HOLIDAY
HAPPENINGS
SEE PAGE 9
! Looking for Health Insurance? Individual – Small Group & Medicare Plans
Health Benefits Of Utah 801-523-1100
healthbenefitsut@gmail.co m 9429 S. Union Sq., Sandy, UT
nutcracker delights
6
Sandy City Decks Its Halls For The Holidays By Shawna Meyer
W
ith the holiday season fast approaching, Sandy City employees are getting ready to decorate City Hall, which includes dusting off and setting up an elaborate, miniature train and village display. Sandy residents are invited to come see the train display at City Hall, 10000 South Centennial Parkway, throughout the month of December during office hours, which are every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When the employees at Sandy City Hall first moved into their current headquarters about 20 years ago, they decided to try and start a new Christmas tradition. So, in 1994, they set up a large Christmas tree in the atrium, strung lights through the trees outside and set up an old-fashioned train display.
“We had people in Community Development, or something, who had this little village that was just set up on a table. They brought it in and set it up, and it was just kind of cute. Then it just kind of built onto that to become what it is now,” Community Events Marketing Manager Steven Ireland said. In the early years of the train display, the different departments within City Hall would alternate planning and setting it up. Now, the Community Events department mainly handles the project, but other employees are allowed to put any ideas forward. “This time of year, since we’re not doing the amphitheater stuff,
Halls For The Holidays continued on page 4
alta band excels
12
two-sport champ
16
quotable community:
“ It helps Sandy to be one of the nicest communities definitely in this valley, if not the state.”
page 5
Local Postal Customer ECRWSS
Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Riverton, UT Permit #44
Page 2 | December 2014
Turkey Trot Kicks Off A Healthy Thanksgiving Season
S
“Runners who happen to be in town will notice that [Sandy] is doing one of our races, and they’ll get excited and sign up,” Jackson said. This year’s Turkey Trot also included a new 1-mile “fun run.” The separate course was set up for anyone who wanted to get out and race, but without going through
Turkey Trot participants began the 5k race at 9 a.m. on Nov. 1, which went from Lone Peak Park to the Sandy Civic Center TRAX station and back. While some sprinted, others jogged or walked, but everyone was determined to finish the course.
More than 170 participants, ranging from ages 5 to 82, went through the course, said Sandy City Recreation Program Coordinator Dustin Jackson. Organizers expected a few more people—this year’s race brought out slightly fewer runners than last year’s—but it was still a good turnout, Jackson said. People participating in Sandy’s Race Series aren’t necessarily always from Sandy, as out-of-towners tend to take advantage of the timing of the event as well.
Nationally Syndicated T.V. Show Goes On Location In Sandy By Shawna Meyer
By Peter Worona andy City began November with its annual Turkey Trot, a 5k race that started at Lone Peak Park (10140 South 700 East), went just about to the Sandy Civic Center TRAX station and back to the park, for a total of about 3.2 miles. The race was part of Sandy’s 2014 Race Series, which began in July.
Sandy City Journal
NEWS
the full 3.2-mile course. Jackson said the added course was a good way for full-course runners to get their kids involved in the day’s activities. The overall winner of the 2014 Turkey Trot men’s division was Dan Crooker, age 43, from Sandy. The women’s division overall winner was Jamie Gray, age 37, also from Sandy. In the spirit of the season, the winners of the men’s and women’s divisions each received a certificate for a free Thanksgiving turkey. l
T
he Thackeray family of Sandy was the recent lucky winner of a national, “What’s Your Front Door View?” contest sponsored by the popular home-improvement show “Today’s Homeowner” and Window World. Contestants were required to submit photos of their current entryways with a caption indicating why they needed help. In her contest entry, Ali Thackeray wrote, “Our front door is from the 1970s, but we are not! We are a young, energetic family and would love a front door to match who we are - more welcoming and light.” Ali and Mark Thackeray bought their Sandy home in May 2012 because they believed that the layout and backyard were perfect. But when they bought it, they knew that they had a fair amount of remodeling ahead of them. They had asbestos in the ceiling, green shag carpet, purple-ish drapes, shaky windows and their front door was almost black. “We came and fell in love with the place,” Mark Thackeray said. “Even though it looked the way it did, we could totally envision it. We got it: if the layout is right, then you can change anything else,” Ali Thackeray said. The couple spent six months or so remodeling what they could do themselves in the outdated home, and then they moved into it around November 2012. When they moved in, Ali Thackeray was five months pregnant with their third daughter. Their daughter Ruby, who was born in March 2012, was born with a rare mass about the size of her head on her neck. She stayed in the NICU at Primary Children’s Hospital for the first month of her life. “They didn’t know what it was. They
THE SANDY TEAM
Staff Writers: Peter Worona, Shawna Meyer, Julie Slama and Ron Bevan
The Sandy City Journal is distributed on the second Thursday of each month directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Sandy.
Ad Sales: 801-264-6649
For information about distribution please email delivery@myutahjournals. com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website.
Sales Associate: Steve Hession: 801-907-1606
For subscriptions please contact: delivery@myutahjournals.com
Circulation Coordinator: Vitaly Kouten: Circulation@valleyjournals.com Ad Design: Paula Rushton: Paula@valleyjournals.com Editorial Design: Ty Gorton: Design@myutahjournals.com
On Location In Sandy continued on page 3 m i ss i o n s tate m e n t
Creative Director Bryan Scott: bryanscott@myutahjournals.com Editor Linda Petersen: linda@valleyjournals.com
had never seen it at Primary Children’s before. It was kind of like they didn’t know what to do with her, so they just kept her there,” Ali Thackeray said. During their daughter’s month-long stay in the NICU, the family’s neighbors rallied around them. They helped watch their other two daughters, Jane, 3, and Siri, 6, and they brought dinner almost every week. “That was really cool because we had just moved in a few months prior, and we were just fully immersed in the neighborhood,” Mark Thackeray said. “[Ruby] is doing great now.” Due to their daughter’s health scare, the Thackerays didn’t have the time or the money to finish remodeling their home, which is why they decided to enter the contest. Danny Lipford, the host of “Today’s Homeowner,” has been a contractor for 36 years, and he has become one of the most well-respected names in the homeimprovement industry today. “This is my 17th season of the show . . . I actually have the largest syndicated homeimprovement show in America right now,” Lipford said. “There are many processes and systems in a home that many people view as complicated, and I’ve just got a knack for being able to break that down and tell people about it. I take a lot of the intimidation and frustration out of being a homeowner.” The show frequently travels around the United States helping out different families with their home-repair needs. “It’s great to see different parts of the country, and our audience—which is pretty
The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.
Our mission is to inform and entertain our community while promoting a strong local economy via relevant content presented across a synergetic network of print and digital media. free . community. papers .
Sandy City Journal 4001 S 700 East • Suite 500 Salt Lake City, UT 84107 Phone: 801 264 6649
designed, published & distributed by
December 2014 | Page 3
SandyJournal.com
On Location In Sandy continued from page 2 sizable—enjoys seeing things outside of just one region of the United States,” Lipford said. Lipford and his crew at “Today’s Homeowner” arrived at the Thackeray residence Oct. 20 to replace their front door. He also surprised them by requesting to film an entire Curb Appeal episode, which would keep them in Sandy for an entire week. “We just thought it was the front door, and that was it,” Mark Thackeray said. “It just made it even more exciting. We were glad to just win the door,” Ali Thackeray said. Over the week that the crew was there, they finished a handful of projects to help make the Thackeray home more reflective
of the family’s personality. In addition to a new red front door, the crew, along with the home owners, planted flowers, installed a new mailbox, painted the walls in the family room, replaced the windows, added a new storm door, replaced the exterior lighting fixtures and finished a few other do-ityourself-type projects. The episode about the Thackeray family’s home aired in the Salt Lake City area on Sunday, Nov. 16 on KMYU. The show currently reaches about 1.5 million viewers each week. “I like ‘Today’s Homeowner’ because when you watch it, it’s more real . . . they’re realistic projects that we could actually do . . . We really appreciate them, and we were so excited to have them here and have their help,” Ali Thackeray said.
