Archive for the ‘Education’ Category
SMHS Baseball Program (Jan-Feb 2012)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on January 24, 2012
South Mountain High School Baseball Program
South Mountain High Baseball Program is looking for community members who would like to come along side a committed coaching staff. Our Vision is to help hard working teen athletes become civic minded world changers. These young men will understand the importance of honesty, integrity & giving back to their community. If you possess any of the gifts or abilities that are mentioned below and would like to be a part of a program on the rise, please contact either myself, Head Coach JD Ramirez or Asst. Coach Roger Pongratz at these numbers or e-mails. Or if you’d rather just make a tax-credit donation, www.phoenixunion.org/taxcredit & reference for Jaguar Baseball.
Ramirez Pongratz
Cell > 602.818.4178 Cell > 602.617.4473
e-mail> jramirez@phxhs.k12.az.us e-mail> roger.pongratz@gmail.com
Wish/Volunteer List
Score Keeper
Videographer
Statistician
Field Maintenance
Academic Tutors
Character Counts Mentors
Volunteer Baseball Coaches
Fundraising Specialist
Team Mom
Posted in Community, Education, Volunteers | Tagged: baseball, Jaguar, SMHS | Leave a Comment »
SMC LIbrary (Jan-Feb 2012)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on January 23, 2012
CULTURE PASS
Visit your library and check out a museum. Select an institution to visit. Bring the laminated card to the circulation desk. The library will give you a date due slip that admits you and 1 other to the institution. For more information visit the library, or online theculturepass.org
___________________________Children Programs
Family Storytime—(Mondays) – 6:30 pm - All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities.
Babytime—( Tuesdays) Babytime for Crawlers – 9:30 am and Babytime for Walkers at 10:30 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program.
Family Storytime—( Wednesday) 10:30 am – All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities.
___________________________Teen Programs
Teen Computers—Internet computers for teens ages 12 to 18 located in the TEEN Limitless Lounge. Teens must own a library card to use any computer in the library. There is a limit of one reservation per day.
Teen Program – 4pm to 5pm – Teen programming the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. Enjoy movies, Wii Sports, books, music and board games.
_________________________Adult Programs
Computer Classes in English — (Wednesdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 PM
Computer Classes in Spanish – (Thursdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Basic Computer Skills I, Introduction to the Internet, Basic Computer Skills II, and Introduction to Email. Limited seating. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to class time.
Friends of the Library, South Mountain Community Library Chapter —(Saturday) January 7, 9:00 AM
Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
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Posted in Community, Education, Phoenix Public Library, SMCC | Tagged: Phoenix Public Libraries, SMC Library, South Mountain Community Library | Leave a Comment »
SMCC Laveen (Jan-Feb 2012)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on January 22, 2012
Posted in Community, Education, Laveen, positive news, SMCC | Tagged: classes, Community, Education, Laveen | Leave a Comment »
RSD (Dec 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on December 15, 2011
Tax credits are a great way to provide RSD students with access to extracurricular activities
Are you looking for a great way to get a tax credit while helping out the students of the Roosevelt School District? You can still get your last minute tax credit for 2011. All you have to do is fill out the form to your right and you’ll be helping out our students while helping out yourself as well.
Getting the tax credit is simple. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the actual tax amount owed. For example, if you owe $800 in state income taxes and you donate $400 to a public school for extracurricular activities, you may subtract the $400 from your tax bill and pay the state just $400. If you anticipate a refund from the state, it would increase by the amount of your contribution, assuming you had that amount withheld.
According to state law, these donations must be used for extracurricular activities. With your help, Roosevelt School District is able to offer tutoring, band, music, art, recreational activities, and much more. Extracurricular activities help children develop qualities such as leadership, team play, and cooperation, as well as provide safe, supervised activities after school hours. Thanks to you, these programs could be available to all Roosevelt students.
All Arizona taxpayers are eligible to take advantage of this tax credit regardless of whether or not they have children in our schools. A married couple filing jointly may contribute and receive a tax credit up to $400. A single individual may contribute up to $200. Donations must be received by December 31 in order to be eligible for the tax credit this calendar year. A receipt will be provided for tax purposes.
