(Lyn's note: Please feel free to send us any pictures you'd like included. Here's the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.)
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-31820.html
http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week-31820.html
Photo by Patrick Trieskey
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/3720-sunset.html
Here are your bonus rounds from Herbert.
http://aneyeonyouproduction.com/3720-sunset.html
Photos by Herbert Hitchon
Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
https://www.carefree.org/345/Town-Newsletters
Dear Carefree Residents,
Subject: Carefree’s “Keep Carefree Vibrant” Plan to Assist the Carefree Community through the Coronavirus Threat
The health and safety of all Carefree residents is the top priority of the Carefree Town Council and Staff. The Coronavirus threat is unprecedented and unpredictable in its scope and impact upon the Carefree community. In recent memory, there has not been a major threat with as many unknown elements impacting the safety and health of our residents, the strength of our local businesses and the threat to the health of the Town’s Staff as they are fulfilling the functions required of local government.
But our objective, while being aware of and wanting to take all of the appropriate steps to diminish the impact of the Coronavirus upon all of us, is to enable our residents to live and enjoy the Carefree lifestyle through a change in behavior rather than adopting a total “off of the grid” type of an existence.
Below is the Carefree “Plan” to address this situation.
Safeguards for People
Carefree is in frequent communication with Maricopa County officials, and through them, the County, State and Federal Health representatives. While each of these health entities publishes their own list of safeguards to take to help minimize the spread and impact of Coronavirus, they all include the following:
- Stay home if at all possible. Do not gather or expose yourself to situations where you come into contact with 10 or more people.
- Keep at least a 6 foot distance between yourself and other people.
- Regularly sanitize and disinfect all surfaces with which you come into contact.
- Do not touch your face with any portion of your unwashed hands.
Particularly comprehensive websites for you to follow updates with the latest information on the Coronavirus virus are:
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
Support for Carefree’s Local Businesses
The vitality of Carefree’s local businesses and their employees depends upon the continued support they receive from local residents and visitors. Without a steady and continued flow of income, many of these local businesses will experience extreme financial hardships.
To help keep Carefree’s local businesses strong, Carefree is working with local business leaders to develop a program called “Keep Carefree Vibrant.” The primary elements of this program will likely include:
- When possible, the local Carefree business will offer take-out or curb service for foods or products.
- Carefree residents will be encouraged to purchase gift certificates from local Carefree restaurants good for future purchases but advancing these businesses much needed income during this critical time.
- Carefree business establishments that decide to remain open will be kept in a sanitized and clean condition at all times.
- Local Carefree businesses will take steps necessary to keep appropriate distances between the people frequenting their business.
In spite of meeting or exceeding all of these safety standards, some Carefree restaurants may still feel compelled to temporarily close as an incremental measure to help assure the safety of their patrons. We respect this decision, and believe that they should be supported for their concern for the safety of Carefree’s residents.
Changes to the Carefree Town Government
In order to help protect the health of the Town’s Staff while providing the services necessary and beneficial to residents and local businesses, effective immediately the Carefree Town Government will:
- Potentially reduce Staff at the Town Offices, although essential members of the Town Staff will be available via email and telephone to perform necessary services on an on-going basis.
- Potentially reduce business hours at the Town Office.
- Cancel all Town of Carefree sponsored events, including “Sights and Sounds” with plans to reschedule later in the season.
- Temporarily eliminate Notary Services.
These are difficult times for all members of the Carefree community. Our overall goal is to safeguard our residents, while at the same time taking steps to minimize the negative impact to our local businesses. We recognize that we are all in this situation together, and we believe that working together on a cooperative basis is the best way to proceed. We welcome your thoughts and look forward to working together for our common good.
Carefree Mayor,
Les Peterson
COINS Update:
For the safety of our community and our staff during this unprecedented time, the Carefree Town Hall will be closed to the public except for limited services. The Carefree Desert Gardens bathrooms will also be closed until further notice. Call 480-488-3686 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for questions.
From COINS:
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING TO CAREFREE AND YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT
Every resident counted in the Town of Carefree means more federal funding to our local & state programs as well as a possible additional seat in the House of Representatives for the State of Arizona. This is an opportunity for you to shape the future of your community.