The Thackeray family of Sandy poses with Danny Lipford in front of their newly renovated home. Lipford is the host of the home-improvement show ‘Today’s Homeowner.’
Sandy sisters Amelia and Abigail Slama-Catron took part in the opening and closing ceremonies at the national Girl Scout convention, held Oct. 16-19 in Salt Lake City. Amelia, an eighth-grader, was selected as flag procession caller. She has been a Girl Scout for nine years and has earned her Silver Award. Abigail, a fourth-grader, was selected to carry the Girl Scout flag and be a member of the dance team. She has been a Girl Scout for four years and is earning her Bronze Award. At the 53rd national convention, more than 6,000 attendees from across the country and around the globe attended workshops put on by newsmakers, leaders, policy makers and celebrities. The theme was “Discover, Connect, Take Action: Girls Change the World.”
Page 4 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
ON THE COVER
Halls For The Holidays continued from page 1 our department is not as busy,” Ireland said. At the beginning of November, Ireland gets together with Sandy Event Coordinator Kristy Pace to brainstorm ideas about how they want the village laid out. They choose a certain shape, and then they recruit help from Sandy City’s facilities manager and staff. Together, they retrieve all the train and village pieces from a storage unit at the Sandy City Public Works Department and bring it all back to City Hall. Then, the facilities manager helps build a base to put the display on. (Because the shape changes every year, they have to build a new base every year.) Next, they usually build a paper mache mountain to really set the scene and sort of resemble Utah’s famous scenery. However, this year Ireland and Pace have decided to try something different. “I think what we’re going to do this year… is we’re not going to create the mountain this year. Instead, we might do a backdrop of some sort, like a sky or scenic type of backdrop with stars and snow flakes,” Ireland said. Then the time-consuming process of setting everything up begins. “It takes about two weeks for us to get everything set up,” Ireland said. “But we’re not working on it all day. We probably do three or four hours a day, and there are usually two of us working on it,” Pace said. The train that circles around the village has five cars and is called the Santa Train Express; it lights up and makes noise. Pace and Ireland estimated that they probably have more than 250 pieces for the village display now, which includes buildings, people, benches, trees, animals, cars and lamp posts. “This village is now worth thousands of dollars because we try to add to it every year,” Ireland said. Some of the pieces in the Christmas village were bought by the city, and some
DECK THE HALL
T
he annual Deck the Hall event will be held Monday, Dec. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall. People can come and look at the train display, watch as Mayor Tom Dolan and Miss Sandy, Lizzy Palmatier, light up all the trees in and around City Hall and meet Santa Claus. A few elementary school choirs and orchestras will also perform on Dec. 1. Edgemont Elementary School has a choir that will perform at 5:10 p.m. An orchestra made up of kids from Altara, Crescent, Bell View and Edgemont will perform at 5:40 p.m. Willow Canyon Orchestra will perform at 6:20 p.m. and there will be a brass quintet made up of members from the American West Symphony playing music throughout the night.
Sandy City Hall’s old-fashioned train display and village has about 250 pieces and takes about two weeks to set up. were actually donated. To give a shout out to Sandy City’s yearly hot air balloon festival, the city purchased two ceramic hot air balloons to fly over the miniature village. These miniature pieces are pretty expensive. Last year, Ireland and Pace found a Ferris wheel online, but couldn’t afford it. “Last year, we found online a Ferris wheel piece that had been discontinued—they weren’t making it anymore. We found it on Ebay, and Scheel’s bought it for us because they’ve got that big Ferris wheel in their store. It’s so cute,” Pace said. “And it moves, lights up and plays music,” Ireland said. About five years ago, somebody anonymously donated three Disney-themed pieces to the display. They included the three little pigs at a bakery, Goofy skiing and Donald Duck at a toyshop. “These are not cheap. Three pieces
doesn’t seem like much, but these are like $150 apiece,” Pace said. This year, as children come to view the display, they can also try their hand at a village quiz. They will have to count certain things, and, once they have the totals, they can hand in their completed quiz to receive a candy cane. “People don’t normally get a chance
to come to City Hall . . . Our house is your house,” Pace said. They are also planning on decorating City Hall with hundreds of poinsettias and garlands wrapped around each handrail. “It is very pretty [inside and out] with all the different colors. . . We’re not trying to rival Temple Square, but there are still a lot of lights outside,” Ireland said. l
PROTECT Your Most Valuable INVESTMENT from the harsh WINTER WEATHER ahead! 4 SAFETY
4 SECURITY
4 WARMTH
. . . ALL STARTS WITH A SOLID ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD
Call for a FREE Evaluation for the best ROOFING SOLUTION that fits YOUR NEEDS We’ve got you “COVERED”
801-254-3673 • ROOFINGSOLUTIONSUTAH.COM • ROOFINGSOLUTIONS@APRSUS.COM MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ALL PHASES OF RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL ROOFING, AND STRUCTURAL REPAIRS
SandyJournal.com
NEWS
Sandy City’s Eye-Catching Homes By Peter Worona
T
he results are in for Sandy City’s 2014 Beautification Awards, a program created with the purpose of recognizing
December 2014 | Page 5
use of a water wise theme. Each winner is recognized with a prize and a sign to display in their yard, and a monthly winner is automatically entered into the grand prize category, which is chosen in October. “It helps Sandy City out in an awful lot of ways,” Marrett said. “It helps Sandy to be one of the nicest communities definitely in this valley, if not the state.” This year, the grand prize winner for landscaping went to Michael Draper of 8523 South Jackson Hole, and the water wise The property of Sandy City’s August water wise beautification awards winners were Damon and winner, Barbara Larson, at 2401 East Quail Run Drive. Monthly winners Jami Martin of 8683 South received a sign to put in their yards and entries into the grand prize catego- Gravel Hills Drive. The ry. The “water wise” theme was a way of making the landscape look good grand prize winners received $200 from Lowe’s for their without using a lot of water to do so. achievements. Sandy residents for taking special care of To see pictures of the winning their homes and landscaping. properties, visit our website at www. The beautification committee, with sandyjournal.com. l Mike Marrett and Kim Bell as the Sandy City representatives, “emphasizes the pride Monthly winners of Sandy City’s that is displayed through [residents’] hard beautification awards contest work in beautifying their neighborhood and (May-October) the community as a whole,” according to the city’s website. The awards have been May Landscape – Karolyn Engh, presented for more than 10 years. 7897 Pear Tree Circle The awards are given out monthly, from May Water Wise – Barry and Amy Johnson, May through October, in two categories: 1168 East Big Pine Drive overall beauty of the landscape and the June Landscape – Erika Glissmeyer, 10911 Prescott Drive The property of Karolyn Engh, 7897 Pear Tree Circle, June Water Wise – Ted and Shearon Zealley, August winner of Sandy City’s beautification awards 11936 Hidden Valley Road contest. Monthly winners received a sign to put in their yards and entries into the grand prize category. The July Landscape – Heather Sullivan, landscaping theme honors those who take the time to 1169 East Belsaw Circle make their property look exceptional, which helps SanJuly Water Wise – Merril Rasmussen, dy City look better as a whole. 479 Naomi Drive August Landscape – Michael Draper, 8523 South Jackson Hole August Water Wise – Barbara Larson, 2401 East Quail Run Drive September Landscape – Barry and Sherry Newbold, 10137 Heytesbury Lane September Water Wise – Matt Litson, 1722 East Sego Lily Drive October Landscape – Nancy Snow, 9477 South 520 East October Water Wise – Gloria Boltis, 547 East 9640 South
www.SandyJournal.com
The 7 costly mistakes that could cost you thousands when you sell your Sandy home.
A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9-Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. This industry reports shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today’s market. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled “The 9-Step System to Get Your Home Sold
Fast and For Top Dollar.” To hear a brief recorded message about how you can order your copy of this FREE Special Report, call 1-800-516-8922 and enter ID# 3002, You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or you can visit www. MySellingMistakes.com to request your FREE copy. Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home.
Advertisement – Marc Huntington-Equity Real Estate. Copyright © 2009.