For more information, call 602-243-4800 or visit our website at www.rsd.k12.az.us to download a copy of our tax credit brochure.
Posted in Community, Education, kids, positive news, RSD, SoMo Village | Tagged: extracurricular activities, Roosevelt School District, tax credit | Leave a Comment »
Martin Auto Museum (DEC 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on December 15, 2011
Martin Auto Museum
Now open to the Public
Thursday, Friday & Saturday’s, 12pm to 6pm
The formerly private Martin Auto Museum has just announced that it will now open its doors to the public every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 noon to 6pm beginning on Friday October 28th 2011, (which coincidently happens to be my birthday, thank you very much). Organized back in 2005, the Martin Auto Museum Inc. was created by Arizona entrepreneur Mel Martin to showcase his private collection of vintage vehicles and is now registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 non-profit “dedicated to the preservation of collectible and rare automobiles for educational purposes.”
As his collection continued to grow and the building expanded, Mel saw a need to share this collection of vehicles that represented significant periods in automotive history. At the Martin Auto Museum, visitors can view automotive history through the decades in this vast collection. There are also enough race cars and one-of-a-kind vehicles to excite any automotive, art or history enthusiast. In addition to the collection, there is lots of meeting space available for groups of up to 120 people. It is the perfect “centrally located” place to hold car club meetings or any special event in. Check it out.
The Martin Auto Museum is located at 17641 North Black Canyon Highway, Phoenix Az 85023. Just go north off of Bell Road on the east-side of I-17′s Frontage Road until you see the MMA Museums sign. If you are familiar with “Grumpy’s” vintage parts over there along the I-17 east-side Frontage Road, Mel’s place is just two buildings south of Grumpy’s. The Martin Auto Museum phone number is (602) 971-4753 and their fax number is (602) 971-4836. You can also e-mail Mel at: melcarup@aol.com and the MMA Museums web site is at: www.MartinAutoMuseum.org.
Posted in Community, Education, Events, non-profit organization, positive news | Tagged: automotive history, collection, Martin Auto Museum, vintage vehicles | Leave a Comment »
SMC LIbrary (Dec 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on December 15, 2011
PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY www.smclibray.org
December @ South Mountain Community Library
7050 S. 24th St.● All programs are free!
Library Hours
Mon
7:30AM – 9:00PM Tue
7:30AM – 9:00PM Wed
7:30AM – 9:00PM Thu
7:30AM – 9:00pm Fri
7:30AM – 5:00PM Sat
7:30AM - 5:00PM Sun
1:00PM – 5:00PM
South Mountain Community Library
No programs in December, programs will start again in January.
CULTURE PASS
Visit your library and check out a museum. Select an institution to visit. Bring the laminated card to the circulation desk. The library will give you a date due slip that admits you and 1 other to the institution. For more information visit the library, or online theculturepass.org
__________________________Children Programs
Family Storytime—(Mondays) — 7 pm - All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities. (Starting January 2, 2012)
Babytime—( Tuesdays) Babytime for Crawlers – 9:30 am and Babytime for Walkers at 10:30 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program. (Starting January 3, 2012)
Family Storytime—( Wednesday) 10:30 am – All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities. (Starting January 4, 2012)
___________________________Teen Programs
Teen Computers—Internet computers for teens ages 12 to 18 located in the TEEN Limitless Lounge. Teens must own a library card to use any computer in the library. There is a limit of one reservation per day.
Teen Program – 4pm to 5pm – Teen programming the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. Enjoy movies, Wii Sports, books, music and board games. (Starting January 12, 2012)
_________________________Adult Programs
Computer Classes in English — (Wednesdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 PM (Starting January 4, 2012)
Computer Classes in Spanish – (Thursdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (Starting January 5, 2012)
Basic Computer Skills I, Introduction to the Internet, Basic Computer Skills II, and Introduction to Email. Limited seating. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to class time.