For the first time, Carefree households can answer questionnaires online or by phone. The actual Census forms will NOT be mailed to post office boxes so it is important that residents of Carefree respond online or by phone. The Census Timeline below outlines notifications you will receive by mail delivered to your post office box. Again, the actual Census questionnaire will NOT be sent to you by mail if you have a post office box.
Town of Carefree Marketing newsletter
https://www.carefree.org/345/Town-Newsletters
Dear Carefree Residents,
Subject: Carefree’s “Keep Carefree Vibrant” Plan to Assist the Carefree Community through the Coronavirus Threat
The health and safety of all Carefree residents is the top priority of the Carefree Town Council and Staff. The Coronavirus threat is unprecedented and unpredictable in its scope and impact upon the Carefree community. In recent memory, there has not been a major threat with as many unknown elements impacting the safety and health of our residents, the strength of our local businesses and the threat to the health of the Town’s Staff as they are fulfilling the functions required of local government.
But our objective, while being aware of and wanting to take all of the appropriate steps to diminish the impact of the Coronavirus upon all of us, is to enable our residents to live and enjoy the Carefree lifestyle through a change in behavior rather than adopting a total “off of the grid” type of an existence.
Below is the Carefree “Plan” to address this situation.
Safeguards for People
Carefree is in frequent communication with Maricopa County officials, and through them, the County, State and Federal Health representatives. While each of these health entities publishes their own list of safeguards to take to help minimize the spread and impact of Coronavirus, they all include the following:
- Stay home if at all possible. Do not gather or expose yourself to situations where you come into contact with 10 or more people.
- Keep at least a 6 foot distance between yourself and other people.
- Regularly sanitize and disinfect all surfaces with which you come into contact.
- Do not touch your face with any portion of your unwashed hands.
Particularly comprehensive websites for you to follow updates with the latest information on the Coronavirus virus are:
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
Support for Carefree’s Local Businesses
The vitality of Carefree’s local businesses and their employees depends upon the continued support they receive from local residents and visitors. Without a steady and continued flow of income, many of these local businesses will experience extreme financial hardships.
To help keep Carefree’s local businesses strong, Carefree is working with local business leaders to develop a program called “Keep Carefree Vibrant.” The primary elements of this program will likely include:
- When possible, the local Carefree business will offer take-out or curb service for foods or products.
- Carefree residents will be encouraged to purchase gift certificates from local Carefree restaurants good for future purchases but advancing these businesses much needed income during this critical time.
- Carefree business establishments that decide to remain open will be kept in a sanitized and clean condition at all times.
- Local Carefree businesses will take steps necessary to keep appropriate distances between the people frequenting their business.
In spite of meeting or exceeding all of these safety standards, some Carefree restaurants may still feel compelled to temporarily close as an incremental measure to help assure the safety of their patrons. We respect this decision, and believe that they should be supported for their concern for the safety of Carefree’s residents.
Changes to the Carefree Town Government
In order to help protect the health of the Town’s Staff while providing the services necessary and beneficial to residents and local businesses, effective immediately the Carefree Town Government will:
- Potentially reduce Staff at the Town Offices, although essential members of the Town Staff will be available via email and telephone to perform necessary services on an on-going basis.
- Potentially reduce business hours at the Town Office.
- Cancel all Town of Carefree sponsored events, including “Sights and Sounds” with plans to reschedule later in the season.
- Temporarily eliminate Notary Services.
These are difficult times for all members of the Carefree community. Our overall goal is to safeguard our residents, while at the same time taking steps to minimize the negative impact to our local businesses. We recognize that we are all in this situation together, and we believe that working together on a cooperative basis is the best way to proceed. We welcome your thoughts and look forward to working together for our common good.
Carefree Mayor,
Les Peterson
COINS Update:
For the safety of our community and our staff during this unprecedented time, the Carefree Town Hall will be closed to the public except for limited services. The Carefree Desert Gardens bathrooms will also be closed until further notice. Call 480-488-3686 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for questions.
