BUSINESS

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Barro’s, Pepsi partner for pediatric cancer fund

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Family-owned Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi are teaming up for the sixth year this June to raise money for children and families affected by pediatric cancer. Until June 30, all Barro’s Pizza locations will donate proceeds, up to $40,000, from the sale of any lunch special to the nonpro�it Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children. Locations include: 41722 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Suite 100, Anthem; and 30815 N. Cave Creek Road, Suite 132, Cave Creek. “Our passion is helping our community,” said Bruce Barro, co-owner of Barro’s Pizza. “Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children is such an incredible organization, so each year we look forward to helping raise money for the families they support. These events are the very core of who we are as a family, and it makes everything we do worthwhile.” The Scottsdale-based foundation was founded in 2013 by Chrisie Funari after she lost her young daughter, Ava, to cancer. Funari traveled the country seeking the best treatments and care for her daughter. Knowing the struggle and the toll it takes on the family, Funari started the organization to empower families by ensuring they have a secure place to live, access to medical treatment and continued support. “Barro’s Pizza is an important partner of Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children,” Funari said. “We are so grateful to have a local business like Barro’s Pizza understand and support our mission each and every year. The money donated will help cover expenses associated with a child’s cancer diagnosis, provide K9 therapy and counseling, birthday gifts, art classes and overall emotional and financial support to Arizona families. Barro’s Pizza and support from our community are an integral part of Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children and allows us to offer our programs free of charge to hundreds of Arizona families yearly.” Info: barrospizza.com or azcancerfoundation.org

Bricks & Mini�igs coming to North Valley

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Allen and Kat Blaz’s home is �illed with Lego. The construction toys have so overrun Allen’s of�ice that it looks like a playroom. So, it was a logical move for them to sign on to open a Bricks & Mini�igs shop in the North Valley. Slated to open in early September, Bricks & Mini�igs is expected to move into the Norterra area. The exact location will be announced soon. “My husband is really big into Lego,” Kat said. “When we were visiting my brother, Allen went to a Bricks & Mini�igs in Albuquerque, and he thought it was really cool. Who knew there was a store you could go to that had retired and used sets, new sets and everything you need to collect Lego?” The couple and their two children

Allen and Kat Blaz, pictured with their kids Alec and Evie, plan to open a Bricks and Minifi gs location in the Norterra area in early September. (Arizona Front Porch Project) have since visited the Bricks & Mini�igs in Avondale.

“In February, he approached me and said, ‘What do you think?’” Kat recalled.

“I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I’ve always liked the ��� BRICKS ���� 18

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JUNE 23, 2021

Purse Impressions’ fundraiser bene�its rehab patients

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Purse Impressions, a nonpro�it organization that donates purses and bags to rehab graduates, will host its �irst Pop-Up Fundraiser on Saturday, June 26. Purse Impressions is a 501 (c)(3) charity that was founded in 2019 and has donated around 2,100 purses to 11 rehabilitation centers. “This all began with an idea that my daughter had, and the charity started in her honor,” said Purse Impressions owner Patricia Brusha. Brusha’s daughter, Courtney, died of cirrhosis of the liver at age 28 in June 2019. “Courtney had been in and out of rehab a handful of times and whenever she would leave, she would call me and ask if I could bring her a purse or a tote so that people wouldn’t think that she was coming out of prison,” Brusha said. Before Courtney’s funeral, Brusha asked for purse donations instead of �lowers so she could donate them to rehabilitation centers. She received 400 purses at the ceremony. “We wanted to do something that acknowledged the patient’s accomplishment and allowed them to leave with dignity and hope,” Brusha said. Brusha has since partnered with Crossroads Inc. and Community Bridges, who have created a display of her bags for patients to choose from when they graduate. Brusha quickly found herself overwhelmed with purses, so she opened a boutique in October.

“I started getting so many purses that it outgrew my house,” Brusha said. “So, instead of renting a storage space or a place to run the charity out of, I decided to open a boutique and sell some of the higher end purses to raise money for hygiene kits, feminine products and makeup to put in the purses.”

Purse Impressions recently received donations from

Shoebox Ministry, The Do

Gooders of Cave Creek, the

Cave Creek Rotary Club and

United Healthcare through her purse drives.

During the last year, Brusha has donated truckloads of purses �illed with things to help graduates succeed. Each purse or backpack comes with a letter telling Courtney’s story as well as a note from Courtney that says, “Take 5 minutes. You can do it. You are loved. We care.” Brusha receives letters from patients who choose from her bags. “I’ve gotten a lot of letters of gratitude and the underlying statement of them all is that they didn’t know that someone cared about them,” Brusha said. “One gentleman even said that, ‘This backpack was going to save my life.’” Brusha is eager to donate more items, so she’s hosting a pop-up fundraiser with entertainment and refreshments on June 26. She will sell purses and take donations at her event. Those who donate a purse, backpack, hygiene items or jewelry will receive a free tote bag. Brusha does request that people donate new & gently used purses. Monetary donations can be made on Purse Impressions’ website. “We’re going to have designer brands, evening purses, southwestern purses and some really unique ones,” Brusha said. “We want to make sure that people feel good about themselves, so we do prefer that purses are gently used and not marked up or dirty.” She is also looking for people who are willing to donate their time to help her with her day-to-day operations in the shop. “We’re always looking for volunteers as well to help with the pop-up shop or in the shop in general,” Brusha said.

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Patricia Brusha next to a picture of her daughter, Courtney Michaels, who died of alcohol abuse and is the reason she started her nonprofi t. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

BRICKS ���� ���� 17

idea of owning my own business. It’s something we’re both so passionate about.” Bricks & Mini�igs was founded in 2009 as a one-stop shop for all-things Lego with a buy, sell, trade model. “You can sell or trade old Lego,” she said. “It’s nice for families whose home is very full to Lego to bring Lego to Bricks & Mini�igs. They can negotiate with kids. ‘Take this in and get a new set.’ We’ll offer cash to buy Lego or we offer store credit.” The namesake of the store is the collectible mini�igures, the poseable characters that come in sets or in individual packets. The mini�igures found in sets are sold individually at Bricks & Mini�ig stores. Bricks are available in bulk, too. “If you have a set and you’re missing one or two pieces of it, you can buy the pieces to complete it,” Kat said. “There are other stores out there that sell Lego or Mega Bloks. Ours is strictly a Lego storefront.” A horseback riding teacher, Kat is excited that her and Allen’s Bricks & Mini�igs will have a birthday party space, something that is lacking in the Norterra area. “There’s a huge need for that and

Purse Impressions Pop Up Fundraiser

WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 26 WHERE: The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th Street, Scottsdale COST: Admission is free, but donations are encouraged INFO: purse-impressions.com

camps,” she said. “We are going to do both. We’ll have camps during the summer and possibly during the breaks, but birthday parties are a part of the store. “What’s really great is the Lego product itself. It’s creative and educational that attracts all ages and interests. It’s a common ground for people. It brings families together and gets kids off of screens, which is super important, especially during the pandemic. It’s something you never grow out of.”