The Foothills Focus - Zone 2 - 01.27.2021 by Times Media Group

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Wednesday, January 27, 2021

CCUSD teachers must use sick time to quarantine BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Foothills Food Bank sees a record number of clients

OVID-19 is not over — but a federal act that once provided teachers with extra paid sick leave has now come to an end. Cave Creek Unified School District (CCUSD) announced it is discontinuing additional sick leave benefits for employees after the Families First Coronavirus Re-

sponse Act (FFCRA) expired on Dec. 31. The federal government enacted this mandate last spring to provide teachers up to 80 hours of additional paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19. Its effective date was April 1. The discontinuation of this benefit means CCUSD’s teachers now must use their own sick hours if they choose to quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19.

The district explained its reasoning for ending this benefit in an email sent to CCUSD employees. “This unfunded mandate, along with declining student enrollment, placed a financial strain on the district’s already precarious financial position,” it stated. The district spent $137,123 on “FFCRA-related leave payments” from July 1

“I am confident that I am well suited to help DFLT, the town of Cave Creek and Maricopa County Parks and Rec in their appraisal needs, especially considering I have prepared numerous appraisals near the subject tracts in the past several years,” said Gregory Richards of Richards & Associates in the submitted contract bid. The private, separately owned properties that will be appraised are about 94 acres and include the Harmony Hollow Ranch, which has been on the market for over a year for $1.5 million. “With public sentiment urging the town to look at perhaps pursuing the purchase of the Cross Property aka Harmony Hollow, we started talks with Desert Foothills Land Trust and Marico-

pa County at partnering and looking at lands, and it starts with appraisal services,” said Cave Creek Planning Director Luke Kautzman at the Jan. 19 meeting. To explore Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area’s expansion, an intergovernmental agreement had to be approved between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Cave Creek Town Council. The county manages the land, which is owned by the town. Passed in the summer 2020, the IGA retains and splits the costs of an appraiser to evaluate if expanding the conservation area was viable. Acquiring Harmony Hollow for conservation is not a new effort. During the last

see TEACHERS page 5

Cave Creek council OKs Spur Cross appraisal

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The Cave Creek Town Council unanimously approved a $19,000 appraisal services contract at its Jan. 19 meeting for an assessment of five parcels that are all contiguous to the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. It’s the next step in potentially expanding the park. The contract was awarded to Anthem-based Richards & Associates, a firm specializing in appraising properties for conservation and natural resources across nine Western states. It has resulted in hundreds of thousands of acres of land preservation, according to its application.

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see CAVE CREEK page 4

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 20, 2021

Round 2 of Paycheck Protection Program begins An edition of the East Valley Tribune The Foothills Focus is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the North Valley. To find out where you can pick up a copy of The Foothills Focus, please visit www.thefoothillsfocus.com CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 623-465-5808 | Fax: 623-465-1363 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt Associate Publisher: Eric Twohey | 480-898-5634 | erict@thefoothillsfocus.com ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 623-465-5808 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timespublications.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timespublications.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timespublications.com Advertising Office Manager: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@timespublications.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@thefoothillsfocus.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timespublications.com Photographer: Pablo Robles | probles@timespublications.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com Proud member of :

he Small Business Association, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, opened Phase 2 of the Paycheck Protection Program loan portal Jan. 11. This round of the PPP continues to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $284 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses through March

31 and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a “second draw” PPP loan. For more information or to apply, visit sba.gov. In most cases, if guidelines are followed, the loans do not have to be repaid. The maximum loan amount has been reduced from $10 million to $2 million. The amount most individual businesses can request is still based around a formula of 2.5 times average payroll.

PPP borrowers who already received a loan may obtain a second draw if they have 300 or fewer employees, have used or will use the full amount of their first PPP loan and can show a 25% gross revenue decline in any 2020 quarter compared with the same quarter in 2019. First-time PPP borrowers may obtain a PPP loan under the original terms in the CARES Act. —Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski can be reached at christina@timespublications.com

couple of years, the Desert Foothills Land Trust attempted to purchase Harmony Hollow. But an accredited land trust regulation prohibited it from buying the property, because it is listed above the appraisal price. In addition, the trust mostly focused on obtaining the Harmony Hollow Ranch only. It was not looking

into acquiring the other neighboring properties that could expand into the conservation area. That would be beyond the scope of the trust’s work. “This is kind of wholesale way to approach it,” Kautzman said. “It’s looking at all the contiguous properties at Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, so it’s really not comparable to what’s been done in the past, as to where we are presently.”

Although the trust was prohibited from purchasing Harmony Hollow, its efforts activated grassroots support from residents who want to pursue the acquisition of it. The Facebook group known as Harmony Hollow Preserve has over 700 members. The group is working on creating a 501(c)(3) to help raise money for local conservation goals. Even though the trust is no longer actively pursuing the acquisition of Harmony Hollow, it is still involved in Spur Cross’ expansion and was listed as a client on the official RFP solicited to appraisers in November 2020. “Due to their organizational experience in these matters and previous partnerships in acquisition and preservation, the town also included Vicki Preston representing DFLT to provide assistance with the selection,” Kautzman stated in a recent email to The Foothills Focus. The appraisals should be completed this year.

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

CAVE CREEK from page 1

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 20, 2021

TEACHERS from page 1

through Dec. 31, according to information sent to employees, which was provided by Julia Scotto, CCUSD Superintendent Dr. Cort Monroe’s executive assistant. Before this policy change, teachers and students were instructed to follow Maricopa County Department of Health guidelines and quarantine for 10 days if they were exposed to COVID-19. However, “With the recent adjustment that has been made, staff now have a choice, as they monitor their own health, to decide what they want to do to keep themselves healthy,” the district’s information stated. As long as teachers are symptom free, they are permitted to continue working if they have been exposed to COVID-19, it stated. Teachers are still provided with the option of quarantine, but they must use their own personal sick time. The district, however, mentioned, “We are excited that our staff began to receive the COVID-19 vaccine two weeks ago.” CCUSD has approximately 5,400 students and 900 staff members, 300 of which are certified teachers. As of now, “only .7% of our total staff and in-person students are actively positive with COVID-19 and we continue to enforce our mitigation plan,” the district stated. The district implemented a set of policies for its staff and students to follow to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These mitigation strategies include measures like encouraging social distancing when “feasible,” requiring students and teachers to wear masks,