Meticulous
planning. ______________________________
__
Customized services. ________________________________________
The dignity your loved one deserves. ________________________________________
Larkin professionals help you
get every detail just right. ________________________________________
Mortuary.Cemetery.Mausoleum.CremationCenter. ________________________________________
Pre-planning. Comfort and compassion.
801.363.5781 Mortuary • Cemetery • Mausoleum • Cremation Center LarkinMortuary.com
Page 6 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
NEWS
Mountain West Ballet Celebrates 30 Years Of ‘The Nutcracker’ By Shawna Meyer
T
his holiday season, Mountain West Ballet will celebrate its 30th anniversary of performing “The Nutcracker” by telling the familiar story again—but this time with new costumes, new choreography and new sets. Sandy residents and their families can buy tickets to see Clara, the Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy dance and twirl along with the rest of the cast. The shows are scheduled for Dec. 12-22 at Eastmont Middle School, 10100 South 1300 East. For the most part, they will start at 7:30 p.m. However, there are two matinee shows at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13 and 20, and the show on Dec. 22 will start a little earlier at 6 p.m. “It’s a tradition of Christmas,” Kate Johnson, Mountain West Ballet president and CFO said of their annual performance. “We do it because we serve threefold: we give dancers an opportunity to perform; we give the community affordable ballet that they can go see; and then we give opportunities for choreographers.” Mountain West Ballet calls itself a nonprofit, semiprofessional ballet company. All the people involved with making its shows successful are volunteers, including Johnson herself.
“We do it because we serve threefold: we
give dancers an opportunity to perform; we give the community affordable ballet that they can go see; and then we give opportunities for choreographers.”
Make one of these homes your new address!
“So for me, as the president and CFO, this is my part-time/full-time, non-paying job, and we do it because we see the importance of giving this to the community. Seeing the smiles on the dancers’ faces as they go out on stage is definitely payment enough for me,” Johnson said. The process of putting on these shows starts with the auditions, but these work a little bit differently at Mountain West. Everybody who auditions gets a part based on their
Little girls perform as Bon Bons from Mountain West Ballet’s performance of the Nutcracker last year. skill level, as long as they have taken some sort of dance in the past. This means that they have very large casts. There are 350 dancers performing in “The Nutcracker” this year, and they make up three casts. They will alternate each night to put on the nine shows. “So you can have a 6-year-old in ‘The Nutcracker’ with a college-aged dancer who is a semi-professional,” Johnson said. This year, Stacie Riskin and Alex Waddell will alternate playing the Sugar Plum Fairy, and David Riskin will play the Sugar Plum Cavalier. Katie Finch and Hannah Bertelsen will take turns playing the Snow Queen, with Jake Fields as their Snow King. The leading role of Clara will be played by Isabella Neff, Grace McGowan-Jackson and Hailey Vick. Johnson believes that classical ballet has a lot to teach not only the dancers themselves, but also the audiences watching the shows. “We feel like the arts programs are a dying force, and we want to keep the arts—especially ballet—alive . . . Ballet definitely gives a sort of discipline, and it helps the brain—along with language and music—absorb that much more,” she said. In 2008, Mountain West Ballet decided to start two
Draper Rambler with Amazing Technology and a Great Lot. Beautiful Draper Rambler Absolutely incredible remodel with technology, features and gorgeous finishes. Spectacular kitchen with new custom cabinets and counter tops, giant island that seats 8, beautiful new hardwood floors, large master suite with specially designed walk in shower, soaker tub and a separate exercise room/den/or possible nursery. Delightful walkout lower level with 2nd kitchen, rec room, den, and theater room. Amazing smart home electronics throughout. Beautiful canyon like setting and much more! $729,900
Delightful home, immaculately clean and well maintained. Gorgeous yard and setting. Very open with spacious rooms, lots of light, plantation shutters through main floor, lovely hardwood floors, 3 bay windows, crown moldings, den/office with french doors, room for 2 or 3 additional bedrooms in the unfinished basement area, large 3 car garage. $529,900
Sandy Estate on 1 Acre
outreach programs for elementary-aged students. The kids get the opportunity to learn about classical ballet and watch clips of live performances. “They come up on the stage, and we show them parts of the show, the behind-the-scenes like lighting and sets. We feel like we’re teaching the children and keeping the arts alive,” Johnson said. In honor of “The Nutcracker’s” 30th anniversary, the show’s artistic directors Linda Fenton, Christy McQuaid and Masie Lancaster, as well as the show’s production director Elaina Gillespie, decided to bring back some members from the original cast. Wallace Jackson performed in the 1984 show as a butler, and in subsequent years he was also a party parent and the Mouse King. Jackson was also on the Board of Directors for a few years. This year he will be a butler again. “I think it’s cool that we’re bringing back some of the original cast,” Johnson said. Jackson enjoyed being in “The Nutcracker” so much that he brought his granddaughter Jamie Jackson, 8, to audition this year. She was cast as a Bon Bon. “I thought that was really cool. He feels like it was a good enough nonprofit organization to bring his granddaughters into it,” Johnson said. l
Spectacular home, yard, and setting. Immaculately redone inside and out. Gorgeous open floor plan with soaring 2 story great room, main floor master, large loft/rec room/ office, delightful lower level with theater area, 2nd kitchen, walkout to patio, wonderful 1 acre landscaped to perfection with secret gardens, sand volleyball, vegetable gardens, 6 garages. $849,000
Beautiful South Jordan Rambler!
Exquisitely maintained and updated inside and out. Delightful home in one of South Jordan's finest neighborhoods. Lovely hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, crown moldings, plantation shutters, bay windows, and French doors, 2 rec rooms, separate office. Gorgeous yard with mature trees, lawns, gazebo and mountain views. A truly wonderful home to see! $419,900
Ken Bell
801-580-3759
www.bellrealty.net
December 2014 | Page 7
SandyJournal.com
Friends Find One Another Through Festival Of Trees By Mimi Darley
I
t was because of the Festival of Trees last year that they found one another and formed a friendship of understanding and encouragement. This year two families from Sandy and Draper will team up on a festival tree to raise awareness of the debilitating illness that they each face with courage. The Heidelbergers live in Sandy while the Bennetts live in Draper. Each is a family with three daughters. They live in different towns and attend different churches, but it’s what they share that has brought them both comfort and hope in finding one another. Emma Heidelberger was just a few weeks into sixth grade when she woke up last Oct. 1 and was unable to get out of bed. “It was a sudden onset. She woke up and the whole room was spinning. She was so dizzy she couldn’t stand up and she had chest pains,” her mother, Marcy Heidelberger, said. They initially thought it was the flu, but when Emma was still unable to get out of bed a few days later, they took her to the pediatrician.
