NEIGHBORS

Scottsdale.org l @ScottsdaleProgress /ScottsdaleProgress

Cancelations push nonpro�its to brink

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer U p to 100 guests were expected to dine among the Mexican gray wolves living at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center on April 5.

The usually sold-out event called Dinner with Wolves was the wildlife rescue nonpro�it’s sole means of raising the money to help them continue to care for the wolves at its northern Scottsdale facility.

“We participate in the Species Survival Plan or the SSP for Mexican gray wolves by caring for currently 15 wolves. We receive no funding for these efforts,” said Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center events and volunteer coordinator Robin Wilson. “This event will help pay for their daily needs, in the areas of food, medical care, and support staff.”

But following Governor Doug Ducey’s recommendation of canceling events of 50 or more people, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center has canceled the dinner, as well as its speaker series event, Wildlife in an Urban Environment.

Over the past two years, the Dinner with Wolves event has raised more than $55,000, according to Ann Siner, event co-organizer and CEO and founder of Eco-Chic Consignments, Inc.

“Southwest Wildlife would feel the loss of this event, that is for sure,” Wilson said prior to the cancelation of the dinner.

“We received no funding for the daily care and medical needs of the wolves under our care. This event helps alleviate some of the costs of caring for the wolves,” she said. “Without this event, we will have to �ind other sources of funding to help in their care.” Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is one of many Scottsdale-area nonprofits in need of the community’s help more than ever.

And one way the community can give is through Arizona Gives Day, a 24-hour statewide online fundraising event April 7. Linda Searles, executive director of Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, spoke at last year’s Dinner with Wolves. (Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center)

This year Arizona Gives Day gave donors the opportunity to make donations as early as March 17.

In addition to reopening registration for this year’s event for nonpro�it organizations, giving them until March 27 to register, AZ Gives Day also created a special Emergency Relief Fund to assist nonpro�its having to cancel critical fundraising events amid Covid-19 health concerns.

“Our local nonpro�it community is already reporting signi�icant losses, decreases in staff and volunteer capacity and will likely see an increase in demand for services,” said Alliance of Arizona Nonpro�its CEO Kristen Merri�ield, adding:

“All Emergency Relief Fund donations will be distributed evenly among all Arizona Gives participating organizations.”

On the Arizona Gives Day website, the public can also create their own fundraising page for nonpro�its.

Nearly 780 Arizona nonpro�its so far have registered and have been certi�ied in this year’s Arizona Gives Day.

“The beauty of Arizona Gives Day is it shows what is possible when we all invest our time, talents, and treasures to truly lift the tide of all nonpro�its participating,” Mer

Kris Wheaton, left, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center volunteer, and animal care manager Kim Carr enjoyed the 2019 Dinner with Wolves. (Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center)

ri�ield said. “We want to make giving as easy as possible.”

According to Scottsdale Community Partners Executive Director Jenny Adams, this year’s Arizona Gives Day is “even more critical” for the nonpro�it organization.

SCP assists youth, families and seniors facing personal crises.

Adams said they are likely to see an increased demand for their food bank services as well as rental and utility assistance “as members of the community are forced out of employment due to business temporarily closing or even permanently closing.”

“We are part of the safety net people will turn to and as such, it is critical we continue to raise money. AZ Gives Day is central to this mission,” Adams said.

SCP has had to, so far, cancel several upcoming meetings and look for alternatives for others, like conference calling.

Adams added they are also developing a plan for future events, should they need to continue to operate on a smaller scale.

SCP will use the money raised via Arizona Gives Day to fund all of their critical-needs programs such as rental and utility assistance, their food bank, and their weekly food supplementation programs, Healthy Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center Volunteers Diane Vaszily, left, and Tara Lamar were among the Dinner with Wolves attendees. (Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center)

Packs for kids and Brown Bag for seniors. “Our most pressing need is for monetary funding,” Adams said. “Our dollars go much further than the average consumer because of our buying power.”

Arizona Gives Day helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonpro�its play in our communities, the press release states.

Since 2013, Arizona Gives Day has raised $17 million for Arizona nonpro�its. Last year alone, Arizona Gives Day raised a record-breaking $3.6 million.

In addition to funds raised through donations, nonpro�its can win additional prize money from a $180,000 prize pool.

“These next few weeks and months will be critical to all Scottsdale residents, but especially to those facing an uncertain �inancial future,” Adams said.

“We will be working every day to help those affected and we hope citizens who are able will join us in the �ight. The Scottsdale community has always come through and I am certain we can count on them this time as well.”

Information: southwestwildlife. org, azgives.org, scottsdalecommunitypartners.org

PROGRESS NEWS STAFF T he Grand Canyon Chapter DAR recently held its annual award ceremony to recognize educators and students at the McDowell Mountain Club House.

Carmen Wendt, Regent of the 180-member chapter, said Zachary Zipser of Coronado High School received the Outstanding History Teacher Award from Chapter Historian Gera King.

The Outstanding Special Education Award went to Gabriele Bittner of Desert Oasis Elementary and Middle Schools in Tolleson.

Among students’ honors, the Good Citizen Senior in High School was earned by Maeve Lomax of Chaparral High.

Chairwoman Betty Heenan congratulated Maeve on winning the Chapter, ASDAR state and the NSDAR Division awards. Regent Carmen Wendt of the Grand Canyon Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter stands with award winners Gael Zentai, Avery Patton, Sadie Becker, teacher Zachary Zipser, teacher Gabrielle Bittner, William Ryan and Maeve Lomax. (Special to Progress)

Virginia Curry, chapter librarian, introduced the �ive essay contest winners, who received a certi�icate, medal and gift card.