as well as providing classrooms and restrooms with additional sanitation throughout the day, according to CCUSD’s 2020-2021 School Year Plan Logistics. The district also encourages parents to check students for symptoms before school. CCUSD parent Kathryn Reeve said she thinks the district is doing “everything they can” to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep students healthy and in school; however, the news of this policy change and its effect on teachers is “heartbreaking.” Reeve is the mother of a kindergartener and a preschooler who attend CCUSD schools. She and her children prefer in-person learning because virtual learning was difficult due to her children’s young age, she explained. “I love our teachers. I love our staff,” she said. They are “the reason I am comfortable with my children in-person learning with numbers surging the way they are in Maricopa County.” “It’s so disappointing that we aren’t falling over ourselves to do whatever we can to support them, to make sure they’re safe, to make sure that they have an easy way to mitigate spread if they’re exposed.” While Reeve has been notified of students in other classrooms being asked to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure, she and her children have not been affected or asked to quarantine, she said. This policy change is concerning, Reeve said, because it raises the potential for teachers to unknowingly spread

COVID-19 through the classroom if they choose to continue instruction despite being exposed. She wants her children to continue attending in-person classes, “but at the end of the day, we’ve got to be safe,” she said. “We’ve got to realize we’re all living through a global pandemic,” she said. “This isn’t just a rough week — this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” Reeve said she hopes the district will allow teachers and staff who have been exposed to COVID-19 to quarantine safely for the recommended number of days without having to use their own personal sick time, she said. “If we are so committed to keeping schools open, then we need to support the people who are making that happen,” she said. However, Reeve said she has “a lot of empathy” for the district and leadership and the difficult situation they are trying to navigate. The district provided specific details on its financial situation and explained why it is not feasible to continue to pro-

vide additional sick leave benefits to teachers exposed to COVID-19. CCUSD is in a “structural deficit” because 95% of its capital outlay budget capacity is in the maintenance and operations budget, the district stated, mentioning how it has informed the governing board of this for years. The district’s budget also took a blow from an approximately 8% decline in student enrollment, it stated, adding that the district is down approximately 400 students. Its budget capacity was also reduced by 5% due to students opting for online learning. Unless the federal government provides relief to fund and extend the FFCRA benefit, the continuation of this sick leave policy will exacerbate the district’s financial distress, it stated. However, all things considered, the district stated it “values all students and staff and plans for long-term student success and staff retention.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 20, 2021

Wheels are turning for Anthem’s skatepark project BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

he progress continues on Anthem’s skatepark expansion project — the fourth and final element of its Facilities Master Plan. Anthem’s skateboarders, bikers and scooter riders will soon be able to

shred and practice their favorite tricks in a newly expanded and renovated skatepark. The Anthem Community Council Board of Directors selected MayDall Construction & Pillar Design Studios to build and design the skatepark’s expansion. Contracts were signed with the team in early December.

Construction is expected to start in August and will likely finish in December, according to Terry Mullarkey, community executive officer of Anthem Community Council’s Board of Directors. Construction will begin when the design is chosen. “The first step was to get community input,” Mullarkey said. The design and construction team created an e-survey on SurveyMonkey so Anthem’s skateboarders could offer direction and have a part in the design process. The survey was open from Dec. 14 to Jan. 1 and asked local skaters what they like and dislike about the existing skatepark and what new elements they hope to see as part of the expansion, Mullarkey said. The construction and design team is tabulating the results from around 300 respondents, he said. Many suggested adding ledges, rails, a pump track, more transition and vertical elements as well as a street skating plaza. “We’ve got a lot of great data from the community on what they’re looking at in terms of elements to be added to the skatepark and what the future design should look like,” Mullarkey said. For years, the board planned on having an in-person meeting where they could hear the residents’ thoughts and suggestions, but due to COVID-19, its members had to get creative. Local skaters were told about the survey via a newsletter, on the Anthem website and on social media. QR codes were also posted at the skatepark so skaters could scan the code to fill out the survey. By March, however, Mullarkey said he hopes the board will be able to conduct in-person board meetings so people can be present during this “critical time” and “feel comfortable and share their thoughts on the next step of the skatepark.” Now that the survey is closed, the design and construction team is spending this month and next month coming up with three different design options with three corresponding budgets,

which will be presented to the board on March 24. The board will vote on the design and its costs in late April. From there, the board will submit for a county permit to begin construction. The expanded skatepark will be an “all-wheel complex,” which will allow bikers to use the amenity, according to staff. Part of the construction plans include removing the turnstile which once prevented bikers from entering the skatepark. Nothing has been decided yet, but there are two areas that are being considered as part of the skatepark’s expansion. These two potential areas include an “open pad of ground” behind the skatepark on the south end as well as the hockey rink, which is being considered for repurposing, Mullarkey said. The first area will “definitely” be used as part of the expansion, but it’s undecided what exactly will go there, Mullarkey said. However, the idea of repurposing the hockey rink has been a topic of community discussion. “That will depend upon community input on whether the hockey rink has adequate use today versus a number of people that think it should be repurposed for skatepark expansion,” he said. Residents left comments asking that the hockey rink be left as it is when the Anthem Community Council advertised the e-survey on its Facebook page. In response, the board decided to “pursue that question ourselves” by having its park patrol personnel tabulate the number of people who use the hockey rink, Mullarkey said. If the tabulated numbers show the hockey rink is still used, “I’m sure the board will make a decision on possibly not repurposing it,” he said. “But that becomes a board decision at that point.” The other part of the project includes maintenance for the existing

see SKATEPARK page 7

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 20, 2021

Foothills Food Bank sees a record number of clients BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

oothills Food Bank & Resource Center experienced one of its busiest years during the 2020 pandemic. The growing food bank saw 1.5 million pounds of food donated to it for people in need. It provided 162,675 pounds of food for pets. With 906 new clients, the food bank provided 17,324 visits and food and related services for Foothills clients. In turn, 316 volunteers donated 26,502 hours

