Marlborough Mesa
MAY/JUNE 2003
May 02, 2003
OUR TRIBUTE
by Donna Delpier
"Let every nation know, whether is wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty." John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Speech, January 20, 1961
Noble words, indeed. And though we Americans cherish this sentiment, the truth of the matter is, these are just words.
We've all heard the expression that actions speak louder than words. It takes action to give truth and meaning to the above quotation. Since the very inception of this country we call our home, young men and women have been willing to place their lives on the line in pursuit of this ideal. Willing to leave their loved ones and their lives as they know them, they have given their all to insure that life as we know and love it can survive and prevail not only for us, but future generations. Each generation has accepted the challenge and made their contribution toward all we have to be grateful for today.
We are blessed to live in a country where our young people give so freely of themselves so that we may all live freely.
A special heartfelt thanks to all the members of our armed forces who have served us in the past and who now make this sacrifice. Please remember them this month as we celebrate Armed Forces Day on May 17th and Memorial Day on May 26th.
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And these words from a few Marlborough Mesa residents:
My son, BRYAN ALLRED, is a Marine in Computer Communications and has been deployed since Feb. 4. We do not know his exact location, he is not allowed to say, and he has been moved around. I would like to thank all of you in the area that are flying your flag daily. I do know he and all the other troops appreciate the support from home.
--Lynne Stroup (Obispo)
We want to thank the men and women of the armed forces for putting their lives on the line for not only us, but the people of Iraq. Without them, America would not be the great place that it is. We would also like to send out a prayer for all those who died and their families. Giving their lives is the ultimate sacrifice, and our family is certainly grateful to all of them.
--John and Charlene Brooks (Pampa)
To all our Military Men and Women,
Whether we here at home agree with the war or not, you are where you are and that allows us to be home, secure and FREE. You are always in our thoughts and prayers and you will always be HEROES! Our hope for you is a safe and speedy return to our homeland ?– the great USA!
--Jim and Alma Jones (Posada)
I would like to share my happiness and thankfulness to God for the safe return home of my nephew AARON in Ohio. Aaron has been on active duty with the Air Force for the past year, transporting Taliban prisoners of war to Cuba. He is safely home now, and has returned to the safety of his civilian job as a Deputy Sheriff (ha,ha!).
--Ellen (Emerson)
Hello to all our service men and women. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of you having the courage and stamina to fight for our safety. I pray that all of you will come home safe. God Bless.
--Bonnie (Peralta)
My wife, family and I want to sincerely thank our men and women in the armed forces for their loyal service to America, all Americans and all people of the world in insuring the freedom and life we enjoy. This service has been an obligation that all generations of Americans have honored and while a few thoughtless people have demonstrated against this obligation, we all should show how gratefully we appreciate our wonderful men and women in service.
--Bill Burden (Spruce) Mesa, AZ,USA
For all of those who serve in our military, I want to say thank you. I especially pray that my friend's son, DUSTY MINNICK, and my cousin, KEITH HARE, come home safe to their families. While these thanks are few and seem so trivial, the sincerity is deep and lasts a lifetime. Without those who willingly risk their lives, marriages, sanity, and whatever else, we could not enjoy the freedom we sometimes take for granted. Freedom means something different to everyone and we are lucky enough to be able to openly express that difference.
It takes a distinct personality to serve our country, especially when that duty is criticized at every turn. I am not a person able to take orders because I question everything. I could not uncompromisingly serve my country unless I knew why I had to do what was asked. However, the split second it would take to tell me why, could be the difference between a few lives lost or a thousand. Those who can be trained to fight for the beliefs of this country, accept each and every consequence, and live to carry out those beliefs or die trying, deserve our respect and our gratitude.
I cannot imagine what a solider who has been in combat lives through: what they remember, what they had to do, what injuries they suffered (mentally or physically), what sacrifices they had to make. I have heard of the atrocities of the Holocaust, then heard people say that the Jews lost in World War II were only due to acts of war and not a form of extermination of a race of people. I have heard of the punishments Sadam Hussein repeatedly executed on his people to remain in power. Still, I did not witness those actions, nor did I fight to stop those tragedies from continuing. I cannot imagine what it is like not to trust that the child walking up to you is asking for help but may be carrying a bomb to kill you. Yet all of this is what a soldier has experienced in combat.