Friends of the Library, South Mountain Community Library Chapter - (Saturday) December 3, 9:00 AM — Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
Posted in Community, Education, Phoenix Public Library, SMCC | Tagged: Phoenix Public Libraries, SMC Library, South Mountain Community Library | Leave a Comment »
SMCC LIbrary (Oct 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on September 30, 2011
PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY www.smclibray.org
October @ South Mountain Community Library
7050 S. 24th St.● All programs are free!
Library Hours
Mon
7:30AM – 9:00PM Tue
7:30AM – 9:00PM Wed
7:30AM – 9:00PM Thu
7:30AM – 9:00pm Fri
7:30AM – 5:00PM Sat
7:30AM - 5:00PM Sun
1:00PM – 5:00PM
October Events @ South Mountain Community Library
CULTURE PASS
Visit your library and check out a museum. Select an institution to visit. Bring the laminated card to the circulation desk. The library will give you a date due slip that admits you and 1 other to the institution. For more information visit the library, or online theculturepass.org
__________________________Children Programs
Family Storytime—(Mondays) — 7 pm - All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities. (Starting October 3, 2011)
Babytime—( Tuesdays) Babytime for Crawlers – 9:30 am and Babytime for Walkers at 10:30 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program. (Starting October 4, 2011)
Family Storytime—( Wednesday) 10:30 am – All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities. (Starting October 4, 2011)
___________________________Teen Programs
Teen Read Month
October is Teen Read Month! Attend free programs, write book reviews and submit work for the next Teen Zine to get $5 off overdue fees and enter a drawing for a free Ipad2.
Super Hero Photo Booth: A cape, a mask, maybe some wings… we’re all super heroes on the inside. We’ll bring the props, you bring the attitude. In between photos, prove your heroic skills in a Wii tournament. Thursday, October 13, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
College Depot “Heroes Go to College” How to prepare for college Workshop. Thursday, October 20, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Hero Flick w/ MuVChat: The first TRUE interactive movie experience! Fire up the thumbs BC U will <3 MuVChat! The only movie that allows you to text to the screen during the film. Free, but cell phone required to participate. Thursday, October 27, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Teen Computers—Internet computers for teens ages 12 to 18 located in the TEEN Limitless Lounge. Teens must own a library card to use any computer in the library. There is a limit of one reservation per day.
Teen Program – 4pm to 5pm – Teen programming the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. Enjoy movies, Wii Sports, books, music and board games. (Starting October 13, 2011)
_________________________Adult Programs
Computer Classes in English — (Wednesdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 PM (Starting October 5, 2011)
Computer Classes in Spanish – (Thursdays) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (Starting October 6, 2011)
Basic Computer Skills I, Introduction to the Internet, Basic Computer Skills II, and Introduction to Email. Limited seating. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to class time.
Friends of the Library, South Mountain Community Library Chapter— Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
Posted in Community, Education, Phoenix Public Library, SMCC | Tagged: Phoenix Public Libraries, SMC Library, South Mountain Community Library | Leave a Comment »
RSD (Sept 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on September 18, 2011
Roosevelt School District leading the way in healthy food choices
Salad Bars have long been an offering in the food service industry; however most people are accustomed to seeing them in restaurants, not a school lunch program. Roosevelt School District is no stranger to the salad bar program and has offered them for the past five years in all 20 of their school cafeterias. The program has always been well received by the community.
During the summer, the Roosevelt School District upgraded their Salad Bars with new looks and more choices to meet the 
changing needs of the children participating in the National School Lunch Program. Roosevelt’s Chef Jim Hemmen felt the timing was right to launch an upgrade; the finances were available to purchase new and updated salad bars for all schools thus creating an opportunity to increase the variety of fresh fruits and vegetable choices daily. The biggest motivator was the ability to continue the quest to improve the quality of the meal program for everyone.