SKATEPARK from page 6

skatepark, he said. “The skatepark is 20 years old. There are concrete and some patches and some work in the existing portion of the skatepark that we need to repair,” Mullarkey said. “A lot of that will probably be done first.” Several new skateparks have been built around the Valley, and even though it’s 20 years old, the construction and design team said, “ours still ranks up there as one of the better skateparks,” he said. However, the park is still lacking in space and in areas where people can refine their street skating skills, Mullarkey said. He added the expansion will likely address this. Before the survey was conducted, many parents came forward asking for a place in the skatepark where their younger kids can skate safely where they wouldn’t “get run over by the older kids,” Mullarkey said. This is being taken into account as well, he said, emphasizing, however, that this is not a definite plan. “That’s part of the expansion, is to look at some of that extra space that’s currently unused and decide how it’s going to be best used for purposes like that. “I’m sure that kids who use it will love it,” he said. “Hopefully some of the

of their time. In addition, many people’s holidays were made brighter in 2020 through the dissemination of 898 holiday meals and 1,222 Adopt-aFamily recipients. For more information or to help serve the community, call Foothills Food Bank at 480-488-1145. Foothills Food Bank is located at 6038 E. Hidden Valley Drive in Cave Creek and 34501 Old Black Canyon Highway in Black Canyon City. —Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski can be reached at christina@timespublications.com

parents will like it better if we’re able to separate the experienced from the inexperienced.” As soon as the skatepark expansion is done, the board wants to build training programs and other activities like learning how to skateboard or scooter, Mullarkey said. “It opens up a lot of opportunities for the ACC to do more with a larger skatepark,” he said. The skatepark expansion project is the final part of the Facilities Master Plan, which was voted on by the board and the community in 2016. This plan also included creating pickleball courts and a dog park, both of which were completed in 2019. The remodel of the Anthem Community Center, also part of the plan, was completed in 2018. All these projects that are part of the Facilities Master Plan are funded by Anthem’s enhancement fund. Each time an Anthem resident sells a property, a quarter of 1% of its sale price is placed into the fund. Mullarkey explained one of the “driving forces” behind the board’s 2016 vote to invest in expanding the skatepark, saying, “Anything we can do to help the youth stay busy and off the streets and out of trouble is a good thing here in Anthem.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com

In 2020, 316 volunteers donated 26,502 hours of their time to the Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center. (Photo courtesy Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center)

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 27, 2021

Opinion TheFoothillsFocus.com

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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Let’s have a little compassion BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

e have started 2021 with a bang. Visual images we will remember: rioters, insurrection, inauguration, a sea of flags, protests, hymns, military salutes, face masks. We may forget what we had for lunch yesterday, but we seem to recall times of importance, which reflect special events, holidays, gatherings or simply landmarks that are embedded in our minds. The last Christmas with our parents, the day our child was born, graduations, wed-

dings, funerals, first steps and last words. Our time on this amazing planet is limited. We have more similarities as a human race than we do differences. We thrive on purpose, love, freedom and connection. Yet, sometimes our disagreements are glaring in the spotlight of social media, news and politics, as if that is who we are as a people. As if those differences are what matters most. Together, as a nation, we crossed the threshold of 400,000 deaths from the coronavirus. These were our grandparents, parents, spouses, family, colleagues and neighbors. Sometimes the narrative

has been that these folks were on their “last legs” and were mostly elderly and frail people who were going to die soon anyway. Sure, we will read about the horror of a 41-year-old Broadway star who was fit and healthy who died from COVID-19, but then that was the “exception.” What is really happening is that the folks who died were a swath of our society, many old, young, healthy, some with co-morbidities, others with none. They are you and me. My client and friend, Bob, passed from coronavirus. He was in his 70s and living his life. He was active in his business,

see BLUHM page 12

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 27, 2021

Yearning for the energy of a crowd BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

t was Tuesday afternoon and work got too heavy. A break was called for, mindless diversion. My thoughts turned to an old favorite: a matinee movie. Ninety minutes of popcorn, soda and cinema. This sounded like exactly the ticket. I could not have been more wrong. It was not the film that failed. It was obvious going in that this action flick would earn no Oscars. It was the experience: a solitary man armed with a mask, hand sanitizer and enough Clorox wipes to disinfect Congress, seated alone in an auditorium built for 300 humans. I dozed off through gunfire and explosions. I lost what plot there was. My mind pinballed before hitting on a realization.

Some events, to feel right, require a crowd. Chalk up another act of destruction committed by this damned pandemic. Eventually I gave up on the movie and compiled a mental list of great crowds I have been in — moments where the assembled humanity begins to crackle with shared energy, a sense of mutual joy, excitement, thrill, love. If that sounds hokey, I can only say that it was not at all strange in the moment. Like, say, the night of Nov. 4, 2001, when I was high in the rightfield stands on the night the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees 3-2 to win the World Series. The last 10 months have featured less human contact than that single evening full of high fives, fist bumps, screams, prayers and — when at last Jay Bell danced across home plate with the winning run — hugs with complete

strangers. Crowds will do that to us. You surely have your own stories, tales that run parallel to my parents taking my brother and I to see “Rocky” at Christmas in 1976. I was 11, but I can still hear the crowd cheering the screen, the nervous chatter during Rocky’s battle with Apollo Creed, and I can still reimagine every boy who had been in the packed house boxing his way through the lobby afterward. Or a great concert. Not even 18 months ago, I spent a weekend in Texas for Austin City Limits — a bucket-list event. In dusty Zilker Park, tens of thousands of us gathered in a claustrophobic swarm to see a reunited Guns N’ Roses run through 20 hits, from “It’s So Easy” to “Welcome to the Jungle” to “November Rain.”

That was Friday — old rockers, warm beer and the thick smell of weed. The next afternoon, when Billie Eilish sang “Bad Guy,” there was a solid mass of teenage girl dress-alikes who accompanied her with every word. They pogo’d when Billie did, crouched, twirled, prowled their little slivers of space. Who knew at the time that would be the last crowd I’d be in for months on end? Now watching events on television — old footage of Tiger Woods winning the Masters — I marvel at the way we once crowded together shoulder to shoulder. Most years, I wander out to watch the Waste Management Phoenix Open with 200,000 of my closest personal friends — sorority sisters in platform heels and microskirts, beery frat bros who heckle golfers at the 16th hole, and the hordes in Nike gear and Titleist hats.