From COINS:
THE 2020 CENSUS IS COMING TO CAREFREE AND YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT
Every resident counted in the Town of Carefree means more federal funding to our local & state programs as well as a possible additional seat in the House of Representatives for the State of Arizona. This is an opportunity for you to shape the future of your community.
For the first time, Carefree households can answer questionnaires online or by phone. The actual Census forms will NOT be mailed to post office boxes so it is important that residents of Carefree respond online or by phone. The Census Timeline below outlines notifications you will receive by mail delivered to your post office box. Again, the actual Census questionnaire will NOT be sent to you by mail if you have a post office box.
If you are filling out the census for your home, you should count everyone who is living there as of April 1, 2020. This includes any friends or family members who are living and sleeping there most of the time. If someone is staying in your home on April 1, and has no usual home elsewhere, you should count them in your response to the 2020 Census. Please also be sure to count roommates, young children, newborns, and anyone who is renting a space in your home. These people are often missed in the census. This means they can miss out on resources for themselves and their communities over the next 10 years.
For more information, visit the Census Bureau’s 2020 Census website at https://2020census.gov/en.
Town of Carefree
480-488-3686
Stacey@Carefree.org
Kandace@Carefree.org
For more information, visit the Census Bureau’s 2020 Census website at https://2020census.gov/en.
Town of Carefree
480-488-3686
Stacey@Carefree.org
Kandace@Carefree.org
I am saddened to say we have made the decision to close
for Dine-In business at Venues Cafe.
We attempted to practice social distancing within the restaurant however it is next to impossible and feel we have a moral obligation to protect our customers and staff.
Currently we anticipate at least a two week dine-in closure.
We are fully closed today to develop our take-out and curb side pick-up strategy and to expand our partnerships with the various delivery vehicles in place.
We will be open for take-out, curbside pick-up and/or delivery through Door Dash and other delivery systems beginning tomorrow between the hours of 11:30 am and 7:30 pm
The town is working with us to implement signs for curbside pick-up. In the meantime, simply call 480-595-9909 and we will process your order with an estimated time for pick-up and you can advise if you want us to walk it out to your car or leave it on the patio for you to retrieve once you arrive.
Right now we plan to do this 7-days a week and we will see what the response is.
We hope you will help support us in our efforts and continue to enjoy the delicious food of Chef Barrios until we are able to open our doors to you again.
Sincerely,
Catherine
Hi Lyn
I want to let you know that for the safety of the participants and facilitators we have decided to cancel the Healing of Memories for Women Veterans Workshop that was scheduled for April 17-19 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center.
Mike
Mike Wold
Regional Coordinator Arizona
Institute for Healing of Memories North America
michael_w_wold@msn.com
651-687-9767
www.healingmemoriesna.com
Hello Lyn:
Please note that the Foothills Caring Corps Taste of Foothills scheduled for 3.26.2020 has been taken off the calendar for March. We hope to be able to provide the wonderful community event as our annual fund-raise in the future. We were excited that we were going to hold the event at the newly remodeled Parish Center at our Lady of Joy Catholic Church but we will look to reschedule in the future. We will keep the community appraised of date and time. Thank you for publishing this reminder of the cancellation.
Warmest Regards,
Debbra Determan, MSW-MPH
Executive Director
Foothills Caring Corps, Inc.
March 18, 2020
FOOTHILLS CARING CORPS UPDATE:
We would like to let the community know that we are currently able to safely provide services and to know some of the cautions that we are taking when helping our Neighbors and volunteers. Our goal is to help reduce anxiety and let the community know that we are open and that we are maintaining our schedule in a limited fashion to do the best we can to help one another. Our primary community effort is focused on utilizing the telephone to make telephone reassurance calls, not only for our volunteers and Neighbors but all of our neighbors throughout our Desert Foothills communities who are isolated and alone. We hope to start a surge of neighbors telephoning neighbors to help reduce the panic and worry. We also want to share community resources as much as is possible so people know what is available to them. We hope you might reach out and help.
Hello All:
A very quick copy of the procedures we have been following as well as added new guidelines for the additional safety of our volunteers, Neighbors and staff.