We are very protected here, despite the rising crime rate. We do not know what it is like to live where war is an every day occurrence for generations. We do not live each day of every year not knowing whether bombs will kill our neighbors or us today. We do not have the constant fear of losing our homes, our families, what we call our rights. A war has not been fought on this soil since the 19th Century when we fought against ourselves. We travel from state to state knowing that we will get home to see our families. Rarely has a tragedy like the World Trade Center occurred to make us reevaluate the priorities of our lives. We are the lucky ones. However, without our military and our democracy, we may not have been able to enjoy such freedom. Again, I say thank you for what you do for our country and our way of life.
--Sandra K. Fischer (Peralta)
?“Mommy, can we pray tonight for the man that lives on the way home from school ?– you know, the man?’s house with all the yellow ribbons?"
--Mekinna (5 years old) (Spruce)
TREASURER'S REPORT
By Kristine Malcolm
Our quarterly statement as of 3-31-03 has a balance of $2,913.86 remaining in our neighborhood funds.
LEFTOVER EASTER BASKETS?
Thanks to everyone who has already left baskets at our front door. As you know, we recycle them and use them for Welcome Baskets.
You can drop any extras you may have at 1031 W. Posada or to our NEW ?“basket lady?”, Michelle Kring, at 3111 S. Spruce and she will put them to good use in welcoming our new neighbors.
FLAGS ACROSS AMERICA
Mark your calendar for this year?’s celebration of Flag Day on June 14th at 9:00 am. The National Flag Foundation ?– AZ Chapter and Route 66 Productions are hosting ?“The Flags Across America Celebration?” at Steele Indian School Park (Central & Indian School, by the Veteran?’s Hospital). This free celebration is planned to raise the flag as a sign of unity and strength.
EASTER EGG HUNT A SMASHING SUCCESS
by Kelly Wendel
More than 175 Marlborough Mesa residents turned out to make the neighborhood?’s 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt a smashing success.
As usual, it was the dedication of neighborhood volunteers that created the excellent annual event, which saw more than 75 kids hunting for eggs at the park on Alma School.
?“Without volunteers, things like this can?’t happen,?” said Linda Murphy, the organizer of the event. ?“We always have enough volunteers to help out, and you can tell by watching that the kids have a great time.?”
Volunteers included, Diane LeFevre, Trudy Embree, Anna Covarrubias, Sandy Scully, Alma Jones, Don and Debbie Glick ?… a little muscle from Mike Murphy and Terry Carey ?… and our teens, Lindsay, Stacey, Courtney, Lindy ?… and can?’t forget those great cooks, Suzanne and Craig Weaver and Jim Jones.
In addition to the eggs gathered by neighborhood children ages 3 to 11, three lucky children won huge grand prize baskets donated by local residents and merchants. In the 4 and under category, Aden on Posada picked up the grand prize, while Amanda from Portobello won in the 5 to 9 year olds. Vanessa on Mollera won the over 9 grand prize.
?“We really look forward to this every year because it is so much fun, not only for the kids, but for us too,?” said MM resident Monette Coyle. ?“It just keeps getting better every year.?”
The generosity of the neighborhood also helped conserve money due to the overwhelming amount of donations. Murphy said they were able to purchase prizes and food without tapping into the community funds, and volunteers are already looking to next year?’s event.
In the spirit of community involvement, Easter egg hunt planners are taking a cue from the neighborhood?’s annual Christmas Toy Drive to benefit the East Valley Child Crisis Center. As a heads up for next year, donations such as plastic eggs and small prizes (that will fit into those eggs) will be collected at the Easter Event. Afterward, our local Brownie troop, as part of a service project, will then stuff the eggs so the Child Crisis Center can then have their own fun Easter Hunt.
If you would like to donate the plastic eggs this year, they may be dropped off at the Murphy?’s, 3048 S. Spruce in Marlborough Mesa. Please mark them CCC (Child Crisis Center).