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OPINION

How to get a letter published E-mail: christina@timespublications.com

The Foothills Focus welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. The Foothills Focus will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Foothills Focus will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Foothills Focus, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

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BLUHM �� page 10

adored his beautiful wife, was fun-loving and kind. My friend’s husband died at age 60. A long-distance runner and a branch manager of a bank, he was well and happy. My neighbor’s mother passed. My niece and great-niece became very ill with the virus and thankfully survived. One still has no sense of taste or smell. Our personal world may be small, yet we can look around at the families who have seen the virus sweep through their lives like a wrecking ball, claiming loved ones, leaving excruciating pain and sorrow. Collectively, as a nation, we have been through a lot. We are still reeling from the spectacle of Jan. 6, when our Capitol was under siege. We see conspiracy theories flourish about everything from lizard peo-

LEIBOWITZ �� page 116

This year, attendance will be held to 5,000 fans a day. Question: Will a Phoenix Open with 97.5% less crowd be 97.5% less electric?

ple (shape-shifting, blood-sucking reptilian humanoids plotting to control the human race — geez) to deep-state players. Disinformation continues to menace the airwaves and social media. Politics can be ugly. Ideologies divide us, but democracy is why we still are standing together, praying for peace and unity. We hope for better things to come. In the words of Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet, “We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. There is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it — if only we’re brave enough to be it. … We must put our differences aside.” And so, a new day begins. And that’s the hill we will climb. —Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a question or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

Turns out, I love the power of crowds. It’s a small loss among everything inflicted by COVID-19, but let’s hope someday soon we can assemble again unaccompanied by anxiety, 6 feet of social distance and the nauseating scent of sanitizer and Clorox.

Chris Gonzalez

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Sonoran Desert Olive Oil enlightens drinks and food BY TARA ALATORRE Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

ole Randall and Jason Swenton of Sonoran Desert Olive Oil Co. are getting creative with their balsamic vinegars by encouraging local restaurants and bars to use their products. “There are different things you can do with balsamics,” Randall said. “With cocktails and mocktails, it can be cool. Now, a lot of mixologists are using balsamic vinegars in their drinks.” He offers peach balsamic vinegar in club soda, for example. The store’s website and Instagram have recipes for margaritas, the Neapolitan herb balsamic bloody mary and Cascadian wild raspberry mojito. “You can do a club soda and vodka with a little bit of a nice fruitful white balsamic to make a really nice cocktail for the afternoon, especially here in this beautiful weather in Phoenix,” Randall said. The Americano in Scottsdale uses Sonoran Desert Olive Oil’s coconut white balsamic in its drink Versace on the Floor. “We want to make it versatile,” Randall said. “Some people just have white balsamic sitting in their cabinet and don’t know what to do with it. They only think about salads. We give them other ideas. You can put it on fruit salad, drinks and ice cream.” Of the �lavored olive oils, Tuscan is the most popular. It is used for everyday cooking, as it “really enhances the �lavor of whatever you’re cooking,” Swenton said. Sonoran Desert Olive Oil’s olives are not grown in Arizona, but various parts of the world. They partake in two crush runs a year — the summer and

Jason Swenton, left, and Cole Randall have two locations of Sonoran Desert Olive Oil Co. — High Street and SanTan Village. (Photo by Pablo Robles) fall/winter runs. Sonoran Desert Olive Oil Co. is a second career for Randall and Swenton. Randall owned a car rental company for 10 years, while Swenton’s day job is with Microsoft. Swenton and Randall were inspired to start the business by friends in Mexico. “They invited us up to their place to visit their stores,” said Randall about their friends’ three stores on Vancouver Island. “They’re very successful, and I thought it sounded like a good deal.” Randall quickly learned that some of the �lavors in Canada work well on Vancouver Island, but not here and vice versa. “Their jalapeno white balsamic doesn’t do very well up there,” he said. “The spicier ones work well here.” When the two were pondering their marketing collateral, they decided to make the saguaro cactus their logo. “What embodies Arizona more than a beautiful cactus?” Swenton said. “We wanted to make sure that was part of

our logo and theme for opening the shop. We also wanted a clean, modern look because most bottle shops have a more classic look to them. “We wanted the store to look like what customers might see in their house.” Sonoran Desert Olive Oil Co. has two locations — one on High Street near Desert Ridge Marketplace, which opened two years ago, and Gilbert’s SanTan Village, which introduced itself in October. The latter location doesn’t have the food selections or the big tanks from which to try the products. Everything is prebottled on High Street, and samples are given from larger bottles. Randall said olive oils and balsamics are a passion. He enjoys helping customers �ind healthier choices for eating. Swenton added that roasted vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, go well with espresso dark balsamic or Neapolitan herb dark balsamic. Cinnamon pear pairs nicely with a fall apple crisp. The Mayo Clinic’s nurses and doctors stop by the High Street location

to talk to Swenton and Randall about the health bene�its of extra virgin olive oil. A tablespoon of olive oil, the Mayo Clinic’s staff told Swenton and Randall, will help with joint pain. “A tablespoon a day really can go a long way,” Swenton said. The High Street store has grocery items like Frontier Soups mixes and Pappardelle’s pastas, which come in �lavors like lemon pepper, basil garlic, organic red lentil, garlic toasted onion, garlic chive and hatch green chile. “Pappardelle’s makes pasta in small batches and they’re really, really good,” Swenton said. “Then we brought in Frontier Soups. Those are amazing. It looks like it doesn’t make much, but actually it makes a big pot of soup.” Olive Oil Skincare Company’s bathroom products, which range from bodywash to shampoo and conditioner, are for sale at High Street. Mesa-based Spero Chocolate is available as well in selections like Scottsdale Blonde, Mesa Mint and Sedona Red Rock Raspberry. “You’ll see them at the High Street Farmers Market,” Swenton said. “They make all their chocolate locally. A lot of their sales go directly back to youth sports, even during a weird year of COVID. They still make sure they’re taking care of the kids out there.” As for the pandemic, Sonoran Desert Olive Oil is struggling but hanging in there. “I’ve been open the entire time during this pandemic because people cook at home,” Randall said. “I do home deliveries. They don’t have to leave the house. We thought it was a nice gesture.” —Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski can be reached at christina@timespublications.com