For the next 45 days
The loan closet is not accepting used medical equipment at this time based on sanitizing issues that could be harmful for volunteers and staff. Until this virus threat is under control, we will only be able to give out items that have already been sanitized.
The van program staff and volunteers will routinely sanitize the vans being utilized and each rider will be cautioned to maintain sanitary precautions. We have cancelled all the trips that have large group socializations. Instead we will continue those that are smaller or mainly utilitarian. (Grocery shopping trips will continue)
The mobile meals drivers continue to use hand sanitizing materials/solutions between each of the meal deliveries and monitor if any of the Neighbors are sick. Neighbors are asked to call in if they are sick. Volunteers as always have known not to volunteer if sick but we are stressing this saying just call in if you don’t feel well. We are in constant contact with the hospital café (our vendor) to make sure of any special safety precautions.
We are accepting minimal requests for services such as friendly visiting, respite care, friendly pet visiting, computer work, and handyman. Based on safety issues, the services are provided on a VERY limited basis.
The medical transportation program is requesting Neighbors only use our transportation services on a limited basis for those extremely necessary appointments. We are hoping that people can reschedule some of their annual exams and can instead touch base with their physician’s office by phone.
Nancy will not be doing home visits for new neighbors requesting services unless they fall into particular categories which she and I have developed. This will keep her healthy as well as monitor those needing services. Some of these folks will be put on a waiting list based on their situations. Additionally, new volunteers will cautiously be trained and utilized based on their circumstances. We can use volunteers who might like to volunteer to call homebound neighbors for the next 45 days.
We also are asking four questions of the folks who are both serving and those who are being served:
1) Do you have a fever
2) Do you have any symptoms of low respiratory systems such as cough and/or shortness of breath
3) Have you been exposed to anyone you know that has tested positive for COVID-19
4) Have you been exposed to anyone who has traveled from one of the affected areas
For your safety when coming to our offices, the two office doors that will be used to get in and out of offices will be those doors in 104 and 101 where there are automatic doors with touch buttons to open.
I hope this is helpful. I welcome comments that you might have. Our goal is to provide services that are necessary for the wellbeing of our Neighbors & community neighbors but also take into account the safety of our volunteers and staff.
Thank you for sharing this information to all those who are asking about our services. It is my hope that this threat will lessen within the next 45 days.
Debbra Determan, MSW-MPH
Executive Director
Foothills Caring Corps, Inc.
P.O. Box 831
7275 E Easy Street
Carefree, AZ 85377
Services@FoothillsCaringCorps.com
Cell 602-803-0450
480-488-1105
Thank you, Lyn, for helping us get the word out to our patrons about show cancellations and postponements. So appreciate you and your newsletter.
Stay safe!!!
Carole Schwietz
Desert Foothills Theater Admin Team
Lyn,
I love your articles and words. I do learn a lot. However, recently I was angered by a recent post made. You promoted the glass artist Greg Tombs and his work and workshops at Holland Center, as well as other locations.. Perhaps you don’t realize that Carefree has their own resident, permanent, brick & mortar operating full time glass studio. And one of the top glass artists in America. In the Spanish Village, open 6 days a week. For visitors to watch all types of glass art being made. Including by me, a member of Team Chihuly (and trained at Pilchuck International Glass School). A 45 year resident here in Carefree & Cave Creek.
Mr Tombs is a transient visitor to our community. He is not a resident, or paying rent for his work. And has actually said he was going to run the other local people out of business. He has a horrible reputation by those who’s studios he has used in the past. Easy to check out. He does not live here. He doesn’t contribute to our tax base, and yet is getting financial support & help from the towns and community centers.
How about the towns and community centers pull together and help the true local artists and businesses. There are more people like me in the community here (not just glass). I strongly believe you should be supporting us, not others who are not permanent parts of the community.
I invite you to come to my studio in Spanish Village to see what we are doing. The exhibiting of work that is heading to major international museums (like the Smithsonian), and watch these pieces of art being made. AND would like to invite you to participate in our Glass Cafe. As our guest. Come and play, and see what we have to offer. We have made a long term investment in the community. We could use the PR help for us. Instead of a transient artist. And there are some other great artists here too - Spanish Village now boasts a great group of artists and their personal galleries.