Remember the CLASSIFIEDS?…
Not only to PLACE an ad ?– but to PURCHASE! There are some great deals on this Marlborough Mesa page. Go to:
www.neighborhoodlink.com/marlborough/mesa/
When placing an ad, send it to: Sheri Powers at slp@azlawfirm.com Be sure to give the description, price and your phone number/email and Sheri will place your ad on our website.
A Matter of SPEEDING
by Teresa Weiland
Something that has been weighing extra heavy on my mind for a week ?– irresponsible drivers! On Obispo, we have an outrageous amount of speeders, the time of day nor the type of vehicle doesn't matter. Although I know approximately from which street some of these drivers live, without a license plate number, nothing can be done I am told. I will be starting my daily walks again soon and will be toting a notepad and pencil along!
There are a lot of children scattered all over our neighborhood. I caution my children to stay out of the street unless necessary or be extra careful as they ride their bikes around the neighborhood or just play out front or nearby. Some parents obviously don't caution their kids, which makes driving through our streets frightening at times.
Last Thursday morning, my oldest son was nearly run down in front of our home while I stood and watched. He was hurrying to catch the bus, which had just stopped. Students were already starting to board and he was already in the street when a vehicle blew through the bus "stop" sign, brushed past my son and never even looked up from whatever he was doing. I was relieved that my son wasn't injured but very upset about the stupidity of some drivers. I did get a description of the vehicle and the "young drivers" but here again without a plate number, nothing can be done and apparently the bus driver was busy watching the kids board the bus and not watching for oncoming vehicles.
If the police want to set up a speed gun and/or even sit in my driveway or nearby, either in a marked or unmarked car ?– they have permission.
We cannot replace our children! And we, as a neighborhood, should pity anyone who needlessly or recklessly hurts them.
Since this is a 2-month newsletter, ALL information until the July edition will be put out in an email to the neighborhood or posted online at:
www.neighborhoodlink.com/mesa/marlborough
under the Talk About It section so ?…
-- UPDATE YOUR EMAIL--
If we do NOT have your email ?– or it is not current, please send to Sandy or Alma.
Should you have a news articles, please contact:
Sandy Scully at sscully@peoplepc.com / 345-9823
Alma Jones at jnajones@cybertrails.com / 831-1525
Kelly Wendel at kellywendel@yahoo.com / 491-9659
NEW DOGGIE WASTE STATION
by Linda Murphy
Thanks to a program with the City of Mesa and the Boy Scouts, we have a new doggie waste station at our park.
At the main entrance to the park (Pampa & Wycliff) you will find a pole filled with plastic grocery bags and a special wastebasket to deposit your doggie?’s call to nature. All we have to do is keep the pole filled by recycling our plastic grocery bags and use the system whenever you take Fido to the park.
Since we also get a lot of visitors to the park from others neighborhoods and they may not know of the new system, please take a few minutes to point it out. This will help keep our park clean and healthy for everyone.
Neighborhood Notes:
Suzanne and Craig Weaver have taken the ?“newsletter route?” for Pampa as well as being the new Ambassador for that street. They and their 2 children have lived here since 1985. Caitlin graduated from the University of Victoria, BC in 2002 and Paul attends ASU.
Suzanne is in commercial leasing and Craig is a speech pathologist with the
Mesa Public Schools, presently at Taylor Junior High.
Pampa is still in need of a Blockwatch Leader to take Becky Trudgeon?’s place. If you are interested, give a call to Holly Hosac at the City of Mesa, 644-2033 and she will send you the necessary booklet to get started. Someone will need to accept this responsibility in order to keep your Blockwatch signs up on that street.
Terry Carey, on the corner of Spruce and Portobello, will be taking the 1000-1100 newsletter route on Portebello. He lives with his wife, Shawna and their little boy,
Joshua.
Teresa Weiland on Obispo will serve as a back up in several areas. We very much NEED MORE back ups throughout MM but most especially on Portobello and Plata. If you can help in any way, give a call to Mary Kleinhans at 755-9570.
Spruce Street is being recognized once again! This LITTLE street of 13 homes is a very BIG street when it comes to volunteering! More volunteers come from here in the 3000-3100 blocks than ANY other in Marlborough.