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 20, 2021

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(Continued from previous page) a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 6 states must pay $124 per ounce which totals $2,480 if any remain. “As special counsel to Federated Mint I earn my pay delivering breaking news. And today’s announcement confirming the release of Gold Vault Bricks to the general public is as big as it gets. Believe me, I know how valuable these Gold Vault Bricks are to resellers, collectors, dealers and anyone else who gets their hands on them,” Withrow said. “So my advice is this, anyone who gets an opportunity to get their hands on one of these Gold Vault Bricks better jump at the chance before they’re all gone,” Withrow said. “These Gold Vault Bricks loaded with massive 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold make the most impressive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and any other occasion, especially for that hard-to-buy-for person,” Withrow said. According to Ms. Withrow, since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, today and tomorrow are intended as a “special 48 hour release” for the benefit of persons living in; AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM and UT. This gives residents of those states a fair chance to claim the Gold Vault Bricks and all the valuable gold loaded inside for themselves. But, Ms. Withrow added, “The Gold Vault Bricks are only available as inventory permits during the special 48 hour release and once they’re gone, they’re gone.” The emeritus Treasurer added, “Remember this, these Gold Vault Bricks contain a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold and we have no power to stop dealers, resellers, collectors and the like from buying up all the Gold Vault Bricks they can get their hands on and reselling them for a big profit,” Withrow said. Anyone who fails to obtain them during this special 48 hour release may be forced to buy them later in the secondary market from a dealer, reseller or collector at a hefty premium. ”We already know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of agents are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 48 hours to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Withrow said. “That’s why Federated Mint set up the State Distribution Hotlines in order to make sure residents in the 6 designated states listed in today’s newspaper publication can get them now,” Withrow said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they live in one of the 6 states listed in today’s newspaper and call the State Distribution Hotlines before the special 48 hour release ends midnight tomorrow. ■

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Special Supplement to The Foothills Focus

HEALTH

WELLNESS Your Local Guide to Better Living

Winter 2021

INSIDE This Issue

MWU Therapy Institute brings CAREN to Arizona BY TONY JOHNS Midwestern University

AREA AGENCY ON AGING ................ 21 Taking small steps for lifelong rewards

he new Midwestern University Therapy Institute brings important services and advanced technology to families requiring integrated therapeutic and rehabilitative health care. Offering physical and occupational therapy, vision therapy and low-vision rehabilitation, sports vision perfor-

mance training, clinical psychology and speech-language pathology — which now also offers bilingual services — the therapy institute provides a wide array of health care solutions for all ages. An integrated health care team is especially important for patients who have complex health conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s, vestibular issues or brain injury, as well as for child development concerns. Vision therapy

can help children learn more effectively, particularly in an increasingly digital environment. Speech-language pathology helps clients to overcome communication issues in a compassionate environment, working at their own pace. Our caring clinical psychology team offers tools to reduce anxiety and stress in today’s social environment.

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�ee CAREN page 21

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Winter 2021

Health & Wellness

Taking small steps for lifelong rewards BY MELISSA ELLIOTT, MSW Vice President of Programs & Services Area Agency on Aging, Region One

taying engaged, socially connected and finding meaningful programs to participate in over the last year has been challenging for everyone — but especially for seniors who can be vulnerable and isolated. The Area Agency on Aging has adapted to offer virtual versions of

17 ••

its Health Living classes, including Geri-Fit exercise classes and other behavior change courses like chronic disease self-management, living life with chronic pain, and diabetes self-management. This February and March, the agency will virtually offer the Aging Mastery Program. Developed by the National Council on Aging, the Aging Mastery Program is a 10-week course that explores topics like fall

prevention, nutrition, exercise, medication management, financial management, emotional health and life care planning. The class is taught by subject-matter experts. Participants receive a workbook and other supplemental materials. “The Aging Mastery Program is great because it is so comprehensive,” said Rose Leyba, the agency’s health promotion coordinator. “It doesn’t just focus on one area

like physical health or fall prevention but covers a variety of topics that are important to older adults as they plan for the future.” If you are interested in participating in the Aging Mastery Program, call 602-241-5562 for information and to register. For information on all the classes the Area Agency is offering, call the 24-hour senior help line at 602-264-4357 or visit the website at aaaphx.org.

of our commitment to providing patient-first care and the best health care resources for our community,” said Dr. Kaila Osmotherly, FAAO, Midwestern University Therapy In-

stitute medical director. “Our students receive training with the most advanced tools of their profession, which allows us to provide comprehensive, convenient

services at affordable prices. It’s a wonderful opportunity to give back to our community.” For more information, call 623537-6000 or visit mwuclinics.com.

CAREN from page 20

Therapy institute patients also have a unique new partner to help in their rehabilitation: CAREN — computer-assisted rehabilitation environment. One of less than 20 in the United States and only 50 worldwide, the CAREN is an immersive virtual reality system. It allows advanced clinical evaluation, analysis and rehabilitation for a variety of complex, neurophysical conditions affecting vision, balance and physical abilities. The CAREN is considered the most advanced biomechanics lab for research, assessment and development of all neurological and physiological aspects of human movement and balance. This highly interactive system creates customizable, controlled virtual environments — walking down a forest path, navigating objects on a road, performing a sport and more — in which patients can interact safely and health care providers can obtain important kinetic data. The CAREN aids patients with brain injuries, neurological issues, physical injuries, visual skill development and more. It also offers vestibular, balance and gait assessment programs and manual propulsion training for patients in wheelchairs. “Midwestern University has invested in this technology because

•• 18

Health & Wellness

Winter 2021

Area Agency on Aging

Aging Mastery

Taking small steps for lifelong rewards The Aging Mastery Program (AMP)® is a fun and engaging education and behavioral improvement program for aging well.

aaaphx.org Sessions are one day a week for 10 weeks. Call to Register Now

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Learn from experts about topics including: remaining financially secure, managing health care, increasing social connectedness, developing healthy eating habits, and planning for the future. The Agency is offering two virtual class series of Aging Mastery ® (via ZOOM) Feb 10 – April 14 March 23 – June 1