Industrial Gas & Diesel Engines All types of generators Since 1952
(801) 972-1836 www.dessco.com 652 W. 1700 S. Salt Lake City
“They really didn’t know what to diagnose her with,” Heidelberger said. The pediatrician advised them to see a cardiologist because of the chest pains, but it would take weeks for an appointment with that doctor. “She wasn’t getting better; she was getting worse,” Heidelberger said of Emma, who spent that month in a wheelchair. After hearing of Emma’s symptoms, a friend of Heidelberger’s advised her to look up POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) on the internet. POTS is a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, a cluster of symptoms frequently seen together that affect a person’s breathing and digestion and can cause chronic pain, migraines, dizziness and low or high blood pressure, among other things. Heidelberger looked it up and watched a Mayo Clinic video with a description of POTS. “It explained Emma to a T,” she said. Heidelberger then found out via
Bryn Bennett and Emma Heidelberger hold a bake sale to sponsor an entry for the 2014 Festival of Trees. They hope to raise awareness of the syndrome they both suffer from. Facebook that a doctor in Colorado was familiar with POTS. Anxious for answers, Heidelberger and her husband flew with Emma to Colorado where she was diagnosed with POTS at the end of last October. Meanwhile, Bryn Bennett of Draper had struggled with a myriad of debilitating
symptoms that kept her from going to school for her fifth, sixth and seventhgrade school years. She had been allowed to “pop in for socialization,” her mother, Brandy Bennett explained. But she had to be home-schooled, and it was 15 months before
Festival Of Trees continued on page 8
Page 8 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
NEWS
S A N DY C LU B
Fri. - December 1 - 7 PM
MAVERIK MONDAY
Buy one ticket, get one free with Maverik Adventure Club Card
Wed. - December 10 - 7 PM
WILD WEDNESDAY $2 Hot Dogs • $2 Soft Drinks $2 Beers
TEDDY BEAR TOSS
Bring a stuffed animal to throw onto the ice after Utah’s first goal for children in need
Wed. - December 17 - 7 PM
WILD WEDNESDAY HIP HOP NIGHT
Festival Of Trees continued from page 7
5 OFF
PRESENT THIS COUPON FOR $5 OFF YOUR GAME TICKETS AT MAVERIK CENTER BOX OFFICE COURTESY OF CITY JOURNALS
COUPON
COUPON
$2 Soft Drinks • $2 Beers
$
M
arlen Rojas (with trophy), age 12, has been voted Sandy Club Member of the Month for November. Marlen has been a member at the Sandy Club since September 2014. She is now attending Mount Jordan Middle School, where her favorite subject is math. When Marlen grows up, she would like to be a professional soccer player. If she had one wish, she would wish to get good grades in school. Marlen’s favorite thing to do at the club is to hang out with her friends. Her favorite thing
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK OR BUY TICKETS NOW AT UTAHGRIZZLIES.COM
SCJ&SJCJ
doctors diagnosed her as having POTS. That happened in February of 2013. “We missed the big picture that explained everything else,” Bennett said. “Had we known, it would have saved us a lot of testing and procedures. We could have improved her quality of life sooner.” Shortly before Emma’s diagnosis, but when they were growing more certain that was what was ailing Emma, Heidelberger saw a story on a young woman in Sandy with POTS named Aubrey Slack. Aubrey and her mother invited Marcy and Emma to decorate a tree for last year’s festival. Bryn Bennett’s grandmother saw a story about it in a local newspaper and told Bryn’s mom, Brandy, who then contacted Heidelberger . “We just started talking and comparing notes. We…connected,” Heidelberger said. Emma, now 13, and Bryn, now 14, have formed a strong bond. For the first time in three years, Bryn is back in school half days and Emma is able to go for math, science, English and history classes. The girls talk or text daily as do their mothers. “When they get really bad or really
about herself is how well she plays soccer. Since she has joined the club, she has learned to be safe and to be nice to everyone. Marlen says she has been voted Member of the Month because she has been nice to others and follows the rules at the club. Congratulations, Marlen Rojas for being Member of the Month. If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, please call (801) 561-4854
down, they always can talk to one another,” Heidelberger said. Last April, the girls and their mothers traveled to the Mayo Clinic together. They flew together, had hotel rooms next to one another, and learned more about the syndrome and treatments available to them. This year, the Heidelbergers and the Bennetts have teamed up to do a tree themed “Circus of Hope” for the Festival of Trees. Marcy Heidelberger explained that the idea for the theme came from a play on the words “circle of hope” where people come together hoping for a good outcome. “POTS is like a circus; it’s this random, rare syndrome that has many different symptoms. Every single person that has POTS is completely different, kind of like a circus show…it has its ups and down, kind of like being in the circus every day,” she said. They’ve relied on Primary Children’s Hospital for testing and for validation of Emma’s illness as well as loving care. “We’re blessed to have a facility so close. I wanted to do a tree for that reason. I felt like I needed to give back. By giving back, I’m hoping to bring awareness to POTS,” Marcy said. l
SANDY FILLED WITH HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
T
here’s lots of great family fun planned in Sandy. The Sandy Journal has tried to round up information on as many events as we can below. Tear this page out and put it on your fridge so you don’t miss out on all the fun events! DECK THE HALL Sandy City’s annual Deck the Hall event will be held Monday, Dec. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall. People can come and look at the train display, watch as Mayor Tom Dolan and Miss Sandy, Lizzy Palmatier, light up all the trees in and around City Hall and meet Santa Claus. A few elementary school choirs and orchestras will also perform on Dec. 1. Edgemont Elementary School has a choir that will perform at 5:10 p.m. An orchestra made up of kids from Altara, Crescent, Bell View and Edgemont will perform at 5:40 p.m. Willow Canyon Orchestra will perform at 6:20 p.m. and there will be a brass quintet made up of members from the American West Symphony playing music throughout the night. FESTIVAL OF TREES The annual Festival of Trees runs Dec. 3-6 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 South State Street. This year’s event will feature more than 1,000 displays of decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses, quilts and other hand-made gifts and goodies. There will be activities for children as well including a kid’s station where young ones will be shown how to make handmade Christmas cards, tree ornaments and other small gifts. They can also have their face painted, play in bouncy houses and pose for a picture with Santa. It takes more than 300,000 dedicated volunteers to make this
festival happen. The goal of the event is to raise as much money for Primary Children’s Hospital, so all proceeds will be donated to the hospital. CHRISTMAS IN THE NIGHTTIME SKY The Christmas in the Nighttime Sky event will be held for the second year on Friday, Dec. 5 from 6-8 p.m. at the Grace Lutheran Church and School, 1815 East 9800 South. This event is meant to kick off the holiday season with fireworks and a run, while also collecting toys for charity. The event is free, but organizers ask that each family bring a toy for a child, age newborn to 16. All of the toys collected will be donated to the Sandy Boys & Girls Club. The Grace Lutheran School band will perform holiday songs throughout the night, and there will be dinner available. Everyone can dine on chili, baked potatoes, coffee and hot cocoa. There will be a plethora of desserts as well. Santa will arrive on a fire truck around 6:30 p.m., and around 7:30 p.m. there will be a fireworks show. Bonfires will be set up so that people don’t get cold during the fireworks display. ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ Mountain West Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” Dec. 1222 at Eastmont Middle School, 10100 South 1300 East. This year, the nonprofit organization focused on providing local dancers with opportunities to celebrate its 30th anniversary of performing the popular Christmastime show, which features Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince. Audiences are invited to buy tickets online or at the door at either an evening show at 7 p.m. or a matinee showing at 2 p.m. This year’s cast will feature mostly new dancers. However, dancers who
performed in the first showing of Mountain West Ballet’s version of “The Nutcracker” 30 years ago will play some roles as a special treat. There is a total of 350 dancers in this year’s three casts, and they will switch out each night. The performers range from 6-years-old to the elderly. SANDY ARTS GUILD CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES The Sandy Arts Guild will be hosting four different concerts in the Sandy City Council Chambers, located at Sandy City Hall (10000 South Centennial Parkway). Friday, Dec. 5: Dyer Highway – $10 per ticket Saturday, Dec. 6: Cherie Call – $10 per ticket Friday, Dec. 12: Ryan Tilby and Craig Miner – $10 per ticket Saturday, Dec. 13: Ginger Bess – $10 per ticket Tickets can be purchased online at sandyarts.com/christmas or over the phone by calling (801) 568-ARTS. Each show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the given dates. FM100.3 HOLIDAY CONCERT SERIES The free, annual FM100.3 Holiday Concert Series will be held from noon to 1 p.m. at the South Towne Center (10450 South State Street) on the following dates: Friday, Nov. 28: Kurt Bestor & One Voice Children’s Choir Tuesday, Dec. 2: David Tolk & Peter Breinholt Thursday, Dec. 4: Ryan Shupe & Eclipse Tuesday, Dec. 9: Joshua Creek & Abe Kaelin Thursday, Dec. 11: Caleb Chapman’s Crescent Super Band Tuesday, Dec. 16: VoiceMale & Cherie Call Thursday, Dec. 18: Adam Reader and the Terks & Beyond 5
Sandy Showcase • December 2014
RESERVE YOUR SHOWCASE: 801.264.6649
Who Y ou Gonna Call? There is a myth that says only tax attorneys are fully qualified to represent a taxpayer before the IRS. Nothing could be further from the truth. The IRS recognizes three different professions as fully qualified to represent taxpayers. Those are attorneys, CPAs and Enrolled Agents (EAs). So what’s the difference? The short answer is … not much. Each has the right to represent a taxpayer and a right to client confidentiality. In those very rare situations where a case goes to tax court, then an attorney is needed to meet court requirements. And in those even more rare instances where a tax case has gone criminal then you’re best advised to retain a criminal attorney! Rich Tomlinson A more prudent question to ask is who is skilled to represent a taxpayer? Within all three professions there are only a select few that really understand the world of IRS representation. Virtually no college or university provides any training in this specialized field. So look for a professional that has completed specialized training such as through the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (www.astps.org), that has a successful track record, and who actively works in this very specialized field. In this arena attorneys, CPAs and EAs are peers.
