies play at the Maverick Center in WVC through April. If you’ve never been to a hockey games, they are fast paced and exciting! You can
get discounted tickets for $6.50 a person at UtahCoupons.com. Get Outside - There is nothing quite like a brisk walk in our beautiful surroundings to blow away the cobwebs and beat the winter city air. Visit one of our National Parks. They are much less busy than during the summer months and just as beautiful. For more information about Utah’s National Parks in winter go to www.visitutah.com/ places-to-go/most-visited-parks/national-parks-in-winter Volunteer – When the holiday’s end the giving shouldn’t. In fact the need is higher for volunteers in January then any other time of year. There are plenty of opportunities all around us like the food bank, animal shelters, elementary schools or just take a minute to shovel someone’s driveway after a storm. Plan a Vacation - Part of the joy of Christmas is all the planning, preparation, and excitement leading up to it. Now is a great time to start to plan a summer family vacation. A vacation to look forward to can
Go to a Hockey Game- The Grizzlies play at the Maverik Center through April.
help you overcome some of the post-Christmas blues and starting to plan early makes it easier to save for it too. Cook! Pretty much everyone seems to be on a health kick in January, so you may as well make it fun. Put on a bright colored apron
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January 2018 | Page 23
S andy Journal .com
Life
Laughter AND
by
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e all have that one friend whose life could be a Hallmark movie. She spends her days organizing family sing-a-longs, has slow-motion snowball fights, and she snuggles with her family by the fireplace, drinking cocoa and wearing matching pajamas. The Golden Retriever has a matching neckerchief. And the toddler doesn’t spill hot chocolate on the white, plush velvet couch. This woman is too amazing to hate. I imagine she cries one beautiful tear that rolls slowly down her cheek as she ponders her incredible existence. The soundtrack to her life would be all violins and cellos. My life’s soundtrack is basically a record scratch. So how do I know this perfect woman with her perfect hair and her perfect family and her perfect life? I follow her on social media. (Stalking is such a harsh word.) She posts pictures of her family cheerfully eating dinner that didn’t come from a freezer box, or shares a video as she dances out the door in a slinky red dress that she’s wearing to a charity event where she’ll donate her time to help orphaned goats in Uzbekistan. I’ve never owned a slinky red dress.
I’ve never saved orphaned goats. This woman has a circle of friends that travel to spa retreats and spiritual workshops. I imagine them talking on the phone, laughing at the extraordinary circumstances that allowed them to live on this planet with such good fortune. My friends need to ramp up their game. Her Instagram feed is an advertisement for excellence. Her children willingly pose for family photos, her redecorated bathroom (that she did for less than $50) is chic and stylish. My family photoshoots turn into a fistfight, and my effort at redecorating my bathroom consisted of a sloppy repaint in a color that was supposed to be “seafoam green,” but looks more like “hospital lunchroom.” Her LinkedIn profile. . . (Okay, I admit it. This sounds suspiciously like stalking.) Her LinkedIn profile is a list of accomplishments that makes me wonder if she has a body double. She sits on charity boards (hence, the Uzbek goats), founded her own company and has won several awards. It took me three weeks to write a LinkedIn profile because I had nothing to say. Good thing I have experience in cre-
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