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FEATURES

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The tension of the historian, the statesman CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist

uring the last 40 years of my ministry, I have had the privilege of speaking in over 90 countries. My friends and contacts from afar are concerned about the situation in America. “What is going on in America? It seems divided and crazy over there! What’s going on in your government? What’s the deal with all the riots, the debt, racial issues and other stuff going on? Is America spinning out of control?” It seems people in other nations are seeing something that many Americans won’t or don’t see — yet. Allow me to share a concept with you that is a key to preventing the stagnation or even collapse of a nation. Henry Kissinger captures the tension between the historian and the statesman. “I think of myself as a historian more than a statesman. As a historian, you need to be conscious of the fact that every civilization that has ever existed has ultimately failed. History is a tale of efforts that failed, of aspirations that weren’t realized, of wishes that were fulfilled and then turned out to be different from what was expected. So, as a historian, you live with a sense of the inevitability of tragedy. As a statesman, one acts on the assumption that problems can be solved.” A stateman knows history, but he also knows how to apply lessons from history to avert tragedy. A historian, Kissinger has a point. It’s hard to embrace the statesman approach when history supports the historian. Many nations start right, end up wrong. The constructive values of what made a country strong get traded in on destructive values that make it weak. Almost every nation seems to have its spring, sum-

mer, autumn and winter. History shows countries don’t learn from history. The further formerly great nations got away from “home,” the more they got lost. Sydney Harris says, “People are fond of saying that the past is dead, but it is actually the future that is dead. We make it come alive only by applying what we have learned from the living past to the present.” Nations seem to forget the wisdom of the old saying, “Learn from other’s mistakes, the second mouse gets the cheese.” There’s lots of cheese if you are the second mouse who learned. History shows us the path that many great nations before us have traveled. 1. From bondage to spiritual faith. 2. From spiritual faith to great courage. 3. From courage to liberty. 4. From liberty to abundance. 5. From abundance to selfishness. 6. From selfishness to complacency. 7. From complacency to apathy. 8. From apathy to dependency. 9. From dependency back to bondage. History is littered with nations born to win but conditioned to lose. Edward Gibbon wrote “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” in 1788. He discovered five primary reasons why Rome withered and died. The reasons were: 1. An undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society. 2. Higher and higher taxes and spending public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. 3. A mad craze for pleasure, with pastimes becoming every year more exciting, brutal and immoral. 4. Building great armaments, although the real enemy was within — the decay of individual responsibility. 5. Decay of religion — faith faded into mere form, losing touch with God-life, and losing power to guide the people. Sound familiar? As I said before, other nations are detecting this pattern at work in America before America sees it. It’s like having bad breath; everyone knows you have it but

you. Anyone who thinks the government will save them is naïve and misguided. Someone once said, “Government is the art of trying to solve problems. Politics is the act of trying to attain power. The two sometimes intersect, but not often.” Billy Graham said, “The lesson of history tells us that no state or government devised by man can flourish forever.” Could it be what is happening in America is what happens when a nation abandons God and godly values like truthfulness, civility, cooperation and humility? Yes, it’s time to end racism and other injustice, but not by chaos, deceit, power-grabbing and reverse injustice. We will need to do it God’s way. Micah 6:8 addresses injustice perfectly. We need to “do justly, love kindness and walk humbly with God.” We’re not doing too good of a job on any of these right now. Young adults, the immediate future will be determined by you. Get involved. Be a statesman or stateswoman who knows how to stop the demise of a country. Be governmental, not political. Now is the time to look back to our past to secure our future. The further you go back into your nation’s history and what made your nation great, the longer your nation’s future will have. Your nation’s future is your nation’s past in disguise. Some want us to forget our past. When you do that, you undermine your future. You won’t learn the lessons (both good and bad) history teaches us. Discover why America is and then the Constitution will make more sense to you. Correct the wrongs in America, but don’t rip and tear the country to pieces in the process. Progressive can become regressive if you aren’t wise. Statesmen and stateswomen can do what chaos or apathy won’t. To be sustainable, we need statesmen and stateswomen, willing to learn from the past, be aware and responsible in the present to be confident of our future.

With God’s help, we can do this. I know we can. Ed Delph is a native of Phoenix who lives in the North Valley. Since 1980, he has pastored three churches in the Valley. He is a noted author of 10 books, weekly columnist in several local and worldwide newspapers, teacher, business owner and speaker. Delph has been to or ministered in over 100 countries. He is president of a worldwide ministry, NationStrategy. To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and Nation strategy, call 623-376-6757, e-mail nationstrategy@cs.com or visit nationstrategy.com.

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 27, 2021

Jewish film festival adapts to increasingly virtual world BY SARAH HABER Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

hen it came to the timing of last year’s Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival — considered the longest-running film festival in the Valley — organizers were lucky. The event, which drew nearly 13,000 visitors to Scottsdale, Tempe and Peoria theaters across two weeks, came just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing many businesses to temporarily halt operations and scheduled events to cancel altogether. “We were so lucky. It was amazing. Seriously,” recalled Barry Singer, the festival’s co-executive director. “Our tradition is we start the Sunday after Super Bowl, however that works out. … (The virus) really had no effect on us then. It was the following few weeks. “So, we were incredibly lucky — and also lucky that we had so much more time to plan (for the 2021 event) than some festivals, Jewish or not, that might’ve had a late spring, early summer. They had the tough-

est times. We’ve at least had pretty much the full year to plan.” That time planning culminates with the 25th anniversary of the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival, set directly for moviegoers’ screens from Sunday, Feb. 14, to Wednesday, March 3. A virtual event, it will include three extra days of films this year. Viewers can choose from more than 30 feature-length and short films, building their YOUschedules in a flexible format. Some screenings will be followed by interviews TO BE with filmmakers and experts. Individual films cost $12, while the festival pass (all films) is $180. Films will be available for 72 hours once posted, with viewers allotted 48 hours to finish screenings after they start a film — though pausing, rewinding and switching devices during that time are allowed. A free screening of the documentary “Shared Legacies” will precede the festival, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, to coincide with Black History Month. “It investigates the relationship between

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the Jewish and African American communities over the years and through the civil rights movement,” according to Singer. “It’s actually a perfect film for the time. We always coincide with Black History Month, so that is a natural for us and it’s a gift to the community.” When it comes to curating films, Singer acknowledged that organizers don’t want certain subjects, like the Holocaust, to weigh too heavily on the lineup. Acknowledging that Jewish film festivals can have “heavy films,” however, Singer admitted finding lighter ones can pose a challenge. Still, having a balance, whether comedy, drama or international, is key. “As we organize the festival, first of all, pretty much it’s any film that we feel is a quality film that has some Jewish content — and that is very subjective,” Singer explained. “It’s one step above the cameraman’s Jewish and many steps below an older Yiddish film, for example.” Many of the films are internationally produced. “Most films are not U.S. films; most of them are international,” Singer continued.