Michelle Kring (Spruce) has volunteered to be our new Welcome Basket Lady. She knows what an enormous task this is and is STILL willing!!!
She and hubby, David have lived here only 7 months and they already are contributing to making our neighborhood a better place.
They have 2 grown children, but only one is living at home. Derick attends ASU.
Michelle enjoys all kinds of crafts and hobbies, her many side businesses, which include selling the YUMMIEST carrot cakes, homemade specialty baskets for any holiday and Avon.
Her phone and email is 491-1957 and iluvboonies@hotmail.com.
Denise Jones will be the new co-captain of Blockwatch on Plata. Quite possibly John Goullet, one of the newest residents to the Marlborough Mesa family, will be one as well. Watch for details.
WEATHERING THE DROUGHT
by Stacy Damp
Utilities Conservation Specialist,
City of Mesa, 480-644-4844
January, February and March brought us hearty winter storms and significant amounts of rain (significant for the Valley, that is). More rain, in fact, than we received in all of 2002. Does this signal the end of the drought? That, unfortunately, is not the case. According to the National Weather Service, climate forecasters are doubtful that this year?’s above-average rainfall will make a significant dent in the drought before the usual hot, dry weather arrives in late spring.
The good news is that Mesa has planned for these drier years by securing and managing a variety of water sources. But our supplies are not unlimited and there are financial impacts associated with the current drought. Salt River Project, a primary water supplier for Mesa, has reduced the amount of surface water it provides to the City. Because of this, the City must purchase more expensive sources of water to make up the difference. Conservation can help ease this situation. When we conserve, it allows the City to use less of the higher-priced water and helps to avoid those associated cost increases.
Wise water use should be a way of life. Every time you turn on the water, be conscience of what you?’re doing and how you?’re using it. Using water wisely is as easy as fixing that leaky faucet or toilet or sweeping the driveway instead of using the hose. For more water conservation information, visit
http://www.cityofmesa.org/utilities/conservation/default.asp
or http://www.wateruseitwisely.com for more than 100 water saving tips.
TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
by Stacy Damp
Utilities Conservation Specialist,
City of Mesa, 480-644-4844
How much water your plants need depends on the season. The summer watering season runs May ?– October so it?’s time once again to change your irrigation controller. Adjusting to the season can reduce your landscape watering by 30-50 percent. If you have questions about how much or how often to water, call 644-3334 or visit www.cityofmesa.org/conservation/landscape__watering.asp
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Grab those walking shoes ?… and a partner ?… and head for the pavement. It is still beautiful in the mornings and evenings ?– and great for walking and exercising.
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Special THANKS to
Mark & Renee Cefalu
for the repair of an entrance sign.
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MOTHER?’S DAY HISTORY
In the U.S. Mothers' Day is a holiday celebrated on second Sunday in May. It is a day when children honor their mothers with cards, gifts, and flowers. First observance in Philadelphia, PA in 1907 ?– it is based on suggestions by Julia Ward Howe in 1872 and Anna Jarvis in 1907.
Although it wasn't celebrated in the U.S. until 1908, there were days honoring mothers even in the days of ancient Greece. In those days, however, it was Rhea, the Mother of the gods that was given honor.
Later, in the 1600's, in England there was an annual observance called "Mothering Sunday." It was celebrated during Lent, on the fourth Sunday. On Mothering Sunday, the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. It was traditional for them to bring a special cake along to celebrate the occasion.
In the U.S., in 1908 Ana Jarvis, from Grafton, West Virginia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the anniversary of her mother's death. A memorial service was held there on May 10, 1908 and in Philadelphia the following year where Jarvis moved.
Jarvis and others began a letter-writing campaign to ministers, businessmen, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. They were successful. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national observance that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.
FATHER?’S DAY HISTORY
Sonora Dodd, of Washington, first had the idea of a "father's day." She thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.
Sonora wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. Smart, who was a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife died while giving birth to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state.
After Sonora became an adult she realized the selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.
President Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Then in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.
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Moms and Dads,
For all that you are and all that you do ?–
Happy Mother?’s Day May 11
and
Happy Father?’s Day June 15