With First Lady Michelle Obama promoting the “Let’s Move” campaign nationwide, attention to school lunches are at an all-time high. “Eating more fruits and vegetables,re-vamping USDA recommended dietary guidelines and increased physical activity are no longer buzz words, they are mainstream ideals for change in the way our young people are educated and raised”, said Chef Hemmen. That was evident recently at a national convention where the focus and training on the subject accounted for 80 percent of the agenda. The Child Nutrition climate is changing daily and the best operators are becoming extremely innovative in their programs.
Posted in Community, Education, kids, RSD | Tagged: fruits and vegetables, healthy food choices, RSD, Salad Bars | Leave a Comment »
Ocotillo LIbrary (Sept 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on September 5, 2011
OCOTILLO LIBRARY CLOSES FOR RENOVATION AUGUST 21
Ocotillo Library (102 W. Southern Ave.) will close on August 21 for renovation. It will re-open as a Workforce Literacy Center on April 24, 2012.
The renovation project will triple the number of computer stations available to customers. In addition, a study room, training lab and new meeting room will be constructed. When the facility re-opens, it will offer classes in resume writing, interviewing skills, computer use, GED preparation and English as a Second Language (ESL).
The Center will continue to provide library service with a collection of materials to support workforce literacy, addressing resume writing, occupational testing, ESL and computer skills. A collection of children’s materials will continue to be available.
The project is funded in part by a one-time 2008-2009 Community Development Block Grant Stimulus (CDBG-R) award to the City of Phoenix under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The total cost of the project is $1,655,846.
The book drop at Ocotillo Library will not be available during the renovation. Library customers are encouraged to visit Cesar Chavez Library (3635 W. Baseline Rd.) or South Mountain Community Library (7050 S. 24th St.), which opens to the public on August 16th. 2011.
Phoenix Public Library is a system of15 branch libraries and the Burton Barr Central Library. For more information, call 602-262-4636 or visit phoenixpubliclibrary.org. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/phxlibrary
Posted in Community, Education, Phoenix Public Library, SMCC | Tagged: alternatives, closed, Phoenix Public Libraries, remodel, SMC Library, South Mountain Community Library | Leave a Comment »
Ocotillo LIbrary (Aug 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on August 9, 2011
PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY www.phxlib.org
August @ Ocotillo Branch Library
102 W. Southern Ave. ● 602-262-4636 ● All programs are free!
The Ocotillo Branch of the Phoenix Public Library will close in August for several months for remodeling. Please watch for announcements about the reopening in future issues of the Villager. Your library card is good at any Phoenix Public Library. The closest locations are:
Cesar Chavez Branch Library
3635 W. Baseline Road
South Mountain Community Library
SMCC Campus
culture PASS>>>
Visit your library and check out a museum. Select an institution to visit. Bring the laminated card to the circulation desk. The library will give you a date due slip that admits you and 1 other to the institution. For more information visit the library, or online theculturepass.org
__________________________Children Programs
Babytime—(Occurring Fridays) 9:15 am to 10:15 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program.
Family Storytime—(Occurring Fridays) 10:30 am to 11:30 am– All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities.
______________________________Teen Programs
Teen Computers—Two internet computers are reserved for teens ages 12 to 18. These computers are located in the TEEN SCENE. Teens must own a library card to use any computer in the library. There is a limit of one reservation per day.
.______________________________Adult Programs
English Conversation Practice—(Wednesdays) 5:00 to 6:45 PM – Aprende Ingles. Gratis para miembros.
Friends of the Library, Ocotillo Chapter—2nd Saturday–Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
Posted in Community, Education, Phoenix Public Library | Tagged: alternatives, closed, Phoenix Public Libraries, remodel | Leave a Comment »
SMCC (Aug 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on August 7, 2011
Posted in Community, Education, Laveen, positive news, SoMo Village | Tagged: classes, Community, SMCC | Leave a Comment »
Ocotillo Branch Library (JULY 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on June 24, 2011
PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org
July @ Ocotillo Branch Library
102 W. Southern Ave.● All programs are free!
|
Mon |
Closed Mondays |
|
Tue |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Wed |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Thu |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Fri |
9:00AM – 5:00PM |
|
Sat |
9:00AM – 5:00PM |
|
Sun |
Closed Sundays |
Summer Reading Game-June and July—Bring your kids to the library when they are out on summer break to participate in summer reading. Get a game board so they can keep track of the books they read and earn prizes. Bonus prize is Arizona Diamondback ticket voucher. culture PASS>>>Visit your library and check out a museum.