“We’ve had Polish films, we’ve had Argentinian films — you name it, country of origin. And often I’ve noticed ‘country of origin’ is very mixed, so you’ll actually see in the final credits multiple countries involved. And I find that very, very interesting.” The “add-ons,” as Singer called them, are a notable element. Those are the interviews/ discussions, which are pre-recorded — live Q&As, after all, would be “anarchy,” Singer joked. “That’s one of the biggest things about going to festivals — you learn more,” Singer said. “I personally love that on TV series when there’s extras. I’m a ‘Walking Dead’ fan completely; I love the discussion show that is afterward. “I am in awe of actors and how they manage to inhabit a character and yet still be able to talk about the character as if it’s a separate person. That ability is just almost — it’s another world to me, the more I know about it.” Singer said he and fellow Co-Executive

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FILM from page 20

Director Jerry Mittelman quickly figured the 2021 event would have to go virtual, as last year’s mid-March regular board meeting did the same. About a month or two later, he said, the decision was made. Singer used adjectives such as fascinating, interesting and frustrating in describing the switch, adding that planning was “more intense than it has been over the years.” Plus, the festival won’t be able to accurately track how many viewers are in each living room. “There’s a lot of moving parts; there’s a lot to learn. So, in some way, of course, it’s been exciting, because after many years we had it down pat. Well, guess what? It’s not down pat,” Singer admitted about the adjustment. “It’s starting from the beginning, in some ways, so that we had to both research various streaming companies then of course the film distributors have to be security comfortable with digital rights and then all of that.” Singer can’t predict what next year’s festival will look like. But the plan is to continue screening films beyond this year’s event. Last October, in fact, the festival launched the Molly Blank Elder Love Series — spon-

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sored by the Molly Blank Fund — through which residents of 40 Valley senior communities can watch a free film each month on We might be changing locations, but we aren’t their closed-circuit TVs. going anywhere. You can expect the same Moving forward, thanks to the new virtual technology, Singer said it makes commited support, but with a new view. sense to continue to show audiences films, too. The plan is to offer at least one per month throughout 2021; sign up for the monthly newsletter at gpjff.org/ gpjff-signup for announcements. “The streaming service, which is quite changing but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the costly,We is anmight annual be contract. If you’relocations, going tosame have it, committed might as well usesupport, it,” he said. but with a new view. “And we’re constantly seeing films, we’re New Address as of constantly screening films to see what next year would be like. So, we have this extra reWe might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the 3715 W Anthem W source. same support, but with a new view. “None of us know what next yearcommitted will Anthem AZ 85086 look like, of course,” he added. “I can give an We might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the educated guess: I wouldn’t be surprised if same committed support, but with a new view. we’ll start seeing hybrid models. But I don’t know. I don’t know how much the distributors have thought that one through, because they set the rules in their own ways.” —Staff writer Connor Dziawura We might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhe can be reached at same committed support, but with a new view. cdziawura@timespublications.com

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Carefree oil painter hosts open studio showcasing safaris BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Lucy Dickens never saw herself as a wildlife painter. But after she and her husband returned from an African safari through five preserves in Kenya and Tanzania, she said she felt compelled to paint the “breathtaking” scenes of animals in their natural habitats. Dickens used her experiences to complete 15 wildlife oil paintings for the Phoenix Zoo’s “Art on the Wild Side” exhibition, which was supposed to showcase her work from February to May 2020, she said. Seven paintings in Dickens’ safari collection sold in presale and by opening night, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the zoo’s conservation efforts. However, “Shortly after opening night, we got our stay-at-home orders,” Dickens said. “All these paintings were basically in quarantine, in the building there at the zoo for the whole rest of the year.” Those who didn’t get to see her exhibit at Phoenix Zoo have another chance. Dickens

is hosting an open studio to showcase the remaining eight paintings from her safari collection from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, to Saturday, Feb. 6, at her home gallery in Carefree. “I’m really excited and optimistic to share these paintings,” she said, surrounded by her art in her home studio. “They’ve been locked in quarantine for so long. It was fun for me to see them again because I haven’t seen these paintings since March.” Dickens is unsure how many people are coming to the open studio, she said, but mentioned how she is instructing all attendants to wear masks to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. At her open studio, Dickens will be selling prints of the safari paintings that already sold and will also be showcasing her new, previously unseen Southwest paintings, which is her art’s primary focus. Dickens said the exhibition at the Phoenix Zoo was a thrilling and nerve-wracking opportunity for her. When she returned home from her safari

H OLID AY A YS P E N DI N G HOLIDAY DA SPENDING G O TY OU D O WN ? GOT OT YOU YO DOWN?

Lucy Dickens poses in front of “A Sense of Eden,” which, she said, is her “most ambitious painting to date.” This painting is part of a 15-painting series that was created for Phoenix Zoo’s “Art on the Wild Side” exhibition. (Photo courtesy Richard Dickens)

trip, she painted her first piece of a baby elephant and its mother together, titled “Little One.” She sent an image of it to a friend, who is also an artist and “very tied in” with the Phoenix Zoo, she said. The zoo then asked her to create a whole series for its exhibition. “That was a really exciting and daunting opportunity for me,” she said. “When I said yes, I

knew it was going to be pretty tough,” Dickens knew she had many Southwest paintings to complete before she could open her home for November Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League’s signature event. Agreeing to the zoo proposition meant Dickens had to complete a 15-painting series of new subject matter in just seven months, on top of the other Southwest paintings she needed to finish for the studio tour. “I decided to take it on, and I was then shocked to learn I needed to have all 15 paintings done and submitted to them by Nov. 1,” she said. She had to alternate between the two projects while creating the series. Dickens painted “way more” during this time than she had previously. During this time crunch, she said she was “praying and trusting that I can make all this happen,” as her faith is important to her. Dickens pointed to a large, intricately