Thank you for your consideration (and hopefully recognition),
Peggy Pettigrew Stewart
Desert Glasshopper Studio
7211 E. Ho Road #24 (Spanish Village, next door to Black Mountain Coffee Shop)
(480)488-2425 studio, (480)329-3880 cellphone
Email: GlasshoppereAz@me.com
www.DesertGlasshopper.com or www.PeggyPettigrewStewart.com
I want to let you know that for the safety of the participants and facilitators we have decided to cancel the Healing of Memories for Women Veterans Workshop that was scheduled for April 17-19 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center.
Mike
Mike Wold
Regional Coordinator Arizona
Institute for Healing of Memories North America
michael_w_wold@msn.com
651-687-9767
www.healingmemoriesna.com
Hello Lyn:
Please note that the Foothills Caring Corps Taste of Foothills scheduled for 3.26.2020 has been taken off the calendar for March. We hope to be able to provide the wonderful community event as our annual fund-raise in the future. We were excited that we were going to hold the event at the newly remodeled Parish Center at our Lady of Joy Catholic Church but we will look to reschedule in the future. We will keep the community appraised of date and time. Thank you for publishing this reminder of the cancellation.
Warmest Regards,
Debbra Determan, MSW-MPH
Executive Director
Foothills Caring Corps, Inc.
March 18, 2020
FOOTHILLS CARING CORPS UPDATE:
We would like to let the community know that we are currently able to safely provide services and to know some of the cautions that we are taking when helping our Neighbors and volunteers. Our goal is to help reduce anxiety and let the community know that we are open and that we are maintaining our schedule in a limited fashion to do the best we can to help one another. Our primary community effort is focused on utilizing the telephone to make telephone reassurance calls, not only for our volunteers and Neighbors but all of our neighbors throughout our Desert Foothills communities who are isolated and alone. We hope to start a surge of neighbors telephoning neighbors to help reduce the panic and worry. We also want to share community resources as much as is possible so people know what is available to them. We hope you might reach out and help.
Hello All:
A very quick copy of the procedures we have been following as well as added new guidelines for the additional safety of our volunteers, Neighbors and staff.
For the next 45 days
The loan closet is not accepting used medical equipment at this time based on sanitizing issues that could be harmful for volunteers and staff. Until this virus threat is under control, we will only be able to give out items that have already been sanitized.
The van program staff and volunteers will routinely sanitize the vans being utilized and each rider will be cautioned to maintain sanitary precautions. We have cancelled all the trips that have large group socializations. Instead we will continue those that are smaller or mainly utilitarian. (Grocery shopping trips will continue)
The mobile meals drivers continue to use hand sanitizing materials/solutions between each of the meal deliveries and monitor if any of the Neighbors are sick. Neighbors are asked to call in if they are sick. Volunteers as always have known not to volunteer if sick but we are stressing this saying just call in if you don’t feel well. We are in constant contact with the hospital café (our vendor) to make sure of any special safety precautions.
We are accepting minimal requests for services such as friendly visiting, respite care, friendly pet visiting, computer work, and handyman. Based on safety issues, the services are provided on a VERY limited basis.
The medical transportation program is requesting Neighbors only use our transportation services on a limited basis for those extremely necessary appointments. We are hoping that people can reschedule some of their annual exams and can instead touch base with their physician’s office by phone.
Nancy will not be doing home visits for new neighbors requesting services unless they fall into particular categories which she and I have developed. This will keep her healthy as well as monitor those needing services. Some of these folks will be put on a waiting list based on their situations. Additionally, new volunteers will cautiously be trained and utilized based on their circumstances. We can use volunteers who might like to volunteer to call homebound neighbors for the next 45 days.
We also are asking four questions of the folks who are both serving and those who are being served:
1) Do you have a fever
2) Do you have any symptoms of low respiratory systems such as cough and/or shortness of breath
3) Have you been exposed to anyone you know that has tested positive for COVID-19
4) Have you been exposed to anyone who has traveled from one of the affected areas
For your safety when coming to our offices, the two office doors that will be used to get in and out of offices will be those doors in 104 and 101 where there are automatic doors with touch buttons to open.
