By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Celebrity Fight Night has witnessed a changing of the guard, merging with Gateway for Cancer Research. This one-two punch has the approval of longtime emcee/country star Reba McEntire. “We’re really excited,” she says. “They’re really creative and innovative. They come with lots of excitement and enthusiasm.” Celebrity Fight Night is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the JW ...

By Allison Brown Andrea Markowitz has a fun collection of vintage hats and a desire to help enrich the Carefree community. So, she’s combining the two by raffling off the hats to benefit the Desert Foothills Library. The raffle will be held at the English Rose Tea Room from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, February 27. Tickets are $35 and include five raffle tickets as well as tea and cakes courtesy of the tea room. The ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Cat behavior and wellness expert Jackson Galaxy says the success of his appearances stem from a “shared energy.” “There are a lot of people who expect me to just step up to a lectern and start talking about cats,” Galaxy says via Zoom. “There’s everything from puppets to music to audience interactions. If people aren’t careful, I’ll pull them onstage. A lot of the show is impro ...

By Jordan Houston North Scottsdale nonprofit is tapping into the empathetic nature of miniature horses for the greater good, offering therapy and reading services for older adults and young children. The Tender Little Hearts Mini Tales and Facilitated Equine Mini Therapy is an assisted equine therapy outreach program. Founded in March 2019 by Terry Holmes-Stecyk, the organization provides assisted therapy f ...

By Annika Tomlin Danielle Betterman was gifted her first pig, Beezers, 12 years ago. She researched the ins and outs of raising a pig in the Valley. Wanting to impart her knowledge and her love of pigs, she opened Better Piggies Rescue in 2017. “I started doing research and quickly started volunteering with other organizations around the Valley, like Ironwood Pig Sanctuary and Circle L Ranch (Animal Rescue ...

By Alison Bailin Batz After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1999, Deborah Hillman Toll moved to the Valley to begin what would become a legacy of leadership and giving back. Initially, she worked with executives to build and execute human resources strategies. A significant project with a local chief executive officer early in her career proved to be a pivotal moment on Toll’s professional pa ...

By Alison Bailin Batz In 1997, the Valley had a problem in its schools. “There was a severe nursing shortage, so much so that for many schools, having a full-time nurse was a luxury,” says Michael Pearson, director of marketing and engagement for what is today called Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH). To help, a program called Neighborhood Outreach Action to Health (also NOAH) was developed thro ...

By Alison Bailin Batz In 1997, “Titanic” ruled the box office. Hanson had everyone singing “MMMBop.” Delta Dental of Arizona launched one of the most impactful nonprofit organizations in the state.  “Delta Dental of Arizona started the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation with the mission to improve oral health across the state, particularly for uninsured and underinsured groups and communities,” says Barb Ko ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Yasmin Tajik sits in her Fountain Hills home surrounded by camera equipment. Photo backdrops, prints and white gloves are strategically placed around her dining area. But there is more to Tajik than photography and her business, Yasmin Tajik Fine Art Prints. She took her company and mixed it with her humanitarian spirit to capture stories while giving back through the sale of e ...

By Annelise Krafft North Valley resident Raymond Damm comes from a selfless family, with service deep in his roots—especially military service. “My grandfather served 37 years in the United States Marine Corps, my father served 30 years and both of my uncles served 20 years,” Damm says. “Because of this, I moved a lot and lived in about a dozen states throughout my childhood, almost exclusively on military ...

Sandwiches are helping to save the day of area youth By Alison Bailin Batz Several local Subway franchisees were at a cross roads in 1999. The brand had been growing in the Arizona market since 1983. Given their successes, while the franchisees were fulfilling as many food donations for local charities as possible, they wondered how they might do more. Although it had never been done by a market, brand lead ...

Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix collaborates to bring Violins of Hope to Arizona By Alison Bailin Batz In 1933, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, immediately founding his first concentration camp in Dachau. In 1935, he issued the Nuremberg Laws, excluding Jewish people from public life across Germany. By 1945, more than six million Jewish people were murdered across Europe during the Holocaust. “W ...

Anthem residents “plarn” mats for homeless veterans By Eric Newman   A group of residents at The Enclave at Anthem senior living community has made it a mission to support homeless veterans. The Arizona Department of Economic Security’s 2017 “Homelessness in Arizona Annual Report” identified 204 veterans as “unsheltered.” To help mitigate the problem, a group of residents meets weekly to make homemade ...

Striking Gold  Paul and Amy Goldschmidt bowl for PCH dollars. By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Paul and Amy Goldschmidt had high hopes for their first Goldy’s Bowling Bash in the fall of 2016. The event raised $186,000 for Phoenix Children’s Hospital and attracted the likes of Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies, and Goldschmidt’s teammates, David Peralta and Shelby Miller. “I was fortunate to have the suppor ...