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Jan Oxendale has the glow of creativity

BY SHEA STANFIELD Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

un City painter Jan Oxendale grew up in Minneapolis within a family who loved camping and exploring the various Minnesota lakes. She was the only girl — and the youngest — among five children. Needless to say, she learned independence and the nuances of outdoor life. In school, Oxendale was a quiet student who found her outlet in her art class, where she excelled with her uncanny drawing ability. Her favorite subjects were Peanuts cartoon characters, especially Snoopy. In the third grade, Oxendale made the leap to drawing from real life, rendering her dad asleep in his favorite recliner. By the time she entered high school, teachers routinely asked her to do drawings and murals for their lessons, which further helped to bring her out of her shell. Oxendale’s art teacher encouraged her to consider going

into art as a career, but Oxendale’s parents had other ideas. An independent thinker, Oxendale got married after high school and stuck with her dream of a career in art. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last, but her passion for art did. Realizing the need to find a reliable career, Oxendale enrolled in college classes and earned a degree in health care administration. During this time, she met her second husband, had two sons and took classes from professional wildlife artist Elaine Wadsworth. The lessons paid off, as she received invites to juried shows. Still, she couldn’t make a living on art. Health care administration was Oxendale’s career path for many years. “It was very worthwhile work, but not at all satisfying from a creative standpoint,” she said. “There came a time when I quit the health care world and used my degree to pivot into teaching, initially as a substitute.”

The blend of a creative outlet and career gave Oxendale the chance to pursue more classes in painting and drawing. The extra time paved the way for trips with her husband — especially to Scottsdale and Sedona. By 2014, Oxendale landed a job teaching art, due to a teacher shortage in Arizona. The rest is history. The move to Arizona opened endless possibil- Jan Oxendale shows off her award-winning oil painting “Saguaro Lake Canyon.” ities for Oxendale’s land- (Photos courtesy Jan Oxendale) scape and wildlife painting. “I enjoy painting outdoors, especially in photographs.” the late afternoon when the sun is descendOxendale explained these outdoor painting, casting a golden glow on everything its ings are done quickly, almost in impresrays touch,” she said. sionistic style then taken back to her home “This is when I get the most accurate see OXENDALE page 25 view of color and value that I don’t get from

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SAFARIS from page 23

framed painting called “A Sense of Eden,” which sits in the center of one of her gallery’s walls. “This is my most ambitious painting,” she said. The painting shows a dramatic scene of dozens of safari animals illuminated by sunbeams escaping from the clouds in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. The first thing she is drawn to in her subjects is the “light and the shadow drama and the intrigue of what’s hiding in the shadows,” she said. Dickens’ creations aren’t just about conveying and capturing an image. Her goal is to generate an “emotional connection and story to each piece,” she said. This is what helped her to evolve as a “storyteller of the fine arts.” “Every one of these paintings have stories, and I just really hope to inspire, encourage, bring hope and light and joy and just capture God’s beauty,” she said. A few months ago, Dickens entered “A Sense of Eden” and three other pieces into the Endangered Art4Apes Fine Art and Photography Contest to raise awareness for the endangered animals, as proceeds went to help its cause.

She was “surprised, shocked and honored” to find “A Sense of Eden” took second place. “That’s my largest award that I have received so far,” she said. “And then for it to be this series, that was such a new subject matter to me and such a daunting emotional journey.” While Dickens was creating the safari series, she said she found herself setting her paintbrushes down to help take care of her friends and family who were going through crises. She “painted through tears,” juggling the external forces of her life with the internal emotion of the series, she said. Each time she returned to her paint brushes, she “got into prayer again, trusting that when I show up at the easel, I make it fruitful,” she said. “Then to have it win the second-place award — it’s just so exciting.” Despite the challenges she faced while creating the series and the pandemic cutting short the exhibition, she said she is still thankful to the Phoenix Zoo for the opportunity. Without the push to create and the intense deadlines behind her, “I may not have created all of these,” she said. “I believe I’m called to create and release and

impact the world in some ways through my work and my words and my stories,” she said. Dickens started painting in 2000, first with acrylic and then transitioning to oil paints. She refined her skills by taking workshops, reading books and watching videos on how to perfect the art of oil painting. She attended the Art Business Academy under the direction of Jason Horejs, who mentored her. Horejs’ Xanadu Gallery in Pinetop exhibits her mountain work. The Scottsdale location has a few pieces as well. Dickens and her family moved from Glendale to Carefree in July 2016. Her husband, Richard, is her “biggest supporter” and creat-

OXENDALE from page 24

studio, where she arranges her subjects in a way that enhances the piece. Oxendale keeps up with painting techniques during workshops with Joni Faulk at the Scottsdale Artists’ School, and recently online with instructor Matt Smith. “I experimented with painting on Baltic birch and aluminum on my own,” she said. “I particularly like the effect of paint on Bal-

25 ••

ed what is now her gallery and working studio space in their home. She was doing shows in the North Valley from afar, but when she moved to Carefree, it really “launched and changed everything,” she said. “I just feel such a passion and such a calling that this is what I’m supposed to be doing — to be a bringer of light and beauty to the world and just to capture those fleeting moments that are there for a moment and gone tomorrow.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com

tic birch and aluminum because of the glow quality to each of the pieces.” Locally, she exhibits at the WHAM Art Gallery in Surprise and the Sonoran Arts League in Cave Creek. Oxendale is a member of the Oil Painters of America, Arizona Plein Air Painters, Sonoran Arts League, WHAM Community Art Center and the Palo Verde Artists. For more information and to view a selection of Oxendale’s work, visit janoxendale.com

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Valleywide

CR 42 DUAL

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Roofing

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480-488-3677

Roofing

We'll Get Your Phone to Ring! We Accept:

Landscape Design/Installation

Welding

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 27, 2021

Water Heater on it’s Last Leg?

New Water Softener • • • •

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50 GALLON NATURAL GAS

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Reverse Osmosis System

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• • • •

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Call or Text to Schedule an Appointment

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