I hope this is helpful. I welcome comments that you might have. Our goal is to provide services that are necessary for the wellbeing of our Neighbors & community neighbors but also take into account the safety of our volunteers and staff.
Thank you for sharing this information to all those who are asking about our services. It is my hope that this threat will lessen within the next 45 days.
Debbra Determan, MSW-MPH
Executive Director
Foothills Caring Corps, Inc.
P.O. Box 831
7275 E Easy Street
Carefree, AZ 85377
Services@FoothillsCaringCorps.com
Cell 602-803-0450
480-488-1105
Thank you, Lyn, for helping us get the word out to our patrons about show cancellations and postponements. So appreciate you and your newsletter.
Stay safe!!!
Carole Schwietz
Desert Foothills Theater Admin Team
Lyn,
I love your articles and words. I do learn a lot. However, recently I was angered by a recent post made. You promoted the glass artist Greg Tombs and his work and workshops at Holland Center, as well as other locations.. Perhaps you don’t realize that Carefree has their own resident, permanent, brick & mortar operating full time glass studio. And one of the top glass artists in America. In the Spanish Village, open 6 days a week. For visitors to watch all types of glass art being made. Including by me, a member of Team Chihuly (and trained at Pilchuck International Glass School). A 45 year resident here in Carefree & Cave Creek.
- We offer daily our “Glass Cafe(TM)”. A glass experience for all ages. Spend a morning, afternoon or a few hours in the middle of the day. Guests come in and made a tray full of fused glass, which they turn into jewelry & more. Home decor items, wine stoppers, cabinet knobs, even kaleidoscopes. No signing up for weeks of classes. And all pieces are finished and taken home the same day.
- Visitors can also etch their own wine glasses, beverage glasses, margarita glasses, beer mugs (or rootbeer float mugs), small bowls and more.
Mr Tombs is a transient visitor to our community. He is not a resident, or paying rent for his work. And has actually said he was going to run the other local people out of business. He has a horrible reputation by those who’s studios he has used in the past. Easy to check out. He does not live here. He doesn’t contribute to our tax base, and yet is getting financial support & help from the towns and community centers.
How about the towns and community centers pull together and help the true local artists and businesses. There are more people like me in the community here (not just glass). I strongly believe you should be supporting us, not others who are not permanent parts of the community.
I invite you to come to my studio in Spanish Village to see what we are doing. The exhibiting of work that is heading to major international museums (like the Smithsonian), and watch these pieces of art being made. AND would like to invite you to participate in our Glass Cafe. As our guest. Come and play, and see what we have to offer. We have made a long term investment in the community. We could use the PR help for us. Instead of a transient artist. And there are some other great artists here too - Spanish Village now boasts a great group of artists and their personal galleries.
Thank you for your consideration (and hopefully recognition),
Peggy Pettigrew Stewart
Desert Glasshopper Studio
7211 E. Ho Road #24 (Spanish Village, next door to Black Mountain Coffee Shop)
(480)488-2425 studio, (480)329-3880 cellphone
Email: GlasshoppereAz@me.com
www.DesertGlasshopper.com or www.PeggyPettigrewStewart.com
(Lyn's note: I put all the Holland Center classes in because the Holland Center sends them to me. They are run in the Carefree Truth Non profit section. Your studio is advertised every week for free in our Ads section. I'm not sending that section out this week because everything is in a state of flux and a lot of businesses are closing temporarily, but normally your studio is featured extensively. We love your work and you! Below is Peggy's ad that we run.)
We are a working glass art studio. AND we do demos. Also offer classes at the studio. From “walk-in glass experience” to professional level. Adults and youth.
