Carefree Truth
Issue #716, December 31, 2018
Mayor Les Peterson announced that the 2nd year of the tree lighting ceremony was a very positive element of the Christmas Festival.
Issue #716, December 31, 2018
Mayor Les Peterson announced that the 2nd year of the tree lighting ceremony was a very positive element of the Christmas Festival.
Click below to play Herbert's Tree Lighting video
Carefree Christmas Tree Lighting from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
The other positive item, an idea which was brought to the Town last year by Phil Corso, was the broadening of the Christmas holiday to include the Chanukkah celebration.
Carefree Christmas Tree Lighting from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
The other positive item, an idea which was brought to the Town last year by Phil Corso, was the broadening of the Christmas holiday to include the Chanukkah celebration.
Click below to play Herbert's Chanukkah video
Chanukkah in Carefree with Temple Chai: 12/9/18 from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
Attendance was up approximately 3 times over last year. It is growing very well, which delighted the Mayor.
https://vimeo.com/304721840
Mayor Peterson introduced Pam DiPietro, the long time Executive Director of the Foothills Food Bank. He praised her for her dedication and for growing the Food Bank from an infant into an large organization that reaches all the way to Anthem.
Chanukkah in Carefree with Temple Chai: 12/9/18 from Herbert Hitchon on Vimeo.
Attendance was up approximately 3 times over last year. It is growing very well, which delighted the Mayor.
https://vimeo.com/304721840
Mayor Peterson introduced Pam DiPietro, the long time Executive Director of the Foothills Food Bank. He praised her for her dedication and for growing the Food Bank from an infant into an large organization that reaches all the way to Anthem.
Pam DiPietro
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
Mrs. DiPietro noted the Food Bank celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. She will have been with the Food Bank for 17 years this January. During that time, the Food Bank has grown to include a satellite facility in Black Canyon City. Their borders reach to Black Canyon City to the north, I-17 to the west, Pinnacle Peak to the south, and Rio Verde to the east. When Mrs. DiPietro started with the organization, the Food Bank assisted only 35 families a month. The Food Bank currently assisted 679 families in the month of November, and they expected it to be just as busy in December. There are only 31 clients from Carefree, but those clients do have a need.
The Foothills Food Bank is a full service food bank, providing financial assistance as well as food, a practice which was established by the founders in 1988, and which continues today. Mrs. DiPietro encouraged everyone to become charitable donors to the Food Bank. There is a $400 tax credit for individuals and an $800 tax credit for married couples. They rely on these donations. She also invited everyone to visit the Food Bank to see what they do there. She noted that Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer is a volunteer and that Vice Mayor John Crane has had the tour.
Mayor Peterson asked her to talk about local merchants who donate food, clothing, etc. Mrs. DiPietro said many do food drives and help with all kinds of donations. The Towns are wonderful. Carefree has been extremely generous and she was very grateful. She does write grants, but the Food Bank receives no government funding.
Vice Mayor Crane encouraged people to visit the Food Bank. He said that all the volunteers are "running around on missions", and are "very intent on what they do". Mrs. DiPietro added that there are also a lot of volunteers working behind the scenes. She said she is always available to answer questions and to give tours. She thanked the Council for their time, ending with, "God bless all of you, and Merry Christmas".
Below is a press release from the Food Bank containing pertinent information: Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center has been a pinnacle of excellence in the northern desert foothills for more than 30 years. Yet, its executive director, Pam DiPietro, says the need for food and financial assistance has never been greater.
“Our food bank has had tremendous success, yet the need to help families, seniors and individuals continues to increase rapidly,” says DiPietro. “We need the assistance and support of area churches, civic groups, small businesses, individuals and corporations to meet these changing needs as many of our neighbors work to transition to better, more stable situations.”
DiPietro cites the following statistics:
• 15,960 people need food this year
• 91,397 pounds of food are distributed by Foothills Food Bank every month
• 319 snack packs (lunches and weekend meals) are given to children every month
• $63,720 is disseminated in the form of financial assistance for utility bills, gasoline clothing, pharmacy needs, etc., this year alone
•1,731 volunteers are engaged to keep the food bank’s engine moving forward
“We ask our neighbors and businesses to consider assisting our 501c (3) organization at this critical time of year and need,” adds DiPietro. “We need food, water, and key staples, however, cash donations actually allow us to exercise greater purchasing power on behalf of the food bank.”
Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center can be found at www.foothillsfoodbank.com or foothillsfoodbank@gmail.com. Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center is located at 6038 E. Hidden Valley Drive in Cave Creek, Ariz., or call 480.488.1145.
https://vimeo.com/304724137
During Call to the Public, John Traynor said he saw 8 different signs on 3 corners of Cave Creek and Pima Roads from the same Realtor. He drove home to get his camera and saw 2 more signs from different Realtors for the same open house at Milky Way and Cave Creek Roads. A Realtor drove up behind him as he was stopped there. He advised the Realtor that multiple signs are not permitted in Carefree. Mr. Traynor said, "He didn't welcome my comments and had a few things to say about it". Upon returning to Cave Creek and Pima Roads, Mr. Traynor found that Realtor picking up the last 3 signs. He stopped him and talked to him. "He also wasn't happy to hear from me." Mr. Traynor said unfortunately he didn't get any pictures that time, but would be back with photos if he got them the following weekend. He said the Town needed to do something about "this new wave of activity".
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
Mrs. DiPietro noted the Food Bank celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. She will have been with the Food Bank for 17 years this January. During that time, the Food Bank has grown to include a satellite facility in Black Canyon City. Their borders reach to Black Canyon City to the north, I-17 to the west, Pinnacle Peak to the south, and Rio Verde to the east. When Mrs. DiPietro started with the organization, the Food Bank assisted only 35 families a month. The Food Bank currently assisted 679 families in the month of November, and they expected it to be just as busy in December. There are only 31 clients from Carefree, but those clients do have a need.
The Foothills Food Bank is a full service food bank, providing financial assistance as well as food, a practice which was established by the founders in 1988, and which continues today. Mrs. DiPietro encouraged everyone to become charitable donors to the Food Bank. There is a $400 tax credit for individuals and an $800 tax credit for married couples. They rely on these donations. She also invited everyone to visit the Food Bank to see what they do there. She noted that Councilwoman Cheryl Kroyer is a volunteer and that Vice Mayor John Crane has had the tour.
Mayor Peterson asked her to talk about local merchants who donate food, clothing, etc. Mrs. DiPietro said many do food drives and help with all kinds of donations. The Towns are wonderful. Carefree has been extremely generous and she was very grateful. She does write grants, but the Food Bank receives no government funding.
Vice Mayor Crane encouraged people to visit the Food Bank. He said that all the volunteers are "running around on missions", and are "very intent on what they do". Mrs. DiPietro added that there are also a lot of volunteers working behind the scenes. She said she is always available to answer questions and to give tours. She thanked the Council for their time, ending with, "God bless all of you, and Merry Christmas".
Below is a press release from the Food Bank containing pertinent information: Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center has been a pinnacle of excellence in the northern desert foothills for more than 30 years. Yet, its executive director, Pam DiPietro, says the need for food and financial assistance has never been greater.
“Our food bank has had tremendous success, yet the need to help families, seniors and individuals continues to increase rapidly,” says DiPietro. “We need the assistance and support of area churches, civic groups, small businesses, individuals and corporations to meet these changing needs as many of our neighbors work to transition to better, more stable situations.”
DiPietro cites the following statistics:
• 15,960 people need food this year
• 91,397 pounds of food are distributed by Foothills Food Bank every month
• 319 snack packs (lunches and weekend meals) are given to children every month
• $63,720 is disseminated in the form of financial assistance for utility bills, gasoline clothing, pharmacy needs, etc., this year alone
•1,731 volunteers are engaged to keep the food bank’s engine moving forward
“We ask our neighbors and businesses to consider assisting our 501c (3) organization at this critical time of year and need,” adds DiPietro. “We need food, water, and key staples, however, cash donations actually allow us to exercise greater purchasing power on behalf of the food bank.”
Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center can be found at www.foothillsfoodbank.com or foothillsfoodbank@gmail.com. Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center is located at 6038 E. Hidden Valley Drive in Cave Creek, Ariz., or call 480.488.1145.
https://vimeo.com/304724137
During Call to the Public, John Traynor said he saw 8 different signs on 3 corners of Cave Creek and Pima Roads from the same Realtor. He drove home to get his camera and saw 2 more signs from different Realtors for the same open house at Milky Way and Cave Creek Roads. A Realtor drove up behind him as he was stopped there. He advised the Realtor that multiple signs are not permitted in Carefree. Mr. Traynor said, "He didn't welcome my comments and had a few things to say about it". Upon returning to Cave Creek and Pima Roads, Mr. Traynor found that Realtor picking up the last 3 signs. He stopped him and talked to him. "He also wasn't happy to hear from me." Mr. Traynor said unfortunately he didn't get any pictures that time, but would be back with photos if he got them the following weekend. He said the Town needed to do something about "this new wave of activity".
John Traynor
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
https://vimeo.com/304720453
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.
Photo by Herbert Hitchon
https://vimeo.com/304720453
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
Visit our website at www.carefreetruth2.com If you know anyone who would like to be added to the Carefree Truth email list, please have them contact me. Feel free to share Carefree Truth with others on your list.
Visit www.carefreeazbusinesses.com to see more info about businesses in Carefree. Please support our merchants.