Visit us in Draper
Draper 1194 E. Draper Pkwy 801-571-3449
To learn more visit www.tomlinsoncpa.com or call us at (801) 747-1040
Expires 12/15/14
MAKING HOLIDAY MEMORIES: NINE CREATIVE AND FRUGAL TRADITIONS By Joani Taylor
I
recently met a gal who told me a story about how they use their cowboy boots for Christmas stockings. This came about because, during a move to a new home, the box with their holiday decorations got lost. Instead of buying new stockings they hung their cowboy boots on the mantle and have kept the tradition ever since. When you think of Christmas traditions you might think of driving around and seeing the lights, watching a favorite holiday movie, enjoying special recipes or opening up PJ’s on Christmas Eve. Holiday traditions invoke wonderful and playful memories of childhood and help bond us to those we love. We asked our readers at Coupons4Utah.com what their favorite holiday traditions are and we got a lot of great responses. Here are a few favorites that are out of the norm and easy on the wallet. Stop a Cop: Wrap up goodies, then on Christmas Eve find a police officer or stop by a firehouse and deliver your treats, with an offer of thanks and gratitude for keeping you safe on the holiday.
Toy Clean Up: Two or three days before Christmas gather the kids and go through their toys. Place those they no longer play with in a special bag and put it under the tree. On Christmas Eve, St. Nick will take the bag and replace it with their newly wrapped toys. The toys get donated to a local shelter or care center. Table Talk: Use butcher paper instead of a tablecloth and breakout the crayons. Everyone, adults and children, writes or illustrates something on the table. It can be words of gratitude, a big announcement or sharing a goal they hope to achieve. When it’s time for dinner each person shares what they wrote. Go Camping: Camp out around your Christmas tree the night you decorate it. Tell stories by candlelight. In the morning have the same breakfast menu from year to year, like funny face pancakes or a special muffin or bread that you only make on that particular morning. Discover Your Inner Actor: Put on a holiday performance. Act out the nativity and read the story
of Christ’s birth from the bible. Then, have a gift exchange game where the gifts cannot cost more than $5. Newlyweds Forever: Make a yearly decoration for the tree out of things you can find around the house that represents where you are in that stage of life. Your ornaments will tell a story of time as you grow your family. Winter Wonderland: Make a paper snowflake each day during December and have your child write something they are thankful for on it. Then hang the snowflakes in the window or around the house. Ants in Your Pants: Go sledding or ice skating on Christmas day after opening the gifts. This is a great way to channel the Christmas excitement into a healthy family activity. Hide and Seek: Santa’s mischievous elves hide one present for Christmas Eve. They leave treasure hunt style clues all over the house leading the way to the gift. What’s your holiday tradition? For more ideas our readers submitted visit: coupons4utah.com/traditions Happy Holidays
Sandy Showcase • December 2014 • Reserve Your Showcase: 801.264.6649
PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY Are You Suffering with: Pins and Needles Burning Weakness Tingling
Shooting Pain Numbness Balance Problems Swelling/ Edema
“You are cordially invited to learn about revolutionary breakthrough protocols in the treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy. . . including Utah’s only Horizontal Therapy which is the latest breakthrough in the science of electro-medicine and the most advanced and effective form of bio-electric treatment available to date. It is a new, very specialized form of pain therapy that uses bio-lectricity for pain management and circulatory disorders . . . pain management without drugs or surgery to get lasting results. This with our revolutionary metabolic approach to reducing inflammation and proper nerve stimulation which allows theneurons to heal will give you result never before seen in your treatment of Peripheral Neuropathy.” - Dr. Shane Watt
FREE
Peripheral Neuropathy Recovery Workshop
A Whole Health Natural Approach To Getting Well Friday, December 5 at 6:15 p.m.
1664 W. Town Center Dr., Suite D, South Jordan www.utahpncare.com
801-495-4444
NeuroBolic Health Center Dr. M. Shane Watt, Chiropractic Physician
Limited to 15 people. Call to reserve your seat at the free event:
11/2014 SSCCJ
Page 12 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
EDUCATION
Alta High Marching Band Exceeds Expectations
Eastmont Middle Honors Veterans By Julie Slama
By Julie Slama
E
I
n its second year after a long-term hiatus, the 53-member Alta High Marching Band won the state championship. At the Utah Music Education Association marching band championship held Oct. 31 in St. George, the high school students brought home a trophy for winning the 2A division. “The band definitely exceeded my expectations,” said first-year marching band director Caleb Shabestari. “They worked so amazingly hard, rehearsing more than 300 hours this fall, and that doesn’t count their individual, section and group practices.” It wasn’t just at the state championships that the marching band shone. The group won the Oct. 4 Bridgerland Invitational at Utah State University and the Oct. 7 Wasatch Invitational at Copper Hills High in West Jordan. “We’ve set our standards high for next year. We’d like to move up in size to the 3A or 4A division since bigger bands do well,” Shabestari said. During the re-creation of the marching band last year, after being dormant many of the years since it was first started in 1978, Canyons School District officials decided students from all the district high schools could join. However, the majority have been Alta students. Shabestari, who was the assistant director last year, became the director last winter. Shabestari plans to start increasing the number of marching band members immediately by recruiting middle school music students, as well as musicians at
Alta High Marching Band’s dedication helped them to win the state title. Photo courtesy of Caleb Shabestari other high schools. Those who sing or play in the orchestra can participate in the color guard. “All 10 members of our color guard were new, and half of them were musicians, and that helps to know how to read music. They don’t necessary need to know how to dance. We’d like to have 20 participate next year,” he said. Shabestari teaches the marching band to focus on the music as well as how to stir up a crowd. During time-outs at games, they play the usual fun, pep band songs, but during half-time, they create a musical performance. “It’s not a loud or rowdy half-time show. We play with expression, dynamics, tempo and focus artistically, and our community has appreciated our music,” he said. This year’s performance was an original composition entitled, “The Road,” and focused not only on the piece, but also on the band’s journey from its beginnings to how hard they have worked this season, Shabestari said. “I told them to leave no regrets. In
June, we held a 60-hour band camp, and since July, they have practiced 10 hours as a whole each week, which is more than most bands practice,” he said. Through the practices, the marching band has supported one another. “We created a family since we’ve rehearsed so much together. We’ve built relationships as we’ve practiced, marched—which takes a great deal of physical endurance—and been together,” Shabestari said. Canyons School District Arts Coordinator Sharee Jorgensen said that has been an important key. “It’s a great bonding experience for the kids involved,” she said. “They’ve become a team as they’ve worked toward a positive, common goal, and through the experience, they’ve had fun. They’ve done such a great job, that if you saw them for the first time, you’d never know that they’ve just started. They’re at the top of their music, their performance, and we just hope the program grows to get more kids involved.” l
Radon Kills more people in the US than drunk driving. EVERY home should test for Radon! We will offer $100 off a complete radon system. Call for details. $20 professional test kit, includes lab fee. Radon is a Serious Health Concern! Radon kills approximately 14,000 to 30,000 people with tobacco smoke and tobacco products. You may each year and 30% of all homes here in Utah are high not smoke but you may still be at risk for lung cancer in Radon. It is ranked as a Group A carcinogen, along as Radon is a cause for non-smokers.