As entertainment visitors (or anyone) can come watch us creating glass art. From jewelry to sculptures. We are not a glass blowing studio. But we do other glass that is interesting to watch being created. AND studios like ours are not usually open for the public to see. We also offer every visitor a free handmade glass stone as a good luck stone (or a memory of Carefree). They can also come in and join our “Glass Cafe”. It is a 2-3 hour experience. Where they get to create their own fused glass. And then decide if they want to make it into jewelry, home decor, art, functional glass adornments. And we provide ALL the goodies they need to create the projects. They can also create their own wine or beverage glasses (including mugs), soup, salad or desert bowls. We provide the glass, they create the pieces. And they get to take them home immediately. Great for visitors! AND they get to work with a former member of Team Chihuly (as in Dale Chihuly).
As entertainment visitors (or anyone) can come watch us creating glass art. From jewelry to sculptures. We are not a glass blowing studio. But we do other glass that is interesting to watch being created. AND studios like ours are not usually open for the public to see. We also offer every visitor a free handmade glass stone as a good luck stone (or a memory of Carefree). They can also come in and join our “Glass Cafe”. It is a 2-3 hour experience. Where they get to create their own fused glass. And then decide if they want to make it into jewelry, home decor, art, functional glass adornments. And we provide ALL the goodies they need to create the projects. They can also create their own wine or beverage glasses (including mugs), soup, salad or desert bowls. We provide the glass, they create the pieces. And they get to take them home immediately. Great for visitors! AND they get to work with a former member of Team Chihuly (as in Dale Chihuly).
This piece has recently been finished, and is headed to the Smithsonian in DC. It is a life size (and actual face life cast created in glass) of the son of the head of the Hopi Bluebird Tribe in Northern Arizona. Authorized by the member (as usually their images are not allowed to be used). Created in my Carefree Studio, by me.
PEGGY PETTIGREW STEWART
Desert Glasshopper Studio
7211 E. Ho Rd #20 (Spanish Village, next to Black Mountain Cafe)
Carefree 480-488-2425 or 480-329-3880
glasshopperaz@me.com
www.PeggyPettigrewStewart.com
Lyn:
While I cannot help Lois Treacy from worrying, allow me to give you my thoughts on her concerns. My comments are based upon nearly 30 years of employment with Hilton Hotels, 15 years as an independent contractor, and 17 years as a Carefree resident since my retirement in 2005, including one two-year term on the Carefree Town Council from 2011 to 2013.
Yes, years ago, there was a higher demand for large sized lots with larger sized homes than today. At the same time, there are owners of larger lots and houses that find themselves wanting to “right-size” to residences that better match their current lifestyles. They enjoy Carefree, want to remain in Carefree, but not in their current larger homes on larger lots.
Yes, it has been nearly 30 years since I left Hilton, but I remain in touch with a group of Retired Hilton Officers and General Managers at their annual reunions. Hilton always recognized the absolute need to be part of the community in which the properties were located. This didn’t mean a place to just provide sleeping accommodations for visitors. It did that while creating year-round employment for a large cross section of socio-economic groups. Today, no one builds a hotel without taking into consideration its location. This could not be more true than the Hampton Inn by Hilton and its location across from the iconic Sundial. I recall reading about how the developers and the architect placed their building to ensure that its shadow would not negatively impact the working of the Sundial. Today’s financial institutions are reluctant to provide construction or long-term financing unless they are confident that the prospective property fits the area.
Hotels are mindful of “curb appeal”, it is not just something that residential homeowners should worry about. Landscaping of the entry and other ground level areas will be very important to the development’s success. I have not talked to the property’s developers but can guess that they will welcome residents to stop for a drink and meet friends. The Town’s and its beverage tax will be the beneficiary!
Lois Treacy also mentioned “…a hotel and condos in a small area as the post office isn’t realistic”. I do not have any specific statistics but would guess that the hotel site alone is double the size of the post office property. Add the condo site and we have a much greater land area than the post office. On the subject of the post office building with its “Town Mall” signage, is, in my opinion, a contender for the most unattractive building in downtown Carefree. The parking lot badly is in need of re-striping the property has absolutely zero landscaping.
Both the hotel and the condo projects should produce people-activity and should be very welcome additions to the Town and the Town’s merchants. Tax revenues from construction and post-construction activities (especially the Town’s bed tax) will allow the community to continue to enjoy it’s ‘no property tax’ status.
I am not worried.
Arthur Gimson