The Christopher Columbus Essay Contest for high school students was won by Gael Zentai, Chaparral High. The Fifth Grade American Essay Contest winner was Sadie Becker of Cochise Elementary; Sixth Grade American History winner was Hilary Wollheim of Cocopah Middle School; the Seventh Grade American History winner was William Ryan of Desert Canyon Middle School, and the EighthGrade Contest winner from Desert Canyon Middle School was Avery Patton.

Twyla Preising of Chaparral High School received recognition for her students’ participation in writing essays for the contest over the past several years. The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization founded in 1890.

The mission of the DAR, whose motto is “God, Home and Country,” includes historic preservation, education and patriotism.

Information: GrandCanyon.arizonadar.org.

STAY...

• LOCALLY UPDATED • PROPERLY INFORMED • SAFE

At a time when the entire world is in an ever-changing state, and health concerns are paramount, you can continue to rely on the Scottsdale Progress to keep you informed on how the COVID-19 virus is affecting your local community. We appreciate the trust placed in us as the news and voice of the community. Being good stewards of that trust means we are here for you, especially in difficult times.

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer R amen Hood founder James Xie hopped from table to table at his northern Scottsdale restaurant, Ramen Hood.

It was a special evening earlier this month for the ramen-centric eatery as Xie raised money for Shriners Hospital for Children.

“It was a major success!” Xie said. “Supporting a great cause has always been what I’ve done over the years,” he added. “The hospitals mean plenty to me because of how much they do for the children and the parents because not all families are able to afford the care their child needs and it is where we step in.”

About 45 people dined in while others opted for takeout.

Ramen Hood matched the $270 raised in sales, for a grand total of $540 for SHC. SHC specializes in pediatric care and provides advanced care for orthopedic and neuromusculoskeletal conditions and injuries, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and more.

Xie said he wanted to raise awareness of what it does and how others can support the 22 Shriners hospitals in the U.S. “We are currently serving over 2,100 in Arizona and Northern Mexico,” said Dana Dobson, CEO of El Zaribah Shriners.

A Shriner since 2007, Xie said he has supported the group �inancially and has been a volunteere for its causes. North Scottsdale James Xie is the founder and owner of Ramen Hood in northern Scottsdale. (Pablo Robles/ Progress Staff Photographer)

Xie said, “They could use the �inancial support because the funds are to ensure no child ever needs to pay for medical care once they are admitted to one of their hospitals.”

Dobson has been a freemason and an El Zaribah Shriner for 15 years.

“I am a legacy Shriner, meaning my father, grandfather, brother, and uncle were or are masons and Shriners,” he said.

El Zaribah Shriners is the local chapter of Shriners International.

The Ramen Hood event was also an opportunity to inform the public of what El Zaribah Shriners does.

“El Zaribah has many fundraisers every year to bene�it Shriners Hospitals for Children,” Dobson said. “Locally, the amount raised is in the millions over the years, but like many nonpro�its, donations are down when the economy is down.”

Added Xie: “We thank all of you for your continual support over the time we have been in operations.”

Information: shrinershospitalsforchildren.org, el-zaribah.org

Scottsdale Rotarians mark foster kids’ birthdays

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer F orty children in the foster care system were gifted special birthday bags by Rotary Club of Scottsdale and Scottsdale Preparatory High School’s Rotary Interact Club.

The Rotary Club of Scottsdale’s Scottsdale Rotary Foundation also donated $3,000 to Arizona Helping Hands, a Phoenix-based nonpro�it organization dedicated to providing essential necessities for the more than 19,000 children in foster care in the state.

The community service project was called the Birthday Dreams Team Building Experience.

“Arizona Helping is truly appreciative of The Rotary Club of Scottsdale,” said Arizona Helping Hands’ corporate engagement of�icer Sherie Siegel.

The more than 40 Rotary Club of Scottsdale volunteers and the Rotary Interact Club members were each handed a foster child’s wish list.

The foster children with birthdays ranged from 1 to 12 years old.

The volunteers then handpicked and wrapped the birthday toys and books from Arizona Helping Hands’ warehouse where the nonpro�it stores beds, cribs, clothing, backpacks and school supplies, toiletries, and toys.

The birthday bags were also personalized and decorated speci�ically for each child.

“Forty children in the foster care system will have a special birthday because of this volunteer event,” said the Rotary Club of Scottsdale’s Community Service Project Arizona Helping Hands’ Corporate Engagement Offi cer Sherie Siegel and Rotary Club of Scottsdale Foundation President Kent Hammond hold up the $3,000 donation check the Club gifted in support of foster care kids. (Special to the Progress) South Scottsdale

Director Laura Biever in a prepared statement.

According to Siegel, last year, Arizona Helping Hands made birthdays special for 3,596 children in foster care turning 1 through 21 throughout the state of Arizona. Following the spread of coronavirus, Arizona Helping Hands has closed its doors until April 1.

“Due to the unprecedented challenges presented to our health and daily living, and at the best interest of our staff, clients and the general public, we have made the dif�icult decision to close our front doors until April 1, at which point we will determine if any further action or closures are necessary,” Arizona Helping Hands’ website states.

And although the nonpro�it is not accepting drop-off donations at this time, those who would like to make a monetary donation can do so by visiting azhelpinghands.org.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” they said.