Summer Programs-(Occurring Thursdays at 2 pm in June and July)– June 9, The Balloon-Making Cowboy; June 16, Lovely Buttons the Clown; June 23, Great Arizona Puppet Theater; June 30, Kilali’s Polynesian Revue; July 14, MagicShow; July 21, Phoenix Zoo.
Babytime—(Occurring Fridays) 9:15 am to 10:15 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program.
Family Storytime—(Occurring Fridays) 10:30 am to 11:30 am– All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities.
______________________________Teen and Adult Programs
Teen Reading Program-June and July—The teen reading program will be completely online this summer. Check the library website for instructions. Prizes include Harkins drink cups, movie passes, and popcorn coupons. Grand prize drawing for a netbook computer,and an xBox Rockband Bundle.
Teens-June 28 to July 7–Guess how many Bertie Botts Jelly beans are in the jar, and win a bellyful of sweet treats!
AARP Worksearch Program—Free one-on-one workforce coaching session. Get help with:
- Identifying your skills and interests
- Job-hunting techniques and resources
- Crafting a winning resume
- Preparing for interviews
Registration is required. To register or for more information please visit Ocotillo Library.
English Conversation Practice—(Wednesdays) 5:00 to 6:45 PM – Aprende Ingles. Gratis para miembros.
Friends of the Library, Ocotillo Chapter—2nd Saturday–Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
Posted in Community, Education, Events, Phoenix Public Library, positive news, SoMo Village | Tagged: adults, babyies, families, kids, programs | Leave a Comment »
Ocotillo Branch Library (JUNE 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on May 29, 2011
PHOENIX PUBLIC LIBRARY www.phxlib.org
June @ Ocotillo
102 W. Southern Ave.● All programs are free!
New Library Hours Effective April 5, 2010
|
Mon |
Closed Mondays |
|
Tue |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Wed |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Thu |
11:00AM – 7:00PM |
|
Fri |
9:00AM – 5:00PM |
|
Sat |
9:00AM – 5:00PM |
|
Sun |
Closed Sundays |
culture PASS>>>
Visit your library and check out a museum. Select an institution to visit. Bring the laminated card to the circulation desk. The library will give you a date due slip that admits you and 1 or 3 others to the institution. For more information visit the library, or online theculturepass.org
__________________________Children Programs
Summer Reading Game-June and July—Bring your kids to the library when they are out on summer break to participate in summer reading. Pick up a gameboard so they can earn prizes for the books they read, including a book of their own. Pick up a schedule of the fun programs scheduled from 2:00 to 3:00 pm on Thursdays.
Babytime—(Occurring Fridays) 9:15 am to 10:00 am–Children birth to 23 months accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, fingerplays, songs and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading. Playtime follows program.
Family Storytime—(Occurring Fridays) 10:30 am to 11:30 am– All ages with children, birth to five, accompanied by a caregiver. Have fun sharing books, finger plays, songs, flannel board stories, and more. Learn tips to build a foundation for reading including dialogic and sound awareness activities.
______________________________Teen Programs
Teen Reading Program-June and July—The teen reading program will be completely online this summer. Check the library website for instructions. www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org
Teen Computers—Two internet computers are reserved for teens ages 12 to 18. These computers are located in the TEEN SCENE. All computers require a library card and reservations are limited to one hour per day.
.______________________________Adult Programs
AARP Worksearch Program—Free one-on-one workforce coaching session. Get help with:
- Identifying your skills and interests
- Job-hunting techniques and resources
- Crafting a winning resume
- Preparing for interviews
Registration is required. To register or for more information please visit Ocotillo Library.
English Conversation Practice—(Wednesdays) 5:00 to 6:45 PM – Aprenda a conversar en Ingles. Clases ofrecidas sin costo. Clases para adultos de edad 16 y mayor.