Let us help you protect your family and go with the top professional company in Utah. ~ Serving all of Utah ~
801-510-8705
www.radonbegone.com
Has immediate openings for our stores from Riverton to Logan for the following positions: Crew Members, Shift Leaders General Managers, Great Benefits, Flexible Schedules Please contact Cory at cboothe@ckr.com or go to www.carlsjr.com/jobs for more information and exact locations.
astmont Middle School students welcomed about 50 veterans in the community at its first Veterans Day breakfast. Hosted by the school’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society, the Nov. 11 breakfast included a PowerPoint program about each branch of the service and patriotic music, “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Take Five” and the “Eastmont Fight Song.” Each of the 862 middle school students could invite a veteran and attend with their guest and his or her family. All students wrote a note to those who attended, and then the letters were bound and given to each veteran in attendance.
“We wanted to let them
know we were thankful for what they did. There was one veteran here who had lost his legs, and it was so inspirational that he was here at our middle school event.” “We wanted to let them know we were thankful for what they did,” eighth grader and National Junior Honor Society member Sadie Herrera said. “There was one veteran here who had lost his legs, and it was so inspirational that he was here at our middle school event.”
Eastmont Veterans continued on page 18
December 2014 | Page 13
SandyJournal.com
Peruvian Park Students Celebrate Arts, Literature By Julie Slama
P
eruvian Park Elementary families recently gathered to take part in literacy activities and listen to Hillcrest High theater students and a local storyteller in an effort to celebrate the arts. The literacy arts event supports National Family Literacy Month, which focuses on activities that showcase the
“ Stories change people’s lives,
and they are meant to be shared. This story is to encourage people to reach inside themselves and get the courage so they won’t be afraid to try something.”
part by beating on drums. “Stories change people’s lives, and they are meant to be shared,” said Jones, who teaches junior high and high school, but fell into storytelling after taking some of his own eight kids to a storytelling workshop. “This story is to encourage people to reach inside themselves and get the courage so they won’t be afraid to try something.” Hillcrest High theater students Emma Krantz and Gigi Valentine performed “On My Way” and “Stepsister’s Lament” for students and their families. “Theater was the first form of literature,” Gigi said. “It’s another form of
Storyteller Chris Jones involves students playing drums as he tells families a story about overcoming fear at Peruvian Park’s literacy arts night. The school has had a family literacy arts night for the past 12 years. importance of family literacy programs, said Peruvian Park Parent-Teacher Association President Rebecca Martin. “We wanted an event where we could bring families together in the school and have a chance to interact with teachers informally,” she said. “We included the arts so families could appreciate the different art forms.” During the Nov. 6 evening, families could listen to storyteller Chris Jones tell a story to let school children know that everyone can be afraid and that they are not alone. He called on students to take
telling stories.” Parent Andrea Kaplan, who came with her son, Eli, said that it’s important to have literacy arts nights. “There’s so much emphasis on video and media, that it’s great to see kids reading and having a love of language,” she said. Each student who attended the event received a free book, and that was invaluable, fourth-grade teacher Gretchen Roberts said. “It’s their opportunity to get a book to take home,” she said. “Lots of kids don’t have books at home so this helps
get them reading.” Fourth-grader Maria Manousakis said she had fun looking at the Reflections art exhibit that featured visual art, threedimensional art and film entries. “I was trying to guess which ones my classmates entered,” said Maria, who entered a photograph of Barbie dolls holding hands. In the classrooms, there were literacybased activities such as Dr. Seuss worksheets
and books, finger puppets, Eric Carle art and literature, word searches and other word games. Third-grade teacher Judy Seiders said that students practiced spelling by playing Boggle in her classroom. “Spelling is a life skill, and they were competing against each other to see who could find the most words,” she said. “It was a fun night for the families and neighbors to get together.” l
Page 14 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
Upcoming Event
Breakfast of champions Service Project 210 S. Rio Grande Street, SLC, 84101 | 9:30 am - 11:30am
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, for this month’s Breakfast of Champions, we will be volunteering at the Road Home in the children’s play room and sorting donations. If you would like to join us, call 801-566-0344. Sponsored by:
November
26
December 2014 | Page 15
SandyJournal.com
SOUTH VALLEY SERVICES
THE GEAR ROOM
South Valley Services has opened the Riverton Community Resource Center- so we celebrated with a ribbon cutting! South Valley Services offers a wide variety of services involving family violence.
Welcome the Gear Room to the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce. The Gear Room is the place to get all of your outdoor needs!
CARE PACKAGES FOR SENIORS This year, the Ambassadors worked with the Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services Senior Employment Program by putting together basic care packages for the seniors in the Senior Employment Program.
Page 16 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal
SPORTS
‘Digger Sophomore Tackles Two Sports at Once
Sandy Woman Dedicates Marathon to Her Father
By Ron Bevan
I
t’s not uncommon for high school athletes to compete in more than one sport throughout the year. But what sets Jordan’s Hannah Dutson apart from others is that she competed in two sports during the same season, and excelled in both. “It keeps me pretty busy, and we had to work out some conflicts with practices, but I had a lot of fun this season,” Dutson said. Dutson, the daughter of Tracy and Sheryl Dutson of Sandy, represented Jordan in cross-country and tennis during the fall season. The sophomore athlete not only made it to post-season action in both sports, she also medaled in cross country. She ran the 3-three mile course at Sugar House Park in a time of 18:14.1 for a fifth-place finish overall in the 5A race, held Oct. 22. “I went out pretty fast and was holding on to third place for most of the race,” Dutson said. “It wasn’t till the end that I got passed by two other runners.” Dutson comes from a family that has
enjoyed running. Her older sisters, Haley and Tavia, as well as older brother Colin, all ran for Jordan. Tavia graduated last season, giving Hannah time to compete with one older sibling. “We pushed each other last year,” Dutson said. “I am the youngest of the family, so I am the last one running here. It’s still fun for me, but I miss running with my sister.” Colin also competed in cross-country and tennis for Jordan, but the boys tennis team competes in the spring so he didn’t have to juggle his practices. Jordan implements a season-long training regimen geared toward being prepared for the state meet, a program Dutson thinks helped her with the finish she turned in. “We do certain workouts throughout the season that push us beyond our weekly races,” she said. “We gear them so we can peak at state. It includes increasing the distance we train and then tapering down just before state.” Dutson’s fifth-place finish helped Jordan take third overall in the 5A team standings. Other contributors to the cross-country team tally were Aubrey Monson (22nd), Katie Chinchen (30th), Jody Meads (36th) and Desie Thorn (45th). Just a few weeks prior to the state cross-country meet, Dutson
Jordan sophomore and cross-country runner Hannah Dutson also teamed up for a second-place region finish in the No. 1 doubles portion of the tennis team. She competed in both tennis and cross-country at the same time.
By Ron Bevan
J
Sandy’s Hannah Dutson finished fifth overall in the state 5A cross-country meet, held Oct. 22 at Sugar House Park. Dutson, a sophomore, also competed in tennis while running cross-country for Jordan. represented Jordan in the State 5A tennis tournament, held Oct. 8, 11 at Liberty Park. Dutson competed in the No. 1 doubles with fellow Beetdigger Tabby Jones. The duo had compiled a 9-6 overall record and a second-place finish in the Region 3 tournament to qualify for state. Dutson and Jones took the first set of a bestof-three match, 6-3, against a team from Davis. The next set went to the Davis duo, 3-6, as did the final set, 7-6. “We played well during the season but lost in the first round at state,” Dutson said. “But we did force a tie breaker and had a chance to win it.” Dutson plans on competing in distance racing for the track team in the spring. She also plans on competing in tennis and crosscountry her final two years at Jordan. l
for first time customers, up to $50
with purchase of emissions test
also in
www.stevesautomotivesandy.com 9245 S. 700 E. Sandy UT 84070
Free Alignment Check Free Summer 30 pt inspection Free Brake Check Free Air Conditioning Check Free Check Engine code pull Free Shuttle Service Free DMV Renewal Not valid with any other discounts or offers Sandy Location only Expires 12/30/14
801-559-7776
Possibilities
HELLO HOME BUYERS! Considering buying a home? Want to know what price of home fits your budget? Interested in the steps of finding the perfect home? Curious about financing options?