Friends of the Library, Ocotillo Chapter—2nd Saturday–Friends of the Phoenix Public Library. Join this friendly group and make things happen in your neighborhood library! All are welcome! Visit the branch for more information. Visit the Friends book sale by the front of the library for fantastic bargains. For adults.
Posted in Community, Education, Events, Phoenix Public Library, positive news, South Mountain Villager | Tagged: kids, Phoenix Libraries, programs | Leave a Comment »
Lowmans (JUNE 11)
Posted by South Mountain Villager on May 23, 2011
Lowmans Arizona Funeral Home
“Thank You for 15 Years of Serving You”
Greetings fellow Villagers! Happy Fathers Day to all of you dads out there! This is another opportunity for all of us to honor these phenomenally special people in our lives. Our prayer is that you embrace your father while he is still amongst you, and if he is not, may you joyfully cherish and hold close to your heart your memories that you and your father had created together. It’s hard to believe that it is already 2 years, this Fathers Day, that my dad went home to be with his heavenly Father. I am eternally grateful for being blessed with such a great man in my life. He, along with mom, helped to shape me and helped me to create “standards” in my life to live by. I will always be appreciative of the privilege of having parents that treasured the reality of how important it is to have faith in God. If it wasn’t for that faith, challenges that have been, (and continue to be), placed before me would have been too great to overcome. Because of what I was taught, I know in my heart that I will never be alone. God gives me immeasurable comfort and strength; with knowledge that I am always loved.
It is with God’s comfort and strength that Bill and I are able to do what we do. This June marks 15 years of serving you, our community family and friends, in the funeral industry. It’s hard for us to believe that it has already been 15 years!! We don’t feel 15 years older! You have all been so kind and welcoming towards us that you inspire and motivate us to keep going and to do better on a daily basis. Your “stories” are moving as much as they are remarkable and encouraging to us. This community, and the many amazing individuals that help to make it so special, is an inspiration to us and many. Being given the privilege to serve you has taught us so much.
Fifteen years ago, we started by, (and continue to) educating the community of the many options available to you in the funeral industry. Since then, the options have grown as the needs have changed and developed as well. This has presented us with opportunities for us to expand in the way we serve you. Due to the rise in cost of cemetery property, (now averaging $6,000 to $8,000+), cremation has become more prevalent. Traditional services, which includes the viewing of your loved one, and a funeral service, in many cases, now concludes at the church or the funeral home, with cremation following. The “final disposition” (as cremation or burial is referred), through Lowmans Arizona Funeral Home, is at an average cost of $170, if cremation is chosen. This is quite a savings to many during these economically trying times. It is extremely important to hold onto the fact that death is difficult enough without having to struggle financially to take care of your loved ones final disposition.
There are so many new and creative ways to celebrate our loved ones. The video presentations are heartwarming and create a thoughtful way of always being able to take a walk down memory lane, sharing copies of the video with family members and friends. I will always treasure the one given to me of my father. I will also always cherish the “Thumbie” necklace I have with my father’s thumbprint on it. To me, it is a small symbol of the impression dad left in my life. I am comforted and love knowing that I can just reach up to feel and touch the ridges of his imprint at the end of my necklace. It also helps me to be mindful that we all leave an imprint, or impression, in another person’s heart by how we treat, encourage, and love them. There are many keepsakes available to help us all celebrate our loved ones, what they stood for and what they loved about life. Just about anything is now being made to commemorate a specific quality or passion in our loved ones life. Keepsakes are available to honor religious preferences, memorialize Harley Davidson lovers, cowboys, dog lovers, ocean lovers, and just about everything in between. We are pleased to see that the industry is also thoughtful towards the younger crowd, allowing options that are more palatable to the different age groups. Unfortunately, death knows no age, race, or creed so it is important to meet the needs of everyone.
Posted in Community, Education, Lowmans, SoMo Village, South Mountain Villager | Tagged: AZ funeral home, Community, Happy Fathers Day | Leave a Comment »