December Specials Free Safety Inspection
Millcreek 2809 S 2300 E 801-466-2886
Marathon Dedication continued on page 17
Endless
Now open in Sandy! 10% OFF any service in December
ust a few years ago, running any kind of marathon wasn’t even on Jennifer George’s radar. But once the 47-year-old Sandy resident picked up the sport of running, she put the New York Marathon on her bucket list. She realized that goal Nov. 2 when she finally competed in the 26.2 mile race through the five boroughs of New York City. “It was an amazing place to race,” George said. “To see all the people running the race and all the fans who came out to cheer made it a very special day.” What made it more special to George was the support of her father, John. He ran his first New York Marathon when he was 43, and ended up running the race six consecutive years – one for each of his children – between 1983 and 1988. “He was my inspiration,” George said. “I loved seeing his medals from those races.” George at first hadn’t followed in her father’s footsteps in becoming a runner. “I wasn’t doing much, in the form of exercising,” she said. But her husband, Scott George, was running and entering races. He decided to sign her up for a marathon relay race that had her run a five-mile leg of the race. He then signed her up for a half marathon. The races got her hooked and pretty soon she was running more half marathons, then added full marathons. “My first marathon was four years ago,” George said. “I had signed up for a half marathon that day, then decided to try
Michelle Mitton, Realtor Equity Real Estate
801-910-4670
michellemitton@comcast.net
Let's get your questions answered and find the perfect home for you! Call me to explore the possibilities.
December 2014 | Page 17
SandyJournal.com
Marathon Dedication continued from page 16
Sandy resident Jennifer George completed her first New York Marathon Nov. 2 to honor her father, John, who ran the race six times.
to run the full distance.” She didn’t tell anyone of her plans to run the distance, and once she had completed her first marathon, she wanted to share the news with her dad. “I called him as soon as I finished the race,” she said. “He was very excited that I had done it.” As she continued in her new love of running, she began to think about doing what her father had done and run in New York. When her father, now 76, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, she knew she had to do it, partly to honor him and also so he could see her run, as he lives in New York City. “His cancer was diagnosed early, so now he is doing better,” George said.
“ You can’t believe the energy you get from strangers cheering you on the entire way. It was a cold and windy day, but the crowd, and knowing my father, husband and son were at the finish line, helped me to keep going.”
But because of the popularity of the New York Marathon, runners have to qualify to be able to take part in the race. Over 50,000 runners competed this year alone. George had to finish a half marathon with a time of one
hour, 42 minutes to qualify for the race. “I am not a real fast runner,” she said. “But I completed a marathon in Sandy with one minute to spare to qualify.” Running the New York marathon was unlike any of her previous marathons here in Utah. “Many marathons in Utah are run in very scenic areas, so it makes it fun to see the area surrounding you,” George
THE LAST LOCAL CARD YOU WILL EVER NEED As a Merco Club Card member you can discover, shop, and save with deals and discounts in your area. Browse through our website to find all kinds of amazing offers from local businesses that make an impact. One small annual price, for hundreds in return. Get yours today: www.mercolocal.com
mercolocal
®
said. “But we don’t draw a lot of spectators for our races. In New York there were people lined up on both sides of the street the full distance. You can’t believe the energy you get from strangers cheering you on the entire way. It was a cold and windy day, but the crowd, and knowing my father, husband and son were at the finish line, helped me to keep going.” George said she came over one bridge and turned the corner to find bands playing and even more spectators cheering. “That moment felt just like I was running in the Olympics,” she said. George has now completed 14 marathons in the last four years, including five this year alone. She isn’t ready to slow down and has a half marathon planned for the end of November. “Even if you haven’t run before, it is an easy sport to get into and has great health benefits,” she said. “We have a lot of running groups in Utah, and they are designed to help people get started. Even if you can only run a half mile at first, people are there to encourage you and help you to run further. All you have to do is take that first step. There is such a camaraderie with runners, and it is easy in Utah to meet up with others that can help you along the way.” l
Page 18 | December 2014
Sandy City Journal Dec. 12, 10 a.m. -- Hearing Screenings and Aid Checks. The effects of hearing loss and how to communicate effectively. Hearing aid checks and troubleshooting and hearing screenings.
SENIORS Sandy Senior Center 9310 South 1300 East 801-561-3265
Dec. 1 to Dec. 11 – Pottery Silent Auction. The center will be having a pottery silent auction in the front lobby. There will be all of the different beautifully colored pottery bowels, geckos and cups displayed on a table that the center’s pottery class has made. The auction will be held in the front lobby where you can fill out a card to bid on the items. Calls will be made on Friday, Dec. 12, to those who bid and won an item. All proceeds will go back into the pottery class to further buy clay and materials for the new year. Dec. 1, 10 a.m. – Deck the Halls Party. Come and help decorate the building with holiday spirit and cheer. The center needs help setting up the tree in the café and decorating it, as well as placing decorations in the halls, lobby and staircase. Light refreshments will be available to those who come out and help. 10:30 a.m. -- Glorious Glorious Golden Eagle Show. Come learn about birds of prey or raptors, how they live and their importance to the environment. See a live
male Golden Eagle up close. Presented by Judy w/ Division of Wildlife Resources Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m. -- Healthy at Every Age. Learn about cancer prevention and health information for seniors, lowering your cancer risk, cancer screenings, avoiding medical scams, finding reliable health information, and complementary medicine. Speak oneon-one with a cancer information specialist who can answer questions about cancer and other health topics. Presented by Huntsman Cancer Institute of Utah. Dec. 4, 10 a.m. -- Community Engaged Initiative Program Reception Knitters Thank You. Sandy Senior Center volunteers and residents from Atria of Sandy Senior Living donated their time and talents knitting and crocheting afghans, baby booties, scarves and hats for the homeless shelter. All items will be donated to The Road Home. Dec. 4, 11, 18, 12:45 p.m. -- Gentle Yoga. Gentle yoga is for those who want a relaxing experience. Great for beginners/those who like chair yoga. Dec. 5, 10 a.m. --- Stroke Prevention Care. What is a stroke? What causes one and
How to Avoid the Five Costly Mistakes that are Stopping You From Reaching Your Fat Loss Goals. Most Sandy residents are failing to reach their weight-loss goals because they are making five crucial mistakes . . . Recently a new special report was released that identifies what these mistakes are and gives a simple step-by-step explanation about how to avoid them. Stop making these mistakes and lose unwanted fat FAST by going to SpecialFatLossReport.com and click on the Special Report tab to receive your special report right now.
11 a.m. -- A Senior for a Senior Animal Adoption. Adopt a senior cat from the animal shelter; cat comes with food, litter box. 1 p.m.; Soap Making Class. -- $10 requested for eight bars of soap. Make beautiful and aromatic soap. what contributes to having one? Does age play a role or is diet more of a factor in having one? So many questions, find out the answers and more. Dec. 8, 10 a.m. -- Knight 2015 Tours. Hear about the new tours of 2015, destinations and prices. Dec. 9, 8 a.m. -- Holiday Breakfast with Santa. Enjoy a delicious breakfast sponsored by your Advisory Council members. Have your picture taken with Santa Claus and let him know if you’ve been naughty or nice! Dec. 10, 11 a.m. -- ObamaCare: Affordable Care Act. This presentation will help you understand simply how Medicare works so you can choose what is best for you. Have your questions answered.
Eastmont Veterans continued from page 12 The veteran is Marine Tyler Burdick who served as a hospital corpsman in Afghanistan. His armored vehicle was struck by an IED and he lost his feet. NJHS fellow member Shyler Naegle said that she appreciated talking and listening to veterans in attendance. “My dad was in the army when I was born in Germany, so it was really cool listening to all the different experiences and being grateful that they and their families were able to come,” she said. Eighth-grader and NJHS member Thomas Johnson, who introduced the ceremony, said he appreciates the sacrifice of these veterans. “It was hard for them to leave their families and friends, but they did it to serve our country,” he said. Veterans Day programs were also held at Alta High School and Sunrise Elementary. l
Eastmont Middle School held its first Veterans Day breakfast and program in what school officials hope will become an annual event. At right is former hospital corpsman Tyler Burdick who, after losing his feet, competed in the Sochi Paralympic Games. Photo courtesy of Sadie Herrera
Dec. 15, 10 a.m. -- Vital Aging: Mindfulness Meditation. Mindfulness is paying attention in a way to promote wellness in your life. For those who practice meditation or simply want to create or reinforce insight. 10 a.m. – Three Wise Men. Who were the wise men? Where are they buried, and what is the star of Bethlehem? Find out about the history of these men and our world. Dec. 16, 11:15 a.m. -- Early Christmas Meal. Enjoy a delicious meal of ham, potatoes, rolls, vegetables and cherry crisp. Music by the Chris Hough Band-”music the way they like it.” Come early to get a great spot with friends. Dec. 18, 10 a.m. -- Caregivers Support Group. Get tips on avoiding burnout and live life to its fullest. l
mayor’s message
sandy utah
sandynow.com
Where Mountain Meets Urban Supporting a Better Utah Down the Road
O
n Monday, November 17, I joined many local and state leaders for the official launch of a statewide public education campaign to highlight the need for increased transportation funding. The event was held in Farmington, with additional events held in St. George and Vernal. The goal of this initiative is to remind all of us, whether we use transportation or not, we all depend on a functioning and efficient transportation system. From the goods and services from our favorite online retailer that arrive on our doorstep to those who travel miles by train, bus, car or bike to work. What is less understood is that current state funding is woefully insufficient to meet the maintenance needs of our current infrastructure, much less the additional infrastructure that will be needed to meet the projected growth of a doubling of our population by 2050. Cities across the state are required to supplement the state funding received out of their general fund, meaning there is less money for public safety, parks and recreation and other services that our residents need. In Sandy City,
for example, state funding provides just a little over half of the money necessary to meet the actual transportation costs for our city. Additional transportation funding is vitally important: Improving air quality is of concern to us all. By funding a comprehensive transportation plan that includes transit, bicycling and walking paths and trails for active transportation, we reduce emissions, one of the biggest contributors to poor air quality. Well-maintained transportation infrastructure costs less. Just like brushing your teeth, preventive work means
fewer problems like cavities in the future. Your time is precious and you certainly don’t want to waste it sitting in traffic. There are direct benefits to every citizen if we adequately funding our state’s comprehensive transportation needs.
Additional transportation funding also allows the city to focus on active transportation needs such as sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and sidewalks—a top priority for our citizens. We support our state legislature as they look at a variety of solutions and ideas and know that we all have the same goal in mind. Fund transportation—for now and for Utah’s future. l
laWn SeRVICeS
TRee SeRVICeS
YaRD CaRe
Lawn Care Services
“Intermountain Tree experts”
Tarabetz Yard Care
Trimming, removal, stump grinding
Expert tree removal, trimming, shrubs, fruit trees year round.
Call Wendy 801-641-1580
Licensed and Insured WInTeR DISCOunTS! Spencer: 801-244-3542
DRIVeRS WanTeD
ROOFInG
laWn SeRVICeS
HelP WanTeD
Windstar is Hiring Full Time Permanent OTR Drivers! Same RouteS • NeweR equipmeNt Time at home every 8 days
Whitaker Roofing Services
Pro lawn Maintenance
OrthODOntic assistant — Join one of Utah’s most progressive orthodontic teams in a fun, positive atmosphere. Mon-Fri, 30-35 hours per week.
Fall Clean-up
Residential, Re-roofing and all Repairs “You’ve Just Found the Right Roofer” For Quick Response, Call Juli
In business for 33 years! Spring aeration, weekly lawn maintenance, spring clean-ups.
Lic / Ins. • Arborist
801-913-9385
801-758-7918
FREE Estimates
Will train. Bring resume and references to: Dr. Tony Skanchy • Alta View Orthodontics
801-550-6813 or 801-347-1238
10220 S. 1300 E. • sanDy
PaInTInG
YaRD CaRe
COnCReTe
YaRD CaRe
801-631-7485
Michael Deagle lanDscaping
call us at 801-996-3702
we will beat any paint bid...and still do a great job! also: wallpaper removal!
Over 100 references • 25 yrs. Exp.
Call Mike now! 801-631-7485
Utah’s Finest in Lawn Care! Affordable / Dependable Lawn Care Spring / Fall Clean-ups, Weekly Cuts
call Mike: 801-597-0143
Dan Fiefia Concrete
Sidewalks, RV pads, Driveways, flat works. quality service for an affordable price!
Senior Discounts • Lic./Ins. Call Dan: 801-518-7365
Clean CuT
Property Maintenance Lawn Care, Aeration, Weeding, Sprinkler Start-up & Repair • Quality, affordable work Free estimate! 801-604-3258
Fair Game By Peri Kinder
T
here’s a small, football-shaped gland in the center of the brain that makes people go temporarily insane. It kicks into high gear during fall and winter. Each weekend, this gland swells to the size of an actual football, blocking rational thought and flooding the body with the hormone fanaticsol. This hormone produces the ability to recall facts about any sports player, in any game, in any era, at any time. Plus it encourages a person to drink copious amounts of beer while watching millionaires put on funny clothes and throw things at each other. Too much fanaticsol can result in stupid bar fights, irrational lifelong feuds, the spousal silent treatment and, in extreme cases, the need to contact an attorney. It also stimulates the desire to wear a favorite player’s team jersey, even though it’s stained with guacamole— because those are “Lucky guacamole stains, and you can’t wash them off!” If this sounds familiar, you or a loved one could be suffering from Sports-induced Addictive Pastime Syndrome (SAPS). While there is no cure, there is hope that the afflicted person in your life will stop watching back-to-back NFL or NBA games, as well as hockey, baseball, NASCAR, golf, swim meets, college sports, and if nothing else is on, bowling championships.
An entirely fabricated study shows more than 80 percent of SAPS victims are male. Once fanaticsol hits their system, they can understand complicated playoff brackets in complete detail. They are able to change
any variable and know the outcome. It’s like a version of Mad Libs. Example: “If the (insert sports team) win, that means the (insert another sports team) will play (insert another sports team) in (insert location) on (insert date and time) where it’s supposed to (insert weather condition).” And that information is in their brains! They don’t even have to Google it! I watched my husband (a SAPS sufferer) strike up a conversation with a total stranger that went like this: “Where are you from? I see you’re wearing a (insert sports team) hat.” “I’m from (insert city’s name),” the fellow SAPS casualty says. “Are you a (insert sports team) fan!? I grew up watching so-and-so play in the Whatchamacallit Dome.” “Did you see the game in 1972 where (insert athlete’s name) threw a (insert sports terminology) and they won the game (insert final score)?” “Yeah, that was crazy! But not as wild as when
Buy One Get One
(insert athlete’s name) broke (insert another athlete’s name) record for (insert sport terminology.)” But if you ask those same men what grade their daughter is in, the answer will be, “Um. Algebra?” And the stats! Somewhere in the Midwest, there’s a sports bartype office where employees create irrelevant facts so sports announcers can demonstrate their unparalleled knowledge of the game. The broadcaster might say,“If Mr. Football completes this pass, he’ll be the first left-handed quarterback in the history of the universe to throw 100 yards in the snow while recovering from tonsillitis at this venue.” How do you respond to that? While the majority of men choose their favorite teams based on who they watched growing up, women base their favorite teams on who their first boyfriend followed, or the color of the uniforms. Most women will stick around for world championship games, galactic title bouts and half-time shows, but that’s about it. I just heard the TV turn on. My husband is watching some type of sporting event. That means I have a few hours to shop at (insert department store), and he won’t even know I’m gone. l
varieties FREE 25to choose from!
d Keep us in minys! for the holida While you are there pick up some boxed chocolates!
Boxed Chocolates 15% OFF
Fashion Place Mall 801-266-3858 Union Heights 801-562-8543